"Okay, Alex...you ready to break the eggs?" Pacey asked handing the little boy an egg. Alex knelt on one of the kitchen chairs later that night, a bowl of half made cake batter was in front of him, along with a myriad of ingredients.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Break it carefully against the side of the bowl, make sure not to get any egg shell inside."

"I know, Uncle Pacey." Alex said wearily. "I'm not a baby."

"I know that. But I'll let you in on a little secret," he leaned forward conspiratorially. "Even I get egg shells in my cooking."

Alex smiled widely, "My mom does it all the time."

"Yeah, see...even grown-ups mess up while cooking."

"'Cept my Dad."

"Right, Except your dad. He's the best cook in Capeside."

"In the world!" Alex insisted.

"Okay, in the world too."

"Ooh, is that cake?" Audrey asked with a grin as she came inside followed by Joey.

Joey shivered slightly as she removed her gloves in stuffed them in her pocket. "No more walking by the pier in this weather."

"Yes, my special gourmet post-Christmas cake." Pacey nodded, watching as Alex broke the egg shells. "With a red middle and green frosting."

Audrey smiled leaning against the counter. "Yum."

Joey shook her head and took off her coat. "Sounds nauseating."

"It's just food coloring, Jo." Pacey informed her.

"I'm sure."

Pacey arched an eyebrow at Audrey. "So why were you guys even outside at this time of night?"

She shrugged. "Boredom."

"You could help us bake, Aunt Joey." Alex offered.

Joey smiled crookedly. "But you're doing such a good job, buddy."

"You're welcome to help, Jo," Pacey added. "You too Audrey," he added as an after thought.

"My culinary skills leave much to be desired, but I'll be happy to eat the batter and the finished product." Audrey grinned.

"I'm not really in the mood to bake," Joey said as she headed out of the room.

"What's her problem?" Pacey wondered, as she was leaving.

Audrey shrugged. "Beats me."

"Okay, Alex," Pacey handed the boy a wooden spoon. "Get mixing."

"Why don't you just use an electric mixer?"

"And miss out on doing it the old fashioned way?" Pacey scoffed, "Why don't I just buy a box of Duncan Hines?"

"I don't know. Why don't you?"

"Audrey, Audrey, Audrey," Pacey shook his head. "That stuff is cheap imitation of true cake."

"I'm surprised you don't like it. It's fast and easy."

"Cute, Audrey. Real cute."

She smiled. "You know you love me."

"Yeah, sure. You just keep telling yourself that."

She grinned brightly and dipped her finger into the bowl so she could get a quick taste. She ran her eyes over him deliberately as she sampled the mix. "Did I tell you how incredibly sexy you look today?"

He cleared his throat and glanced pointedly at the top of Alexander's head. "No, but thank you."

"Well, you do." She winked at him, and then turned on her heel, a swing to her hips as she left Alex and Pacey to stare after her.

Continuing down the hall, she entered the room she was sharing with Joey. "Are you sure you didn't, like, smoke crack or something in high school, Jo?"

Joey glanced up from the book she had been reading. "What?"
"I mean, you had to be on something to resist jumping that boy."

"No. Not that again." Joey rolled her eyes and picked her book back up.

"Joey, did you see his butt in those jeans? An ass like that only comes around once in a lifetime. And when it does....it doesn't come with a body like that. He's got the complete physical package."

Joey exhaled sharply. "Please."

"And he's such a sweetheart. All your friends are. That's just totally not fair."

"I know. I know."

"Okay, and you were so wrong about his--"

"Audrey," Joey said warningly.

"Well, you were."

She bit the inside of her cheek. "Can we not discuss Pacey and I?"

"No, we're talking about it. Cause one minute I was talking about Pacey, and now we're talking about you and Pacey." She turned intent eyes on her. "So what's with the jealousy?"
"What jealousy?"

"The jealousy that's making your cheeks flame red."

"That's not jealousy. It's embarrassment that we're even discussing this."

