Hey there,

First of all: Sorry it took me so awful long to update. I'm working my way thruogh the worst writers block in history. (Caused maybe by the fact I have another storyidea hunting me down) So please please please let me know what you think. I just desparetly need a little support right now. I'm not quite sure about this (fairly long) chapter, so please let me know what you think.

Thanks for all the reviews so far. They really make me smile every time I get one.

Yana

The Lead

- Chapter Two -

'Jeez Pacey! Would you please turn off the lights already?' Dawson's sleepy voice sounded gruff as he pulled his duvet over his head with an angry groan. Clearly pissed off by his still working friend.

'I just need a little more time.' Pacey stifled a yawn with the back of his hand. He was exhausted as hell but he just had to get through with this and Dawson groaned yet again.

'This is what you've said an hour ago. And an hour before that.' Dawson pushed himself into a sitting position, leaned his back onto the head end of the bed, starring at his friend with an exhausted expression all over his face.

Pacey sat on the desk, the desk lamp lit his workspace. He had at least five open books laying on top of the table and one on his lap. His lecture notes were spread over the far end of the desktop and he held a yellow highlighter between his teeth, while thumping through the book on his lap. His laptop sat between all of it. Dawson watched Pacey, with growing concern but couldn't fight the flinch of amusement that stole into his anger, as he thought about the Pacey back in sophomore year.

Pacey's eyes continued to switch from this book to that, he made handwritten notices on papers in different colors, placed bookmarks in the books and changed the book on his lap from time to time, seemingly unaware of his friend watching him and clearly not ready to let go of his work anytime soon. Dawson looked at his bedside watch and closed his eyes defeated. It was three in the morning already and the first lecture would start at eight.

'What are you doing there anyway, man? This is only our third day and you're studying like there were exams to be done.'

'Hmm...' Pacey stated dismissively and Dawson stood, scuffled through the room and gave a disbelieving laugh as he saw what Pacey was doing.

'Really, man? The Potter-Paper? It's Thursday - well it will be after I finally got some sleep.' Dawson slumbered on Pacey's bed, barely able to held his eyes open. 'This thing is due on Monday! You can turn off the lights and get some sleep, man, and so could I!'

Pacey turned and faced his friend. Secretly feeling a little guilty for disturbing his sleep, but he had to finish this. It was like an obsession ever since he held the paper in his hands he used every available second to work on it. But what he was doing right now, wasn't even about the paper in general... 'But today is the lecture and…' Pacey looked into Dawson's eyes, sure his friend wouldn't understand, even if he tried to explain.

Dawson raised an asking brow, his head laying on Pacey's fluffy pillow and the sirring sound from the laptops ventilation slowly luring him back to sleep. But he forced his eyes open, looking like he was about to fall asleep instantly. 'So what about it, Pace-man?' He lulled sleepy as he tugged Pacey's cover over his body.

'I just want to make this really, really good, Dawson. This is exactly the field I want to specialize in and if I screw it now, maybe I won't get another chance...' And she's fucking hot man, can't you see it! Pacey wanted to tell him, wanted to yell it at him but instead he wiped his hand over his forehead and sighed. Man, is she hot!

'This is for extra points, for fucks sake Pacey.' Dawson stated. 'This isn't about screwing or not, now is it Pacey? It's only just the first opportunity.' Dawson looked at his friend, who looked back with the most guilty eyes and then Dawson's eyes widened in sudden clarity. 'Oh wait there, man! Is this about this paper at all, or is this about the girl?'

'Professor.' Pacey stated in a low voice and Dawson knew he hit the black.

'You can't be serious here, Pacey.' His voice stumbled over itself and pitched at the end. He just couldn't believe it.

'Yeah, whatever you say, D.' Pacey nodded, suddenly feeling utterly defeated with sleep deprivation. 'Maybe you're right and a good night's sleep will do me good.' With this he switched the lights off and closed his notebook after he pressed the save-button. Friendly and with a little smile that Dawson could not see because of he darkness that suddenly flooded the room like a homely blanked he patted his friends shoulder. 'I just go do my teeth and have a pee. There will be plenty of study time in the 'morrow.'

