Joey smiled warmly as the doorbell rang. She quickly tucked her hair behind her ears carefully, trying not to get any of the mashed potatoes she'd been cooking caught in the strands. She heard Alex's little feet patter to the front door and she sped up to catch him on the off change there were guests at the door and not her friends. She stood just behind him and allowed his pudgy hands to open the door.

"Joey!" Andie squealed as she saw her friend. She rushed to wrap her arms around her setting the bags she was carrying down on the ground. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas to you too, Andie." Her friend's perkiness was contagious and her grin widened as she gave the blond a friendly squeeze. Joey turned her eyes to Jack who was being hugged tightly around the knees by the two year old Alex. "Merry Christmas, Jack." She giggled as he tried to shuffle inside, balancing three boxes in his arms.

Jack smiled. "Hey Jo. Where do you want these?" he asked motioning to the boxes as he tried to maneuver his way inside as Alex clung to his leg. "There's more in the car. You'd think Andie bought stock in JC Penny."

Andie stuck her tongue playfully out at her brother. "Oh, be quiet. I just had to be sure I brought gifts for everyone."

"I think you bought gifts enough for everyone and their second cousin." Joey eyed the bags and the boxes, suddenly wary of her own meager pile under the tree. "You can put them near the tree." She turned to Alex, "Hey Al, why don't you let go of Uncle Jack and help Auntie Andie with the presents, k?"

"Ok!" He released Jack and ran to Andie.

"Thanks," Jack mumbled offering Joey a smile of relief. "I guess I'll go get the rest."

Joey looked at the bags, "I'm beginning to wonder if Jack was serious. Do you have stock with JC Penny?"

Andie scoffed glancing away from the bottom of the tree where she was arranging her presents. She brushed her blonde hair behind her ear and straightened out her blue sweater. "Of course not. There was just this great Thanksgiving sale."

She nodded, "I see. So, what'd you get me?" She asked impishly.

"And I see Joey's still as impatient as she was when we were seven," Dawson commented with a wry grin as he came in through the open door, lugging his own gifts for everyone.

"Okay, then what'd you get me?" She smiled and hugged him. "Merry Christmas."

"I'm saving money for college. You're all going to have to share," Dawson teased setting his bag down on the couch and removing his coat.

Joey chuckled and took his and Andie's coats to hang up on the coat rack. "Merry Christmas, Dawson." Andie said, her cheeks a rosy pink.

He smiled warmly at her. "Hey, Merry Christmas."

Joey smiled, "We're only missing two more."

"The two lovebirds," Jack huffed coming through the door with an armful of packages. "It'll be a miracle if they get here on time."

"Why's that?" Andie asked, moving forward to help him.

"Jen just got back," Jack explained. "They're probably making up for lost time."

Joey didn't say anything and tucked a few strands of loose hair behind her ear. "How, uh, late do you think they'll be?" She asked quietly.

Andie giggled quietly. "Pacey has great stamina." She blushed as she realized she had said it aloud and busied herself at the tree.

"Thanks for sharing." Dawson rolled his eyes. "That's way up there on the list of things I never wanted to know about Pacey. Right next to catching his first time on video."

Andie turned an even brighter shade of red. "There's still some more in the car, Dawson. Why don't you help me?" Jack asked to save Andie from further embarrassment as he turned to go back outside.

"Pacey's that good, huh?" Joey couldn't help but ask. She blushed then, "Forget I asked, Andie."

"Jen's a lucky girl," Andie responded wistfully.

She inhaled a sharp breath, "Ya know, this really isn't a very Christmassy topic."

Andie nodded brushing her hands on her skirt as she stood up. "Yeah. You're right."

Joey paused thoughtfully as she rearranged the presents under the tree. "Does it bother you, Andie? He and Jen?"

She shook her head, gathering the empty bags that surrounded the tree. "No, not so much. I mean, it was my fault after all. For not realizing what I had until it was gone."

"Know the feeling," she mumbled. "I'll take those," she said so Andie could hear, taking the empty bags from her into the kitchen

"Okay. There. I think that's the last of it," Jack groaned and stumbled through the door followed by Dawson.

"Okay," Joey smiled and smoothed out her dress as she returned from the kitchen. "Um, you guys want anything to drink?"

