Shake and Nod: Part Three
by: Moon Bunny
Disclaimer: Same as before. Send comments/feedback to: moon_bunny@hotmail.com
Joey was refusing to come out of her room.
Dawson was the only one allowed in there, and even that was only to bring her food or to talk for less than 10 minutes. She refused to allow him to stay longer, and promptly locked the door when he was gone.
After a week and a half of not seeing Joey's pretty face, Pacey was ready to go insane. He paced the floor of Dawson's room while Jen and Dawson just stared sympethically at him and held hands.
And now it was 10:30 at night and Dawson was walking around the hallway to stretch out his legs. That was when he heard it. Crying. From Pacey's room?!
Dawson lightly rapped on the door. "Pacey? Pace, can I come in?"
"Go away man." Came Pacey's tired voice. "I don't want to talk about what a creep I am, nor do I want to analyze what I did wrong so I can fix it and get Joey back. I just want to sleep and cry."
"Pacey," Dawson began, exasperated. "What did feeling sorry for yourself ever accomplish anyone? Nothing! You need to go and try to talk to Joey! She's hurting just as much as you!"
"I don't think that's possible D." There was a shifting sound, and Pacey appeared at the door, his eyes still wet. "All I ever wanted was her. All I ever needed was her."
"Pacey, I know she feels the same way about you-"
"How?!" Pacey demanded angrily. "How could you possibly know a thing like that D? You're not Joey!"
When Dawson was at a loss for words, Pacey nodded to himself slightly, his face losing the angry touch and softening into one of pain. "Good night Dawson." He shut the door in Dawson's face.
Dawson hesitated for a second, then pounded on Pacey's door. It swung open.
"She chose you."
"What?" Pacey looked confused and bewildered.
"She chose you. That's how I know how much you mean to her. You said she was 'in love' with me for years, and she still chose you. That's how I know."
Pacey and Dawson exchanged a long look.
Ring.
Joey was dreading it. She knew it was coming. Oh god. She didn't want to pick it up. Please god, stop ringing.
Ring.
Joey snatched up the phone. "Listen you bastard, I don't want to talk to you and I don't want you threatening my... my... well... my... friend. My friend."
"Joey, it's Pacey." He sounded confused, and a bit startled.
"What do you want?" Joey bit her lip to keep from crying as she put the daggers in her voice.
Pacey winced. "I just wanted to talk to you for a second."
"Well, your second's up. Goodb-"
"Joey stop."
The tears slid down Joey's cheeks as she wiped at them. She took a deep breath silently before speaking to see if she could calm her shaky voice. "What?" Was all she could manage before sobbing silently.
"I," He took a deep breath that she could hear. "I'm sorry, Joey. Whatever it was that I did, I swear to god that I'm sorry."
Joey couldn't talk for fear she'd break up sobbing.
He mistook her silence and looked down. "Alright Jo. I won't push you." He started to hang up.
"Pacey wait!" He heard just as he was about to put the phone on the cradle. The voice sounded drenched with tears.
"Yeah?" Pacey quickly brought the receiver up to his ear.
Joey's jaw worked for the words, but she couldn't make the sounds.
"Take all the time you need Jo."
Joey couldn't help it. She burst into hysterical sobs. He knew her so well, he wasn't even there and he knew that she couldn't get out the words. She could hear him vaguely calling her name, frantically asking if she was okay. The next second she heard the phone being hung up and someone was knocking, well, pounding, on her door.
Joey tentatively stood up, hanging up the phone in the process, and opened the door to reveal, who else? Pacey.
The darkness of her room and the light from the hallway behind him illuminated his shirtless self.
Their eyes locked, and Joey forgot everything about how she'd been worried about Pacey betraying her. They'd figure it out later, but together. She'd been so stupid. Someone could have broken in and gotten the note. Of course. What had she done?!
"Joey?" Pacey's eyes were so tender, and his voice was so soft she forgot about everything. Everything. "Are-are you okay? Is it the rape?"
Joey's hand covered her mouth as she muffled a sob. Even when he thought she hated him, he still worried first about her. Above all.
Joey shook her head, and Pacey got a worried look on his face. "Oh no. Jo, please say you can talk to me. Please!"
Joey smiled and nodded through her tears. Then she was in his arms, crying, and he had a relieved look on his face.
"I am never letting you go." He swore to her. "No matter what."
Joey laughed, her tears sliding down his back. She kissed his shoulder and looked out over it, to the light he brought with him and the darkness she had with her.
And then, in means of symbolism, Joey smiled, reached over, and turned on the light to her room.
"You thought I was trying to kill you?!" Pacey gaped at her.
"Maybe?" Joey said, like it pained her and she was nervous.
Pacey concentrated on Jen's bedspread while Jen spoke.
"Joey that's crazy! Pacey would never try to-"
"Joey's right." Pacey interrupted. They all stared at him. "Not about me trying to kill her!" He hurriedly explained. "But if I were her I'd probably think it was me too. I mean, he knew about the note, he called her darlin', it makes sense."
"But it's not you, so who else do you know that's that close?" Dawson leaned his chin in his palm.
"No one." Pacey put his head in his hands, looking upset. "It's just not making any sense!"
