AN: thanks for all of the reviews. Sorry that my grammatical skills are bad but hey, I ain't writing a novel here. Also, I know that the bug in Joey's hair and her getting scared thing was out of character but this is an AU fic and I highly doubt that Joey would cheat either. Guys, I have to have Joey still stay with Dawson for now, it wouldn't be cheating without another guy. Don't worry, don't worry, I'll make up for it I promise. it is four months later. To the story…
BEEP. BEEP. BEEEEEP.
The alarm in Pacey's room went off. Joey reached a tired arm up and turned it off. After a few seconds, she wiped her hair out of her face. She looked at the clock. 3:30, it read. Slowly, Joey lifted her self off the bed and went to the chair where her clothes were.
Pacey slightly opened his eyes from the movement and turned towards where Joey should be on the bed. When he didn't feel her he started to sit up. "Is it three thirty already?" Pacey asked turning on the table lamp.
"Yeah," Joey said starting to unbutton her pajama shirt but stopped when she noticed Pacey was still looking at her. "Close your eyes," she said holding closed her shirt.
Pacey closed his eyes and laid back down. "Every night you do this, Jo. You come over here around eleven and sleep until the damn alarm goes off at three thirty and then you leave. Do you know how much I hate that alarm now? I cringe every time I hear something that sounds even remotely like that stupid alarm…"
Joey sat on the bed and put on her shoes. "I'm sorry you hate the alarm."
Pacey sat back up and looked at Joey. "The point is not the alarm here, Joey. The point is that you always leave halfway through the night. When are you going to spend the whole night here?"
Joey smiled softly and ran a hand in Pacey's hair. "You know I can't sweetie; at least not until Bessie stops waking up at six."
Pacey grabbed Joey's hand before she could move it away. He put on a sad face. "I want you for a whole night. I want you to be there when the sun is up, not leave in the middle of the night."
She kissed him sweetly on the lips. "Sweet dreams, Pace," she said before leaving.
XXX
"That was the last book," Andie said into her completely empty locker.
"I can't believe you're actually leaving."
Andie turned and sadly smiled. "Harvard awaits, Pacey."
Pacey tried to not be sad. "Harvard…wow. You're a college girl now."
She nodded her head. "Yeah." Andie noticed Pacey's eyes had shifted somewhere else. She followed them and noticed they were focused on a certain brunette.
"Pacey?" Andie said with a smirk.
Pacey quickly moved his eyes back to Andie. "Yeah?" he said quickly.
"I noticed you were looking at Joey," she said with a sad undertone.
Pacey caught his breath. And put on a smirk. "Pss! That's funny Andie. Me, look at Joey, why would I want to look at miss sworn enemy #1 herself. She might…" Pacey said rambling on.
Andie let out a sigh. "STOP! Pacey, I know okay. I know about you and Joey."
"But…how?"
"I overheard you talking to Jack about it a few days ago."
Pacey rubbed his neck. "Andie I'm sorry…"
Andie shook her head. "Don't be sorry. There's nothing to be sorry about. We're not together anymore and we haven't been for some time. I feel sorry for you, Pacey. Look at yourself. You can't even have one conversation with me without staring at her…"
Pacey felt himself blushing.
Andie frowned at his blush. "Have you told her yet?"
Pacey raised an eyebrow. "Told her what?"
"Have you told Joey that you love her?"
Pacey's mouth fell open and he couldn't say a word.
Andie rolled her eyes. "I'm going to take the illiterate moron look on your face as a no. Don't seem so surprised that I know you love her, Pacey. You look at her…you look at her how you used to look at me."
"Andie…"
Andie shook her head and put a hand on his shoulder. "You really need to tell her, Pacey. See you tonight," she said walking away.
XXX
Joey quickly went into the shed, closed the door and placed her back against it. Pacey looked up from the floor he was sweeping to see a smirking Joey.
"Josephine, what brings you here?" Pacey asked putting the broom away.
"I was heading to the library to pick up a book and I took a little detour," she said walking to him.
