My Only Wish This Year
Part 4 - Christmas 2007
by Karen H

This Christmas Eve would be unlike any of the ones that had preceded it…at least for Dawson and Joey it would, possibly for their families too. This Christmas Eve and Christmas day and possibly days that followed would not be spent together because Dawson and Joey were snowed in, in Westchester, New York where they lived. Everyone else would be in Capeside, Massachusetts.

After they’d gotten engaged they thought about having a long engagement, which would have allowed them plan out the wedding without thinking about finals and graduation. But after much discussion they decided the summer after graduation would be better, deciding to keep it somewhat simple.

They’d been married in front of only fifty people, give or take a few. With only their close friends and family in attendance in the Leery’s garden.

After the wedding Dawson and Joey had opted to forgo the honeymoon, preferring to spend the extra week in their new four-bedroom home in Westchester. Which is where they were still living.

Dawson was currently working for NBC as a writer for a new TV show, with New York as his base while Joey worked for a small interior design firm, based in Westchester.

This Christmas the initial plan had been for them to fly down to Boston two days before Christmas and then for Jen to pick them up at the airport before they’d drive to Capeside together. But that had been before one of Joey’s clients had requested a meeting on the day they were due to fly out, his reasoning being he wouldn’t be back in the country until mid-to-late January.

So they’d had to change their plans so that Joey could take the meeting, managing to get a flight to Boston mid-morning with Andie and her new fiancé picking them up at the airport. But even that had to change when they’d woken up to discover that Westchester Country airport would not be operational for in and outbound flights, with some flights being diverted to other airports in the New York area.

That still didn’t work for Dawson and Joey who would be lucky if they could get the car out of the driveway, let alone get anywhere near an airport.

So for the first time ever, they weren’t in Capeside with their families, for the first time since they were babies, they’d miss the Leery’s party.

“We’ll have our own party.” Dawson had assured her sleepily after Joey had awoken him with a scream after seeing how deep the snow was and after she’d called the airport. “Come back to bed.”

“It won’t be the same.” She’d replied sadly as she crawled in beside him, allowing his body to spoon hers.

Dawson kissed the back of her head. “I know it won’t be the same but well, we’ll make it a good one. Just us.”

“So far any attempt to cheer me up isn’t working.”

“Okay, how about this.” Dawson began gently stroking her neck. “We start by taking advantage of the one plus side of being unable to leave the house.”

“What’s that?”

“We go back to sleep, or we at least stay in bed a while longer. Remember it’s gonna be freezing out there. Inside goooood, outside is very bad.”

“I suppose.”

“We can be lazy; we don’t have to worry about making ourselves presentable for people.”

Joey turned her head to look at him questioningly. “Not very elegant.”

“No, but well my initial idea was it’d be a naked party but it’s too cold out. Whoa, wait a second, do the eyes deceive or did I just see the hint of a smile there?”

“I think your eyes deceive, old age you know?” Joey grinned lacing her fingers in his. “But continue.”

“We’ll sift through all the DVD’s in our collection…” he trailed off when she threw him a look and off that look, “okay, in my collection and watch some good Christmas movies.”

“We haven’t just curled up on the sofa in front of the TV is ages.”

“You sound like you’re perking up already.”

“Just a little.” She replied kissing the back of his hand. “Keep going.”

Dawson thought for a moment. “Well at some point I’m assuming there will have to be food, so I’ll rummage in the freezer for something to cook and then we can settle in front of the TV again…and just…”

She cut in. “Have sex?”

“No, I was not going to say that.” Dawson said in defense. “And we don't have sex. I was going to say we could snuggle, but if you’re offering I am up to the task.”

“We’ll see.” Joey grinned. “Maybe we can open some gifts before midnight.”

“If that would make the party better.” Dawson smiled against her hair. “There might even be a bottle of wine in the fridge. See we’ll have something else aside from a lay-in because we’re here, we get quality time together.”

“I guess.” Joey turned her body in his arms. “And it’s not like I’m spending the holiday with a total stranger.”

“See, another good thing.” Dawson said as he reached for his cell phone on the nightstand. “I’ll call Andie to let her know.”

“See if you can get her voice mail, it’s too early to call her.”

“Okay.”

“Maybe it won’t be so bad after all.” Joey said yawning as she laid her head on his chest.

As Dawson began to explain the situation to Andie’s voice mail Joey found she was slowly drifting off to sleep.

When Joey woke up a little while later, Dawson wasn’t in bed beside her. Rubbing her eyes she checked the clock, it was almost eleven am. Sitting up she could hear Dawson whistling as he came down the hallway and a moment later he had kicked open the door.