Dawson gave an approving sound and as Pacey exited the bathroom only five minuted later, he'd fallen asleep on Pacey's bed.

Pacey grinned, switched the desk light back on, slumped back on his chair on the desk, opened the notebook back up, grabbed the book he had abandoned earlier and continued his work.

The next day he attended the lecture with Dawson. They saved a seat for Jen, who came only a minute before the lecture was about to start and handed them each a strong coffee as per usual. Pacey nodded his thanks, but placed the coffee under his chair instead of drinking it while it was hot. Dawson leaned over to Jen whispering something that made her laugh, but Pacey really wasn't interested. The moment Dawson stopped whispering the Professor entered the room.

Pacey couldn't deny what effect she had on him, but as she started her lecture it was unimportant, because she was brilliant in what she did. She managed to tie all of their attention to her. What she said was real good and Pacey found himself stunned by her and not only for her beauty, but for her mind. The room was well filled, mostly with students of higher semesters.

After she finished, she invited all of them to stay and ask questions or debate some of the results of her work.

Dawson and Jen stood, clearly very exhausted. 'Come on now Petey, let's get some of the evening sun and maybe grab an ice cream or something like it. I have to get some fresh air and sunshine.' Jen plead with him with her ridiculously big blue eyes.

'Yeah, come on Pace. There will be plenty of time to spent inside those walls. Come on outside. The world is beautiful, I promise.' Dawson winked but Pacey just shook his head.

'Sorry guy's, I will stay. But I promise I will be there afterwards and maybe we go to a bar and have a pizza or something.'

'Yeah, sounds great.' Dawson nodded and Jen linked her arm with his.

'Alas, my friend. Leave this one for the dusty air and we'll go fetch ourselves some daylight. Bye honey-pie.' Jen tousled his hair and sighed. 'I love you.'

'I know. Grab a scoop of chocolate-ice for me, sweetheart.' He grinned and let out a relieved sigh as they were finally gone.

As only those of them, that wanted to attend the debate were left, they gathered in a half circle in the front and the students got to ask their questions. Every now and than, the professor would stand and drew something on the white-board to make a point more clear or fetch a book to explain this or that more understandable.

One after one they left the room. The last one staying was Pacey who asked a last question, because something she said wouldn't fit with what he read the day before and they discussed his point until he was pleased with the result.

Pacey was the last to stay, afer everyone had long left.

'Well, I have to say, for a freshmen, you are quite into it already.' She said, while packing her things back into her bag.

'Well, it's what I want to do after I finished.' He was nervous by now and didn't even exactly know why. Well, he knew she made him nervous, but he hadn't been over the course of the debate.

'It's great to know where you want to go. When you only just started pre-med. It gives you plenty of time to study the right things instead of lingering around and choose last minute. But I'll have to warn you, this is not the easiest field. It's in fact one of the most devastating ones.' Her eyes clouded over, but before Pacey could say something about it, she took a breath. 'I think, I didn't get your name Sunday night...'

'Pacey.' He grinned, relieved that she didn't seem to be mad at him and realizing suddenly that this was, what made him nervous as they were alone. 'Pacey Witter.'

She nodded and a quick frown flew over her face. 'Pleased to meet you, Mister Witter.' Pacey could have sworn there was a slightly amused smile in her eyes but only for a second. He wondered what had caused it. 'I guess, we'll see more of each other now. I'm glad you're studying my field.' She smiled at him, almost girlish and he couldn't help but grin.

'Me too, Miss Potter.'

'So, now I have to go. I'm due at the hospital. See you on Thursday, I guess.' She gave him yet another smile and he returned it. Pacey stood there a while, alone in the room and thought about her. Man, if she wasn't his Professor, he would chase after her, but as things were, she would most likely stay a fantasy in his head.

