Chapter 19

Dawson stood, leaning on the doorframe to their bedroom, watching Joey sleep. He had just finished preparing the food and now all that was left to be done was for their families to arrive. He stood there and watched her for a few seconds before walking over to her side of the bed and sat down beside her. Joey stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes.

"Hey, feeling better?" he asked as he brushed the hair out of her face. Joey nodded and smiled.

"Thank you." Dawson smiled and leaned down to kiss her quick on the lips.

"How's the food?" she asked.

"Everything done. All that's left now is for everyone to get here," he assured her. Joey smiled upon hearing this and reached up, grabbing the top of his shirt, pulling him down for another kiss; Dawson willingly obeying. The best part about her mood swings were that Dawson noticed there were times when she'd get extra…cuddly. This he didn't mind at all. Soon Joey's hand traveled downward, undoing his belt buckle. Before he could protest, there was a knock on the door.

Joey groaned. "Do we have to get that?" she asked.

"That we do," Dawson said, kissing her one last time before getting up. Joey got out of bed as well, heading to the bathroom to fix herself up and go pee before joining Dawson, who was on his way to answer the door.

Then Joey remembered. "Dawson!" He quickly turned around.

"Your pants," she said, pointing. Dawson blushed furious shades of red as he reached down and re-did his buckle before exiting the bedroom to answer the door. They weren't sure who would arrive first, Dawson's family or Joey's, but as soon as he opened the door, he got his answer.

"Hey guys!"

"Dawson, honey!" Gale said as she threw her arms around him. Behind her, John was carrying Lily in one arm.

"Hi Mom." Gale finally let him go and smiled.

"Hey there Dawson," John said as he extended his free hand. Dawson smiled and shook his hand. His stepfathers hand. Dawson still wasn't sure how he felt about the man he called his step father. But his mother was happy and John treated both his mother and Lily good, so Dawson was ok with it. He still missed his father, especially on holidays..

"I helped Mommy make a pie this morning," Lily said proudly as she held out the pie in her hand. Dawson grinned and took the pie from his sister.

"Well thank you."

"Dawson, where's Joey?" Gale asked, realizing Joey wasn't present.

"Right here," Joey said, finally joining them. Dawson noticed she reapplied the little bit of make-up she had had on earlier and had fixed her hair as well. Dawson smiled as he remembered what they could be doing if it wasn't for the knock on the door.

"Joey, honey, your beautiful," Gale said before hugging her. Dawson couldn't agree with his mother more, Joey was beautiful wearing the long sleeved, blue maternity dress she had bought a few weeks before. And the pregnancy… she wore it well; she was glowing.

"So aren't you," Joey said.

"Mom and Lily brought us a pie," Dawson said as he held up the pie.

"And I helped make it," Lily said proudly; John had let her down. She was now standing next to Dawson.

"You did," Joey said. Lily nodded proudly. "Aww, you guys didn't have to bring anything," Joey said.

"It's the least we could do; we had to bring something," Gale said. Joey nodded.

"Well, I'm going to go put this in the kitchen, wanna come with me?" Joey asked Lily. She looked up at Gale for a second. She smiled and looked back over at Joey; nodding. Joey smiled at how cute Lily was.

"Gale, would you like to join us?" she asked. "I'm just going to go check on the food and go put this down."

"Sure," Gale said.

"I'll be right back," Joey promised as she leaned forward and kissed Dawson on the cheek before disappearing out of the room wit Gale and Lily. Dawson smiled as he watched Joey disappear into the other room.

"So how are things?" John asked.

"Things…. Are great," he told him honestly. "I haven't been this happy in…" he paused. "A while."

John smiled. "Yeah, your mother was talking about the baby earlier."

Dawson smiled. "Five more months."

"Doesn't seem possible, does it?" John asked. "Your mother was showing me pictures of you and Joey growing up," he explained.

"Oh god," Dawson said, imagining the pictures his mother was showing around.

"And while I've only been clued in on what the two of you have been through, I have to say, I'm glad the two of you are finally together," John told him.

Dawson smiled. "Thanks." Just then, the girls came back into the room laughing.

"Was everything up to your approval?" Dawson asked. Joey smiled.

"The food looks delicious," she said putting an arm around him. As if on cue, there was another knock on the door.

Joey smiled as she walked over to get it. She opened the door already knowing who was on the other side.

"Hey Bessie!" she said.

"Hey sis!" Bessie said as she and Alexander walked in. Bessie smiled and hugged her sister.