“Hey, you’re awake.” He smiled as he entered the room, placing the tray on the bed beside Joey. “I was going to hold the plate under your nose to see if you’d wake up.” Dawson informed her as he crossed the room to close the door before coming back to join her.

“What’ve we got here?” She asked curiously.

“I found some eggs in the fridge and we had some bits and pieces left from when I made dinner last night, so there’s some omelet and some fresh coffee.”

“It smells great.” Joey replied as Dawson handed her a fork and she lifted her plate of food.

“Bryan popped over from next door to check if we’d still be going to Capeside for Christmas.” Dawson told her before taking a sip of coffee. “Told them we probably wouldn’t get down to Capeside until nearer the New Year. He said we were welcome to join them and their family for Christmas dinner.”

“What’d you say?” Joey asked, her hand holding her fork stopping midway between her plate and her mouth.

“I contemplated telling them you would hate the idea, seeing how you don’t like him.”

“It’s not that I don’t like him.” Joey defended herself, “It’s just, the last time we did anything with them he got drunk and hit on me and his sister always looks at me funny.” As she finished she took a forkful of omelet and as she ate it she saw the smirk on Dawson’s face. “Oh God, you said yes.”

Dawson just sat there eating his food, the smirk still evident on his face.

“You did, didn’t you?” Joey asked a look of exasperation on her face. “Six years together and you’re blowing it over that wanker.”

Dawson burst out laughing. “Geez, you are so dramatic. I told him thanks for the offer but we wouldn’t want to impose. And Joey sweetie, I’m right that you don’t like him.”

“Aw bite me!”

“You kiss your husband with that mouth?”

“Not today I won’t be.”

“Drama queen.” Dawson rolled his eyes. “I slave over a hot stove making you breakfast on the morning of our sixth anniversary, six years Joey and you were about to throw it away cause I might have said ‘yes’ to Christmas dinner with the wanker from next door and his family.”

Joey opened her mouth to say something and then closed it again.

“Did I mention he told me his sister just came out?” Dawson added and her mouth dropped open. “Apparently not going over well with his family.”

“That just might have been entertaining.”

“Yeah.” He agreed. “I could sit back and watch Bryan and his sister hit on you.”

Joey couldn’t help but laugh. “Sure, you’d capitalize on my misery.”

“Hmm, I don’t know. I might. I called Andie to check she got the voice mail and Mom to let her know we wouldn’t make it.”

“What’d she say?” Joey asked nervously biting her lip. She felt it was her fault and wondered if maybe Gale would think so too. People may think that Dawson should have just flown down as scheduled.

“Mom said these things happen, it’s no one’s fault.” He said softly, his gaze piercing hers. “Are you gonna sit there and beat yourself up thinking it’s your fault but not saying it out loud or are you gonna hear me when I say it’s no one’s fault?”

“I was contemplating the first one.”

“Well don’t. You’ll only end up ruining this for both of us…and if that’s gonna happen I’m gonna drag you next door. At least then I’ll have fun.”

“Haha.” Joey thought about it for a moment. “Fine, you win.”

“Good, makes a change.” He said taking some more of his coffee. “Mom asked if you wanted to let Bessie know or should she call her. I said you’d call Bessie.”

“Yeah, I should let her know.” Joey looked at the clock. “Actually, I should call her soon because I was going to take Alex off her hands for a little bit.”

“Mom said to tell Bessie if she needed a break from Alex to give her a call.”

“I’ll let her know.” She said taking her final bite of omelet and she saw something in his eyes that made her stop before putting the food in her mouth. “What is it?”

“Lily heard Mom telling Dad that we wouldn’t be making it for Christmas and she started crying, apparently she’s inconsolable.” The look on Dawson’s face as he said that just about broke Joey’s heart alone. “It had kinda slipped my mind that we were going to take her ice skating.”

“Is she okay now?” Joey asked forgetting about her food and putting her plate and fork down.

“Yeah, Mom called to say she’d managed to calm her down. I spoke to her and she was asking questions, why couldn’t we just call Santa for a ride.” Dawson continued. “I told her it would mean everybody’s presents would be late and some people might not even be able to get presents.”

“What’d she say to that?”

“She sniffled and said she’d give up her presents if Santa would take us.”

Joey sniffled and placed her hand over her heart. “I’ll call her now.”

While Joey called Lily, Dawson cleared away the dishes.

