Indian Summer
Part 5 and the final installment in the Reunited series
by Bitsy

Rating: PG

Short Summary: Dawson and Joey admit their hidden feelings for each other and Pacey and Jen realize that, after only one night, they are falling in love.

Disclaimer: The disclaimer mentioned in part 1 applies to all parts of the story.

* * * * *

The heavy mahogany doors shut softly behind Pacey and Jen. It was 2AM and they had closed the hotel bar. While almost six hours of drinking was enough to get anyone buzzed, both of them had taken it easy and probably only had one drink an hour. It really had been a good night for both of them.

Jen couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. Not only was Pacey as crazy and funny as he’d always been, he’d really matured into a man with a serious side. They’d had quite a handful of laughs that evening, but had also talked seriously about their lives, heartbreaks, and goals for the future. Although Columbia Law was notorious for being a husband-shopping base for Columbia and Barnard girls, Jen revealed that she was serious about getting involved with international law and hoped to get a position working for the UN after her graduation next May. Pacey revealed that, although he loved his job, he was tiring of life in LA and was interested in moving to a quieter place and maybe taking a break from his career.

Neither of them wanting the night to end, Jen suggested that they take a walk by the harbor. Feeling electricity run through her body as Pacey took her hand, Jen did not object. Walking along the dock kind of reminded them both of Capeside. At 3AM, Boston was quiet along the waterfront. They reminisced about their high school days for what seemed like hours. Upon reaching a dead end, Jen realized how far they had walked.

«Wow, Pacey, we’re at the end--I didn’t realize how far we’d gone....», Jen began.

«I guess we’d better head back...», Pacey finished for her.

Stopping and taking her other hand, Pacey stared down at her. Lost in each other, neither could move. Each knew the other was having a great time, and each could feel his own attraction as well as the other’s. Jen and Pacey could read each other’s thoughts, and each knew that the other could read his. Pacey, despite the fact that he was the eternal lover of beautiful women, had not felt the kind of attraction and connection that he felt for Jen ever before. Jen had never been so swept off her feet. This was not the alcohol talking--the alcohol had simply ridded each of his inhibitions to admit it to himself. After only one night, Pacey and Jen were rapidly falling in love with each other.

Pacey caressed Jen’s face with his right hand and circled her waist with his left, bringing her up to him, kissing her softly and with more of his heart than he had ever kissed any other woman. The two of them remained locked in one another’s embrace until the sun could be seen over the horizon.

* * * * *

Joey was so moved by Pacey’s letter that she was without physical reaction. In her dreams and fantasies, when Dawson revealed that he still loved her, she had always imagined herself as moved to tears or being swept up in a deep passionate kiss. This revelation, this confession, was so real that Joey didn’t think that it had hit her that this was all happening. An otherwise romantic date with Dawson for which she had inadvertently transformed herself into Cinderella, champagne, roses, and candles to set the right mood, she, Dawson, a bed...This was better than her wildest fantasies!

Dawson brought her back down to earth as he touched her arm softly. She shifted slightly back around on the edge of the bed so that she was facing him more. He had done the same. Captivated by his stare, Joey didn’t know what to do. She was close enough so that she could lean slightly over and kiss him, but doing that might widen the gap between them--and there was still a gap between them. One night, no matter how skillfully planned, could not easily wipe away eight years of secrets and lies. Suddenly conscious again of the bigger picture, she realized that Dawson’s letter was still in his hand. Could it say what she thought it did? Looking down at the refolded letter in Dawson’s hand, his eyes followed hers, and then caught them again.

Without words, Joey stood, breaking the trance they both seemed to be in. Dawson followed quickly in standing. Facing each other, facing the truth from which they could no longer hide, their eyes met. They could no longer lie to themselves and each other about their true feelings, but where would they begin in admitting their love and explaining their actions? For the first time in eight years, they looked at each other without blinders on and saw how in love they still were after so much time. The note that Dawson still held in his hands slipped inaudibly out of his fingers and onto the floor as he wrapped his arms around Joey. She sobbed into his shoulder, tears of joy and relief. The weight of the world had just been lifted off her shoulders. Dawson took her all in--the softness of her body against his and the perfection with which it fit into his embrace, the silkiness of her hair, the scent that was Joey coming back to him now. Never, ever again could he let this magical creature that he loved so dearly go.

