Hello! Wow, surprised at the immediate reaction! Such a contrast to
Soulmates, so thank you. I am debating whether to make this a long or short
fanfic, so any suggestions please send them in.
===========================================
I've never been so alone....
His hair was shorter and his skin was now tanned but it was still him, the man she had loved for so long. He had slung over his shoulder a document bag and was carrying a big pile of papers and a stuffed animal. Joey's heart jumped through her mouth.
'Dawson?'
He looked up and saw Joey. Her hair was much longer with a natural wave flowing through it. Its colour had reverted back to the original brown, much better than the red colour she was sporting last time they had seen each other.
'Joey' He dropped his papers and bag on the floor and they lunged into a long hug. Dawson held Joey tightly, feeling how skinny she had become. She was always slight, but she seemed to have shrunk.
'Good to see you, come in. But be quiet. I have...'
'...Amy here? Mom told me when I was home yesterday,' Dawson leant down and collected his stuff.
Joey grabbed Dawson's hand on impulse and led him through the hallway, pass the sleeping Amy and to her kitchen. His hand was sweaty and hot and Joey didn't miss the slight jump that he made.
'Coffee?' Joey asked, turning the kettle on. She banged about the kitchen nervously, unsure of herself.
'Yeah, that would be great. 'He looked about. The view from the kitchen was of the park below. It was a tiny room, but Joey had put her mark on it, with quotes from books painted on the cupboard doors in her delicate handwriting. She had also papered one wall with pages from a book.
'So I better apologise then?' Dawson said, taking a seat at her small bistro table in the corner of the kitchen.
'Why?' Joey asked, knowing full well what he meant.
'Not calling or writing? I just couldn't handle it...I've been happily removing myself from your life for 5 years, habits are hard to break.'
'Well, I won't pretend I'm not upset. But I'm glad you are here.' She placed the coffee in front of him and took a seat opposite.
'You look good,' She said, taking a sip.
'You too. How's work?'
Joey froze. She hadn't told anyone that she had quit work at the publishing company. When she told her boss he was disappointed, but knew she had the potential to be a great writing. He had offered her a one book deal and she had accepted it.
'Fine. You? How's Mr Spielberg himself?'
'Okay. When you meet your hero, it kinda takes the shine of off it. But Steve's a nice guy. I'm here scouting for locations for the film,'
'Gail said something about that. I'm glad it all went ahead. It's a good script.' She lied. The script was, at best, a mess. But she reasoned that she could never been objective when it came to his work.
'I know you're lying Potter. We got someone in to fix it. I was too close to it in the end.' Dawson's face glazed over in sadness. They both knew why.
'Well, seeing as your being honest I will too. I'm not working for the publishing company any more. I quit.'
'What? Joey why didn't you tell me?'
'Same reason you didn't tell me! I was trying to deal with everything that happened with Pacey and I wanted to follow my dream too. You're in Hollywood, Audrey's on stage, Andie's a doctor. Even Pacey is doing something he wants. I just settled for editing because I was too scared to write. But I'm doing what I want now.'
'That's great Joey, I'm really happy for you. But what about Pacey? Where is he?' Dawson eyed up the kitchen, looking for signs of Pacey's presence.
'He's gone. About 5 months ago he sold up and went to 'find himself'. I suppose it was karma giving me a kick up the ass.' She smiled at Dawson, hoping he would pick up the reference to their previous life.
Dawson smiled back and reached over the table to grab Joey's hand. 'I'm really sorry Jo. I mean that. I know I've been acting like you aren't important to me but you are.'
Joey blushed. She could see he was being honest. They sat and chatted for a while about life, what everyone else was doing and, of course, Amy. Joey could tell that Dawson was infatuated with the little girl. She knew from Jack that he sent her letters, telling her all about Jen. Jack had been keeping them in a book to give to her when she was older. Joey had been doing something similar, sketching pictures for Amy to remember her mother.
'Joey! Where is you?' they both heard the little girl cry from the front room.
'So the princess awakens!' Joey walked over to the kitchen door and opened it. 'Here we are. You remember Dawson don't you?'
She saw little Amy's face light up with recognition. Jack had placed huge pictures of everyone around the house and Amy had started to kiss them all before she slept. She ran towards her uncle, squealing with delight as she went. Joey found it hard to hold back the tears.
'Dawson!' She tried to climb onto his lap but failed, so Dawson stood up and knelt on the floor so she could hug him.
'There you are! Do you know how much I missed you button?' Joey chuckled. They all had little names for the baby. Andie called her princess, Jack and Doug called her kitten and Pacey used to call her madam.
'No.' She smiled her famous smile. For a moment, Dawson froze. The smile was so real compared to the memory of Jen's. The little girl then stuck her tongue out and it snapped him out of his haze.
