Author's note. Thanks again to everyone for all the great reviews! Sorry
that updates have been a bit lacking but I've just started a new job and
thus do not have all the time in the world to do everything! But please
enjoy this next batch of updates.
In Your Own Time
The moment froze. The shocked expressions of her friends and family were now etched onto her mind forever. She looked over at Dawson who was still smiling, until he realised what everyone was looking at. He walked over to Joey and helped her off the floor. He protectively placed his arm over her shoulder, pulling her into a hug.
'Joey? Is this what I think it is?' Bessie took the picture from Jack's hands, looking closely at the little grey blob that was her niece for nephew.
'It is Bessie,' Joey turned around to face her sister, her face trying to remain composed but failing. Her lip quivered waiting for her sister's reaction.
'You're pregnant?' Andie added, looking at Joey and realising that she did look different.
'She is. We are,' Dawson responded, knowing that it would be the next question on everyone's lips.
'How far along are you?' Jack joined in the questioning, looking over a Doug. He had no idea what was going through his mind.
'I'm almost 3 months. We were going to tell you then, just in case anything happened.' Joey answered in a croaky voice.
For a moment no one moved. The shock had held everyone in place and Joey felt everyone's eyes firmly glued onto her. She didn't know what else she could say. She looked up to Dawson who was also scanning the room for reactions.
'Joey, this is so wonderful!' Andie suddenly said, reaching over for the two of them to envelope them in a hug. 'I'm so glad everything has worked out for the pair of you,' She hugged Joey tightly, the two friends reunited in their shared joy.
'Thank Andie,' Joey whispered in Andie's ear.
'Hey, I'm gonna be the special Aunt here! Make way,' Bessie grabbed Dawson and hugged him tightly, before moving onto her sister.
Everyone else took their cue from these initial hugs and soon the room was again full of cuddles and handshakes. Doug smiled and looked at how glowing Joey had suddenly become. He knew she had made the right decision. He wasn't looking forward, however, to telling Pacey.
That night was spent talking and catching up on each other's lives. Joey was asked endless questions about the baby and she was finally becoming more comfortable with the idea. She held Dawson's hand under the table all night, revelling in the comfort it provided. Dawson, likewise, was starting to realise that this was real. He was going to be a father, just like Doug and Jack. He saw how alive and happy they were. He hoped the same things for himself and Joey. The group made plans to see each other tomorrow, so they could all spend time with Amy and each other before they all had to go home. Slowly the night wound down and everyone went home. Dawson and Joey were sitting on the couch in front of the fire, the glow from which was the only light in the room. Bodie, Alex and Bessie had long gone to bed but Joey and Dawson couldn't sleep.
'So, we still have to tell Gail,' Joey said, sleepily snuggling into Dawson's chest.
'I know. But I think she will be really happy. She's wanted grandkids from us since we were 18!' Dawson replied, closing his eyes and taking in the warmth of the fire.
'I suppose so, I just hope she's pleased,' Joey's eye's started to close too. The day had been very long and slowly the pair of them drifted off to sleep, wrapped up in each other's arms.
============================================================================ ==================
'Joey! Dawson! I'm so glad your home,' Gail ran out of the kitchen of Dawson's house and towards the front door where the young couple were standing. They both felt apprehensive about this meeting, not that Gail noticed.
'Mom, I missed you!' Dawson's large frame completely overshadowed his mother's tiny body and they were lost in a long hug.
'I missed you too sweetie. Joey, how are you?' Gail broke away from Dawson and moved onto her surrogate daughter. Gail had always considered Joey to be family and she did miss her, almost as much as Dawson.
'I'm pretty good Gail. How are Lily and John?' Joey replied, trying to keep her emotions calm.
'They are fine. Lily and John are having Daddy-Daughter Saturday. Sometimes, I wonder if she even needs me anymore!' Gail moved towards the overstuffed sofas, where she had laid out coffee and cakes for their arrival.
'Mom, we have something to tell you,' Dawson started, knowing he wanted to get this over with ASAP.
'Go ahead honey?' Gail looked up from pouring the coffee, her face full of concern.
'Okay, well you know Joey and I are back together? I know this may sound a bit sudden but...Well, Joey's pregnant,' Dawson stuttered.
'Oh my god,' she paused for a moment and looked at the two adults that sat before her. It was almost as if she had blinked and they had grown 10 years. 'That is the best news I have heard in a very long time.' Gail stood up and hugged the pair of them tightly. 'I can't tell you how happy I am.' She kissed them both on the forehead and felt them both sigh with relief.
'I'm so glad you are happy Gail. I was panicking that you were going to be mad,' Joey reached over for a cookie, her appetite getting the better of her.
'Why would I be mad sweetie? It's perfect, like it was always meant to be.' Gail wiped a tear away from her face. 'When's the baby due?'
