Part Six

Dawson was exhausted. He'd been busy over the past week finalising a number of issues with work so that he could take this short trip. On top of that the flight had been delayed for nearly an hour. Now he could barely keep his eyes open. The dull pain below his stomach that had been bothering him all evening was getting sharper too. He sighed in relief as the familiar lights of his childhood home appeared in the darkness.

"Dawson, I was starting to get a bit worried. Lilly couldn't wait up any longer."

He leaned into the love and warmth of his mother's welcoming hug as he stepped out of the car.

"Hey, let me look at you. Is it possible that you are even more handsome?"

"Mom," Dawson rolled his eyes, smiling weakly.

"Honey what's wrong? Are you okay? You look like you're going to be sick."

"I'm just really tired. I'll grab my stuff out of the car in the morning."

"John can get it for you. You'd better come straight in."

Dawson didn't even make it onto the porch. At the base of the stairs he suddenly bent over double, was violently ill and then collapsed.

Mitch turned away from the image, and shot a worried look at Arthur Brooks. "I've got to say Arthur. I sure hope we know what we're doing."

Arthur remained unconcerned.

"Mr Leery, you're constant pacing is very unsettling. Relax. Everything's going to be alright."

Mitch nodded, if a little unconvincingly, in agreement.

The shrill ringing was an unwelcome intrusion into the morning quiet. Rudely awoken from that pleasant place somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, Joey rolled over and automatically reached for the cell phone on her nightstand. She silently cursed as her sudden movement sent a pile of books onto the floor.

"Joey speaking."

She didn't even try to keep the annoyance out of her voice. It was a Saturday morning. This call had better be good.

"Hello Joey, its Gail here. I'm sorry to wake you so early. I got your number from Dawson's phone and…"

On hearing Dawson's name, Joey was instantly alert and receptive.

"Gail, hi…Is something wrong?"

She heard Gail's voice break with emotion.

"Dawson was rushed to the hospital here last night with acute appendicitis. It was touch and go for a while, if it'd been even an hour later they don't know if he would have made it. He came out of surgery early this morning."

In that moment Joey's world stopped turning. She caught her breath and her next words were forced out of a suddenly dry throat.

"Is he…Is he going to be okay?"

"Oh yes honey. The operation went well and they expect him to make a pretty speedy recovery. It's just been a huge shock more than anything."

"Of course. Listen, I'm on my way."

"Could you come? I understand if you got things planned this weekend but it would mean a lot to me and obviously Dawson. He's still a bit out of it but he was asking for you."

"Gail please. I'll just throw a few things together and I'll call before I get to Capeside."

"Thanks so much Joey. I'll see you soon."

As Joey flipped the phone shut her mind was reeling. Dawson was her constant. The one thing in her life that she had always known she could count on. The thought of him nearly dying was still so foreign and almost ridiculous that she instantly put it out of her head. Instead all she could think was that Dawson was in Capeside. Why and why hadn't he told her he was coming?