Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters contained within this story. They belong to Kevin Williamson and all of the other people affiliated with the television show Dawson's Creek.
Authot's Note: This is sort of an experimental fanfiction. On that note, please send lots of feedback, good or bad. I really need help with plot lines so I'd be most appreciative to ideas or criticisms. Email your feedback to JoeyPacey@Hotmail.com. Thanks!
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Capeside was nearly ready for Christmas. A small dusting of snow covered the treetops and roofs and colored Christmas lights sparkled from the houses. In the Ryan household, decorations were everywhere. Christmas cards were stacked on the fireplace and garlands were draped prettily from the staircase.
"Jennifer," Mrs. Ryan said as she pulled a fresh tray of cookies from the oven, "Your parents called today. They informed me that they are coming down for the holidays. Isn't that wonderful?"
Jen nibbled on a gingerbread man, "Fabulous."
Mrs. Ryan looked up and studied her grand-daughter's face for signs of emotion. Finding none she said, "Forgive me for saying this, Jennifer, but I seem to find a marked lack of enthusiasm in response to this news."
"I guess I'm just tired." Jen snapped the head off of the gingerbread man.
Mrs. Ryan cleared her throat and continued transferring the cookies from the tray to a plate. Jen abruptly rose from her seat.
"I'd better get going, Grams. My English study group meets today." Jen said.
"I'm so glad you've been concentrating on your studies, Jennifer. Run along dear, don't be late!" Jen's Grams gushed appreciatively.
Jen rushed out into the cold afternoon air. Her breath made white clouds in front of her as she walked to Joey's house. Recently, Joey had become her friend, her only confidante in Capeside after the Abby fiasco. After several minutes Jen reached her destination. She knocked on the Potter's door and Joey answered.
"Hey Jen!" The tall brunette said amiably, "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, nothing much. I just had to get out." Jen replied, her spirits somewhat lifting.
"Well come on in, I was on my way to Dawson's," Joey began while pulling on a thick snow jacket.
"Oh!" Jen exclaimed, "I'll leave if you want.."
"No, no. Don't worry about it. Dawson won't mind if you come too. It's just a normal movie night, we always need a new insight." Joey replied.
"I don't want you to feel obligated, it's all right Joey." Jen began to open the door.
"I don't mind, come on Jen, we're going to Dawson's." Joey pulled Jen out the door and they began walking.
**********
"Dawson!" Gale yelled up the stairwell, "I'm going out."
"Okay." Dawson yelled back, he knew his mother was going out on a date. This fact didn't make him very enthusiastic.
As the door closed Dawson flopped down on his bed, the television blaring in front of him. It was hard to believe that his mother and father were getting a divorce. First it was dealing with his mother's infedelity, now this. Not only that, Joey hadn't been around much. She was always busy with something, studying, holiday work, working at the Icehouse, or taking care of Alex. That left him with only Pacey to confide in.
"Hey, Dawson!" Joey said cheerfully, "We're here!"
"We?" Dawson said skeptically, "Who is this we you speak of?"
"Jen," Joey replied, "Come on Jen, I told you Dawson won't mind."
Jen sheepishly entered the warm room. "Hi Dawson." She noticed his expression of surprise, "If you want, I can leave."
Dawson immediately felt ashamed, "No, no, stay."
Jen sat down on the chair near his computer while Joey and Dawson reclined on the bed.
"What's tonights feature presentation?" Joey asked, turning her head to face Dawson's.
"A full marathon of holiday shows." Dawson held up a small stack of video cassettes.
"Fabulous." Joey replied and turned back to face the screen. All the while Jen remained quiet. She felt as if she were an intruder, out of place in Dawson's room. Nothing felt worse than being an outcast.
Joey noticed Jen's odd silence, "Hey Jen, what is your family doing for the holidays?"
"My biological family or the Capeside one?" Jen replied bitterly
"Troubles in paradise?" Dawson said as he turned to face Jen.
"I'd hardly call it paradise. The parental unit are venturing down to Capeside for Christmass. How merry." Jen said monotonously.
"It's a sad, sad world Charlie Brown." Joey said, sighing.
"Joey, are you using my movie analogies for your cynical comments?" Dawson chastised his friend.
"Yesss..." Joey said slowly.
"Stop it. It's nearly Christmas. Where's your Christmas cheer?" Dawson continued.
"Oh no. Don't start, Dawson." Joey said, burying her face into one of Dawson's pillows.
"Just promise not to do it again." Dawson said half jokingly.
"I promise." Joey sighed.
"You swear?" Dawson wouldn't give up.
"Dawson," Joey began, "I solemnly swear on my tape of The English Patient that I will not use your magical movie analogies for evil."
"Much better." Dawson grinned.
The three turned their attention to the television where the local evening news was showing.
"Your Mom off tonight, Dawson?" Joey turned her attention from the screen.
"Yeah, she's on a date." Dawson returned.
