Pacey lay awake staring at the ceiling. He couldn't go to sleep. Not when he was so very aware of the delicate form lying next to him in the bed. He rolled over on his side to look at her, just to make sure she was really there, that he wasn't dreaming. She was so beautiful. Pacey inhaled deeply and rolled onto his back. When he did Joey turned over and snuggled into the crook of his shoulder, throwing her arm across the wide expanse of his chest.
Pacey couldn't even blink for the fear that crept through his being, the fear that if he moved she would wake up and do what Joey did best. Panic. She would panic and yell at him for things he wouldn't understand. Then she would kick him out, leaving him utterly confused with nowhere else to go. Staying still was definitely the best option.
However, staying awake no longer seemed to be. As hard as he tried to fight it Pacey could feel sleep tugging at him. Finally, he closed his eyes and let himself be pulled into the black abyss of his subconscious.
Joey awoke to sunlight streaming into her window and the steady rise and fall of Pacey's chest. Her eyes snapped open. Pacey's chest? What the hell was she doing sleeping on Pacey's chest?
Joey untangled her limbs from Pacey's as she tried to remember what had happened the night before. Then it hit her. She had asked Pacey to stay the night with her. Joey had been so upset that she had asked him to sleep, just sleep, with her.
She let her pulse slow down a little. Pacey was her good friend. There was nothing wrong with him sleeping in the same bed. She had done the same thing with Dawson for years. Yeah, the exact same thing.
Not exactly convinced, Joey eased off the bed, trying not to wake Pacey in the process. Unfortunately, she tripped when she tried to get her foot untangled from the sheet and hit the floor with a loud thump.
"Smooth move, Josephine." Pacey said with a chuckle. Moving to look over the edge of the bed at the beautifully disheveled girl.
Joey growled as she tried to pick herself up off the floor but her feet got caught in the sheets again and she tripped, hitting the floor hard. "Ow."
"Do you need some help?"
"No." She replied through gritted teeth. It was now a war between her and the sheets and Joey was determined to win. She slowly unwound herself from the cloth.
Pacey tried to contain his laughter after the first tumble but when she stumbled the second time he couldn't help himself. Joey shot him a withering glare as she finally picked herself up off the floor and marched out of the room.
"C'mon, Jo. It was funny." He called after her, still laughing.
"Go to Hell, Witter!" At that Pacey just laughed harder.
Joey was in the bathroom vigorously brushing her teeth when Pacey leaned up against the doorframe and pouted. "Are you still mad at me?"
She wasn't still mad but she didn't want to give in too easily. Joey rinsed her mouth and refused to look at him. Instead, she pushed past him and walked into her room, shutting the door behind her as she went.
Pacey didn't let a closed door deter him. He swung the door open right as Joey was about to take off her shirt.
"Pacey!"
"Sorry, but I can't let it go until you forgive me." Pacey hung his head in shame but a grin quickly spread across his face.
Joey felt a similar grin try to grace her own lips but tried to keep a stern expression on her face. "Well, I don't think I can forgive you without being convinced that you are truly repentant."
Immediately Pacey went down on his knees in true begging fashion and Joey burst into a fit of giggles. "Okay, Pace, I forgive you. Now get up and get out so I can change."