A/N: We're baaaack! Did ya miss us? Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and enjoyed your "dessert" ;) We've finally reached the Cinderella Story epi. You can smell the anticipation in the air LOL Now, this epi is a little different as it ends on a cliff hanger. As we wanted to address the infamous kissing scene as a whole, we opted to assume this epi concludes just as Pacey pulls the car over at the Capeside welcome sign. Sorry guys! You need to hang in there just a little bit longer for that. But hopefully it'll be worth the wait.

Usual disclaimers apply; we don't own the characters or song lyrics. Special shout out to the following who took the time to leave us feedback last time/create alerts; thank you! – chixieflicks828, nightshadowlife, leah0628, paceyjoeytruelove.

*~* Don't Come Easy *~*

Patty Griffin "When It Don't Come Easy"

Red lights are flashing on the highway
I wonder if we're gonna ever get home
I wonder if we're gonna ever get home tonight
Everywhere the waters getting rough
Your best intentions may not be enough
I wonder if we're gonna ever get home tonight

But if you break down
I'll drive out and find you
If you forget my love
I'll try to remind you
And stay by you when it don't come easy

I don't know nothing except change will come
Year after year what we do is undone
Time keeps moving from a crawl to a run
I wonder if we're gonna ever get home

You're out there walking down a highway
And all of the signs got blown away
Sometimes you wonder if you're walking in the wrong direction

But if you break down
I'll drive out and find you
If you forget my love
I'll try to remind you
And stay by you when it don't come easy

So many things that I had before
That don't matter to me now
Tonight I cry for the love that I've lost
And the love I've never found
When the last bird falls
And the last siren sounds
Someone will say what's been said before
Some love we were looking for

But if you break down
I'll drive out and find you
If you forget my love
I'll try to remind you
And stay by you when it don't come easy

*~*

As he steadily sipped the steaming caffeine through a plastic lid, Pacey thanked God that the city council in Barnstable did not practice the prejudice towards McDonald's that Capeside did. Not only did they have Ronald's finest establishment but it was open twenty-four hours a day!

Carefully, he set the foam cup in the convenient holder and leaned forward a bit, his arms crossed at the top of the steering wheel. Scanning the road before him and seeing no other traffic, he sped up.

Despite his penchant for sleeping late, this could technically still be considered the night before and not early morning. Something in that convoluted logic made it okay for him to be awakened by a distress call from Joey. Of course, he couldn't actually think of any reason it wouldn't be okay if she called and needed him. Early morning… mid-afternoon… late night… whenever.

He was there for her.

Only he couldn't help but wonder why she'd changed her plans and left early. He could tell she was upset. She hadn't been crying on the phone but he knew she had been sometime before she called. He knew her. Plus he had firsthand experience of what she sounded like when she'd been crying - the way her nose sounded blocked and her voice became gravelly.

His eyes on the road ahead, his mind repeated their earlier phone conversation.

"Pacey?" Her voice had wavered but she had not sniffled.

"Jo? Jo, what's wrong?" He had been trying to wake up and make sense of why she was calling so late. She was supposed to having the time of her life.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. Look, I'm at South Station and I need a ride home. The next train for Capeside doesn't leave until 9 in the morning. Will you… can you come and get me?"

He became wide awake at this request, the furrow between his brows deep. "Are you okay?"

"Yes! I'm fine. So? Can you come and get me or not?" Joey had sounded exasperated. Leave it to Potter to need a favor and then be pissy about it.

"Yeah, yeah… of course. Sit tight. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Pacey ran his fingers through his hair and stretched his neck to one side until he heard it crack. Sleeping on Doug's couch was killin' him. Reaching for his coffee, he focused once more on Joey. He couldn't imagine what had happened.

Well actually, he could imagine. As a matter of fact, his imagination was running pretty wild at the moment.

It was obvious – sensitive, poetic college guy turned out to be an asshole.

The muscles in Pacey's neck tensed as he clenched his teeth. Joey hadn't mentioned the specific arrangements but since she had stayed in his room during junior visitation weekend, Pacey didn't think the guy would be a gentleman and book her a hotel room… or put her up with a female friend.

Yeah, the only thing that made sense was that college guy had gotten grabby; all that dancing Joey mentioned they'd be doing that weekend had gotten Mr. Ivy League hot and bothered and wanting more. If so, Pacey's plan was to hunt that sensitive, poetic, little jerk down and kick his ass. He'd make sure there'd be no more dancing, or whatever the kids were calling it these days, for him; yep, he'd be lucky if he was able to walk straight again. That's right, if he so much as touched her inappropriately…

The coffee in his cup spurted out the small hole in the lid, spilling down the sides, as he tightened his grip on it.

"Fuck." Pacey quickly set the coffee down and wiped his hands haphazardly on his jeans.

Plan or no, Pacey was convinced that if college guy had touched Joey in some unwelcome way that he was already bearing bruises. For having himself been on the receiving end of any number of Potter's punches, slaps and pinches over the years, Pacey could attest to the fact that Joey was well able to take care of herself.