Stroking her hair tenderly, Dawson rubbed her back through her light, satiny dress and kissed the top of her head. He was a new man. Now that he knew that Joey still loved him, his reason to live had been renewed. Tears of relief ran down Dawson’s cheeks. Finally, Joey stopped crying and came up for air (Dawson had been holding onto her so tightly that breathing had been difficult, but Joey hadn’t minded--she wouldn’t have wanted to be lost in anyone else’s embrace). Seeing Dawson’s tears as she pulled away, Joey brought her hands immediately to Dawson’s face to wipe them away. He closed his eyes, bowing his head as her soft finger brushed his cheek. She raised herself to him and kissed him softly where the tears had been, carressing his face gently, looking at him in the candlelight.

Dawson opened his eyes as if his magical princess had kissed him awake out of his eight year sleep. Never before had she been so beautiful as she was right then. Bringing her back in to him, he lightly brushed her soft lips to his. He touched the back of his fingers tenderly to her jaw and began kissing her more deeply, allowing his tongue to explore her, savoring the taste of her mouth. As he lost himself within her, his excitement grew--but soon, his mind overruled the longings of his body and intervened. Not wanting to be too forward, he used every ounce of restraint he had to pull away from her.

Dawson was sure that by the sincerity of his tears and the intensity of his kiss that Joey now knew that Dawson still loved her. Nonetheless, he wanted her to know that he hadn’t wanted things to happen like they had.

«Joey, I--I know that this whole night has been...», Dawson sighed, paused for a moment, and started over. «Joey, I need you to know that I never wanted things to happen this way. I wanted to tell you on my own and in my own way, but I didn’t know how, and I know that this is the worst possible time for you, but--but now that you’re here and I’m here and we’ve clearly been set up...Joey, I love you. I’ve always loved you. There’s never been any other woman in my life who’s compared to you. I never thought that you would ever want a guy like me again. You had everything going for you--I felt like I had no place in your life anymore, so I pushed you away and hoped that I would get over you, but I never, ever did and now I know I never will.»

Upon saying his last words, Dawson dropped one of Joey’s hands and turned slightly away from her. He had just bared his heart and soul to her. His dearest fantasy as well as his biggest fear surrounded this moment. He had often dreamt about telling Joey how much he loved her. Many times, that dream had turned into a nightmare in which Joey had told him that she had made a mistake, that she was sorry, and that her heart belonged to somebody else. It was the moment of truth--Dawson turned away because he didn’t know if he could survive a heartbreak worse than the eight years that he had already endured. He waited for her reaction, preparing himself for the worst.

«Dawson, the only reason why I was going to marry Christian in the first place was because I thought that it was going to be my last chance.», Joey began painfully, sitting down on the bed, «...I looked at my 26-year-old self today and pictured an 86-year-old spinster version of me, without children or anybody to have shared my life with. If I followed my heart, Dawson, I knew that I would spend my whole life waiting for you. When Christian proposed to me, I realized that you might never come, and I thought that marrying him would be my ticket to at least partial emotional fulfillment.» She sighed. «Last night in Capeside, being back there, realizing that marriage was forever and admitting to myself that marrying Christian would be using him for something that wouldn’t even work made my decision to call off a wedding which I never should have agreed to final...Because Dawson, I have never, not even for a second forgotten about you or stopped loving you. In my ideal life, I have always pictured us married, traveling the world, chasing after our cute little children, and growing old together. And whether it ever happens or not, I have to hold on to that, Dawson, because I know I’ll never find another man like you.»

Joey reached for Dawson’s hand as he turned his head to face her. Putting his arm around her as he seated himself on the bed, he brought Joey’s free hand to his heart. Looking her straight in the eye and saying with more conviction than he had said anything ever before, Dawson spoke.

