Secrets and Lies

by: Bitsy

Joey stared down at the elegant three karat diamond engagement ring on her finger and sighed. It had been a confusing night. More like a confusing life, Joey thought sarcastically. Cup of tea in hand, Joey hugged her bathrobe to her as she rose from her cushy cream colored sofa, walking up to the large windows that lined her living room. Most people would think that Joey had had a perfect life. After learning to cope with her mother’s death and dealing with her father, things started going uphill for her, and tragedy seemed to have given her a permanent break. She had received a full scholarship to Tufts for undergrad, where she went pre-med, and had continued on to Harvard for grad school where she specialized in cancer studies. The brains and hard work that accelerated her pace and earned her her doctorate two years earlier than she would have gotten it otherwise were the same qualities that made her an expert in her field. At only 26, Joey was living every doctor’s dream.

 

If people only knew, Joey thought bitterly. She realized that she really didn’t have much to complain about. She and her family were healthy, she had established a relationship with her father, and she was making breakthrough progress in destroying the disease that had destroyed her mother. She lived in a beautiful penthouse overlooking downtown Boston, had more money than she knew what to do with, and was knockout gorgeous, giving her her choice of any man she wanted. But people underestimated love. Because Joey’s heartbreak at having lost Dawson was almost as painful as having lost her mother. Death was a reality of life--it was final--and once you accepted that someone you loved was dead, it was closure. But living without somebody you loved even though they were still alive was torture. Knowing that she had been so close but had ruined any chances she had ever had at the love of her life made her die the same death a thousand times every time she thought of him or heard his name or saw a billboard for one of his movies.

And now her marriage proposal. Christian had asked her just a few hours ago to marry her! She had looked so surprised and emotional that Christian had left her, insisting that she should take her time and at least sleep on the decision--he knew it was a serious one. Thankful that Joey’s reaction had gotten her off the hook for answering, she realized then, if not before, that Christian would never make her happy, and that it was Dawson who came immediately to mind. But did that really change things?

 

Sure, Joey loved Dawson more than life itself. But no matter how true that was, things were different now--life was different now. She had a career and a life which Dawson wasn’t a part of. They had only seen each other a handful of times since their breakup after high school. They had both agreed that it was best to go their separate ways. To stay together for the sake of love would have made them resentful to the other for having prevented them from achieving their dreams. So they followed their dreams, and each succeeded. Dawson was now a famous Hollywood writer/director--the youngest to have achieved such recognition. He was up there with Kevin Williamson and Steven Spielberg, and since he was only 27, he had just begun!

 

Looking blankly out at a moonlit Boston, Joey tried to get her mind off of Dawson and onto Christian. Although she wished more than anything that her love for Dawson was more than a fantasy, reason creeped in, overshadowing her heart. She smiled sadly at the irony. She remembered when they were fifteen--the year of Jen. Joey couldn’t tell Dawson enough to stop living in a movie and face reality, to grow up. Now it’s me that needs to grow up, Joey thought.

 

She knew and accepted that Dawson would always be the only man she would ever truly love. Now she needed to accept that life goes on, his had, and that if she could just add some closure to her life when it came to Dawson, she could move on. After all, she was sick of being alone. She wanted children, she wanted happiness, or at least as close to it as she could get...I’ll always have our memories, she thought, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

 

Joey knew what she had to do. She didn’t want to, but something told her that if she didn’t take this opportunity to marry Christian, she might only sink further into her deep blue funk, and that maybe, just maybe, she’d be too far gone for anybody to pull her out of the inevitable solitude that would follow. It was going to break her heart to do it, but it

might just save her life...

 

* * * * *

 

Dawson laid alone in his california king-sized bed flipping channels. Although it was 3 o’clock in the morning, sleep was far away from him. Nothing abnormal, though, considering the circumstances. Although his true passion was film, Dawson didn’t particularly care for Hollywood. LA was just kind of this place he lived for work. So while the rest of the town had just started to party, Dawson, was just beginning to shut himself in.

 

Dawson’s social life was severely deficient, and he knew it. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have any friends at all. He had made a couple of good friends at NYU while he was at Tisch studying film, but they were all doing their own thing now, and he hardly got to see them. And Pacey, of course, the eternal best friend, Dawson saw regularly. But as far as dating went, Dawson had never been able to keep a girlfriend. Sure, he had met women that he liked a lot, but nobody who understood him like Joey. A couple times, he had mistaken his like for them as something more than friendship, but both relationships, all two of them that Dawson had had since Joey were disasters.

 

The more serious of the two, with a woman named Sandra, one of the crew members on the set of Dawson’s first movie, actually sparked his interest because she reminded him of Joey. A beauty that she didn’t see, but that everyone else did, a mystery about her, a sense of humor and a sarcastic streak. For a little while, Dawson thought that he might be able to love again. But as their relationship became more intimate, Dawson began to feel like a traitor. He felt guilty for being with another woman other than Joey--he was betraying his heart. Not soon after they had begun to have a sexual relationship, Sandra had left him--he had called out Joey’s name while they were in bed more than once (and he murmured her name in his sleep, she had told him months later).

 

That had been two years, and ever since then, Dawson had all but given up on a love life. He had thought that if he buried himself in his work and reached total professional fulfillment, that maybe his life would be complete and his pain at living without Joey would go away. He now knew that he was wrong. He was an academy award winning director with more money than he could have ever imagined, and he was absolutely miserable. He was even voted one of the world’s 50 most eligible bachelors in People Magazine! He could have his choice. But the woman he wanted didn’t want him.

He flipped the channel, frustrated. He had the same discussion with himself all the time--the one in which he cursed himself for ever having let her go, because now, all too late, he knew that there was nothing more important than love. Even now, 8 years after they were together, he would still die a thousand deaths for her. He would give anything to her and do anything for her--his love was that strong. And he’d trade all of his Oscars to be able to call her his wife. For the billionth time in his life, Dawson punished himself for ever having let her go. He flipped the TV off altogether. This kind of life, this kind of misery, was consuming him. Although Dawson had been ignoring it for years, he had to tell her for his own sake and for the sake of their friendship, and now he knew he would.

 

* * * * *

 

Pacey Witter sighed with frustration as the phone in his large Los Angeles office rung for the tenth time that day. He had asked Stacy, his secretary, for complete privacy, and it just seemed that she was completely disregarding his wishes. Contrary to popular belief, Pacey had done well for himself. His life had changed his senior year in high school. The reality of the fact that he wanted to get out of Capeside paired with the realization that he needed to have good grades and SAT scores to get into college motivated him. He was NOT going to end up being one of his dad’s little worker bees on the Capeside Police Force like Deputy Doug.

 

So things took a turn. He worked really hard that year, and while he didn’t get anywhere near the ivy league, did pretty well for himself and ended up at UCSB where he got his degree in business and celebrity marketing. Translated, that meant that he became an agent, the commodity that he marketed being people, athletes as a matter of fact--he was a real live Jerry Maguire. But the quality that really ended up making a difference in his career was the same one he had before he had the good grades--his people skills. Pacey had been the class clown, and he wasn’t shy--being a people-person, persuasive, charming, and funny, was what Pacey was all about. He had found his calling and shown everyone, especially his family and the town of Capeside, Massachusetts that, yes, Pacey Witter wasn’t too stupid to make himself a success.

 

"Who is it, Stacy", Pacey asked sweetly, half-trying to conceal the annoyance in his voice.

 

"I’m sorry Mr. Witter, but there’s a woman on the phone, a Dr. Josephine Potter the cancer

doctor, says she’s a very--"

 

"Send the call through, Stacy", Pacey said excitedly.

 

"Jo! Hey, long time, no hear. To what do I owe this honor?"

 

"Hello, Pacey", Joey said smiling at her end of the phone. Same old Pacey, she thought.

 

"Hello to you!", Pacey continued, playfully alluding to Joey’s fame within her profession,

 

"How’s life treating you--I want the truth, not the stuff they write about you in medical journals and the stuff you say on TV documentaries. You can never believe anything you read..."

 

"Pacey! I’m touched! You watch me when I’m on TV?", She asked incredulously.

 

"Now, now, don’t let your head inflate...so come on, what’s new?"

 

"Well..." Joey ’s heart started beating as she remembered the purpose for the call. "Pacey, I’m getting married and I want you to come."

 

Pacey didn’t know what to say. He knew that Dawson was still in love with Joey, so he wasn’t exactly happy that the love of his best friend’s life was planning to spend her life with someone other than Dawson, but he did feel as if he owed her...

 

"Congratulations, Jo..." Pacey said halfheartedly, asking who the guy was and how long they’d been together and stuff. The wedding would be in Boston in two weeks, and Pacey assured Joey he would be there. But before he hung up, he had to know one thing.

 

"Joey--Does Dawson know?", he asked quietly. Joey audibly sighed on the other end of the phone.

 

"Not yet."

 

* * * * *

 

After talking to Pacey, Joey began having doubts about marrying Christian. Of course, she was going into it with the knowledge that she was settling for less than she wanted to, but she knew she had to take some kind of step to move on with her life and change things. Pacey sounded a little odd when he asked whether Dawson knew or not. Joey sensed that it had not been a casual question. Should she even let herself entertain the thought that Dawson might still have feelings for her? Shivers ran down her spine as her heartbeat quickened. No, she told herself, Absolutely not. Once again, Joey tried to turn off her heart in preparation for her call with Dawson. It was them, her oldest and dearest friends, that Joey hated lying to the most. One down, two to go, Joey thought taking a deep breath and picking up the phone.

 

* * * * *

 

"Well, hello, Mr. Popularity", Joey said, her heart beating at hearing Dawson’s voice again, "I’m surprised your secretary even let me speak to you!"

 

"Joey? My God, Jo, it’s so great to hear from you! Wow, I was thinking about calling you just last night to see how you were, but it would’ve been an indecent hour on the east coast...", Dawson trailed off. Could this be fate? Just last night I decide to profess my undying love for her and just today she calls before I can tell her I need to see her?

 

"How are you, Dawson?" Joey asked, part of her not wanting to know how great his life and girlfriend were doing.

 

"Everything’s pretty good", Dawson replied, not knowing whether or not Joey could still detect sadness in his voice. He wanted to open up to her and tell her right then how miserable he was without her, but the same thing that stopped him now was what had stopped him every other time--fear of losing her altogether. "How ‘bout you, Jo?"

 

"Actually, Dawson, that’s what I called about", she began. Both of them started trembling on their respective ends of the phone, Joey not wanting to hear the words she would say, and Dawson not wanting Joey to say what he feared she would.

