Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I don't own the movie "Fools Rush In" or the show, Dawson's Creek, kay? I'm just borrowing the plotline from "Fools Rush In" and some of the characters from Dawson's Creek.
Author's Note: If you wanna get a mental picture of what season Dawson and Joey look like they came from in this story, I guess it's from the fifth or sixth. BUT like I said, this is an alternate universe type fan fiction. There is no back story to them, they just have the same personalities as they would on the show. And instead of having Dawson being a construction worker or whatever Alex Whitman was in the movie, Dawson is; surprise, surprise, involved with a movie. Oh! Um. This story is set in Boston where Joey lives. The movie company Dawson is working for is shooting some scenes for a movie they're doing, that's what brought him there, otherwise, he lives in Los Angeles. Any of this confusing? E-mail me at the address below and I'll try to explain it.
Feedback: Yes! I would LOVE feedback. Please send feedback to Naskt8@aol.com. I'd love to hear what your guys think of my new story!
Thank You's: A BIG thank you to Jessie who helped me get ideas together.
Spoilers: There aren't any spoilers in here this time (Well, except if you haven't seen the movie "Fools Rush In".) This is an AU (Alternate Universe) fan fiction. So what you know about Dawson and Joey growing up together, being best friends, sadly there is none of that in this fan-fiction.
Three Months later…
"How many more minutes?" Joey asked as she paced around the bedroom. Her roommate, Audrey Lidelle, rolled her eyes as she stood in the bathroom. She picked up a small box sitting beside the sink.
"I don't know, shouldn't take more than five minutes," Audrey said, skimming the back of the box. Joey sighed, finally taking a seat on her bed.
"This isn't happening," Joey said as she buried her face in her hands. Audrey walked out of the bathroom.
"Brace yourself Joey, cause this is happening. I mean, what were you thinking?" she asked. Joey just sat there, unable to answer.
"It's one thing to have a fling, it's another thing entirely to have a fling and be in the predicament your in now," Audrey said. She stopped and noticed her friends expression. She sat down beside Joey, putting her arm around her.
"Joey, you don't even know for sure if your pregnant or not," she said. "I mean, who knows, you may be getting yourself all worked up for nothing." Joey looked up.
"I know I am, Audrey," she said.
"Well, let's go find out," she suggested as she motioned to the bathroom. Joey nodded. She took a deep breathe before walking into the bathroom. Her entire life was about to change; she knew it, even before picking up the test. Joey just stood there, starring down at the results.
"Well?" Audrey said finally. Joey walked out of the bathroom holding the home pregnancy test in her hand.
"It's blue; I'm pregnant," she said calmly. Audrey's face dropped, feeling bad for Joey.
"Joey," she said sympathetically. Joey looked up briefly, her lips pressed firmly together, holding back tears.
"What are you going to do now?"
"I have to tell him, Audrey," Joey said, knowing it was the right thing to do.
"So your keeping it?" Audrey asked.
Joey nodded. "As crazy and messed up this situation is, I couldn't possibly get rid of it. I mean, it's not like any of this is the baby's fault," Joey said. She had suspected she was pregnant a week before; she had had time to think about what she would do if it turned out she was.
"Do you want me to go with you? You know, for moral support?" she asked. Joey shook her head.
"I'll be okay. Besides…" she paused. "It's something I've gotta do alone," she told her.
~*~
A few days later…
Dawson sat in his patio, half listening to the actress sitting beside him. He knew she liked him, and her very obvious flirting only further convinced him.
"Dawson, are you listening?" the actress asked.
"Me? Yeah, yeah I'm listening," he said, probably a little too quickly. Dawson's friend Pacey, who was also an assistant director, smiled knowing Dawson really wasn't listening. He had been sitting there for over an hour, watching a beautiful actress flirt with his friend.
Finally deciding he had had enough of her ignoring him, Pacey stood up.
"I'll be right back. I'm just going to get a refill," he said, walking over to the door. Dawson quickly stood up and stopped Pacey half way through the doorway.
"Don't leave me alone in here with her," Dawson said in a low voice.
"Relax man, I'll be right back," he falsely promised.
"No, Pacey don't-" Pacey shut the sliding door, leaving the two alone. He shook his head, unable to believe the past two hours.
What if he doesn't remember me? What if he's not home? What if he moved? Joey thought as she walked up to the front door. The whole ride there, she had been trying to think of what she'd say to him; how to tell him. But one thing she knew for sure; she didn't go there to ask him for any help. She was more than capable of raising her baby alone.
She paused, standing in front of the door. Maybe this isn't such a good idea, she said to herself, loosing courage. No, I need to at least tell him. She took a deep breath before knocking. A few seconds later, the door opened and a dark haired man- who was definitely not Dawson- stood in front of her.
"Oh, I'm sorry; I must have the wrong house," she said as she backed up, looking at the other houses and re-checking the house number.
"Well wait a second, if your looking for Dawson, he's just inside the house," the man told her.
Joey paused. "He is?"
The man nodded. "Come on in; I'll go get him." She nodded as she stepped into the house. The man excused himself before disappearing out of the room. Joey stood there, looking around the room as she waited for Dawson.
A few seconds later, Dawson walked into the room. As soon as he saw her, his face turned to an expression filled with both surprise and shock.
"Joey?" She smiled feeling slightly relieved.
"Good, you remembered."
"Of coarse I remembered; How could I forget," he said, taking in the sight of her. "God, I've been looking everywhere for you. I would have called but…" he paused.
"I'm sorry Dawson, I just… I didn't know what to do," she said. "I woke up, and I just…freaked out. I've never done that before; I've never gone home with a guy I barely knew," she admitted.