'Well I missed you this much,' Dawson said, gesturing with his two hands.
'Amy honey, are you hungry?' Joey asked, clutching the two cold happy meals.
She nodded enthusiastically and scampered down off into the other room.
'Wow, she's grown so much! You're good with her' Dawson said, walking over the Joey to help her unpack the happy meals. He pulled out the little plastic toy.
'There's not much I need to do, she's the easiest going kid in the world. Wanna stay for dinner?' Joey asked, holding up a stone cold French fry.
'Why, with this stone cold meal me you are spoiling me! If that's okay? I was actually going to ask if I can crash on your sofa? The apartment that was lined up for me has fallen through at the last minute and they are trying to find me a new one ASAP.'
'You're moving to New York!'
'Yes, the film is going to be made on location and since The Creek is on a break, I thought I needed a change of scenery'
Joey threw the meal into the microwave and hugged Dawson tightly. 'You've just made my week, you know that? I get so lonely here in the city.' She felt his heart beat through his shirt, it was beating fast. She pulled away quickly.
'So, where you staying?' she changed the subject, hoping to divert attention to her blush's.
'Actually that was something I was going to ask. The studio hasn't sorted me out a place to stay yet. I was going to check into a hotel but can I stay with you instead? We can catch up and it gives me a chance to see Amy? I can sleep on the sofa'
Joey smiled. 'Well you can have the sofa if you want, but you I have spare room. Amy sleeps in with me in her travel cot so that room is free. I better warn you, it's tiny.'
'That's great. Thanks. I'll go out and get us something proper to eat if you want? You can't survive on a happy meal. Chinese?' Dawson reached for his coat.
'Okay, two blocks down there' a great place.' Joey gave Dawson her keys and a menu she had pinned to her notice board, with her menu choices underlined in pen.
Joey walked him to the front door, picking up Amy on the way.
'Is Dawson going?' the little girl asked.
'No button, I'll be right back.' Dawson kissed her on the forehead, making Amy giggle. Automatically, Dawson reached over and kissed Joey on the lips. It was a friendly kiss, but both of them felt the spark between them.
'Umm...okay I'll be back in a second.' Dawson said, himself turning red.
'Okay, be safe,' Joey called down the corridor. She stood there thinking about what had happened. Only Amy kicking her ribs and the sound of the microwave pinging awoke her.
'Okay let's get you feed and bathed so you can get some sleep young lady,' Joey said, closing the apartment door behind her.
I've never been so alone....
His hair was shorter and his skin was now tanned but it was still him, the man she had loved for so long. He had slung over his shoulder a document bag and was carrying a big pile of papers and a stuffed animal. Joey's heart jumped through her mouth.
'Dawson?'
He looked up and saw Joey. Her hair was much longer with a natural wave flowing through it. Its colour had reverted back to the original brown, much better than the red colour she was sporting last time they had seen each other.
'Joey' He dropped his papers and bag on the floor and they lunged into a long hug. Dawson held Joey tightly, feeling how skinny she had become. She was always slight, but she seemed to have shrunk.
'Good to see you, come in. But be quiet. I have...'
'...Amy here? Mom told me when I was home yesterday,' Dawson leant down and collected his stuff.
Joey grabbed Dawson's hand on impulse and led him through the hallway, pass the sleeping Amy and to her kitchen. His hand was sweaty and hot and Joey didn't miss the slight jump that he made.
'Coffee?' Joey asked, turning the kettle on. She banged about the kitchen nervously, unsure of herself.
'Yeah, that would be great. 'He looked about. The view from the kitchen was of the park below. It was a tiny room, but Joey had put her mark on it, with quotes from books painted on the cupboard doors in her delicate handwriting. She had also papered one wall with pages from a book.
'So I better apologise then?' Dawson said, taking a seat at her small bistro table in the corner of the kitchen.
'Why?' Joey asked, knowing full well what he meant.
'Not calling or writing? I just couldn't handle it...I've been happily removing myself from your life for 5 years, habits are hard to break.'
'Well, I won't pretend I'm not upset. But I'm glad you are here.' She placed the coffee in front of him and took a seat opposite.
'You look good,' She said, taking a sip.
'You too. How's work?'
Joey froze. She hadn't told anyone that she had quit work at the publishing company. When she told her boss he was disappointed, but knew she had the potential to be a great writing. He had offered her a one book deal and she had accepted it.
'Fine. You? How's Mr Spielberg himself?'
'Okay. When you meet your hero, it kinda takes the shine of off it. But Steve's a nice guy. I'm here scouting for locations for the film,'
'Gail said something about that. I'm glad it all went ahead. It's a good script.' She lied. The script was, at best, a mess. But she reasoned that she could never been objective when it came to his work.
