Summary: Prologue to "You were meant for me" Joey and Dawson are in love and together in L.A. They drive cross-country to go to Lily's 7th birthday party.

Rating: NC-17

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"The sunsets here are so much bigger then they are in Massachusetts,' Joey said sleepily, her elbow leaning out the side of the jeep as she craned her neck to get an ever bigger picture of the large red sun disappearing behind not-so-far-off mountains.

Dawson smiled at her, turning the knobs on the car radio to find a good song. He finally settled for Fleetwood Mac and checked his watch� 5pm. They would be in Lake Tahoe by six. Joey had snuggled up to him, pressing her thigh into his and stroking his neck�an action she usually did when she wanted to make love. Dawson concentrated on the road but jumped in his seat when Joey started laying little soft wet kisses on his neck. "We're almost there," he said almost pleadingly. "Chill out," Joey laughed, kissing his cheek and laying her head on his shoulder. "I'm not going to try anything�like last time."

"Yeahhh�" Dawson took one hand off the wheel to gently push a strand of hair behind her ear, remembering how he had swerved and almost hit a street lamp in Malibu when a slightly tipsy Joey had tried to give him a blowjob while he was driving them home from a party.

"Where are we staying again?" she murmured.

"A hotel."

"Which one?"

"Umm�" Dawson looked embarrassed. "The Holiday Inn. I booked it at the last minute everything else was taken."

"Well its a whole lot better than most hotels I've stayed in," Joey kissed his jaw and turned up `Rhiannon.'

"Do you know how big the beds are?" her grin was mischievous. Dawson rolled his eyes but smiled anyway.

"This is a nice change from the Hilton. I kind of felt like a pampered mistress, and you wanted me purely for sex," she joked. "You mean you just figured that out?" he tickled her waist. "Almost just," Joey replied simply.

They'd been together only three months, and sex was all they did anyway, Joey thought with a smirk. Three months�three months since she had left her job (and boyfriend) on the east coast after an eye- opening Christmas Vacation in good ol' Capeside. They were driving to Capeside now for Lily's seventh birthday, still in their honeymoon period. They still fought�every fight was loud and passionate, as was the making up, and they still definitely disagreed about things. It was normal.

The trip was so far, incredible, and they weren't even out of California yet. Joey loved their lovemaking, but sometimes the quiet moments, the times they would just listen to music, and smile at each other, or argue over which CD to put on, or which picture to take, or reminisce about something.

They had never `gone away' together. Ever. With other people, yes, but not together. And Joey wondered why they hadn't earlier. They got along well, they had the same interests, they sparked off each other and were extremely comfortable together. It made sense.

The red light of the desert and the setting sun cast a glow over the two of them, and she had been noticing how handsome he had looked since driving from Yosemite�that strong neck, those shoulders, his jaw, his eyes, his serious look as he drove. It was his serious `homework' or `we need to talk' look.

It turned her on.

She hadn't been able to contain herself�from time to time she got `suddenly' aroused and usually in the worst places like cars or lifts or crowded movie theatres. Dawson liked it, (well of course he did, Dawson liked sex full stop) he was no stranger to sex in weird places, and the idea of the two of them having sex in the jeep under the warm, red Western Californian sun was a dangerous fantasy because he was driving, and she didn't want to cause an accident�

****

"Damn�" Dawson's face was hot. He opened his eyes only to be blinded by brilliant sun. Joey mumbled something, her lips soft on his chest where she lay, her hair spread out. He could see far-off purple jagged mountains and perfect blue sky. Her arm tightened around him and he kissed her neck, liking how smooth and velvety she felt underneath the blankets, her naked thigh pressed into his stomach.

He rubbed her back, moving her gently so he lay atop her, supporting himself with his forearms, and with one hand he reached down to part her thighs and caress her. Her eyes opened with a flutter and she smiled tiredly but sexily, two tanned arms wrapping around his neck as their bodies moved together in synch, Joey waking up every bit more as the sex got more intense.

Joey looked into Dawson's azure eyes, just perfectly happy, content� like the sky outside their window. This was sex which was more like `making love' no goal, no end in sight, just acting out what they felt�had felt�for so long.

