Unforeseen 13/?

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-

Two weeks later

"I wish I could come with you." Joey whimpered, leaning into his hands as they glided up and down her back.

"I wish you could too…I hate being there alone." Pacey sighed pressing a kiss to her forehead, laying his chin on the top of her head.

"If you feel up to it, I was gonna come by later." She says it casually playing with the front of his shirt, but the words sent a tingle down his spine.

"Really?" He asked, pulling back from her their eyes meeting, a soft smile on his lips. "Cause I was going to meet you here after either way."

Biting her lip worry settled in the pit of Joey's stomach. "But if you're feeling sick, I don't want you to come back here."

Rolling his eyes Pacey held her closer. "Then as long as Bessie doesn't kill me, I'll go to your place."

"Bessie won't kill you." Joey reassured running her hands up the length of his arms, stopping to tease the hair at the back of his neck. "She was just shocked to find us kissing. Apparently even she never thought you and I would get together."

"Of course not." Pacey growled pulling back from her, her arms dropping to her sides as she watched him turn away. "Am I that bad of a person that I'm not even good enough to be on your romantic radar."

"What? Why would you say that?"

Swiveling back toward her he shrugged, the despondent look returning to his face. "Joey, this time last year you would've thought the same." Shaking his head, he pointed toward the road. "I'm just gonna go."

"Pace!" Watching him head toward the main road from the school, she sighed. She hated that he had to walk to the hospital. He was tired enough from the cancer, add in the chemotherapy and he was exhausted, sometimes sick.

Shaking her head Joey turned back to the school, already wishing the day was over.

-break-

Pacey rubbed tiredly at his temples. He had checked in for chemo a few minutes previous. After his somewhat argument with Joey, he just wanted to go home and hide in the blankets of his bed, instead by the time he got home he would be face deep in porcelain.

The last round of chemo Doug found him on the school bathroom floor, vomiting to the point of near dehydration. Doug got him to his patrol car and took him to the hospital. He spent the night on fluids before they discharged him.

"Pacey?"

Pacey' eyes lifted to the petite nurse; the name Sarah emblazed on her name tag.

"Were ready for you."

Nodding Pacey followed silently. Sitting in the uncomfortable recliner, he pulled up his sleeve, leaning back to let the nurse insert the needle. He felt like a pin cushion and looked like a druggie with all the bruises and marks from the needles up and down his arms.

Feeling the needle bury into his forearm he let out a sigh. The little bit of pain he felt oddly grounding him, the reality of his new life trickling through his veins.

-break-

Gnawing on her lip Joey followed Pacey's usual route back toward the hospital. He hadn't come back by the school like she hoped, and she knew he wouldn't automatically head home.

She nearly turned back around to head to his house when she spotted him leaning against a red oak, his chest visually moving up and down. "Pace…" When he didn't respond she stepped closer her hand taking his. "Pace what is it?"

"Nothing…" He grumbled pulling away slightly, his body swaying against the tree. "What do you want Jo?"

"What I want…Pace…" Joey cupped his cheeks, pulling his face to hers, studying his face in concern. "Is you."

"Jo…am I just pity for you?" His words seemed slurred which twisted her heart.

"No of course not you idiot." She chided him gently pulling him in and catching his lips.

"What the hell is this?" Dawson's booming voice jolted the pair apart as he and Jen walked up to them. "Joey?"

Turning to their 'friend' Joey snapped. "What do you want me to say Dawson?" Flipping around to the blonde she didn't notice as Pacey moved away, his breath labored. "Not that it matters to you but there is an 'us' her now. Pacey and I are an us."

"Have you lost your mind?" Dawson shrieked while stepping between Joey and Pacey, his arms flailing wildly. "All he's after is sex. You remember Ms. Jacobs?"

"Dawson you are wrong on so many levels." Joey hissed at him, Jen who had been watching the interaction, stepped over next to the other woman both their eyes on a hunched over Pacey behind Dawson.

"Yeah, Dawson you're overreacting." Jen baulked, crossing her arms across her chest causing his eyes to widen.

"I'm overreacting? Joey has despised Pacey since we were kids."

"Yes, he and I were not nice to each other when we were kids but that was before I learned how to understand him." As the words left her lips her heart shattered watching Pacey drop face first into the ground. "PACEY!"

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