"Wow, your really getting a belly there," Bessie said as she rubbed Joey's stomach.

"Watch it," Joey said smiling. "Well now that everyone's here," Joey said, dying to eat the food that was cooking in the kitchen.

"Hey Gale!" Bessie said as she walked over to her. The two women hugged.

"Alright, well, I guess we're going to eat," Dawson said.

A few hours later, they all sat in the living room, stuffed and happy. Joey was glad her apartment was big enough for everyone; she had been worried the kitchen and living room would be kinda cramped once everyone got there. She was sitting on the couch with Dawson, his arm around her. Lily was beside Joey, as she had been all evening.

"Wow, I must say; the food was…" Gale said, sitting on the smaller couch beside her husband. "Excellent"

"Yeah, I agree with Gale, you guys did an excellent job," Bessie said.

Joey looked up at Dawson and smiled. "Well technically Dawson did most of it."

"Regardless, the two of you cooked up a hell of a meal," John said.

"Thank you," Joey said. Dawson looked over at Joey and smiled. Lily caught his attention. She was beside Joey, looking at her stomach weirdly.

"Lily, what' wrong?" Dawson asked. Joey looked over at Lily.

"Is that where the baby lives?" she asked. They all chuckled at Lily comment.

"Yep, that's where the baby is for right now," Dawson said. Lily continued to study Joey's stomach.

"Wanna touch it?" Joey asked. Lily looked up at her, not sure of if she wanted to. Joey smiled as she slowly reached for Lily's tiny hand, and placed it on her growing stomach. Lily looked at where her hand was, her eyes huge. Dawson laughed as he watched his sisters reaction to Joey's growing stomach.

"Can I touch it?" Alexander asked as he stood up and walked over to Joey. Joey smiled.

"Sure." She took her nephew's hand and placed it on her stomach next to Lily's.

"Wow, neat!" Alexander said. They all laughed.

"Mom, is that where I came from?" he asked.

Bessie paused for a second. "Yes you were honey," she said.

"Mommy, is that where I acme from too?" Lily asked, worried she was being left out. Gale smiled.

"Yes honey." Lily smiled.

"Alright kids, why don't you two go play for a while, huh?" Gale suggested. The two made an 'aww' sound together before leaving the room.

"We've got ultrasound pictures; who wants to see them?" Joey asked. The five adults continued to talk while Lily and Alexander played.

A few hours passed, and before they knew it, it was getting late. Lily and Alexander were asleep on the couch next to Joey, who was slowly beginning to nod off.

"Well, I guess it's getting late," Gale said as she got up. "Lily and Alexander are fast asleep and Joey's heading there," she said.

Joey smiled and opened her eyes. "No I'm not; I'm just resting my eyes." Bessie laughed.

"You know, she used to use that excuse all the time when she was little," she said. "Gosh, I can't believe my little sister is going to have a baby," she added.

"Bessie, you've gotta believe it. She'll be here in another five months," she told her. Bessie smiled, watching Joey as she rested her head on Dawson's chest.

"She's so tired, she means 'he' will be here," he said smiling. Joey lifted her head slightly and stuck her tongue out at him.

Both Gale and Bessie's eyes widened. "Do you guys know what it is yet?" Gale asked.

"No, I don't think we're going to actually," Dawson said.

"Yeah, we want it to be a surprise," Joey said.

"Well that's ok, I can live with that," Gale said.

"You know honey, we should probably.." John said, knowing Joey was getting tired.

"Right." Gale stood up.

"What about you? You staying in town?" Dawson asked Bessie.

She shook her head.

"I'm going back. I had to close down the B & B for the night as it is," she explained.

"I love you guys," Bessie said as she hugged both Dawson and Joey. "I'll call you later this week or something," she promised as she shifted Alexander to the other side before heading out.

"Take care kids," Gale said warmly, hugging them both before following Bessie out the door.

"Thank you Dawson for having us," John said. Dawson assumed he would have shaken his hand if it wasn't for him holding a sleeping Lily.

"It was no problem at all," he assured him.

"Drive safe!" Joey said to all of them. They waved goodbye and Dawson closed the door.

"You ok?" he asked. Joey yawned.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. Long day and a lotta food," she explained. Dawson smiled. He then picked Joey up, causing her to scream in surprise.

"Dawson, what are you doing?" she asked.

"Carrying you to the bed," he explained.

Joey smiled. "Thank you." He smiled as she rested her head against his shoulder as he carried her to bed.