«I promise, on my life, that I will never, ever leave you again. My heart beats for you, Josephine Potter, and now that I have you back I will never let you go.»

Joey smiled as she leaned her head onto Dawson’s shoulder. She felt like heaven. She would kiss Jen and Pacey tomorrow if she could tear herself away from Dawson long enough. Just a few hours ago, as she had gotten ready for her ‘dinner with Christian’ and Jen had given Joey her motivational pep-talk, a positive feeling had been born within Joey, and now she knew that she had been right--today was the first day of the rest of her life.

«Watch it, buster--just ‘cause you’re some big Hollywood director does not mean you get to start calling me Josephine...»

* * * * *

Jen could not believe the thoughts that were running through her own head. Standing in the hallway of the hotel in front of her room, she couldn’t comprehend her reluctance at saying goodbye to Pacey. Even though she’d be seeing him tomorrow, she had actually contemplated inviting him in for a night-cap (completely ignoring the fact that it was almost 6:30AM)! It had been the most mind-blowing and unbelievable night that Jen had ever had. Never before had she been so enraptured by a person and so sure of her own feelings for him. She wanted to tell him what she was thinking, discuss ways that they could overcome time limitations and distance to continue seeing each other, but her better judgement told her that that was still premature. Besides, they would definitely be brought together for one reason or another by their best friends the next day.

«Pacey, I had a wonderful time tonight», Jen murmured into his ear as they hugged.

«So did I, Jen.», Pacey said, releasing her from his grip and gazing lovingly into her eyes.

«I hope that we can do it again soon. If you’d let me, I’d love to take you out.», Pacey continued, caressing her face and kissing her softly on the cheek. Jen melted.

«Definitely...», she said smiling innocently and blushing.

She watched his suave figure walk down the hall before entering her room. Closing th door behind her, she leaned against it excitedly. In playing matchmaker for two of her best friends, she had managed to hook herself up with the third! Slipping into her nightshirt and closing the heavy drapes, Jen stared at the light coming through the cracks as she fell asleep, thinking of the sunrise that she and Pacey had watched together.

* * * * *

With the burden of carrying their secret love for each other lifted off of their shoulders, over champagne and Strawberries, Dawson and Joey told each other eight years of what they hadn’t been able to. Dawson told Joey about the feelings of guilt and betrayal that he had experienced dating other women, and the way that he compared every woman to her. He told her how lonely he had been without her and admitted that he had all but given up on getting her back, but that her memory had haunted him so much that he hadn’t been able to date in over two years. Joey told Dawson how cold and empty she had felt. The only thing that had kept her going was her research in her mother’s memory. Otherwise, Joey had felt dead inside, and hopeless when she thought about getting him back. Many men asked her out, but she had had no desire to date. ‘Seeing’ Christian had actually grown out of a close friendship, but she didn’t really consider them a couple--to him, she was delicate and virginal, so physically, their relationship had been innocent.

As they poured their hearts out to each other, Joey found herself falling more deeply in love. Not only did she love the Dawson she had known from her childhood--this Dawson was even more appealing. His face had thinned out a little, giving its shape more definition, and the intensity of his dark hazel eyes showed that they had lost some of the innocence they once had. Slightly taller than she remembered him, he now held a certain physical presence that he previously had not. His smooth gait and soft voice added to his sex appeal. But despite the fact that he had grown into such a striking man, his most becoming of childhood qualities, like his genuine smile and his adorability upon blushing, had remained.

After the last strawberry had been eaten and the last sip of champagne drunk, Joey rose from her place across from Dawson at their breakfast table on the patio. Walking up to the stone wall which lined the large balcony, Joey looked up at the indigo sky. She loved that color--the one that appeared before the sun could be sensed and after the night still lingered in the air. Dawson knew that for as long as he lived, he would never forget the way Joey looked at that moment. Her silky dress blew slowly in the morning breeze causing the dress to cling to her body in the most becoming of ways. Her eyes were cast upto the sky, her arms resting on the stone balcony wall, as threads of soft, misplaced hair swept elegantly across her face.

