Chapter 27
"Your what?" Dawson repeated, unsure of what he had just heard. He stood there, in shock as Joey attempted to stand straight, her hand on her stomach while she clutched the back of the couch. "Joey that's impossible, your not do for another five weeks!" he exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yeah, well, tell that to your baby!" she exclaimed through gritted teeth. Dawson nervously ran his hand through his hair, like how he used to when he was a teenager and had longer hair. He wasn't prepared for this yet. He still had a few weeks to prepare himself for it!
"Are you sure your really in labor?" he asked. "I mean, maybe your just having cramps?" he suggested.
"I'm positive Dawson," she assured him.
"Okay, um, you sit down over here for a second," he began as he helped her to the couch. "And I'll… go get the book," he said before disappearing to the bedroom. Joey rolled her eyes as she continued to grit her teeth. He ran back into the living room, the pregnancy book Audrey had given them earlier on in his hand.
"Feeing any better yet?" he asked. If looks could kill, the one she gave him would have killed him right then and there. "Right, stupid question," he said before he began flipping through the book, pacing back and fourth in front of her as he searched for what he was looking for. Joey just watched as he walked back and fourth quickly flipping through pages in the book.
"Aha!" he exclaimed a few minutes later. "It says here women can sometimes experience false contractions, which can be mistaken for the real thing," he explained, looking up from the book. "Could this maybe be the case? My mom did that a lot."
"Dawson.." she said worriedly, looking down as the seat of her overalls suddenly became wet.
"Please tell me that was urine," Dawson said. Joey shook her head.
"Okay, so maybe this is the real thing," he said. He then began scanning the book once more. "I just wanna be-"
"Dawson, if you don't move your ass, and stop checking that damn book, I'm going to have our first child here on the couch!" she exclaimed.
"Right," Dawson said, tossing the book aside. "I'm just going to call the hospital and-" he began, walking towards the phone.
"There's no time," Joey said, struggling to get up from the couch. Dawson ran over to her and helped her up. They headed towards the door.
"Grab my bag!" Joey reminded him as he opened the door.
"Shit!" he cursed, "Just stay right there," he told her before running into their bedroom and grabbing the bag.
"It's not like I'm going anywhere!" she exclaimed, gripping the doorknob as he ran back over to her, the bag in his hand.
"Going down these stairs would be so much easier if I wasn't pregnant," Joey said as Dawson helped her down the stairs.
"It's okay, I got you," he said, having a firm grip on her arm as he climbed down the stairs beside her, and drove as fast as possible towards the hospital.
As soon as they pulled up in front of the hospital, Dawson jumped out, grabbing a wheelchair and positioning it beside the passenger's side for Joey. Helping her out of the car, Joey plopped down in the wheelchair, allowing Dawson to wheel her into the hospital.
"Hi, uh, my girlfriend's in labor and…I think we need a doctor," Dawson said to the receptionist, who just looked at him for a second. "Uh, we called from the car," he added.
"Name please," she asked.
"Dawson Leery," he said quickly.
"No, the name of the one having the baby," she clarified.
"Oh! Uh, Joey Potter," he said. The woman looked down at some papers in front of her, scanning the paper for Joey's name.
"Okay, Dr. Ross's patient, right?" she asked.
"Yes!" Joey said finally, breathing heavily in the wheelchair as she experienced another contraction.
"Okay, miss, were going to need your boyfriend here to fill out some paperwork," she said, handing Dawson some papers on a clipboard, "while we get you set up in a room."
"Okay," Joey said as a male nurse appeared behind her and began to wheel her out of the lobby. "Wait a second. Dawson!" Joey yelled. Dawson's head snapped up from the paperwork he had been scanning through.
"Yeah?" he asked, walking over to her.
"I've got a little phone book full of everyone's names. I need you to call them," she told him, gritting her teeth.
"I will, I promise." Joey looked up at him and forced a smile.
"So I guess this is it, huh?" he said.
"Yeah," she said. He bent down and kissed her forehead. "I'll be in there in a minute," he promised before the nurse wheeled her away. Dawson stood, watching her disappear before looking down at the pages of paperwork and sighing.
Finally Dawson had finished the paperwork and had called Bessie, Gale, Jack and a few others before being able to go in and see Joey. When he walked into the private room she had requested, the doctor was already in there, standing beside Joey, who was already out of her overalls and into the hospital clothing. The expression on her face appeared to be more annoyed and less pain than before.
