Part 23
A cry for help
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
Oops. I wasn't going to mention that. They were just being so damn frustrating
though! I had to shut them up somehow. Now Pacey is sitting quietly, staring out
the window, finally realizing that he's the only one she's ever been with. He's
starting to realize that she's still in love with him, the way he is with her.
HE is starting to get it.
She isn't.
For three years she's been convinced that he betrayed her. Now she not only
knows he didn't, she knows he's still been faithful to her.
And it's killing her.
She thinks it's all her fault - and that's my fault.
She's not seeing that based on the information she had she had a right to be
angry. She's wallowing again - just like she did before.
Only differently, because now she's blaming herself.
I pick up the phone again, knowing that she won't notice, and that he won't
understand what I've done.
It rings once.
"Yeah?" the voice on the other end asks.
"Hey. It's me." I say.
"Jen? What's wrong?"
"She needs you. We'll be at Dawson's in LA."
"I'm on my way out the door. What happened?"
"I let it slip."
"Shit."
"I know. They just - " I stopped, the tears welling up in my eyes.
"It's too late now. I can guess what happened. I'll see you when I get there.
You'll bring Dawson?"
"Yeah."
"Deal."
We hang up, and I wipe my eyes. I was so close! How could I slip up like that?
She didn't need to hear that!
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
Part 24
She's Falling Apart
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
The plane lands, and Jen steps off, looking as sophisticated as ever. My breath
catches until I see her face. She's worried. She approaches me and pulls me into
a tight hug. "Call it off." she whispers forcefully.
"What?" I respond.
"Just do it Dawson. I'll explain when Jack gets here."
Why would Jack be coming? I whip out my cell and dial the limo driver that was
going to take Pacey and Joey to a private dinner. I tell him that plans have
changed, and we will all be going back to mine and Pacey's building. Then Jen
informs me that I'm sharing a limo with Jo instead of her.
"It's important Dawson." is all she offers.
I nod, confused, and look over at Joey and Pacey. Pacey is staring off into
space, a dreamy smile on his face, but Joey's face is drawn, troubled. She looks
like shit. I walk over. "Joey?"
She looks up at me with flat eyes. "Hey Dawson."
I glance up briefly and notice various members of the entertainment press
gathering at the doors, waiting for us to make our way to the limo. "Would you
do me a small favor?"
She closes her eyes.
"Pretend to be happy for a bit while we make our way through the press lines to
the limos?"
She doesn't answer, but she straightens her posture and pastes a broad smile on
her face. Her eyes are still flat, but it's a very good show none the less.
As we exit the airport, the press surrounds us, leaving Pacey and Jen
essentially alone, though not far behind. "Who's the girl Dawson?" one of them
asks.
"This is Josephine Potter. She's playing opposite me in 'changes'." I explain.
"That's Pacey Witter's next project."
They all nod enthusiastically as we get closer to the limo. "Josephine, how does
it feel to be working with Dawson Leery, the latest, greatest acting sensation?"
another presses.
She laughs lightly, and I glance at her hopefully, but her eyes still haven't
changed. "Like old times." she answers.
"Why is that?"
"We're old friends." she elaborates as we climb into the limo.
Once inside, I turn her sad face to me. "What's up Jo?"
"Dawson?" she asks, looking very lost and confused.
"Right here." I answer.
"Oh God!" she cries out, clinging to me.
I let her stay there as the limo makes it's way through the streets of Los
Angeles. We arrive at my building a bit ahead of the other limo, and I take her
up to my apartment, letting her go straight to the guest room. I glance in and
she's curled up in the lazy boy chair in the corner of the room, rocking back
and forth slowly.
I leave her there, hoping that Jack's plane comes in soon so that I can figure
out what happened to my best friend.
My phone rings, and I answer it absently. "Dawson Leery."
"You're perky." the voice responds.
"Hey. Did you get any details yet?"
"No, but I've got a few wild ideas. You?"
"None. When do you land?"
"Two hours."
"See you then."
"Yeah."
We hang up and I call Pacey's to set up a 'dinner' with Jen in an hour, so that
we have time to swing by the airport and pick him up.
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
Part 25
How to help
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
As I'm sitting in my first-class seat, I think about the night my dad called me
because there was a distraught brunette on his doorstep.
"She's freaking out." he'd said. "And she doesn't know where your apartment is."