But of course, all good things come to an end, and Dawson cursed his cock as it lost control and ended the most incredible times he had with Joey. Joey, who had had a long, blissful orgasm only a few moments before laughing softly at his disappointment and pleasure rolled into one. She kissed him passionately, rolling him over onto his back and reaching over him to grab the phone.

"Hello? Yes, I'd like to order room service. Breakfast? Of course�" Dawson played with her breasts, cupping one and then the other, watching with fascination, as her nipples got hard. Joey snorted with amusement. "Room 110. Pancakes�hmm�Dawson? Coffee?"

"Yes." He was still in the valley of the breasts. "Thank you." She put the phone down and playfully pushed him. "So yesterday you couldn't stop playing with the bottom half, and now the top half?"

"Well�I'm having trouble with something," Dawson lay on his back and shook his head. "Staying here reminds me of�staying in that motel when we went to visit your dad in prison, you know, in tenth grade."

"Except this one is a bit nicer�" Joey smiled.

"Yeah," Dawson agreed, snuggling with her. Joey turned to her boyfriend and kissed him softly. "I can't believe we slept in the same bed for like, ten years, and I never laid a hand on you." Dawson looked truly annoyed at himself, and Joey laughed, "We were young. We were stupid�'

"Did you ever think about us and sex back then?" "Of course," Joey said wryly. "Like most other teenagers. I was so jealous of Jen."

"Do you think if we had had sex�earlier on�things would have been different?" "It wouldn't have been as mind blowing," Joey said slyly. She stretched out over him and then asked, "What's this all about?"

"Nothing. I'm just curious," he said softly, teasing a line with his finger on her collarbone.

Joey sighed, "Sex can't fix anything. Believe me, I know." Dawson nodded, "Even great sex can't salvage a relationship."

They both looked at each other. Their pasts were so huge, so� involved. It seemed almost impossible that they were lying there, in love.

****

They checked out at lunchtime and walked around downtown Late Tahoe, enjoying the sights and the arts, and a few beers. "I liked it there," Joey mused as the jeep drove out of Lake Tahoe and over the Nevada borderline: next stop Las Vegas.

"Its sunny and�deserty�and exotic." "We could live here," Dawson suggested half-jokingly. "Could we?" Joey's eyes were wide, but she was smiling. "I think we've played out Malibu."

"I agree." This time Joey picked the music�and once again, on came Fleetwood Mac, but with a different song�Gold Dust Woman. "Must be a sign," Joey quipped.

****

In Malibu Joey had walked to the beach almost every day, even in February, and had gotten what Dawson dubbed a `California Girl' tan. Her hair was tinted naturally with highlights, and she ditched the jeans for shorts and halter neck tops. When she met up with Bessie in early March her sister had been amazed at her `transformation,' and her glowing face. "You've found the light," she teased her sister. "I think she's found her G-spot," Audrey had quipped, embarrassing the sisters.

She read novels and wrote in her notebook�ideas, diary entries, poetry, and short stories. Like most people who came to California, she was inspired. Maybe instead of working in the publishing industry she could get something published. On the side, however, she consulted for a prestigious firm set in the heart of Hollywood until she found what she really wanted to do. Dawson was proud of her, and also surprised she had agreed�and followed him�to L.A in the first place. But thrilled. So thrilled. Jack, Audrey, Pacey and other friends hadn't expected it to work�they had made that clear, though they openly supported her decision. Well, except maybe Pacey.

By day she wrote, consulted, and shopped for fruits and vegetables and met with friends from college or work or new friends now living in California, at night she went out with Dawson to parties and production wraps, wore flowing chiffon dresses and expensive lingerie, which he always took off afterwards, usually after dinners at romantic restaurants and drives up along the Malibu coast. On weekends they drove up or down the coast, spending a night in Tijuana here, a weekend in San Francisco there. But Joey preferred to be around their home.

'Their' house was a modest but stylish Spanish style home on the prestigious cliffs, with mountain views from the south and ocean views from the north. The sun rose in the kitchen and set over the bar by the pool, which was surrounded by palm trees and white oleander�Joey adored it. And most nights they didn't go out, they stayed in, and talked for hours, watched movies and tried to eat healthy food.