Dawson needed her in his arms again. Rising, he strode over to her and stepped in behind her, wrapping his arms around hers, lowering his head to softly kiss her neck. There the happy couple stood, reunited, watching their first sunrise together in eight years.

When all traces of night had left the sky, the two lovers retreated back into their bedroom, changed into their nightclothes, and climbed into bed, content with merely holding one another. They each slept the longest and most sound sleep that they had in years--in the arms of the one they loved, there was no need to dream, for all that they wanted had come true.

*****The Next Day*****

Pacey woke, yawning, and groping blindly on his nighttable for his watch. Looking at it groggily, he waited for it to come into focus. At first, he had thought it said 4:00. Flipping on the TV to watch the news, he saw that Oprah was on. Looking back at the watch, he saw that it was indeed 4:00PM! Jumping out of bed and into the shower, Pacey washed hurriedly. Where were Dawson and Joey and why hadn’t they come to kill he and Jen yet? Maybe their plan had actually worked and Dawson and Joey were busy with other things...Pacey couldn’t help smiling to himself. Last night had been a complete success. He was now sure that Dawson and Joey had gotten together, and he was sure that he had begun to fall in love with Jen. He couldn’t wait to see her again.

Choosing a simple pair of khakis and a casual blue shirt, Pacey dressed, opened his drapes and balcony doors, and wondered where, at 4:30 in the afternoon everyone could be? As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. His heart burst at seeing Jen through the peephole. Quickly opening the door and smiling, he pulled her into his room and kissed her lightly on the lips.

«Good morning, beautiful.», he said, his sexy grey eyes smiling down at her. She swooned.

«Don’t you mean good afternoon?», she recovered. Pacey just smiled.

«How long have you been awake?», Pacey asked, «And where are Dawson and Joey?»

«I just got up about an hour ago, and I came to ask you where Dawson and Joey were.»

«I’m guessing that if they haven’t come after either of us, they’re busy coming onto each other...», Pacey trailed off. Jen giggled.

«Come on, let’s go get lunch.»

As the elevator opened on three, letting Jen and Pacey in, they realized, much to their delight, that the couple kissing deeply inside was Dawson and Joey. They were so into their kiss that they didn’t even notice that the elevator had stopped and that Jen and Pacey were smiling in at them.

«Going down?», Pacey asked, clearing his throat.

Both blushing, they looked up from their kiss, smiling sheepishly when they saw that it was Jen and Pacey who had caught them in the act.

«We come in peace this time, guys», Jen said, «It looks like our mission was accomplished, so no more surprises, we swear.»

«Forgiven!», Dawson and Joey said in unison.

As the large elevator shot them down to the ground floor, Pacey and Joey and Dawson and Jen, who still hadn’t seen each other yet, hugged and kissed each other hello. Impressed with how great each one looked and genuinely delighted at being reunited, all were in good spirits. When the elevator stopped, Pacey and Jen got off first and started walking to one of the hotel restaurants. Holding Joey back a little, Dawson pointed ahead of them at Jen and Pacey. Since they were still within earshot, he had to be discreet about his observation. They’re holding hands!, he mouthed to Joey. She looked, and when she saw, brought her hand to her mouth to conceal the laughter that would have otherwise come out. She felt like she was on an episode of The Love Boat. Looking back up at Dawson, she saw that he had the same thought as she did. Just because Jen and Pacey had been forgiven for interfering with getting Dawson and Joey together didn’t mean that they were off the hook. They might just have to do some scheming of their own...

At the salad bar, Jen prodded Joey for details about what had happened last night with Dawson, but Joey wasn’t giving anything away. She had no time to talk about herself when Pacey and Jen obviously had something going. Revealing that she had seen them holding hands, Joey dug.

«No way, Jen,», she argued, «Not a word about Dawson and I until you spill about what’s going on with Pacey--and don’t think I didn’t see the two of you holding hands earlier.»