"Yes," Jack sighed collapsing onto the couch. "Remind me to not let Andie go Christmas shopping next year."

"Pop, eggnog, juice?" She questioned.

"Eggnog for me," Dawson said, flopping down on the nearest chair.

"Ditto." Andie replied.

"The same," Jack responded leaning his head back.

"I'm be right back," she turned back to the kitchen to join Bessie and Bodie as they finished up the light dinner.

Andie turned to Jack and Dawson the minute Joey left the room. "It doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with her, does it?"

"Either that, or she's trying really hard not to let it show," Dawson replied, watching Joey move through the kitchen doorway.

Jack looked at the two of them exasperated. "Guys, don't you feel the least bit embarrassed for talking about her while she's in the other room?"

Dawson and Andie exchanged a look, "No."

Jack sighed and leaned his head back again. "You two are impossible."

"We're just worried about her, Jack." Andie added, "As her friends, we're allowed to discuss her...condition."

He scoffed in disbelief. "Do you listen to yourself when you speak?"

She smiled cheerfully. "I try to avoid doing that."

He stuck his tongue out at her and tossed the nearest available decorative pillow at her. "Funny."

"Hey, watch the decor." Bessie appeared, a playful smirk on her face. There was knocking on the door and she left the teenagers to answer it.

"That would be Pacey and Jen." Andie told the older woman.

"Hey, look who's not on time," Jack cracked from his spot on the couch.

"Are you really surprised?" Jen quipped giving Bessie a hug. "Merry Christmas, everyone." She left Pacey to bring their packages in.

Andie jumped onto her feet and hurried to greet the other blonde. "Merry Christmas!" She wrapped her arms around her and gave her a quick hug.

"There's something about the holidays that increases her hyper activity." Joey said appearing with the drinks. "Hey guys." She smiled.

"What is it with you women and your need to buy an insane amount of Christmas presents?" Pacey grumbled as he hauled Jen's gifts in.

"I'll have you know, you each only got one thing from me." Joey piped up, handing out the drinks and then going to help Pacey.

"That's because you're cheap," Dawson said with a smile. "And you hate shopping."

Pacey smiled at Joey as she helped him with the gifts. "Thanks," he said quietly.

"No problem," she returned, closing the door behind them. "And for your information, Dawson." She smirked, "You're entirely right."

"I've known you for too long," he retorted.

"Way too long." She laughed. "Do you guys want anything to drink? Dinner'll be ready in twenty or so minutes."

"Nah, I'm fine," Pacey said, he looked at Jen. "Lindley, you want anything?"

"Just water," She shrugged out of her coat. "I can get it myself."

"Okay," Joey nodded and took her coat, and gestured to Pacey for him to hand over his.

"You're actually acting like the polite hostess. I'm impressed," Pacey commented as he handed over his coat.

"Yeah, well. I figured the only way to get you to act like a gentleman is if you're treated like one." She pushed him towards the couch. "Now, sit down."

He smirked. "Well, if you insist…"

"I do." She hung up the coats as Jen returned, settling herself in Pacey's lap, glass in hand.

"So, Jen. Tell us about your trip to the Big Apple!" Andie leaned forward expectantly.

Pacey wrapped his arms around Jen's waist possessively, tugging her closer to him and nuzzled her neck before resting his chin on her shoulder and surveying the rest of the group.

Dawson nodded from the couch. "Yeah, share your New York City excursion with us. Our conversation has been rather dull."

She shifted uncomfortably in Pacey's tight embrace. "Not much to say. Saw my parents, fought with my parents, drowned my sorrows in my parent's credit cards."

Andie laughed. "Well, that's always fun. The shopping part at least."

"Oh yes...and you guys get to reap the benefits." She smiled, her eyes meeting each of her friends. Except Joey's, the brunette was concentrating on the ground in front of her. "So, what'd you guys do for the weekend?"

Jack shrugged. "Not much. Helped the Christmas Nazi over here set up the house for Christmas," he said motioning to Andie.

"So glad I missed that." She smiled playfully at her friend.

"Hey!" Andie cried indignantly. v Dawson nodded. "And there were cookies."

"Yeah, phenomenal cookies." Andie nodded.

"Too bad you missed them," Jack added joining the group in the nodding.

"We'll have to do a girls night and make more." Andie suggested. "God...it's been so long since the three of us did anything together."