Pacey wrapped his arms around her waist. "And that detour ended here, huh?"
Joey bit her lip. "Actually it ended at the beach. I decided to walk over here and say hey."
"It was nice of you to stop by," Pacey whispered before kissing her.
Things heated up right away. He picked her up and placed her on a counter. Before things went any further than kissing, which they tended to lately, Pacey broke away and moved back.
"What's wrong?" Joey said out of breath.
Pacey inhaled deep, trying to catch his own breath as well. "Nothing. I just…I want to talk."
Joey brought a hand to her mouth. "About what?" she asked quietly.
"Noo, not like that," Pacey said shaking his head and smiling before moving back to her. "I was thinking about a way you could spend the whole night with me," he said moving back between her legs and bringing her closer on the counter.
"How?" she asked putting her arms around his neck.
"Well, I was thinking we could avoid Bessie in the morning by not having her there."
"Come again?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
"we could go away this weekend, Jo. Just me, you, and no one else. How does that sound?"
Joey kissed him on the forehead. "It sounds wonderful Pace but when you were coming up with this plan you forgot one tiny but plainly obvious setback. How are we supposed to go somewhere for the whole weekend alone and have no one notice?"
Pacey placed his forehead against hers. "Shiiiit. I didn't think about that. I'll find a way…somehow," he said hugging her close.
Joey rubbed Pacey's head that rested on her stomach. "I'm sure you will, Pace."
XXX
Jack paced back and forth in the kitchen. Andie stood a few feet away with her arms crossed.
"so your orientation is at four, right?" Jack asked not looking at his sister.
Andie rolled her eyes. "For the millionth time Jack, orientation IS at four on Friday."
Jack nodded. "Good. So we'll leave at twelve and we'll be in Boston by then."
Andie placed her hands on his back, causing Jack to stop moving. "Jack, you need to relax. Everything will be okay."
Before jack could respond, Pacey and Joey walked in smiling. Andie looked at Jack before turning to greet them.
"Some party you have here," Pacey said with a laugh.
"I know. I didn't think so many would show," Andie said about the 40 sum guests in the other room.
"Not every day someone gets to go to Harvard," Joey said with a smile.
"Yeah well…" Andie said putting her head down.
Joey gave a concerned look. "Are you okay, Andie?"
"Um, actually joey, I was hoping I could talk to you."
Joey nodded her head. "Yeah, sure."
"Great! Uh, let's go onto the patio," Andie said going outside. Joey followed.
Pacey rocked back and forth on his heels. "How are you, Jack?" he asked to lighten the mood.
Jack rubbed his temples. "A wreck. I'm not looking forward to this weekend."
Pacey placed a supporting hand on Jack's shoulder. "I know. Andie's a great girl and I hope that Harvard knows what they're getting."
Jack sighed. "I don't think I can do this."
Before Pacey could say anymore, an idea popped into his head. "What if Joey and I went with you this weekend? As in, let's say, a support system?"
Jack smiled. "That would be great! You two would really come along with me?"
Pacey smiled. "Of course, Jackers! What are friends for?"
Jack couldn't stop smiling. "Thanks, Pacey. I'll probably be spending the two nights by Andie's dorm so you and Joey would probably have to go to a hotel…is that okay?"
Pacey nodded. "Perfectly fine."
Jack's smile slowly faded. "Does Joey know about this?"
Pacey patted him on the back. "Don't worry, she'll go along with this…trust me."
XXX
Andie and Joey walked over to the railing.
"What's wrong, Andie?" Joey asked after a few seconds.
Andie took in a deep breath. "Joey, we need to talk about you and…Pacey."
"oOkay," joey said softly.
"Why are you doing this? Why with Pacey?" Andie asked.
"I…I don't know. It just kind of happened. I never thought it would last this long but I'm glad it has. Pacey makes me happy."
"Why won't you breakup with Dawson then?"
"I've tried, Andie. I've tried so many times but whenever I get a chance to, something always messes it up."
