Chapter Fifteen - Pacey's P.O.V.

Waking slowly I can tell that something isn't quite right, opening my eyes against the morning light I groan and close my eyes, rolling over hugging the pillow next to me. Inhaling I can smell her soft scent on the pillow and that's when it hits me; I'm in her bed, and it's morning.

"Shit!" I say out load bolting upright, remembering something about Bessie wanting to blow up at Joey. Deciding to brave Bessie's temper in hopes of some coffee, and hopefully a chance to explain that nothing happened. Walking towards the kitchen I hear her voice.

"Bessie I'm telling you NOTHING happened. Come you saw Pacey, he still had the same clothes on from yesterday. Besides what I choose to do or not do, and with who is really no longer any of your business."

I can tell she is upset, and blowing of steam at her sister; her famous Potter temper flaring.

"That's just it Jo. You decided that you don't need my advice or guidance anymore. I don't know what's really going on between you two; we never talk anymore. You've asked me to keep quite about your relationship and I have, but mostly because I don't know anything. Joey, I worry about you, more now that you are no longer living under my roof. I don't want to see you make the same mistakes I did, and I don't want to see you get hurt again. Don't get me wrong I love Pacey like a brother Jo, but I don't particularly trust him right now either. He broke your heart last spring, what's to say he wont do it again?"

"Bess, he's changed, he knows what he wants from life now. I know he loves me and would never intentionally hurt me. I trust him completely, so you are going to have to trust me. Have a little faith in us."

I decide to stop eavesdropping on them, and walk into the kitchen pretending not to have heard any of their argument. I walk towards Joey who is standing near coffee pot, staring out the window. Bessie gives Joey a look that asks if she thinks I heard any of their conversation.

"Morning Baby." I kiss her cheek, reaching for a coffee mug off the shelf beside her. "Morning Bessie, umm look, I'm sorry about sleeping in Jo's room last night. I guess was more tired than I thought and just crashed. But nothing happened." I stammer. Out of the corner of my eye I see Joey shoot Bessie and I told you so look.

"It's okay Pacey, when I found you in there this morning I wasn't expecting it, and logic hadn't quite kicked in yet."

"I just want you to know that it wasn't anything I planned. It just kind of happened."

"Alright, apology accepted, as long as it doesn't happen again."

"It wont! I promise her."

"So Pacey, what are your plans for today?" Joey asks from her place at the kitchen table.

"I hadn't really planned on doing anything, why?"

"Well, Bessie needs me to run to the market for her so Bodie can cook dinner tonight. Want to come with me? I could use a strong man to carry the bags." She says batting her eyelashes at me.

"Okay Baby, we'll go to the store for Bessie."

"Good in that case I'm going to go shower and get ready." She says heading off towards her bedroom.

As soon as Joey's out of ear shot Bessie asks "So how much did you hear?"

"Some, not much, but enough." I say not being able to meet her gaze.

"I'm sorry Pacey, really I do want to be able to trust you again, but she's my little sister."

"I'd never do anything to hurt her intentionally, she's my life. You have to know that."

"I do. She tells me you're doing really well at school."

"Yeah, would you believe that I love my courses? It would seem I have a head for engineering."

"That's wonderful Pacey. I'm so happy that you both got out of Capeside and are making something of yourselves."

"Thanks." I mumble accepting her compliment.

"Bess, can I ask you something really important while were alone?"

"Sure, you know you can ask me anything?"

"Yeah, but this is REALLY important!"

She can obviously hear the sincerity and nervousness in my voice, so she comes and sits at the table with me, covering my hand with her own. "What is it Pace?" she sounds like she expects me to say that I'm taking off again or something.

"Maybe this would be easier if I had visual aides." I say letting out the breath I'm holding.

"Huh? Pacey, I'm afraid you've lost me."

"Come on Bess, I want you to see something, then I'll explain." I lead her up to my room. Going over to where I had left my bag I rummage around, looking for the small box I carry everywhere with me.

"Is that what I think it is?" she indicates at the velvet box in my hand. Sitting on the bed I turn the box over in my hand.

"Yeah, I saw them in the Bahamas and had to buy them. It was months ago, and I didn't know if we'd ever get back together or not, I had to have them anyways. I knew it was her I wanted to be with, it's always been her. Hell it'll always be her."

"Can I see?"