 

"Dawson, I’m getting married", Joey said in a shaky voice, the tears now flowing freely.

 

Hardly able to hold herself back, Joey pressed mute on the phone as she sobbed at her own words. There was a long silence. Dawson, his eyes closed, head in his free hand, heard the tears that had started drip softly onto the screenplay he had been reading. He pulled himself together the best he could, and managed to spit out his congratulations. He promised to be at the wedding and got all the details from Joey, almost blindly, his head still reeling. Neither knew what to say. Dawson had to know one thing before they hung up.

 

"Jo...Does he treat you right and make you happy?"

 

Joey hesitated. Her heart screamed for Dawson. She wanted to finally, finally tell him the truth. But for once, she trusted her mind. I’ve got to break away from Dawson and move on with my life.

 

"Yes. He makes me happy."

 

* * * * *

 

Joey’s sobs consumed her. She flopped herself down on her large bed and cried for what seemed an eternity. She thought that it had been pain to live only with the admiration of Dawson and the hope that there might be a place for them--she hadn’t known what agony it would be to have to sever any thread of hope there might have been for them. She hated lying to him about it, and Pacey too, and the rest of the world for that matter--especially Christian. But Christian had heard about how special Joey’s relationship with Dawson was. He knew that at one time their relationship had gone further than that, but had never considered the possibility that she could still be in love with him. Besides, Joey had him convinced that they were just good friends. Actually meeting Dawson and seeing he and Joey together would soon prove him wrong.

 

After an indeterminate amount of time, Joey pulled herself up to a sitting position, wiping her tears hastily. Get a grip, Joey. Show up at the wedding, say ‘I do’ let Dawson congratulate you at the reception, tell him it was wonderful of him to have come, and move on with your life! At least the coordination of the wedding would take Joey’s mind off of Dawson. Only two weeks to plan a whole wedding--she’d better get her mind off of Dawson and get on the ball. She might as well accept it--she had already told him. It’s done. Move on.

 

Joey picked up the phone for the third time that day, this time to call Jen and ask her to be the maid of honor. Jen, now back in New York studying at Columbia Law, had been Joey’s roommate at Tufts for all four years, and the girls had grown very close. Although high school had been rough with their love triangle, all had turned out well and Jen held no bitterness towards Joey. To Jen, her and Dawson’s relationship was ancient history; but she knew that Joey had feelings for him still. Throughout college she never dated, although she was chased by every guy on campus, and just buried herself in her work. When she wasn’t with Dawson, something was dead within her, and Jen knew it.

 

Again, Joey was nervous to make the call. Even if Dawson and Pacey hadn’t seen that she was lying about her happiness, Jen might.

 

"Joey! What’s up?", Jen asked, "I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. We just talked last week! Is something wrong?"

 

"Jen--", Joey hesitated.

 

"What is it? Oh, my God is everybody alright"

 

"Jen I’m getting married to Christian", Joey blurted out.

 

Jen and Christian had met before since Jen and Joey still kept in touch and managed to visit each other every once in awhile. Jen had known that Christian was the man in Joey’s life and was happy that she had come out of her funk and started dating again. But she didn’t like the idea of Joey marrying this guy. Not because of anything he did--Christian was the perfect guy--tall, dark, handsome, intelligent--he was a research doctor at the same institute where Joey worked. They were intellectual and professional equals, but most importantly, he was a good guy who Joey liked.

 

But did she love him? Jen knew that she didn’t. Ironically, Jen had always hoped in her heart that Dawson would come to his senses and realized what he lost and show up one day to sweep Joey off her feet. They belonged together. At the same time, she was Joey’s friend and had to trust and respect her decision. Besides, all she wanted was for her friend to be happy--why should she take that away from her by bringing up Dawson?

 

"Married?", Jen managed, "Oh my god, when?"

 

"Two weeks--I was hoping you could be my maiden of honor..."

 

"Sure!" Jen was touched. "I’ll be there tomorrow night"

 

"But what about school? I was hoping for a few days before but I know that you--"

 

"Jo", Jen interrupted, "When did you decide to get married?"

 

"Yesterday"

 

"The wedding is in two weeks, and you have how much planned?"

 

"The fact that the wedding is happening in two weeks. OK, I see your point."

 

Relieved that Jen was not mentioning Dawson, Joey was glad that Jen was being so supportive when it came to the wedding--maybe she thought that marrying Christian was a good idea. She was glad that Jen was coming in tomorrow. With her mind in such a frenzy, Joey would need all the help he could get.

 

* * * * *

 

Dawson woke up to the sound of his maid bringing in his (looking at his clock) lunch. All he had been doing lately was sleeping. It had been three days since the bomb had been dropped, and after the initial shock, Dawson had been bedridden. He had spent the rest of that day in his office, not ready to face the world, sobbing quietly. He had lost her. For good. It was his fault. There was nothing he could do about it. But the worst was yet to come. Not only did he have to go to the wedding, he had to pretend he was happy for Joey and that everything was OK, and that, he didn’t know if he could do.

 

Dawson sighed, wanting his covers to suffocate him. No such luck. For the millionth time he told himself that he had to go. Not only had he said he would, but Joey was his best friend in the world, despite distance and time, and she always would be. He loved her more than anything, and much to his own dismay, he loved her enough to support her through anything that she wanted to do, even if it meant not being with him. Now he couldn’t tell her how he felt. Now he would have to hold it inside forever.

 

"Thanks, Jane", Dawson mumbled.

 

"Your messages and your mail are on the table, and Mr. Witter is waiting for you downstairs"

 

"How long has he been waiting

 

"An hour. I told him I didn’t want to wake you, sir"

 

"Please tell him I’ll be right down", Dawson said.

 

Climbing out of bed, Dawson shuffled to the bathroom, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and put on his fleece robe and a pair of socks. When he plodded down the grand staircase and wound around his mansion to the living room, Pacey was shocked at Dawson’s appearance. He had known Dawson forever, and had never seen him sink so low. Although Pacey had spoken with Dawson twice a day since the news and knew he was in bad shape, he hadn’t expected Dawson to get as bad as this. He felt a twinge of guilt for not having been over for a visit earlier.

 

Dawson’s eyes were red, his hair was mussed, he was pale, unshaven, and had dark circles under his eyes. He plopped himself down on the couch next to Pacey, unable to make eye contact. Pacey could always tell exactly what Dawson was thinking, especially when it came to Joey, and Dawson knew that if he and Pacey had this discussion, it would only end in more tears and heartbreak, and why go down that road? There was nothing Dawson could do about it. He’d just have to suck it up and deal.

 

"Dawson, this has to stop", Pacey began seriously. "You love Joey and Joey loves you back. I could hear it in her voice when she told me. You’re wasting your time sitting here, man. You have to tell her before you make the biggest mistake in your life."

 

"I already have made the biggest mistake in my life!", Dawson shot back forcefully, "I let her go." His voice softened. "And now, I’m not going to completely destroy my relationship with her by refusing to support her happiness. If he makes her happy she deserves him..."

 

Dawson’s head was in his hands once again. Pacey sighed indignantly. Dawson was right. From a rational standpoint, Dawson was right. Who was he to interfere in Joey’s relationship with her fiancée? But since when did Dawson act rationally in matters of the heart? He had always been blind to the fact that Joey was in love with him. When they were fifteen and Dawson was head-over-heals about Jen, his oblivion to the fact that Joey was in love with him had almost ruined their friendship. Now his refusal to accept the same was going to alter the structure of their whole lives. Marriage was forever. Pacey knew that their feeling were mutual. He just needed to get them to realize it before it was too late. But how?

 

* * * * *

 

"Pacey!", Jen exclaimed, surprised., "I’m so glad you called! Wait a minute."

 

Jen looked into the kitchen, where Joey was on the phone, with the wedding coordinator, Jen thought. Jen herself had been looking through books of wedding cakes when her cell phone rang. She was so happy to hear from Pacey. The situation was bad. She had finally brought up Dawson to Joey and Joey hadn’t been able to hide her feelings from Jen. Jen had to know if Dawson felt the same, and she knew that Pacey was the only one who could tell her. Unsure as to whether Joey was out of earshot, Jen walked through Joey’s large dining room and out onto the balcony.

 

"Pace, I am so glad you called. I need to ask you something important, and it might sound weird, but please don’t take it as a joke--it is very, very real--", Jen began.

 

"Jen, I know that current evidence would point to the contrary, but...", Pacey started.

 

They blurted it out at the same time.

 

"Thank God!" Jen exclaimed when she heard Pacey ask the same question.

 

"What’s wrong with those two, anyway?", Pacey asked, annoyed. "I don’t know, Pace, but as their best friends, we are responsible for their happiness. And since we know that they’ll only be happy together...", Jen began.

 

"We’ll have to find a way to get them together", Pacey finished.

 

"Pacey, you have to get Dawson out here as soon as possible. Joey thinks that if she doesn’t see him until after the damage is done, she won’t have a chance to have second thoughts. She’s already having second thoughts--all she needs is for them to get stronger. She’ll call off the wedding", Jen said.

 

"You’re right. You should call Dawson and tell him the wedding was moved up a week. That gives us three days to make a plan to get them back together", Pacey replied.

 

"Good idea", Jen said, and then hesitated, «Do you think this is going too far, Pace? I mean, do we have the right to pry to a degree in which we’re tricking our best friends into getting together?"

 

Pacey sighed. "I know we’re going too far, Jen. But when you have friends as dense as ours are, sometimes it’s the only thing that works."

 

Jen knew that Pacey was right. They agreed to brainstorm overnight and talk at the same time the next day. Neither of them was going to let Joey go through with this wedding--they would make sure of that.

Homeward Bound

by: Bitsy

As Jen dialed Dawson’s private home line, she cleared her throat and prepared herself to sound as honest as possible. When nobody picked up, and the answering machine clicked on, Jen tried to sound as cheery as possible for the message.

 

*Beeeeeep!*

 

"Hi, Dawson, it’s Jen Lindley. I know th--"

 

"Jen!", Dawson said, picking up the phone after having practically flown across the room to stop the machine. He pressed the kill button and returned to the safety of his bed.

 

"Dawson?", Jen asked.

 

"Hi, Jen. What’s up?"

 

"I just wanted to let you know--there’s been a change of plans with Joey’s wedding."

 

It couldn’t be. Could Joey have called the wedding off?»

 

"She’s changed it from next Saturday to this Saturday.", Jen said easily. Dawson’s heart fell.

