The Unseen Obstacle CH.15

I Disclaim

The knock on the door drew Mitch away from his perusal of his divorce papers, he was hopeful going into foyer, thinking it was Joey or maybe even Gayle again, but he was in for disappointment as he opened the door and found one of Dawson's other little friends." Andie, how are you?"

"I'm okay Mr. Leery, is Dawson home?"

"Yeah he is, you know the way to his room?"

"Yes, thank you sir." Andie gave him a small wave and bounded up the stair to the first door on the right, and knocked.

"Dad I don't want to talk."

"Dawson." Andie knocked again." It's me Andie."

"Andie what are you doing here?" Dawson said as he opened the door and smiled the small blonde. Since her retune from the last treatment center Andie too had gone missing form their group, but at least her disappearance was understandable. Andie had cheated on Pacey, Jen and Joey had taken up Pacey defense, and didn't really speak to the other girl, and even Jack seems to distance himself from his sister. Personally Dawson thought there was more to the break then Andie cheating, he didn't see Pacey as the faithful type, and so he didn't really side with anyone. "Come in."

"Thanks, how have you been?" Andie said as she came in and sat down in his desk chair.

"Not really good, you know things with Joey and I aren't going as well I expected, and in fact we're not really speaking right now."

"Yeah I kind of figured."

"What do you mean?" He sank down on his bed and looked at her quizzically.

"Dawson, I was just in town reading outside the diner on Main, when I saw them."

"Saw who?"

"Pacey and Joey." Andie left the chair to kneel in front of Dawson, and took his hand." They're together Dawson."

Dawson quickly stood and shook off Andie's touch, shaking his head." No that's not possible; Joey wouldn't do that to me." She wouldn't, Pacey might try to steal Joey away from him, but Joey was too bright to fall for Pacey's slick lines, and fake charm." You're wrong."

"No Dawson, I'm not." "I heard them, I heard Pacey say he was her boyfriend, and Joey acknowledges it."

"Why?" Dawson turned and looked at her tears falling down his face. "Why is she is doing this to me?"

Andie took Dawson in her arms and rubbed his back." I don't know Dawson, I just don't know."

Jen and Jack were having a very serious discussion when Pacey's car pulled into the drive way of Grams house.

"Jude Law?"

"Jude Law."

"No." Jen shook her head and hit him in the chest." Bad Gay man, the correct answer is Orlando Bloom."

"He's so wimpy."

"And Jude Law's your man's man, I think not."

"Hey guys." Pacey said as he helped Joey onto the porch, and continued to hold her hand." What's the hot topic?"

"Sexiest foreign actor." Jack said.

"Heath Ledger." Joey said sitting down on the top step, still aware that Pacey was holding her hand." Followed closely by the original God of accents Sean Connery."

"He's eighty." Pacey said dropping beside her.

The three others just looked at him." So."

"Age is merely a number; Pacey sexiness can't be limit to age, gender or any other label." Jen said, and then noticed the hand holding." And what might I ask is this." She pointed at their joined hands." Is this like some bad sitcom plot did you glue your hands together?"

"No we're dating now." Pacey said as he picked up Joey's hand and kissed it. "Right Dear."

Joey snatched her hand away, and slapped his head. "No we're fake dating now."

Jack almost chocked on his soda, he wiped his mouth and sputtered." Excuse me, what?"

"It's complicated." Pacey said.

"Jen could you be a dear and fill in Jack on the …"

Jen's eyes widened." You mean with …"

"Yeah." Joey nodded and watched as Jen leaned over and began whispering in Jack's ear, the brunette began laughing and looked at Joey.

"No way." At her nodded, his eyes grew with surprise." Shut up." Looking around he got three nods from his friends and then rushed to Joey and hugged her. "Oh I'm sorry Joey."

"It's okay Jack, things happen."

"Apparently." Jen said, and starting pointing to the two of them again. "So how did this happen."

"Bessie found out about you knows who and she just assumed it was Pacey, so …"

Jack nodded finally caught up and eager to be involved answered." Now you're two are dating and have been for several months." He grinned at Jen." I like being in the loop."

"I'm glad, but I think we might need to get a chalkboard and right all this down so we can keep track." Jen said sliding her sunglasses down on her nose and gazing at Joey with amusement." Ms. Potter seems to be racking quite the list of past loves."

"Thanks for making fun of my pain, Jen."

"Well when you think of it besides the heartbreak, which again not discounting, you've been hooking some hot fish."

Jack nodded, and then grimaced." Well except for that Dawson thing." He shuddered." I'll never be that gay."

Andie return to Dawson room, with a glass of water to find him sitting on the floor staring at photos in a box. "I got you something to drink?"

"Thanks." The pictures were of happier times, when they were the three musketeers; they went everywhere together, did everything together. "You know I knew he liked her, he asked my permission in tenth grade to pursue her, but she wouldn't have him, she wanted me."

"Dawson, things change people change."

" No no they don't, I knew that shouldn't have trusted Pacey, I needed time, and I needed someone to watch out for her, but he was the only one, Jack wouldn't have done it, and she wouldn't have turned to Jen." " It had to be Pacey, but I knew in the back of my mind that he wanted her, cause Pacey never quits when he wants something, and I knew he wanted her, but I had faith I knew Joey was smarter, that she loved me, she wanted me, she just tolerated Pacey."

He walked to the window to look across the creek, when he's eyes caught site of the 'Witter Wagoner' parked at Jen's house, he looked to the porch and sure enough there they were. Pacey and his Joey." Son of a bitch."

"Dawson?" Andie asked as he stormed past her and ran down the stairs, she ran to the window, and upon realizing where he was headed followed." DAWSON."

Jen heard a faint scream and looked around." Did you hear something?" The others just looked at her and shook their heads. "Oh well, so how's this work?"

"Like this if asked you pretend you don't know what they're talking about till they actually said they know about us." Joey said looking at Pacey." You need a haircut."

Pacey glance s at Jack as he hears the other man snicker." Geez one day and she's already a nag."

Jen laughs. "Yeah I can tell this is going to be fun to watch."

Jack nodded." Oh ye….HELL." He stood and pointed to the lawn where Dawson was charging up the lawn, with Andie racing to catch him.

"You Bastard." Dawson said as he came to the step and glared at Pacey." You backstabbing bastard."

"Hello Dawson and how are you today?" Pacey said starting to stand, not liking the look in Leery eye, he moved to block Joey from the other boys view." Something we can do you?"

"Yeah how about you leave Joey the hell alone."

The object of his obsession stood, and glared at him over Pacey's shoulder." Excuse me, I think I choose who I spend time Dawson."

"How could you do this to me Joey, him I understand." Dawson said as he sneered at Pacey." He has no concept of friendship or trust, but how could you do this to us."

"There is no us Dawson, we're not together and haven't been for quite a while, who I'm with has nothing to do with you."

"This is all your fault." Dawson reached back and punched Pacey with all his might, and watched with satisfaction when the taller man hit the steps with a loud thud. Jack stepped up and pushed him back while Jen and Joey helped him back up. "Come on you coward don't let them protect you from getting what you deserve."

Pacey stood back up and wiped the blood from his lip, and just shook his head. "I'm not going to hit you Dawson you're not worth it."

Jack just shook his head, and shrugged." Then I will." He pulled his right fist back and rammed it right into Dawson's nose. The blonde covered his nose with his hands trying to catch all the blood. "You're such a tool."