Description: My completely original version of how Pacey and Joey got together. Set after high school. Slight crossover with Pretty Little Liars, has nothing to do with -A though.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. The only thing I own is the original storyline.

Author's Note: Leave a review and I will update regularly.

Second Chances

Chapter #5

(Joey's pov)

(Hour so later)

Unable to sleep, I toss and turn in my spot. More then a little warm, I kick some of the covers off myself. I'm not able to sleep anymore...I hate this. For a while I was out cold, then my cellphone lit up and vibrated disturbing my sleep. It was a missed call from Ezra. He left a voice mail and like an idiot I listened to it. His message wasn't long, but more than anything I wish that I'd deleted it. Ezra was sure to keep things short, sweet and to the point. In it he said that he'd been hoping I had answered his call but knew I was probably asleep. He then went on to yet again apologize for how he'd treated me and the way things ended between us. Ezra said that he loves and misses me and wasn't sure why he had called so late, only that he wanted my voice to be the last thing he heard before he closed his eyes to sleep. My resolve is slowly falling. Ugh, I don't want to miss Ezra but a huge part of me does and I hate myself for being so damn weak! Frustrated as I shake with silent sobs, I silently curse as tears stream down my cheeks. Pacey must have heard me crying because I feel him shift beside me as he groggily mumbles," Potter? …Are you wake?"

"Go back to bed Pace. ...Sorry if I woke you.", I mutter while swiping at my eyes in silent agitation. Pacey seeing me cry is not what I had in mind tonight. This is all Ezra's fault. Why the hell did I have to run into him tonight? What made him think calling me would be alright. Doesn't Ezra know that he is making it near impossible for me to forget about him...about us. What doesn't he understand? Ezra is only wasting his breath and my time saying that he is sorry. It won't change anything, how could it? All I want is to stop sobbing myself to sleep each night over him when I know I deserve better. Is that asking so much?

" You didn't, don't worry. I actually haven't been able to fall asleep.", reveals Pacey while running an exhausted hand over his face. Has he been up this entire time? Why? I thought for sure Pacey was old cold like I was until that damn missed call from Ezra woke me. What could be the cause of his restlessness? Pacey's not the one who had a run in with the very person he gave his heart to only to have it handed right back in shattered shards...I am.

" Wish that I was still asleep.", I confide before moving to lie on my back. Pacey must have noticed the tears in my eyes. A shiver runs down my spine when he reaches his finger tips out and swipes away my tears. Meeting his eyes reluctantly, I'm met with a concerned gaze. God, I hate myself right now. Pacey is not supposed to see me like this and yet I let him. What am I going to tell him? Pacey is going to want to know why I'm crying. I am not in the mood to spill my guts about how Ezra is slowly getting the best of me.

Swiping his hand across my cheek gently, Pacey lies on his side and stares down at me quietly," Why aren't you?"

Glancing down at the new text notification on my phone, I toss my cell on the nightstand not bothering to read the message," Ezra."

" What about him, Jo? You're not thinking of getting back together with him, are you?", wonders Pacey as an after thought, a slight frown takes over his face. His eyes never leave mine and I squirm under Pacey's silent regard. Realizing that he is expecting me to say something, I bite down on my bottom lip. I'm more then a little caught off guard with Pacey's inquiry. I don't know what to think or even how to answer. Taking Ezra back is the last thing on my mind, it's not exactly an option. At least it hasn't been...running into him was hard. Now Ezra is calling and leaving voice mails and texts about how much he misses me. He is slowly breaking down my resilience. I know what I told Emily earlier, and I meant every word. But Ezra's not letting me go without a fight.

" To be honest, I don't even want to think anymore Pacey. Ezra...our break up...Dawson...I just don't want to deal with any of it and yet I don't have much of a choice.", I protest in frustration as fresh tears well up in my eyes and threaten to fall. Agitated with myself and not wanting to cry in front ofPacey, I bite down on my inner cheek to keep the tears from falling. God, why does he have to be here right now? Nothing against Pacey, but I would rather just not deal with anyone at all.

" This is probably a stupid question, but what does Dawson have to do with anything?", ponders Pacey much to my displeasure. Is he seriously asking me this? It's not obvious that Dawson is partly the reason I'm not currently with Ezra. It's not only that though, Dawson called me a few days ago. Someone must have mentioned to him that I broke up with Ezra. ...Dawson wants to see me. Since he called a few days ago I have been dodging his calls. I'm running out of excuses. It's not that I don't want to talk to Dawson and catch up...but I'm fairly certain that's not all he wants. The last time I saw him, Dawson made it more then clear he's notover me. ...I think he wants to attempt to work things out and that's just not what I want. These days I don't know what it is I want except to be left the hell alone for once and not bombarded with questions.

