Don't Leave Me Lonely

Chapter 2 - Caught In A Moment

Dawson didn't feel so sure that this was a good idea anymore. After Andie had rang him from his parents house in Capeside he had been positive and excited about this reunion even if it would break his heart to see Joey with Pacey but all the same it would be a great experience. Seeing Joey standing in the door way looking the same as she always had, her beautiful golden brown hair frmaing her pretty face. He looked deep into her eyes and saw confusion and doubt staring back at him. Was he sure this was a good idea. No. That was the answer his head gave him but seeing Joey happy was enough and knowing that relaxed some of the pent up tension and worry inside of him.

Dawson realised that he hadn't responded to Joey's remark and that she hadn't taken her eyes off of him since his unexpected arrival.

"Hi." he said trying to get some other kind of repsonse from her.

"Hey," Joey replied. "Come in." she offered after some more seconds of awkward silence.

She led Dawson down the hallway into the lounge area where Pacey and Andie where busy catching up.

They both looked round as Joey and Dawson walked into the room.

Andie stood up and Pacey put down his empty mug on the table.

"Dawson!" she laughed. " I didn't think you'd be here by now!"

Joey couldn't help noticing how uncomfortable Pacey looked. He knew how Dawson felt about Joey and Joey wouldn't have been surprised if he was feeling a bit threatened and vulnerable. It was going to be a difficult situation for everyone. Joey could tell that already. It was going to be hard for her and Pacey to stick together now she thought. Dawson was her soul mate, she accepted that and so did Pacey but now he was here and so was Andie things could get confused so easily. One false move could put and end to their relationship which they had worked so hard at. She wondered how long Andie and Dawson would stay. Andie had only been there an hour and Dawson had only just arrived but part of her was wishing that they could go and leave her in peace. She felt no bitterness towards either of her friends but she knew that their presence was going to be difficult. All four of them in the same house could spell disaster.

Pacey tried not to be angry as he went into the kitchen to make Dawson a coffee. He was happy that both Andie and Dawson had both turned up of their own accord without even then decency to ask them whether it was okay with them. He couldn't tell whether Joey was happy about the situation or not. She looked pleased to see Andie but he didn't know how she felt about Dawson's arrival. Pacey wished he could be as good at disguising his emotions. It was so hard with Dawson, the two of them had been best friends and enemies so many times that he didn't know where they stood but he hoped that could get along for Jen's sake. Pacey wished Jen could've been with them now, she would've made light of the situation and brought them closer together. He really missed her and sometimes he couldn't believe that she was really gone. It was like a hole inside him and all of the others than could never be filled.

Andie observed Joey and Dawson's body language from her seat on the sofa and wondered if they had really made the right decision. They were soul mates and both of them knew it, this made Andie wonder about Joey's choice in Pacey. She wasn't just being biased because she still loved the guy she was genuinely puzzled by the whole arrangement. It seemed strange to her after all the group of them had been through that they had ended up in this way. She and Jack had always believed that Joey and Dawson would be together one day even when Jack was dating Joey. It had been a shock to her when Gale Leery had told her that Pacey and Joey were together she wondered how they had got together and if Dawson was really as fine with it as Mrs. Leery said he was.

Dawson sat down and gratefully took the steaming mug of coffee from Pacey as he came back into the room. No one said anything for a while, the atmosphere was subdued and Pacey was starting to feel even more uncomfortable and found it hard to make the situation more bearable. Pacey was used to being the clown and found it hard at times like this to make a joke, especially when things were as serious as they were now. The tension in the room was getting overwhelming and somebody had to say something before it was too late.

Suprisingly Dawson was the first person to break the silence, or to attempt to.

"Did you see Amy when you were in Capeside Andie?" he asked.

"Yeah I did, she seemed really happy. It was great to see her."

Silence followed for a few more minutes. Until Joey put her mug down noisily.

"Come on guys, what's happened to us? What would Jen say if she saw us like this?" she asked.

They all seemed to brighten for Jen's sake.

"You know what?" Pacey continued. "I think we should all go back to Capeside for the weekend. Maybe we'll feel more comfortable there."

No one disagreed with Pacey's idea so Andie and Dawson loaded their already packed bags into the boot of Pacey's car whilst Joey and Pacey threw some clothes into bags. They piled into the car and headed for the airport. The four of them were all silent as Pacey drove them towards the airport. Everyone had their own reservations and concerns about going back to Capeside, the place where so much had happened and where their lives together had began.