Joey didn't take her eyes off of Dawson's tormented face; instead she squeezed Pacey's hand tighter.
Pacey watched, as Joey did, while the full realization of what was happening hit Dawson harder and harder again as the seconds of silence between the three of them drew on.
Joey sighed deeply, tears beginning to slowly fall from her eyes."Pace-" Joey said, turning to look him in the eye "Dawson and I-" she looked over at Dawson, buckled over in pain at her words, and then she looked back at Pacey, running her fingers through his hair, and then resting her hand on his cheek "We need to talk, in private for a few minutes" she said.
Pacey didn't want to leave her, but he knew nothing he could say to Dawson would make his hate for him any less, and it wasn't helping as Pacey sat in front of him, beside Joey, the woman he loved and who loved him back.
He slowly rose, and walked back to the front door, hearing Joey's quiet, soothing words as he left the room.
Pacey rubbed the back of his neck, while he paced around the small entrance of Grams's house.
"Pacey"
He looked up at the top of the staircase, and saw Jen staring back down at him.
Jen began to slowly walk down the stairs, towards him, no expression revealing her emotions on her face.
"Jen- did you hear-" Pacey began, trying to figure out her feelings "how long have you-" he stammered again, but she cut him off.
"Long enough, to hear everything" she said quietly, now standing in front of him.
Pacey sighed heavily, too many thoughts racing through his head to compile a good enough defence for himself as to why he had fallen back in love with Joey, ultimately hurting Dawson and Audrey.
"Don't-" Jen said, raising a hand, as she saw Pacey struggling to find words.
"You three have always had one another-" she said, staring into his eyes "you've always had problems between you- love, angst, denial-" she said, still not revealing her feelings "but in the end it all somehow works out, for the better or worse- I cannot say, but I do know whatever happens, you will most likely end up right where you started from-" Jen lay a heavy hand upon Pacey's shoulder "with each other" she said.
And she quickly sailed past Pacey, and walked out the door, leaving him in a shocked stance as he replayed her words over in his mind.
And, thoughts still racing, his feet carried him back into the lounge room, where he saw Joey holding Dawson in her arms, still distraught, but no longer crying.
Joey turned and looked at Pacey, who stood awkwardly in the doorway.
And she gently pushed Dawson away form her, so she could see his face.
"I think we all need to talk," she said quietly, looking from Dawson to Pacey, pleadingly.
Pacey nodded, and slowly walked towards them, taking his seat back on the couch.
Joey reached out, grabbing both their hands and holding them tenderly within her own.
"I didn't plan on this," she said, slowly "but I'm going to go through with it, and I need both of you," she said, sighing deeply.
Had Dawson not been there, Pacey would have taken her in his strong arms, and whispered his undying love in her ear; but Dawson was there, so all he could do was squeeze her hand tightly.
Dawson looked down, and stared at her hand cupping his own; pain still hitting him with every breath he took.
But as he looked up into her eyes, he saw only the girl he loved; the girl who had made many mistakes in her life, done a great deal of wrong by him; but who was now, so she said, 'in love', and needed his help.
"I will" Dawson said quietly, and she smiled slightly. He hadn't promised to forgive her, but he had said he would help her any way she needed him.
"You know I'll be here," Pacey said, and she looked over at him, knowing she would always be able to fall into his arms- into safety and true love.
"Thankyou" she whispered, and bent her head down, kissing Dawson's hand as it rested within her own, and then Pacey's- grateful that the two men she loved, one of them being the father of her child, were both by her side.
MONTHS LATER
"Dawson?" Pacey practically screamed into his cell phone.
"Pacey? What time is it?" Dawson croaked on the other end, having just been woken up.
"I don't know-" Pacey glanced down at his watch, and the realized he wasn't wearing one "about 2 in the morning-" he said anxiously "Listen, Joey's water broke and-" before Pacey had time to finish Dawson quickly said "I'm on my way-" and hung up on him.
Pacey sighed, trying to calm his impounding nerves.
"Pacey?" Joey screamed from the room, hoping he'd contacted Dawson.
Pacey quickly composed himself, and bolted back into the room the nurse had carted Joey off into.
"Please Ms. Potter, calm down, you're husbands-" the nurse began.
"-Actually it's Fiancé, and I'm right here babe!" Pacey said, walking to her side.
Joey breathed in and out furiously, trying to remember the relaxation exercises Bessie had taught her- but everything was happening so fast, and she was so frightened- everything she'd learnt in the past months went out the door!
"Pacey, oh Pacey!" Joey said, reaching out for his hand.
He grabbed hers, and almost crippled as she squeezed it tightly, with monstrous strength.
"Did you-" she breathed in and out quickly "call-" she breathed again.
"Yes, I called Dawson, don't panic- just breath-" he said, and he brushed his free, and less crippled hand, through her sweaty hair.
"Pacey-" Joey practically screamed as the contractions started up again.
"I'm right here, I love you-" Pacey said, soothingly stroking her mattered hair.
"Mr. Potter-" the nurse turned to look at him "Actually, I'm Witter, and she's Potter-" Pacey said, a look of worry on his face.
The nurse smiled warmly "Soon to be Mrs. Witter, right?" she said, and Pacey sighed, smiling and nodding.