 

"I hope you can still come. I know it would mean a lot to Joey. Even though you’re a world famous director, you’re still her best friend, Dawson...Dawson?"

 

"Yeah, Jen", Dawson stammered. "I wouldn’t miss it for the world..", Dawson sighed.

 

"And Dawson, we’ve already got hotel reservations for you and Pacey for Friday through Sunday night--a friend of mine who will make sure the press isn’t all over you will be helping us out", Jen replied honestly.

 

"Thanks a lot, Jen", Dawson said genuinely. The last thing he needed now was the press.

 

"I just need to know whether you’re bringing a date or not--final head count for the caterer...", Jen prodded carefully. She didn’t want to sound too pushy.

 

"No, Jen. Just Pacey and I will be flying out. I guess I’ll change our flight to Thursday. Pacey convinced me to visit Capeside before the wedding, so I guess that’s where we’ll be tomorrow night. Is that okay?" Dawson asked.

 

"Perfect!", Jen exclaimed. "I know Joey will want to get all caught up with you before you have to rush back to Hollywood! The rehearsal dinner will be on Friday night, so I guess by then you should be in town. Even though they’re normally only for relatives and the wedding party, you and Pacey are family and Joey would really like you to be there."

 

"Sure. So we’ll see you on Friday night.", Dawson said, concealing the hurt in his voice.

 

"Can’t wait, Dawson."

 

Dawson hung up the phone. What had he gotten himself into? Leaving for the wedding in tomorrow, getting there in time to spend a few hours with Joey the day before the wedding? Was he trying to grow more attached to her? He had to call Pacey. He needed his help. He wouldn’t survive having to face Joey without him...

 

* * * * *

 

Conference call was a wonderful thing. Pacey had been on the line during Dawson’s entire conversation with Jen. After they were sure that Dawson hung up, they began solidifying their get-Joey-and-Dawson-back-together-for-good plan--and what a plan it was!

 

They had reached out to all of the people who knew Dawson and Joey and knew that they were and always had been right for each other. Jen and Pacey were not alone in their fight for their two friends.

 

Gail and Mitch Leery had been relieved when Pacey and Jen had phoned telling them that Joey was still in love with their son. They had always known that Dawson never got over her, but had always figured the two of them would reunite and marry. They had been crushed when they heard about the wedding. Since the kids were toddlers and Dawson had teetered over to Joey and kissed her it had always been Gail’s expectation and dream to have Joey as her daughter-in-law someday. They agreed that, even though they didn’t want to have to deceive Dawson, desperate times called for desperate measures--they counted themselves in.

 

Bessie, Bodie, Alex, and their four year old daughter Samantha were also 100% in favor of prying. Joey certainly had no business ruining two lives by marrying somebody she didn’t love, and it was high time that she started living her life with the one who she did. Bessie and Bodie couldn’t figure out why the obvious was so hard for those two to accept. And Alex and Sam just adored their uncle Dawson. Along with Pacey, Jen, and the Leery’s they schemed in what they playfully called ‘operation Dr. Leery’.

 

Phase one of the plan was to take place in Capeside. Pacey had convinced Dawson to go back to their hometown for the night when they first got there. He had mentioned not missing the opportunity to remind Deputy Doug of his success and taking a few hours to reminisce about the good ol’ days. Dawson’s parents and Bessie and Bodie knew to play along with Dawson’s belief that the wedding was to take place that Saturday. They all knew that being at home would completely prevent him from escaping memories of Joey. If he shut himself up in his room, he would be surrounded by her, if he looked out his window onto the creek he would be surrounded by her. Even if he rented a movie, he would be surrounded by her--this overnight visit to Capeside was designed specifically to make Dawson more passionate about his feelings for Joey--passionate enough to tell her himself.

 

Little did he know that Joey, too would be in Capeside. Still planning for her wedding to take place a week from Saturday, Jen had suggested getting away from the hectic bustle of planning by visiting Bessie and Bodie until Friday. Bessie was going to be a bridesmaid and Samantha was going to be the flower girl--she and Joey still had some details to iron out. Besides, Joey really was tired from wedding planning and would need a break. Bringing Joey to Capeside was expected to reawaken the power of her feelings for Dawson, after which she would, hopefully, cancel the wedding. Bessie and Bodie had suggested that if Joey wanted any rest, she stay with Jen and her grandmother--Joey knew too well that sound sleep in a house where children lived was next to impossible.

 

Even Grams had agreed to go along with the plan (or at least not to actively deny everybody else’s withholding of the truth). Being in Capeside, looking out Jen’s guest bedroom window over to Dawson’s house would be torture for Joey--emotion would get the best of her and she wouldn’t be able to go through with the wedding (they hoped). Pacey and Jen figured that they might even get lucky and that Dawson and Joey might find each other in Capeside--taking a moonlit walk, getting in a rowboat and paddling across the creek...The possibilities were endless!

 

However, should operation-Thursday-night fail, they had rigged Friday night as well. Dawson and Pacey would be given the name of the restaurant where the ‘rehearsal dinner’ was going to be. While Pacey was parking the car or something lame like that, he would send Dawson in ahead of him. Jen had already made arrangements to rent out Joey’s favorite restaurant, D’Amici’s, notifying them that Dr. Potter would be joined by the Hollywood director Dawson Leery and that they would require complete privacy. Jen had spoken with Christian and lied that she and the girls had planned a little bachelorette party for Joey, nothing wild, of course, and since it was a surprise, would he mind becoming part of the plan and asking Joey to meet him at D’Amici’s at eight?

 

At eight o’clock on Friday night, Dawson and Joey would come face to face with each other. It couldn’t fail. Even if they had seen each other on Thursday night and avoided the issue, Joey would still show up for ‘dinner’ with Christian, and Pacey could still get Dawson to the restaurant somehow. On the table there would be a photo album documenting their friendship from infancy to the present (courtesy of Gail and Bessie, of course). By that time, they would have figured things out. Pacey and Jen were trying to get them back together. Whatever their reaction, the outcome would be good. If they got together, they were together, and the mission would be accomplished. If not, if they were uncomfortable, or upset or angry, they would both excuse themselves from the situation and go home.

 

That was phase three of the operation--the hotel room. Jen hadn’t lied when she told Dawson she had a friend who would keep him away from the press. An ex-boyfriend who still had feelings for her was the manager at the elegant downtown Boston hotel, The Commons. Chad remembered Jen’s roommate Joey and how she was the most sough-after girl in school, but also the most tragic. Almost the whole campus knew that Joey had dated the rising star Dawson Leery and was still in love with him. Chad was used to protecting celebrities from press recognition at his hotel. That would be easy, and he was glad he could help. But what Jen asked him to do next was a little more extreme.

 

Jen had made sure that Dawson and Joey would both be going back to Dawson’s room that night. Jen had already ordered twenty large bouquets of wildflowers delivered to Joey’s apartment on Friday afternoon. Joey was highly allergic. By the time they returned to Boston, the smell would have permeated every corner of the apartment, making Joey’s sneezing uncontrollable (Jen had seen it before--it wasn’t a pretty sight). Joey knew Chad and would remember that he was the manager at The Commons, and would not be surprised when Jen called him for help. She could gather her clothes for ‘dinner’--Jen would make sure that she picked out something sexy and irresistible--and they would go to the hotel.

 

Only one of their rooms would be ready--Jen’s. Joey would shower for dinner, and keep her overnight bag in Jen’s room for the moment. As she left, the hotel staff would assure her that a room would be ready for her upon her return, that her things would be moved, and that she could pick up her room number and her key later on that night. Of course, her room would turn out to be Dawson’s room. No matter which one arrived first, the other one was soon to follow. There would be champagne, strawberries, roses, Dawson, Joey, a bed...It couldn’t fail!

 

Chad had been surprised when Jen revealed her plan to him. He had never pictured her as the type to be so conniving. However, he liked this side of her and offered her a little known piece of information in defense of her plan: electronic doors and credit card keys were not merely a convenient new feature of hotels. They were a safety feature as well, and used in law enforcement more than people knew. Electronic doors could not only change their key codes at the touch of a button, they could be locked at the touch of a button. Of course, locking people into their own hotel rooms was a measure only to be taken in emergencies. Illegal activities taking place in hotel rooms and politicians being caught with their pants down were the main circumstances in which this feature got any use. But if Dawson and Joey wouldn’t get together by their own free will, maybe being forced to spend the night together would change things...

 

Pacey listened in awe as Jen gave him the most intricate details of the plan. Since Boston and Capeside were a lot closer to her, most of the planning had, naturally, fallen into her lap. Pacey was impressed with her planning. That kind of quick thinking was just so mischievously evil...he loved it!

 

"...so does that sound good to you, Pace? Any holes?," Jen asked expectantly.

 

"Jen, that was brilliant, really--I mean, you should write a book...," Pacey began.

 

"But is it going to work?," Jen demanded, "Come on, Pacey, what’s missing?"

 

"Well...are you free for dinner on Friday night?"

 

* * * * *

 

Joey loaded her stuff into Jen’s 2005 metallic teal BMW model Z3. After Jen had done so well in Capeside, she too had reestablished a relationship with her father. By the time she had graduated college, she was daddy’s little girl again, so daddy got his little girl a little Beamer for graduation. It was already a few years old, but was still in great shape. It would feel good to get away--even if she would be getting away to a place where memories of Dawson would consume her. In a strange way, she felt like going to Capeside now was going to be a last farewell to Dawson. Maybe it would actually help her let go? she tried to convince herself. Maybe not.

 

She slammed the trunk shut and tried to be cheery. She really liked road trips, and even though Capeside was only a two hour drive, it was a nice one. The further she got away from the city, the fewer cars there were, and the more relaxed she became. Dawson or no Dawson, Capeside would always be home. The top was down, and the late afternoon sun was shining, making it a beautiful, warm late summer day. She let loose a little, singing along to some of the songs on the CDs that Jen had on shuffle. Jen had always loved Fleetwood Mac, so wasn’t surprised that she had heard their songs randomly interspersed with the others. One of her favorite ones, Landslide, came on. She hadn’t heard it in a long time, but as she sang along, she realized that it was completely appropriate for her feelings.

 

Oh mirror in the sky, what is love?

Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tide?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Mmm, I don’t know.

Well I’ve been afraid of changing
‘cause I built my life around you
But time makes you bolder, children get older,
and I’m getting older too.

