Joey climbed through the window of Dawson Leery's house.

"Hey Dawson," she said casually, flopping down next to him on his bed.

"Hey Jo," Dawson absently replies while rewinding and playing a part on one of his many videos.

Joey glances at the screen, noticing that Dawson is noticeably entranced with whatever is going on on the TV. On the screen is Jen, this is the same tape he replayed over and over right after he hooked up with her, Joey acknowledges this with dismay.

"Dawson," Joey says with a small hint of bitterness," I thought you were over her."

"I am," Dawson replies, still watching," I am just reminiscing."

"You can't reminisce, this was only a couple of weeks ago!" Joey is obviously frustrated.

"Yeah, but I've been analyzing this and don't you think that Jen's charm is all in the way she smiles, talks, everything. Don't you think she looks really good here?" Dawson asks and looks over at Joey.

Joey is sleeping peacefully. Recently Alex had begun teething and causing a whole new set of problems for her. Dawson sighs, and turns off the VCR. He flips around cable channels for about two minutes until he finds a rerun of the local news. Dawson still hasn't managed to completely forgive his mother for what she did to his dad, and what she did to their no longer picture perfect family.

A knock at the door brings a sudden halt to Dawson's train of thoughts. He carefully gets up, so as not to wake Joey, and opens the door.

"Hey man, do you mind if I crash here for the night?" Pacey asks,"The Witter family is having their official policemen appreciation night, which I choose not to attend."

"Sure Pace," Dawson replies," Keep it down though, Joey just fell asleep during one of my Jen stories."

"Don't sound so disappointed," Pacey says reclining next to Joey on Dawson's bed,"Those stories could put Jen to sleep."

Joey's eyes open and she looks around, not yet realizing that she is still in Dawson's room.

Pacey leans over and says ,"Was it good for you too?"

"Omigod!" Joey jumps up and then sees Dawson with a devilish smirk on his face,"Dawson, how could you let this cretin in here?"

Pacey fakes a hurt look,"You mean..."

"Shut up Pacey, Dawson, what's up for movie night tonight?"

"Well, we have all of the Spielberg classics, a few other ones, and my favorite ET, being as it is Dawson's Spielberg Appreciation night, I vote ET."

"How many times do we need to watch this before you get bored of it?"

"I don't know about me, but I'm sure Pacey needs to see it again." Dawson gives Joey an innocent look.

"Fine..." Joey says, ready to endure another night of ET.

************************************************************************ "JOEY!" came Bessie's yell from somewhere inside their small home,"Get up now, school starts in an hour!"

"What I put myself through...." Joey mumbled angrily.

Ten minutes later Joey jumped out of the shower and changed into a pair of khakies and a light blue V-neck sweater. Looking at the clock, she quickly grabbed her backpack and a bite to eat before rushing out the door. She walks partway down the brown dirt driveway and then looks up in surprise, Pacey stands before her.

"Pacey," Joey says, wondering what he is going to torment her about today,"What are you doing here?"

"Spent the night at Dawson's remember? I figured that I'd drop by.."

"That's all?" Joey says increduously, getting her witchiest comments ready for what every Pacey had in store for her.

"What else should I say?" Pacey says apprehensively.

"Nevermind," Joey finally replies after a slight pause,"We'd better get to school or else we'll be late."

Joey and Pacey walk together towards Capeside High School, where unbeknownsted to them, Dawson and Jen are making amends.

************************************************************************

"Hey Dawson," Jen says quietly.

"Hey, what are you doing here so early?" Dawson racks his brain for a decent conversation starter.

"I had to make up an English quiz, I swear that man has something against me..." Her voice trails off.

"How could he not like you Jen I mean you're smart, polite, beautiful, I mean, sorry, I forgot..." Dawson blushes and then looks down at his shoes.

"Oh!" Jen says in utter surprise," That's okay Dawson...I've been meaning to talk to you about that, I mean, us..."

"Clarify," Dawson says, suddenly interested in the conversation.

"Recently, Dawson, I've really been regretting what I did, breaking up with you. So far you are, were the best thing to happen to me, and I squandered that opportunity over one thing. I guess when Billy came it just brought on too many old memories of New York, I needed time to cool off.." Jen pauses.

"What are you saying?" Dawson says expectantly.

"You know what I mean Dawson, I made a mistake, I want to get back together." Jen said.

************************************************************************

"Jo, do you remember the summer before last?" Pacey says, while trying to keep up with Joey's fast walking pace.

"Hunh?" Joey says unfazed.

"The summer before last, we spent most of the summer down at the beach.."

"Yeah, so?"

"We promised to never let anything get in the way of our friendship, right?"

"Yes," Joey says slowly.

"Well, you shouldn't let Jen get in the way of your friendship with Dawson.."

"I'm not!" Joey says defensively.

"Just keep it in mind." Pacey mumbles.

"Whatever," Joey returns.