Joey replied, "You say date as if it's the plague."
"It might as well be the plague." Dawson spat out.
**********
It was the afternoon of Christmas Day. Jen's parents had been there for three days, it might as well have been three years for Jen. She felt like she was being suffocated. There was an odd change in her parents. They were slightly different. Still the same over-bearing people they had always been, but they weren't quite as affectionate in public as they had always been. No more kisses on the cheek or hugs before they separated to go shopping. Jen found this incredibly weird.
A small tapping on the door snapped Jen back into reality.
"Jen, can I come in?" Mr. Lindley said from the other side of the heavy wooden door.
"Yeah." Jen replied.
"Honey," He sat down on Jen's bed. "I need to tell you something." He patted the seat next to him. Jen sat down.
"Your mother and I are getting a divorce." Mr. Lindley said flatly as Mrs. Lindley came into the room. She sat down on the bed next to Jen.
"What?" Jen was in a state of shock.
"I know this may be a surprise, but.." Mrs. Lindley tried to explain.
"But you were so happy when I left! I thought you loved each other!" Jen yelled.
"Lower your voice young lady!" Mr. Lindley commanded.
"Dont' talk to her like that!" Mrs. Lindley reprimanded her soon to be ex-husband.
"I'll talk to her however I want to! I'm her father!" Mr. Lindley yelled back.
"Great father you were! Screwing various women around town. Now you're marrying that tramp Celeste. She's half your age!" Mrs. Lindley yelled.
"What?" Jen interrupted her parents argument, "Dad, you're getting married?"
"Yes." Her father's voice returned to his normal tone.
"I...I just can't handle this now." Jen ran out of the room. She sprinted as quickly as she could outside into the cold air, forgetting a jacket or a scarf.
**********
"God, Jen. What's wrong!" Joey placed a mug of warm hot chocolate in front of her friend. Bessie and Bodie had retreated into their room with Alex, knowing that Joey and Jen needed to be alone.
Jen buried her face in her arms and sobbed the tears that wouldn't come out minutes before.
"You must be freezing! Here..." Joey wrapped a thick quilt around Jen and sat down next to her friend.
Jen gave Joey a wavering smile and sipped her hot cocoa appreciatively.
"Now are you ready to tell me what's wrong?" Joey placed a plate of homemade Christmas cookies on the table, taking one for herself.
"It's my parents." Jen's voice was raspy from crying and from being in the cold air so long. "They're getting a divorce. And my dad....my dad is getting remarried to a 20 year old bimbo from New York."
"Oh.." Joey's voice trailed off uncomfortably. "You've touched upon one of the rare topics I do understand. My father, the one that's in prison, went off with a cocktail waitress when my mother needed him most. The worst part was that he didn't care. But your father does care about you. He wouldn't have sent you to Capeside if he didn't care for you."
"Thanks for trying, Joey." Jen replied unhappily
**********
"Merry Christmas, Dawson." Gale Leery handed her son a gift. Mitch and Gale had decided to spend one last Christmas together, mostly for Dawson's sake.
Dawson ripped open the rather large box which revealed a plethora of video/movie making equipment. Much more advanced than what he already had.
"Thanks, Mom!" Dawson said, genuinely pleased.
"Here you go, Dawson" Mitch handed his son a package.
To Dawson, this was the ideal Christmas. His parents together, and seemingly happy. Hopefully this might bring his parents back together.
"Thanks, Dad!" Dawson said to his father after revealing the book about Spielburg behind the wrapping paper.
"Sure, son" Mitch patted his son affectionately on the shoulder.
"The Potter's are coming over for dinner, right?" Dawson asked his parents.
"As usual, Dawson. We'd never change that tradition." Gale smiled at her son.
**********
Joey was attempting to get ready for Christmas dinner at the Leery household. Attempting being the key word. Alex kept on fussing and whimpering in his playpen, he refused to be entertained by anything set before him. In desperation Joey turned on the television and tuned into the claymation version of Frosty the Snowman. Alex soon quieted and settled down.
"Finally." Joey said aloud and rummaged through her closet for something to wear. Joey finally decided on a khaki skirt that she wore for most formal occasions and a black shirt with a matching sweater.
As Joey slipped on her pantyhose and black sandals she remembered that she also had to dress Alex. Bessie and Bodie were busy making the dessert they were supposed to bring to the dinner. Jen had left a few hours ago, still depressed about her current family situation. Joey felt horrible, she couldn't find a way to cheer her friend up.
"Joey! Let's go, we're going to be late!" Bodie yelled from the kitchen.
Joey picked up her little cousin, "I'm coming!"
Alex kicked and squirmed under Joey's grasp. It had taken her fifteen minutes of struggling to get his shoes on and now he had them untied and nearly falling off. Joey rushed passed Bodie, who was frantically covering the cake he had just frosted in tin foil without smearing the writing.