Joey couldn't count the number of times they had slept together since reuniting at Christmas and doing it Christmas day on the cold ground by the frozen creek on a blanket, but she knew it was a crazy number. Talk about catching up. They acted like crazed, oversexed bunnies. Sometimes Dawson would even rush home in his jeep in the middle of the day, jump out and surprise Joey in the kitchen or the living room or the pool, and then as Joey laughed and redressed herself he'd rush back to set, telling his co-workers he had to go and pick up `packages' or `friend from the airport.' They had a lovely, peaceful life� Joey thought about Capeside, the green, the creek, Bessie, Pacey and Jen�and shuddered with familiarity in the breeze. But her future was back west. With him.

****

Dawson was panicking. While Joey napped beside him in the jeep, thoughts were running through his head like crazy. Should he? Well, it was too late to return the ring, wasn't it? Too late? No such thing. He could return it anytime he wanted. Defeated.

But what if�she said yes? Oh shit, what if she said yes? But she wouldn't. No way. Three months wasn't the ideal waiting period, was it? But Kate Hudson and her husband had moved in after two days. And his friend Matt had asked his wife, Natalie, to marry him after three weeks. He and Joey had known each other for almost twenty years, for god sake. But their *relationship* where they slept together, not just sex but in the same bed they kissed, they talked about doing things as a `we,' things Joey had done with Pacey that had made Dawson's heart ache, things she was now doing with him. Things he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

It had been an impulse buy�he had gone into town to pick up some clothes�he hated shopping so he got his assistant to run into Helmet Lung or Hugo Boss to pick up jeans, shirts and sweaters at random, (luckily his assistant Bec was a fantastic shopper) and she had left two pairs of jeans at a store for him to approve, he had, and had paid for them, strode down the sidewalk, his mind wandering to Joey when his eye caught some jewelry in the window of the shop next door. It was something that was just�all Joey. Simple, elegant, silver platinum, with a heart shaped diamond and tiny sapphires surrounding it. It was also an antique. It was in a small box at the bottom of his duffel bag, burning a hole. He often bought her stuff on impulse� especially lingerie, despite hating shopping�but this was obviously a different kind of impulse buy.

Joey's head lulled until it was resting on his shoulder, her warm breath on his neck. He sighed and lifted one hand off the wheel to stroke her hair out of her face, and then resumed, driving into the night.

****

Las Vegas literally came up out of nowhere. From miles and miles of desert, to high rises, flashy lights and people, people, people. They checked into the Monte Carlo (incredibly luxurious) and then went out, first just walking along the strip, taking in all the sights, then they got hungry and went to an arty moody quiet place (quieter than the others, anyway.) And who should they bump into but Dawson's boss, Todd, who had gone on to be more famous for his involvement in a high-speed car chase and nasty divorce with a famous blonde actress than any of his movies.

It couldn't have gotten any weirder except Todd was `with' Natasha, the girl�well, *that* girl. Dawson had been quite shocked to see two faces from his past in the one of hundreds of restaurants in fucking Las Vegas. Jeez. They were dating and were stopping over in Vegas from Florida before going back to the other sin city�L.A. Todd's divorce hadn't gone through yet but hers had, and they were celebrating.

Turned out the restaurant they had walked into was a famous jaunt for directors and painters and actors, etc. "How was I supposed to know?" Dawson muttered after Joey sent him a death glare. "Its Vegas. I don't know Vegas.'

Natasha flirted with Dawson the entire evening, no matter how much he tried to escape. Todd wouldn't let them go, and because Dawson was fond of Todd, (Joey was as well) he didn't want to be rude.

Joey drunk too many vodka shots and passed out on Dawson's shoulder around eleven PM after shooting Natasha a nasty glare.

He had to half-carry her to their hotel room, and when she woke up around 7am, she had surprised Dawson in the shower. That had lasted an hour and a half. Joey couldn't remember having such an intense orgasm (it was the streaming hot water and his vigorousness as well as the position) and was sure she'd pass out, but he had revived her by lathering a citrus smelling soap on her body gently, his big warm sandpapery hands bringing her down to earth. "That was incredible," Joey announced a few hours later, after a hearty breakfast on the balcony overlooking the water fountains.

"How did you�uh�do that?' she asked teasingly, leaning forward to steal a piece of fruit off his place. "I don't know," Dawson admitted. "Although I did read something about the�uh, penetration thing in Cosmopolitan.'

"You read Cosmopolitan?"