And so they studied along. Jen and Dawson abandoned the Potter-lecture rather sooner than later, Jen took interest in paediatrics. Dawson switched lectures like underpants or so it seemed, never quite convinced, it was what he wanted. Pacey studied with the utmost seriousness and found it surprisingly easy-going, though it required a lot of hard work obviously. Sure, he studied all day and most nights, but it didn't bother him at all. He loved it and the fact, that it earned him the respect from most of his professors only kept him going even more fierce. And, eventually, he never missed a chance for extra points and attention from Miss Potter. And even though he never missed a good adventure, Dawson and Jen would tease him about his obvious attraction for his professor and he had long forgone denying it. She hunted him in his dreams and sometimes, when he slept with a girl and he closed his eyes, he would see her and it drove him mad, resulting in him studying even harder.

Despite all the time, Pacey spent with his nose deep in books, the three of them had lots of fun in their study-free time. They often spent their evenings in a little bar named Gold, which is where they met Emma and Audrey, both members at Hells Belles and lots of fun hanging around with. Pacey had spent a few times out with Audrey, with whom he still shared a friends-with-benefits agreement, but his fantasy was filled with a certain brunette, hunting him, chasing him through the nights and most days. She drove him crazy and he just couldn't do anything about it. So he adored her from afar and used what he could get to lessen his desire.

Around the end of the first year

Pacey sat at his desk, studying for his last exam. He looked up from his book and out of the window. It was a beautiful summers day. The sun was shining, yet a soft breeze played with the leaves. The air was filled with laughter and music. He was looking forward to a wonderful summer on his girl out in the open sea. Nothing but the open water and the wind and the sun. He just craved for the utter freedom and peace it would provide. Dawson would spent the summer in New York with Gretchen. They made plans for their time together over the last few month. Dawson just couldn't wait to see her again. Jen would sail a few weeks with him, but would spent most of the time in New York with her parents and grandparents. Pacey would sail down the coast and spent the last two weeks of the summer break at Capeside. He had barely made it home at all this last year, so he felt like he owed his parents a visit.

He took a deep breath and forced his attention back to his book. It was just than, that Dawson stormed in, slammed the door 'Fuck!', he cursed and threw his bag on the flood. 'Damn it...' he whispered as he slumped down on his bed and let himself fall backwards on his mattress. He covered his face with his hands and just stayed there in absolute silence.

Pacey watched his friend and tried to swallow the sudden concern that bubbled up in him. He laid his book aside. 'D, man?' He asked softly and as Dawson didn't answer him Pacey stood and walked towards his bed. He crouched down beside his friends bed and tilted his head. 'Dawson?'

'Fuck off, Pacey.' Dawson whispered and it was only than, Pacey realized, that he was crying. Silent, helpless tears slowly falling down his friends cheeks. Last time Pacey saw Dawson cry, was when his father died in that senseless car accident a year and a half ago.

'What's up man?' Pacey asked in a soft voice, laying a supportive hand on his friends arm. 'Come on, tell me. We work it out! Like we always had. Together.'

'Oh yeah?' Dawson pulled up into a half sitting position. His voice thick with sarcasm, his eyes firing angry arrows at his friend. 'So, how come you have no clue? Oh right! Because you have been to busy turning 'round and 'round and 'round yourself lately, sorry I forgot.'

Pacey was about to protest, he opened his mouth but the words died on his tongue as he realized, that Dawson was maybe right. That he hadn't the slightest clue and it was because he was so busy studying, attending classes and getting papers done, joining projects, earning extra points... that he hadn't been out with his friends for at least the last month or so. Honestly, he couldn't remember when he last spoke with Dawson, or Jen for the matter of fact, about something not related to classes or college in general. It earned him a lot, but clearly at a high cost.

Pacey ran a hand through his black hair and sat on Dawson's bedside.

'Yeah man, you're right. I was a really lousy friend lately, wasn't I?' He looked at his friend, who wiped over his face to erase the tears. Dawson nodded.

'Yeah, Pacey. You have been. But it doesn't matter anyway.'

'So would you please tell me for fucks sake?' Pacey felt his impatience and frustration growing.

