A/N: Thanks for all your reviews. Sorry we have not updated for a while! We had exams and then a major writers block! We hope to be updating more regularly over the summer. Hope you enjoy. Please read and review! Thanks.
"It really has nothing to do with us!" Pacey argued desperately, pulling at the collar of his shirt, whilst looking out of the window.
"But your wife says it does!" Gerry replied calmly. He really didn't want to make either of them angry as it might result in great pain for him.
"Yeah we she knows nothing about it!"
Joey glared at him. "I was there, moron! I should know… and don't look at me like that!" she retorted pointing her finger at him.
Pacey heaved a sigh and turned his head back to the window.
There was something Pacey didn't want to reveal, Joey felt, and maybe he was right, maybe it had nothing to do with our relationship. Unfortunately Pacey's self-hating might be one of the causes of their failing marriage.
Gerry felt it was wise to proceed with caution. "Maybe you would like to say it in your own time, Mr. Witter." He paused. "Is it to do with this Dawson character?"
Pacey turned towards his councillor and raised his eyebrows. "Dawson? Ice hockey? Him? Ha. He couldn't even catch a ball."
"Shut up Pacey!" Joey snapped.
"It's the truth. Anyway, don't shout at me. You're the one making this difficult. Like Mr. Walsh wants to hear about Ice Hockey anyway."
Gerry's face lit up. "I love Ice Hockey! Have you been to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto?"
Joey scowled. "We went there for our honey moon."
Pacey laughed. "We went to Toronto for our honeymoon. And there it was! What's your favourite team? Have you ever seen the Stanley Cup?"
"Pacey!" Joey shouted. "Get back to the subject!"
He rested his head in his hands and closed his eyes for a second. "The things I do for you Josephine, the things I do for you."
"Call me Josephine again and I'll kick you in the-
"Shins?" Gerry suggested.
Joey looked at him. "Not quite…"Pacey looked out of the window again. Joey realised that retelling this story would be more painful for Pacey then even if she had kicked him in the… shins.
Pacey sighed, "Ok. Well it happened when we were 10 years old…"
Joey and Dawson laid on their stomachs over his bed, with their eyes glued to the television screen. In front of then E.T was saying his goodbye to Elliot. The two friends clasped their hands together tightly and as E.T was about to say his farewell a groan cam from beneath them.
Joey frowned and look down at the foot of the bed where a dark haired boy with a slack jawed face sat. Dawson who had become obsessed with Spielberg didn't take his eyes of the screen. However the moment for Joey was ruined. "Will you shut up? This is the best part of the movie?"
Just then the credits rolled on to the screen and Joey looked up at the screen with regret – she'd just missed her favourite part.
"You're right Potter, these credits are the best part of the movie. It means we don't have to see anymore of that sappy crap anymore," Pacey replied with a grin.
Joey slapped him on the head.
"Ow, what did you do that for?" Pacey asked, rubbing his head where it was most sore.
Dawson just looked at his two best friends and shook his head.
"Come on D man," Pacey pleaded, "when can we watch some real movies like 'Die, Potter Die'." Pacey laughed at his own joke whilst Joey looked at him unamused. "Seriously though man, when can we watch a good film?"
The trio had ended up watching Hook and E.T. Pacey wanted some action!
"Ok you suffered enough," agreed Dawson. "I've got Evil Dead right here."
"NO!" Joey panicked. The boys stared at her amused.
"Scared Potter?" Pacey joked.
"No…uh… um… it's just that…" trailed Joey. "You have an Ice Hockey game tomorrow. You need sleep. Your dad will want you home!"
Pacey laughed slightly. "Yeah right. But you're right about the game.
"You agree with me for once?" Joey asked, intrigued.
"No. I just know you like being right, and I don't want you to cry or anything. Or get nightmares in the night, Josephine."
"I swear to God Pace, you call me that again and I'll kick you in the-
"Shins?" Dawson suggested.
Joey glared. "Not what I was thinking"
Gerry looked up at them. "This is the bad memory? This is what upsets you? Your wife wanting to kick you in the…shins?"
Joey and Pacey both looked at each other and smiled slightly for the first time all day.
"Mr. Walsh, if that was the case I wouldn't be married to her. I do love her violence. I got over that in a miniscule second." Pacey rubbed his stubbly chin. "Nah, it wasn't that. It was… Oh… It was…"
"Get on with it," Joey urged. She spoke softly though, as if she almost understood.
The sharp sound of blades echoed in through his ears, the sound was familiar and comforting to him. On the ice he felt he could do anything. Even make his father proud. This was Pacey's goal. This was the one place he could show the small-minded folks of Capeside that he was not a no good for nothing black sheep. He looked around the stadium and his chest puffed up with pride. All his life all he could remember his father shouting or scolding, or asking why he couldn't be like Douglas. No it was his chance to make his father proud of him. Not Doug. Not Gretchen. Him. Pacey.
The whistle blew and the coach called him in,
"Right Pacey," the coach said. "I know you usually play left-wing forward but I've been watching you over the last few weeks kid, and I think you're better than that. You're strong, you're fast, and you're damn good at attacking the other team, especially with those penalties. So I'm moving you to Centre forward."
"Seriously?" Pacey stared, gobsmakced.
"You have to be fast, and cover more ice than anyone else. I expect you to backcheck quickly from the opposing zone and most importantly, win the game."
Joey stared down the programme. "Mum, look, Pacey is playing Centre forward. And he's… he's Captain."
