Description: My version of how Joey and Pacey got together set before season three.
Author's Note: reviews are appreciated, please leave some.
Disclaimer: I do not own the character's or show, just the original story line.
Crazy Love
Chapter #11
(Ben's pov)
" Alright then, awkward reintroductions aside don't the two of you have someplace to be?", I question with an arched eyebrow. Pacey and Jack were supposed to be going out. This is the only reason I invited Joey over to tell me about her break up. Had I known these three knew each other, I would have asked them to stay. ...Well, that's not true. I still would have had them leave. The whole point of Joey coming over tonight was for me to show her there are better options out there then the jerk she had been seeing. More importantly, that I am one of them. I know that if she just gave me a shot, I could make her happy.
" Oh, well I don't know. Suddenly I don't feel much like going out.", comments Pacey before tossing his jacket aside. Oh no, you are still going out Witter. Tonight is my chance to try and win Joey over and I am not about to let you get in the way. Jack can obviously see how important this is to me. Really hope he will say something and get Pacey out of my hair. All I want is to have some time with Joey and show her that I am a guy worth giving a chance. I have had it bad for this girl since the day I met her. I will be damned if I am about to let Pacey ruin my first opportunity to show Joey that I am a halfway decent guy.
" Jack, a little help man?", I all but plead with a frustrated sigh. He must have noticed the desperation in my eyes and caught the hint. Knew that I could count on Jack to help me out. With hopes he will drag Pacey out of here so I can finish cooking a nice meal for Joey and I. Hell, I have the whole evening planned out. I'll cook an amazing meal, Joey and I will talk, maybe have a drink or two and then we could watch a movie. After if she wants to Jo could stay over and we could talk until we both fall asleep. I am not trying to sleep with her, all I want is to spend some time with Joey. This is not a crime in my book.
" On it, come on Witter. Nice seeing you Potter.", calls Jack over his shoulder while taking hold of Pacey's arm and leading him towards the door. Yes! Knew that he would not let me down. Jack is the best. Now I can finally hangout with Joey and not have to worry about any interruptions. Not sure why there was tension between Pacey and Joey, but I am not about to ask questions. It does not look like a conversation Joey really wants to talk about. Truth be told, I could care less. All I want is a little time with Joey to myself.
Stomping a foot in protest, Pacey folds his arms across his chest," Wait a second, doesn't what I want to do matter here?"
Taking off her coat, Joey places it on the couch with a smirk," Nope, sorry Witter. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."
(Pacey's pov)
..." Want to tell me just what the hell that was about Jack?", I complain as the two of us climb into the jeep. He practically dragged me out of the apartment and left Ben alone with Joey...my Joey. What the hell is his problem? I reserve the right to stay home if I want to. How long has it been since Potter and I talked? We could have finally hashed out our differences and yet Jack seems like he could care less. Not sure I am comfortable leaving Ben alone with Potter. It is no secret the guy is into her. He is obviously considering making this fact known to her tonight. Doesn't Jack think he deserves to know if he had that would be violating the bro code seeing as how Joey and I were once an item?
" Pacey, face it. Joey hates your guts. Did you honestly think staying and picking a fight with her would have been a good idea?", points out Jack while starting the jeep up and taking off down the road. Come on, I am not an idiot. I know that Joey isn't all that fond of me these days. What makes Jack think that I would pick an argument with Jo? That isn't what I had in mind. All I wanted to do was merely try and make amends with Potter. Truth is I regret every single hurtful word I said to her the night we broke up and I think she deserves to know this. Do I expect Joey to despise me any less after I did? No, but at least then maybe she wouldn't take off every time I entered a room.
" Look, you have it all wrong Jack. The last thing I wanted was to have words with Jo. In all honesty, I was hoping to apologize for the way things ended between the two of us. Things have not been the same between the two of us since and I regret it.", I confide with an agitated shake of my head. Does Jack actually think that I wanted to bicker with Joey? I hate the way we left things. For the last two and a half years I have been wanting to make things right, I just was never given the opportunity to do so. Now when I finally am Jack drags me away so Ben can have alone time with the only girl I have ever loved? Doesn't sound all too fair to me. Of all people Jack should know how much Joey means to me. Wouldn't he want the two of us to finally work through our differences and if nothing else become friends again?
" That's all fine and dandy Pacey but don't you think that ship has sailed? It has been almost three years since the two of you parted ways. Do you really think an I'm sorry is going to erase any of the hurt that you caused Joey?", remarks Jack with a shake of his head. While I know that he is right, I still don't like the idea of Ben alone with Joey. The guy is half in love with her. I am not an idiot. He is going to use tonight to try and win Joey over. What if it works? What if Joey realizes he's not a bad guy and gives him a chance? Then where does that leave me? What am I supposed to do just stand aside while Ben moves in on Joey? Sorry, but that is not going to happen. I am still in love with her and while I may not be able to get Jo back that does not mean I will stand by while Ben attempts to win her over.
Staring out the window with a loud sigh, I scratch at the back of my neck," No, I don't but you just left Ben with Potter. The guy is into her, and I know he is planning to try and woo her."