"Dawson!" Joey said, sounding relieved once she caught sight of him entering the room. He walked over to the other side of her.
"Hey, I'm here," he assured her. "Is everything okay?" he asked, looking up at the doctor. She smiled.
"Well, as you know Joey's a little early here to be having the baby. But it appears your baby has had enough and wants to come out," the doctor explained. "But the good news is that the baby's developed enough that there shouldn't be any problems once he or she is born." Dawson and Joey both sighed in relief. "Although he may be a little small," she added.
"How small?" Dawson asked.
"Ehh… I'd say maybe five- six pounds; maybe a little less."
"And how much does a typical baby weigh?" Joey asked, a little concerned about the baby's estimated weight.
"Depends. It could go anywhere from seven to sometimes even nine pounds," she said. Joey's eyes went wide and she pitied the women who give birth to larger babies.
"Right now Joey is two centimeters dilated," she informed him. Dawson looked at her blankly, not knowing what that meant.
"Is that a good thing?" he asked.
"We've still got a while to go. It appears Joey's labor has slowed down a bit. She needs to get to ten centimeters before anything happens," she explained.
"Meaning I gotta sit here and wait," Joey said, sounding a little angry and annoyed.
"I don't understand, before we got here, I was afraid she was going to have the baby in our car, and now your telling me it's slowed down since then and we've gotta wait?" he asked.
The doctor shrugged. "These things happen," she told him. "I'll be back in in about an hour to check up on you okay Joey? See how far you are then."
"Okay, thank you," Joey said. The doctor smiled before disappearing out the door. Joey sighed in frustration, leaning back in the bed, resting her hands on her belly.
"So we've got a little bit to wait," Dawson said, sitting in the chair beside the bed.
"Yup," Joey agreed, still looking up at the ceiling.
"Joey, about earlier…" he began. Joey looked over at him, knowing where he was going with this.
"Dawson, it was my fault. I'm sorry for accusing you of cheating," Joey said, surprising Dawson.
"So you believe me?" he asked. Joey looked at him for a second, before nodding.
"Yeah." Dawson smiled before leaning over and kissing her on the lips.
"Good because Joey, I'd never cheat on you. I want you to know that," he said.
Joey smiled. "I know." The two sat there for a few moments, silent. The clock on the wall making the only nose.
"And I didn't mean any of the things I sad. I was just mad," Dawson told her after a few moments of silence.
Joey smiled once more. "Me too."
"And I-" he began.
"Dawson, it's okay, really," Joey assured him, reaching over and rubbing his arm. "I love you Dawson," she whispered."
"I love you too Joey," he told her, taking her hand in his and giving it a loving squeeze.
"So did you call Bessie and your mom?" Joey asked a few minutes later. Dawson nodded his head.
"Uh huh, and Jack, and Audrey," he assured her.
"Okay, good," Joey said, relieved. Another lapse of silence as the two drift off into their own thoughts.
"I wonder what Jen would say if she were still alive," Dawson said finally.
"Oh gosh, I can only imagine," Joey said, smiling. "She'd probably say something about 'well it's about time!' or just grin at us," Joey said. The two of them laughed.
"Yeah," Dawson agreed. Their moment of reflecting was interrupted by Joey having another contraction.
"Oh. Ow! Ow!" Joey said as she sat up a little, reached for Dawson's hand. "A contraction," she said as she squeezed his hand. She exhaled as it passed.
"This is going to be a long night," Joey said, rubbing her stomach.
A few hours later, Joey remained laying on the bed, now only three and a half centimeters dilated and growing more and more frustrated as the hours dragged on.
"This isn't happening!" Joey exclaimed after the doctor left.
"Would you rather have an extremely fast labor?" Dawson asked, standing up to stretch his legs once more.
"Yes. A really fast labor would be heaven right now," she said. Dawson smiled.
"You know, we've been here what, three -maybe four hours now. People should be getting here soon!" Joey said.
"I'm sure they're on their way," Dawson said.
"Dawson, it doesn't take that long to get to New York from Capeside," Joey reminded him. Dawson shrugged.
"Well I'm sure Jack had go get Aimee ready -if he's bringing her. And mom and Bessie are probably on their way," he said, sitting down.
"Well hey need to get here," Joey grumbled. "Then again, by the time I have this kid, I'll be a year older."
"Jo, I'm sure it's not that bad," Dawson said.