Still… He narrowed his eyes at the road ahead, not seeing the pavement stretched out before him but allowing his thoughts to wander even further…

What if those touches had not been unwelcome? His stomach rolled over at the thought, the coffee suddenly sour in his guts. Oh God, he couldn't even think about that. It was bad enough that he had seen them kissing. If Joey had let him touch her and then he was an asshole… Pacey's foot pressed harder on the gas pedal. Then she wouldn't punch college guy but she would be upset and she would definitely leave.

Pacey was going to have to kick his ass!

Taking a deep breath, Pacey didn't let up on the gas but he did recall that Joey had not appreciated her honor being defended the last time he had whupped some ass for her. Another deep breath and he decided that maybe he better wait until he got there to find out exactly what did happen.

Pacey's eyes sought out the dim, green glow on the dash and glanced at the digital clock. He was making good time; he'd be there in about thirty minutes give or take. He punched the power button on the stereo system only to have the SUV fill with the soaring sounds of Celine. Pacey immediately cut the diva short by pressing the auto-search key and allowed the radio to skip from channel to channel until he heard the distinctive notes of Jim Morrison's voice. With a sigh of relief he stopped the auto-search.

As Jim encouraged his baby to "try to set the night on fire", Pacey felt a pang of regret at how harsh he'd been with Joey when he dropped her off at the train in Capeside yesterday. She had been excited and full of optimism that this would be a wonderful experience; he had been cynical and pessimistic. Now, she was sitting at South Station in the middle of the night because her wonderful experience had been cut short.

He felt a little guilty.

Well, okay, not completely guilty. Truthfully, some small part of him was actually happy that her fairytale weekend didn't seem to work out. And that made him feel guilty, too.

He wanted her to be happy, that went without saying. But it would be really great if he was the one who made her happy. Really, really great. What had he told Buzz? She's so beautiful, that every time you look at her, your knees tremble, your heart just melts, and you know right then and there, without any reservation, that there is order and meaning to the universe.

Despite her beauty, the order and meaning of Pacey's universe would crumble around him if he didn't tell her the truth about how he felt. Hellmouth and demons aside, he was going to have to take that chance.

Soon.

Because as Jim was now singing, "The time to hesitate is through."

Spotting his exit ahead, he flipped on his blinker and with an SUV for a white charger and a brown corduroy coat for armor swooped in to rescue the brown-haired damsel in distress.

*~*

Joey shifted uncomfortably on the hard wooden bench. She glanced down once more at the watch on her wrist and sighed. She'd already known without looking that only scant minutes had passed since her last check, but that didn't stop her from willing the minute hand to have magically gained speed.

Precisely eighteen minutes ago she had not only awakened Pacey but Doug, too. When he'd picked up the phone instead of Pacey, she had prayed that he wouldn't require an explanation for her late night phone call.

For she was unwilling to go into details.

Luckily something that evening was finally going her way for Doug's voice, rough with sleep, had simply said, "Wait a minute." The corners of her lips lifted slightly remembering how Pacey sounded when he first spoke. He seemed befuddled, almost half-asleep, but didn't hesitate when she had requested a ride home, telling her to sit tight; he'd be there as soon as he could.

It never occurred to her to call anyone else; Pacey was the first person that came to mind.

But sitting here now, with nothing to do but think, she wondered if she should have called Bodie instead. She knew he would have come but he did have to work in the morning, providing the breakfast portion of the Bed and Breakfast for the few guests she knew they had this weekend. She mentally shrugged; well, it was too late now.

It was too late for a lot of things.

The least of which was changing her mind as to who would rescue her from Boston.

With the acknowledgement that she needed rescuing in the first place, Joey felt her emotions shift and she let out a self-deprecating laugh. Her fairytale romance with the scholar from Worthington was over before it had quite begun.

Her mind replayed the dawning realization at AJ's reading that Morgan was more than a best friend, or wanted to be. From the time Morgan had picked her up until AJ began to read, Joey had been trying to piece together a puzzle that seemed familiar and yet baffling. Then when she heard the words, "…more than anything, she loved to read the Sunday Times on Saturday night…" itall became so very clear.

Morgan and AJ were just like her and Dawson.

Or, what they could have been… maybe… once… long, long ago. Because, now, of course, that ship had sailed. But Morgan and AJ hadn't even boarded theirs. And Joey was determined not to stand in their way.

A fresh veil of tears welled up, blurring her vision and she impatiently brushed them away. She barely knew AJ! Pacey was right; all she had was an eyes-closed wish.

So, why was she crying?

Joey gingerly examined that place inside where she carefully hid her feelings. She wasn't distraught because her golden carriage had turned into a pumpkin or because the glass slipper fit someone else's foot.

So, why was she upset?

She poked at those feelings for a moment longer, turning them over and over in her mind. The tears she had shed on the dock the night Dawson had rejected her had been tears of devastation and humiliation.

Tonight, sitting here… she felt neither of those things.