Joey told Lily she was sorry and it was partly her fault they couldn’t make it and Lily asked if Joey could make snow, clearly showing she didn’t think Joey was to blame. She’d asked if she could speak to Gale for a moment and had given her some instructions and while still on the phone Joey called to Dawson to pick up the other phone.

Together they’d given her permission to open the one and only gift they’d had delivered to Dawson’s parent’s house because they weren’t sure it would arrive in time. That gift was Lily’s very own pair of ice skates. All those miles away they were able to hear Lily’s screams of delight, which became louder as Joey told her that they wouldn’t promise, but they’d try and get Lily to New York so she could skate on the ice at the Rockefeller Center.

By the time they’d hung up Lily was very happy and Santa didn’t have to forget her presents after all.

“Don’t you just love how adorable she can be?” Joey said after hanging up and Dawson entered their room again.

“Yeah. But you’re really great with her.” Dawson said sitting beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist before scooping her into his lap. “I sometimes think she likes you more than me, what with being a girl and all.”

Joey laughed. “Aw, she loves you, anyone can see that. I don’t even think you notice it, the way she pays total attention to you when you talk.”

“She does that with everyone.” Dawson said looking away from her.

“No she doesn’t.” Joey informed him placing her hands on either side of his face. “I should know because I watch how everyone is with you. In her eyes you can do no wrong, the doting big brother. And I think there are times when you’re as oblivious as you were when you were fifteen years old.”

Dawson laughed. “How many more years do I have to wait before I’ll finally live that one down?”

“Hmm.” Joey mussed. “At least for another twenty-five.”

“As long as it’s with you I won’t mind.”

Joey kissed him quickly, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. “I don’t think spending Christmas on our own is gonna be that bad.”

“Not having to worry about the prospect of someone interrupting us in some compromising position.” Dawson continued before kissing her chin. He traced the outline of her already erect nipple through her satin vest and Joey ground her pelvis against his, grinning.

“We can stay in bed all day…” She lifted her arms and Dawson helped her remove the vest before she wrapped her arms around his neck, her naked skin now against his. “And all night.”

“And…” He began as he cupped her breasts, eliciting a small moan of approval from her before continuing as she linked her ankles behind his back. “All day and all night.”

Their lips come together in a passionate kiss, her lips melding with his. He caressed her breasts and she felt herself turn to liquid.

Dawson moved his lips to her collarbone, before flipping them over, grinding his erection into her in the process. He looks up at her for a moment, saw her hair already disheveled, her face flushed and marveled in the knowledge that he’d had this effect on her, he still did.

Her eyes met his, stayed focused on him even when his traveled down her semi-naked body and back up. She saw the obvious look of arousal on his face, knew it was there because of her.

He traced the outline of her lips, kissed the corner of her mouth before he began to move south, nipping at her chin. His palm moved over one of the mounds of flesh, felt how pert her nipple was before he devoured the other one with his mouth causing her to gasp as her hands tangled in his hair. Ripples of please began to course through her body and she jerks her hips against his causing him to moan against her breast, the vibrations of which only added to the sensation.

His hand moved lower, stopping at the top of her pajama bottoms for what seems to her to be an eternity.

“Take them.” Joey mumbled breathlessly. “Just take them!”

Dawson quickly obeyed, throwing her panties in the same direction as the trousers.

“Yours too.” Joey said watching him appreciatively until his body was beside hers again.

She kissed the side of his mouth, moved her hand down his chest, allowing her fingernails to scratch a little. With a mischievous grin on her face she ran the tip of her finger over his erection and his eyes fluttered closed.

“Jo…” The rest of his words were muffled by her lips pressing against his and after a moment his body rolled on top of hers.

Joey wrapped her legs around him and he laced his fingers in hers before sinking all the way in, his eyes locked on hers. She watched his eyes too, saw them darken and she let go of his hand to cup his cheek tenderly.

For a moment they just looked at one another, neither of them moving until she thrust her hips against his. They started to move against each other slowly, slipping and sliding. Her hand fell from his face and he laced his fingers in hers again as they built up a rhythm, kissing occasionally.

Their pace quickened as the tension mounted, his body plunging deeper into hers, her legs tightening their grip around him until suddenly her muscles tightened around him, Joey’s body shuddering under his.

Her eyes still watched his as she tried to steady her breathing until he climaxed and collapsed on top of her.

“So, this is what it’s like not having to worry about the sound level on Christmas morning.” Dawson panted his body pressed to hers.

Joey managed to laugh under him before he moved off of her, wrapping his arms around her.