'Well, she is almost 3 months now so around March.' Dawson responded for Joey, looking over and realising that her mouth was full of food.
'Sorry...' Joey mumbled, crumbs spilling from her mouth.
'That's okay honey. When I was pregnant with Dawson I ate most of the house. Mitch got so tired, just having to go back and forth to the local dinner for burgers...' Gail said, looking over at the grinning couple. She knew Mitch would be thrilled.
'Well we haven't got to that stage yet, but I have already collected the entire collection of take-out menus from the neighbourhood!' Dawson joked.
The three of them laughed and continued talking about the wonderful thing that was about to happened to all of them.
============================================================================ ===========================
'Hello, Pacey's boat of lurve. The captain speaking.'
'Hey Pace. It's Doug,'
Pacey was surprised to be hearing from his brother. They hadn't really spoken for several weeks, not since they had told him the news about Joey and Dawson living together.
'Hey Dougy. How are things in sunny Capeside? Is my little madam behaving herself?'
'Amy if fine and so is Jack. You okay?' That was a question that wasn't nearly as easy to answer. Pacey had been wresting with all his emotions since the last time they spoke. But he had tried to keep it all buried inside, not wanting to dwell on the past.
'Well, you know me. Enjoy life on the open sea with scantly clad beauties at my beck and call,' he glanced over at the slightly over weight beach bum he had hired in Melbourne. So what if he lied a little about it, Doug didn't need to know.
'That's good. Look I have some news. I'm only telling you this so you don't find out from anyone else. Dawson and Joey are together...'
He was met with silence from Pacey. He decided that he might as well rip the entire band aid off.
'... and she is 3 months pregnant by him,' Doug added quickly.
Pacey's emotions could no longer be bottled up. He had been repressing them for over a year now and suddenly, on this boat in the middle of no where they came to the surface.
'You're kidding me right? This is one sick joke Doug.' Pacey shouted down the phone.
'It's not a joke. I saw them last night. They look...happy,' Doug knew he was stepping on extremely thin ice.
'Well isn't that wonderful! The soul mates reunited. I'm so glad she didn't waste any time getting over me!' Pacey added dramatically.
'Now hold on. You left her. She cried herself dry for 4 months after you left. She had to move house, she gave up her job. She did everything she could to get over you.'
'What, like sleeping with her soul mate? Get over Doug. You can be all happy and smiley about this but I can't right now okay. Catch you latter.'
Doug heard the phone go dead. He knew he had done the right thing, but he wondered if everyone else would see it that way.
In Your Own Time
The moment froze. The shocked expressions of her friends and family were now etched onto her mind forever. She looked over at Dawson who was still smiling, until he realised what everyone was looking at. He walked over to Joey and helped her off the floor. He protectively placed his arm over her shoulder, pulling her into a hug.
'Joey? Is this what I think it is?' Bessie took the picture from Jack's hands, looking closely at the little grey blob that was her niece for nephew.
'It is Bessie,' Joey turned around to face her sister, her face trying to remain composed but failing. Her lip quivered waiting for her sister's reaction.
'You're pregnant?' Andie added, looking at Joey and realising that she did look different.
'She is. We are,' Dawson responded, knowing that it would be the next question on everyone's lips.
'How far along are you?' Jack joined in the questioning, looking over a Doug. He had no idea what was going through his mind.
'I'm almost 3 months. We were going to tell you then, just in case anything happened.' Joey answered in a croaky voice.
For a moment no one moved. The shock had held everyone in place and Joey felt everyone's eyes firmly glued onto her. She didn't know what else she could say. She looked up to Dawson who was also scanning the room for reactions.
'Joey, this is so wonderful!' Andie suddenly said, reaching over for the two of them to envelope them in a hug. 'I'm so glad everything has worked out for the pair of you,' She hugged Joey tightly, the two friends reunited in their shared joy.
'Thank Andie,' Joey whispered in Andie's ear.
'Hey, I'm gonna be the special Aunt here! Make way,' Bessie grabbed Dawson and hugged him tightly, before moving onto her sister.
Everyone else took their cue from these initial hugs and soon the room was again full of cuddles and handshakes. Doug smiled and looked at how glowing Joey had suddenly become. He knew she had made the right decision. He wasn't looking forward, however, to telling Pacey.
That night was spent talking and catching up on each other's lives. Joey was asked endless questions about the baby and she was finally becoming more comfortable with the idea. She held Dawson's hand under the table all night, revelling in the comfort it provided. Dawson, likewise, was starting to realise that this was real. He was going to be a father, just like Doug and Jack. He saw how alive and happy they were. He hoped the same things for himself and Joey. The group made plans to see each other tomorrow, so they could all spend time with Amy and each other before they all had to go home. Slowly the night wound down and everyone went home. Dawson and Joey were sitting on the couch in front of the fire, the glow from which was the only light in the room. Bodie, Alex and Bessie had long gone to bed but Joey and Dawson couldn't sleep.
