Disclaimer: If you recognise anyone or anything, then the chances are I don't own it and it belongs to the lovely people who made Dawson's Creek.
Author's note: This is set roughly starting with a particular episode of DC in the first series out of Capeside. Jen and Dawson are together, Audrey and Pacey have never dated and the thing with Joey and Wilder hasn't happened. I hope that explains everything.
Chapter One
Reunited
A stranger looked towards the pool table, he was longing to impress his friends and have some fun too. But a tall dark guy and a blonde girl were in the middle of a game. The stranger noticed that the girl was very pretty; her long hair swung as she playfully teased her boyfriend and her blue eyes danced. Suddenly he noticed something that made him wonder whether the blonde and guy were actually involved. A slim brunette appeared with a drink in her hand. The stranger observed her deep brown eyes filled with uncertainty, her beautifully tanned figure and her elegant grace. He noted the look the guy gave this other girl. He turned to his friend.
"Look at her." He said quietly and his friend turned.
"Wow!" His friend replied. "Shame she's taken." The stranger turned back and looked at the beautiful girl. The guy brushed passed her to take his shot and they exchanged words quietly. Her face broke into a smile and her eyes twinkled.
"Yeah, shame." The stranger agreed as the girl kissed the guy.
Audrey glanced at her friends. Pacey had clearly said something to lighten Joey's mood, but Audrey couldn't think what. In fact Audrey didn't understand why Joey was in a mood in the first place. She'd just aced her exams and had no pressure from home. Of course there was the Dawson and Jen situation, but Joey had sworn she was okay with that. Audrey didn't believe she was completely okay, but Audrey hadn't imagined Joey would be such bad company just because Dawson and Jen were now much more than platonic friends. Little did Audrey know it wasn't really Dawson and Jen that was bothering Joey that night. It was more to do with her brilliant exam results. Pacey had told her she would go straight to check them and she did, why had she? How did he know her so well? Was she that predictable? Joey knew the answer to all those questions. She was uptight, Pacey probably knew Joey better than Joey did and yes, Joey was that predictable. She wanted to do something wild, fun and completely un-Joey-like. But the problem was she was Joey and it was holding her back somewhat.
As she headed to the pool table Pacey looked up and smiled at her. She stood for a moment or two and watched the game before beginning to move away once more. Whether she was going to the bar, going to the toilet or simply going to find somewhere quiet to sit, Joey didn't know. She did know that watching Audrey and Pacey play pool did not come under the unpredictable category.
"Aren't you going to stay and watch my shot, Potter?" Pacey called to her and she turned making her way back to the game, giving Pacey the half smile he knew she saved for occasions such as these, where she wanted to smile, but couldn't quite bring herself to. The ball went into the pocket easily and Pacey walked round the table to where Joey stood. He leant across to take his next shot and he said to her, "Sometimes I think there are two Joeys. The ordinary Joey that everyone thinks they know, the one who checks her exam results as soon as they come out and the one who worries about her family and her friends and worked her butt off all through high school trying to earn some money to help her sister. Then there's the other Joey, the Joey only some people are privileged enough to know. The Joey who knows how to drink and play strip poker, the Joey who would sing at a beauty pageant, the Joey who would run for student council, despite what people think of her…" Pacey lowered his voice and spoke into her ear, "the Joey who would go away on a sail boat for a whole summer." Joey closed her eyes for a second; she could smell Pacey. She remembered the mornings when he'd caught her fish for breakfast, she remembered the evenings when he'd read to her, she remembered his arms around her and his lips pressed against hers. She smiled, properly this time. Pacey believed that she wasn't uptight and predictable and Pacey knew her better than she knew herself. He stood up straight and she kissed him. It was wild, it was fun, it was completely un-Joey-like, but at the same time it was comfortable, it was affectionate and it was Joey in every way possible.
