Unforeseen 35/?
Summary: Starts just after '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-
Joey paced the hospital waiting area, her heart racing as she waited for Dr. Tiale to come out.
"JOEY!"
Joey was once again startled as Bessie, Jen and Dawson ran up to her, their mouths moving.
"Is everything okay?"
"What happened?" Bessie asked, stepping up to her sister in concern, her words sending Joey into another bout of sobs.
"Pacey…had been…very tired the last week…he asked me to watch the top while he laid down…and I did…" She stopped feeling overcome once more whimpering. "I went to check on him when we got closer…I found him unresponsive and his breathing unsteady."
All three sets of eyes widened as Jen stepped up to her, pulling her into a hug as Dawson spoke up behind them. "Do they know what's wrong?"
"I don't know." Joey shrugged helpless tears pulling at her eyes once more. "Mr. Witter and Doug followed him in back when we got here, and I haven't seen Dr. Tiale at all."
It was nearly four hours before Doug stepped into the waiting room, his eyes red and swollen. When Joey saw him, she jumped up Dawson on her heel, Bessie and Jen had fallen asleep in their chairs just behind them.
"Doug…what is it? What's wrong with him?" Joey cried clawing at his uniform as Dawson tried to pull her back.
Doug nodded to Dawson gripping at Joey's hands on his chest a sympathetic smile on his face. "Its back." Joey whimpered swaying between both men her eyes wide. "Their putting him on a more aggressive chemo and medicine to help him grow stem cells…if that doesn't work, he's gonna need a marrow transplant." He let the words wash over his brother's friends, adding. "I'm going to get tested just in case he needs a transplant."
"Can I?" Dawson spoke up behind them pure fear in his eyes.
"Yeah." Doug bit his lip watching Joey turn into a shell, her eyes distant. "Are you okay?"
"No…" Joey whispered shaking her head her eyes meeting Doug's. "Is he going to die?"
"I would love to say no…but I don't know. Dr. Tiale said relapsing within a year is common but the face he was transported unresponsive was worrying."
"Has…" Joey breathed heavily trying to remain composed but feeling herself faltering. "Has he woken up yet?"
Doug sighed rubbing his hand across his face tiredly. "No…he's unconscious. Dr. Tiale is running tests to find out if he's in a coma state."
Squeezing her lips shut Joey shook her head fighting to keep her tears at bay. "Can I lay with him?"
"Of course…Dr. Tiale expected that."
"Thank you." She whimpered following Doug into Pacey's room. Finding him pale, hooked up to countless machines, a nasal canula in his nose, she whimpered again. Crossing the bed she expertly avoided the wires sliding under his arm and pressing into his chest, her arms squeezing his waist. "Don't leave me."
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