Disclaimer and other info in Chapter 1

Joey entered the back kitchen of the B & B, fully dressed for the day, to find their numbers had swelled. In addition to Bessie, Alex, Audrey and Andie, she was greeted by the bright smiles of Jack McPhee, who was gossiping with his sister Andie, Doug Witter who was holding Amy, and her fiancé Pacey Witter, who was whipping up pancakes at the stove. Joey wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Hey Witter, any of those for me?"

He turned his head and captured her lips. Breaking the kiss, he replied, "As many as you want, Jo."

As Joey prepared a plate for herself, she had to dodge Pacey's hands as he attempted to get one more kiss. Alex watched for a moment and then asked, "Do you guys have to do that all the time?"

"Yes, we do, Alex." Pacey finally caught Joey. They sat down in the last available chair, Joey in Pacey's lap. He kept reaching around to sneak food off her plate as she giggling slapped his hand away.

"Careful Joey," Audrey noted, "you might hurt him with your ring."

"That reminds me sweetie. I need to take your ring from you." Pacey remarked offhand.

"What? Why?" Joey was surprised as she turned to face Pacey.

"Don't worry; you'll get it back tomorrow." Pacey took the opportunity to sneak more food off her plate."

"But why do you need to take it at all?"

"He needs to have the jeweler sauter the wedding ring to it." Doug answered.

"Oh. When do you need to take it?"

"I thought I'd drop it off on the way to the airport, so now I guess."

Joey looked down at her hand. It was a simple ring, a small solitaire on a white gold band. She had been wearing it continually for six months, since the moment he gave it to her on the dock outside her house. She slowly began to slide it off her finger. Pacey sensed her hesitation and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

"Don't worry, you'll get it back." He whispered in her ear. "Besides, you don't need jewelry to show how much I love you."

"I know, but it's a symbol." She slipped it completely off her finger. "I'll feel naked without it."

"I prepared for that," he chuckled as he slid another ring onto her hand. This one she had seen many times before, on her mother's hand. "Bessie lent it to me." Pacey explained when he heard her gasp.

"No, Bessie gave it to you." Bessie broke in from across the table.

"Bess, I can't." Joey protested.

"I want you to have it. Mom would want you to have it. She'd be so proud of you Joey." Joey stood up and went to hug her sister. Meanwhile, Pacey pocketed the other ring.

The others had been watching and eating silently. Now Jack spoke up, "Is everything just about ready for tomorrow?"

"We still have to set up the backyard and pick up the flowers, but we're just about ready."

"Did you give the band the list of songs, Doug?" Pacey asked.

"Yeah. Gave it to them this morning." Doug replied standing up to get more pancakes.

"Oh! What's your first dance going to be to?" Andie asked excitedly.

"'Chances Are'" Joey replied from her seat on Pacey's lap.

"You mean, 'Chances are if I wear a silly grin…'" Audrey sang.

"No." Pacey answered. "She means 'After All'."

"Oh, 'After all that we've been through, it all comes down to me and you…'" Andie sang.

"Yeah, that's the one." Joey shrugged. "I always get the name wrong."

"Where do you get 'Chances Are' from?" Audrey asked.

"'After All' is the theme song for the movie 'Chances Are'", Pacey explained, "with Cybil Shepherd, Robert Downey Jr, and Ryan O'Neal. Joey always mixes them up."

"Yes, and you love me for it." Joey turned and kissed him.

"I love you for many reasons. That's just one of them." He kissed her again.

"Uncle Pacey!" Alex groaned. Everyone else laughed. Alex turned to his mom. "Can I go over to Lily's? At least there's no kissing over there."

"Sure sweetie." Bessie sent Alex on his way. About the same time, Doug checked his watch.

"Pace, if we want to get Dawson on time, we should get going now. Jack, you coming?"

"Sure. Andie's gonna watch Amy."

The three men headed for the door, Pacey managing to sneak one last kiss.

"Don't forget to be back for the rehearsal!"