Description: My version of how Pacey and Joey got together. Starts briefly in third season and then jumps to the sixth. Jacob and Clay are characters I created.

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the show, only the original storyline and two characters I created Jacob and Clay.

Author's Note: If you read and leave a review, I'll update.

Unattainable Love:

Chapter #2

(Pacey's pov)

" Bessie told me that I could find you here, Jo.", I greet in a cautious manner. Standing behind her on the dock, I let out a heavy sigh. Not even all too certain what I am doing here. Joey took off upset and with tears in her eyes earlier. Wanting to give her some time to collect her thoughts, I decided to wait a few hours before making my way over. Truth is, I only want to apologize for putting her in this difficult situation to begin with. It was never my intention to place Joey in the middle of my friendship with Dawson. Guess maybe I went about everything all wrong. Would things have been any different were I to have been upfront with him from the start?

" No offense Pacey, but I would rather be left alone.", remarks Joey in a tired tone. There is a look of pure exhaustion in her eyes. Part of me knew coming here wasn't the best idea. Jo needs time and space to collect her thoughts. Surely, I could be understanding of this. To be honest, I just want to see if Potter is alright. I'm not hoping I'll somehow be able to change her mind. Only thing I want at the end of the day is for Joey to be happy. Not sure what Dawson was thinking when he told her to pick between us. It was wrong of him to do so. Joey was already confused and hurting, all he did was complicate things even more for her.

" Relax Potter, I only came to apologize. It was wrong of me to kiss you. The last thing I ever wanted was to put you in the middle of my friendship with Dawson.", I explain in a quiet manner. Kicking at the ground in anger, I let out a frustrated breath. Jo won't even look at me right now. If I didn't know any better I would think she wanted nothing to do with me. Would it have made any sort of difference if I had only gone to Dawson and told him how I felt for Joey? If he weren't a concern, is there a chance Potter would want to be with me? I never would have forced Jo to decide between my friendship or Dawson. He should have known that wouldn't work, why he figured it would is beyond me.

" I'm not sorry that you kissed me, Pacey. ...I'm sorry that Dawson came between us.", admits Joey in a sad tone. Our eyes meet and there are tears in hers. It is killing me to see her like this. Not knowing what else to do, I reach out and swipe my finger tips across her cheek. Caught off guard when Jo walks into my arms, I hold her close. What I wouldn't give to kiss Potter right now. Something tells me that is out of the question. Rubbing Joey's back gently, I meet her silent gaze. The only one standing in our way is Dawson. When Andie found out, she was upset but eventually came to understand it was never our intention to hurt her.

Resting my chin on Joey's shoulder, I whisper into her ear," If it weren't for Dawson, could you ever be with me?"

Lowering her eyes from mine, Joey reluctantly removes herself from my arms," Pacey, I can't choose between the two of you. Please don't make me."

" You're right, I'm sorry I asked Jo.", I apologize in a low voice, my eyes never leaving hers. Ignoring the pang in my chest when Joey puts distance between the two of us, I let out a defeated sigh. The two of us never stood a chance. We were over the moment Dawson found out about the two of us. God, I really cannot stand him. Where does he get off telling Joey and I we can't be together? If I'm remembering correctly, Dawson is the one who broke up with Joey. He is also the one who recruited me to look after her while he found himself. Aside from making a move on Potter, my only fault was not being upfront with him when I found myself falling in love with Jo.

" I really think the best thing for us to do is take a step back from everything.", explains Joey with a plea in her voice for me to understand. Not knowing what else to do, I eventually nod my head in agreement. Things are never going to be the same between Potter and I. There will always be a silent tension. Somehow I should have known there was never going to be a happy ending for the two of us. At least I can say Joey was mine for a little while. Given a chance, I'm fairly certain that I could have made her happy. At the very least I would have done whatever I could to try.

" Sure, of course. If that's what you want, Jo. ...If that's all you want.", I remark with a slight nod of my head. Hearing Joey utter those words...think it's safe to say that my heart just broke. She is giving up on us that easily? Am I not worth fighting for? If Potter felt one shred of what I feel for her, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. There is nothing that I can say that will ever change her mind about us. Dawson got exactly what he wanted in the end. He wanted to keep Potter and I from being together and that is precisely what he did.

" That's all I want, Pace.", responds Joey before lowering her gaze from mine. Guess she didn't want to see just how much her words hurt me. How can Jo give up on me so easily? Given the chance, I would do just about anything for her. I'm not sure if I could go back to only being Potter's friend. Not after I was so close to calling her mine. This isn't to say that I want nothing to do with her. Part of me wonders if Joey could ever love me the way she loved Dawson...like a soul mate. More then anything, I want to believe that she could. Thanks to Leery, I'll never get the chance to find out for myself.

(Joey's Thoughts)

Pacey came to see me. It kills me the two of us can't be together. Dawson shouldn't be able to dictate who I can or can't date. If I didn't have to worry about jeopardizing my friendship with Dawson, there is not a doubt in my mind that I would have chosen Pacey. Had he never kissed me, I never would have had to figure out how I felt for him. The second Witter's lips touched mine, I was left in a world of confusion. I didn't know what to think or feel. My first thought was what if Dawson had saw? Pacey and I had every intention of telling Dawson about us. The night he caught us bickering on his front lawn, I'd been in the process of chickening out. Part of me knew exactly how he would react.

If Dawson expects me to just take him back like last fall never happened, that's not going to be the case. I wanted to be with Dawson. He is the one who broke up with me. He is the one who wanted to find himself. Pacey was there for me these past few months when Dawson was nowhere to be found. The two of of us have grown close as friends. This is something I never imagined happening in my life. There was a time when Pacey and I were sworn enemies…now? I somehow managed to fall in love with him.

Had I chosen Pacey, Dawson promised our friendship would be over. While part of me truly wants to be with Witter, I wasn't willing to ruin a lifelong relationship to do so. The heart break that flashed in his eyes when I said that I thought it would be better if we both just took a step back from one another…I felt it the second those words left my mouth. What else am I supposed to do? I'm not sure I'll ever forgive Dawson for the position he placed me in. He had no right forcing me to choose between him and Pacey.

(Pacey's Thoughts)

Seeing Potter just now turned out to be a mistake. She wants to be with me, I can see it in her eyes. Unfortunately, Jo isn't willing to lose Dawson as a friend. He knew that would be her breaking pointing. Leery knew telling Joey to make a decision would somehow work in his favor whether she chose him or not. Dawson knew she would never take a chance at losing him as a friend. Now I'm left with a broken heart.

Joey told me that she thinks we're better off taking a step back. Hearing her say those words? It damn near killed me. I can understand Jo not wanting to lose Dawson as a friend. But to flat out pretend there's nothing between us? My heart broke twice today. I'm in love with Potter, she was in the process of falling for me. Because of Leery though, we'll never know what could have been between us. How am I supposed sleep at night knowing I let Jo slip through my finger tips. All because Dawson couldn't stand the idea of me making Joey happy when he failed to.

What kills me the most is, Dawson had his shot with Joey. He had her all to himself and tossed her aside. Why? Because he'd wanted to "find himself". What did he honestly think was going to happen when he asked me to look after Potter? Did he really think there was no chance that I would develop feelings for her? How could I not fall in love with Joey? The girl is freaking beautiful. Now, I'm supposed to pretend there was never anything between us? How am I expected to do that exactly?