"So...it's embarrassing to be attracted to Pacey?"

Joey threw her head back on her pillow. "Ugh!"

"You might as well talk about it with me, it's not like I'm gonna broadcast it to the world."

"Is it possible to spontaneously combust from an overrun of hormones?"

Audrey giggled, "That's my girl."

Joey groaned and squeezed her eyes shut. "It's like impossible to form coherent thought anymore."

"Oh, honey." Audrey sighed sympathetically. "If it helps, he's totally attracted to you too."

She frowned. "It doesn't."

"Why don't you do something about it?"

"Like what?"

"Like...maneuver your sweet self underneath some mistletoe."

Joey shook her head. "It's just overactive hormones."

"Maybe. But, what's wrong with that?"

Joey sighed tiredly. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"You shouldn't be moping during the holidays, Jo."

She shrugged. "Whatever."

"I'll go get Pacey to cheer you up." Audrey moved to get off the bed. "I'm sure he has a little magic to work."

"Don't."

Audrey sighed, "So you're really just lusting after him, huh?"

"Leave me alone."

"Okay," Audrey nodded. "You wanna watch a movie for a while?"

"No. I think I'll just hang out in my room."

"If that's what you want..."

"It's what I want."

"I'm outta here then." She rose and headed for the door. "I'll see ya in the morning, I guess."

"Okay."

Audrey let out a sigh and closed the door behind her. It seemed to her Joey was obviously suffering from more than out of control hormones.






A knock sounded on her door only moments later. "I'm not here."

The door cracked open, "Well, then perfect. I’ve been dying for the opportunity to ready through your diary."

"Anyone else would have gotten the hint," Joey mumbled.

Pacey entered the room. "Anyone else would have been long gone from this house by now."

"Well, what do you want?"

"You." She rolled her eyes and he chuckled, "Not the reaction I was going for." He sat down on the edge of her bed.

She sighed. "So what do you want?"

"Just to talk. Is that a problem?"

"I don't really feel like talking."

"That's what Audrey said."

"And yet you came here why?"

"Cause when have I ever done what's in my best interest?"

"Why not start now?"

"That wouldn't be any fun, now would it?"

She sighed. "Why do you hate me?"

"Oh, Potter. I don't hate you." His eyes twinkled.

"Then why are you here?"

"There's obviously something bothering you, and as one of your closest friends...I have to be there for you. At least as long as the cake is in the oven."

"That's really nice of you, Pacey, but there's nothing wrong with me."

"Really? Cause you've been avoiding me ever since Jack, Dawson and Jen left."

"So that means there's something wrong with me?"

"That, or there's something wrong with me." He replied. "Either case, I'd like to know what exactly it is."

"There's nothing wrong."

"Okay." He lay down over the back of the bed, folding his arms under his head to use as a pillow.

"You better go before that cake burns."

He glanced at her clock, "Still another twenty minutes before we're in danger of that."

She nudged at him. "Go check on it just to be safe."

"You really want rid of me that badly, huh?" He turned deep blue eyes to her.

Her stomach plummeted. "Uh-huh."

"I thought you just wanted to forget about your Christmas present. It really doesn't seem like you've forgotten it, Jo."

"I'm sorry, but it's just not every day that a girl gets an offer like that from a friend."

"So forget we're friends. Pretend I'm just some guy who hit on you after a class." He suggested.

"Easier said than done."

"So what do we do here, Joey? I'm trying really hard not to let the fact you can't stand to look my way bother me, but I can't help it."

"It's not that I can't stand to look at you. It's just hard to look at you."

"Is it really that revolting an idea?"

"It's not revolting per se.."

He tilted his head to look in her face, "Jo?"

"Why are we even having this discussion?"

"'Cause you're still not looking at me."

"I can look at you."

He sat up on one elbow, "Must be kinda hard to see me through a curtain of hair," he brushed her hair behind her ear.

