Disclaimer: All characters in this fic are owned by the WB and KW... NOT ME!

Category: PJ ROMANCE!!

Rating: PG

Summary: Joey finds out that AJ is a creep. It's up to Pacey to show her how much someone cares. But will she return his love?

Author's note: My fic for the CP Val Contest

"Bessie!!! I need you!! Besieeeee!!"

Bessie Potter had been restfully laying sideways on the floor of her son's bedroom, playing blocks with the bubbly little baby. "Ugh!" She groaned in frustration.

"I sit down for one minute and it's up again, Alex. Thank goodness the guests are on the other side of the house." Bessie rose to her feet, bringing along little Alex, who was clutching a blue rectangular shaped block between his tiny hand and teething gums.

She moved from her son's room to the room adjacent, cracking the door open slightly. "Joey?"

"Bessie! I need your help!"

"Will you stop screaming and tell me what's wrong."

"You have to ask?" Bessie looked at her blankly. "The time, Bessie... it's 10:02 and look at my hair.. I wanted to curl it last night.. so I did.. Then this morning I remembered that it was too much like when I went out with AJ for the first time." Joey rambled, barely leaving room for a much needed breath "..So I tried to blow dry it out... and it looked awful! THEN I decided to just forget it and go ahead and wash it again... But... now look it's already 10:03... and the damn drier all of a sudden decides it doesn't want to work! I look like a drowned rat! And I'm not even dressed!"

"Calm down, Joey!"

Joey looked at her sister, knee bouncing in frustrated anxiety, eyes wide with exaggerated hopelessness.

"Just take a deep breath..." Bessie coached.

"I don't need to take a deep breath, Bessie!"

"Is that what you're wearing?" Bessie gestured with her free hand.

"Yes... why does it look bad?" Joey eyed the out fit she'd laid out over the bed. A pair of flared blue jeans and a ribbed turtle necked pullover. It was stylish, cute, but still very casual... like Pacey had told her.

"No, it's cute, Jo... Now listen... I will go get my hairdryer and you just wait here... Watch the baby."

Bessie put Alexander in Joey's arms... surprisingly this calmed her somewhat, that is until she heard the doorbell chime.

"Oh no, Alex.. he's here..." She whispered to her gurgling nephew.

At that moment Bessie thrust into Joey's room, handed her the dryer, grabbed the baby from her arms, and gave her sister a reassuring kiss on the cheek. "Joey, honey, remember it's only Pacey. He's not going to care if you're a few minutes late, okay?"

"I know... I'm just..."

"Nervous."

Joey laughed at herself, "Why I don't know." She knew she was being silly, but for some reason this date was more important than any other she'd ever had... Dawson included. Perhaps, she thought if it started off on the wrong foot, then they were doomed from the get go. 'No Jo. Everything will be okay...'

She heard a deep voice conversing merrily in the front of her home. He didn't sound too upset. 'Why would he be upset?' "Would you stop it? And get dressed!" Joey muttered to herself, hair dried and fluffed across her shoulders, relief at its appliance settling in her chest. "Now, that's more like it."

She hurried and put on her outfit, then turned to face her mirror and dabbed on a little bit of make up.

"Okay... Here goes nothin'..."

Joey emerged from her bedroom, attempting to push down the tiny bursts of nervous energy she felt milling inside of her. Stepping out into the living room area, she saw Pacey just rising to his feet from his spot on his sofa.

"Hi," she spoke first, smiling a little timidly.

"Hi," he returned, with a similar expression.

Neither of them noticed Bessie and Alex disappearing into another part of the house.

Joey stepped closer to Pacey, not knowing if she should kiss him on the lips, or opt for a simple, comforting little hug... In the end she decided a peck on the cheek... She raised her head slightly as his lowered to accept the gesture. Instinctively Pacey's hand held the back of her head as he felt her lips touch his face. Then his free arm brought her even closer, as he hugged her tightly, breathing in the scent of her newly washed hair. "You smell nice.." He whispered.

"Thanks," she replied, pulling away from him.

"And you look beautiful, too."

Joey blushed noticing his stare traveling up and down her body.

Pacey cleared his throat, "Um.. here this is for you." He handed her the article he had firmly held in his hand.

"A white paper bag, Pacey... I know you like to get kinky, but..."

"Haha, Potter..." Pacey squinted his eyes in non humor... Then smiled widely, "We'll save that for later."

