A/N Thanks for all the feedback (too numerous to mention, but thanks to you all)
Something Borrowed…
'Where the hell is that lazy, long haired sister of yours!'
Audrey's shriek filled the normally quiet BB, her nerves finally giving way after a whole day of panic and worry. In one day her bridesmaid and head usher had gone missing. Not one of them made it to the rehearsal dinner, not even to the rehearsal. Everyone else seemed to be okay with the apparent disappearance but Audrey was far from happy.
'Will you stop panicking; those two do this kind of thing all the time. It makes them so quintessentially Joey and Dawson,' Jen said, leaning back in her chair as the extravagant hairdresser that Audrey had hired started to curl her long locks.
'Yeah, but not on my wedding day! It's bad enough they steal my thunder with their reconciliation but now….I'm just….I……arrrhhhh!' she stormed out the front door in her robe, screaming loudly once she was outside.
'Do you think she's a little stressed at all?' Bessie said, holding baby Amy in her arms as she slept, seemingly oblivious to the ranting and raving.
'She's always stressed. She's been stressed since she came out of the womb,' Jen said, cooing at her sleeping daughter.
'I suppose it doesn't help that her whole family have refused to come out to see her do this. I can't understand it, I thought they liked Pacey?'
'They do, they just don't like the fact she's doing this on the East coast. I think they were hoping she might call the whole thing off and transplant it to Hollywood.' Jen watched as Andre, or so that was what he said his name was, carefully picked sections of her hair and wrapped them around the hot curling tongs. 'Seriously though, as you worried about Joey and Dawson?'
'I was until she called me yesterday, told me about her last minute trip to New York,'
'It's funny how she could have an 'art related emergency'. You don't think their up to something?'
Bessie lowered herself into the easy chair next to Jen, repositioning Amy with bottle in hand. 'Joey and Dawson? They are always up top something,'
24 hours earlier……..
'Are you sure this is what you want?' Dawson asked Joey, standing outside the imposing looking building.
'Yes, I've been holding back for so long but now…it's the right time,'
'Okay, let go for it then,' Dawson took her hand and lead her into the building, opening the doors for her and leading her to the escalator.
'I wonder what the folks will say back home?'
'Probably that it's about time and it's been going on long enough!' Dawson said, leaning over and kissing Joey once they were safely inside the escalator.
'I can second that….' She murmured and there lips met and the doors closed.
Back in Capeside…
'Da dum de dum, da dum de da,' Jack sang happily as he walked in Dawson's room at the Leery's house, the official resting place of the Groom and family. Dawson was suppose to be with them too but was 'accompanying Joey to New York,' a thing that Jack found highly suspicious.
'Quit it,' Pacey said, trying once again to tie the elaborate tie that Audrey had picked out for him.
'Need some help with that?' Jack moved towards him and spun him away from the mirror, taking the tie off his neck and staring again.
'Thanks man, I think I'm falling apart,' Pacey exhaled deeply and closed his eyes.
'I would have never thought that you would be the nervous type Pacey, all male bravado and all that,'
'That was when the idea of marrying Audrey was just that. An idea. Now, in the cold light of day it's scary man…'
'Just cold feet Pacey, it's going to be okay,' Jack struggled with the tie.
'Coming from a man with no commitments of any kind!'
'Ahem, new baby…. Dependant fag hag friend?' Jack stopped to look in shock at his friend.
'Sorry. I forgot about Amy. How are things?'
'You know, the usual. No sleep, little time alone, vomit on everything,'
'You love it don't you?' Pacey grinned looking at the glow that Jack seemed to be emitting.
'Wouldn't swap it for the world. There, all done groomy,' Jack stood back and spun him to face the mirror.
Pacey looked himself up and down in the mirror, smiling at the reflection but terrified by what it all meant.
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'All done, my exquisite little treasure,' Andre cooed as Jen got up. She had to admit, he had done a great job on her hair. It was special and the best she had looked in months.
'Thanks Andre,' she said, returning the two kisses he dotted on each cheek.
'Now, where is the bride?' he clapped his hands together in a flourish of activity and started to arrange all the tools he had set aside for the monumental task that was Audrey's preferred hairstyle.
'I'll go get her,' Jen said, walking towards the window. Audrey was sat in one of the lawn chairs, watching the creek flow past her.
'Hey there Mrs Witter, we're ready for you,' Jen said, opening the window to try and get her attention. Audrey remained unmoved.
'Audrey? Andre's ready for you.' She still didn't move.
Panic slowly rose in Jen throat as she pulled the door open and made her way towards her.
Audrey was slumped in the chair, making a daisy chain out of a huge pile she had obviously been picking for a while.
'Audrey honey, are you okay? Hairstylist to the stars is waiting for you,'
'Do you think that Pacey was right? About me wanting the day more than the marriage?' she said her concentrated brow furrowing as she tried to knot the daisies together.
'Do you think he's right?' Jen lowered herself onto the edge of the chair, patting Audrey's leg.
'I've been horrid to Joey, I've completely missed your pregnancy and I didn't see what's been happening to everyone outside of my own little wedding world. Now, even my parents don't want to come see me get married.'
