Chapter Sixteen: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Pacey walked out of David's office and out the front door. He stopped dead in his tracks, a small smile crossing his face, even as fear invaded his heart. She was sitting on the steps, her head bent in thought as she waited for Pacey to come out. He stood silently for a few moments, gazing down at the girl he had come to love so much. Even after he had run from her, she hadn't given up on him.

"Hey Jo," he said softly.

Joey turned and looked up at him, smiling softly. "Hi Pace."

I don't know how I survived
In this cold and empty world for all this time
I only know that I'm alive
Because you love me

Pacey stepped forward and sat down next to Joey on the steps. "What's up?"

Joey sighed softly. "I'm sorry if..."

Pacey shook his head, smiling gently at her. "There's nothing that you need to apologize for Jo. I just... You were the first one to... to see those scars... I didn't know how to handle that... I didn't know how to handle the pity I saw..."

"I couldn't help it Pace... They were just so..." Tears filled her eyes. "They hurt you so badly..."

"I know," Pacey said, nodding slightly.

Joey leaned her head against Pacey's shoulder. "I don't pity you Pace... Not in the way you worry about... I just... It hurt me to see what had happened to you."

"And that means so much to me, Jo. I..I can't even begin to tell you how much. Can we... just forget my momentary insanity?"

When I recall what I've been through
There's some things
That I wish I didn't do
Now I do the things I do
Because you love me

"Forgotten," Joey said, smiling brightly at him. She jumped to her feet and grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet. "C'mon!"

"Where are we going?" Pacey asked, following her willingly.

"Well, it just occurred to me that you had a birthday not too long ago..." Joey said.

"A couple of weeks before I came home," Pacey said, his brow ruffling in puzzlement. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I realized that I hadn't gotten you a birthday present yet," Joey said. "So I got you one."

Pacey laughed. "You didn't have to do that!"

And now that you're in my life
I'm so glad I'm alive
'Cause you showed me the way
And I know now how good it can be
Because you love me

"I wanted to," Joey said. "Besides, I think you're going to like this..."

"What did you get?" Pacey asked.

"And ruin the surprise?" Joey said, raising her eyebrows. "Not on your life!"

"C'mon!" Pacey said, tugging on her hand. "Just a hint?" He looked at her pleadingly.

"Usually those eyes would do me in," Joey said with a grin. "But not this time! I'm determined to resist! Now hurry up!"

Pacey laughed. "Nope, if you're not going to tell me, then I think I'll just take my time..."

"Move your ass Witter!" Joey said, yanking on his hand.

Pacey let out a hoot of laughter, but decided that it would be in his best interest to do what she said. "Yes, ma'am!"

And now that you're in my life
Oh, I'm so glad I'm alive
'Cause you showed me the way
And I know now how good it can be
Because you love me

Joey rolled her eyes. "Don't ever call me that again, Pacey."

"Sorry," Pacey said with a smirk. "No more Ma'am's... Will you at least tell me where we're going?"

"My place," Joey said. "Now c'mon. I can't wait!"

Pacey laughed, but followed her willingly. "You're really not going to tell me?"

"Nope," Joey said, pulling him along at a jog. It wasn't long before they reached her house. Joey tugged gently on his hand, leading him up the steps to the porch where Bessie was sitting with a grin on her face.

"I see that you found him," she said.

"Yup," Joey said. "Where's his surprise?"

"Laundry room," Bessie said, still grinning.

Pacey opened his mouth to say something, but Joey yanked on his arm, pulling him towards the door. "Ok-ay," Pacey said, raising his eyebrows at Bessie. Bessie laughed.

I believe in things unseen
I believe in the message of a dream
And I believe in what you are
Because you love me

Joey pulled Pacey up to the door of the laundry room and then dropped his hand. She pushed the door open and Pacey's eyebrows drew together in puzzlement when he heard the pattering of toenails against linoleum. A surprised smile spread across his face as a small black puppy wiggled into view. "You got me a dog?" Pacey asked in surprise.

"From the shelter," Joey said, smiling at the happy look on his face. "He's mostly black lab."

"My parents..." Pacey started as he crouched down and reached a hand out towards the puppy.

"I asked them before I went to pick him out. They thought that it was a great idea."

"Really?" Pacey said. He laughed as the puppy tottered over to his hand and began to lick it. He scooped the puppy up and cradled him in his arms. He continued to laugh as the puppy begin to nibble at his chin. "What's his name?"

"He doesn't have one yet," Joey said. "It's up to you." She grabbed his hand. "C'mon, let's go into the living room. We can think of one together."

With all my heart and all my soul
I'm loving you and I never will let go
And every day I'll let it show
Because you love me
Because you love me

Pacey followed her into the living room and they sat down on the couch. Pacey sat the puppy on his lap and looked down at him thoughtfully. "Any ideas?"

"I don't know," Joey said, also looking at the puppy. "You?"

"Nope..." Pacey said. He laughed slightly. "I know what Dawson would call him," he said with a grin.

Joey smiled back at Pacey and then looked at the puppy, tickling him under the chin. "You want to call him little Elliot?"

Pacey rolled his eyes. "I don't think so."

Joey laughed. "E.T.?"

Pacey shook his head. "Dawson would love that, but I'm not about to subject this poor puppy to a name like that ."

Joey laughed again. A wicked smile spread across her face. "I have a secret for you, but you have to promise that you'll never tell anyone, especially Dawson!"

"What?"

"Andie hates E.T."

Pacey snorted. "You're kidding!"

"Swear on Captain Jones' bones," Joey said, holding up her right hand.

A smile spread across Pacey's face. "That's it!"

"What's what?" Joey asked, confused.