(Pacey's pov)

" Aside from the obvious? Dawson called me out of the blue a few days ago. He said he's going to be in town for a couple days and wants to catch up.", divulges Joey, her voice barely above a whisper. I probably should have guessed as much. From what I was told about last Thanks Giving, Dawson basically made it known that he's not over Potter. Something tells me there was nothing random or out of the blue about him calling Joey. Does she want to see Dawson? If he asked her to, would Joey take him back? Is he even still an option for her?

Propping myself up on my elbows, after a minute or so of silence I find myself contemplating," Do you still love him, Jo?"

Regarding me with an irritated scowl, Joey rolls her eyes before pulling the blankets snugly around herself once more," Why does everyone keep asking me that? First Ezra, then Bessie and Jen...now you? I'm sick of it!"

" You're right, that question was out of line Jo. It's none of my business, sorry I brought it up Potter.", I quickly backpedal not wanting to get on Joey's bad side. Truth is I'm not even sure why I asked. Curiosity got the best of me, I suppose. Neither of those idiots deserve Joey, in the end they both wound up hurting her. If she were mine, I would do just about whatever it took not to lose Joey. I'm not saying that I could ever make her happy but given the chance I would try my damnedest to.

" ...Look, I didn't mean to snap at you Pace. Usually you're just about the last person that I want to see...but I'm actually sort of glad that I ran into you tonight.", confesses Joey much to both mine and her surprise. Huh, I was not expecting to hear Potter tell me this. Was that supposed to be a compliment on her part? I'm not sure what to do here, should I laugh or be offended? Joey sure does know how to catch a guy off guard.

" Got to be honest with you right now Jo, not sure if I should be flattered or insulted. What's that? ...Hey, why are you smiling all of the sudden? One minute you're about to bite my head off and now this? You are an emotional roller coaster you know that? Just when I think that I have you all figured out, you hit me with another curve ball. Quite frankly I'm a little afraid to close my eyes now Potter, for all I know you may try smothering me with a pillow while I sleep.", I proclaim with an arched eyebrow, by now my arms are folded across my chest. A minute or so of silence passes before the both of us burst out in laughter. Letting out a yelp when Joey whacks me up side the head with her pillow, I grin at the smile on her face. There it is, the one I haven't seen in a while. The only other time I have managed to coax a smirk like that out of Potter is when I offered to teach her how to drive stick. We must have stalled out at least five times before we left her drive way. It was the funniest thing ever. Of course at the time Joey wasn't exactly laughing, and she was livid that I couldn't stop. At one point, she looked as though she had wanted to rip my head off.

" Don't go giving me any ideas Witter.", quips Joey in return before making a failed attempt to snatch her pillow back from me. With a stubborn shake of my head, I hug it to my chest before lying back down. If Jo thinks she's getting this back now, that's just not going to happen. Got to say, I have really missed this. By the look on Potter's face it's easy to tell that she has too. Jo and I bicker, we always have it's what we do. To be honest, it's nice to know that even after all these years not a whole hell of a lot has changed between the two of us. Letting out a loud yelp when Joey shoves meout of bed, I hit the floor with a loud thump. Watching as she smirks in victory before grabbing her pillow, I shake my head with an amused chuckle. Not sure that was necessary, I would have given Joey her pillow back...well, eventually I would have.

Standing from my seat on the floor, I climb back in bed with a goofy grin spread across my face and lie down," First of all, owe! Was that called for? If you would have just asked nicely, I might have given your pillow back. Secondly, have I mentioned that I despise you?"

Settling back into her spot happily, Joey closes her eyes with an amused snicker," Don't worry the feeling has always been mutual, good night Witter."

"...Night Potter.", I reply after a minute or so. I'm not certain what it is that just transpired over the last ten or fifteen minutes. One minute I'm lying in bed staring up at the ceiling and wondering why the hell am I still awake when I could be sleeping. The next thing I know, Joey's trembling with her back towards me. For a second I figured she was cold...then I heard her sob. Still have no clue what had Potter so distraught. What I do know is that it had something to do with Ezra and apparently Dawson. Not once, aside from when her mother passed, have I ever seen Joey look so...broken. Whatever the case at least I coaxed a laugh or two out of her along with that beautiful smile. How I accomplished that is beyond me, seems I still have some of my Witter wit and charm left after all. …