"You'd be surprised."

He tilted her chin up, "Look at me, Jo."

"I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this," she grumbled, reluctantly raising her gaze.

"See," he smiled at her. "It's just me. Same lovable, annoying, intellectually challenged Pacey Witter you've always known."

She licked her lips nervously. "Yeah."

"There's no reason for there to be any weirdness between us." He assured her gently.

"Right."

"Right. So then we're okay?"

She swallowed. "Fine." He arched an eyebrow. "That cake might be burning."

"I still have ten minutes," he reminded her.

"Oh."

He sighed, "Joey, you look like you want to jump out of your skin."

She frowned. "Sorry."

"If I could take it back, Joey, I would. I never wanted to make you feel uncomfortable."

"What the hell were you thinking anyway? I don't need pity sex."

He smiled, "Is that what you think I thought? I wasn't trying to offer you pity sex, Jo. I wanted you to have a sexual experience that would be safe and comfortable and passionate." The corner of his mouth curled up, "And exactly how you want it."

"Why?"

"Because, you deserve that at the very least. And I'm not so sure there's anyone else who cares enough to take the time and the consideration to make it perfect for you."

She sighed. "It's a very bad idea."

"Yes. But I think...at least with me...at least I'm not a stranger."

"That's not necessarily a good thing."

"It's not?"

"Casual sex between friends?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Who said anything about casual?"

"It'd just complicate our friendship."

"Or strengthen it."

"Or ruin it."

"Guess we'll never know, right?"

"Right."

He sat up with a nod and leaned forward to kiss her cheek, just grazing the corner of her mouth. "I'm gonna go check on the cake. G'night, Jo."

"Night..." He quietly let himself out of her room, leaving her to her thoughts. "Ugh!" She collapsed back onto her bed with a groan.






Later that night, Joey closed the door softly behind her and quietly tiptoed into the room. The moonlight reflecting off the snow outside cast the guest room in ethereal blue, illuminating the bed and the man inside it. She exhaled silently and crept over to the bed, trying not to lose her nerve.

He was sprawled across the queen sized bed, his blankets kicked down around the foot of the bed, the sheet twisted around his legs and torso. The black wifebeater contrasted against the smooth skin. He jerked awake as he sensed another presence on the bed, "Don't kill me!"

"Just give me what I want and I won't have to." She smiled.

He rubbed his eyes, "Jo? God, you scared me. Don't ever interrupt a bad dream."

"Another bad dream?" she whispered quietly.

"Nightmare, bad dream," he shrugged, falling back to the bed. "They're all gone in the morning."

"Want to talk about it?"

He smiled at her, "I've already forgotten what it was about."

"Oh. That's good I guess."

He scooted over on the bed to give her more room. "So are you here because you somehow sensed I needed you or did you have something in mind?"

She shrugged. "I couldn't sleep."

"Lonely?"

"A little."

He patted the bed, "Me too."

She smiled faintly and sat on the bed. "Thanks."

"I could use the company tonight, I think."

"Good to be of service then."

"Come here, Potter," he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back so her head rested on his chest, her body perpendicular to his.

She smiled weakly. "So..."

"You don't mind if I use you as a teddy bear, do you?" He teased. "I left mine in Boston."

"I suppose..."

"Comfortable?"

"Very."

He rested one hand on her stomach, brushing his thumb over her tank top. "'Kay."

She nibbled on her lip lightly, heat fusing through her. "Just say the word when you want me to go."

"How about if I just ask you to stay?" He wondered.

"I...uh, okay."

He smiled in the dark, "Thanks, sweetheart."

"No problem."

He shifted, "Cold?"

"Uh, no."

"Sure?"

"Um, yep."

He yawned, and shifted again, "Come up here and use a pillow. My chest can't be all that comfortable."

"It's okay."

"Suit yourself."

"Are you tired?

"A little," he sighed. "Not enough to want to go back to sleep though."

"Oh."

