Chapter 11

"This town is…"

"Small?"

Joey looked over at Pacey as they walked through the downtown of Capeside, and shook her head, "I was going to say that this town is quaint."

"It's small."

"Picturesque."

"Small."

Joey took the hand that was holding his, and whacked him in the stomach with it. "It's nice."

Reclaiming her hand, Pacey sighed. "It's small. Tiny. Minute. It is a miniature of what a town is supposed to be. You could put it in one of those snow globes!"

"I like it. It's very pretty."

"It's small."

Joey shook her head, and looked around. Spotting an old fashioned ice cream store, she tugged Pacey in that direction. "Come on, I know something that will cheer you up."

Pacey tugged at her arm, effectively stopping her and bringing her into his arms, "So do I." He murmured huskily as his mouth descended to meet hers.

"Mmmm." Joey sighed into Pacey's open mouth, her teeth nipping at his lips. "Come on," She said as she slowly backed away, "I want ice cream."

"Mmmmm…This is great. Don't you think that this is great, Pace?" Joey grinned impishly at Pacey, who had been staring at her ice cream cone enviously since she had gotten it.

"Yea, great." He smiled tightly, and dug his spoon into his half melted banana split.

Laughing, Joey offered him a taste of her double chocolate chunk mocha ice cream. "Don't look so tortured, Pace."

"How can you expect me not to?" He said around the chocolate chunk that he had received from her ice cream, and waved his spoon. "You sit there, licking that ice cream and moaning, and you expect me to not look tortured?"

"Think of it as…"A mischievous glint shone from her eyes, "Foreplay."

All she did was grin at his agonized groan.

"I can't thank you enough for your hospitality, Mary." Joey said later that day to Pacey's mother as Pacey started putting the multitude of leftovers that he had received from his mother in his car. Mary and John had gotten back from Kerrys just in time for her to see them off.

"Joey," Mary smiled warmly at the younger woman, "There's no thanks needed. I feel like I should be thanking you."

"Why?"

"For the beautiful pictures, for one thing. And for putting up with Pacey. He hasn't had any good girlfriends that I know of."

Joey frowned slightly as she heard Mary use the term 'girlfriend', is that what she was? "Oh, well, you're welcome for the pictures. I was just sitting there and doodling, it was nothing, really."

"No, Josephine," May put her hand on Joeys arm warmly, "It was something. Gretchen and Kerry love the pictures that you drew, as do John and I."

"Well…Thank you for saying that." She smiled slightly, thinking of the last part of Marys 'thanks', "And Pacey isn't all that hard to put up with."

"Hey, hey… I hear my name. What're you saying about me?"

Joey smiled as Pacey put his arms around her, and rested his chin on her shoulder, "I'm tarnishing your good reputation, of course."

"Ah, yes. Because we all know my reputation could use a good beating."

Joey shrugged, "Well, you can't stay the Hollywood Golden Boy forever now, can ya', Pace? There has to be at least one scandal that you go through…always ending up the hero, and worshipped by all again, right?"

"Ah, yes… I particularly like the sex scandals." He whispered into her ear, he bit her neck softly.

"Pacey!" She squealed, looking at wide eyes at his mother, who just laughed.

"Yes Josephine?" He looked at her innocently. Switching his gaze to his mother, he smiled. "Mom, as much as I hate to leave, I want to go so I can still take Jo out for dinner tonight."

"Really?" Joey looked over her shoulder at him, raising an eyebrow. "And what makes you think that I'll actually go out with you? In fact, I think that I might be sick of you already."

Pacey put a hand to his heart, and stumbled back it mock pain, "Oh, that hurts, Jo. And if I were you, I wouldn't be so mean to your ride." He turned to his mother again, and hugged her. "I'll talk to you soon, Mom. Love you."

"Love you, too, Baby." Mary gave him a squeeze, and turned to Joey as he let go, and turned to the passenger side door. "Joey," She opened her arms and embraced her, "You're welcome here anytime. I know that Leslie and Colin would love to meet you."

