Chapter 28 – Christmas morning

Joey woke up with a feeling of happiness she hadn't felt in a long time. She always associated Christmas with the void her mom left in her life, but this Christmas gave her something she missed all along. A family that she and Pacey would have in a near future. She gazed dreamily at her ring; the oval cut blue stone shining. Blue like her favorite color. Like Pacey's eyes. Last night's events and words still too recent in her memory to be forgotten in any detail.

"This ring is so beautiful, Pace." She couldn't keep her eyes off it.

"They call this aqua-marine. Sea water." His fingers caressed her hand, tracing the ring he gave her. "The sea brought us together, and then apart, so I thought that sea should bring us back together for good. Full circle." He chuckled. "I read somewhere that Ancient Greeks believed that there was a vein that ran from the fourth finger on your left hand straight to your heart. And that circles were the most perfect geometric shape. Endless. That's why your ring stays right here." He ran his fingers lightly tracing the imaginary vein. An endless promise of love. Eternal."

"You're amazing, you know." Her eyes full of unshed tears.

"No, I just had too much time to plan this."

"And I have no words to reply to all this."

"You already did, Jo, you said yes."

She sighed looking at the man sleeping beside her. Her fiancé. She giggled at the thought. Who would ever guess that she would be engaged to Pacey Witter and so happy about it?

"Sleeping Beauty is finally awake." She heard the deep voice, feeling his arms tighten around her.

"I thought you were sleeping." She kissed his shoulder.

"Me? Sleeping when I have my gorgeous fiancée here with me?"

"So all that noise I heard wasn't you snoring?"

"Unlike you, I don't snore, Ms. Potter."

"I do not snore, Pacey"

"You do that too." He rolled them over, chuckling.

"Remind me again why I accepted to marry you."

"You love me."

"You bug me." She pouted, kissing him. "Hey, Pace."

"What?" he was occupied kissing a trail down her neck.

"You're heavy, you know."

"So this is how things are going to be now? What's next, headache?" he mocked.

"Maybe." She smiled, the tip of her tongue peaking out between her teeth.

"Maybe? Ok, I'm out of here." He mentioned to leave the bed.

"Teddy?" She put her arms around his neck, keeping him securely where he was.

"Don't Teddy on me, Potter. That hurts, ya know?"

"Teddy?" she kissed the sensitive spot below his ear.

"Nope, I'm not falling, Jo."

"Not even if I promise to kiss it better where it hurts?" she wiggled her brows suggestively.

"Perv."

"Prude."

"C'mon, Pace, I thought we were beyond that. We're adults now."

"Talk about yourself, sweetheart."

"Be serious, Pacey."

"I am serious, Potter." He smiled teasingly. "So, how does this kiss it better work?"

A bang on the door interrupted them.

"Guys, can you stop mauling each other and come outside?"

They heard Jen yelling through the closed door, causing them to bust into laughter.

"I guess, I will have to explain it later, Pace."

"Or we could ignore Jen." He replied loud enough to be heard.

"I heard that, Pacey Witter."

"I guess we don't have a choice, sweetie, move on." Joey stated, making Pacey groan. "I promise you will know all about kissing it better later." She added in a sexy whisper.

"I'm not letting you off the hook on that, Potter."

"And I don't wanna be let off the hook on that." She winked. "C'mon, loverboy, let's go unwrap our gifts." She stood up; trying to take him along, but he pulled her again to the bed.

"Unwrap gifts? Jo, you're already naked." He nuzzled her neck, and all she did was roll her eyes, both bursting into laughter.

"Hey, Pace?"

"Yes, Potter." He was still trying his best to seduce her, knowing he wouldn't win that one.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Jo." They kissed one last time, before getting dressed to enjoy their Christmas morning.

They had a day full of fun. No one could help the laughter when Pacey unwrapped his gift from Joey, a book called "The Simpsons and Philosophy". Through the laughter, she whispered that was the mock gift. Later, later he would have the real thing.

Snow covered everything, and like children they played, silly snowball fights with Jen, Jack and Andie, until they were freezing, and Bessie and Grams called them to get some hot cocoa and cookies. The girls were all in front of the fireplace, waiting for the boys who went changing.