Joey slid over on the bed and slipped onto Pacey's lap, facing the same direction he was. In order for her to do so, he had to move his arms, so he wrapped them around her waist and buried his face in her shoulder.
"Who knew about the house?" Dawson tried again, doing his best to sound objective. He and Jen exchanged a sly grin about the two, knowing that, so far, everything would be fine.
"Me. You. Jen. Pacey." Joey thought outloud, intertwining her fingers with Pacey's and leaning against him. "Um, Bessie, Bodie."
"They did?" Pacey leaned his cheek on her shoulder to look up at her.
Joey nodded. "They were paying the bills."
Pacey laughed slightly. "How about that?"
Joey grinned and pushed out Pacey's legs a little so she was sitting on the bed, but he was still sitting loosely crosslegged. She was shorter than him once more, and leaned against his shoulder as his arms went even more possessively around her and her arms went over his.
Dawson and Jen were sitting side by side, just holding hands. They squeezed each other's hands and glanced at the couple on the bed across from them.
"And that's it?" Dawson asked, feeling slightly guilty about breaking them up.
"Yeah." Joey shrugged. "I think."
"Hm." Jen sighed. "I don't think we're going to figure out anything tonight and I'm bushed."
"Me too." Dawson agreed.
"Yeah..." Joey relented, getting up.
"Alright." Pacey shrugged and kept his hand with hers over her shoulder as she led the way off the bed and out of the room. He looked back and shot them a grin, his hand still with Joey's on her shoulder. "'Night guys. Don't do anything I'm not going to." He shut the door.
"Mmm..." Joey snuggled up closer to Pacey, and his strong arms tightened around her.
"I didn't think I'd ever sleep with you again." Pacey sighed, looking down at her and gently pushing her hair off her face.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Pacey kissed the top of her head and looked into her eyes. "You were scared. It's understandable."
"No it's not. I should have trusted-"
"Jo, I said it was fine. It is. Relax." Pacey stroked her hair as she leaned against him. "I love you."
Joey smiled. "I love it when you say that." She said, looking up at him and kissing him sweetly. "I love you."
"I really love it when you say that." Joey giggled, kissed him again, and closed her eyes.
For the first night in almost two weeks, they slept peacefully.
And with smiles.
Ring.
Joey stretched and yawned, looking over at the phone on the nightstand. She realized something was wrong.
Pacey wasn't there.
"Pacey?" Joey called, confused. There was no answer. She shrugged, then figured he was on the phone.
"Hello?" Joey asked. "Pacey?"
"You're back together with him?" The person sounded mildly surprised. "What're the odds?"
"What do you want?" Joey whispered, horrified.
"Josephine!" Joey heard Pacey carol as he wandered into the room. "Love darling?"
Pacey walked into the bedroom balancing a tray of orange juice, milk, plates, silverware, and napkins. When he saw her terrified face he almost dropped the tray. He quickly stashed it on the desk and ripped the phone away from her. She just sat there.
Pacey heard laughing. "Leave my girlfriend alone you bastard." Pacey swore at him.
"Pacey, Pacey, Pacey." He laughed. "Don't you think that you should ask her what she wants?"
"No."
"So, now, why'd you get back with her? I mean, she accused you of trying to kill her!"
Pacey looked confused. "And you know that how?"
"I'm not telling."
"Damn it who the hell are you?!" Pacey burst out.
He laughed. "A friend."
Pacey slammed down the phone and turned to Joey. "Jo?" He asked softly, looking closely into her face. She blinked and looked up at him through her lashes, and then followed him as he knelt in front of her and rested his arms on her legs. "Are you okay?"
She reached out and hugged him, her head leaning over his as his arms wrapped warmly around her waist.
"I love you." He heard her whisper.
Pacey got up and pulled her into his lap. "I love you always." He replied, kissing her cheek.
"You brought breakfast." Joey commented. When your life was threatened every day, you began to look for different things to get your mind off of it.
"Did you freak out when I wasn't there?"
Joey stradled him, putting her arms around his neck. "Maybe." She grinned slyly as his arms automatically went around her waist. "Or maybe I said good."
"Nah..." Pacey looked up at her, his eyes dancing. "I know you too well for that."
"So what did I say?"
"You said, 'My lover Pacey isn't here! Please say he hasn't left me! We haven't had enough time together!'" He mocked a high pitched voice, and grinned when he finished as she burst out into giggles.
"You're right. We haven't had enough time together." Joey agreed. "We have a week to make up for."
"Ah ah ah ah. A week, 3 days, 20 hours, 37 minutes, and 28 seconds." Pacey corrected.
"29."
"What?"
"29 seconds."
Pacey and Joey both started laughing, falling back on the bed and laughing just because it felt good to not care.
Pacey brought Joey's chin up and gazed into her eyes, which were still laughing but were quickly getting serious. He kissed her forehead, tickled her, and got up off the bed to their breakfast on the desk. "Food." He announced to her.
She giggled and rolled off the bed herself.
"Where's my good morning kiss?" Joey asked playfully.
"Oh!" Pacey grabbed her, swung her around, and dipped her. Then he kissed her sweetly.
That's all for now guys! It'll be continued... It has to be! We still have to find out who the killer is! But I wanted to end this segment on a happy note, and how much happier can you get than making up? = ) Please write me and tell me what you thought! = )