'I know you're lying Potter. We got someone in to fix it. I was too close to it in the end.' Dawson's face glazed over in sadness. They both knew why.
'Well, seeing as your being honest I will too. I'm not working for the publishing company any more. I quit.'
'What? Joey why didn't you tell me?'
'Same reason you didn't tell me! I was trying to deal with everything that happened with Pacey and I wanted to follow my dream too. You're in Hollywood, Audrey's on stage, Andie's a doctor. Even Pacey is doing something he wants. I just settled for editing because I was too scared to write. But I'm doing what I want now.'
'That's great Joey, I'm really happy for you. But what about Pacey? Where is he?' Dawson eyed up the kitchen, looking for signs of Pacey's presence.
'He's gone. About 5 months ago he sold up and went to 'find himself'. I suppose it was karma giving me a kick up the ass.' She smiled at Dawson, hoping he would pick up the reference to their previous life.
Dawson smiled back and reached over the table to grab Joey's hand. 'I'm really sorry Jo. I mean that. I know I've been acting like you aren't important to me but you are.'
Joey blushed. She could see he was being honest. They sat and chatted for a while about life, what everyone else was doing and, of course, Amy. Joey could tell that Dawson was infatuated with the little girl. She knew from Jack that he sent her letters, telling her all about Jen. Jack had been keeping them in a book to give to her when she was older. Joey had been doing something similar, sketching pictures for Amy to remember her mother.
'Joey! Where is you?' they both heard the little girl cry from the front room.
'So the princess awakens!' Joey walked over to the kitchen door and opened it. 'Here we are. You remember Dawson don't you?'
She saw little Amy's face light up with recognition. Jack had placed huge pictures of everyone around the house and Amy had started to kiss them all before she slept. She ran towards her uncle, squealing with delight as she went. Joey found it hard to hold back the tears.
'Dawson!' She tried to climb onto his lap but failed, so Dawson stood up and knelt on the floor so she could hug him.
'There you are! Do you know how much I missed you button?' Joey chuckled. They all had little names for the baby. Andie called her princess, Jack and Doug called her kitten and Pacey used to call her madam.
'No.' She smiled her famous smile. For a moment, Dawson froze. The smile was so real compared to the memory of Jen's. The little girl then stuck her tongue out and it snapped him out of his haze.
'Well I missed you this much,' Dawson said, gesturing with his two hands.
'Amy honey, are you hungry?' Joey asked, clutching the two cold happy meals.
She nodded enthusiastically and scampered down off into the other room.
'Wow, she's grown so much! You're good with her' Dawson said, walking over the Joey to help her unpack the happy meals. He pulled out the little plastic toy.
'There's not much I need to do, she's the easiest going kid in the world. Wanna stay for dinner?' Joey asked, holding up a stone cold French fry.
'Why, with this stone cold meal me you are spoiling me! If that's okay? I was actually going to ask if I can crash on your sofa? The apartment that was lined up for me has fallen through at the last minute and they are trying to find me a new one ASAP.'
'You're moving to New York!'
'Yes, the film is going to be made on location and since The Creek is on a break, I thought I needed a change of scenery'
Joey threw the meal into the microwave and hugged Dawson tightly. 'You've just made my week, you know that? I get so lonely here in the city.' She felt his heart beat through his shirt, it was beating fast. She pulled away quickly.
'So, where you staying?' she changed the subject, hoping to divert attention to her blush's.
'Actually that was something I was going to ask. The studio hasn't sorted me out a place to stay yet. I was going to check into a hotel but can I stay with you instead? We can catch up and it gives me a chance to see Amy? I can sleep on the sofa'
Joey smiled. 'Well you can have the sofa if you want, but you I have spare room. Amy sleeps in with me in her travel cot so that room is free. I better warn you, it's tiny.'
'That's great. Thanks. I'll go out and get us something proper to eat if you want? You can't survive on a happy meal. Chinese?' Dawson reached for his coat.
'Okay, two blocks down there' a great place.' Joey gave Dawson her keys and a menu she had pinned to her notice board, with her menu choices underlined in pen.
Joey walked him to the front door, picking up Amy on the way.
'Is Dawson going?' the little girl asked.
'No button, I'll be right back.' Dawson kissed her on the forehead, making Amy giggle. Automatically, Dawson reached over and kissed Joey on the lips. It was a friendly kiss, but both of them felt the spark between them.
'Umm...okay I'll be back in a second.' Dawson said, himself turning red.
'Okay, be safe,' Joey called down the corridor. She stood there thinking about what had happened. Only Amy kicking her ribs and the sound of the microwave pinging awoke her.
'Okay let's get you feed and bathed so you can get some sleep young lady,' Joey said, closing the apartment door behind her.