Dawson smirked at Joey. "You've become so unbelievably girlie."

"Me?" She shook her head, "No way. I just go along for the free cookies."

"I knew there had to be a reason for the sudden weight gain." Dawson cracked, putting his arm affectionately around Joey.

"You didn't just call her fat, did you, Dawson?" Andie glared.

He wrapped an arm around Joey and pulled her to him. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Good, because the last thing any girl needs is a guy telling them they're fat. So, I know," Andie gave him a hard look, "you didn't say anything like that, right?"

Jack laughed at Dawson. "You're going to have a very angry feminist on your hands."

"I think I'm just gonna claim the 5th Amendment on this one." Dawson shifted away from Andie as the others laughed.

"Smart man," Pacey commended and tightened his hold a bit on Jen. Andie nodded smugly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So, is there a structure to this?" Jack asked, "Or do we have to save presents for last?"

"Well, it is Potter's show," Pacey said casting a look toward Joey. "So I guess it's up to her."

"Um, Bess," Joey called into the kitchen. "How long 'til it's food?"

"Less than half an hour." There was a loud clanging and the sound of something splattering.

"Make that more than half an hour." Bodie corrected.

Andie laughed. "Sounds like Bessie is as helpful as Jack in the kitchen."

"You have no idea," Joey smirked. "So I guess...we can do the presents now."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Jack echoed his sentiments from the couch.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Jen piped up, watching the light in Jack's eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, Lindley. You better have gotten me a great gift," Jack threatened teasingly.

"I only bought the best for the best." She grinned.

Pacey kissed her neck. "I hope you like what I got you."

She smiled leaning into him. "I'll love it." She assured him.

"Okay," Joey stood up abruptly. "Presents."

An hour later, they were sitting down to the dinner Bessie and Bodie made. There was a knocking on the front door, and Bessie smiled at the other's nonchalance and went to answer it. A few moments later, she returned and tapped Jen discreetly on the shoulder, "You have a visitor."

Jen politely excused herself from the table and set her napkin down on the table as she rose from her seat. She made her way to the Potter front door wondering who her visitor was. Maybe Grams had decided to drop something off before she left for her church function. Her eyes widened as she stepped through the door and onto the porch. She quietly closed the door behind her. "What are you doing here?" she hissed visibly upset.

Henry held up a card and package, waving them in front of her face. "What's this mean, Jen?"

She shrugged rubbing at her arms, her sweater not heavy enough to block out the cold. "It's a Christmas gift."

"What does it mean, Jen?" He asked emphatically. "One minute we're kissing, then you're pushing me away. Then, hey, I find this on my porch." He waved Doug Flutie's mouth piece in front of her.

She shrugged again tugging at the end of her sleeves. "I just thought it'd be a nice gift...I thought you'd like it," she finished lamely.

"Jen, I know what this cost." His voice dropped, "This isn't something you get for a friend."

She raised her hands in innocence. "So my parents were feeling guilty and I had extra money to spend."

"Jen...give me a straight answer, please." He started pacing on the porch. "God, your friends are going to be wondering where you are."

"Henry, I don't know. God, after this past week I don't know anything anymore."

"I know this has to be hard for you," he said. "But this," he held up the mouth piece. "Speaks volumes."

"Maybe it was stupid of me to even get it for you, maybe I'm possibly insane for even thinking that I still have feelings for you. Maybe I'm just making a big mistake here." She sighed, walked over to the porch railing, and gazed out over the creek.

He approached her slowly, leaning against the porch railing. "How you feel is never stupid. Denying it is."

She turned around sadly, rested her back against the railing, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I could really hurt someone with this."

"I know." He said gravely, touching her arm lightly. "Despite what you may think, I don't want to hurt him either. Or you. Or any of the rest of your friends."

She gazed at him pleadingly. "Then don't make me do this."

"Jen..." He breathed, his voice pained, "I need you. I love you."

Her fingers lightly grazed his cheek and she smiled weakly. "I-I love you too," she said softly, realizing that she truly meant the words.

He grinned and let out the breath he'd unknowingly been holding. He brushed her hair away from her face slowly, moving even closer to her. "You do?"

She nodded slowly her words coming out in a rush of breath as she battled internally with how wrong this all was. "Yes."