"Uh, guys!" Joey felt a tap on her shoulder; she broke away from Pacey and smiled at him. "You two do realise you're not supposed to do that anymore. Right?" Audrey asked. Pacey grinned at Joey.
"I have a feeling we'll be doing a lot more of it." He answered for the both of them. Joey looked up at him, suddenly panicked. She whirled round to face her roommate.
"Audrey, you can't tell anyone! Not yet!" She said urgently. "Promise me!" Audrey looked from Joey's terrified face to Pacey's confused one.
"Sure Jo." She said shrugging at Pacey.
"Do you think you can make your own way home Audrey?" Pacey asked. Audrey nodded understandingly, she realised Pacey needed to talk to Joey about the progress in their relationship and her reluctance to share the news with their friends. Pacey knew it was one friend in particular Joey wanted to keep this news from and he couldn't understand for the life of him why. Dawson was completely wrapped up in his relationship with Jen, Pacey was sure he wouldn't be bothered what Joey was doing now.
"Pacey, I…" Joey began to say, but Pacey silenced her with a look, a look that said 'we need to talk, but not now, not here'. He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowds out of the bar.
Once out in the cold night air Joey began to shiver. Pacey smiled at her and pulled her to him.
"Pace…" She started again,
"Lets just get to the car first." He said. Joey nodded.
"I'm sure you weren't this bossy when we were together before." Pacey stopped walking and looked into her eyes.
"Are we together now Jo?" He asked. Joey looked at him bewilderedly.
"I don't know." She answered, "Back in there you seemed… I hoped… I don't know." She looked at the ground.
"Lets just get to the car," he said. They walked the rest of the way in silence.
The car held no more answers than the walk from the bar. As Joey climbed into the passenger seat a tear slid down her cheek. Back in the bar kissing Pacey had seemed so right, feeling his arms around her seemed to be what she'd been longing for. She thought when he gave her that look not much talking would be done, but now she was certain the remainder of that evening would be spent talking. And she wasn't at all sure what the outcome would be.
Pacey knew what he wanted now. He wanted Joey. He'd missed her, everything about her. When she'd kissed him he thought everything would go back to the way it was. But then she'd told Audrey to keep quiet. Was she ashamed or was she simply still putting Dawson's feelings before her own and consequently his? Pacey didn't know if he could handle another relationship where the person whose feelings had to be considered most wasn't even in the relationship. As he began to drive he kept silent. He didn't want to talk to Joey here. He could feel her uncertainty in the atmosphere. After he had been driving for about ten minutes Joey broke the silence.
"Stop here, Pace." She said quietly but forcefully. He pulled into the lay-by and parked the car. "I'm just going to say what I'm thinking Pacey, because as far as I can see I have nothing to lose and…"
"Everything to gain." Pacey finished for her. Joey looked at him her eyes widening, Pacey suddenly saw hope there. He smiled and brushed the tears off her cheek. "The truth is I love you Joey and you love me too." Joey touched the hand resting on her cheek.
"I do love you Pacey, but…" Pacey silenced her with a kiss.
"No buts." Joey took a deep breath and began again.
"You think that when I said I didn't want Audrey to tell anyone I meant I didn't want Audrey to tell Dawson." Pacey looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face.
"You didn't?" Joey turned away, opened the car door and stepped out. Pacey watched her, wondering what she meant by her actions. He got out the car himself and walked round to join her on the sidewalk. "What did you mean, Joey?" Joey nibbled her bottom lip. Pacey couldn't tell whether it was because she was nervous or because she was deep in thought. He suspected it was both.
"Pacey, we've been together again for less than an hour and already it's all about Dawson. We can't let your insecurities ruin what we could have here. I love you. I don't want Dawson to find out yet and I don't want Jen, Jack or Bessie to find out yet. Because I'm terrified." The tears were streaming down both their faces now. "I'm scared because I love you so much and if people find out we'll have to deal with their opinions, their problems with our decisions and their ideas of how we should behave. And I'm not sure we could stand that yet and I don't want to lose you again."
