AN: hey, superfan24, I updated by Saturday, as promised. elwoodluver00034, sorry that the not telling each other they love each other thing is annoying but I have to keep it for a while. xxoJenxoo and PaceyJoeytruelove, This chapter should make you two happy. For all of the other people I didn't mention, I would have, I just didn't get your review before I started writing this chapter. I'm glad you're enjoying it too. It makes me SO happy! I've decided to add a nice chapter to make you smile again…it may not be all smiles after this chapter. But I'm not revealing anything! On to the story…
Joey leaned her head against her hand. She had been leaning over her desk for some time; she wasn't quite sure how long.
"Earth to Joey!" Jen said waving a hand in front of her friend's face.
Joey jumped up and looked at the blonde. "What? Say that again?"
Jen rolled her eyes. "Nice of you to actually listen. I asked you if you've seen Pacey today."
"No, why?"
"I don't think he came to school today. Do you know what might have happened with him?"
Joey shook her head. "I haven't talked to him lately."
"When uh, when was the last time you talked to him anyway?"
Joey looked down. "Prom," she said quietly.
Jen shook her head. "Joey, it's been two weeks. We're graduating on Saturday. Don't you think you should talk to him before you go away to Worthington?"
Joey lifted up her shoulders. "I guess I should. It's just going to be so awkward."
Jen patted her shoulder. "No one said it would be easy."
XXX
Joey walked down the street with some school books in her arms. A large, balding white man spots her and smiles.
"Josephine Potter?" the man said with a smile.
Joey stopped walking and smiled back before shaking his hand. "Mr. Samson. How are you?"
"I'm as good as you can be being the dean at Worthington," he said with a laugh. "I haven't seen you since September. You are coming to the new student dinner tonight at the yacht club, right?"
Joey nodded. "Um, yeah; I'll be there."
A girl called for Mr. Samson. He told her he'd be right there before turning back to Joey.
"Bring that boyfriend of yours tonight. I have something to discuss with him," he said.
Joey bit her lip. "Um, actually…"
"I'm sorry but I have to go. Hope to see you two tonight," Mr. Samson said before walking away.
Joey sighed before continuing her walk down the street.
XXX
There was a small knock on the door. It was so small it was almost inaudible. Pacey opened the door to find someone he didn't expect to see again…at least for a while.
"Jo?" Pacey said with a raised eyebrow.
Joey had her hand in the position to knock again when she quickly brought it down and blushed. "H hey Pacey," Joey said barely above a whisper.
Pacey looked at her for a second before shaking his head and smiling. "Uh, hey…what are you doing here?"
"I'm here because…because…" she looked at the books in her hands and back to him. "Because I brought some homework from today. You weren't in school and I didn't think you would want to fall behind so I came over to drop off some books. You know, finals start tomorrow and all…"
"You're rambling," Pacey cut in.
Joey looked down and blushed. "Sorry," she said softly.
Pacey smirked at this. She was nervous. Joey always rambled when she was nervous.
"Thanks for the books. Is that it?" he said taking them and putting them down.
Joey nodded. They stood there in the doorway for a few awkward seconds.
"So…" Pacey began. "Do you want to come in?" He hoped that she would want to. Even thought they were "broken up," Pacey still couldn't get enough of her.
Joey locked her eyes with his but looked away. "I need to get going," she said before turning and walking away.
"Bye," Pacey called from his place on the doorframe.
Joey walked a few steps before stopping and walking back. "Pacey, there is something else."
"What is it?" he asked.
Joey took a deep breath. "Do you remember the Worthington Party that we went to at the beginning of the year? Well the dean, Mr. Samson, is having another one tonight for new students. I've been invited to go ad I am going tonight. I was going to invite you but then at prom…So I was on my way to drop off the books then guess who I see? Mr. Samson of all people. We talked and he was hoping that I would come and everything…so we kept talking and he asked if you were coming and I tried to tell him that we weren't together anymore but a girl distracted him so I couldn't get it out…" Joey paused to breathe.