 

Damn! Wasn’t life funny that way? When you thought you couldn’t be more confused, it took something like a song to hit you like a ton of bricks and make you understand exactly what you were feeling. Not that admitting to herself that fear was the sole reason for her actions was going to make Joey change what she was going to do, but at least hearing things that way had made her put her situation in perspective a little. Could the child in her heart rise above? Could she handle the seasons of her life? She hoped so.

 

* * * * *

 

Dawson and Pacey reached and escaped Logan International Airport uneventfully. A white stretch limo was ready and waiting for them, and their baggage had been rushed out of the plane and was already packed in the car--they would be taken to a neutral point at which they could pick up their rental car. They had decided that they would rather not be chauffeured around in a limo the whole time they were there (which was actually rather common in LA). Instead, they had rented a black Beamer with tinted windows. A little much for Capeside, they knew (everytime a limo or car with tinted windows was seen there, Capeside new that one of its class of 2000 celebrities had returned for a visit), but they didn’t want to be recognized driving through Boston or on the highway.

 

Pacey made the two hour drive in about an hour and fifteen minutes. Dawson smiled--Pacey’s driving hadn’t improved even after he finally got his license when he was eighteen.

 

"Is that a smile I see, Dawson?," Pacey kidded.

 

«No», Dawson insisted, quickly losing it, part of him wanting to remain wallowing in his own self-pity.

 

"Whatever, Dawson. Admit it," Pacey said as he crossed the bridge over Dawson’s Creek, "It’s good to be home."

 

Dawson grabbed his bag out of the trunk, waving at Pacey as he shut it. Pacey honked as he drove away. Dawson looked up at his house. It hadn’t changed at all. The cars outside were different now, but his creek, his rowboat tied to the dock...even the ladder that Joey always climbed was still there--it was such a part of the house now that nobody would even dream of taking it down. He took a deep breath and approached the front door. Before he could open it, his mother did, and gave him a huge hug.

 

Dawson totally lost it. Wasn’t it funny how seeing your mother could make it all come out? He dropped his bag and began sobbing onto Gail’s shoulder. A lot had happened with his relationship with his parents since he was fifteen. Joey had helped him get through the affair, and it wasn’t until Gail and Mitch had worked through their own relationship that they began to deal with the effect that the affair had had on Dawson. In the beginning, he thought the anger and resentment towards his mother would never go away, but they did, and they actually began to understand each other a lot better after they had to actively work on their relationship. Loving Joey made him understand why his father had forgiven his mother and how their relationship had survived. Despite Dawson’s newfound fortune and fame, he was still very close to his parents, and depended on them for support.

 

"I know, honey," Gail said softly, rubbing his back, with tears running down her own cheeks. "Come on inside"

 

Mitch was at the store getting stuff for dinner. Dawson had time to talk to his mother over coffee.

 

"Mom, I’m lost without her. I always have been. And now that she’s getting married I want to tell her, but I can’t ruin her happiness like that. If she wants to get married, who am I to step in?," Dawson said tearily.

 

"Her best friend? The love of her life? Dawson, if you find true love like that, you can’t just let it go!," Gail exclaimed.

 

"But mom, I have no right. I can’t just waltz back into her life a day before she gets married as an honored guest at her rehearsal dinner and push whatsisname out of the picture! On Saturday when they ask anyone who objects to ‘speak now or forever hold their peace’ I can’t do that! I want to, mom, like you wouldn’t believe, but Joey might never forgive me...And then I’m really not sure if I would make it. If Joey hated me..."

 

"Dawson, get a hold of yourself!," his mother said softly, "She would probably be touched and flattered if you told her how much you love her. No, you don’t have to ruin her wedding or her rehearsal dinner, but you can tell her honestly, and tactfully, and in your own way. You’re not jeopardizing your friendship, honey. You’re coming clean."

 

* * * * *

 

Joey hadn’t realized what a flood of memories staying at Jen’s house would bring up. Staying with Bessie and Bodie and the kids, like she usually did was a different thing completely. It was a happy home, full of the life that only children can bring. Jen’s Grams’ house was quiet, somber. It was a place of reflection. Jen said something about being tired from the drive, and after Grams’ delicious dinner, went straight to the shower and straight to bed. Joey thought of going to sleep, but she knew that, despite her fatigue, she wouldn’t be able to sleep for quite some time.

 

"Why don’t you go for a walk, dear?," Grams suggested, as if reading her mind, "You look like you have a lot to think about."

 

"You’re right, I do...," Joey sighed, "with the wedding coming up...."

 

"Are you having doubts?," Grams asked, sensing that something was seriously wrong. Joey nodded.

 

"Cold feet are normal, Josephine--don’t call off your wedding because of the kind of nerves every bride-to-be gets--just remember that marriage is a serious institution. If you are not absolutely sure that you are devoted mind, body, and soul to this man, do not swear your love to him in front of God."

 

As usual, Grams could not offer any piece of advice without the mention of God, but for some reason, Grams’ words struck something within Joey. Marrying Christian wasn’t just going to be an escape from her life governed by Dawson’s memory--it was going to be a promise, before all her family, friends, colleagues, and, yes, before God if there was one. Now walking along the edge of the creek, Joey finally admitted to herself what she had known all along. She could not marry Christian.

 

She had accepted because the prospect had seemed appetizing--escaping her real life by creating a new one. It just wasn’t fair. She liked Christian, and loved him as much as she could love a friend platonically. And if she had as much respect for him as she knew she should, she would never have agreed to marry him. She shouldn’t even have dated him so seriously--true, he had popped the question a little prematurely--but it was irresponsible and misleading to date one person when your heart belonged to someone else. You’ve really made a mess of things this time, Joey.

 

Joey found herself at the ruins, and sat down on the stone bench that she and Dawson had sat on so many times before. She remembered a night way back in--it must have been when they were fifteen or sixteen. Jen and Dawson had been fighting. Jen had come to the Icehouse to get advice from Joey about getting Dawson to grow up. Joey smiled gingerly to herself as she remembered her own words.

 

"So what do I do?," Jen had asked. "I don’t know," Joey had replied, "Wait for him to grow up, come around..." "And how long does that take?," Jen had prodded. "I don’t know," Joey had replied, "I’d probably be dumb enough to wait forever."

 

She had never really forgotten about that night. It was like a prophesy. She had known even then that she probably be dumb enough to wait for Dawson, and here she was, twenty six years old, eight years after their relationship was over, waiting. And that was the thing! She half-expected Dawson to walk up behind her telling her that he, too had waited, and felt the same way. But that wasn’t going to happen.

 

Picking herself up out of her memory, Joey lifted herself off of the bench for the walk back. Tomorrow night she would have dinner with Christian and break the news to him. She would spend the morning calling the wedding coordinator and all of the friends she had invited(thank God she hadn’t been so organized that she had invited any of their colleagues yet). She would have to call Dawson and Pacey as well, calls that she dreaded because, of course, she would have to explain herself. And Jen would be surprised, but pleased. Joey knew that Jen was completely in favor of her telling Dawson her feelings.

 

But she couldn’t tell Dawson how she felt over the phone when she called him tomorrow. There would be a next time. She could write a letter. She could write a letter! A completely safe and sure way of telling him how she felt. It would prevent her from screwing up and saying something stupid that she didn’t mean. She could play around with her words all she wanted. She could tell him in a letter the real reason why she didn’t get married and that she just wanted him to know how much he meant to her. And all it would take was an impulse! A quick slip of the letter into the mailbox and it would be out of her hands, forcing her to do what she should’ve long ago--told Dawson that she loved him.

 

* * * * *

 

Dawson had spent a long time talking to his parents over dinner. Mitch felt the same way as Gail about Dawson telling Joey--he didn’t need to see it as an interference, but more of a confession that he just had to get off his chest.

 

"It would be personally rewarding to you and beneficial to the friendship," Mitch reasoned. "Joey knows you. She probably senses that you’re holding something back, and it probably hurts her, Dawson"

 

Dawson knew that his parents were right, but he didn’t understand why it didn’t bother them that eight years had passed. You couldn’t just tell somebody you still loved them after eight years. It was way too talk-show or something....

 

Dawson attempted sleep, but failed miserably. Being in his bed without her wasn’t the same. Watching the old TV set only made Dawson feel worse. But the worst was staring at the window and waiting for Joey to climb through it. Dawson got up and got dressed. He couldn’t believe what he was doing. He almost laughed as he climbed through his bedroom window and awkwardly stepped down the ladder. I am WAY too old for this, he thought, jumping past the last two rungs to the ground. He thought about sitting on the dock, but he knew that he would just look in the direction of Bessie’s and wait for Joey’s rowboat, like some kind of ghost ship, to appear.

 

Instead, Dawson headed for the ruins. He should be able to think there. As he went the same way he always had, stepping through the break in the fence he got a load of the NO TRESPASSING sign, and laughed out loud this time. He could see the headlines now-- "Academy Award Winning Director Dawson Leery Arrested in Hometown for Trespassing." That was all he needed. He walked to the bench overlooking the water that he and Joey had sat on a million times.

 

He thought of a conversation had when they were--they must have been fifteen or sixteen. Ironically, the conversation was about their wedding day. How prophetic. Because even at the time when he was going out with Jen and thought he had been head over heals about her, he had sensed that it would be he and Joey that would end up together. They were talking about how phenomenal their wedding day would be--how they’d have the best time, but each of them would bring a date. Even then, had they admitted to each other their eternal denial of the fact that they belonged together? Dawson with Jen? Joey with the rich guy at the bar? No! Dawson sure didn’t belong with Jen, and Joey certainly didn’t belong with moneybags!

 

Dawson’s head spun out of control. He felt like he was in a nightmare within a nightmare. How true had those words proven? How fitting were they to current circumstances? Joey’s question that ended that conversation had hit Dawson like a mack truck.

 

"...Yeah, but I was with the rich guy at the bar," Joey had said, half smiling like she always had. "Until moneybags got fresh and I had to come to the rescue," Dawson had replied quickly. There was a pause in the conversation. "So were you man enough?," Joey had asked, turning serious, "...Did we save each other that night, Dawson?" Dawson hadn’t been able to answer. "It gets a little hazy after that...I--" Joey had stood to go, on the verge of tears. "Well, regardless of how it ended, Dawson, I’m sure I had a wonderful time."

 

"Why was I so blind?," Dawson wondered angrily aloud.

 

He wanted so badly now for things to be like that, for him to have the chance to save Joey from tall, dark, and handsome sitting on the bar. But was he man enough?

