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"Pacey, we can't just make out all the time," Joey said between kisses.
"Hmm …" Pacey mumbled while pulling her in closer.
"Are you listening to me?" she asked. Pacey kissed her cheek and then moved to her neck. Joey shivered before letting out a soft moan.
"I'm sorry, Jo," Pacey said abruptly stopping his movements. "What were you saying?"
Momentarily distracted by the sensation of Pacey's lips on her neck, Joey barely responded. "Huh?" she managed without bothering to open her eyes.
Noticing the effect he was having on her, Pacey grinned. "I said," he reported kissing Joey on her right cheek. "I'm sorry," he added moving to kiss her left cheek. Joey's eyes remained closed as she puckered her lips anticipating his next action. Pacey breathed deeply inhaling her scent before kissing her quickly on the tip of her nose. Joey's eyes opened allowing her to recognize that Pacey was teasing her. She slapped him playfully on the chest.
"I was originally saying that we can't just make out all the time, but that won't be a problem anymore. Now that you've reminded me what a smart ass you are I'm much less interested in kissing you," she answered.
"Really?" he asked in a husky growl. Pacey pressed his body against hers.
"Yes, really," she said crossing her arms in front of her.
"Good," he stated easily. "All this kissing is actually quite exhausting. Your desire for me is insatiable, woman," Pacey teased.
"My desire …" she began irritated. "Nope, I'm not gonna bite, Pace. You just stay on your side of the boat, and I'll stay on mine."
"Two things, Potter. First, as captain of this boat I'll be the one giving the orders. Second, we tried that yesterday, remember?" Joey tried, unsuccessfully, to hide the smile that spread across her face at the mention of yesterday. After agreeing to keep their relationship private until after going through the jar they had done nothing but kiss the rest of the night. There had been attempts at being productive on True Love, but those ended as soon as one person was within arm-length of the other.
"Well, that's not going to happen today," Joey concluded. Pacey gave her a skeptical look to which she responded, "Honestly, Pacey, this grope fest of ours is getting embarrassing. Besides I feel a little …" she hesitated to complete her thought, "guilty, I guess." Pacey's expression changed from playful to one of concern. "I mean, I know we're not doing anything wrong, but we can only do what we want to do down here," she explained motioning around the hull of the boat. "That feels like we're hiding this, which makes it seem dirty or something."
"I understand what you're saying, Jo. I mean, I'd like to be able to kiss you anytime, anywhere too." Pacey sighed. "You know I agree with you. We aren't doing anything wrong, but … I'm gonna say his name, Jo … I know how Dawson feels about you," he started before Joey interrupted.
"How Dawson thinks he feels about me. The truth is, Pace, that Dawson and I had our chance. Multiple chances actually, and we were terrible together," she explained. "I agree that it doesn't feel right keeping this from him, or Andie for that matter, but I want us to have our shot. We deserve to have our own shot at whatever this is."
"Come here, Potter," Pacey instructed. Joey emphatically shook her head no. "Potter, would you just take my hand?" Joey reluctantly took his hand, and he pulled her into a hug. With his arms around her, looking down into her dark eyes, Pacey said, "We will have our shot, Jo. I promise you. Even if that requires more talking, and less kissing."
Joey smiled up at him. "I promise too. I guess we should probably kiss on it," she suggested using his words.
"Now you're talking," he responded cheerfully. His lips met hers in a classic kiss. Joey hadn't kissed many people, but she could still recognize a beautifully passionate kiss. While Dawson had once challenged her to be Deborah Kerr in From Here to Eternity, Joey quickly discovered she didn't need a beach to have romance – and she still did not find the notion of sand in her crotch appealing. She easily concluded that Dawson could keep trying to storyboard his perfect Burt Lancaster moment; Joey didn't find Burt Lancaster that attractive anyway. This moment had not been purposely created: neither participant would have predicted it, and truthfully there was nothing particularly romantic about the hull of Pacey's unfinished boat with tools scattered about. This moment was unscripted; the natural progression of two people who had just made a valuable promise to each other, one that could cost them both a cherished friendship. No, Joey didn't want to be Deborah Kerr because Pacey made her feel like Ingrid Bergman. Joey kissed him wholeheartedly smiling inwardly at the thought that, as cheesy as it may sound, she was pretty sure Pacey could pull off a "Here's lookin at you, kid." The thought alone made her melt even more.