The coach smiled at Pacey. "Oh and kid, you're also Captain. Your gonna lead team, and show Providence what Capeside is made off. Your old man is gonna be proud of you tonight."
Pacey nodded, "I hope so coach. Thank you so much."
"Just shut up and play!" he joked. "Save the smush for your girlfriend."
"Who?" Pacey replied.
The coach nodded at Joey smiling in the corner. "She's cute. Just make her proud."
Pacey laughed and blushed, "She's not my girlfriend! Her? No way."
"She will be," the coach replied. "After you win the game. Every girl likes a guy who can play sports. And you know, she must like you because not many girls like sports or watch them at her age."
Pacey grinned and went onto the ice. He threw a wave in Joey's direction casually. Joey? Girlfriend? That was laughable. But he wasn't laughing.
The second whistle blew. And the first half started. It seemed to drag on for ages. Providence were slaughtering them. The whistle finally blew for half time. Capeside were only a goal behind. Pacey smiled, it as still in reach.
Pacey skated over to the rink, looking around for his dad.
Joey called out to him. "Great play Pacey! I mean um… for an amateur. Anyway if you're looking for Dawson, he couldn't come. He had to visit Aunt Gwen."
Pacey gave a half smile and skated over to her. "I was actually looking for my dad. He promised he'd come. Maybe he's gone to get a drink or something."
Joey and Joey's mother exchanged glances.
Lily sighed, "Of course Pacey."
Pacey stared. "What is it?"
Lily sighed again. "I'm sure he tried to make it Pacey. Maybe work got busy or…" she trailed off. "He's not here Pace."
Pacey desperately tried to hide his disappointment. "No, ok, that's cool. That's alright. Yeah, I'm a, sure he tried to come. Uh, any sign of Doug or uh Grech?"
Joey perked up slightly. "Yeah, Gretchen came Pacey. She couldn't stay but, but you should of heard her cheering when she saw you come on as captain. She had to go home and finish her project but I'm sure she'll tell your dad-"
"Yeah, I'm sure she will," Pacey replied with a slightly smile. "I have to go."
He skated off.
Lily smiled, "He is a sweet boy."
Joey stared and stared at her, "Stop saying that Mom!"
The whistle blew again. Pacey skated around the rink so fast as if he was on fire. He could hardly see where he was going because tears began to cloud his eyes. Suddenly a providence centre wing came at him from the right, where Pacey didn't expect and smacked him straight in the back, sending Pacey flying onto the floor.
"Pacey!" Joey screamed. Then retreated to her seat embarrassed.
Pacey climbed up, shaking off a limp. "I'm fine," he told the referee. The referee gave Capeside the penalty that they needed.
The coach nodded as Pacey. He wanted him to take the deciding penalty. If he scored, Capeside would win. If he missed, Capeside could draw or maybe loose.
Pacey could feel his left leg bleeding. He shook away the pain. Witters weren't quitters. He drew back his stick, and looked at the puck. He imagined it was his dad. "Damn you!" he whispered, and smacked the puck straight into the goal. Suddenly the stadium erupted.
Pacey turned around and realised he'd won the game. He was too mad to acknowledge the cheers. He had done this for his dad and he wasn't there. He said he would be there. He promised.
He saw Joey and Lily clapping him. He gave them a smile but as he walked towards the changing rooms he could feel his heart sink.
"Good man!" the Coach said, patting him on the back. "I knew you could do it."
Pacey knew it wasn't the right moment to tell him he had quit, but he had. From this day, he'd never play ice hockey again. Ever.
He got into the car quietly. Joey's mom had to drop him home because there was no one else, and it was too late to go home alone.
Lily praised him all the way home and he smiled politely, but it was too painful to talk. He put his life into ice hockey. He hardly had time for any school work because he had practise, and the one time he did good, his dad wasn't there.
Joey's mum dropped him outside his house. "Joey sweetie, walk Pacey to the door will you."
Joey and Pacey walked to the door.
"You were great tonight," Joey said. "For a cretin."
"Not now Joey."
"Seriously, you were."
Pacey found the door open and took one look inside.
His dad was sprawled over the couch, drunk to the bone. "Where the hell have you been?" he shouted.
"Nowhere…" Pacey muttered.
"He was at his Ice-hockey game," Joey inserted. "He was Captain, and they won!"
"Don't bother Joey…" Pacey mumbled.
"No! He played centre-forward for the first time tonight. And he was fantastic. He scored the winning penalty even though he'd just been smacked down by the other team."
Joey's mom came up behind her. "Come on sweetie, back to the car. You too Pacey."
Pacey's father laughed. "I tell my boy what to do. It isn't your right."
Joey's mom glared at him, a similar glare to Joey's glare. ""No, until you learn how to be a proper father to this brilliant, wonderful boy, you have no right to tell him what to do. Go on kids."
When Lily and John were alone she turned to him and quietly mumbled, "John, lay of the bourbon. Your kid needed you tonight."
She walked back. "Come on you two, back to my house. You can stay the night Pacey."
"Thank you Mrs. Potter," he replied.
They bundled into the little car and back to the house.
By the time they'd arrived, Pacey had cheered up a little. "So Potter, do I get to sleep in your bed, like you and Dawson do?" he joked, grinning.
Joey laughed. "In your dreams."
"Maybe it will be."
They got into sleeping bags and tried to rest. Within a few hours Joey woke up to the sound of muffled crying. She said nothing but got out of bed and gave Pacey a hug. He may be a cretin. But he could be nice.