"And I'd love to meet them." Joey replied as she backed away and walked to the car. Slipping into the passenger seat, and smiling at Pacey as he closed the door, she started rifling through her purse.

She didn't notice how Mary took Pacey aside, and she certainly didn't hear when she whispered into his ear, "That one's a keeper."

"Pacey, this place is great." Joey looked around the small Italian restaurant that he had brought her to. It was a small place that Joey would have never noticed, but for Paceys pointing it out.

"I know, I stumbled upon it a few years ago when I was filming 'Midnight Sun'. The owners are great; they let me hide out in here more times than I can count."

"Trying to run away from your adoring fans, Pace?" She teased as she saw the waiter approach with the bottle of red wine that Pacey had ordered.

"Well, sometimes, they get a little crazy. Once, I had a girl break into my hotel suite, and take pictures of everything. Apparently, pictures of my entertainment center are very expensive on eBay." He thanked the waiter as he poured the wine.

"How did she get in?" She smiled at the waiter, and took a sip of her wine, looking at Pacey with an inquiring lift pf her eyebrows.

"She took a maids uniform, if you can believe that. Apparently, security found her with my pillow mints, too… I love those pillow mints."

"Poor boy." She tilted her head, "I always wondered where Bessie got those photos of your bed."

"Please, tell me that you're kidding."

Joey shook her head and laughed at Pacey's expression, it looked like he had just choked on one of the complementary breadsticks. "I'm kidding, Pace."

He heaved a sigh of relief, whether it was mocking or not, she wasn't sure. "Oh. Good." He took a sip of his wine, which he struggled to not spit out at her next comment,

"She does have some nude photos of you, though."

Fifteen minutes later, Joey sighed as she took a bite of her dinner. "Okay, this is hands down, the best lasagna that I've ever had."

Pacey nodded as he swallowed some of his spaghetti and meatballs. "A hidden jewel, that's what this place is."

She smiled as she took a piece of garlic bread, tore a piece off, and wiped the excess sauce that was on her plate. "I really love your family… they're so close." Joey shook her head, "You're really lucky to have them."

"I know. You would have really liked my other Sister, Leslie. She, her husband, Colin, and their kids don't live around here, so they weren't able to make it."

"Yes, I heard about them, they sound great. They have. . .three kids?"

"Yes, a girl and two boys. Michelle is nine, CJ's seven, and Thomas is five. Holy terrors. All of them."

"And I'm sure you were an angel when you were those ages." Joey nodded wisely and took a sip of wine.

"Oh, Of course." Pacey shook his head, and adopted an innocent expression. "Angelic. That was me. Never in trouble, always listening."

"Mhmm." She nodded, "So the horror stories that Mary told me were a… figment of her imagination?"

"Well, she could be going senile…. I mean, Mom is getting up there in age."

Joey burst out laughing, "I'll tell her that you said that the next time that we talk, then."

Joey laughed as she and Pacey ran through the rain to the front door of her apartment building. Shaking her head as they finally reached the enclosure that would shield them; she let her now wet hair fall around her face. Brining her hands to her hair, she twisted it, wringing out some of the water that had accumulated there as they had ran from the car, parked almost a full block away.

"I would have let you off closer to the front, Joey." Pacey said as he ran his hands through his hair, causing it to go up in short spikes.

"I know, but this was fun." She laughed again as fished her keys out of her purse. "I had a great time tonight, Pacey." Joey smiled as she unlocked the door to her apartment building. Turning toward him again, she looked into the depths of his blue eyes.

He shifted from foot to foot, "So did I, Jo."

"So…"

"So…"

"Wow, Um, Deja-vu." She laughed lightly.

"Yea." Pacey smiled.

"So…" She smiled at him again as she opened the door, "Would you like to come in?"

'So...' ;), thanks for reading!

And in the next chapter it's pretty much R rated stuff, so I'll post 2 chapters at the same time. If you're underage (not that I have room to talk, since I'm only 17, but this is an obligatory warning) or are uncomfortable with reading sex scenes DO NOT READ CHAPTER 12.

Thank you, and have a nice day. ;)

-Jayde