"Jo, you and me both," he assured her, now standing right in front of her. She looked up at him and gave him a small smile. There was a pause.
"How long has it-" he began.
"Three months," she said quickly. There was another awkward pause.
"So um, can I get you something?" he asked as he shot a quick glance towards the patio, silently praying that Pacey would keep the actress busy and that neither of them would come out. He walked over to the fridge.
"I've got...water," he said, realizing he'd have to go to the store and pick up some food. Joey nodded.
"Water's okay," she assured him. Joey looked around the room, realizing it was less bare than it was three months ago- at least what she could remember.
"I like what you've done to the place," she said as he poured her a glass of water. He smiled.
"Yeah, I've had some unusual free time on my hands," he said. "Although as the studio gets further into shooting, I'm sure I'll have less and less time…" he trailed off as he handed her a cup. He couldn't help but stare at her. She was so beautiful. Dawson noticed her hair was up in a pony tail; which was a change from when he had first met her- her hair being down when they had first met. But he liked it.
"What?" she asked, noticing he was staring.
"I'm sorry, it's just, you look…amazing," he told her honestly. She looked down, not wanting to give away how hard it was for her to be there.
Again, she gave him an uneasy smile. "Thanks." She took a quick sip of the water he had given her, in hopes that it would calm her stomach; and her nerves. As crazy as she knew it was, she liked him. She just wasn't sure if she had theses feelings for him because she was carrying his child now, or if it was something else. Joey looked up, taking a deep breath she decided to tell him.
"Look Dawson, the reason I came here today was to tell you that," she paused. Dawson looked at her, a bit concerned.
"Tell me what?" he asked. "Joey?"
"I'm pregnant." She looked at him, waiting for a response. He took the glass of water from her hands before taking a step back.
"Y-your pregnant?" he repeated. "Oh, well congratulations," he said, the shock of what she just said still not hitting him. He looked down at the glass of water he has taken from her, as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. For some reason he found himself somewhat disappointed; the thought of her with another guy.
"Uh...thank; it's yours," she told him. Joey figured he would have put two and two together by now, but apparently not. Dawson quickly put the glass down on the counter.
"Wait, mine?" he repeated, as if it had just hit him.
Joey nodded.
"But Jo, we were only together for one night," he reminded her.
"Yeah, well that's all it took," she said, her gaze down to the floor. Dawson stood there for a second.
Joey sighed. "Dawson, I've thought about this," she began as she walked over towards him, "weighing all the options and scenarios," she paused. "And in the end, there's only one thing I could possibly do." Dawson looked up at her, not knowing what to say to her.
"I've decided to keep the baby," she told him. "I know it may seem like a crazy idea; I just can't kill an unborn child because we messed up." Dawson stood there, shocked. Ten minutes ago, the only thing he was thinking about was the movie he was involved in, now the only thing on his mind was Joey and the baby growing inside of her; and how much his life was going to change.
"And I don't want your money," she told him quickly, before he was able to respond. "I just thought coming here and telling you was the right thing to do here."
"No, I'm glad you did…" he said, his thoughts still jumbled.
"Dawson, I was getting lonely waiting out there; what's taking so-"As if they couldn't have pick a worse time, the actress walked out, Pacey in tow. She stopped as she notice Joey.
Joey looked over at Dawson for a brief second. "I-I'm sorry, I should have called first," she said quickly, feeling humiliated. "I'd better go," she said, grabbing her purse, and heading out the door. Dawson stood there frozen in place as he watched Joey walk out the door. Suddenly Pacey walked over to him.
"Comon man, let's go, huh?" he said, as the actress walked back into the room with her purse.
"Well I'm ready," she announced bubbly.
Joey just sat in her car, unable to make herself turn the key and drive off. She felt like such an idiot. Who was that woman? Was she the other guys girlfriend? She laughed to herself. Of coarse not. I was probably just one of many. The thought alone hurt her. Before her thoughts could continue on, the front door opened and out came Dawson, the girl, and the man who had answered the door. Joey angrily brushed away a tear before starting the car, and driving off. She didn't want to go back to her apartment yet, so the only other place to go was a park she spent a lot of time in; Franklin Park.
~*~
"There you are," Dawson said as he walked over to her, finally catching up to her. He had chased her in his car all the way to the park.
"What do you want?" she asked, sitting under a large willow tree. It was dusk outside.
"What do I want? I-"
"You know what, let's just not do this, okay? Just…go back to your girlfriend," she said.
"She isn't my girlfriend Joey, I swear," he told her. Joey just sat there in silence, the wind slightly blowing as she looked into the distance.
"My sister is going to kill me," Joey said finally. Dawson walked over to her and sat down beside her.
"Your family doesn't know?" he asked.
Joey shook her head. "No one knows; except my roommate, Audrey." The two sat there in silence for a few minutes.
"Joey, what can I do? How can I help?" he asked.
"I'll deal with it, it's okay," she assured him.
"Jo, I wanna help," he told her honestly. "Please let me help you." Finally, Joey turned towards him.
"Maybe there's something you could do," she said. "Would you come with me to meet them?" she asked.
"Your family?"
She nodded. "Just so that after the baby's born, and they ask who the father is I can tell them that they met you once," she explained.
Dawson smiled. "I'd love to. Just tell me when and where and I'll do it." Joey looked up at him and smiled before getting up.
"When." Dawson stood up.
"You mean, right now?" he asked.
"I was already on my way there," she explained. "I was going to stop to your house first and tell you, then head over there."
"Alright then, let's go," he said.