"Cretin," she tried to hide her smile, but failed miserably. Turning her attention toward the large warm bag, she began uncurling it. She looked up at Pacey in question before opening it... it was obviously some sort of food. She notice there was another similar type bag, but smaller still sitting on the yellow trunk, converted coffee table behind him.

"Blueberry muffins, Pacey!" She tried not to sound too excited, but.. he had known... her favorite breakfast food after her mother's bacon and pancakes. "Are these from...?"

"Yep. Mr. Johnson's Bakery."

"I can't believe you remembered this, Pacey."

"How could I forget, Joey? Every morning we could before we were 12 we'd run over there and buy some during the summertime."

"I know.. I just.. thanks."

"Welcome," he accepted softly.

"So, what's in the other bag?"

"Strawberries of course... got to stick with tradition..."

"Tradition?"

"Yeah, you know strawberries Valentine's Day.. red stuff... I dunno."

Joey looked over to the table... she'd kinda hoped to be getting out of there as soon as possible, but if this was what he'd planned.. she guessed she could stick it out.

"I know what you're thinking, Jo... And no, we are not going to be eating inside."

"We're not?"

"Nope."

"Thank goodness."

They both chuckled, as Pacey opened the coat closet and took out the coat he knew was Joey's. Placing it on your shoulders, he breathed in her ear, "See, I can be a gentleman too."

Joey smiled, but didn't let him catch it. Then turned to him, "Ready?"

He dashed over to the table and picked up the other bag. "Let's hit it."

Outside the young pair, after retrieving a hot coffee canister and a thick blanket from Pacey's truck, took a short walk to a near by dock. It wasn't the Potter dock, but one not too far from it no one ever used, or laid claim to. At least not in the time that they'd lived in Capeside.

It took them a little less than ten minutes to get there. Pacey had offered to drive, but Joey had insisted that they take a walk together.

"Are you warm enough, Jo?" Pacey asked, as they reached their destination.

"As soon as I get some off that coffee I will be." She stated as she took the second bag, as well as the coffee from Pacey as he laid the blanket out over the dock.

Joey laid everything out, and took a seat across from where Pacey had already sat.

"What are you doing all the way over there, Potter?"

"I was just going to pour us some..." She stopped short as she felt Pacey's fingers grazing over her own. Joey smiled at the gesture, understanding his meaning.

"I guess there are other ways to get warm." Scooting closer, nearly sitting in his lap, she lay her head against his chest. "Now hand me one of those muffins before I push you in that ice water."

"Yes, dear," he sing songed, teasingly.

As the young couple ate they were quite unaware of two familiar figures approaching in the distance sometime later.

"Hey Dawson?" The young woman of the two spoke.

"Yeah, Nikki? What?" Dawson Leery had actually agreed to help Nikki Green with her new film project. No matter how much he fought it film was in his blood and he itched to get back to doing it in some way shape or form.

"Is that Joey and Pacey over there?"

Dawson's head snapped up from his visionary gaze. "What? Where?"

"Over there. Isn't that the dock you wanted to use?"

Dawson's eyes were wide with shock. He knew the two had become close... He knew that their friendship had gotten deeper, but this! He should have known... "Yeah..." He eyed the two with great suspicion.

"I guess its 'occupied'. Isn't it?" Nikki said smiling, not realizing Dawson's anger beginning to boil.

He fumed as he watched the couple share the tiniest of kisses. He couldn't tear his gaze away. Then he saw Pacey brush the back of his hand across her face, and Joey smiling back up at him radiantly. 'I don't remember her ever smiling that way at me... at least I don't think she did.'

As soon as the pair engaged in a slightly longer, and seemingly sweeter kiss Nikki noticed Dawson's irritation at the sight. "Dawson? You're not jealous are you?"

"Don't be ridiculous Nikki.. Why would I be jealous?"

"Well, you certainly don't look like a person who is NOT leaning toward the emotion of jealousy."

"Well, look again."

"Fine Dawson. Let's just go, okay?"

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I mean.. I don't know..."

Just then Pacey and Joey had risen to their feet, gathering up all of their belongings. They walked closely together.. headed back down the trail toward Joey's house.

"Let's follow them."

"Are you insane Dawson?!"

"No... come on..." Nikki just watched the blonde character of a boy walk off in pursuit of his best friends, wondering just what in the heck was going on in the mind of Dawson Leery.

End of part 3...