"Sure." I pass the box over. She opens the stiff hinge and stares at the platinum bands inside. One with a one caret square cut blue diamond with two smaller half caret diamonds, one on either side of the larger one. The other is a matching narrow band as simple as the first.

Pacey, these must have cost you a fortune! she cries.

"It's not important. They were made for her, she deserves to have them, it's that simple."

"So you're really serious about her?"

"I love her. I was made to love her. I know that we are still young, and that we are both still in school and all that. I just want the rest of the world to know what she means to me, what my intentions are."

"Wow! I don't know what to say here Pacey."

"Say you're okay with this, and that you'll give us you're blessing."

"Of course I'm okay with this Pacey. I guess I should welcome you to the family and tell you that if you ever hurt her again I will have Bodie hunt you down and hurt you just as badly."

"Thanks Bessie, you don't know how much that means to me."

"Well you make my baby sister very happy. So when are you going to ask her?"

"Christmas? Maybe sooner if the right moment presents itself."

"Here, you hang on to these." She says handing me back the box.

"Pace you ready?" she asks poking her head through my door half an hour later.

"Yeah. So where are Jack and Jen this morning?" I haven't seen or heard them all morning.

"Bessie said they left before she woke me up, they went to go see Mr. McPhee."

"Ah."

"Hey Pace, did Bessie say anything to you earlier in the kitchen, after I went to take my shower?"

"Nothing special, why?" I tell her, not wanting her to be suspicious.

"She keeps giving me these strange looks."

"She probably just misses having you around."

"Maybe." She replies, she doesn't sound convinced though.

"Let's go Potter." I say grabbing my coat.

Pulling up in front of Molly's Market a few minutes later, we park, and cross the street to head inside.

"So what's on Bessie's list?" I ask.

"Umm let's see, she says pulling the list out of her pocket. Potatoes, Carrots, Yams, pumpkin pie filling, chicken stock, bread crumbs, bacon." she reads off the list.

"Where do you want to start?"

"Produce, the bakery, then the deli...What Pace?" she asks catching me staring at her.

"Just admiring the view, Jo you look especially beautiful today, you know that?"

"Maybe that's because I had the best nights sleep of my life last night." she smile radiantly up at me.

"Really?"

"Pacey, I'd wake up in you arms every morning if I had the opportunity."

Damn, why do we have to be standing in a grocery store full of people when she says something like that to me? She makes me want to get down on one knee right now and ask her to be mine forever, but I don't have her ring on me so it will have to wait. Instead I decide to do the next best thing.

"I love you Potter." Smiling like an idiot, I kiss her passionately, not caring who's watching us.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my wayward little brother. Making a spectacle of yourself as usual." I hear Doug's voice from behind me say. I groan and stop kissing Joey; damn I was hoping to avoid my family.

"Deputy Dougie, shouldn't you be out catching speeding cars, arresting someone for littering, or something?" I ask sarcastically. "I see you've added harassing people in the grocery store to you list of duties?"

"Actually little brother, no. Mom asked me to pick up somethings for her. What are you doing here? Life in the big city too much for you? I knew you'd come crawling back here begging for couch to crash on sooner or later."

I had forgotten how annoying Doug could be. "Sorry to disappoint you Dougie, but I'm doing just fine in Boston. Actually I'm here with friends, so don't worry your pretty little head about me, I'm not planning on staying."

"Joey, I see you took my lazy, slacker, free loading brother back." He leers at Joey.

"That's right Doug, but I think you already new that." She snaps at him.

"I think I'll be continuing on my way now. Pacey, stop by the house before you leave; Mom seems to worry about your worthless ass for some reason. God only knows why, we all know you'll never amount to anything; she should give up already and accept the truth, like everyone has." Doug says walking off with out looking back.

"Well...that was fun."

"Pacey." she warns me. I know she wants me to try to be closer to Dougie and my parents but I'm beginning to realize that too many bridges have been burned, on both sides for me to ever have a normal relationship with them, as was evident by Doug's display of ever lasting faith in me.

"I was going to try Jo, but after that I don't see the point. One public humiliation per visit is all I can handle."

We wonder around the store collecting everything on Bessie's list in comfortable silence, before heading back to the B&B. After seeing Doug, as much of an asshole as he was to me, maybe he's right maybe I should go see mom, tell her about school, my scholarship, and my plans for the future with Joey.