'But that's all in the past isn't it? I mean, Joey is okay and I'm fine. Your parents will come around. It means you can have two weddings if necessary,'
'But I don't know….If I…..I don't know if I want to get married.' Audrey stuttered, dropping the chain into her lap and wiping a tear away from her face.
'What? I thought that…'
'Do you know why he asked me to marry him? We were having an argument and he asked me to stop me screaming at him. We always argue…'
'You always have Audrey, that's not something that is new,' Jen interrupted, becoming increasingly concerned with what she was hearing.
'Bicker, we used to bicker. Now, we argue all the time about everything. I don't want my life to be with a man who, no matter how much I love him, I can never find common ground with. I think that I've been throwing myself into the planning the perfect day to cover up the fact this may not be the most perfect marriage.'
'Oh Audrey,' Jen leaned in and hugged her tightly, feeling Audrey's body shake with emotion.
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'I always did like you in a suit Witter,'
'Andie!' Pacey turned away from his reflection and saw Andie standing in the doorway, her violet summer dress just grazing her knee. She was wearing a large floppy hat and carrying a small wrapped present.
'So, how you doing? Cold feet yet?' she said, walking towards him with her arms outstretched.
'Cold leg might be a better description.' He said, pulling her into a deep hug. He could smell the familiar perfume on her neck, the same as the one she wore when they were teenagers.
Andie closed her eyes and took him all, his familiar scent and touch. It was too much for her and she pulled away.
'Well every groom gets a cold foot, that's the tradition. As long as you don't run away screaming.'
'Talking about running away screaming, do you know what happened with Dawson and Joey? I didn't get to see you yesterday at the rehearsal.' Pacey turned around to face the mirror again, playing with his hair.
'No idea. I woke up yesterday and she had left a note saying there was an 'art related emergency' and that Dawson had taken her to New York to fix it.' Andie sat on the edge of the bed and took in the time capsule that was Dawson's room. 'I never thought I'd been here again,'
'Capeside?'
'No, in Dawson's room. With you,' she said quietly, looking up to meet his eye contact.
The moment was not lost on Pacey and he saw the look in her eye. He had seen it when they were kids and she had tried to reconcile with him.
'Andie? Is there something you want to tell me?' Pacey lowered himself next to her on the bed.
'No, I was just remembering. Do you ever think what would have happened if you and me hadn't broken up?'
'I used to. I'm confused, why are you bringing this all up now? On my wedding day?' Pacey tried to put his hand on her shoulder but she shot out of her seat.
'I don't….I'm not…I mean…' she rambled uncontrollably.
'Andie, what is it?' Pacey stood up and grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him.
'I've never stopped loving you Pacey. Never…I'm just trying…trying to say goodbye,' she said quietly, her tears running down her face.
Pacey softened and released his grip on her. Part of him knew he felt the same way; the hole that was left behind from their love still ached. But he knew where his heart lay now.
'I know Andie. I know,' he said simply, pulling her into a hug and holding on tightly. She closed her eyes again and imagined they were on the boardwalk all those years ago.
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'Do you think they will be shocked?' Joey said, leaning into him on the front seat on the car.
'Slightly yeah. How do you feel?'
'Happy that we've finally done it but scared. I mean it's….' she started to tear up.
'I know. Just 20 minutes and we'll be home. I love you?' Dawson said, sling his arm over her shoulder.
'I love you too Dawson,'
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'So is she coming in? I have to create!' Andre held his hair brush in anticipation.
'Andre, I'm sorry about this but it looks like the wedding is off for today. Audrey will call you to pay you later but I think you can go now.' Jen said slowly, holding out her hand to shake his.
'Oh, well my masterpiece is now ruined!' he said, by passing her hand and fiddling with her now ruffled hair.
'Andre, honey, I don't think you're listening. Wedding off, no more wedding. Go home,' she said firmly, taking his hands off her head and forcing a handshake.
Andre face dawned with realisation and he slowly nodded.
'Okay. I understand. Here is my card, if you ever need my services again,' he said, pulling a card out of his pocket and placing it in her hand.
'Thanks Andre.' She said, turning around the see Bessie standing in the kitchen. 'Better call the restaurant and the church and everything else…'
'Is it really off?'
'Yeah. She said she needs to talk to Pacey and see where they should go from this. She's really upset,' Jen opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.
'So, who's going to call who?'
'If you can handle the church and the photographer, I'll you get the guests?' Jen picked the phone up and started to dial the Leery house but stopped abruptly. 'Not the person to call right now, considering that he doesn't even know the wedding is off,'
'How do you think he's going to take it?' Bessie said, pulling out her cell phone.
'No idea Bessie, no idea,'
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Andie finally drew away from Pacey, her eyes now misty with water. She looked up and saw he was partly crying too. She felt the spark in his eyes as she gazed into them.
'I guess this is goodbye then…' she murmured.
'I suppose so…'
Andie drew her breathe, stood on tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Pacey held her closer at this moment of affection, confused by his swirling emotions. She pulled away slightly and looked deep into his eyes one last time before closing her eyes and gently brushing her lips with his.
Pacey kept his eyes wide open, unsure of what was happening. He felt like he had been propelled back in time, back to a time when life was simple and he was in love with Andie MacPhee.
And for a brief moment he closed his eyes and kissed back.
The exact same moment as Audrey came into the room.