'So, we still have to tell Gail,' Joey said, sleepily snuggling into Dawson's chest.
'I know. But I think she will be really happy. She's wanted grandkids from us since we were 18!' Dawson replied, closing his eyes and taking in the warmth of the fire.
'I suppose so, I just hope she's pleased,' Joey's eye's started to close too. The day had been very long and slowly the pair of them drifted off to sleep, wrapped up in each other's arms.
============================================================================ ==================
'Joey! Dawson! I'm so glad your home,' Gail ran out of the kitchen of Dawson's house and towards the front door where the young couple were standing. They both felt apprehensive about this meeting, not that Gail noticed.
'Mom, I missed you!' Dawson's large frame completely overshadowed his mother's tiny body and they were lost in a long hug.
'I missed you too sweetie. Joey, how are you?' Gail broke away from Dawson and moved onto her surrogate daughter. Gail had always considered Joey to be family and she did miss her, almost as much as Dawson.
'I'm pretty good Gail. How are Lily and John?' Joey replied, trying to keep her emotions calm.
'They are fine. Lily and John are having Daddy-Daughter Saturday. Sometimes, I wonder if she even needs me anymore!' Gail moved towards the overstuffed sofas, where she had laid out coffee and cakes for their arrival.
'Mom, we have something to tell you,' Dawson started, knowing he wanted to get this over with ASAP.
'Go ahead honey?' Gail looked up from pouring the coffee, her face full of concern.
'Okay, well you know Joey and I are back together? I know this may sound a bit sudden but...Well, Joey's pregnant,' Dawson stuttered.
'Oh my god,' she paused for a moment and looked at the two adults that sat before her. It was almost as if she had blinked and they had grown 10 years. 'That is the best news I have heard in a very long time.' Gail stood up and hugged the pair of them tightly. 'I can't tell you how happy I am.' She kissed them both on the forehead and felt them both sigh with relief.
'I'm so glad you are happy Gail. I was panicking that you were going to be mad,' Joey reached over for a cookie, her appetite getting the better of her.
'Why would I be mad sweetie? It's perfect, like it was always meant to be.' Gail wiped a tear away from her face. 'When's the baby due?'
'Well, she is almost 3 months now so around March.' Dawson responded for Joey, looking over and realising that her mouth was full of food.
'Sorry...' Joey mumbled, crumbs spilling from her mouth.
'That's okay honey. When I was pregnant with Dawson I ate most of the house. Mitch got so tired, just having to go back and forth to the local dinner for burgers...' Gail said, looking over at the grinning couple. She knew Mitch would be thrilled.
'Well we haven't got to that stage yet, but I have already collected the entire collection of take-out menus from the neighbourhood!' Dawson joked.
The three of them laughed and continued talking about the wonderful thing that was about to happened to all of them.
============================================================================ ===========================
'Hello, Pacey's boat of lurve. The captain speaking.'
'Hey Pace. It's Doug,'
Pacey was surprised to be hearing from his brother. They hadn't really spoken for several weeks, not since they had told him the news about Joey and Dawson living together.
'Hey Dougy. How are things in sunny Capeside? Is my little madam behaving herself?'
'Amy if fine and so is Jack. You okay?' That was a question that wasn't nearly as easy to answer. Pacey had been wresting with all his emotions since the last time they spoke. But he had tried to keep it all buried inside, not wanting to dwell on the past.
'Well, you know me. Enjoy life on the open sea with scantly clad beauties at my beck and call,' he glanced over at the slightly over weight beach bum he had hired in Melbourne. So what if he lied a little about it, Doug didn't need to know.
'That's good. Look I have some news. I'm only telling you this so you don't find out from anyone else. Dawson and Joey are together...'
He was met with silence from Pacey. He decided that he might as well rip the entire band aid off.
'... and she is 3 months pregnant by him,' Doug added quickly.
Pacey's emotions could no longer be bottled up. He had been repressing them for over a year now and suddenly, on this boat in the middle of no where they came to the surface.
'You're kidding me right? This is one sick joke Doug.' Pacey shouted down the phone.
'It's not a joke. I saw them last night. They look...happy,' Doug knew he was stepping on extremely thin ice.
'Well isn't that wonderful! The soul mates reunited. I'm so glad she didn't waste any time getting over me!' Pacey added dramatically.
'Now hold on. You left her. She cried herself dry for 4 months after you left. She had to move house, she gave up her job. She did everything she could to get over you.'
'What, like sleeping with her soul mate? Get over Doug. You can be all happy and smiley about this but I can't right now okay. Catch you latter.'
Doug heard the phone go dead. He knew he had done the right thing, but he wondered if everyone else would see it that way.