"Feel free to fall asleep if you want. Don't stay awake on my account."

She shook her head. "I'm not tired."

"No?"

"Nope."

"Not at all, huh?"

"Not really." He ran his fingers through a few strands of her hair, watching it fall across his chest. "I should probably go back to my bed."

"Thought you were going to keep me company?"

"I wouldn't want to take up room."

"You aren't taking up room, I promise."

She smiled. "Okay."

He had a pretty good feeling why she had come into his room, but he couldn't think of a single thing to say to her that would make her more comfortable. "This bed is too big for one person anyway."

"Oh." She licked her lips. "Good thing I'm here then."

"They're about my Dad," he said after a few moments of silence.

"Are they really bad?" she questioned softly.

"Sometimes," he swallowed. "They're all different. Sometimes they turn out okay. Nice even. But..."

"But what?"

"Most of the time, I'm waking up just before it gets really bad."

"How bad?"

"Really bad."

"Have you always had them?"

"Only since I decided to come back for Christmas." He stared up at the ceiling, "Worse after I saw them on Christmas Eve."

"Weird."

"I think it's just being back in town that's got me uncomfortable." He trembled as flashes of his last dream, the one she interrupted, flitted through his memory.

"Well, that sucks."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"At least it's almost over."

"I hope so."

"Be able to head back to Boston soon."

"Uh huh," he smiled. "I like Boston, it feels more like home than Capeside ever did."

"And there's Audrey."

He chuckled, "Yes, there is Audrey."

"I really lucked out in the roommate department."

"Yeah, she's a nice addition to our little circle of friends."

"Yeah..." She sighed. "So I guess you proved me wrong," she continued after a moment.

"In what way?"

"Audrey. Bathroom."

"Oh....that." He smiled, "Yeah, I suppose I did."

"Pervert."

"The internal macho part of me just couldn't let it slide," he admitted.

"I know how tough it must have been for you." She rolled her eyes.

He smiled, "It was horrible, Potter, knowing how little you thought of me."

"But miraculously you managed."

"And miraculously, you found yourself sneaking into my bed in the middle of the night," he pointed out. "So you can't think all that little of me."

"I couldn't sleep, that's all, and Audrey was snoring."

"Audrey snores?"

"Sometimes."

"Conveniently tonight?"

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Me? I'd never." He turned on his side, and looked into her face. "For whatever reason you came, I'm glad you did."

"I don't know what I was thinking."

"Yes, you do."

"It was a slight lapse in rational thinking."

"Would it be easier if I made the first move?"

"A great lapse in sanity." She continued, her eyes growing wide as she tried to ignore the tremor his words caused in the pit of her stomach.

"I'll take that as a yes," he murmured, tracing the curve of her cheek with his index finger.

"D-don't do that."

He tried, but failed to hide the flash of hurt in his eyes. He curled his hand into a fist and pulled away from her. "Maybe you should to back to your own bed."

"You're kicking me out?"

He sighed, "You'd be safer there."

"From what?"

"From my own lapse in sanity."

"You're going to rip off your face and reveal your true form?"

"Maybe."

"Interesting."

"Jo? Go back to bed."

"I can't believe you're throwing me out."

"Me neither." He shook his head. "But right now, I don't trust myself with you. So either you go or--"

"Or what?"

He blinked, "Or you take your chances."

"No, no." She shook her head. "You don't want me here, so I'll go."

He gave her an incredulous look, "It's not that I don't want you here. It has more to do with the reasons why you're here. Obviously, I thought the wrong reason and I--I shouldn't have forced you."

"Forced me to what?"

"I didn't actually force anything, but the thought that I might have..." he shook his head.

"Might have what?"

"Seduced you, or worse.... You made your feelings on sleeping with me perfectly clear. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry."

She smiled faintly in amusement. "You would have seduced me?"

"I was going to try," he replied with a weak smile, sensing her amusement.

