"Um, Hi Jack," Joey said wiping at her lips.

"Hey," Jack said smirking at her redness.

"What, uh, what are you doing here?" Pacey said as casually as he could.

"I thought I would come and give a proper welcome but if you're busy…"

Joey rubbed a finger on her head. "Jack, what you just saw was…"

"Long over do," Jack said with a smile. "Joey, relax. I'm not going to say anything and I don't think you're a bad person. In fact, I'm glad you and Pacey are…doing whatever it is that you two are doing. Ever since we caught Dawson, you've been miserable. Joey, you deserve to have some happiness."

Pacey felt the awkwardness of the moment. "So… do you want to go eat or something?"

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Jack took another bite of his burger. "How long has this been going on?" he asked between swallows.

"About three days. Well, it officially started Sunday I guess," Pacey said before taking a drink of his pop.

Jack giggled slightly. "Officially? So you and Joey shook on it?"

Pacey smirked. "More like kissed rather than shook on it."

"I'm surprised that you two would do this."

"Why?"

"Because Andie cheated on you so you know what it's like on the other end and Joey…she's Joey. I didn't think she would cheat on Dawson or anyone for that matter."

Pacey took another drink. "But you need to look at the situation at hand, Jack. I'm single so I'm not technically cheating on anyone and Dawson is cheating on Joey. Joey has every right to be with someone else. It's really not that bad what she's doing because she isn't out banging some stranger. She's with me."

Jack's mouth fell open. "You two are having sex?"

Pacey chuckled and shook his head. "No, Joey made it clear that what is going on between us is sexually minimized."

"I hope I didn't sound like I'm condemning you two to hell with all my questions. It's definitely something I need to get used to but if this makes you guys happy then hey, go for it."

"I don't think you're the only one who needs to get used to this. Joey is still adjusting. Obviously, she didn't come tonight with us."

Jack gave Pacey a slight smile. "Give Joey some time. From what I saw, she seems very enthusiastic about the new 'closeness.'"

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Joey tapped her fingers to the Jimmy eat world song running through her CD player. She had waited a half hour for Pacey before she started the walk to Capeside High that she knew too well. As Joey rounded the corner that led to the school, she noticed a person that she definitely knew…well.

Joey took off her headphones and put them around her neck.

"Where were you this morning?" she said approaching Pacey.

Pacey didn't look up but kept staring at a concrete block on the floor.

"I had a meeting with the principle. I couldn't call."

Joey rolled her eyes. "I bet." She looked down at Pacey and noticed how strange he was acting. Joey sat down next to him. "Are you okay, Pace?"

Pacey quickly shook his head and smiled at Joey. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Joey placed a hand on his arm. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm…great. Jo, I think I'm going to clean up true love tonight so I can't see you."

Joey took back her hand. "Um, Okay. I guess we can get together tomorrow."

Pacey shook his head. "Yeah…That'll work." Pacey kissed Joey's hand. "See ya later," he said before walking off.

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"I think something's wrong with Pacey," Joey said sitting next to Andie.

"Yeah, he seemed a little distant today. What happened you think?" Andie said back.

"I don't know. He said he had a meeting with the principle this morning so maybe something went wrong there. Did he say anything to you?"

"No. he practically grunted his hello to me. Something must really be bothering him."

"I wish I knew what it was. I think I'm going to go see him tonight," Joey said with a smirk. Yeah, I'll go say hi, Joey said to herself.

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Pacey sat on the bench in his boat. He looked down, staring at nothing but thinking about everything. His mind glided over every aspect in his life. Pacey went over everything that happened junior year. He tried to figure out how he ended up failing two classes and being one of the few to be on the "watch" list. No matter how hard Pacey tried, his mind always shifted back to Josephine Potter.

Last year, Joey had over taken his thoughts and his actions and everything about his self. The day he picked up Joey from a date with college boy was the day Pacey had completely lost himself.

Pacey pulled his truck to the curb and put in park. Joey, clad in a white dress, was lying on the bench a few feet away from him.

"You know that dress is ruined, right?" Pacey said getting out of the car and walking up to her.

Joey sat up and wiped at her eyes. "So? This is MORGAN"S dress anyway," she said with a slight slur.

"How much did you drink?"

"Enough to get drunk."

"With you that's not a lot. C'mon, let's get you home."

Joey held out her arms. "Pacey," she said with a pout of her lips.

Pacey shook his head but smiled. "I'm NOT carrying you, Potter."

"Please? Um, I can't walk?" Joey said still holding out her arms.

Pacey rolled his eyes and picked her up. "This is the last time I'm doing this."

Joey smiled like a little girl. "Thank you Pacey," she said getting placed in the passenger's side seat.

"Yeah, yeah. Just try not to puke, alright?" he said getting in the car himself.

Joey turned her head so she could face him. "I won't," she said with a smile.

Pacey smiled back. "Do you ever have a bad looking day?" he said to himself but Joey heard.

"Sometimes," she responded. "I look pretty bad now."

"No you don't," Pacey said trying to look at where he was going.

Joey smiled at the blue eyed brunette next to her. She pushed the button to turn on the radio.

103.4 The moonlight. Love songs for lovers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Radio said.

Joey started laughing. "I never thought you would be into love songs, Pace."

"Hey, some of these songs are really good," Pacey said in defense.

"What else are you hiding?"

Pacey looked at her. "There are a lot of things you don't know about," he said sincerely.

"Like what?" Joey said with a smile.

Pacey shook his head. "Doesn't matter. So, what happened tonight, Joey?"

Joey bit her lip. "I was the other girl."

"What?" Pacey asked.