He licked his lips and moved in, brushing them lightly over hers at first, then with deeper passion. Jen sighed melting against him easily, her arms weaving around him as her body suffused with warmth. It was a warm and sweet kiss that gradually grew in intensity; and she locked her fingers together behind him.

Joey cleared her throat from the doorway, her eyes emotionless as she stared hard at Jen and Henry.

Jen broke away from Henry embarrassedly and quickly moved away from him, her eyes glued to the floor. She blinked, feeling her eyes watering, she was so busted. Pacey would find out and this would just crush him. "I-I can explain," she said hurriedly.

"We're waiting for you." Joey pursed her lips. "Henry, I don't think you're welcome."

"Yeah, Um..." he started backing away. "I'm just going to go home now." He tripped his way down the stairs. "Jen, call me."

Joey watched him go, ice in her eyes. She didn't turn back to Jen until he was out of sight. Then she pulled the front door all the way closed, so they wouldn't be heard inside. "You. Fucking. Whore." She glared at the shorter girl, her voice calm and controlled.

She winced at the brunette's harsh words. "It really wasn't what it looks like," she said weakly.

"What? So you didn't really just say I love you to him? His tongue wasn't just in your mouth? What part wasn't what it looked like, Jen?!"

"Okay, so it was," Jen admitted reluctantly. "But I do," she added quickly, "love him and I don't want to hurt, Pacey but you of all people Joey should know what it's like to be torn between two guys." Her hazel eyes searched the brunette's for some kind of sympathy.

"No," she shook her head. "This is so different. I wasn't dating Dawson. And this time...Pacey," Joey found herself to choked up to speak. "You can't do this to him."

"I know, Joey. I know. Believe me Pacey's the last guy on earth I want to hurt...but I can't help what I feel for Henry," she said gently.

She shook her head, "You don't deserve him." She spit. "How could you claim to love him one day...and the next kiss--"

She bit her lip and looked away unable to deal with Joey's accusatory look. "It was a mistake. I never should have said that..."

"No, that's where you're wrong, Jen. You should have said it and you should have meant it. Don't you know how wonderful that man is? Don't you get it?! He is everything. You should be on your knees thanking God that you're lucky enough to be loved by him." She swallowed back the angry tears in her eyes. "You are going to kill him with this."

Jen wiped the tears from her cheek with the back of her hand and sniffled. "I know. You're right. He does deserve someone like that, someone ten times better than me...but I can't help how I feel."

Joey sat on the bench sitting on the porch and wiped her eyes. "You're a bitch, you know that, right?" She asked quietly.

She nodded her own voice barely above a whisper. "I know."

The brunette swallowed with difficulty, "We can't go back in there like this."

She nodded again, wiping at her cheeks once more, this time using the sleeves of her sweater. "Are-Are you going to tell him?" she asked softly as she gazed at the brunette with wide eyes.

"What would you do?" Joey asked her.

"Let me...tell him. I should be the one," Jen said honestly.

Joey nodded her head slowly, "I-We should go inside."

"Yeah..." She shifted uncomfortably.

Joey stood up and smoothed out her dress. "Do I look okay?" She asked blandly, willing her cheeks to unflush.

Jen raised her eyes and ran them once over Joey, her voice solemn. "Yeah. You look fine."

"You might want to fix your mascara before you see Pacey." She looked at her coldly, "And your lipstick is smeared."

She felt her cheeks color and she quickly wiped the lipstick off her face with the back of her hand. "I-I'll go to the bathroom and fix it."

Joey nodded and headed for the door, fixing her face in a pleasant smile before leading the way back inside.

"Oh, why? Oh why, was I such a sucker and volunteered to help you clean up this place," Pacey moaned as he reached for wrapping paper that had found its way under the coffee table in the living. He stuffed it into the trash bag in his hand.

"'Cause," she smirked, "I wouldn't give you your Christmas present otherwise."

He pointed a finger at her accusingly. "You're a wicked woman."

"Nooo." Joey shook her head, "I just know how to manipulate you." She smiled innocently at him and collected a few dishes, taking them into the kitchen. Bessie and Bodie had already retired for the evening, anticpating Alex waking them up extra early to see what Santa had brought him, leaving her and Pacey with clean up.

