"Hunh? Jo" Jen shook the sleep out of her head and sat up, "Honey are you okay?" Jen tried to look awake as she prepared herself for her best friends tears.
"Yeah. I guess so. What time is it? Aren't we supposed to drive back to Boston today?"Joey asked searching for her watch.
Jen yawned, "No Dawson and I talked last night, and we decided to leave early tomorrow morning."
Joey stared at Jen. "You talked to Dawson? What did he say" She jumped up "Did he talk to Pacey?"
Jen sighed, "Yes to all of the above. He caught up with Pacey on his boat. I think he probably spent the night there. He tried to talk to him Jo. But Pacey won't listen. All he kept saying was Eddie took her away again." Jen shook her head, "Dawson was as confused as the rest of us are. But maybe he found out something after we hung up last night." She said hopefully. "But for now can we maybe go get some breakfast?"
"Breakfast?" Joey joked, "Don't you mean coffee?" Jen leaned over and hugged her.
"I'm glad to see that you can joke this morning." She said seriously, "I'm getting worried about you Jo."
"I'll be fine once I get some food in me. After breakfast we can talk about this" Joey hoped she could last that long.
"Morning man" Dawson said, joining Pacey on the deck of the True Love 2. "Did you finally get any sleep last night?"
Pacey sighed, "Not really"
"Can we talk about this now?" Dawson was desperate for answers. Joey and Pacey were his best friends. If he could do anything to help, he wanted to.
"Do we really have to D? I mean all is said and done. I love Joey, Joey thinks that she loves me, but really she is scared. She just keeps running. Lining men up and knocking them down. Then on she goes to the next sucker."
Dawson looked at Pacey in shock. This was not the Pacey that Joey had fallen in love with. Hell this wasn't the Pacey that any of them had ever been friends with.
"How can you say that about Joey man? You know she's not like that. When has she ever been like that?"
"I don't know Dawson. That just what it feels like to me. At first I thought I had to compete with you for her love. Now you and Jen have the world's most perfect relationship. So I thought that I had a clear path to Joey's heart. I thought that she and I would get back together, and give you and Jen a run for your money. And then we'd all be these happy best friends in love. Like some cheesy, sappy movie. But now Eddie's back in the picture..." Pacey trailed off.
Dawson looked Pacey straight in the eye. "Pacey damn it, you've been skirting this issue for three months now. You won't talk to anyone about it. Now, you and Joey love each other. That's a given. But damn it Pace, talk to me. What the hell does Eddie have to do with this? He's been in California for over a year!"
Pacey froze "What? In California? No he's not, he's in Boston." Pacey was confused. If Joey was seeing Eddie again didn't Dawson know?
Dawson was so shocked he couldn't even get a word out.
"That's why I left and didn't say anything to you or Jen or Joey. I was angry at Joey of course. But I was really pissed that you and Jen knew how much I wanted to get back with Joey. Hell you two tried to help me. But when I found out that Joey had been seeing Eddie again I couldn't believe that neither of you warned me. At least then it wouldn't have come as such a shock that night at Hell's Kitchen." Pacey sat back defeated.
"Pacey, honestly I have no idea what you're talking about. Joey wasn't seeing Eddie. And the night at Hell's Kitchen she was going to tell you how much she loved you. Where did you hear otherwise?"
"I was coming back from the bathroom and I decided to get another drink. I didn't see Eddie behind the bar until I heard him tell some other guy that he was had come back to be with his girl. He said he was meeting up with Joey at him room later on that night"
"And you're sure that you heard him say Joey? I doubt it Pacey, none of us knew he was in town. Especially Joey." Dawson racked his brain trying to remember is Eddie's name had even been mentioned in the past year. He didn't think anyone had heard from him or talked to him. Unless Joey just hadn't told him. He didn't think Joey would do that, but Pacey was so sure. "I think you should talk to Joey man."
"Not yet. It still hurts so much to see her. I mean this year was supposed to be the best year of my life. I was finally gonna be able to be with the girl I love. Never mind D. Let's go get some breakfast and we'll talk about it later."
"What'll ya have?" Bessie asked the girls as they sat down in their booth. "You're looking better this morning Jo" She observed. She knew all about the Pacey issue, and she had seen Joey and Jen go running into Joey's room the night before. But she knew her sister well enough to know to give her some space.
