Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews again! I don't know what to say
within these author's notes now. Before I was pleading for reviews! Anyway,
I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Don't Leave Home...
Joey stared at the grainy black and white picture of her baby, trying to comprehend all the changes that were about to happen to her. Although many practical things were going to be easy for her, not having to give up work was one; she was petrified of all the emotional ramifications this was going to have on her and Dawson. They had only just climbed back into each other's lives, this could break everything. She remembered how Jen felt when she was pregnant, but that was a very different situation. Jen didn't have a loving partner or a supportive job. She was told the leave the advice centre the minute they found out she was pregnant and her scum of a boyfriend ran out on her. Joey couldn't help thinking that if everything were different for Jen she might still be alive. But she knew that that great 'what if' was never going to be answered. Maybe she was thinking too much about this. But she knew that as much as she wanted this baby, she was scared rigid.
Dawson was positively glowing. He had spent the last week since going to the doctor making plans and throwing himself into becoming a Dad. When they went to the doctor to arrange all the pre natal visit's Dawson was taking notes. Joey kept warning him it was too much too soon, but Dawson ignored her, determined to be positive about this new direction in his life.
One thing that they both agreed on was not telling anyone. The fact that no one knew they were together was the main reason, throwing in that they were pregnant was not going to make anyone too pleased. They had made a plan to tell their family about the pregnancy when Joey had reached 3 months and then tell all their friends. That way they got a month to enjoy just being together and slowly breaking the news to people that they were a couple. They had already told Bessie and Gail, news which had been gladly received by both. Tonight they were heading back to Capeside for the weekend to tell Jack, Doug and Andie.
'As much as I like looking at that, we really must be going,' Dawson sneaked up behind Joey and kissed the back of her head. She had been starring at that picture for almost an hour, not that he minded. He had woken up in the middle of the night and done the same thing last night.
'I know, I'm just worried about telling everyone about us. Do you think they will approve?' Joey folded the picture and placed it in her handbag.
'What's not to approve of? We've been together before and they didn't mind,'
'I don't think 8 months of dating when we were 15 counts. I'm just worried about what Doug will think...' Joey stopped dead before she said what she was really thinking.
'...because he's Pacey's brother?' Dawson sat next to Joey and pulled her into a hug.
'I'm that obvious?'
'Always' Dawson kissed her on the forehead to reassure her. 'You haven't done anything wrong in all of this. You've moved on with your life, like Pacey has. Doug won't hold it against you. He can't expect you to be waiting for Pacey forever,'
'I know. I'm just paranoid. Do you think it's one of those strange pregnancy things? Like eating gherkins with ice cream?'
'I must have not been listening when the doctor warned us of extreme paranoia involving your ex boyfriend's family members. I do remember him saying about the gherkins though.' Joey play punched Dawson in the chest and leaned up to kiss him.
'One of these day's Leery...'
'...you're gonna do what?' Dawson replied sarcastically.
'You're going to regret this...one night you will be asleep and BAM! Shaven body hair.' Joey tried not to laugh. Dawson actually looked panicked.
'Okay, before you turn into the hairdressing equivalent of Lorraina Bobbit let's go.' Dawson stood up, grabbed Joey's hand and led her to the front door. This was going to be a long weekend.
============================================================================ =========================
Some hours later they pulled up outside the B&B. They had all decided to have a big meal at Bessie's, as Doug and Jack were in the middle of moving out of their cramped apartment into Gram's old house. The owners had decided to sell it after never using it and Doug had seen it advertised. It was a simple act of fate and they both agreed it was the right thing to do. Never the less, it meant that the apartment was now a disaster zone.
'You ready for this?' Dawson turned to Joey. She looked petrified at the prospect of this evening.
'As much as I'm ever going to be,'
'Okay, let's go in,' As Dawson opened the car door Bessie appeared on the porch. The sight of her sister made everything seem better.
'Bessie!'
'Joey' Bessie ran down the steps and grabbed her sister. 'I missed you so much!' They hugged tightly, Bessie noticing that Joey felt different.
'Hey sis, are you putting on weight?' Bessie pulled away and looked Joey up and down. She looked different but she couldn't put her finger on it.
'Yeah, all that movie night Pizza with Dawson,' Joey lied, knowing that her sister was far too astute to not notice the obvious changes in her body since the last time they had meet.
'Are you fattening up my sister for some reason Dawson?' Bessie cried over Joey's shoulder at Dawson, who was unloading the bags from the boat of his car.
