This Time
This
time everything is alright
No way she's gonna get away
This
time everything is easy
Any day - I'm gonna make her mine
"Who are you?" The girl asked.
"Im, uh, im Joey." Joey says to her.
"Joey?" The girl asks.
"Joey Potter. I'm Dawson's best friend." Joey said standing up taking the girl in.
She was blonde. Of course, Joey thought, he had always had a thing for blondes, started when Jen came into the picture. She had blue eyes and was a little shorter then Joey, by a couple inches. She was perfect.
"Joey Potter? Im sorry, it's just, Dawson's never mentioned you. Im Allison by the way, but you can call me Ally." The girl says walking over to Joey and shaking her hand.
"Oh, nice to meet you." Joey says while forcing a smile.
"Is Dawson here?" Ally asks.
"Oh, no, he doesn't seem to be" Joey says looking around the room once more and shrugging.
"He's probably at work then." Ally says turning around.
"Work?" Joey asks confused.
"You two really haven't talked have you?" Ally mused.
"No, we kind of left things on bad terms when I left." Joey says shrugging once more.
"Oh, well, he works at his parents restaurant, Leery's Fresh fish." Ally says.
"Oh ok." Joey says following Ally down the stairs.
"Do you want a ride there?" Ally asks as they walk towards her car.
"That would be great, thanks." Joey says smiling at her and getting into the car.
'Great, she was nice, god, what a bitch.' Joey thinks to herself as Ally starts the car and drives off.
(Leery's Fresh Fish)
"Jen, hey!" Ally says walking up to Jen.
"Ally hey! Dawson's in the back, This place is pretty busy today, but you can go ahead to the bar and wait." Jen says smiling at her.
"Joey you want to come with me?" Ally asks.
"I'll be there in a sec." Joey says as Ally walks away.
"Joey! You're back." Jen says surprised.
"Yea, I got back earlier today." Joey says.
"Oh, how's Pacey?" Jen asks.
"He's fine." Joey says. "Well im going to go find Dawson." Joey says walking away, but Jen quickly catches her arm.
"Joey, I don't think you should do that. Dawson's happy right now. You don't know how sad he was when you left. Please, just give him some more time." Jen says.
"Jen, I've given him enough time, I need to see him, I need to see my best friend." Joey says looking Jen in the eyes.
"Ok, but im just saying this. He isn't the same guy you left on that dock. He's grown up. A lot." Jen says.
Joey just looks at her, pain evident in her eyes and walked towards the bar.
When she gets there she sees Dawson and Ally hugging, even though his back was towards her, she knew that it was him.
"Oh, Dawson, look who I found wondering around your room." Ally says while entangling from the embrace as Dawson looks at her confused and turns around to meet Joeys eyes.
"Oh my god." Dawson whispers.
"Hey." Joey says with a small smile.
"What, what are you doing back so early?" Dawson asks.
"Nice to see you to." Joey says trying to avoid his gaze.
"Well, I'll just leave you to alone." Ally says walking away.
"Can we talk?" Joey asks.
"Joey, this isn't really a good time. Im busy." Dawson says picking up a waiter tray.
"But, I really need to talk to you, it's important." Joey says.
"Joey, there is really nothing to talk about, it's clear to me who you want to be with. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do and im not going to abandon it. You remember that, don't you." Dawson says, anger in filling his voice, and he walks away.
(Leery's Living Room)
"Hey Dawson, you get Ally home okay?" Mitch asks while reading the news paper.
"Im standing here aren't I?" Dawson says as anger fills his voice again.
"Okay, Jeeze Dawson, pop a Midol." Mitch says.
"Im sorry, something just happened at work today." Dawson says.
"What, a costumer bitch at you for bringing the wrong plate?" Mitch asks.
"No, Joey's back." Dawson says as he sits on the couch next to Mitch.
"Now you've caught my attention. What happened?" Mitch asks as he puts the paper down.
"She tried to talk to me, but I snapped at her and walked away. Do you think that was rude?" Dawson asks.
"Truthfully? No, I don't. But I do think you should talk to her, get some of these feelings out. Who knows, she might become your best friend again." Mitch says as he picks up the paper and starts reading.
"Yea, best friend. Thanks dad. Im going to go upstairs." Dawson says as he walks up the stairs.
Dawson walks into his room and sighs as he lays down on his bed.
"So, who is she?" Joey asks as she opens the closet door.
"Who Ally? She's my girlfriend." Dawson says as he sits up.
"Oh, how-how long have you two been dating?" Joey asks.
"About two months." Dawson says.
"I've missed you." Joey says as Dawson chuckles.
"What?" Joey asks confused.
"Just dajavu. This whole thing. It reminds me of when I came back last summer from Philadelphia." Dawson says.
"Yea, it does." Joey says.
"Joey, im sorry for yelling at you today." Dawson says pausing. "Actually, im not sorry, but I didn't intend to yell at you, it just, happened." Dawson says.
"Its funny how things just, happen, specially between us." Joey says.
"Joey don't start." Dawson says.
"Start what?' Joey asks.
"Don't bring her up." Dawson says while standing up.
"Dawson, we have to talk about her eventually." Joey says looking up at him.
"Talk about what? About the fact that you aborted our child or that fact that you left with Pacey two months later?" Dawson yells.
"Dawson, please stop yelling." Joey says in a clam yet shaky voice.
"You knew that I would take care of you, both of you, but you wouldn't listen, you went to the clinic with Bessie and aborted her, after 4 months of pregnancy." Dawson says.
"Dawson-" Joey says but is cut off.
"No, you want to know the real reason why I broke up with you after our one month stint in December? Because I was afraid, I was afraid that I would get my heart broken again. I wasn't ready. Joey, I loved you so much that I didn't want to loose you again, for the third time. And then when I found out that you were pregnant, I'll admit that I was scared, but surprisingly I was happy, happy that maybe we would get a real chance. But instead of getting back together, you pulled away, and one day, four months later you come to me and tell me that your getting an abortion. Two months later your on a boat with Pacey sailing the open seas, so is it any reason why im pissed at you?" Dawson asks.
"Her name is Emma Annabel Leery." Joey says finally being able to get something out.
"What?" Dawson asks.
"She was born on August 10th at 4:30 in the morning, weighing 5 lbs 16 oz. She was a preemie baby, supposed to be born on September 10th. Ok Dawson, I didn't get an abortion, I couldn't go through with it. I was at the clinic with Bessie, the nurse had just called my name, I looked up at her, and she gave me this look, this look like she was trying to tell me something, trying to tell me to not go through with this, so I just looked at her, shook my head and walked out of the clinic." Joey says sadly while sitting down on the bed.
Dawson just sits next to her completely speechless.
"Why didn't you tell me? You had two whole months." Dawson says, finally regaining his composure.
"I was scared, I thought you had wanted the abortion. We are to young for this." Joey says.
"So you were just going to have the baby and not tell me?" Dawson asks.
"That was the plan, until the whole Pacey thing happened. I didn't tell him until about a month after we left, he noticed the belly." Joey said.
"What did he say?" Dawson asks still a little shocked.
"He was surprised, angry that we never told him. He got used to it though." Joey says shrugging.
"How'd you get back here?" Dawson asks.
"Took a bus from Florida, where I had Anna. Pacey is on his way with the boat." Joey says finally looking at him.
"Are you going to keep her?" Dawson asks.
"Of course I am. I love her more then anything in the world." Joey says.
"Can I see her?" Dawson asks.
"Yea, she's at the B & B." Joey says smiling at him. She stands up and offers him her hand. He looks up at her and takes it, standing up.
To Be Continued….