"What are you trying to say in these long rambled run on sentences, Jo?" Pacey said while he had the chance.
Joey nodded. "He wants you to come tonight…with me."
"Do you want me to go with you?"
Joey looked at the dirt she kicked with her feet. "Yeah…I'd feel better. I mean, I don't have much in common with a bunch of Richey riches…I would like you to be there."
"Look at me," Pacey said. She looked up and Pacey smiled. "If you need me, I'll go. I'm here for you, alright?"
Joey smiled wide. "Thank you. Well, I guess I'll see you in an hour. I need to get going so I can get ready."
Pacey waved as she left.
XXX
"Are you ready yet?" Pacey asked looking at Joey who was sitting next to him in the car.
Joey stared out the window of the unmoving car. "In a little bit," she said almost pressed up against the glass.
Pacey rolled his eyes. "Jo, we've been sitting here for ten minutes. Don't you think we should go in?"
Joey bit her lip and turned to him. "What if they don't like me? I have to go to college with people like them."
"They're going to like you, Joey. Since when have you cared what rich people thought anyway?"
"I don't know. I guess since I actually got the full scholarship to go to Worthington. What if this party is just like the last one?"
"You'll never know until you go in. Besides if anything goes wrong, you have me as an escape route," Pacey said with a chuckle.
Joey took a deep breath and opened the car door. "You're right. I just need to mingle for a little bit and then I'm out of there."
Pacey walked around the car moved Joey along to the yacht club. "So let's get inside."
Inside, there were tons of people all huddled in small clumps around the bottom floor. Students laughed and talked for hours. It took Joey maybe thirty minutes to start up a conversation with another future Worthingtoner. Soon after the conversation started, more had joined in. Pacey excused himself, seeing as he didn't quite fit there, and walked around for a while. Once he found a nice corner, Pacey watched as Joey fit in perfectly. She had become the main focus and didn't need him to hold her up anymore.
"Pacey Witter, just the man I was looking for," Mr. Samson said walking up to him.
"Hello Mr. Samson," Pacey said shaking the man's hand.
"Please, call me Marty."
"This is a nice Party…Marty," Pacey said with a small smirk at the unintentional rhyme.
"I try…enough with the small talk. I have a proposition for you. How would you like to sail all summer on a premium yacht with no expenses to you?"
"I would say where do I sign up?" Pacey said with a smile.
Marty grinned wide. "That's what I wanted to hear! See, I have a yacht that I used to use before. She's in fine condition but could always use some fine tunings. I heard and saw the work you did with your own boat, the true love, and I was amazed. My baby hasn't seen water in a while and a nice three month cruise would do her some good. I want you to lead my crew and sail her around this summer. You could even bring someone. All you have to do is fix her up. I'll pay you of course. So, what do you say?" he said extending his hand.
Pacey couldn't stop grinning. He shook his hand. "Doing things I love on a premium yacht and getting paid for it? That's a dream come true. I definitely want to do this."
"Good. I'll call you later and we'll talk about all of the details. So you know, you leave Saturday night. I think there's someone here to see you," he said looking at Joey and leaving.
Pacey smiled wide and walked to her. "That man is a god."
"I know how you feel," she said with a returning smile.
"You okay?" Pacey asked noticing something in her smile.
Joey nodded. "Yeah, I was just worried when I didn't see you. Pacey, I want to leave."
"You sure? You seemed to be getting along with them."
"Yeah. You didn't seem to be enjoying yourself and I got tired of talking."
"Okay, let's go," Pacey said leading the way to the door.
They got in the car and drove off. Most of the ride back to her house was silent. Once they reached her house, Pacey parked and turned off the car.
"We're here," he said looking at the steering wheel.
Joey took in a short breath and looked at him. "Will you spend the night with me?"
Pacey looked at her and locked eyes. "Joey…"
"Please Pacey? I just want you to sleep next to me for one more night…I really need it."