She rolled her eyes. "Like it would have worked. Glad you saved yourself the embarrassment."

"I'm not entirely sure I saved anything."

"I like our friendship, Pacey."

He blinked at the change of subject, "So do I."

She trailed her finger over his hand. "And it wasn't easy to get to where we are now."

"I know it wasn’t." He agreed, inhaling a deep breath, "I don't want to jeopardize our relationship in any way. But I honestly think this wont hurt us if we don't let it."

"I'm not sure if it's worth risking."

"I hate the idea of you sleeping with some guy who'll make you a world of promises for a night of sex and then break your heart when he doesn't come through in the morning." He shook his head, and pinned her with a steady gaze, "How do you feel about me, Jo?"

"You're one of my best friends, Pacey."

"Than how is a complete stranger preferable to me?"

"Okay, so maybe I was rushing impulsively into this sex thing."

"Maybe?"

"Maybe."

"But you still want to?"

She sighed. "I don't know."

"It's normal to want to have sex, Jo. It's a natural thing. It's acting on it that's the hard part."

"Says the man whose first time was with his English teacher."

"For your information, I was terrified."

"It looked like it."

He chuckled, "Thanks."

She smiled. "I think I'll go now. Audrey's probably finished snoring."

"You sure? I think I can control myself now. You're welcome to stay." He offered.

"As long as you don't snore."

"I promise." He pulled the blankets back across the bed and held them open for her.

She grinned and snuggled closer to him. "You know, I still don't feel tired."

"Me neither," he inhaled the scent of her hair as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Which is bad. We need sleep. Well, I need sleep. I can't deal with Audrey without a full twelve hours."

"Twelve hours? She's really that exhausting?"

She nodded against his chest. "Really."

"And to think, you thought I was bad," He teased.

"I don't know where she finds the energy. It exhausts me just thinking about it."

He rubbed her back gently, "So get some sleep. Sounds as though you'll need it."

"More than likely."

"Well..." he smirked, "There are activities that are guaranteed to leave you exhausted..."

She raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"Well, we've been discussing one of them for the last three days."

"Socks?"

"Cute, but no." He kissed the top of her head, "The other is..." he grabbed the pillow from behind his head, and hit her butt with it, "This."

"Oh?" She smiled. "You mean this?" She sat up, reached for the pillow closest to her and smacked him with it.

"Exactly this."

"I don't want to be forced to hurt you."

He laughed, "Potter, you couldn't if you tried."

She pursed her lips together tightly. "I can."

"Short of kneeing me in the groin, I don't think you can." He hit her again with the pillow.

She hit him with her pillow. "Try me."

He held his arms open in a gesture of trust, "I'm waiting."

She threw her pillow at his head. He laughed and tossed it aside, "Jo, honey, that's a cotton case filled with feathers. How much damage do you really think it'll do?"

"I'm not going to hit you."

He tilted his head to the side, "Told ya you couldn't hurt me."

"You're severely tempting me though."

"You looooove me."

"You wish."

He grinned cockily, "Don't think I don't."

"Never going to happen," she taunted.

"Owww," He patted his heart, a wounded look on his face. "You succeeded. I'm hurt."

She bit her lip trying to hold back a smile so she wouldn't encourage him. "You were warned."

"I don't know how I'll ever live..."

"I'm sure you will."

"I donno. Finding out Joey Potter doesn't love me, that's a mortal wound."

"I'm not that lucky."

He shook his head and grinned, "You're right, you're not. I survived the last time, so I'm pretty sure I'll pull through. But just barely."

"But miraculously, you're still trying to get inside my pants."

"What can I say? They're very nice pants."

"Very funny." He smiled innocently and she climbed off the bed. "This time I'm really leaving."

"If you stay, I promise I wont throw any more pillows. Or try to get inside your pants."

"I think it's better if I go."

"Okay. Sleep well."

"G'night."

"Yeah, it was."

"What?" She turned back, a curious look on her face.

"A good night."