Andie shook her head. "End things with Pacey," she said shortly.
"What! Why?"
"Because you're hurting him! Pacey falls so hard for someone and he doesn't deserve to be hurt. You're going to keep hurting him if you keep this going, Joey."
"I can't end things with Pacey…I need him. I can't be without him. Pacey makes me feel alive and when I think about him I can't stop smiling. I don't want to hurt him, I don't Andie, but I can't let him go. I need him more than anything right now," Joey grew quiet.
Andie smiled slightly at Joey. "I understand, Joey. I know how Pacey can be. He's hard to let go. I want him to be happy and if he can be while making you happy then I'm okay with it. I don't want you to be sad, Joey, I just want you to be careful. You and Pacey are doing something that can really hurt one or both of you. Please be careful."
Joey hugged Andie. "I will," she said before walking back inside with Andie.
Pacey grabbed Joey right when she walked in and pulled her away from the people.
"Nice to see you too," Joey joked.
Pacey smirked. "Joey, I found away for us to get away this weekend. Are you still up for it?"
"Of course. How though?"
Pacey smirked wider. "Well…"
XXX
8:00P.M. that Thursday the day before the big weekend
Bethany pulled the sheet up to neck and laid her head on Dawson's chest. "When are you going to take me somewhere, Dawson?" Bethany asked playing with her blonde curls.
Dawson rolled his eyes. "I've taken you plenty of places."
"Yeah, to have sex. I'm not your sex slave Dawson. I would like to be taken out on a date sometimes."
"You know we can't, Bethany. J…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Joey might see us. I don't understand why you just don't dump the bitch."
Dawson pushed Bethany off him hard. "Don't you ever call Joey that again! You don't even know her."
Bethany rubbed where Dawson pushed her. "I'm sorry, baby. I just don't understand why you won't take me on a date. Joey isn't even going to be here this weekend."
Dawson scrunched his face. "What?"
"I over heard her talking to some guy about their plans to go to Boston with some guys named Jack and Andy this weekend when I was walking to class."
Dawson rubbed his chin. "she must have been talking to Pacey. She's going to be gone with him, Jack and Andie the whole weekend."
"she's going away with three guys?"
"No! Andie is a girl, Bethany."
"O, since she's not going to be around, can we go on a date then?" she asked getting closer.
Dawson kissed her. "Sure, Friday night," he said hiding his anger about what he just found out.
XXX
"Nothing like waiting till the last minute to get stuff for the trip Pace," Joey said walking with Pacey in the store.
"You didn't have to come," he said looking at the shelves.
"I can't come over tonight so I thought I would see you now. If you want me to go I'll go," Joey said pointing to the door.
Pacey kissed her. "I want you to stay."
"Yeah?"
"Of course."
Joey smiled. "Okay then."
"Hey, since you're staying, why don't you go get me some toothpaste?"
Joey rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said before walking away.
Pacey laughed to himself. His cart moved slightly and hit the shelf, causing some of the merchandise to fall on the floor. They were the condoms. Pacey was putting back the last box when Joey walked back up to him.
"Hey Pace I…What are you doing with those?" she said looking at the box.
Pacey looked down to the box of condoms and then back up to her. "I was…the cart hit the shelf and…I was putting them back when you came…" he got quiet and blushed slightly and putting the box back on the shelf.
"Okay," Joey said not looking at him.
They stood there in awkward silence for a few seconds before Joey licked her lips and looked at him.
"Um, Pacey," Joey said with a deep breath.
Pacey quickly looked up. "Yeah, yup?"
Joey caught her breath. "You should, um, you should get a box," she said pointing quickly to the condoms.
"Yeah?" Pacey said observing her face.
Joey tucked some hair behind her ears. "Uh, yeah. We should be prepared in case we…you know what? I don't like these socks. I'll get a different pair of socks while you get…them. I'll meet you at the check out line," Joey said before walking away again.
Pacey cleared his throat before he placed a box into the cart and walked away himself.