I'd hurried to his Manhattan apartment, and found her on his couch, rocking back
and forth silently, staring into space.
I'd walked over, and extended my hand. She closed her eyes in relief when she
saw me. When we'd arrived back at my apartment, my friends Geoff and Steve were
still staring blankly at the door I'd rushed out of so quickly. Upon seeing her
they'd eyed me suspiciously, and then had softened, realizing how hurt she was.
I'd seated myself next to her on the sofa. "What happened Joey?" I'd asked.
She had looked at me blankly, panic evident in her eyes. "Pacey - Andie -
Dawson's bed - I - uh - I -" she began to hyperventilate.
Steve had shot up, grabbing her a paper bag. I kept them handy because my
boyfriend James was prone to panic attacks.
What could Andie and Pacey have done? Steve had given Joey the bag, and she
seemed to be recovering. She lowered the bag. "I found Pacey in Dawson's bed
with Andie." she said slowly, as though still processing the sight herself. "He
was putting his pants back on Jack. He cheated on me. WITH HER!!!" she started
to scream, as though she had forgotten we were in the room with her. She stood,
pacing the room as she ranted. "He KNEW how insecure I was about her. About how
close they were to one another. He KNEW, because I TOLD him. I TOLD HIM!!! And
he still - he still - " she collapsed sobbing into the chair.
I was in shock. This was not something I figured Pacey would do. Then it hit me,
and I looked at Joey, knowing she could never really handle the truth. Someday,
maybe, but not yet. Especially not with school in two months. So I comforted
her, and introduced her to my friends, and we helped. So did James, once he got
home.
We helped her cope with Pacey's betrayal, even though Jen confirmend to me a few
months later that there hadn't been a betrayal.
I thought about all of this as I stepped off the plane in L.A., to be greeted by
Jen and Dawson. I thought about how she was finally haveing to go through it,
and how I was finally going to have to help her the way I should have all those
years ago, when the pain was fresh.
"Hey Jack." Jen said, pulling me into a hug.
"I'm sorry I missed the party last night." I apologized. "James' father was in
town."
She nodded. "You're here now. Let's go to dinner and I'll try to explain what
happened. It's been a long couple of days."
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
A cry for help
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
Oops. I wasn't going to mention that. They were just being so damn frustrating
though! I had to shut them up somehow. Now Pacey is sitting quietly, staring out
the window, finally realizing that he's the only one she's ever been with. He's
starting to realize that she's still in love with him, the way he is with her.
HE is starting to get it.
She isn't.
For three years she's been convinced that he betrayed her. Now she not only
knows he didn't, she knows he's still been faithful to her.
And it's killing her.
She thinks it's all her fault - and that's my fault.
She's not seeing that based on the information she had she had a right to be
angry. She's wallowing again - just like she did before.
Only differently, because now she's blaming herself.
I pick up the phone again, knowing that she won't notice, and that he won't
understand what I've done.
It rings once.
"Yeah?" the voice on the other end asks.
"Hey. It's me." I say.
"Jen? What's wrong?"
"She needs you. We'll be at Dawson's in LA."
"I'm on my way out the door. What happened?"
"I let it slip."
"Shit."
"I know. They just - " I stopped, the tears welling up in my eyes.
"It's too late now. I can guess what happened. I'll see you when I get there.
You'll bring Dawson?"
"Yeah."
"Deal."
We hang up, and I wipe my eyes. I was so close! How could I slip up like that?
She didn't need to hear that!
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
Part 24
She's Falling Apart
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
The plane lands, and Jen steps off, looking as sophisticated as ever. My breath
catches until I see her face. She's worried. She approaches me and pulls me into
a tight hug. "Call it off." she whispers forcefully.
"What?" I respond.
"Just do it Dawson. I'll explain when Jack gets here."
Why would Jack be coming? I whip out my cell and dial the limo driver that was
going to take Pacey and Joey to a private dinner. I tell him that plans have
changed, and we will all be going back to mine and Pacey's building. Then Jen
informs me that I'm sharing a limo with Jo instead of her.
"It's important Dawson." is all she offers.
I nod, confused, and look over at Joey and Pacey. Pacey is staring off into
space, a dreamy smile on his face, but Joey's face is drawn, troubled. She looks
like shit. I walk over. "Joey?"
She looks up at me with flat eyes. "Hey Dawson."