'First of all, your sister dumped me, but that was about six weeks ago, so this can obviously not be the matter today.' Dawson looked at Pacey as he stared at him dumbfounded and utterly taken by surprise. Gretchen dumped Dawson and he didn't have the first clue about it. And it was right in that very moment that he knew, without doubt, he screwed it this time. He had been so busy getting ready for his exams, that he lost all his interest in his friend's life. Even Jen had accused him lately of not being the same funny guy she met back at their first day. And he had to admit, of all the things he thought he would be, he had never thought he'd became this. A lousy friend, a boring guy with his nose in dusty books rather than in the open air, someone whose friends came in second best. It was something he used to accuse Andie of, when she drowned in studying at high school and didn't seem to see anything or anyone beyond her own nose. He hadn't thought in his wildest dreams that it would someday be him in her shoes. This wasn't who he wanted to be and had someone told him it would someday be, what it had now become, he would have laughed wholeheartedly at him.

'I'm sorry Dawson. I really, really am sorry... I just got carried away.' He stood and offered Dawson a hand. 'Come on now, we go get a beer at Gold and you tell me what bothers you. And about Gretch. And I promise I will listen carefully and be your best friend again. Deal?'

'You sure you want to get out for a beer with the Potter-exam tomorrow morning?'

Pacey shrugged. 'I don't think she could ask anything I wouldn't be able to answer even if I had to take the exam with the worst of hangovers and attend with one hour of bad nights sleep.' He winked at his friend and a cautious smile stole itself on Dawson's lips. 'Seriously D. Fuck the exam. Lets have a beer or five and talk, have some fun. It's been too fucking long.'

Dawson nodded with a surprised look on his face. 'Are you sure about it, Pace. I won't be the cause of you screwing the exam...'

'Well Dawson. Better don't ask twice. Come on now, will ya?' Pacey asked and Dawson grinned, nodded and took Paceys hand. 'Well than, lead the way.'

At Gold

As they sat over their third beer, Pacey knew that he had indeed missed out badly. Gretchen dropped Dawson after she cheated on him, drunken with some random guy and got pregnant on the backseat of a car. She chose to abort. And now she felt, she couldn't look him in the eyes anymore. Dawson tried to convince her, he loved her nonetheless and would fly in if she needed him. He offered her to have the Baby and help her through it, even though it wasn't his, but Gretchen wouldn't have any of it. And, as if it wasn't enuogh already, he just learned he was about to flung out of college. It wasn't totally unexpected, because really, Dawson just wasn't into it like he used to be. He somehow seemed out of place. As if he would like nothing more than study anything else. He hadn't found a field of interest by now and found every excuse to not attend classes. The only time Pacey had seen Dawson into something was a few month ago as he worked on a film project, they used for commercial. Pacey somehow felt this was what Dawson really wanted to do - direct films. He had attended film classes in high school though and had made a few short films during it, they had been quite good. But Dawson was afraid to live in the shadow of his father if he would step into his footsteps. The college nonetheless decided, if he would apply for an additional semester and with Pacey's help there shouldn't be a problem in getting Dawson back on track.

The fact, that Gretchen dropped Dawson, resulted in Pacey inviting him on his boat for a summer trip much like the last one they took and Dawson's whole face lit up in the promise of a summer with Pacey and Jen, at least for a few weeks, on that homely little boat. They would bring some of Paceys notes, so Dawson could study a bit, but most importantly, they would spent time together, they would swim in the open sea, do fishing and after Jen had left, it would be like old times.

'Well, Pacey, that sounds exactly like what I need right now.' Dawson said with a deep sigh.

'I now!' Pacey smiled and patted him on the shoulder. 'Let's leave the day after tomo...' the words came slowly in the end as his eyes caught a glimpse of someone he knew entering the bar. 'Please say I don't see what I think I am, Dawson, because I fear I might loose my footing here if this is real.'

Dawson knew the moment he turned around what Pacey saw and began to laugh the first sincere laugh Pacey heard from him in the last hours.

'Hush now D man!' Pacey tried to shush his friend but the person heard it and came over to them.

'Wow Pacey! Life in Harvard suits you well, little brother!' Doug looked him over in approval and pulled him in for a warm brotherly hug.

'Well, Dougy, I hadn't expected you here...' Pacey's eyes flickered to the two people that had entered the bar alongside Doug.