The Potter family piled into their old truck with the baby seat in the back for Alex. Joey climbed into the back after strapping Alex in and Bessie and Bodie took their places in the front of the truck. In about ten minutes they reached the Leery household which was radiant with light.
Gale opened the door and ushered the family in.
"Dawson is up in his room, Joey." Gale informed her son's best friend.
The adults continued to exchange parenting stories and gush over Alex as Joey climbed the stairs to the second floor. Joey found Dawson watching It's A Wonderful Life on television.
"Hey, Dawson." Joey entered the room holding the gift she had gotten for him.
"Hey, Jo." Dawson replied.
"Merry Christmas." Joey handed her package to him. In return Dawson handed a wrapped package to her.
Joey pulled out the picture frame Dawson had given her with a picture of the four of them. It was taken a few weekends ago, everyone looked so cheerful. The wooden frame was engraved with the words about and having to do with friendship. The words seemed to be burned in and were written in several different scripts.
Joey's gift to Dawson was an E.T. metal lunch box. She had found it a few weeks ago in an antique shop downtown.
"It's just like the one I had when I was little!" Dawson cried happily. He cradled the lunch box carefully.
"I know. Remember when you lost it? You cried for days!" Joey laughed at the memory.
Dawson blushed, "I didn't cry."
"Don't try to cover it up, Dawson."
**********
"Jen, tomorrow you're coming up to New York with me to meet your new stepmother. Her name is Celeste, you'll love her. No ifs ands or buts, your coming. I've arranged everything." Mr. Lindley lectured.
"What if I don't want to come?" Jen asked.
"That's not an option."
**********
Pacey woke up on Christmas morning not expecting anything. His family wasn't big on celebrating holidays, they weren't big on celebrating at all. Out of the corner of his eye Pacey saw someone sitting in his room. His brain was too tired to function, so he flopped back down on the bed, ready to return to slumber.
"We've been waiting for you to get up all morning, Pace, move your lazy butt." The stranger commanded.
Pacey flipped over so he was facing the ceiling and groaned, "Theresa?"
"And Todd," Todd added.
Theresa was Pacey's one and only older sister and Todd was her fiance. She was the one person in the Witter family who understood Pacey and the only Witter who Pacey considered a friend. Todd was equally kind, in a quirky and comical sort of way. Much better than Doug.
Theresa nudged her little brother's mattress, trying to force him up.
"It's Christmas day you know." She said as if it wasn't common knowledge.
"Really? Next thing you know, you'll be telling me the sky is a shade of blue." Pacey said dryly, morning wasn't his favorite time of day.
"Shut up little bro and get going, don't you want your Christmas gift?" Theresa said with an elderly sister air.
"You know as well as I do that Dad, Mom, and Doug won't give me a gift." Pacey muttered through his pillow.
"That leaves Theresa and I, why would we forget our favorite Witter? Sure you may be sardonic, annoying, and downright rude in the morning,....." Todd joked.
"I'm up, I'm up." Pacey sat up, eyes half closed.
"Good, now get dressed and downstairs and we'll take you to your present." Theresa said mysteriously.
Theresa and Todd lived together up near Providence. They were quite well off, both had prominent jobs and Todd's family was very wealthy. Suffice to say, Todd was a very generous person.
"Take me to my present?" Pacey slowly gained interest in waking up.
Theresa and Todd both grinned, "We won't tell you anything." Todd said, making Pacey even more curious.
Minutes later Pacey was ready in a clean pair of jeans and sweatshirt. He bounded down the stairs like a giddy little kid on Christmas day. Pacey stopped at the stairwell, his father was sitting near the Christmas tree they had set up since last week. Colored lights twinkled on the tree and homemade and machine made decorations hung from the branches. Pacey had stopped coming down for Christmas when he was 13. That was the year he hadn't recieved any gifts, only the ones from Dawson and Joey. He decided to spare the hurt of knowing that his parents didn't care and stay in his room for the morning. This Christmas was already different, his sister was back. Theresa rarely came home, she also hated their current family situation. Pacey walked out the door without exchanging any words with the father that caused him so much pain.
Soon Pacey was in the warm car with his sister and soon-to-be brother in law. They remained mysterious about Pacey's gift and no matter how much prodding, refused to tell him. Todd drove for about five minutes until they reached an apartment complex nearby. Todd and Theresa led Pacey up to the third floor to apartment number 307. It was spacious and fully decorated.
"Wow.." Pacey was in awe, this must have cost them a lot of money.
"Like it?" Theresa was grinning foolishly. "It's yours. Todd's family chipped in a little. We'll pay the electrical and heating bills until you get back on your feet. Isn't it great? You always wanted to live without Dad and Doug ridiculing you, right?"
Pacey was elated. He loved the gift, he couldn't imagine a life without the constant string of derogatory comments from his family. This Christmas was turning out much better than expected.
Look for the next installment soon. It will be titled The Stepmother.