I glance up briefly and notice various members of the entertainment press
gathering at the doors, waiting for us to make our way to the limo. "Would you
do me a small favor?"
She closes her eyes.
"Pretend to be happy for a bit while we make our way through the press lines to
the limos?"
She doesn't answer, but she straightens her posture and pastes a broad smile on
her face. Her eyes are still flat, but it's a very good show none the less.
As we exit the airport, the press surrounds us, leaving Pacey and Jen
essentially alone, though not far behind. "Who's the girl Dawson?" one of them
asks.
"This is Josephine Potter. She's playing opposite me in 'changes'." I explain.
"That's Pacey Witter's next project."
They all nod enthusiastically as we get closer to the limo. "Josephine, how does
it feel to be working with Dawson Leery, the latest, greatest acting sensation?"
another presses.
She laughs lightly, and I glance at her hopefully, but her eyes still haven't
changed. "Like old times." she answers.
"Why is that?"
"We're old friends." she elaborates as we climb into the limo.
Once inside, I turn her sad face to me. "What's up Jo?"
"Dawson?" she asks, looking very lost and confused.
"Right here." I answer.
"Oh God!" she cries out, clinging to me.
I let her stay there as the limo makes it's way through the streets of Los
Angeles. We arrive at my building a bit ahead of the other limo, and I take her
up to my apartment, letting her go straight to the guest room. I glance in and
she's curled up in the lazy boy chair in the corner of the room, rocking back
and forth slowly.
I leave her there, hoping that Jack's plane comes in soon so that I can figure
out what happened to my best friend.
My phone rings, and I answer it absently. "Dawson Leery."
"You're perky." the voice responds.
"Hey. Did you get any details yet?"
"No, but I've got a few wild ideas. You?"
"None. When do you land?"
"Two hours."
"See you then."
"Yeah."
We hang up and I call Pacey's to set up a 'dinner' with Jen in an hour, so that
we have time to swing by the airport and pick him up.
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
Part 25
How to help
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@
As I'm sitting in my first-class seat, I think about the night my dad called me
because there was a distraught brunette on his doorstep.
"She's freaking out." he'd said. "And she doesn't know where your apartment is."
I'd hurried to his Manhattan apartment, and found her on his couch, rocking back
and forth silently, staring into space.
I'd walked over, and extended my hand. She closed her eyes in relief when she
saw me. When we'd arrived back at my apartment, my friends Geoff and Steve were
still staring blankly at the door I'd rushed out of so quickly. Upon seeing her
they'd eyed me suspiciously, and then had softened, realizing how hurt she was.
I'd seated myself next to her on the sofa. "What happened Joey?" I'd asked.
She had looked at me blankly, panic evident in her eyes. "Pacey - Andie -
Dawson's bed - I - uh - I -" she began to hyperventilate.
Steve had shot up, grabbing her a paper bag. I kept them handy because my
boyfriend James was prone to panic attacks.
What could Andie and Pacey have done? Steve had given Joey the bag, and she
seemed to be recovering. She lowered the bag. "I found Pacey in Dawson's bed
with Andie." she said slowly, as though still processing the sight herself. "He
was putting his pants back on Jack. He cheated on me. WITH HER!!!" she started
to scream, as though she had forgotten we were in the room with her. She stood,
pacing the room as she ranted. "He KNEW how insecure I was about her. About how
close they were to one another. He KNEW, because I TOLD him. I TOLD HIM!!! And
he still - he still - " she collapsed sobbing into the chair.
I was in shock. This was not something I figured Pacey would do. Then it hit me,
and I looked at Joey, knowing she could never really handle the truth. Someday,
maybe, but not yet. Especially not with school in two months. So I comforted
her, and introduced her to my friends, and we helped. So did James, once he got
home.
We helped her cope with Pacey's betrayal, even though Jen confirmend to me a few
months later that there hadn't been a betrayal.
I thought about all of this as I stepped off the plane in L.A., to be greeted by
Jen and Dawson. I thought about how she was finally haveing to go through it,
and how I was finally going to have to help her the way I should have all those
years ago, when the pain was fresh.
"Hey Jack." Jen said, pulling me into a hug.
"I'm sorry I missed the party last night." I apologized. "James' father was in
town."
She nodded. "You're here now. Let's go to dinner and I'll try to explain what
happened. It's been a long couple of days."
~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@~~~@