Disclaimer: no, I still don't own a piece of it.

Thanks for the reviews…and I didn't plan to Pacey sound a jerk, but he's been hurt, and when you're hurt, sometimes you are a jerk

Dawson paced around his hotel room. He didn't have much sleep the past night. He left the damn party after Joey's outburst. What had gotten you to her? She never spoke to him like that; it was like she was possessed by some evil spirit. He needed to see her, to talk to her out of influence of alcohol, she had to be reasonable and see what was best for her. Resolution made, he would go back to her dorm and try to make her see things clearer.

Joey woke up, her head heavy and aching. She realized that the comfortable surface she was sleeping on wasn't her pillow and the strong arms around her and last night's events came to her mind.  She slowly opened her eyes, a little bit afraid of what she would see, but all she saw was a pair of shining blue eyes and a smile.

"Are you ok?" Pacey asked, pushing away a loose strand of her hair that was on her face.

"I feel like I have a marching band inside my head." She groaned. She heard him chuckle lightly and kiss her forehead.

"I told you" He looked into her eyes serious." Do you regret it?"

"Drinking?" She teased.

"No, the kiss."

"Kissing you was one of the right things I did last night. But I regret the situation, Pace. I had told you we had to solve our issues before anything else and for starters, you have a girlfriend." 

"No, I don't, Erin broke up with me, and I don't know why she tried to be around all the time last night." She opened her mouth to talk, a look of a surprise in her features. "Jo, listen" He let her go of his arms and turned to her, supporting his head by his hand. "I know we both have issues, lots of unanswered questions between the two of us, but…I want to be near you, these past months I tried to ignore you, 'cause I know that the moment I started talking to you, that would never be enough, that I'd want to kiss you, touch you all the time. You said last night: we're pathetic, we couldn't resist 24 hours, and if that's pathetic, I'm for sure one of the most pathetic men in this world."

"You didn't have to tell me you're pathetic, I already knew it." She teased, trying to hide the wave of happiness she was feeling. "But don't you think we should sit and talk about this? You know, like a plan?"

"Joey, you know I'm not good in plans, they always fail. I'm much more a man of action…" He leaned over, kissing her, their mouths full of hunger. Joey moaned when his tongue touched hers and his arms pushed her closer, she buried her hands on his hair, trying to keep him as close as she could. They broke the kiss, panting.

"This sounds a great plan to me, Pace." She whispered while he kissed her face, her neck. "But, are you sure, Pace?" She cupped his face so she could see his eyes.

"Potter, I'm dead sure. If we do what we didn't the first time, like trusting each other enough to tell what is wrong, our fears and insecurities, everything we'll be just fine."

"I can do that" She smiled, hiding her face in his neck. "I'm terrified right now"

He put one finger under her chin, lifting her face.

"I'm scared too, Jo. I'm really scared. I'm scared we will make the same mistakes; that I'll have my heart broken all over again, but you know what scares me most? You, out of my life."

She smiled, feeling tears in her eyes. He brushed them away with his thumb. She closed her eyes for a while, reveling in his touch. They remained silent for a moment, words weren't really necessary.

"Pacey, I wanna make things right this time, and if anyone is not happy that we're together, I'll tell him to take care of his own business, nobody will come between us, I promise you." She didn't name anyone, but they both knew who she was talking about.

He nodded, the feeling that they could actually make it this time, warming his heart, so he was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Like you did last night?"

"You were eavesdropping?"

"I went after you, in case you needed me, and I can say I loved every word you said." He tightened his arms around her. "Why don't you repeat them?"

"You already heard I it once, I don't think you need it again." She knew exactly what words he was talking about

"Oh, believe me; I do need to hear those words again." He nuzzled her neck.

"I, Josephine Potter, am head over heels in love with Pacey Witter."

"Actually were those about Dawson having to put his brain cells to work." He wasn't giving in so easily.

"Witter, shut up." She kissed him again, not giving him time to retort. They rolled on the bed, in a way she was now straddling him, he put his hands on her ass, pressing him against his arousal. Their hands learning again the lines of their bodies through the few clothing they had. Joey was the first to break the kiss this time.

"We have to stop, Pace." She moaned when he felt his fingers on her breast. "Pace, please"

He stopped the kiss, looking into her eyes, they couldn't have sex without protection, she was right, they couldn't risk her getting pregnant again.

"Why didn't I bring some condoms with me?" He sounded so helpless, that made her laugh.

"Because you are dumb, sweetheart." She smiled, kissing him softly. "I'm going to take a shower. Alone." She added when he raised his eyebrows maliciously.

"You're no fun, Potter." He pouted.

"Later, Pace, later." She kissed him again. "I'll be right back"

He laid there, he hadn't feel like this in a long time; he knew hard times would come, but his world was complete again. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he almost didn't notice Joey coming back, her wet hair on her shoulders, her body wrapped in a towel, making him have all the kind of dirty thoughts about her.

"This is a mean torture, Potter." He whined.

"Pacey, I have to get dressed."

"No, you don't" He stood up, embracing her from behind and kissing her shoulder, while she looked inside her dresser, when they heard someone knocking at the door.

"Pacey, can you get that? It must be Audrey who forgot where she put her keys."

He went to the door, feeling that he could kill Audrey for the interruption, but he was much less pleased when he had to face Dawson staring angrily at him.