"Joey, this isn't gonna work. I'll never get this right." She laughed and grabbed his hand, placing it on her waist.

"It'll work. It's not that hard to dance. And I know I'm not the greatest teacher in the world, considering Bessie made me learn so I wouldn't be embarrassed at that dance we went to before." He laughed briefly, then ran a hand through his hair. She looked at him and grinned.

"Well, let's try it with music this time...maybe get you a little more relaxed. You seem kind of...apprehensive." He smiled and shook his head, trying to gain back his confidence.

"I'm good for it. Play the music." She laughed and turned on the radio.

"Ah, this is a good song...a bit fast perhaps, but still, good. Nice beat, easy rhythm." She looked at him, and laughed. "What's the matter?"

"I wouldn't have guessed you to be the whole dance-expert type." She shrugged.

"I'm hardly an expert. But I do know good music when I hear it." He nodded and put a hand on her waist. Joey took his hand and put hers inside it.

"Alright, let's go." They began to move around Pacey's living room. She smiled at him, encouraging and approving each step he made. He twirled her once and caught the surprised look on her face. Chuckling, he caught her and held her close, shimmying a little, and then, with a hand on the small of her back, he dipped her. She came up laughing hysterically.

"Faker." He grinned and they moved around the room once more.



The sun had begun to go down when Joey reached the Witter house. She had come from a late afternoon movie at Dawson's to fulfill her end of the bargain Pacey had proposed in the letter. When she arrived, she had been surprised about the dancing. Pacey said he wanted to take Andie out for something other than a movie and a burger. Joey'd thought that maybe he was considering getting serious with her.

Now, it was close to 8:00. The sun was long gone, almost invisible clouds were moving over the skies, partially blocking the stars from view. And Joey was dizzy, partly from the dancing and partly from the laughter. She'd never laughed so hard in her life, and it was hard to remember a time when she'd had more fun with Pacey.

They'd turned on the music after a few unsuccessful tries at steps and almost miraculously he'd turned into a pro. Almost too miraculously.

She grinned as she fell onto the couch, breathing hard while the radio announcer began a string of commercials. Pacey collapsed beside her, wiping at the sweat glistening on his forehead. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"God, that was fun." She nodded in agreement and rubbed her cheeks.

"My face hurts from smiling so much."

"Mine too...man, it's almost eight..." Joey shot up, nearly falling over her own feet.

"Damn. Bessie said I had to be home by 8:30 to watch Alex." Pacey slowly got up and closed his hand around her arm gently.

"One more, Jo. Then we can call it a night." She raised her eyebrow, and looked at him.

"I don't know...I should probably get going soon..."

"Look, I'll call Bessie and tell her you'll be late, or I'll drive you home and explain to her myself." He faked a pout and she laughed softly.

"Alright, one more." They walked to the middle of the room and as the song began to play, Pacey put an arm around her, and linked his fingers through her own, pressing her against him slightly.

Joey looked up and blinked. She spoke nervously.

"It's kind of dark, isn't it?" He shrugged.

"It's the moonlight...it comes and goes." Her teeth pulled at her lower lip and she tried to smile as they began to move.

He held her close, eyes staring into hers, fingers warm against her back. When they stepped, she felt his leg rub against hers, and she closed her eyes, feeling a dizzy confusion spill over her, cutting off all rational thought, leaving all her cold reason behind.

Pacey ran a hand up her neck, fingers tangling in her dark hair. Joey looked up at him, the elusive moonlight reflecting in her eyes, and licked her lips nervously. Though they had stopped swaying, their gazes were still locked, hands were still on each other, touching a cheek, stroking hair, squeezing fingers...

After what seemed like an eternity, Pacey leaned down, eyes boring into hers, searching the endless darkness. His nose brushed her cheek and his fingers tilted her chin up. She stared at him, at his mouth, moving down to touch hers softly. It barely stroked against her lips, a gentle brush of lips. At the precise moment it could have been classified as a kiss, she stepped away, breaking the wall of his arms around her, throwing her arms down at her sides.

Joey ran a hand through her hair, fingers shaking. Her legs wobbling ever so slightly, she walked to the door, and after grabbing her coat, walked quickly out the door, leaving Pacey to stare after her, cursing himself softly.

Credit goes to Dave Matthews and Meredith Brooks for their songs.