"Dawson, I'm trying to fit something the size of a watermelon out of an opening the size of a lemon. Would you like to trade places with me and see how painful it really is?" she asked.
"Actually…no," he said, standing up. "And on that note, I'm going to go get something to eat," he said.
"Wimp!" Joey called after him.
Dawson sighed, staring at the different options the hospital vending machine carried, his mind on Joey and their baby. He wasn't really hungry, he just needed a break.
"Dawson?" a female voice asked. He turned around, relieved hearing the voice.
"Mom," he said smiling as Gale rushed over to him. He smiled as they embraced.
"I got here as soon as I could. John is still at home with Lily," she explained, pulling away from him. "So how is she?" she asked.
"Uh, well it's going...slow," he said. Gale looked at him confused.
"But, when you called you said.." she began.
"I know. But as soon as we got here, it just kinda…stopped," he explained as the two began towards Joey's room.
"Dawson, she's five weeks early. Is the baby going to be okay?" she asked worriedly.
Dawson nodded. "The doctor said the baby's lungs and all the important organs are developed enough so the baby should… pull through," he said as they neared Joey's room. Then they entered, Joey was standing beside the bed, presumably stretching. She had been laying in the hospital bed for a few hours now.
"Hey Jo, we got a visitor," Dawson said as he walked into the room, Gale behind him. Joey smiled as Gale came into view.
"Hi honey. How you doing?" Gale asked as she walked over to Joey, rubbing her back.
"Better," she said, trying to stand a little straighter, her hand on the small of her back. "I just had to stretch my legs," Joey explained, motioning over to the bed.
"Can I get you anything?" Gale asked, putting her purse down on the chair in the corner of the room.
"Thank you but I'm fine," Joey said. A pause. "Did you…talk to my sister?" she asked, wishing Bessie was here. As much as she loved and was close to Gail, she wanted her sister there badly.
"Honey, I'm sure she's on her way," Gail assured her just as Bessie walked in.
"Ohmigosh, I found you guys!" Bessie said happily. Gail stood up, happy Bessie arrived. "Hey Gale," Bessie said, hugging her.
"Hi Bess," Gale said, hugging back. Bessie then walked over to her sister. "Joey," Bessie said worriedly, carefully hugging her sister. "Dawson called; the baby's not due for another month is everything-" Bessie began worriedly.
"The doctor said she far along enough to where it should be fine," Dawson explained. "Just she's probably going to have to stay in the hospital with the baby a little longer." Bessie nodded, hugging Dawson.
"Ow, Dawson!" Joey said, gripping the side of the bed. Dawson rushed over behind her, supporting her from behind as another contraction hit her.
"Why don't we get you back in the bed, okay?" Dawson suggested before helping her back into the hospital bed.
"Where's Alexander and Lily?" Joey asked after a few minutes, noticing neither of them around.
"John's got them both at the house," Gail explained. "He'll be here later. You sister and I just didn't think the kids would want to be here," she said.
"Plus, we were more worried about you being in labor so early," Bessie added. "How long ago was the doctor in here last?" she asked.
"She was just in here not too long ago; she comes to check on Joey about every hour or so seeing how things are going so…" he trailed off.
"Slow!" Joey said, irritated.
"But is that normal?" Bessie asked. "I mean, when I had Alexander, there were complications, sure, but it wasn't this slow."
Dawson shrugged. "I'm trying all I can to understand what she's saying every time the doctor comes in. Bessie and Gale laughed. "So I'm kinda glad you're here." He looked over at Joey and smiled; he smiled back.
Joey shrieked in pain, sitting up as another contraction hit her. Dawson's heart broke, watching her in so much pain as she gripped his hand for dear life. She then sat back in the bed, resting as it passed. Bessie leaned over, pushing some hair from her face.
"Bessie, I'll be right back. I gotta take a break," Dawson said, standing up.
"Take your time Dawson, it's okay," she assured him. He looked down at Joey, kissing the top of her hand.
"Do you want anything?" he asked. "More ice chips?"
"Yeah, could you get me some more? I'm thirsty," she said. He smiled.
"I'll get you some," he promised before leaving. Dawson sighed heavily, taking a seat in the waiting room along with everyone else. It had been a quiet night, so there was no one else in the waiting room except for his party.
"How is she doing?" Jack asked. He and Andie had gone in to see her a few hours ago, but hadn't seen her since.
