What If 2/?

Summary: What if Pacey's father was more abusive than on the show? What if that abuse went unchecked? What if Dawson and Joey found out?

Disclaimer: I only own the plot

Rating: R to M

-break-

Hitting the wall with force Pacey felt the wind knock out of him, his eyes closing at the pain that drifted through each vertebra of his spine.

His father must've thought he passed out because he was left leaning against the wall trying to pick himself up from today's beating.

It was starting to become difficult hiding the pain and bruises. Joey seemed to watch him more which threw him anyway. He and Joey had had a tumultuous relationship the last few years. He wasn't sure if it was hormones, but she seemed to love to point out his flaws and turn her doe eyes to Dawson. But he was used to getting the short end of the stick between his friends.

Opening his eyes he found himself wishing Gretchen was there, holding him and listening to him, she was the only one who he thought cared but even she left.

He was on his own to survive his father's wrath…for the next four years.

-break-

The three of them had a standing movie night every Saturday. They even had their own spots, not that they were assigned but they just knew. Dawson and Joey always had the bed while Pacey was relegated to the desk chair or on the floor in front of the bed.

The pain in his midsection forced Pacey into the worst spot, the desk chair, but pulling himself off the floor wasn't something he could risk right now especially if Joey may have eyes on him.

And he was right…halfway through Dawson's 'epic' showing of Jaws Pacey could feel his spine tightening with the awkward position and his belly wasn't any better, the bruises there just barely started to heal. Cringing from the tight movement he turned to glimpse at the bed but stopped seeing Joey's eyes on him, the light of the movie reflecting off her face.

Schooling his features he turned back to the screen hoping and praying she wouldn't try to pry once the movie was over. Once it was, he made the excuse of feeling sick, which wasn't entirely untrue and bolted out of Dawson's bedroom.

As soon as he did Joey turned on her friend, her eyes full of an emotion she couldn't quite place. "Do you see it? It was like he couldn't sit there without wincing every other minute."

"So maybe he got hurt. He's not gonna say anything."

"But that's the thing Dawson he's been hurting for weeks. He's been trying to hide it…I touched his side a few days back and his breath hitched."

"You're touching him?" Dawson complained in disgust shaking his head, shuffling off the bed and picking up the bowl of popcorn.

Joey rolled her eyes, of course Dawson would turn it around like that. "If there was something between Pacey and I you would know it Dawson…have you seen his mom at all lately?"

Dawson thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Not for a while…wait, are you thinking the sheriff…"

"I don't know." Joey sighed, she had seen Sheriff Witter get angry with Pacey before and it was even worse than she had seen her own father get with her mother. "But if Mrs. Witter is gone than Pacey is alone in that house with him."

"I thought Doug came back?" Dawson questioned turning back and easing on his bed in sudden contemplation.

"No, he's still at the police academy in Boston."

Dawson nodded, staring at his camera equipment across the room. "Ok. We'll keep an eye out."

"Ok."

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