No, she was sad – just plain sad. Naturally, the situation between AJ and Morgan had stirred memories of her and Dawson. But was she sad that things had not worked out between them and never would? She mentally shook her head. No, it went beyond that. Dawson and she were finally in a fairly good place. Any romantic notion she'd had toward Dawson was filed away in the box of past loves. Her lower lip held firmly between her teeth, Joey tried to pinpoint exactly when she had let him go, but couldn't.

When had her longing for him drifted into a wistful memory?

And where did that leave her now?

She rummaged further, delving deep within her heart. And then she knew. She was sad because she was alone. Again. Just like she'd been at the beginning of the school year; nothing had changed.

What was so wrong with her that it seemed she was always doomed to be alone, to never have things work out?

AJ and Morgan had all the possibilities of the future spread out before them for the taking. She wanted the same thing; the intimacy of knowing someone inside out and vice versa.

Someone who was more than a friend.

Someone who was the real thing.

She wanted to feel loved.

Joey emerged from her life ennui when she realized she'd been chewing on her lower lip; she quickly released the plump flesh from her teeth. Ever since Pacey had pointed this habit out to her a few weeks ago and she'd so quickly refuted it, she'd been more aware, trying to quell her urges, eager to prove him wrong. Some habits, however, die hard. She dragged out a deep breath and slumped further down on the bench, tipping her head back to rest on the gleaming surface.

Without turning to look, she could hear snoring from the couple who had obviously taken refuge here for the night and relinquished the tight grip she held on her bag a bit. Glancing around and seeing no one else, she took off her coat and folded it behind her to use as a cushion. Hardly any people had come or gone since she'd been waiting, which added to the creepiness factor of sitting in an almost vacant train station in the middle of the night.

Joey looked at her watch again. Where was Pacey?

She debated what she would tell him. Based on their last conversation, he'd most likely gloat; rejoicing in the fact that he was right. No wish come true for "little scrubber girl Joey". Well, in that case, she would tell him nothing. It was none of his business anyway. She certainly wasn't going to let him comfort her again. It was bad enough that Dawson had sent him to check on her that night of the stripper party.

Dawson and Pacey, the two boys who knew her best.

Joey knew she couldn't talk to either of them about this. She didn't want their pity or comfort or understanding. She couldn't bear the thought that they'd feel sorry for her. Knowing them, they'd concoct another plan to watch over her until they thought she'd recovered from her terrible, horrible broken heart. Behind closed lids, she rolled her eyes. No, it was better that neither of them got any details about the end of her relationship with AJ.

Why didn't she have any girlfriends?

Joey's head snapped up and she swiveled on her rear to swing her feet up onto the bench. Tucking her hair behind both ears, she then wrapped her arms around her knees. She shook her head and berated herself. Despite the fact that Dawson and Pacey acted like idiots sometimes, and their intentions were often misguided, she wouldn't trade either of them for a dozen girlfriends.

Her heart warmed a little with the knowledge that she had Dawson as a friend even after everything they had been through. And honestly, their little wife swapping deal had created an opportunity for her and Pacey to become more than just the sparring partners they'd always been. And for that she was grateful. He had been there for her every time she needed him this year and she had tried to be there for him. She even had to admit that she and Pacey understood each other in a way that Dawson never could due to their less than perfect childhoods.

Even so, she was glad the three of them were bonded together by history and heart.

Still…

She wanted the magic…

For the glass slipper to fit…

For Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet…

For the happily ever after…

For her wish to come true…

…just once.

*~*

For sixty miles, Joey had remained huddled in the corner of the SUV seat staring out the window, refusing to talk about what had happened.

She just couldn't tell him. She couldn't bear his smugness.

Maybe when she wasn't feeling so raw… so exposed… so vulnerable, she'd mention that there was another girl in an offhand, breezy way. Then they'd agree that Pacey had been right - fairy tales were for other girls, not her.

By then she'd be able to laugh it off…

Maybe.

*~*

Pacey peeked at Joey from the corner of his eye regularly, trying to judge how hard he should push for details. Not knowing anything just escalated the drama playing out in his head; his imagination supplying scenarios where she had given him none.

Assault? It didn't look like she had any bruises but she was bundled up in her scarf and coat.

Drugs? It didn't seem as if she was coming down from a coerced acid trip.

But Pacey knew you couldn't always see the damage done to a person's heart.

And, so, he waited. For sixty miles he waited until he just couldn't stand it and had to try once more to get her to open up.

*~*

By the time Joey had vented all her frustration and sorrow, the only thing Pacey could hear was, "I was going to say - you, Pacey!".

Her curt declaration played on a continuous loop in his head.

And he snapped.

He didn't know if it was the right time. He didn't know if she would even be able to hear him. All he knew was that, unlike the morning after the Valentine's party when he'd attempted to confess his feelings, now she was thinking of him.

Suddenly he didn't care if the universe crumbled or demons devoured Capeside.

Joey Potter was finally, finally thinking of him.

Nothing else mattered.

Spying the Welcome to Capeside sign, Pacey abruptly pulled the car to the side of the road and killed the engine.

Jim Morrison was right - the time to hesitate is through.

Pacey J Witter was tired of waiting.

Now was the time for action.

*~*