"She's doing…okay," he said finally, unsure of how else to answer. "I just needed a break from it all," he admitted, rubbing his face.
"Is there anything any of us can do?" Andie asked. Dawson shook his head.
"There isn't even anything I can do. Until she's further along all we can do is wait," he explained. He sat there for a few seconds. "Well she wanted some ice chips, so I should…" he said, standing up. "Get her some. It's the least I can do." He then hugged everyone before leaving.
"Is Audrey here yet?" Joey asked a few hours later. Her contractions had picked up speed, and the doctor had told her she had now grown eight centimeters dilated; therefore she was closer. "Everyone else is here. Is she here yet?" she asked, sitting up a little. Dawson smiled, brushing a few strand of hairs from her sweaty forehead.
"I'm not sure," he told her. He looked up at Gale; Bessie was grabbing something to eat in the waiting room. "Mom, can you go see if Audrey's here yet?" he asked, not wanting to leave her side now that things began to speed up.
"Of coarse honey," Gail said. "I'll be right back," she told them both, rubbing Joey's arm lightly before exiting the room. Dawson, who was standing beside Joey, smiled down at Joey, proud of how well she had done so far.
"Joey, your doing great honey. Your doing great," he assured her.
Joey gave him a small smile and reached over for his hand. "Is the baby okay?" she asked, worried that it was taking so long. Dawson had wondered the same thing, asking the nurse the last time she had gone on and checked on Joey. She had assured him the baby was fine and still had a strong heartbeat.
"The baby's fine," he assured her. "She's just taking her time." She smiled.
"So you think it's going to be a girl, huh?" she asked. Dawson smiled. Just then there was a knock on the door, and Audrey came in a few seconds later.
"Oh Bunny! I got here as soon as I could," Audrey said, walking over to Joey. "How ya doing?" she asked. "No wait, you don't have to answer that. I'm sure I got an idea of how your doing." Joey smiled weakly.
"I'm glad you came," she said, smiling.
"Of coarse I came," Audrey assured her. "Are you kidding? I'm going to be here for each and every kid you two have together," she said, causing Joey to smile. Her eyes then grew wide, her face suddenly scrunching up in pain.
"Uh, I think she's.." Audrey trailed off as Dawson noticed her face as well; Joey instantly reaching out for his hand. Audrey looked down and was shocked to see blood dotting Joey's hospital gown below. "Dawson, look," Audrey said, motioning downward. He looked down, his heart skipping a beat as he saw what Audrey saw; Blood. Not a lot but enough to worry.
"Audrey, go get a doctor," he said quickly.
Joey looked up at him worriedly as Audrey quickly exited the room. "Dawson, what is it? What's wrong?"
"It's alright, everything's going to be okay," he assured her, stroking her forehead as he held her hand. Joey looked down, catching a glance of the blood on the bed.
"Dawson, there's blood," she said worriedly. The doctor then came on, walking over to Joey.
"Is everything okay, Dr. Ross? There's blood," Joey said.
"Your doing great, Joey. Everything's fine," she told her as she listened for the baby's heartbeat and examined Joey to see how far along she was. "In fact, let's get you into the delivery room."
"It's time?" Joey asked quickly, sitting up as a nurse walked into the room pushing a wheelchair in.
"Yes it is," she assured her. The doctor looked at the wheelchair. "I don't think we should move her. Let's just get her on there?" she said. The nurse nodded in agreement as the two wheeled Joey out of the room in the bed.
Dawson walked beside the bed, holing her hand as they wheeled her down the hall and into the delivery room; her eyes as big as saucers the whole way there, worried about the blood. He himself was a little concerned, but remained calm or her sake.
"Dawson, is everything okay? Is the baby…" she trailed off as they entered the delivery room. Dawson knew she was worried and didn't want her to.
"Jo, everything is okay-" he began.
"No, don't tell me everything's okay. I may be in labor and scared, but I'm not dumb. Something's not right!" she said, tired of hearing everyone saying everything was okay when she had a feeling that wasn't the case. Joey's doctor turned around, hearing Joey's outburst of panic and fear.
"Joey, the reason why your bleeding is because the labor started off fast, then slowed down and now it's speeding up again. Everything's fine -as far as we can tell- on the inside," she assured her. "There's going to be some blood, there usually is delivering babies." The doctor and nurse then continued prepping Joey for the birth as Dawson watched, overtaken by it all. He would be a father in a few short hours. Maybe even minutes by the looks of it.