"I'll go first," Pacey suggested.
"How chivalrous of you," Joey stated sarcastically.
"Pipe down, Potter," he instructed. He opened the top of the jar, and reached his hand in to pull out a piece of paper. "Oh, this is a good one," Pacey said reading the question to himself.
"You know whatever question is on there was written by one of us, right?" Joey reminded him as she tried to look at the paper in his hands. "Just read it, doofus," she finally said after Pacey folded the paper refusing to let her see it.
"So demanding. OK, 'What is your greatest fear?'" he read. Pacey's face turned serious as he steadied his breath preparing to answer the question honestly. "Well, I guess my biggest fear would be … turning out like my dad."
Joey studied his demeanor deciding he was holding back, "I don't buy it." Pacey seemed taken aback, so she clarified. "You're nothing like your father, Pace. There's no way you will end up being the mean-spirited, poor excuse for a father that he is. That's all."
Hearing her stick up for him again, Pacey allowed the corners of his mouth to curl up slightly. "Thanks, Jo. He is a mean sonuvabitch. Its just …" Pacey stammered.
"You love him anyway?" Joey offered tentatively. Pacey slowly nodded his head. "That's OK, Pace. I still love my dad too, and he's a total deadbeat."
"I guess what I fear most is that he'll end up being right about me. That every horrible thing he's said about me will come true," he admitted quietly. "What if I am a stupid loser who will never amount to anything?"
"I hate that your dad has put these thoughts in your head, but Pacey, we're teenagers. I think we're all afraid that we won't amount to anything. I'm not trying to diminish your fear. I just don't want you to think that having that fear means it's true because you already are something, Pacey," she said sincerely.
"You may have to remind me of that. Especially when my dad is around."
"I can do that, no problem," she agreed with a smile. "So I guess it's my turn. My greatest fear is similar. I was originally going to say it was that I wouldn't make it out of Capeside, but I've realized that isn't the whole story," she started. Joey looked down at the floor unable to say the next statement while looking at someone. "My greatest fear is that I will let my mom down," Joey admitted quietly. "That I'll disappoint here by not reaching the potential she always saw in me. Or that I won't be able to make her B&B dream a reality." She looked up meeting Pacey's empathic eyes. "I'm so afraid of failing, Pacey," she managed as tears welled up in her eyes.
"You won't fail, Jo," he said pulling her into a comforting hug. "Look how much you've done already. We will do everything we can to make her dream come true." Pacey gently lifted her head to wipe the tears from her face. "And you're not in this alone, Potter. I'm here. Heck all of law enforcement in two counties is here too," he said lightheartedly. Joey rewarded him with a small smile.
"Should we answer another question?" she asked trying to gain her composure.
"I say that's enough emotional growth for one day," Pacey responded. "Besides, I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise? Pacey, you gave me a gift yesterday."
"Calm down, Potter. This isn't for you necessarily," he stated. Joey blushed slightly. "Just inspired by you," Pacey explained. He moved to pick a bag up from the floor. He pulled out a large white object.
"What is it?" she asked unable to identify the object in his hands.
"A hammock, of course!" Pacey beamed. "There are actually two of them. I thought you might want to have your own space to relax."
"You do work me pretty hard," she teased.
"Speaking of, grab the other end of this," he directed. "I put the hooks on the supports earlier, so we should be good to go."
Joey helped him hang the hammocks. "These look great, Pace. I call top bunk!" she said energetically.
"And how are you going to get up there, missy?"
"You're going to give me a boost, of course," Joey explained. She placed her hand on his shoulder and lifted her foot indicating how she planned to claim her spot.
Pacey smirked, "So demanding, I tell ya. Up you go, Potter." He lifted her up to reach the hammock. Joey assumed a comfortable position. Pacey did the same on the hammock below.
"This is quite comfy," Joey said. "I'm glad I thought of this idea." Hearing her gloat, Pacey poked his fingers through the holes of her hammock. "Pacey, no! Don't tickle me," she demanded. "I'm going to fall off this thing!" Joey said through laughter. Pacey stopped for a second before launching another attack, which was again met with hysterical laughter.