'Yeah, I'm planning on using her as Marlon Brando stand in for the movie,' Dawson walked over the Bessie, smiling broadly.
'Well, as long as it's a good reason!' Bessie hugged Dawson, planting a kiss on his check.
'Thanks for letting us have dinner here this evening.' Dawson said, pulling away and putting his arm around Joey.
'Think nothing of it. The others are all here and I haven't told them anything. By the way...' Bessie said as they reached the front door, 'I am so glad things have worked out for the pair of you.' She smiled broadly and flung the door open.
'Look who's finally here!' Bessie shouted at the assembled bunch. The group spun around and rushed towards the couple, hugging and kissing the new arrivals. It was getting very overwhelming for Joey, who started to feel very claustrophobic. Finally the greetings were over and they all took to the sofas in the lounge.
'So, how is the apartment hunting going Dawson?' Bessie asked, knowing it would prompt the pair into sharing their good news.
'Umm, well it's not really. We've kind of got an announcement,' Dawson stuttered, not happy he had to make this announcement this quickly. 'Joey and I are back together'
Everyone looked shocked. Shocked and silent.
'Well, say something?' Joey ventured, looking over the faces of her friends. Jack and Andie had confused looks over their faces while she couldn't put an emotion on what Doug was thinking. Suddenly Doug stood up and made his way over to Joey.
'I'm so happy for you Joey, You deserve it,' Doug said, hugging Joey.
'Thanks Doug.' Joey mumbled into his shirt, feeling a huge weight lift off her shoulders.
'Congratulations Dawson. She's a wonderful woman. You better look after her.' Doug said, moving on to Dawson.
'I know and I will.' Dawson said, shaking Doug's hand.
Everyone else took it as their cue to jump into a group hug. Andie was squealing and grinning wildly, much the same as Jack was. Bessie looked on, watching the group of friends that had gone through so much finally share in a moment of happiness. In the jumble of hugs and kisses Joey's handbag had been thrown across the room and its contents flung across the floor. Joey's heart stopped, knowing what was in that bag.
She quickly moved to find the sonogram before anyone else but couldn't find it.
'Joey, is there something you are not telling us?' she heard from above. Looking up she saw Jack holding the picture, with Bessie and Andie either side of him.
Don't Leave Home...
Joey stared at the grainy black and white picture of her baby, trying to comprehend all the changes that were about to happen to her. Although many practical things were going to be easy for her, not having to give up work was one; she was petrified of all the emotional ramifications this was going to have on her and Dawson. They had only just climbed back into each other's lives, this could break everything. She remembered how Jen felt when she was pregnant, but that was a very different situation. Jen didn't have a loving partner or a supportive job. She was told the leave the advice centre the minute they found out she was pregnant and her scum of a boyfriend ran out on her. Joey couldn't help thinking that if everything were different for Jen she might still be alive. But she knew that that great 'what if' was never going to be answered. Maybe she was thinking too much about this. But she knew that as much as she wanted this baby, she was scared rigid.
Dawson was positively glowing. He had spent the last week since going to the doctor making plans and throwing himself into becoming a Dad. When they went to the doctor to arrange all the pre natal visit's Dawson was taking notes. Joey kept warning him it was too much too soon, but Dawson ignored her, determined to be positive about this new direction in his life.
One thing that they both agreed on was not telling anyone. The fact that no one knew they were together was the main reason, throwing in that they were pregnant was not going to make anyone too pleased. They had made a plan to tell their family about the pregnancy when Joey had reached 3 months and then tell all their friends. That way they got a month to enjoy just being together and slowly breaking the news to people that they were a couple. They had already told Bessie and Gail, news which had been gladly received by both. Tonight they were heading back to Capeside for the weekend to tell Jack, Doug and Andie.
'As much as I like looking at that, we really must be going,' Dawson sneaked up behind Joey and kissed the back of her head. She had been starring at that picture for almost an hour, not that he minded. He had woken up in the middle of the night and done the same thing last night.
'I know, I'm just worried about telling everyone about us. Do you think they will approve?' Joey folded the picture and placed it in her handbag.
'What's not to approve of? We've been together before and they didn't mind,'
'I don't think 8 months of dating when we were 15 counts. I'm just worried about what Doug will think...' Joey stopped dead before she said what she was really thinking.
'...because he's Pacey's brother?' Dawson sat next to Joey and pulled her into a hug.
'I'm that obvious?'
