Author's note. No note, just straight into the good stuff.
Down So Long.
'Okay, maybe I was slightly over the top with that...' Pacey thought to himself, as he sat nursing a beer in the strange bar. He thought about the way he had exploded at Doug. Doug didn't deserve any of it, to be put in the middle of him and his foul moods. But he couldn't help it.
Part of him was really happy for both of them. He had watched the pair of them go through such heartache, losing their parents and losing each other, that he was almost relived that a line had been drawn and everything could be alright again.
Except it wasn't for him. He knew he could never be with Joey again, nor did he really want to. It didn't stop him loving her though. When he walked away from her at high school, he still loved her and the same thing was happening now. It just stung that it had to be Dawson. He knew it was stupid and irrational, but her going back to him almost seemed like she was trying to erase the last 10 years.
He eyed up his mobile phone, which was laying idly on the table. He toyed with calling her, saying congratulations. But he knew that she was probably still very angry with him. Plus there was a chance that Doug had told them about his little outburst.
He knew there was someone he could call though. He picked the phone up and punched in the numbers he knew almost by heart.
'Hello? It's me...'
============================================================================ ======================
'Joey, I need a hug,' Amy thrust her hand in the air, stamping her feet impatiently at Joey. Everyone had gone to the Icehouse for an evening meal before Joey and Dawson had to head home. Joey had spent the afternoon with Amy and Dawson and she really wasn't ready to go home yet.
'Okay, but I can't pick you up anymore Amy. Joey needs to take care of herself and you're a big girl now,' Joey lowered herself onto her knees and gave the little girl and hug. 'Is that better?'
'Kinda, you've got all lumpy,' Amy's muffled voice responded from Joey's chest. Even the littlest member of Joey's life was not as oblivious some of the adults she knew. She kissed Amy on the nose and watched as she scampered over to Doug.
'You are so good with her. She doesn't like me very much,' a voice said from behind her. Joey stood up and brushed her self down.
'She does love you Andie. You're her aunt. She's just being a bit snooty today,'
They walked over to the table and took their seats, enjoying the last few minutes before they had to set out. Joey didn't really want to go back to the city but she knew they had to. Her new life was there and now, with peanut on the way, she had to start making some real changes in her life. She glanced over to Dawson who was in deep conversation with Jack about parenting. Joey tried not to giggle as Dawson's little note book came out of his coat jacket. She would have to buy him a new one soon at this rate.
'Okay Mr Cosby, that enough about parenthood. Time for us to go honey.' Joey said, kissing Andie on the cheek as she got up.
'Okay, but Jack? Call me tomorrow and we can finish this okay?' Dawson said his face full of excitement.
'Sure thing. See you at Thanksgiving?' Jack said, scooping Amy up into his arms.
'You can count on it,' Joey said, kissing Amy, Jack and Doug and then locking arms with Dawson as they left.
They were both silent on the way out of town, both too tired to talk any more. Joey started to drift off and before she knew it they were home.
'Wake up sleepy, we are back in the city,' Dawson said, nudging her gently.
'Oh, I'm sorry.' Joey yawned 'I was supposed to stay awake to keep you awake.'
'It's okay. You need the sleep more than I do. Let's get you in,'
Dawson followed Joey up the stairs into the apartment. It was exactly the same as before they left it but something seemed different. It was like they were actually coming home.
Joey picked up the post left on the floor and moved towards the answering machine, a time honoured routine that she couldn't shake.
YOU HAVE 2 MESSAGES.
Joey pressed play and took and seat on the sofa.
'Hi Joey its Bessie. Just wondering if you got home safely? Call me when you get there. Love you both,'
Joey looked over at Dawson and they both smiled. Bessie was going to be impossible for the next 6 months. The next message began to play.
'Umm, Hi Joey and Dawson. It's Pacey.'
Dawson froze and Joey's face turned white.
'I know this is probably a bit of a shock. Hearing from an old sea dog like me but I just wanted to let you know that I heard about the baby,' Dawson mouthed over the Joey 'Doug' just as Joey was doing to same thing.
'I'm really happy for both of you. Despite everything we've gone through I am still your best friends. Look after her D, she deserves it. Oh and please don't call the poor child Spielberg or something like that. There is a line Dawson, tow it. Anyway, take care.'
Joey smiled as the message ended. He sounded the best he had since Jen had died. Australia must have really been agreeing with him. She exhaled deeply as Dawson slumped next to her on the sofa, taking her into his arms.
'Are you okay?' He said, gently kissing the top of her head.
'Yeah, I'm glad he knows. That was a call I was dreading.'
'You're telling me,'
'I love you Dawson,' Joey said, holding onto him tighter.
'I love you too Joey.'
============================================================================ ====================
'So I did it then,' Pacey's voice sang down the phone. He felt so much better.
'I told you it would,' the female voice said back down the line. 'And I know they will both appreciate it,'
'Anyway, I've been on this damm phone all day. It's costing me a fortune. Thanks again, for listening to an old man rant,'
'No problem, call me whenever you need me. It's still okay for me to come over? I could really do with a vacation,'
'Yeah, just e-mail me the flight details and I'll come get you,'
'Okay, bye Pace. Take care,'
'You too Andie, you too,'
Down So Long.