«Oh, Joey,», Jen said blushing, «We had the most incredible date last night!»

«Date?», Joey asked incredulously, «I thought you were hanging out with Chad!»

«Merely an alibi--Chad had to work all night and Pacey and I figured that since we had occupied you and Dawson for the night that we’d probably have a good time catching up together.»

«And???», Joey asked expectantly, «Details, Jen, Details!»

«And we had a fabulous time and opened up to each other about our personal lives and talked for hours, and walked along the bay and watched the sun rise...Joey, I never thought you’d hear me say this, but I’ve never been more sure that I think I’m falling in love.»

Back at the table, Dawson and Pacey were having the same discussion. Before Pacey could begin patting himself on the back for his matchmaking skills, Dawson began questioning him.

«So if you got me and Joey together last night, what did you and Jen do?», Dawson asked casually.

Pacey didn’t miss a beat. Dawson was not slick when it came to digging unassumingly for information. Dawson was onto him and Pacey knew it. The fact that his feelings for Jen were real prevented Pacey from coming back with a smartass comment and caused him to open up to his best friend.

«Dawson, I know that this is going to sound wierd and all coming from me, because I know that you think I’m some kind of ‘ladies man’, but--», Pacey hesitated, not believing what he was about to say, «I have never felt what I feel right now, after one night, for anybody else, what I feel for Jen.»

«Are you saying that--»

«Yes, Dawson.», Pacey said earnestly, «I am definitely falling in love with her.»

Before Dawson could prod further, the girls returned from the salad bar, each one sitting next to her respective man. As the two couples ate a light, leisurely lunch, each pair couldn’t stop beaming at how happy the other was. Dawson and Joey feeding each other fruit, which would have otherwise been sickeningly sweet to wittness, seemed cute to Pacey and Jen, because they, too were in love. When Pacey buttered Jen’s bread for her, Joey squeezed Dawson’s leg under the table, smiling widely. It was too much!

They all agreed to get together for dinner, but since it was already after five-thirty, reservations wouldn’t be made for before nine. Tonight’s choice had been one of Jen’s favorite restaurants when she had lived in Boston. Considering the circumstances (because Dawson’s fame severely limited their options if they wanted to go unnoticed by the press), the setup of the restaurant would provide them with the privacy they needed. It was a beautiful day, and Jen and Pacey decided to go window shopping downtown. Dawson and Joey opted to stay at the hotel. Jen made reservations and they agreed to meet at the restaurant at nine-thirty.

* * * * *

«I know it’s a beautiful day, Joey, and I’m sorry we have to stay in...», Dawson said looking out at the city over the balcony, «--it’s just that I want to spend my day with you, not running from the papparazi.» Joey couldn’t help laughing.

«Dawson, I live here. I’m not missing anything by staying indoors. But now that you mention it, I wouldn’t mind making headlines. After all, being seen with the gorgeous heartthrob Hollywood director Dawson Leery couldn’t hurt my pride...», Joey quipped.

«And being seen with the world-renowned cancer specialist-slash-most beautiful woman in the universe, Doctor Josephine Potter, couldn’t hurt mine.», Dawson retorted.

Enjoying each other’s lips for the thousandth time that day, Dawson and Joey kissed deeply. Joey was the first to pull away.

«Later, Dawson.», she said reluctantly. «Now that our best friends have so gracefully brought us together, we need to bring them together. What do you know so far?»

«Only that Pacey is totally in love with Jen.», Dawson said with conviction. «He won’t even admit when he likes a girl, but his actual words were ‘I’m falling in love with Jen.’»

«Jen too.», Joey mused, «You know how she is about love--picky, slow moving...not with Pacey. She says the same. And do you know what I was thinking?»

«What?», Dawson smiled lovingly at Joey. He could see the wheels turning.

«You know how we were talking about taking this week to go on vacation together someplace?», Joey asked.

«Yeah...»