Parking the jeep and turning the engine off, Jack climbs out with a mere shrug," No offense Pace, but I really don't see how that is any of your business anymore."
(Jack's pov)
" Are you kidding me? Joey is my ex, of course it is my business. Friends don't date their friends ex girlfriends.", reminds Pacey with a hint of jealousy in his voice. Wow he is seriously not over Joey. I just don't get it. Pacey is the one who let her go. He broke up with her and shattered her heart. Ben might be his friend but that shouldn't stop him from seeing if he stands a chance with Joey. While I know Pacey might not see things this way. He does not get to have a say in who Joey dates. That is not how this works. The sooner Pacey realizes this the better. Had he stayed? All Pace would have done was drive Potter further away.
" Pacey, Joey is her own person. She can do whatever she wants. This doesn't mean I am team Ben, I just think you should let Jo make her own decisions is all.", I relent as we walk into a nearby bar. Sitting down, I order the both of us a drink. He knows that I am right. Joey hates him, nothing Pacey says will change this. If he wanted to be with Joey then he never would have broke things off with her to begin with. He is going to have to realize that it is over between the two of them for good. Does Pacey honestly think Joey would ever want to be with him after he completely wrecked her heart? How can he not see how crazy he sounds right now?
" I know alright, it just never occurred to me that Joey could ever show interest in someone I am friends with.", mutters Pacey in defeat. I feel for the guy, I really do. Ben has made it clear that he wants Joey. This doesn't mean she will feel the same way. Hell, who knows now that she knows Pacey knows him she could be less likely to want to start anything with Ben. Joey would never purposely date someone that Pacey knew. She is just not that type of girl. Pacey may have caused her a world of pain but that does not mean she would ever intentionally do the same to him. Pacey just needs to relax, he is over thinking right now and it is not healthy.
" You don't know that Jo is into Ben. The only thing we know for sure is that he likes her. That does not mean anything, besides I doubt Jo would go for a guy she knew you were close friends with. She is not that sort of girl Witter, you know that.", I advise before taking a drink of my beer. This seems to comfort Pacey as he downs near half of his own beer. Not sure what he thought he was going to accomplish by sticking around. Jo did not look as though she wanted to see him. Hell, I am shocked she even said two words to Pacey. Usually whenever he shows up Jo is the first one to leave. It is his own damn fault too. Pacey tore poor Joey's heart out without ever blinking. He knows how much he hurt her. How could he expect a mere conversation to change anything?
(Meanwhile; Ben's pov)
Taking dinner out of the oven, I set it on the counter to cool," I never knew you were friends with Jack and Pacey."
Grabbing herself a soda, Joey take a few sips," I didn't know you knew them Ben. Pacey and I have known each other since we were in diapers. We have both been friends with Jack since sophomore year in high school."
" Small world I guess, Pacey is a good guy. Can't figure out why he behaved the way he did before.", I observe while taking out plates and forks. Setting them down on the table, I put some spaghetti and meatballs on both plates. Watching as Joey digs in, I smile to myself. Someone was definitely hungry. Guess it is safe to say my cooking skills aren't half bad. This is great, Joey and I are alone. She confided in me the reason her and that moron boyfriend of hers broke up. Seems he cheated on her while away on spring break. What a prick. What guy in their right minds would ever want to jeopardize a relationship with Joey? Hell, I would give anything for her to see me as more then a friend.
" Pacey and I have a very complicated history. Not something I would prefer to dredge up.", enlightens Joey while taking a sip from her soda. They have a complicated history together? What is that supposed to mean? Did the two of them date? If that is the case, there goes whatever slim shot I might had stood with Jo. If she is Pacey's ex, there is no way I could ever make a move on her. Not without Witter slugging me in the jaw. This would be my luck, Joey is spoken for. Sometimes I hate my life. Tonight would definitely be one of those times. Well, at the very least Jo and I are still friends and I didn't make an idiot of myself.
" Sorry Joey, I didn't know the two of you had dated. Pacey never mentioned an ex.", I explain as I search for a reaction to my assumption. The look on Joey's face tells me that I am correct. Those two did in fact date at one time. Joey seems to be heart broke that Witter never once mentioned her. Guessing the whole break up was not mutual and she was the one who was hurt. I don't get it, is Pacey a moron? Why the hell would he ever want to let Joey go? This girl is beautiful, I often forget how to breath when I am around her. He has to know letting Joey go was the stupidest thing he could have ever done. How could he not?
" Don't take this the wrong way Ben, but could we talk about literally anything else?", asks Joey before swiping at her eyes. I immediately begin to feel guilty. Way to go Ben. As if Jo wasn't already upset enough? The girl broke up with her boyfriend and accidentally runs into an old one? Talk about an unfortunate coincidence. Now I feel like a jerk for ever bringing up the topic of Pacey. Doing so has obviously upset Joey. I hope that she won't leave, I didn't mean to stir up unhealed wounds. Sometimes I can be a real idiot. I need to think of a way to make Joey smile and now. …