'Oh, but you would have, had you answered the phone or at least get the messages I left you.' Doug winked at him. 'But I understand, you're deep in your studies.' He looked pointedly at the empty glasses on the table and patted Pacey's shoulder. 'I'm here to meet an old friend's sister actually. She wanted to introduce me to someone... You know...' He cleared his throat as he motioned towards the guy and the girl standing at the bar.

'Oh, wow Dougy!' Pacey grinned at his brother. 'So you're finally out of the closet?'

'Apparently so.' He nodded and Pacey patted his brothers back in return.

'What's Dad to say to that?'

'Oh, nothing really.' Doug smiled sheepishly. 'Because he don't know yet.'

Pacey grinned. 'I see.'

'So, come on over, let me introduce you to...'

'No, Doug, really. We... we really have to go. We have some studying to do for tomorrow's exa...'

'Well here we go, guys. Two more beers for the two of you.' The serving girl singsonged and smiled, while she winked flirtatious at Pacey and he just wished he could just disappear. Dawson grinned and so did Doug.

'I know this kind of studying, little brother.' He patted him on the shoulder. 'No excuses. Remember, you were after all the first one, calling me on the closet I didn't even knew I sat in. So come on, let me introduce you.' He looked at Dawson. 'You too.'

Pacey let out a defeated breath and stood. 'Come on, D. Let's get it over with.' Dawson chuckled and laid a hand on his friends shoulder, who threw a nervous look at the girl who was with Doug and his quasi-date. 'It won't hurt, I promise.' Dawson appareantly couldn't stop chuckling.

'Don't make fun of me, Dawson.'

'Wouldn't miss a chance...' Dawson responded, clearly better now that he had been.

'So, back again.' Doug beamed at the elderly guy, Pacey saw his professor following around the first night. 'This is Pacey, my little brother and his all time best friend Dawson Leery. His father had directed The Creek, before he died last year.'

'My condolences. I heard about it, a terrible car accident, was it?' the guy asked. 'But a really talented director. I heard he was about to co-direct some Lost World sequal with Steven Spielberg himself...' Dawson nodded. Clearly not in the mood to talk about his father. 'Well, I'm Jack McPhee, principal of the pre-med and med faculty at Harvard. I understand we met.'

Pacey cleared his throat and Dawson chuckled.

'Mister McPhee, pleasure to meet you.' Pacey offered the guy his hand, wondering if he was somehow related to Andie and deeply embarrassed as he suddenly remembered his first conversation with Miss Potter.

'And this is Joey. She is the little sister of an old schoolmate of mine.' The girl turned with a big smile, made Paceys heart skip a beat or two, he flushed and stared, unable to say anything. Dawson was about to burst with laughter but she just winked at him with her special lopsided smile.

'I knew I heard the name Witter somewhere before.' She winked at Doug, clearly not only knowing since now who he was and smiled sunny.

'She was in school with Gretchen before her family moved here fifteen years ago.' Pacey stared at his brother and his eyes fliched toward his professor. This just couldn't be true...

'So you're Doug's little brother. Man, I last saw you as a little three-years old.' She grinned, clearly amused with his speechlessness, as she offered him her hand. 'You know, Dougy.' She said with a warm smile as he took Pacey's hand but looking right into his eyes. The spot where her skin touched his, seemed to burn, the little touch making his heart beat faster and his stomack taking somersaults and her looking into his eyes the way she did, with an unknown sparkle in her eyes made him shiver and her voice, deep and sensual almost drove him mad. He forgot to breathe and without noticing it, he got lost in her eyes. 'Mister Pacey Witter here is my most promising student at the moment.' The magic was broken, as she let go of his hand and her eyes flickered with a sparkle between the brothers back and forth. Pacey took a deep breath and looked around, totally unsure of what to say or where to look. 'And between you and me...' She leaned over and whispered something into Doug's ear, which made him laugh.

'Yeah, Jo. I can imagine that.' He leaned over and whispered something back. Made Pacey's heart burst with jealousy over the obvious ease and familiarity between the two of them. And he made a mental note to call Doug on it. To get everything he knew about her out of him.

Joey turned to the boys. 'So, why don't the two of you join us for a beer?'

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