Love Potion No. 9

by: Bitsy

As scheduled, Jen called Pacey at 10:00 that morning. She was guessing that Dawson and Joey hadn’t bumped into each other, or she was sure she would’ve heard about it from Joey. That being the case, Jen and Pacey didn’t want them to discover each other’s presence now. It would blow a cover on the whole plan. Jen had to stall in Capeside for awhile--her flowers were not being delivered until 1:00 and they needed time to take their effect. She called Joey’s housekeeper and made sure that the plan was secure. But Pacey wanted to get Dawson to Boston nice and early--they needed to go shopping for a ‘wedding present’ and stuff. Little did Dawson know that Pacey was really going to be prepping him for his big date.

 

Since they were all just next door to one another, Jen suggested that she and Joey make the walk over to Bessie and Bodie’s. She knew that Pacey would be by to pick up Dawson in less than an hour. It hadn’t rained lately--Jen would make sure that she and Joey would take back trails so that they would definitely not be discovered by Dawson. Her little car had been safely hidden in the garage since yesterday. She rushed out of the door before Joey to see if the coast was clear, and when she saw that it was, rushed Joey out and to the right of the house, away from Dawson’s. It wasn’t until Jen let her guard down at having successfully gotten Joey out of Dawson’s sight that she noticed Joey’s distress. She had hardly said a word all morning. Had Pacey and Jen been found out?

 

«Jo. I know something’s wrong. You know you can talk to me. Please tell me what it is», Jen said gently. They walked for a few minutes before Joey responded.

 

«I’m canceling the wedding, Jen. I decided last night.», Joey said finally, stopping

 

«Wh--what made you decide to do that?», Jen asked as evenly as she could.

 

«Jen, you know I still love Dawson--», Joey began, «...It’s just that, even though I know I can’t have Dawson, if I marry someone else, it has to be for the right reasons. And if I never find anybody else who I love enough to want to spend the rest of my life with, then maybe I wasn’t meant to get married at all...»

 

«Joey», Jen said, stopping, «you know, Dawson is single--why are you torturing yourself like this? You have to tell him how you feel!»

 

«I will», Joey replied «In my own time. I wrote him a letter last night after my walk. One day soon, I’m going to get the courage to send it to him. I’m not ready yet, but I hope that when I finally get it out and tell him, I’ll feel a lot better.» Jen was dumbfounded.

 

«Wow, Joey, that’s great.», Jen said, hugging Joey and not trying to sound enthusiastic, «I know it’s going to be hard for you to tell Christian, but it’s better to catch your mistake now before you have a chance to make it.»

 

«I know. It’s just now I have to spend all day telling people the wedding is off. Bessie right now, the Leery's when they get home from work later on, my Dad when he comes back from vacation, Christian when I go out to dinner with him tonight...That’ll be disastrous.»

 

Jen felt a twinge of guilt for making Joey suffer the whole day thinking that she was going to have to break the news to someone she wasn’t even going to see. She thought about letting Joey know exactly what she and Pacey were up to, but she couldn’t. Joey would have to use her own judgment. But regardless of whether Joey and Dawson ended up together, which was, of course, the desired goal, Jen was just happy that Joey had decided against marrying Christian. That would have been awful!

 

«And Dawson! What am I going to tell Dawson?», Joey asked.

 

«Put the letter in the mail today, Joey, call him in a few days before he leaves for the wedding.», trying desperately to coax Joey to mail the letter. If that wasn’t backup, she didn’t know what was!

 

«No, Jen. In my own time», Joey said.

 

By now they were on Bessie’s porch. Joey sighed.

 

* * * * *

 

«Dawson, man, just take her aside and tell her. It’s not like they’re going home together tonight--it’s the night before the wedding and incredibly bad luck. Offer to escort her safely home and say something to the effect of ‘You know, I’m happy for you, but I have to admit that I never got over you and that tomorrow’s going to be a sad day for me, and I’ve held it from you for so long, but now I need to let you know that I love you and always have’.», Pacey said convincingly. How did Pacey know that’s exactly what Dawson wanted to say and couldn’t?

 

«Is it that obvious that I am still that in love with her?», Dawson asked Pacey.

 

«Yes, Dawson. And you’ll ruin everything if you don’t do this tonight. You can’t tell a married woman you love her! That’s an invitation for a fight or a restraining order from Dr. Wonderful! Now is the time and tonight is the night.», Pacey said wisely.

 

«I hate do admit it, Pace, but you’re right.», Dawson replied, defeated.

 

«Now, are you going to work with me here, or not?», Pacey asked.

 

«What do you mean?», Dawson asked.

 

«Just look at you? You’re a mess. You know not having anybody to impress in LA has really made you let your appearance go. We need to take you shopping, Dawson», Pacey said honestly.

 

Pacey was probably right. Dawson looked at the sunvisor mirror on the passenger side. He looked terrible. Dark circles under his eyes, unshaven, his hair needed to be cut...and he had always been so low-key when it came to clothes. He was very Banana Republic, but not much further. It went from khakis for everyday to tuxes for black tie events. Dawson’s missing out on the dating and going out scene severely limited his wardrobe. Pacey would change that. He didn’t have to be flashy or anything like that--just a little more suave.

 

Completely ignoring the road, Pacey used his teeth to pull out the antenna on his cell phone. He called his own salon in LA which, being one of his most important numbers, was on auto dial.

 

«Hi, Christine, it’s Pacey...Yeah, I’m in Boston with a friend who needs some serious help. I know it’s Friday and it’ll probably be busy, but is there any way you could connect me with the Boston salon and work me some appointment magic?»

 

As Christine ‘worked her magic’, Dawson rolled his eyes at Pacey’s reassuring glance. Had Hollywood penetrated Pacey’s already warped mind and made him completely insane?

 

«Yeah, I’m here. Pacey looked at his watch. Sure. Five o’clock’s perfect. What’s the address? OK. Thanks, I owe you one».

 

* * * * *

 

Joey sneezed uncontrollably as she ripped clothes out of her closet and threw them in her overnight bag. Jen tried to calm her, but Joey was in serious trouble. She was highly allergic to wildflowers. She didn’t break out in hives or anything like that, but her sneezing overcompensated for her lack of other allergic symptoms. Joey sure hoped that Chad would be able to accommodate them. As she zipped up her back slung it over her shoulder, she grabbed the (half-empty-from-crying) box of tissues from her night table, and walked through the apartment into the elevator, motioning for Jen to follow. Jen took the cue. Pretending to speak to Chad on the cell phone, she said the appropriate things and then ‘hung up’. She had spoken with him briefly a few minutes ago to let him know that they were on their way, but that had been it--the last little tidbit had just been for show.

 

For the second time that day, Jen had felt a little guilty towards Joey. She sneezed the whole fifteen minute ride to the hotel, and her tissues had accumulated to make a pile on the floor of Jen’s little car.. Jen didn’t mind, though. As long as she got Joey safely out the door for dinner. Jen parked her car in front of the hotel, handing the valet her keys, and walked smoothly in. She was greeted with two kisses on the cheek by Chad, clearly pleased with what he saw. He, too felt a little sorry for a still-sneezing Joey as she approached him. She was tearing from sneezing so much. She stopped long enough for Chad to give her a kiss on the cheek. He began his apology.

 

«Well, ladies, I will have two rooms for you by later on this evening, but for the time being, all I have is one room. I’m sorry, but on such short notice, that was the best that I could do.», Chad said convincingly. Joey bought it.

 

«No problem, Chad», she said, still a little shaky, but attempting a smile «You’re doing me a big favor, trust me.»

 

Chad smiled back and showed them to reception, where they were treated fabulously. Jen was impressed with Chad, Pacey, and herself. It all seemed to be coming together. They collected their room keys, and Joey flopped herself down on the king sized bed as soon as they got in.

 

«So what are you going to do tonight, Jen?», Joey asked.

 

«Probably hang out with Chad a little. He should be able to take off soon, he told me on the phone, but other than that, I think I’ll call it an early night. I must be coming down with something since I’m so tired all of a sudden!», Jen lied.

 

«You want some cold stuff?», Joey asked sweetly. So gullible, Jen thought.

 

«Thanks...hey, do you mind if I take this room. You’ll probably be back later than I go to sleep, and who knows when the other room’ll be ready?», Jen asked, taking the small bottle Joey gave her.

 

«No problem at all», Joey said, getting undressed and getting ready to shower. It was getting late.

 

As soon as Joey got into the shower, Jen sighed with relief. Everything was going perfectly. Jen started unpacking all of her stuff. As soon as she got Joey out of there, she’d have to start getting ready for her date with Pacey. God, she hadn’t even thought of it that way, but it was true. Jen had a date with Pacey. It gave her chills for a couple seconds! What was she thinking? Her thoughts were interrupted by Joey stepping out of the steamy bathroom.

 

Jen looked her over. There was a lot of work to do. Jen felt like it was the Ms. Windjammer Pageant again, because the same reality was true--Joey didn’t know how beautiful she was. She had certainly gained a lot of confidence since high school and lost some of the awkwardness that had been there before, but she hardly wore makeup, and tended not to wear things that showed off her shape. Jen was about to do something about that...

 

«Are you going to wear that?», Jen asked, pointing to the plain, short black dress that Joey had chosen.

 

«What’s wrong with it? Does it look that bad on me?», Joey asked, holding it up to herself.

 

«Joey, you have the perfect body and you wear stuff that makes your curves invisible. You’re not going to a funeral!», Jen exclaimed.

 

«Actually, telling your fiancée that you’re not going to marry him is kind of like going to a funeral», Joey retorted.

 

«Joey, look at you.», Jen began more gently. «You’re already nervous. You need a little bit of confidence. What gives a woman confidence more than looking a little bit sexy? It’s sad to say, but sex appeal is confidence», Jen replied easily.

 

Joey hated that Jen was right, but Jen was right. Something a little sexier would give her a little more strength tonight. Joey looked in the mirror. She looked the way she always looked, with her hair down, her face beautiful with soft, clear, skin, but untouched by color. She did need to look knockout that night. She didn’t want to be the weak little woman she had been, who was pining after Dawson and about to submit to marrying a man she didn’t love. She wanted this to be the first day of the rest of her life. Maybe this was the beginning of a new Joey, a confident, sexy Joey, who could take control of her life and love. Maybe the new Joey would be able to march into Dawson’s office in LA, crack her whip, and...

 

«How ‘bout this?», Jen asked, pulling something out of her garment bag. She had come prepared.