"Joey honey, I'll be right back. I'm going to let everyone know, okay?" he asked, brushing a few strands of hair from her forehead.
"Okay," she said, her voice small. He smiled at her and kissed her on her forehead before heading out in the waiting room to let everyone know.
"Joey's been moved to the labor and delivery room!" Dawson announced, causing everyone to stand up; shocked and surprised. "I can't believe I'm about to be a father!" he said in awe and excitement.
"Well what are you doing out here? Get back to her side!" Jack said, a smile on his face. Dawson grinned before running back out of the waiting room, and back into the room to Joey's side. Once he returned back into the room, the doctor and Nurse were huddled around Joey as she screamed -he guessed from another contraction, but this time, he noticed she was pushing.
"What'd I miss?" he asked as he walked over to the right side of her bed and took her hand in his.
"A lot!" she exclaimed, her forehead covered in sweat. Dawson flinched, but still held her hand, ready to help in any way he can.
"Alright Joey, on the next contraction I need you to push," the doctor told her. Joey nodded, as another one hit and she pushed.
"Ow, ow! Jo…Jo; your breaking my hand," Dawson said a few minutes later, gritting his teeth. The nurse looked over for a quick second, noticing Joey had a pretty tight grip on Dawson's hand.
"Dawson, shut up!" Joey said, her teeth clenched as well as she continued pushing. She looked over at Dawson after her contraction passed her. "I hate you, I hate you! I wouldn't be in any pain if it wasn't for you-" she was cut off as she was forced to push as well.
"They always say that," the doctor assured Dawson as she tended to Joey. Dawson thought back to the fight they had had earlier; the things they had said to one another. That was the bad thing about them knowing so much about one another and having so much history together; they knew how to hurt each other the most. He looked down at Joey who's face wore nothing but a painful expression as she fought to push their child out. Nothing mattered to Dawson anymore, just his family.
"I can't push anymore," Joey said, her voice low and exhausted sounding as she leaned back onto the bed.
"Jo, your doing great. You can do this," he encouraged. Joey shook her head.
"Dawson, I-I can't. It hurts to much and… I'm so tired," she said. Dawson's heart went out to her. Suddenly he felt as if he got off easily watching Joey in pain while he was standing beside her, holding her hand.
"You can do this Joey, I know you can," he said Joey shook her head once more. "Jo just think; in a few minutes you'll get to see our baby," he reminded him. Joey looked up at him; into his eyes. "Joey I know your in pain, but your almost done," he assured her.
"The baby's crowning!" the doctor announced, looking up.
"You hear that! The baby's coming!" Dawson said excitedly. Joey looked up at him and tried the best she could through the pain and smiled.
"Just a few more pushes should do it," the doctor assured her.
"Joey, c'mon, you can do this!" he told her, giving her hand a loving squeeze.
"Alright now, push!" the doctor instructed. Joey nodded and pushed all she could, wanting it to end and to be laying there holding their baby in her arms. "That was excellent! Do you think you've got two more of those in ya?" she asked. Joey looked at Dawson for a second before nodding.
"Yeah, I think so," she said. The doctor smiled. Joey pushed once more, her free hand gripping the side of the bed.
"Good! Joey, the baby's half way out," she informed her. Oh and Joey could feel it. Her contractions had come on too quickly, and she wasn't allowed any drugs to help her out.
"Jo… again with my hand.." Dawson said. Joey shot him a look that would have killed him on the spot if it could. "Right, I'll just be shutting up," he said. A few seconds later, the sound of a newborn crying filled the room; Joey leaning back onto the bed, exhausted.
"Joey, I love you so much, you did it!" he said, kissing her forehead.
"What is it?" Joey asked. Having had to wait eight months to find out what it was she was carrying.
"It's a girl," the doctor said, smiling.
"Dawson, Dawson, it's a girl!" Joey said happily. Dawson smiled, loving their baby either way.
"Would you like to cut the chord?" the doctor asked.
"Yeah-yeah," Dawson stuttered, walking over to the nurse.
"Here," she said, hanging him the scissors. Dawson hesitated a second before cutting it. He smiled, returning back to Joey as the Nurse handed the baby to Joey, who was anxious to see the baby.
"Can I hold her?" Joey asked.