"I'll have coffee to start Bess" Jen said smiling at her, "And then pancakes and bacon"
"Just coffee for me Bess" Joey said, playing with her napkin.
"Are you sure Jo? You said earlier that you were hungry" Jen was concerned.
"I'll have something later. I lost my appetite".
"Okay guys, coming right up" Bessie left for the kitchen.
"Jo, are you sure you're alright? 'Cause if you want to talk you know I'm always here"
"I know Jen. I don't know how I would have gotten this far without you and Dawson. Thanks for being here for me. I love you. I know I don't say it enough."
"Awww Jo. Don't make me cry. I love you too. And I'll love you even more when my coffee gets here" Jen said trying to make Joey laugh.
Joey looked up at her, but noticed two familier people walking in the Ice House.
"Jo? Jo? Earth to Joey?" Jen waved her hand in her friends face, but saw that Joey's eyes were frozen over her shoulder. Jen turned in her seat. Oh boy here we go.
Dawson entered the Ice House right behind Pacey. Pacey stopped suddenly and Dawson walked right into his back.
"What the hell?" Dawson asked, looking over Pacey's shoulder. He spotted Jen and Joey sitting at a booth right by the door.
"I'm gonna go back to the boat, have some breakfast there" Pacey stuttered, turning to leave.
"No man! Stay here, let's get this all worked out right now!" Dawson tried to push him towards the girls booth.
"No D!" Pacey said sharply, "I can't do this right now" He walked out the door, "Sorry man, but I just can't face her right now".
Dawson sighed and headed over to the booth. Sliding in beside Jen he planted a kiss on the top of her head.
"Morning ladies" He gazed at Joey, "I tried to get him to stay, really I did".
"I know Dawson, it's not your fault" Joey told him, trying to smile at her friend.
"Honey? What did he say?" Jen questioned, she had noticed how nervous her boyfriend looked. "Did he explain himself yet?"
"He said a few things. Jo? Can I ask you something?" Dawson didn't even want to ask, but he knew that he had to get things straightened out once and for all.
Joey nodded, not sure where this was going.
"Have you seen Eddie at all this year?" Dawson knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth that he shouldn't have said anything.
"No Dawson! Of course I haven't seen Eddie since we broke up!" Joey spat, her eyes flashing with anger, "What the hell did Pacey say about Eddie?"
"He said..." Dawson wasn't sure what to say. He knew that he had screwed up by even mentioning it, but if Joey had been seeing Eddie without telling everyone... he did't even want to think about it. He was sure that his best friend would never do someting like that. But Pacey was so damn sure that Eddie was going to see her. And Joey wasn't taking his questions as well as he had hoped.
"Dammit Dawson! Do you really believe that shit? You and I both would've known if Eddie was back around. How can you even ask that!" Jen yelled at her boyfriend. "I can't even believe that you asked her about it!" Jen was furious, she looked over at Joey and demanded,
"Tell him Joey! I know that you haven't seen Eddie" Jen believed in her best friend, "I know how much you wanted to get back with Pacey Jo".
"Thanks Jen" Joey smiled at her best friend, glad that she had someone on her side.
"Dawson, you're my best friend and I love you, but you have to explain this to me. I'm really getting mad. All I want is to sort things out with Pacey, and Dawson I thought you would be on my side here."
"Jo I'm not on anyone's side. You and Pacey are my best friends. I just want to help make this work." Dawson looked to his girlfriend for support, but Jen had pulled away from his side and was staring at him icily.
"And how is accusing me and being with Eddie is helping?" Joey was about to start crying again.
"Jo, I'm not trying to start a fight here. I just want to set the record straight. Have you seen Eddie lately?"
"Damn you Dawson! I thought you knew me better then that!" Joey stood up, "I'm going home. Jen you are more then welcome to come if you want to"
"Move Dawson" Jen said, trying to get out of the booth, "I'm going with Joey"
"What? Jen why are you mad?" Dawson knew he had blown it big time.
"Maybe because you are accusing my best friend of doing something you know damn well she didn't do" Jen stood up, "I'll call you when I get around to it!"
Dawson sighed and watched them walk away angrily. I have to fix this
Bessie walked over with the girls orders, "Where did they go?"
"They left. They got mad and left" Dawson looked up at Bessie sadly, "I'll pay for those."