Pacey could see her eyes pleading with him. He wanted to hold her just one more time so why throw this opportunity away? He got out of the car and walked with Joey inside her house for the night.
XXX
Pacey had walked out the bathroom and into the bedroom with, as always, just his boxers on. Joey had already changed and was in bed. He said goodnight before getting in next to her. How strange it was to be so close to Joey and yet so far away. Pacey was so use to getting into bed with her and holding her close, caressing her skin…making love to her.
Now he couldn't do any of those things.
Joey, who still lied facing away from Pacey, had her eyes wide open. She wanted to be with him, but it wasn't as how she wanted it to be.
"Pace?" Joey said softly.
"Hmm?" he said seeing nothing in the darkness.
"Will you hold me?" she asked turning toward him.
Pacey moved more toward the middle of the bed. "Come here," he said moving out his arms.
Joey slid to the middle of the bed and went into his embrace. Their eyes had adjusted enough to the darkness to make out figures. She moved her body so she was as close to his as possible. Joey felt safe in his arms that were around her and did the only thing natural to her…she kissed him.
Pacey pulled back but didn't let her go. "Jo, we can't. I want to so bad but it won't work. You don't need me anymore."
Joey shook her head. "Yes, I do."
Pacey ran a hand down her face. "No you don't, Jo. You wowed everyone at that party tonight and were fine without me. You belong with those people and not with me."
"You don't want me anymore?" Joey said feeling tears threatening to fall.
"I want you more than anything. You deserve to be with a guy who is going to get an education and who is going to give you any thing you want; not a barely high school graduate who's only good at doing things with his hands. I don't deserve you."
"Those guys can't give me everything I want because they're not you. The only thing that matters is you. It's always only been you. When I lost you I didn't know what to do because I lost the only thing that truly mattered to me. If anyone doesn't deserve someone it's me who doesn't deserve you. I love you, Pacey and I have for a long time now. I know I should have told you earlier and I'm sorry I didn't. I'm telling you now because I want you to realize how much you mean to me. I've have never loved someone as much as I love you."
Pacey couldn't believe his ears. Joey Potter loves him…not Dawson, not anyone else…him.
"I love you too, Joey. I was waiting for the right time to tell you that but then we ended things at Prom and I never got a chance. I didn't think you loved me back. You have no idea how happy you've made me. I don't want someone else to be in love with you because I want to love and be loved by you. Now that I know that you love me I don't want to give you up so easily."
"I wasn't going to let you give up so easily," Joey said moving her arms around his neck and laying flat against him on the bed.
"I want you so badly," he said moving more on top of her then next to her.
"I'm yours to have," she said before kissing him.
XXX
Pacey leaned on an elbow and faced Joey. He had been awake and watched her sleep as the morning sun kissed her bare back. He smiled and moved his fingertips in slow circles on her back.
"I love you," he said moving his fingers on her.
Joey moved slightly and turned her head towards him. "I love you too," she said smiling at him.
Pacey moved in and kissed her passionately. "Good morning."
"Good morning," Joey said moving into his arms and lying on his chest.
"How did you sleep?" he asked rubbing her arm.
Joey wrapped her arm around him. "Best night I ever had."
They stayed like that for a while, not wanting to let the moment go.
"Jo?" Pacey said breaking the wonderful silence.
"Yeah?"
"I want you to go away with me this summer. I'm sailing Mr. Samson's boat all summer and he said I could bring someone."
Joey looked up to him. "When?" she asked with a smile.
"Saturday; after graduation. I want you to be with me. I can't be three months without you."
Joey smirked. "I'm in."
Pacey grinned wide. "You are?"
Joey grinned back wide. "Yeah. I get to be away from Capeside with the man I love for three months, on a beautiful boat may I add. I really don't see a downside to this."
Pacey moved down to her and kissed her. "You are the most amazing person I know. I love you so much," he said before kissing her again and wrapping her in his arms.