 

It was perfect. It was a slinky merlot colored dress that went to the floor. It was kind of Morticia Adams in the sense that Joey’s feet couldn’t be seen when she walked, but it didn’t look at all unnatural.. The dress fit Joey like a glove, and the color made Joey’s skin glow. A little eye shadow, a little blush, and some dark lipstick. Joey looked like a model. The darkness of the dress added to the natural mystery that surrounded her, and its fit made her walk slowly and very elegantly. Jen, confident that her scheme would work, walked Joey to the lobby to see when Chad would be getting off of work. As Joey walked to the reception desk, she drew a lot of stares. Jen smiled. Perfect.

 

«Doctor Potter, your room number will be 518. Here is your key. It will be ready for you upon your return, and your things will be moved. Thank you for your patience.», the man at the desk said.

 

«Thank you very much», said Joey gracefully. She turned to look at Jen.

 

«Thanks, Jen...I just want you to know that your being here these past few days means so much to me. I wouldn’t have been able--» Jen cut Joey off as she saw the tears form in her eyes.

 

«You’re going to ruin your makeup!», Jen said sternly. «And you’re welcome». Her voice softened. «I know it’s going to be hard, to do what you’re about to do, Joey, but be strong. Now, take my car, turn on the CD player, and listen to CD 5 track 7 at least two times before entering the restaurant. Got it?»

 

«Sure», Joey said, confused. Sniffling and fighting back her tears, she felt Jen squeeze her arm, and she turned to go. * * * * *

 

Dawson looked like a new man when he walked out of the swanky downtown Boston salon. As soon as they saw who it was that needed to be made over, all of the best technicians were put in charge of him. He was manicured, shaven, facialed, massaged, trimmed, and Carlo, his colorist, put lowlights in his hair to add to the depth of his eyes. They had found a little store that Pacey knew that did same day alterations and got Dawson fitted for an elegant charcoal gray Armani Suit, and new shoes to match. Finally, they had topped off the look with a pair of Calvin Klein sunglasses that fit Dawson’s face and the outfit perfectly.. Since the salon had been the last stop and it had taken quite awhile to ‘fix’ Dawson, Pacey rushed Dawson back to the Hotel. They went to their respective rooms to get ready. It was already seven-thirty by the time both of them were done, and Pacey knew that they had to move if they didn’t want to run into Joey in the lobby.

 

«Come on, Dawson, let’s go have a drink before we go to the dinner», Pacey reasoned.

 

«Sure.» No objection from Dawson.

 

He was so nervous that a drink would probably do him good. Sitting on the bar at a hotel down the street from the restaurant, Pacey tried to give Dawson neutral advice without giving away what was really going on.

 

«Dawson. Be honest and be yourself, and you can’t go wrong. She’ll appreciate your honesty. Every chance you have to tell her that you don’t take is time wasted and is making it that much harder for you to ever tell her after that.», Pacey said.

 

«I know», Dawson said, sipping his Tanqueray and Tonic. When had Pacey become so reasonable?

 

Pacey took the last, long sip of his Bombay Sapphire Martini (Shaken, not stirred) and got up, slapping a twenty on the bar.

 

«Are you ready for this?», he asked Dawson.

 

«Absolutely not», Dawson replied.

 

«That’s my boy», Pacey said leading Dawson out of the bar and putting his arm around him.

 

* * * * *

 

Sitting in Jen’s car, Joey turned on the CD player, and, as instructed, turned on Disc 5 number 7. Familiar music filled the air as a woman’s voice was crooning about love, but Joey couldn’t place it at first. She kept listening, and figured it out right before the chorus, singing along. It was that old Nancy Sinatra song!

 

These boots were made for walking,
And that’s just what they’ll do,
‘Cause one of these days these boots
are gonna walk all over you...

 

Jen was so funny sometimes! All while Joey was getting ready, Jen had been giving her the sexy girl power lecture and that song totally got Joey in the mood, if not to kick some ass, than definitely, to march into that restaurant, tell Christian what she had decided, and to stick confidently by it. As promised, she listened to the song twice. Just as she pulled up to D’Amici’s, it went off. She opened the door to Jen’s car, and stepped out in front of the restaurant. A little intimidated by the reality of the situation, but still confident.

 

«Good evening, Doctor Potter», the Valet said, bowing.

 

«Good evening», replied Joey. All of the staff that worked there knew her.

 

The valet opened the door for her, clearly pleased with the change in her, and she walked in. Greeted by the Maitre’d, she followed him to where she knew she was going--her favorite table. She was so nervous by what she was about to do that it almost didn’t hit her that the restaurant was completely empty. They reached her favorite table, and as the Maitre’d pushed in her chair, she turned around to ask him what was going on, but he was already gone.

 

* * * * *

 

«Here goes nothing», Dawson said to himself, allowing the Valet to open the door for him.

 

Pacey should have been right behind him, but had gotten himself off the hook by telling Dawson he was bringing the car around from the hotel where they had had a drink to be valet parked at D’Amici’s. By the time Dawson had walked down the street to the restaurant and found himself face to face with the Maitre’d, Pacey was already halfway back to the hotel. Dawson had grown used to people recognizing him, so was not surprised when the Maitre’d spoke.

 

«Right this way, Mr. Leery», he said.

 

Dawson, glancing around nervously, was taken aback. Nobody’s here? He approached a table where a waiter was pouring wine into two glasses, but he couldn’t see who was there. The Maitre’d wound around and as they got closer to the table, the waiter moved, revealing what he had been covering. It was Joey!

 

* * * * *

 

«Let the games begin», Pacey said to himself as he sped along the narrow Boston streets back to the hotel.

 

It had been years since he’d seen Jen, and he really couldn’t wait. The older Pacey got and the more superficial he realized LA was, the more he realized that he needed friends from when he was younger, friends who knew the real him and would hang out with him even if he wasn’t successful in career and income. He was really curious as to how Dawson and Joey’s reunion was going, but knew that now it was in their hands. Pacey and Jen’s work was done. Tomorrow morning would bring either a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door handle of room 518, or a nasty call or knock on the door in the early hours. Pacey had a feeling it would be a ‘do not disturb’. Their plan had been airtight. The love was there. It had to work.

 

Pacey’s own love life was much different. He dated all the time, but never managed to find anybody that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Nobody genuine. The same LA scene that was and always would be. Under all of the money and recognition that Pacey had received, he was still a small town guy. He wanted someone really down to earth, but didn’t know if it could ever happen--not in LA. He sighed. He was only 27. It wasn’t an emergency that he wasn’t married (well, according to his mother it was). He just hadn’t found what he was looking for.

 

He got out of his car as he pulled up to the hotel, pushing thoughts of his sordid social life out of his head, and filling it with memories of Jen. She had been a knockout back then--what would she look like now? Pacey strode easily through the hotel lobby and into the hotel bar where she was supposed to be waiting for him. Looking around, he saw that she wasn’t there yet. Women. He checked his watch--only 8:10. Not too bad. Pacey found an inconspicuous booth and ordered a bottle of Dom for the two of them. While he was debating over whether or not ordering strawberries would be inappropriate, Jen sauntered in, stopping Pacey midsentence. The waiter saw that his date had arrived, and retreated to bring the Champagne.

 

Neither Jen nor Pacey could believe their eyes. Pacey looked a lot better than Jen had remembered. His facial features had become more defined--his jaw was stronger, his cheeks more sunken, his eyes more intense, his voice softer, and his hair more stylish. This Pacey even looked like he could hack it in New York! He was definitely taller, and had a certain presence, yet a certain grace to him (if a man could be called graceful). His elegant but casual suit fit him perfectly. Jen had to admit, he had grown into a very sexy man. He smiled at Jen, sweeping her up into a big hug. That’s Pacey, Jen thought, hugging back happily.

 

After their hug, Pacey stood back, still holding onto the tips of Jen’s fingers. He took her in. She had grown into a very, very beautiful woman. The babyfat that had stuck with her throughout high school was now gone, completely thinning out her face and waist. She had the same beautiful smile and clear, blue eyes. But her hair was a different color--a little dirtier blond--probably her natural hair color. She looked like she had grown some, too. Her short red slipdress complemented her figure, showing off her perfect legs. Pacey couldn’t stop staring.

 

«Pacey!», she hit him playfully on the arm, «You’re making me blush!»

 

«Sorry», Pacey said, now blushing himself, «Jen, you look fabulous! Really great!»

 

«I could say the same to you, Pacey», Jen said, sliding herself into the seat. «It’s hard to believe that the same Pacey who whipped off his cap and gown at graduation and streaked across the football field on a dare is the same one that’s sitting in front of me!», Jen laughed.

 

«Well...», Pacey laughed nervously and continued his blushing.

 

There was somewhat of an awkward silence, which was broken by the waiter’s return with the bottle of Dom. He poured, and before he left, Jen ordered strawberries. God, she’s wonderful!, Pacey found himself thinking. He had hardly paid attention to her toast. Something about ‘May Dawson and Joey find the happiness they’ve always wanted without killing us first’. Pacey rose his glass and smiled, not once taking his eyes off Jen.

Breathless

by: Bitsy

Joey slowly rose from her seat. Her heart had stopped the second she recognized Dawson and had not started since. She was weak in the knees and although her mind told her to go over and give him a hug, her body wouldn’t obey. Dawson, who had stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her now walked up to her and swept her up in his arms, embracing her for what seemed like a long time. Tears sprang to both of their eyes. The shock and emotion was too great for words. Joey had not anticipated that she would have to face Dawson at all now that she was calling the wedding off, and Dawson had expected their hug hello to be a little less personal than it had been--after all, hugging somebody in a room full of people was different than hugging somebody alone.

 

Reluctantly, Dawson pulled away and stepped back from her, still holding both of her hands, looking down into her deep brown eyes. He could get lost in those eyes.

 

«You look absolutely gorgeous, Joey», Dawson said sincerely, not taking his eyes off of hers.

 

«You look great, too», Joey managed (he heart hadn’t resumed beating yet), «a lot better than you do on TV.»

 

They both laughed at that one, and as the laughter broke the initial awkwardness of the situation, Dawson pulled Joey’s chair out for her, and then seated himself. Much to her body’s relief, Joey’s heart started beating again. She loved how Dawson could do that to her--get her so nervous and upset yet make her so at ease. Maybe she could get the courage to tell him right now, face to face, how she felt about him. But what did he have up his sleeve right now? What was going on? She had talked to Christian personally about their dinner date. What was this all about?

 

«Dawson--I hate to sound completely clueless, but I think I’m missing something and I have no idea what’s going on...», Joey started.