'Always' Dawson kissed her on the forehead to reassure her. 'You haven't done anything wrong in all of this. You've moved on with your life, like Pacey has. Doug won't hold it against you. He can't expect you to be waiting for Pacey forever,'
'I know. I'm just paranoid. Do you think it's one of those strange pregnancy things? Like eating gherkins with ice cream?'
'I must have not been listening when the doctor warned us of extreme paranoia involving your ex boyfriend's family members. I do remember him saying about the gherkins though.' Joey play punched Dawson in the chest and leaned up to kiss him.
'One of these day's Leery...'
'...you're gonna do what?' Dawson replied sarcastically.
'You're going to regret this...one night you will be asleep and BAM! Shaven body hair.' Joey tried not to laugh. Dawson actually looked panicked.
'Okay, before you turn into the hairdressing equivalent of Lorraina Bobbit let's go.' Dawson stood up, grabbed Joey's hand and led her to the front door. This was going to be a long weekend.
============================================================================ =========================
Some hours later they pulled up outside the B&B. They had all decided to have a big meal at Bessie's, as Doug and Jack were in the middle of moving out of their cramped apartment into Gram's old house. The owners had decided to sell it after never using it and Doug had seen it advertised. It was a simple act of fate and they both agreed it was the right thing to do. Never the less, it meant that the apartment was now a disaster zone.
'You ready for this?' Dawson turned to Joey. She looked petrified at the prospect of this evening.
'As much as I'm ever going to be,'
'Okay, let's go in,' As Dawson opened the car door Bessie appeared on the porch. The sight of her sister made everything seem better.
'Bessie!'
'Joey' Bessie ran down the steps and grabbed her sister. 'I missed you so much!' They hugged tightly, Bessie noticing that Joey felt different.
'Hey sis, are you putting on weight?' Bessie pulled away and looked Joey up and down. She looked different but she couldn't put her finger on it.
'Yeah, all that movie night Pizza with Dawson,' Joey lied, knowing that her sister was far too astute to not notice the obvious changes in her body since the last time they had meet.
'Are you fattening up my sister for some reason Dawson?' Bessie cried over Joey's shoulder at Dawson, who was unloading the bags from the boat of his car.
'Yeah, I'm planning on using her as Marlon Brando stand in for the movie,' Dawson walked over the Bessie, smiling broadly.
'Well, as long as it's a good reason!' Bessie hugged Dawson, planting a kiss on his check.
'Thanks for letting us have dinner here this evening.' Dawson said, pulling away and putting his arm around Joey.
'Think nothing of it. The others are all here and I haven't told them anything. By the way...' Bessie said as they reached the front door, 'I am so glad things have worked out for the pair of you.' She smiled broadly and flung the door open.
'Look who's finally here!' Bessie shouted at the assembled bunch. The group spun around and rushed towards the couple, hugging and kissing the new arrivals. It was getting very overwhelming for Joey, who started to feel very claustrophobic. Finally the greetings were over and they all took to the sofas in the lounge.
'So, how is the apartment hunting going Dawson?' Bessie asked, knowing it would prompt the pair into sharing their good news.
'Umm, well it's not really. We've kind of got an announcement,' Dawson stuttered, not happy he had to make this announcement this quickly. 'Joey and I are back together'
Everyone looked shocked. Shocked and silent.
'Well, say something?' Joey ventured, looking over the faces of her friends. Jack and Andie had confused looks over their faces while she couldn't put an emotion on what Doug was thinking. Suddenly Doug stood up and made his way over to Joey.
'I'm so happy for you Joey, You deserve it,' Doug said, hugging Joey.
'Thanks Doug.' Joey mumbled into his shirt, feeling a huge weight lift off her shoulders.
'Congratulations Dawson. She's a wonderful woman. You better look after her.' Doug said, moving on to Dawson.
'I know and I will.' Dawson said, shaking Doug's hand.
Everyone else took it as their cue to jump into a group hug. Andie was squealing and grinning wildly, much the same as Jack was. Bessie looked on, watching the group of friends that had gone through so much finally share in a moment of happiness. In the jumble of hugs and kisses Joey's handbag had been thrown across the room and its contents flung across the floor. Joey's heart stopped, knowing what was in that bag.
She quickly moved to find the sonogram before anyone else but couldn't find it.
'Joey, is there something you are not telling us?' she heard from above. Looking up she saw Jack holding the picture, with Bessie and Andie either side of him.