«Well, before, asking Jen and Pacey to come would have been awkward, since, now that we’re a couple again, it would have been like forcing them to watch us swoon all the time. But now that they’re kind of like a couple, why don’t we invite them to come?»

Dawson thought for a minute. It was a great idea! Not only would he be able to spend the week on vacation with his three best lifetime friends in some beautiful, relaxing corner of the world, he would be able to have plenty of private time with Joey. People didn’t realize what a time committment working on movies was. It consumed your life, and Dawson knew that an opportunity like this (especially with all of his friends’ busy schedules) would probably never arise again.

«It’s a great idea, Jo. We’ll bring it up at dinner. And if things in their relationship are going well during the vacation, maybe we’ll have the chance to play cupids ourselves...»

* * * * *

With only the mention of Dawson’s name to the Maitre’d, Jen had managed to reserve them a private room in her favorite French restaurant, Trois Canards, overlooking the harbor. Since it was still kind of strange to think about Dawson, her nextdoor-neigbor-slash-ex-boyfriend-slash-friend as a famous Hollywood director, Jen couldn’t pass up the chance to let Dawson know how tickled by the whole situation she still was.

«Would any of us ever have guessed on graduation day that eight years later all four of us would find ourselves sitting in the VIP room of the best French restaurant in Boston celebrating our friendship and life’s successes?», Jen asked, smiling at her friends.

«Absolutely not!», Dawson laughed. «I thought that maybe if I was lucky my work would get recognized in my thirties, if at all! I never imagined having this much luck.»

«Correction, Dawson, talent. Even if you didn’t know it, we all knew you’d be the next Spielberg», Pacey remarked.

«It is pretty extraordinary.», Joey cut in, «All of us have done exactly what we set out to do.»

«Except for me.», disputed Jen.

«Jen!», Pacey interjected, «You’re quadrilingual, studying international law at one of the top five Law schools in the country, and have every other skill you could possibly need to make it. Somehow, I think you have nothing to worry about...» Jen’s smile at Pacey lingered past the moment.

«Joey’s right.», Dawson said. «Pacey’s dream was to get out of Capeside and show eveyone who was ever down on him that he could be a success; Joey’s dream was to fight cancer, which she’s doing; Jen’s going to be some kind of ambassador to the world, and I’m a director.» Smiling at Joey, he continued, «Being reunited with friends and loves has completed our lives. Who could ask for more?»

«To love and friendship», Joey said raising her glass, holding on to Dawson’s stare.

«To love and friendship», the other three repeated before drinking. Dawson leaned to kiss Joey softly on the lips. Remembering herself, Joey spoke.

«So we have a proposal for you guys», she said, putting down her glass.

«We were thinking that this week all four of us should go on vacation.», Dawson finished.

«We’ve all taken time off of school and work and sticking around here would just be boring...»Joey trailed off.

Jen and Pacey looked at each other. A romantic vacation getaway week? Not a bad idea at all.

«Where were you guys thinking?», Pacey asked.

«Joey and I both really like Mallorca...», Dawson suggested.

Both Pacey and Jen had been to Spain before and loved it, but neither had been to Mallorca. They agreed immediately. Jen laughed as Dawson remarked that he’d call his secretary to make arrangements and that they should be on a plane by tomorrow night. None of them could be happier.

Just two days ago, Dawson had thought that at that very moment he’d be suffering through Joey’s wedding reception, Joey had thought she’d be burying herself in wedding plans to get her mind off of Dawson, Jen had thought she’d be living her love vicariously through a reunited Dawson and Joey and congratulating herself on the success of her plan, and Pacey had thought the same.

Wasn’t it funny how life, the same entity that you always blamed for making things wrong, could suddenly turn back towards you and, in a split second, make everything perfect?

THE END

~~~Well, the end of this series... Its continuation will be the gang’s weeklong vacation in Mallorca. Joey and Dawson will take their relationship to another level in more ways than one, Jen and Pacey will find out just how serious they are when tragedy strikes, and the fate of each one’s whole life will be decided in this Mediterranean paradise...~~~