"Pure evil," Pacey muttered as he lugged the overflowing trash bag into the kitchen and out the back door.

She loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, "The way you talk, Pacey," she said when he returned, "One might think you didn't want to be here."

"Moi, not wanting to spend time with my favorite pain in the ass?" he asked in mock apall as he shut the door. "That's crazy."

"Yeah, I know." She smiled to herself. "It is crazy." She added soap to the machine and closed it before turning it on.

Pacey raised his eyes to the doorframe above them and smirked. "Look, Potter. Mistletoe."

She froze and rose her eyes to the sprig of mistletoe hanging above them. She met his eyes nervously, "It's just Bessie trying to get a few extra kisses from Bodie." She moved to keep walking.

He grabbed her arm loving to watch her squirm. "Ah ah ha," he said wagging a finger at her. "Not so fast. It's tradition."

She shook her head, her heart rate doubled in speed. "I'm not kissing you, Pace."

"Well, that's fine," he relented releasing her arm.

"You're with Jen." She said as way of explaination. She didn't want him to think she didn't want to kiss him. She swallowed, Lord knew she did.

He laughed. "Potter, it's just an innocent little kiss."

"Right. Of course she wouldn't mind." She could barely keep the bitterness out of her voice.

He nodded missing the edge to her voice and placed both his hands on her shoulders turning her to him. "Right. Which is why you don't have to kiss me if you don't want to, but I'm going to kiss you, because unlike you, Potter," he dropped his voice an octave and ran his hands down her arm, before grabbing her hands and tugging her closer to him. "I don't like to mess with tradition. It's bad luck." He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her.

She shivered, her breath catching in her throat as their lips met. Kissing him felt just like she remembered, only so much sweeter. So comforting. So right. Her finger tips rose to touch his cheek and she pulled away suddenly. Tears stinging her eyes, she blinked rapidly but couldn't hold them back.

He gazed down at her both concerned and surprised by her tears and gently cupped her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. "What's wrong?"

"You just..." She tried to speak passed the lump in her throat. "I can't...It's just too much." Her tears fell unheeded down her cheeks. "Everything is just..." she broke into a sob.

"Okay, I've been known to make girls faint, maybe even left them speechless but I've never made a girl cry with just a kiss," Pacey joked weakly. "You going to tell me what's wrong?"

"God," she sniffled, wiping her eyes, "I can't, Pacey." Her eyes watered even more, "I wish I could."

His face fell in disappointment but he quickly tried to cover it up. "Oh, um, you sure?"

"Pacey, I want to." She continued to cry, her face flushed as she looked up at him. "It's just everything," she waved her hand. "It's you, it's me, it's Jen, it's school. It's just too much," she sobbed. "I just want it to all go away."

"What does Jen have to do with any of this?" he asked warily.

"She," She started and shook her head, still unable to comprehend how Jen could hurt him.

“She what?” Pacey asked curiously wondering what could have Joey so upset.

"God, Pacey..." She couldn't, not tell him. "She's...she knew Henry was here the whole time." Her tears fell even faster. "She was...she's cheating on you."

He moved away from her, staring at her with incredulous disbelief mixed with hurt that was evident in his blue eyes. He shook his head fiercely. “You’re lying. You’re making this up.”

She winced at his accusation. "No, Pacey...I wouldn't. I-I care about you."

He shook his head not believing her. “Jen wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t lie.”

"Pacey," she reached out a hand to touch him. "I saw them..."

He backed away from her shaking his head with disgust. “You’re lying. I don’t know what your problem is lately but this is low. Even for you.”

"No, no," she sobbed. "Pacey, I'm not. I'd never lie to you. They were on the porch." She cried, "Right before dinner. She-she told him she loved him and then they kissed...She wanted to be the one to tell you." He turned away from her not even able to look at her anymore and stalked out the back door.

She went after him, her tears blurring her vision. "Pacey, no. God...I'm sorry!" She cried from the porch, watching him yank open his car door. He ignored her cries and started the truck, quickly shifting into drive and pulling away, sending flying gravel across her front yard.

Joey sank to the stairs in the dark, the Christmas Eve cold going unnoticed as her tears continued to fall. She'd lost him...whatever friendship had existed before was ruined. She couldn't even imagine the pain Pacey was feeling. The whole situation was killing her...she loved him so much and now he hated her.