"Andie, are you OK with this?" Joey asked, pointing her ring, somewhat worried about her.

Andie sighed, no she would never really be ok with Pacey getting married to Joey, but she never saw him happy like he was today, as if he had found heaven on earth, and Andie knew. His heaven was Joey.

"Joey, it doesn't matter if I'm OK or not. You are happy, Pacey is happy and I'm happy for you both." She smiled. "That's what really matters."

"Thanks Andie, that means a lot to me."

"I had my chance with him, Joey, and even if I hadn't screwed it, I think the ending would be the same, you'd be the one wearing his ring."

"No cat fight? You guys are disappointing me." Jen mocked.

"Jen!" Andie and Joey replied together, and that exact moment Pacey and Jack returned.

"Has anyone here mentioned cat fights?" Pacey asked, comfortably settling behind Joey, his arms circling her waist.

"I think I heard that too." Jack said, stealing one of Jen's cookies.

"Sorry, sweetie, but it's not today you're getting your sexist fantasy fulfilled." Joey deadpanned.

"Damn, and I was here thinking that it would be my real Christmas gift." Pacey exclaimed, making everyone laugh.

"But Pace, I thought that would help you through the hard studies of Philosophy…"

"Like that Math for dummies you gave me on junior year?"

"It helped, didn't it?"

"Jack, please tell me again, why did we agree with them living with us?" Jen whined.

"Because you love us, Lindley." Pacey answered.

"And because of those leather pants I have that you love." Joey completed to everyone's laughter.

It had been a good day. Laughter had filled it, totally angst free, just a good day spent among friends. Joey smiled in the dim light in her bedroom, Pacey's real gift in hand. Compared to what he'd given, it was too sentimental, even silly, and she even questioned if he would like it. She didn't even notice that Pacey had entered the room and was sitting beside her on the bed.

"Jo?" He whispered, eyeing the big box on her hand.

"Hey." She turned to kiss him. "It was a good day today, wasn't it?"

"It was indeed, Miss Potter." He rested his forehead against hers. "What's this?"

"It's your gift. It's so silly compared to what you gave me…and I'm not sure if you're gonna like it…"she started.

"Jo, stop rambling. Whatever it is, I'm gonna like because you gave it to me. Unless of course it's a box full of pictures of naked men."

"Smart ass."

"Joey, stop the foreplay. I actually want to look at my present before ravish you."

"Keep talking like that and the only thing you will ravish tonight is the couch." She smiled, but was somewhat tense while he slowly unwrapped the box.

"It's a boat." He stated, looking at the build it yourself kit of a model boat. A small sailboat that looked exactly like True Love.

"I know it's not even close to the real thing, Pace" Joey whispered, while Pacey kept staring at her. "I really, really wanted to give you the real thing, but I couldn't afford, so I had to settle for the next best thing. I know it's silly, but I wanted a symbol of what we had, to remind us both of what we still can have. And I know one day we're gonna have the real boat to sail off into the sunset again…and…"

"Jo" Pacey silenced her, his thumb lightly caressing her lips. "I don't think it's silly, As a matter of fact, I think it's really sweet."

"You do?" she raised her eyes, a soft smile on her lips.

"I do. And I do love my present. Are you gonna help to put this together?"

"I thought you could do this one on your own," she teased.

"I could never build True Love without you, Jo." His eyes showing the deep meaning behind his words.

"Neither could I, Pace." Their lips met in a sweet kiss.

"Hey, Jo?"

"Yep"

"What about that kiss it better thing?"

"I thought you'd never ask." She replied, taking him to bed with her. That was really a perfect Christmas.

Dawson paced inside his bedroom like a caged animal. The simple idea of Joey, his little Joey Potter, engaged to Pacey making him sick, driving him nuts. That bastard had stolen everything from him. His girl, his friends. That afternoon he was wandering around and saw them playing in the snow. Pacey was the sidekick, the one supposed to be out cast. Not him, golden boy Dawson Leery. He was the hero, and he needed to get his leading lady back. No matter what.

He sneaked out of his room, heading straight to his father's back office. He knew exactly what he needed from there. Something to take Pacey Witter out of his way. For good.