"AJ has a girlfriend named Morgan. Apparently, he was cheating on her with me but I never knew that. The whole time I was being used as his girl on the side," Joey wiped another tear.

"Jo, I'm sorry," he said placing a hand on her knee. Pacey, who had just reached Joey's house, put the car in park.

Joey looked at Pacey with sad eyes. "Do you know what he said to me when I asked him if I meant anything to him? He said, 'Of course not Joey. If I cared about you then I would have broken up with Morgan. I care about my girlfriend, not the girl on the side.' After he said that, that's when I decided to get drunk."

Pacey moved closer to Joey on the bench seat and wrapped his arms around her. Joey snuggled her face into his chest. She didn't cry, she just stayed in his arms.

"Do you think anyone will care about me?" Joey said lifting up her head.

"Oh god yes, Jo. Don't let this asshole get to you. You, Joey, are an amazing girl and any man would be lucky to have you."

"Really?"

Pacey moved some of her hair out of her face. "Yes, really."

Joey looked into Pacey's eyes and saw something new in them. Joey gave a small crooked smirk before leaning in and kissing him. She pushed forward, causing Pacey to lean back against the window. Pacey kissed her back with the same impact she kissed him. Slowly, the kiss died down and they came apart. Joey opened her eyes and looked at Pacey with wide eyes.

"Did I just…" she didn't finish.

Pacey sat back up. "Yup, you did."

Joey touched her lips. "O, I, um, I should get going," she said before leaving the car.

That was the day that Pacey J. Witter had fallen completely head over heels for Josephine Potter. He hadn't felt any different since then. Now, with the new kind of attachment they had to each other, Pacey felt that he had fallen even more for her, if that was at all possible.

As Pacey was lost in his thoughts, Joey walked down the stairs into the cabin.

"Hey Sexy," Joey said kissing him lightly on the lips.

Pacey looked at Joey. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see if you were okay. Is there something on your mind?"

"Jo, I told you I had to clean because I wanted to be alone," Pacey said running a hand through his hair.

"I guess I should go then," Joey said turning around.

"You know the way out."

"Bye P…"

"Go! Just go," Pacey yelled.

Joey ran up the stairs and away from the boat. "I am such a dumbass," Pacey said to himself. He quickly stood up and went up to the boat. He looked around for Joey but she had already left. Pacey decided to walk back to his house.

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"Hard day?" Gretchen said to Pacey as he walked in the house.

"You don't want to know," he said sitting on the couch.

"What happened?"

Pacey took a deep breath. "I was at my boat when Joey shows up. She said she was worried about me because I was distant all day and I snap. I yell at her and tell her to go. I am such a dumbass but I just wanted to be alone."

"Why would you want to be alone?"

"I had a meeting with my principle today. It seems that I failed both English and Math last semester. If I don't pass these two classes when I retake them in the evenings and weekends then I won't be able to graduate. Now I feel bad because I yelled at Joey."

Gretchen sighed at her brother and stood up. "Get up," she said. Pacey got up and she pushed him to the door.

"What are you doing?" Pacey asked.

"YOU are going to apologize to Joey right now. She cares about you and I am not going to let you throw that away. Maybe you should tell her about today because she might be a better friend than I am."

Pacey stopped. "Are you kidding? She's going to think I'm even more of an idiot than I already am."

"No she won't. Go apologize and see what she has to say."

Pacey walked out of the house. "Fine," he said walking away.

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Joey laid in her rowboat, one leg sticking out, and tried to read an old copy of Moby Dick. That didn't work very well. Joey flipped another half read page when she felt her boat rock a little. She lifted up her head far enough so she could see over the side of her boat. Pacey rowed up to her with a smile.

"Jo…" he began.

"Go away," Joey said laying back down.

"Joey, please."

Joey sat up. "I said GO! I'm trying to read."

Pacey had finally reached her boat. "I know you're mad at me…"

"Ya think?"

"And I know I was an ass…"

"That's an understatement," Joey spat.

"But I'm really sorry, Joey. I was having a really bad day and I didn't mean to yell at you."

"What happened? That's all I wanted to know."

Pacey swallowed the lump in his throat. "Jo, I failed some classes last year and if I don't pass them I won't be able to graduate."

Joey grabbed his boat and jumped into it. She hugged Pacey. "What are you going to do?"

"I need to take them in the evenings and the weekends. I'm really really scared. I know that you probably think that I am a complete moron and not worth even a fly's time, but I need your help. I can't do this by myself," he said snuggled into her soft hair.

Joey pulled out of the hug and smiled at him. "Pace, I don't think any of those things at all. You are not stupid…"

"Yeah right."

"You're not. You just had a rough time that's all. I would do anything to help you. You don't need me Pacey because I know you can do this by yourself but I will always be here for you, Okay?"

"Thanks," he said before kissing her once.

"Pacey, I want you to know that I always have your back, no matter what. Nothing is ever going to change that," she kissed him again.

Pacey smiled at her. "So are we okay?" he said taking her into his arms and resting her between his legs.

Joey placed her hand on his knee and rubbed it. "Yeah, we're okay."

Pacey rubbed a thumb on her cheek and smiled at the girl looking back at him.

"Joey, I…" he stopped himself.

"You what?" Joey said taking his hand and kissing it.

Pacey shook his head and smiled. "Nothing. I'm just really glad we're doing this."

Joey smiled. "Me too," she said.

Pacey leaned down and gave a Joey a soft sensuous kiss, hoping what he didn't say could be felt in it.

The next chapter will be about the end of first semester. Andie will be going sigh but not without a few good chats first. (Hint hint).

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