"Oh Joey." He embraced her instantly. "Anything if means I can hold you for the rest of my life." They parted and as Pacey looked into the dark brown pools that were her eyes he felt as though she was pouring her soul into his. And he knew he couldn't lose her again. "Let me drive you home, Potter." Joey nodded and they got back into the car.
Back in the bar the stranger was finding it hard to get the mysterious brunette out of his mind. He noticed the guy had left with her, leaving the bubbly blonde to herself. He knew that he had to find out about that girl, she was the type of girl someone didn't forget easily. He needed to see her again he thought as he approached her friend.
Audrey smiled as the blonde stranger drew nearer.
"Care to buy a damsel in distress a drink?" She flirted. The stranger smiled.
"Been deserted?" He laughed. Audrey grinned at him.
"Yeah, my two best friends just got back together, which is great for them, but it kinda leaves me in a hole. I'm Audrey, by the way." She extended her hand towards him. The stranger shook it.
"I'm James, that's too bad for you. But great from where I'm standing." Audrey grinned.
"What about that drink then?" She chuckled. James sighed inwardly Audrey wasn't giving up. He had a feeling finding out about this girl was going to prove expensive.
It was some time later when James brought Audrey back to Worthington; he smiled at her as he stopped outside the dormitories
"Thanks for the ride." Audrey said, "Call me." With that Audrey pressed a napkin with her mobile number on it into the palm of his hand. Then she jumped out the car and made her way up the pathway. She hoped he'd call her, but if he didn't she wouldn't be too bothered. She got the feeling he would have liked to have been brought upstairs, and although Audrey was sure Joey would be on the boat with Pacey, she didn't want to give into him after what wasn't even really a first date. She hummed to herself as she ascended up the stairs to the room she shared with Joey and bumped right into Pacey.
"Pacey, what are you doing here? Where's Joey? Are you guys okay?" She babbled. Pacey smiled. He suspected Audrey had had too much to drink and he felt a twinge of guilt as he remembered how they'd abandoned her. Then it passed as Audrey told him about some guy she'd met who seemed really lovely. Afterwards, Pacey escorted her home; he wanted to make sure she was delivered to Joey, who would take care of the slightly intoxicated Audrey.
Pacey and Joey had got back to Worthington at about eleven. Pacey walked her in of course.
"Always the gentleman, Pace." She joked and he laughed. Secretly she was pleased he had offered to walk her in. Not because she was scared or because she thought he was offering to walk in especially for her. Joey knew Pacey's chivalry extended to Audrey, Jen and Grams, and even to Dawson or Jack; the only bonus Joey got was the goodbye kiss. No, Joey was pleased Pacey had offered to walk her in because it meant she got to spend more time with him. They had lost so much time.
Joey didn't know why, but they expected to see Audrey sitting on her bed painting her toenails or putting curlers in her hair. It wasn't late so Joey didn't understand why they had assumed she would go straight home, but seeing the empty room, Pacey decided to stay and spend some time with her. Nothing happened between them, they didn't do all that much talking and none of it was serious. They just lay on Joey's bed, talked about their plans for the following weekend and made out. At two o'clock Pacey finally left to get some sleep, he had work in the morning, it was then he saw Audrey.
He distributed her to Joey at the door and explained that he had found her wandering up the stairs humming. Joey laughed, in truth Audrey wasn't drunk at all, she was just silly from the excitement of what she hoped would become her new relationship.
"Goodnight girls!" Pacey whispered to them kissing Joey.
"Ooh!" Audrey squealed, far too loudly, cries of "shut up!" and worse could be heard from behind the other doors, "So you guys are back together, I'm so pleased. That's what I said to Dawson earlier as well." Audrey giggled at Joey's shocked look, "you are so easy to fool, Josephine Potter." Joey rolled her eyes at Pacey and pulled Audrey threw the door.
"Night Pace." She whispered.