'Okay, maybe I was slightly over the top with that...' Pacey thought to himself, as he sat nursing a beer in the strange bar. He thought about the way he had exploded at Doug. Doug didn't deserve any of it, to be put in the middle of him and his foul moods. But he couldn't help it.
Part of him was really happy for both of them. He had watched the pair of them go through such heartache, losing their parents and losing each other, that he was almost relived that a line had been drawn and everything could be alright again.
Except it wasn't for him. He knew he could never be with Joey again, nor did he really want to. It didn't stop him loving her though. When he walked away from her at high school, he still loved her and the same thing was happening now. It just stung that it had to be Dawson. He knew it was stupid and irrational, but her going back to him almost seemed like she was trying to erase the last 10 years.
He eyed up his mobile phone, which was laying idly on the table. He toyed with calling her, saying congratulations. But he knew that she was probably still very angry with him. Plus there was a chance that Doug had told them about his little outburst.
He knew there was someone he could call though. He picked the phone up and punched in the numbers he knew almost by heart.
'Hello? It's me...'
============================================================================ ======================
'Joey, I need a hug,' Amy thrust her hand in the air, stamping her feet impatiently at Joey. Everyone had gone to the Icehouse for an evening meal before Joey and Dawson had to head home. Joey had spent the afternoon with Amy and Dawson and she really wasn't ready to go home yet.
'Okay, but I can't pick you up anymore Amy. Joey needs to take care of herself and you're a big girl now,' Joey lowered herself onto her knees and gave the little girl and hug. 'Is that better?'
'Kinda, you've got all lumpy,' Amy's muffled voice responded from Joey's chest. Even the littlest member of Joey's life was not as oblivious some of the adults she knew. She kissed Amy on the nose and watched as she scampered over to Doug.
'You are so good with her. She doesn't like me very much,' a voice said from behind her. Joey stood up and brushed her self down.
'She does love you Andie. You're her aunt. She's just being a bit snooty today,'
They walked over to the table and took their seats, enjoying the last few minutes before they had to set out. Joey didn't really want to go back to the city but she knew they had to. Her new life was there and now, with peanut on the way, she had to start making some real changes in her life. She glanced over to Dawson who was in deep conversation with Jack about parenting. Joey tried not to giggle as Dawson's little note book came out of his coat jacket. She would have to buy him a new one soon at this rate.
'Okay Mr Cosby, that enough about parenthood. Time for us to go honey.' Joey said, kissing Andie on the cheek as she got up.
'Okay, but Jack? Call me tomorrow and we can finish this okay?' Dawson said his face full of excitement.
'Sure thing. See you at Thanksgiving?' Jack said, scooping Amy up into his arms.
'You can count on it,' Joey said, kissing Amy, Jack and Doug and then locking arms with Dawson as they left.
They were both silent on the way out of town, both too tired to talk any more. Joey started to drift off and before she knew it they were home.
'Wake up sleepy, we are back in the city,' Dawson said, nudging her gently.
'Oh, I'm sorry.' Joey yawned 'I was supposed to stay awake to keep you awake.'
'It's okay. You need the sleep more than I do. Let's get you in,'
Dawson followed Joey up the stairs into the apartment. It was exactly the same as before they left it but something seemed different. It was like they were actually coming home.
Joey picked up the post left on the floor and moved towards the answering machine, a time honoured routine that she couldn't shake.
YOU HAVE 2 MESSAGES.
Joey pressed play and took and seat on the sofa.
'Hi Joey its Bessie. Just wondering if you got home safely? Call me when you get there. Love you both,'
Joey looked over at Dawson and they both smiled. Bessie was going to be impossible for the next 6 months. The next message began to play.
'Umm, Hi Joey and Dawson. It's Pacey.'
Dawson froze and Joey's face turned white.
'I know this is probably a bit of a shock. Hearing from an old sea dog like me but I just wanted to let you know that I heard about the baby,' Dawson mouthed over the Joey 'Doug' just as Joey was doing to same thing.
'I'm really happy for both of you. Despite everything we've gone through I am still your best friends. Look after her D, she deserves it. Oh and please don't call the poor child Spielberg or something like that. There is a line Dawson, tow it. Anyway, take care.'
Joey smiled as the message ended. He sounded the best he had since Jen had died. Australia must have really been agreeing with him. She exhaled deeply as Dawson slumped next to her on the sofa, taking her into his arms.
'Are you okay?' He said, gently kissing the top of her head.
'Yeah, I'm glad he knows. That was a call I was dreading.'
'You're telling me,'
'I love you Dawson,' Joey said, holding onto him tighter.
'I love you too Joey.'
============================================================================ ====================
'So I did it then,' Pacey's voice sang down the phone. He felt so much better.
'I told you it would,' the female voice said back down the line. 'And I know they will both appreciate it,'
'Anyway, I've been on this damm phone all day. It's costing me a fortune. Thanks again, for listening to an old man rant,'
'No problem, call me whenever you need me. It's still okay for me to come over? I could really do with a vacation,'
'Yeah, just e-mail me the flight details and I'll come get you,'
'Okay, bye Pace. Take care,'
'You too Andie, you too,'