"Well, Ms. Potter and Mr. Witter- we still have a while to go, so I need you to just breath" the nurse said, looking at Joey while she breathed in through her teeth several times, and then out in one motion.
Pacey copied her, as did Joey, and the nurse laughed slightly "Not you sir, you're fiancé," she said, resting a hand on his shoulder.
Pacey laughed, trying to cover his panic "oh, ok, breath like she said hun!" Pacey said, looking down at Joey's red, sweaty face.
She winced as some more pain succumbed her body, and all Pacey could do was watch.
"Joey!"
Pacey turned his head, and saw Dawson rush towards the bed, wearing grey tracksuit pants and an old sweater.
"Dawson" Joey screamed, more pain overcoming her.
Dawson rushed to the other side of Joey's bed, grabbing her free hand; Pacey watched as Dawson's face tormented with pain while Joey squeezed it tighter and tighter.
"Just breath like this-" the nurse said again, noticing Joey's fear take the place of her breathing, and she performed the correct breathing again while Joey copied her.
Pacey smiled as he saw Dawson breath the same as the nurse "Just Joey, not us" Pacey said to him, and Dawson stopped, smiling back at him for a moment and then looking back down at Joey.
"I need pain killers!" she said wincing at the pain.
"Can we get some pain killers here?" Pacey asked anxiously, turning to the nurse.
"Not yet" she said, rushing around the room, preparing it for the birth.
"Just a little while longer- save you're strength" Dawson said, rubbing her arm gently.
"Oh my GOD!" Joey screamed, and the nurse walked back over to her, ducking underneath the covers, and then popping her head back up.
"I'll call for the doctor," she said warmly, and Pacey and Dawson looked over at one another, wide eyed and panicked.
"Don't leave me, stay-" Joey said, breathing in deeply "both of you, stay!" she said, wincing again.
"We aren't going anywhere," Dawson said soothingly.
"What do we have here-" a tall man with jet black hair and a kind face, probably in his late forties walked towards Joey, the nurse beside him, explaining Joey's position.
"Aha" he said, checking her pulse and the walking to the end of the bed.
"Joey, you're going to be just fine!" the Doctor said, his nametag reading 'Dr. Mitchell's'
"Just follow my instructions and you'll have a baby in you're hot little hand in no time" he said kindly, and sat down on a small stool the nurse had prepared, at the end of the bed, while she strapped a mask and robe onto him.
"Ok" Joey said, choking up from pain and fear.
"We're here-" Pacey said soothingly "-we aren't going anywhere," he Dawson added, and Joey managed a small smile as the contractions quickened.
7 HOURS LATER:
"One last push-" Dr Mitchell's said loudly.
Joey winced, and tightened her hold on Pacey and Dawson's hands again, screaming as she pushed harder and harder.
And within the next few seconds, Joey's screams were drowned out by that of another human being.
"You have a beautiful baby boy" Dr. Mitchell's said happily, nestling the slippery, bloodied baby in his arms.
Joey sighed with relief, and released her grip on Pacey and Dawson's, now slightly purple hands.
"A boy?" Dawson said, looking over Joey's legs at the screaming child, so small and fragile in the doctor's large arms.
"A boy?" Pacey repeated "A BOY!" he screamed, and then bent down to kiss Joey on the forehead.
"Let me see" Joey managed to breath, exhausted.
The doctor rose to his feet, and walked over to the surgical table; quickly checking it's vitals and then cutting the umbilical chord
The nurse swiftly and gently washed it down, removing the blood from its small body, and wrapped it into a blue blanket, walking over and placing the infant in Joey's arms.
Joey outstretched her arms, crying and smiling as her baby was placed gently into the crook of her arm.
Dawson and Pacey watched on in awe, as Joey cooed at the little boy.
His face perfectly round, and his eyes closed now, his skin was still tinged red- now that he'd stopped crying, and the three of them could look in wonder at their peaceful baby boy.
"Hello" Joey said softly, and Pacey rubbed his hand against her back.
"Hey there little fella!" Dawson said, smiling at the little bundle.
"He's perfect" Pacey said, looking at his spongy flesh, and the way he clenched his little hands into small fists.
"Who wants to hole him first?" Joey asked, looking at both of them.
There was silence for a moment "Pacey" Dawson said, looking at him.
Pacey smiled, and opened his arms as Joey nestled the baby in them, smiling at Pacey's proud face.
"Who's the father?" Dr. Mitchell's, after scrubbing up, had walked over to marvel at the child.
Joey smiled at him "we don't know" she said, looking at both Dawson and Pacey, slightly embarrassed.
But the dr. smiled "I can take some blood tests now, and you'll know within three days" he said, not taken aback by her answer.
Joey looked down, and Pacey passed the baby to Dawson's arms.
"Yes, thankyou" Dawson said, not looking away from the baby.
"Ok, I'll get some needles and take some samples" he said, leaving the room.
Joey looked up "love him, no matter what?" she asked, both of them.
"You know we will" Dawson said.
"No matter what" Pacey said, leaning down and kissing Joey passionately on the mouth.
She smiled warmly, but began to choke up as she felt the tears began to form- they were going to have their answer, to the question they'd all been pondering ever since she first told them of her pregnancy.