"For a few minutes, yeah," she said, handing the baby to Joey. "But because the baby's premature, we need to get her checked out and cleaned up as soon as possible." Joey just smiled as she looked down at the tiny screaming child she had brought into the world only moments ago. Dawson stood there in awe as he looked down at his soul mate and the tiny person they had created together.
"She's beautiful," Joey said as she admired the baby in her arms, feeling both touched and exhausted from the labor.
"Just like her mother," Dawson said softly, reaching over and rubbing the baby's tiny fist. The tiny baby had a dark patch of hair on the top of her head already with dark, olive colored skin just like Joey.
"She's so small," Joey noticed. She remembered after her nephew was born, he was a lot larger then her own baby.
"Yeah," Dawson agreed, "but she's strong and healthy, and...she'll do alright," he assured her. Joey smiled as she looked over at him. "You know, I remember my dad telling me once that having a newborn in the house is pure adulterated hell. I wonder if it'll be the same case with us."
Joey looked down at their baby and smiled at her. "Na." The two laughed. "So…what are we going to name her?" Joey asked, remembering they still hadn't decided on a name yet.
"How about Emily?" he suggested. "Emily Lillian?" Joey thought for a second.
"I like that," she said. "Emily Lillian, is that your name?" Joey asked their daughter who then made an adorable noise, making her parents go 'aww.' "I think we finally settled in a name," Dawson said.
"Thank you," Joey whispered, looking up at him.
"For what?" he asked.
"For loving me, for putting up with me all those years -even after what I did, choosing Pacey. And most of all…for giving me this," she said, looking down at the baby, who was now looking around curiously. "Our Daughter."
The doctor then walked over to the couple. "I'm sorry but we need to take the baby now," she said. Joey looked down at the baby once more before the doctor took her.
"You did great," Dawson told her. "I love you."
"I love you," she said back. Dawson grinned, leaning down and kissing her forehead as the two sat there for a few minutes.
After updating everyone about Joey and proudly announcing he was now a father to a beautiful baby girl, who already looked like Joey, Dawson found himself heading to the NICU, the place the premature babies were brought, to see his and Joey's child. A tall, dark haired man was already standing at the large window, looking at the babies. Dawson realized he knew who the man was as he walked over to him.
"Pacey?" Dawson asked as he walked up beside him.
"Hey," he said.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised to see him.
"I got a call first from Jack, then an ecstatic and shocked call from Andie telling me Joey had gone into labor a little early and what hospital everyone would be in," he explained.
"Why weren't you up in the waiting room?" Dawson asked.
"Because I didn't want to cause a scene. This was your big day, man. You're a father," Pacey said, smiling. Dawson returned the smile, deciding to leave it at that.
"So how is she?" Pacey asked.
"She's doing alright. You know Joey, she's a fighter," Dawson said.
"Oh yes," Pacey agreed. The two fell silent, thinking how funny it was that they were standing there, talking about the one woman that came between them in the first place. Pacey turned his gaze to the dozen babies in the room behind them; some sleeping, some crying, some just saying there.
"So where's your little guy?" he asked.
"Uh, actually, it's a girl," Dawson told him happily. A part of him wanted to have a son to do 'guy' stuff with, but loved their daughter just the same. He knew there was always next time for a boy…
"Emily Lillian, we named her," he told Pacey.
Pacey smiled. "That's cute. So where is she?" he asked. Dawson looked through the plate glass, scanning the room. He knocked on the window to get the nurses attention. She looked up.
"Leery baby?" he asked. She nodded, walking over to a bassinet and picking up a small baby wrapped in a pink blanket. She smiled at the baby before walking over closer to the window to give the men a better look.
"Wow, she looks just like-"
"Joey?" Dawson finished. "I know." Pacey could only stare at the baby wrapped in the pink blanket, her hands balled up into fists as she cried in protest from being picked up from her bed. Studying her tiny features, he then looked over at Dawson who's face was lit with love, and pride as he looked at his daughter as well. Thinking back how Dawson and Joey looked at one another; with so much love in their eyes, and now seeing the outcome of their love for each other, Pacey realized that his and Joey's time was over; it had been over for a while now.
"Pacey .. I-" Dawson began, turning towards Pacey.
"You don't have to say anything. It's okay," Pacey assured him, giving him a sincere smile. Dawson looks at him for a second, realizing what he meant, and returned the smile. All the pain and anger from all the years, and recently seemed to fade as the two friends forgave each other. Really forgave each other, silently deciding to start with a clean slate, putting the past behind them and embracing the future.