 

«I came here for the rehearsal dinner, but we’re the--»

 

«Rehearsal dinner? The rehearsal dinner isn't--wasn’t supposed to be until next Thursday!»

 

«Wasn’t supposed to be?», Dawson asked.

 

Before Dawson and Joey could get to the bottom of what was going on, a thick book was delivered to their table. They looked at each other quizzically. Somebody was definitely up to something.

 

«You open it, Dawson», Joey said, catching his eye, feeling her heart flip-flop.

 

Dawson hesitantly reached out to the book and opened it in his left hand, not believing his eyes. They were picture of he and Joey when they were kids, placed in chronological order. Some of the pictures he recognized as his mom’s, others he didn’t. Only one other person could have those pictures.

 

«Bessie», Dawson whispered, unaware that he had spoken aloud.

 

«What about her?», Joey asked, «I saw her earlier today in Capeside..»

 

«You were in Capeside today?», Dawson asked.

 

«Yeah, I spent the night there...», Joey said slowly.

 

There was a long silence between the two of them. Dawson’s head was slowly putting it all together. Photo album, phony rehearsal dinner, Capeside, Pacey taking a half an hour to park the car...

 

«Joey, we’ve been set up.»

 

* * * * *

 

Pacey had already been watching Jen bite into strawberries for a half an hour and was totally captivated by her. But it wasn’t just her physical appearance that had changed for the better. Now, eight years later, she was a lot more stable in her life, her dreams, and her insecurities. When she had first come to Capeside when she was fifteen, issues surrounding her family and her life in New York had made her whole time in Capeside a kind of soul-searching journey. Even though she was back in New York right now, she had really come out of her shell a lot and was a very smart, motivated, and beautiful woman.

 

Jen was equally impressed with what a refined gentleman Pacey had become. There was still evidence of his playfulness in his easy manner, but otherwise, he had developed a businesslike serious side to him, and Jen liked it. He made her feel completely at ease despite her rapidly growing attraction to him--or was it simply that quality which had attracted her to him to begin with? But as much as she wanted to discover this previously unseen side of Pacey, he seemed more interested in her.

 

Pacey hung on her every word. He wanted to know everything there was to know about her now--it sounded strange after only having been speaking to each other for the week, but he knew that he wanted to spend time with her while they were in Boston and completely catch up with her. He wanted them to be friends again, maybe more.

 

After having finished their bottle of champagne and strawberries, the question of ‘what next’ came up. Neither was terribly hungry after the strawberries. Compared to the cities that each of them was from night life in Boston was a bore--besides, Pacey Witter, although not yet a household name, was a celebrity in his own right and could very easily be recognized. They decided to stay where they were and get cozy until the bar closed. Good friends, good conversation...what else did anyone need?

 

* * * * *

 

Joey couldn’t believe her ears as Dawson told her what he thought was going on. Now it all made sense--Jen’s suggestion that she spend the night in Capeside, her mysterious private telephone conversations which Joey now guessed must have been with Pacey, getting her all confident and dressed up to break up with her fiancée...And she had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Jen and Pacey would have a lot of explaining to do when they got back to the hotel, but she couldn’t help smiling a little bit at the thought. Everyone thought that she and Dawson belonged together.

 

«Unbelievable», Joey began taking a sip of her wine, «They all got together to try to get us together, and almost succeeded.»

 

«It is pretty unbelievable. But we were Capeside’s favorite couple. Everyone thought we’d end up together, no matter what.», Dawson mused.

 

Dawson didn’t know what to do. Nothing could have prepared him for being face to face, alone with Joey that night. He knew that the whole idea had been to get her alone and tell her that he had never fallen out of love with her, but instead of making the situation easier, the fact that Joey had cancelled the wedding made things even more complicated. The fact that they had been set up didn’t help either. Dawson didn’t want to make himself look like an accessory. But just seeing her again, and being with her--God! he couldn’t believe how incredible she looked. She hadn’t gotten taller, but the way in which she carried herself now was more flattering, more commanding. She was wearing her hair in an effortless but elegant French twist being held together with chopsticks, and her dark, slinky dress which highlighted her beautiful and now more developed shape did the same for her dark brown eyes and hair. Her lips, a deep shade of wine, were as luscious as ever. But there was a sadness about her, and Dawson wanted so badly to reach out to her.

 

«Joey, I can see by looking at you that there’s something wrong. Do you want to tell me what it is?», Dawson asked softly, taking her hand.

 

Joey avoided Dawson’s concerned stare. If he only knew how badly she wanted to pour her heart out to him...She realized that earlier she had let it slip that she had cancelled the wedding. Dawson wanted an explanation, she knew. She looked down at the hand that Dawson was holding. Her left hand. Dawson lightly stroked her ring finger with his thumb, where her engagement ring had been. She wanted to get up from the table and crawl into his lap and cry on his shoulder--to tell him everything, but she couldn’t--not after they had been set up. She didn’t want to make it look like she had been a part of the plan. She told Dawson as close to the truth as she could get without revealing her true reasons.

 

«I didn’t love him», she began, «I mistook respect and platonic love for romantic love and it just wasn’t there.»

 

«What made you change your mind, Jo? When did you realize this?», Dawson prodded.

 

«Last night at the ruins», Joey revealed.

 

Dawson’s heart started beating wildly. This was fate. But what was fate doing? If fate wanted them to get together, why hadn’t they found each other last night at the ruins, and why did it take the interference of their friends and family to try to get them together? Maybe everyone had been wrong--fate had been against them all along, and no matter how hard they tried to fight it, they weren’t supposed to be together...

 

«And you haven’t told him yet--that’s what you thought tonight was....», Dawson continued.

 

«Yeah», Joey whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

 

«Oh, Jo, come on», Dawson said, choking up. «If you cry, I’ll cry...»

 

«I’m sorry Dawson, it’s just that--well, it was telling you that I was worried about.»

 

«Telling me?», Dawson asked, intrigued.

 

«When I told you on the phone last week that I was happy with him, I lied, Dawson. I know I’m really bad at lying, especially to you. I know it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other and an eternity since we’ve really talked, but you’re Dawson--you’re still my best friend in the world...», she trailed off, «At the time I was lying to myself, too, but it’s like, when I tell you something that I know isn’t true, I know that you’ll see right through it like you just did...I knew you’d want an explanation for why I called off the wedding, and I’m ashamed to admit that it’s because of my own stupidity», Joey said, the tears now flowing freely.

 

Now Dawson got up and crouched down by Joey’s chair so that she was only slightly above him as she sat in her chair. His heart ached to see her like this. Again, taking her hand, he kissed it, and with the other, caressed her face and wiped her tears away. Her wounded eyes met his and he melted in her gaze. She was such an angel...

 

«Shhh, Joey. We’re all entitled to make bad decisions. I’m not judging you--I would never judge you. I wish you had told me sooner, Joey. I wish that there’s something I could’ve done...», Dawson said soothingly.

 

«Oh, Dawson, I’ve made such a mess of my life!», Joey began, «I--»

 

Dawson stood up now, pulling Joey with him into a hug. How could he have gotten so caught up in his own life that he had neglected to make sure that Joey was okay? It had been the selfishness of his own love that stopped him from picking up the phone and calling. It had hurt him too much to be reminded of her--but where had he been when she needed him?

 

«It’s alright, Jo. I’m so sorry--this is all my fault. It’s just that I get so caught up in my own life that I neglect to check on yours. I just always figured that you were fine and probably didn’t need me anyway. But you were always on my mind, Joey, I want you to know that. You’ve always been with me everyplace I go. I don’t know how I could’ve been so blind to your needs. I’ve been an awful friend...I’m so ashamed of myself for that!»

 

«Dawson, don’t be like that! I should’ve come to you with it. I should’ve--»

 

«Shhh, Joey, I’m here now, and everything’s going to be alright», Dawson assured her.

 

* * * * *

 

In keeping with the party mood, Jen and Pacey had moved from champagne and strawberries to cigars and cognac. Pacey loved when women smoked cigars--he found it completely sexy. Jen clearly did not indulge frequently in smoking of any kind, as was evident from her technique. Watching her made Pacey smile widely, genuinely amused. When she took her first sip of cognac he laughed out loud as her face reddened from the sting. He put her arm around her, and kissed her on the forehead, still laughing. Jen put her glass down and, cigar in hand, started laughing with him.

 

«You know, Pace, the next time you and I find ourselves sharing a cigar, it might be for the birth of our possibly-still-friends-with-us-tomorrow’s first baby», Jen reflected.

 

«Do you think they’ll still make us the godparents even though we pulled this?», Pacey asked thoughtfully.

 

«They’ll make us godparents because we pulled this», Jen said honestly.

 

«That’s a thought--our best friends with children, and us...», Pacey trailed off.

 

«Without love.», Jen finished.

 

«How do you know that Prince Charming isn’t going to ride into New York in his white Jaguar and sweep you off your feet?», Pacey asked.

 

«Come on, Pacey--New York and LA are the same socially--they’re playgrounds for adults who want social lives that are completely devoid of structure, fidelity, and commitment. I can’t live like that. Besides...», Jen hesitated, not wanting to offend Pacey.

 

«What?», he smiled.

 

«In New York, most of the eligible bachelors are gay.»

 

At that, both of them took one look at each other and burst out laughing.

 

«You know Pacey», Jen said through her laughter, «You were right all along--Dawson and Joey belonging together, Deputy Doug being gay, you showing everybody in Capeside who ever doubted you--I really admire you that way.»

 

«I’m touched, Jen», Pacey said, genuinely moved by the notion that Jen admired him. «But you did the same», he continued. «You showed your parents, your grandmother, and all of your friends back in New York that you changed. That had to take courage.»

 

«Yeah», Jen murmured thoughtfully, half to herself.

 

«A toast», Pacey said softly raising his snifter.

 

«To what?», Jen asked.

 

«To the courage to follow your heart», Pacey said, mesmerized by Jen’s eyes. Jen raised hers, not once pulling herself away from Pacey’s gaze.

 

«Here, here», she almost whispered.