“Dawson…” she began after her breathing started to return to normal. “I want to give you one of your Christmas presents early.” Joey said looking at him as she leaned on her elbow, lightly stroking his chest.

“That wasn’t it?” He asked with a sly grin.

“No, although you are making me rethink the idea…”

He cut her off by lifting his head to kiss her full on the lips. “I’ll be a good boy. Promise.” He finished holding up one of his hands.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.” Joey told him as she climbed out of bed, wrapping her bathrobe around her.

“You do know I’ve seen everything underneath that before, right?” Dawson asked as she walked away. “Plenty of times.”

“It’s not for your benefit.” Joey called to him. “I don’t want any of the neighbors seeing.”

“Did I mention I have a picture of what’s under all that at work?” He asked her as she entered the room again.

“You’re imagination is a wonderful thing, did I ever tell you that?”

“Many many many times.” He replied sitting up as she sat down beside him, her body leaning slightly into his.

“I wasn’t too sure what this gift should be for.” Joey began as she handed him the cube shaped package. As he unwrapped the parcel she continued. “Christmas or anniversary…so I figured it could be kinda both.”

Once the wrapping paper was off he was left with a white box, he opened and tipped out the contents, allowing the silver cube shaped object to fall onto the bed. Picking it up, he examined what he first thought was a moneybox. Dawson quickly glanced at Joey who was biting her bottom lip nervously before looking at the moneybox again.

“Say something.” Joey told him, her voice barely audible.

He now noted that four of the sides of the cube had letters on them, Y, A, B and B.

“Somehow I think the gift’s gonna get bigger.” He replied as a smile started to form on his lips and he pulled her onto his lap again. “I’m gonna be a daddy?”

“Uh huh.” Joey responded her smile matching his. “You’re gonna be a daddy.”

“How long has Mommy known for?” Dawson asked curiously as he processed the news.

“I found out three days ago and I’ve been dying to tell you.” She told him as he moved her off of him, laying her back on the bed. “But I wanted to tell you in some kinda weird or different way.” As she continued to talk Dawson opened her bathrobe, laying his hand flat against her stomach. “Actually I thought you were gonna open that in front of our families and you’d in effect be telling them.”

Dawson kissed the side of her mouth before moving down the bed.

“Geez not again.” She rolled her eyes but stopped as he placed his cheek against her stomach. “What are you doing?” Joey asked looking down at him.

“Hugging the baby.” He said after a moment before moving back up the bed and wrapping his arms around her. “We’re gonna be parents?”

“Yeah. Joey told him. “I’m not kidding, if that’s what you think.”

“How pregnant are you?” He asked.

“You mean we, right?”

He just grinned and corrected himself. “How pregnant are we?”

“Two months, give or take a few days. But we’ll know for sure when we have my sonogram in a few weeks.”

“Wow. I love you. You know that right?” He said placing his hand on her stomach and she placed hers over his.

“I think the fact there’s a part of you growing inside me kinda tells me that, but it’s nice to hear.” She said kissing his forehead. “I love you too.”

“I know. That’s my baby in there.”

Joey placed her hand over his. “I know.”

“We have so many people to call.” Dawson told her as though she hadn’t considered it herself. “There’s my parents and Bessie, Jen and…”

“Dawson, I know.” Joey laughed cutting him off. “I had been kinda hoping we could tell people in person but I don’t think I could handle trying to keep this quiet any longer.”

“You’ve already made a list of the people we have to call, haven’t you?” Dawson asked as he stroked her stomach again.

“What makes you say that?”

“You’re far too calm. C’mon, get the list; we need to start calling people.” He told her and Joey began to sit up. “No wait, I’ll get it. Where’s is it?”

“Top drawer of the dresser.” Joey told him, watching him scramble across the room to get it. “I’m not a beached whale yet, ya know?”

“All in good time!”

“You’re looking forward to my being fat already, aren’t you? You sound too cheerful at the prospect.”

“Can you really blame me?” Dawson asked returning to the bed. “My babies growing in there, everyone should know just from looking at you.”

“I’m kinda get stuck on the part were I won’t be able to see my feet for a while, but you can focus in on that.”

“Okay.” Dawson replied kissing her quickly. “I should probably go get the cordless phone too, huh? So we can both hear their reactions.”

“Yeah.” Joey agreed as Dawson sung his legs off of the bed. “On the upside I could get used to you running around after me…” She grinned as he leaned on her elbow to watch him walk to the door naked. “With or without clothes on.”

“Just you focus on that.” Dawson grinned before leaving the room. He was going to be a daddy in about 7 months.