"Captain Jones," Pacey said with a smile. A link to a happier time, untouched by everything he had seen and done. "That's what I'll call him. Captain Jones... CJ for short."

Joey smiled, seeing in the name the same things that Pacey did. Happiness and innocence. Their childhood. "I like it."

Pacey was silent for a moment, just petting CJ. He looked up suddenly. "So Andie really doesn't like E.T.? And he doesn't know that?"

Joey laughed, shaking her head. "Dawson almost flipped his lid when he found out that her favorite movie was Dumbo. She figured he'd go into cardiac arrest if he found out that she hates E.T."

Pacey laughed again. "So the policy towards Dawson is still, 'what he doesn't know, won't hurt us?'"

"Always," Joey said, joining him in laughter.

Bessie stuck her head into the room. "Jo, I'm going into town to pick up some things. Listen for the phone, okay? I'm taking Alexander with me."

"No problem," Joey said.

Bessie turned to Pacey. "What do you think of your present."

Pacey grinned. "One of the best I've ever gotten."

"Have you named him yet?" Bessie asked.

"CJ," Pacey said.

"For?"

"Captain Jones," Joey said, winking at Pacey.

"I don't get it," Bessie said, a puzzled expression on her face.

"It's a long story," Pacey said with a grin.

"Ah," Bessie said. "Maybe some other time then."

"Sure," Joey said. "We'll see you in a little while."

"Be good," Bessie said over her shoulder as she left the room.

Joey rolled her eyes. "Yes mother." Pacey laughed and Joey smiled sheepishly at him. "She's a tad overprotective."

"When it comes to your safety, there's no such thing," Pacey said, smiling softly at her.

"Cheeseball," Joey said, but she smiled and leaned back against his shoulder, sighing in contentment. Pacey slipped an arm around her and looked down at the sleeping puppy in his lap. So this is what happiness was. He had forgotten.

"Thank you, Jo," He said seriously.

"For calling you a cheeseball?" Joey asked in confusion.

"No," Pacey said, his voice still serious. "For making me happy."

"Oh Pace," Joey said, tears burning in her eyes. "You make me happy too."

"I'm glad," Pacey said. He sighed in pleasure and settled into the couch, hugging her to him. That sat without speaking for a while, comfortable in the silence.

Because you love me

CAPESIDE POLICE STATION

"Hey Doug!"

Doug looked up as one of the other deputies hurried over to him. "Yeah, Hinkley?"

"This was just sent over from the prison," Hinkley said, holding out a manila envelope. "They wanted you and the Sheriff to take a look."

"What is it?" Doug asked, taking the envelope.

"Some pictures of the guy that visited Sally Anderson in lockup this morning."

"What?" Doug exclaimed, quickly opening the envelope. He pulled out the pictures and looked at them carefully, his heart dropping in his chest. "Oh god." He turned and hurried to his father's office. He knocked on the door and then pushed it open without giving his father a chance to answer.

Sheriff Witter looked up in surprise as Doug burst into the room. "What's wrong?"

"They just sent these over from the prison. Sally Anderson's latest visitor. Look familiar?"

Sheriff Witter looked at the picture and his face went white. "Bill..." He started to say, then shook his head. "Not Billy. Larry?"

"It must be," Doug said. "And if he's in town..."

Sheriff Witter nodded, knowing as well as Doug did that if Larry had stuck his head out, he was going after Pacey, and soon. "Pacey had a session today. Joey was going to meet him there and take him to the B&B. Take Hinkley and get over there NOW! I'm going to inform the FBI and send out an APB on Larry, then I'll meet you there."

"On my way," Doug said. He turned and hurried out of the room. "Hinkley! You're with me. Potter B&B ten minutes ago! Move it!" He then turned and almost ran out of the stationhouse, Hinkley at his heels.

OUTSIDE

Larry watched for Bessie to leave the house before he approached. He knew that the B&B was closed for renovations for the week, and he had seen the sister's boyfriend leave not long before Pacey and Joey had returned to the B&B. Now that the sister and her kid were gone, the only ones left in the house were Pacey and his little girlfriend.

Larry smiled as he made his way quietly onto the porch. He peeked into the diningroom window, but saw nothing. He moved to the other end of the porch and looked into the livingroom. They were sitting on the couch, smiles on their faces, obviously happy. Larry felt rage rush through him. What right did they have to be so happy while his mother rotted away in jail?

He ground his teeth together and straightened. Well, they wouldn't be happy for long. He would see to that.

The door opened without problem. Stupid country folk. They didn't even think to lock the door. He stepped quietly into the entryway.

"Forget something Bess?" Joey asked coming out into the hall. She stopped dead when she saw Larry. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for an old friend," Larry said, smiling sweetly. "I was told that he was here."

Joey felt her skin crawl at his smile, and she wondered why. There was nothing outwardly frightening about the guy, he just gave off a bad vibe. "Who are you looking for?"

"Who is it Jo?" Pacey asked, entering the hall. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Larry, his face going white. His stomach flipped and he had to fight to keep from being sick. "No!" He whispered forcefully. "No!"

"Him," Larry said, answering Joey's question. "Hello Sonny-boy. Long time no see."

"Bastard!" Pacey spat, glaring at the man who still haunted his nightmares. Joey looked from Pacey to Larry in confusion, a sinking feeling in her stomach. It didn't take much to figure out what connection this guy had to Pacey... Or what he was doing there.

"Is that any way to treat the man who fed and clothed you for six years of your life?"

"Screw you, Larry," Pacey growled. "I don't owe you shit!"

"Now that is a lie," Larry said, pulling a handgun from his pocket. "You owe me for my mother, and the time that you've stolen from her... And I'm going to make you pay...And pay dearly.