************************************************************************

Dawson gives Jen a kiss, thankful that he no longer has to worry about someone else kissing her, someone else holding her hand. At that moment Joey and Pacey walk in, laughing at some joke Pacey had just made.

"Shut up Pacey! You're so mean!" Joey exclaims,"I don't think that..." Joey stops dead in her tracks when she sees Dawson and Jen. Pacey, noticing the pause, turns around and then winces when he sees the look of want and pain on Joey's face.

"Uhh, come on Jo, we'd better go, you've got to help me study for the History, I didn't study last night and I'll bomb without your help," Pacey practically pulls Joey down the hallway towards Jen and Dawson, now talking.

"Oh, hey guys!" Jen says happily to Joey and Pacey.

"Hey," Pacey says.

"Yeah," Joey mumbles.

"So.." Dawson says, noticing Joey's sullen mood," Where were you this morning Pace? I woke up and you were gone, I doubted you'd come to school early.."

"I went to visit my wonderful mute friend Joey." Pacey says, trying to get Joey to say something.

"Don't you need to study for that test Pace?" Joey says, making an effort to get as far away from the happy couple as possible.

"Yeah, I'd better go, I'll see you." He says to Dawson and Jen.

Pacey runs to catch up with Joey, who at the moment is already halfway down the hall.

"Jo!" Pacey yells while dodging students and teachers," Wait up!"

He finally catches up to her "What's the rush?" Pacey asks.

"You know Pacey, take a guess.." Joey's voice full of sarcasm and hatred.

"Down doggy, down.."Pacey tries to make a joke to lighten the situation.

"Listen Pacey, I'm really not in the mood to talk to anyone right now okay?" with that she rushes out of the old school building and heads towards the ruins.

Pacey follows "Just to make sure she doesn't get hurt." he thinks to himself, knowing that it is more than that.

************************************************************************

"Dawson," Jen inquires,"Do you know if something is up with Joey?"

"I'm not sure..." Dawson hates it that he can't be there for her.

"Well.." Jen says looking at Dawson. He is obviously thinking of something else.

"I just remembered, Nellie wanted me to set up something for Helmets of Glory, I'd better do it." Dawson says abruptly.

"You want help?"

"NO! I mean not thanks, it's really just a small job.."

"Alright, then I'll see you at lunch?"

"Right."

Jen watches Dawson walk away. "What's going to happen to us?" she thinks. Jen wants to think that she and Dawson will always and forever be a happy couple, unfazed by their love for eachother, but she knows this won't and can't be true.

************************************************************************

Dawson walked calmly down the halway until he was out of Jen's sight. Looking both ways, he finally spotted Pacey who was about to leave the building. Dawson ran, occasionally crashing into a student or two, but he didn't mind nor did he notice.

"Pace!" Dawson gasped out of breath,"I need to talk to you!"

"Shoot." Pacey says ,"Say it quickly, I'm kinda in a hurry."

"What's wrong with Joey?"

"Other then the insane asylum she never was admitted into.."

"I'm serious Pace."

"Okay, okay. We walked into school this morning and I guess we both saw something that we weren't meant to see. Need I say more?"

"Are her feelings hurt?"

"I don't know, I gotta go Dawson, be seein ya!" Pacey said before he took off.

Dawson debated for a moment before deciding to ditch school. His best friend was more important than anything to him, he needed to talk to her.

************************************************************************

Pacey thought for a moment before realizing where Joey would have gone. He rushed towards the ruins and found Joey siting on one of the stone benches.

"Hey Jo," Pacey said quietly.

"Go away Pacey."

"No, you need to talk to someone. Since you can't talk to Dawson, you might as well talk to me."

"You can't be serious."

Joey leans on Pacey, glad that she can let off the unbearable weight placed upon her shoulders.

"I understand more than you can comprehend, Jo."

"It hurts so much Pacey." Joey says in almost a whisper,"Everytime I saw her...and him. I thought it was over, but now..."

"But now I'm here,Joey, no more worries."

"Great," Joey sits up with a smile ," Dawson gets the blonde not-so-much-a-virgin-anymore and I get the guy who had is teacher instead of someone his age."

"I wouldn't be talking sweetie."

"Neither would I honey-bunches of oats. Seriously, thanks Pacey."

"Anytime."

Joey lifts her head of Pacey's shoulder revealing a tear-stained face.

"It'll be okay Jo, you just wait and see.." Pacey pushes back a strand of Joey's hair. He suddenly notices how beautiful she is, not like he hadn't seen it before, but it was different this time. Joey looked at him, realizing how good he had been to her, thankful to have a good friend like Pacey.

The two of them looked into eachother's eyes and then leaned towards eachother, their lips finally touching. Pacey and Joey kissed under the dark green leaves with the sun shining on them and Dawson watching painfully from the shadows.

To Be Continued...

Please send all comments to JoeyPacey@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading! Danielle