Unforeseen 10/?

Summary: Set after the episode 'Double Date.' Pacey wakes up the day after the carnival to a new reality no one saw coming.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot

Rating: R

-break-

One more month later

Pacey sighed tiredly, his eyes drawing over the work in front of him. He had had a round of chemo the day before and his body still hadn't recuperated, he just wanted to sleep.

"You okay Pace?" Joey asked in concern from her spot next to him on the bed, their homework and books on the bed in front of them.

"Yeah…I just still feel tired and a bit nauseous from chemo yesterday." He shrugged, leaning his elbows on his thighs.

"Oh Pace." She pouted her hand unconsciously reaching up to stroke the back of his neck and hair, cringing as a few strands gave way beneath her fingers. "I wish I could help you feel better."

"Me too." Pacey groaned leaning into her hand as it continued to work in a gentle caress between the bottom of his skull and the top of his spine.

"Hey Pace…Joey."

Both Pacey and Joey's heads shot up, their eyes wide at the new visitor.

"Hey D." Pacey tentatively greeted, his body tensing seeing his supposed best friend, perky and full of life standing before him.

Joey on the other hand froze, her hand still caressing Pacey's neck in comfort as she glared at their friend. "Dawson."

"How are you guys? It's been a while." Dawson smiled brightly but stared uneasily at how physically close they were.

"Fine." Joey replied shortly, shaking her head at him. Pacey took his usual sarcastic route, a guarded stance in his form.

"Oh, the usual, chemo for breakfast and bulimia for dinner, you?"

Dawson chuckled heartily pulling out a cassette tape from his back pocket and walking to the VCR. "I finished Sea Creature from the Deep; Jen and Andie really like it."

"Whose Andie?" Pacey asked, him and Joey sharing a confused look.

"My girlfriend…" Dawson explained putting the tape in. "She's new."

"Is this the version with us or without us?" Joey growled snarkily, her protective hand on Pacey's forearm as her other hand caressed down his back. She could feel Dawson doing or saying something to hurt Pacey's already fragile form.

Pacey, confused, looked between his friends. "Without us?"

"Oh yeah, I didn't tell you? He replaced us in his movie." Joey barked, looking pointedly at Dawson.

"Wh…when?" Pacey stuttered, his body shaking slightly as he held back tears.

"Just after you were admitted." Dawson acknowledged sheepishly, looking for the remote.

Pacey felt the wind knock out of him. He wasn't even dead yet and his best friend had already replaced him. "Excuse me." He stammered scrambling from the bed and bolting in the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

"Wow Dawson." Joey's glare was back her arms crossing in front of her chest. "What happened with Jen? I thought you two were dating."

"She broke up with me a few months ago. Andie and her twin brother Jack came about a month ago, we hit it off."

"And all the while your best friend is in the hospital getting sicker." Joey snarled slipping out of the bed. Stepping up to the VCR she ejected the tape and shoved it into Dawson's chest. "Everyday I've been wondering why we were ever friends. Now I don't even care. You stopped being my friend the minute Pacey entered the hospital."

"But Joey…" Dawson's eyes widened, his hand clutching the tape to his chest.

"Do what you do best, leave us alone." Joey hissed in his face before turning and walking to the bathroom, she didn't even see the blonde leave as she knocked gently on the door. "Pace it's me, are you okay?" When there was no response she sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed.

She waited nearly an hour before he opened the bathroom door, his head down as he slowly stepped in the room. "Pace?"

His head lifted at her question revealing a downturned expression and red eyes, he had obviously been crying.

"Oh Pace." Joey's heart broke for him. Standing up she pulled him into her arms, crushing his body into hers tightly. "Dawson is a dick, and we don't need him, okay?" She felt him nod into her shoulder, a fresh batch of tears soaking her shirt. "It's you and me, okay? You and me against the world."

Pulling back Pacey breathed in, nodding. "Thanks Jo."

Joey just smiled pulling him back into her arms, stroking the back of his neck gently.

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