 

* * * * *

 

Following Joey and Dawson’s outpouring of emotion to one another, a wall that had been up between them had torn itself down. After their long hug, both had excused themselves to the bathroom. Joey, her makeup on the verge of running, fixed herself as well as she could, dabbing on a little more lipstick and tightening up her hairdo. Blowing her nose, and subsequently inhaling deeply, she detected Dawson’s scent, and it brought back a complete wave of nostalgia--it wasn’t that he still wore the same kind of aftershave or cologne--he didn’t. It was his smell, and now it was on Joey. She looked at herself in the mirror. She felt beautiful. The way that Dawson had looked at her and told her that she was gorgeous...Only Dawson saying that to her could make her believe it. No matter how badly it hurt her to harbor her secret love for Dawson, Joey still felt like a queen when she was with him. Conceivably, she could never tell him how she felt. Just being near him was enough...She pulled herself out of her fantasy of a world with Dawson and closed her purse. He was probably waiting and she didn’t want to miss a second with him.

 

* * * * *

 

Dawson washed his face with cold water and looked at his reflection. He looked good--Pacey was right, like a new person. Pacey...he couldn’t believe that his best friend had set him up, but despite the currently awkward situation, was glad that he did. Now the wedding was off, and Dawson had Joey all to himself, if she wanted him. He just couldn’t figure out how he was going to tell her. Now was certainly not the appropriate time. She wasn’t going to agree to a second engagement without having broken the first, although if Dawson thought that Joey would say yes, he would propose on the spot. He would marry her in a second without an afterthought. He would definitely tell her before he left, but now was a sensitive time for her, and he had to start thinking about her needs. He had to protect her from sadness and pain in any way he possibly could. She was so special to him, and it pained him to see her look so lost. Didn’t she see that Dawson would always be there for her?

 

Dawson dried his hands and made his way back outside. Joey was just coming out of the ladies room at the same moment. They both blushed when they saw each other. Dawson recovered quickly, smiling, and sticking out his elbow gallantly for Joey to take his arm, she did. The two walked back to their table like a couple, each one loving every second of it. Again, Dawson helped Joey into her seat and then took his own. This time when they sat, they heard soft music playing and found menus in front of them and a basket of warm bread. With all of the surprises that the evening had brought, dinner itself had been forgotten. It was already after 9:15!

 

Joey didn’t even need to look at the menu to know what she wanted. Even though the restaurant had an Italian name, it featured traditionally Spanish cuisine. Joey ordered the Gazpacho and the Paella Catalunia every time she came, as well as a carafe of Sangria. Dawson ordered the same as Joey had, and could taste why this was Joey’s favorite restaurant. With no more tears, the two thoroughly enjoyed the meal, catching up on what was happening in each one’s respective profession, asking about how the family was doing, etc.

 

Joey revealed that she had seen all of Dawson’s films at least three times in the theater and owned all of them that were already out on video. And every time she saw him in the paper or in a magazine, she saved the article.

 

«Really, Dawson--I know this is going to sound corny, but I’m very proud of you--not that I’m surprised in the least. I always knew that if any of us succeeded it would be you.»

 

«Joey, I couldn’t have done it without you--you know, every time I accept an award and you’re the first person I thank, it’s not just because I know you’d physically injure me if I left you out. You’ve been my inspiration in more ways that you’ll ever know.», Dawson said, staring intensely at Joey, making her blush.

 

«Thanks Dawson, really--but the same is true from you to me.», Joey replied.

 

«I inspired you to do groundbreaking cancer research?», Dawson asked incredulously.

 

«Dawson, when my mom died, you were the only one that was really there for me. My dad and Bessie had issues of their own. You were the one who told me everything was going to be alright. I felt so helpless--I didn’t want anyone to have to go through what my mother and all of us went through. You were the one who convinced me that my life could go on and that someday I’d be the one to find a cure for Cancer.», Joey explained.

 

Dawson had completely forgotten that he’d said that. He didn’t realize what an impact he’d had on her.

 

«And I’m not at all surprised at your progress, Joey. I’m still convinced that you’ll be the one to find a cure. I have 100% faith in you, Dr. Potter.», Dawson whispered sincerely.

 

Joey had to change the subject. All of the wonderful complements Dawson was paying her were becoming too much. She could feel herself falling more and more deeply in love with him. She had to take a reality check.

 

«So I saw you in People Magazine’s 50 Most Eligible Bachelors», Joey began, «How long is that going to last?», she asked preparing herself for the sting of the girlfriend profile. As long as it takes for you to fall in love with me, Joey, Dawson thought.

 

«Much to my mother’s dismay, I don’t see myself anywhere close to marriage», he said.

 

«But you must have opportunity, Dawson. What’s stopping you?», Joey continued trying unsuccessfully to sound unattached.

 

«You know how I am, Jo, when it comes to women», Dawson said taking a sip of his wine. «I’m too picky--after you, nobody was good enough.», Dawson said smiling sheepishly and blushing.

 

«Please, Dawson...», Joey said, obviously having taken his last remark as a joke, «like nerdy little Doctor Potter compares to all of the glamour of Hollywood and its fashionable women!»

 

Not wanting to open the can of worms labeled ‘Joey’s social life’ by reminding her also that with her looks and brains she could have her choice of men, Dawson allowed the subject to drop. After all, Joey was about to call of her engagement, and Dawson didn’t want the conversation to go back to that. But the fact that Dawson avoided the relationship question certainly did not go unnoticed by Joey...

 

By the time dessert rolled around, they had gotten to the photo album. Dawson brought his chair closer to Joey’s as the two pored nostalgically over the photo album. They laughed over flan about their adorable baby pictures and cried over café madrileño about the more meaningful pictures they had taken together when they were older. Dawson, Joey, and Mrs. Potter at the kids’ middle school graduation; Dawson with Joey’s whole family at Martha’s Vineyard when they were nine; Dawson and Joey at the Junior Prom, and then a year later at the Senior Prom. Neither of them could ignore what happy times those were for them, and feel sadness when they looked at them. Dawson flipped the back cover of the photo album shut.

 

«Those were the days, huh, Jo?»

 

«Yeah. Those were the days...»

 

When they had assured the waitstaff that there was nothing more that they needed, the Maitre’d came over and thanked them for coming and told them that their whole evening had been taken care of. They walked out arm in arm.

 

«Would you mind giving me a ride back to my hotel, Jo? I know it’s been a long night, but Pacey kind of left me here without car...»

 

«No problem, Dawson--I’m actually going to a hotel tonight myself. Some anonymous secret admirer sent me a bunch of wildflowers.», Joey said, frowning.

 

«Yikes!», Dawson had immediately made the connection.

 

«Where are you staying?», Joey asked casually as Dawson opened the drivers side door for her, tipping the valet generously.

 

«The Commons», Dawson replied through the open window.

 

«What a coincidence...», Joey muttered, thinking about how he was going to ream Jen and Pacey for doing this.

 

Driving in the car, realizing that he would need to set the tone and opportunity for his next meeting with Joey, Dawson felt her out.

 

«So, Jo, I took some time off of work this week, and, since there’s not going to be a wedding, I was hoping that we might be able to spend some time together. I know you’re probably reeling from the whole recent series of events, so if it’s not okay, say so, and we’ll do it another time--»

 

«I’d love to spend the week with you, Dawson», Joey said, smiling over at him genuinely.

 

That was all of the conversation they needed for the short ride to the hotel. Both were ecstatic and had to conceal their emotion from the other. Did each one have the chance to make the other fall back in love? If not before, they had just bought themselves a week! Getting into the elevator together, Dawson casually asked Joey what floor she was on.

 

«Five», she said easily.

 

«Me too.» Dawson pressed five and got out with Joey, following her to her room.

 

«Hey, we must be right across the hall from each other», Dawson replied seeing Joey stop between 517 and 518.

 

«Well, I guess this is good night, unless you want to come in for a drink...», Dawson said hopefully.

 

«Sure», Joey said. Had her Nancy Sinatra savvy found her again on the ride home?

 

As Dawson started for room 518, Joey stared incredulously. Not only had Dawson tried his key in her lock, it had worked!

 

«Uh, Dawson, aren’t you in 517?», she asked, confused.

 

«No. 518. I thought you were 517...»he replied.

 

«Unless...»they said in unison.

 

«They got us again», Joey admitted reluctantly. It had Jen and Pacey written all over it. Where were those two anyway?

 

Dawson, the first of the two to walk into the room, found it completely transformed. There were lit candles all over the room, the balcony doors were open, filling the room with the slightest of summer breezes, a silver room service tray stood by the bed, piled high with strawberries. Dawson lifted the champagne out of the ice bucket. Dom Perignon. Even in the large whirlpool bathtub, floating candles and rose petals stood ready in a basket. A soft music mix was playing in the background and the city could be heard below. On each bedside table was a little Easter basket full of condoms. Joey saw Dawson pick one up.

 

«Pacey.» they said simultaneously, smiling.

 

The letters they didn’t see until last. One made out to Joey, one made out to Dawson, both in different handwriting. Should they stop this matchmaker game in its tracks for the sake of the other, or play along? Both thought the same thought and had now come to face each other at the foot of the bed. Was the fate of their relationship sealed in those letters?

 

«Same time?», Joey asked

 

«Yeah.», Dawson replied.

 

Sitting down at the foot of the bed with their backs slightly to each other, each read in silence.

 

Dear Dawson,
If you’ve gotten this far, you’re in your hotel room with Joey (it’s her hotel room too and don’t even try to get out of the door or change the room. Neither of those options will be available until 9AM tomorrow). This is a golden opportunity that I hope you take full advantage of. As Joey’s best friend and one of your good friends, I refused to stand by and allow you two to deny your love for each other any further. I apologize to you for sticking my nose in business that’s not mine, but in this case, I felt it my duty. Everybody around you can see how much you are still in love with each other. I know that Joey loves you, Dawson, and I know that you love her. Set yourself free tonight, Dawson. Save yourselves through saving each other. Love as pure and true as the one you and Joey share only comes once in a lifetime.
Love,
Jen

 

 

Dear Joey,
You probably pieced together hours ago me and Jen’s artful plan to get you and Dawson together. Personally, I hope that you don’t even get to read this letter until Saturday morning--but in the case that you and Dawson haven’t gotten together on your own just yet, let me clue you into a few important facts. First of all, Dawson loves you more than life itself--when he heard that you were getting married, it almost destroyed him. No matter how far you are away from him, Joey, you’re his reason for living. In his films, all of his strong, beautiful, intelligent female characters are you, and the dreamers he gets them together with are him. You are the love of his life and he is the love of your life. Without each other, you are incomplete. Let yourself go. Tell him how you feel. He needs to know as bad as you need to tell him.
Love,
Pacey

Indian Summer

by: Bitsy

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, caressing 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 judgment 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 up to 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 weird 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 witness, 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 paparazzi.» 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 commitment 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 everyone 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