"In the gas station." He replied haughtily. "While you were choosing what deodorant to buy."

"I see.' Joey brushed his ankle with her foot. Her dressing gown lapel threatened to open. "Haven't you ever�had�one of�those before?" Dawson stumbled over his words.

"Well, kind of. I never had them with any other guy, it was always� uh�" Joey laughed slightly, feeling more daring in the luxurious sun, "You know," she lowered her voice. "Clitoral."

"Ahh�remember when Mrs. Janson tried to make me say that in biology?" Dawson grinned. Joey giggled, "You couldn't say it, you pretended not to understand her question.'

"I was fourteen. I didn't even know where one was until Jen showed me." Joey smiled, `Well all I can say is, it was great and you should do it more often."

"Anything�for you,' Dawson kissed her hand. He then realized this was the perfect moment. "Could you�excuse me for a moment?" "Sure." Joey poured herself some coffee. He got the box from his bag and hid it behind his back. He loitered in the doorway between the balcony and the room and Joey looked up at him questionably.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Dawson smiled at her, softly. He then took a deep breath. Oh god, he was going to pass out. He was thankful when he dropped to his knee on the balcony floor. Joey watched, her mouth open. Was this what she thought it was? Right now? At 10am on a Thursday morning, in Las Vegas, in the blinding sun over brunch, while she was wearing a terry-cloth robe?

"Jo�" he held out the small box. "Please say you'll marry me?" he laughed a little at his lame question, but he couldn't find any more eloquent words. "I want you, and I love you and I can never look at another woman," he continued after a heartbeat. Joey's hand was on her mouth, and her eyes were wide. She truly hadn't expected this. He opened the box lid and her eyes went even rounder.

"I want to marry you before we make another mistake and we're not together," Dawson said.

"Oh my god." It was beautiful. And he was so earnest, so passionate, god she loved him, she didn't deserve him, or this moment. "I can give you some time to think it over, or, you can just say no," Dawson added with a shrug, as if his heart wouldn't break if she said no.

"Oh Dawson�" Joey took her hand from her mouth and smoothed it over his hair and onto his face. "Yes, of course I will, I'd love to marry you, but I don't deserve you�" she said breathlessly as he slipped the gorgeous sapphire and diamond ring on her finger.

She got off her chair and joined him on the ground, hugging him tight, biting her lip and trying not to cry. They fell into kisses, not caring where their hands or arms or legs went on the small balcony, they just needed to be together.

****

"Dawson?" "Hmm?"

It was later on in the day and they were lying on deck chairs by the pool. "You know how you said you'd do anything for me?" "Yeah�' he sat up, pushing his sunglasses onto his head.

"Well, I was thinking�why don't we get married here?" she suggested. "I mean, we're in the right place at exactly the right time!"

"Are you kidding me?' Dawson stared at his fianc�e. This was not Joey- like.

"I thought you wanted to get married in Capeside." "I do.' Joey reached over to hold his hand.

"But this can be our secret, *our* thing. And then we can get married in Capeside and have the whole shebang." "Hmm�" Dawson put his sunglasses back on. It wasn't a bad idea at all. "But no Elvis impersonators," He said firmly, with a laugh.

***

Giddy on champagne, Dawson and Joey laughed all the way up to their hotel room. It was lucky Dawson had remembered to keep the marriage license in his jeans pocket. Joey had kept the snapshots. They had gotten married in a place called the `white chapel of love" (They both vowed not to tell anyone) and had had the giggles the whole way through until the Elvis justice of the peace or whatever he was pronounced them husband and wife and told them to kiss and gave them $50 worth of chips.

The snapshots (thrown in for free, the whole wedding cost $350) summed up the evening, Dawson and Joey gazing at each other before their kiss, then the kiss, then the two of them laughing and holding onto each other afterwards. They had bought gold wedding bands earlier on that afternoon and now wore them proudly, swinging hands, the hotel concierge winking knowingly. (They had asked him the best place to get married.)

Once in the hotel room they acted out their conjugal rights.

**** On their last night in Las Vegas they played roulette, Joey had won $100 and lost $50, and instead of going out and dancing or gambling, they stayed in, watching cable (even the adult channels) and gorging on room service in the big luxurious bed. "I love married life," Joey quipped.

****

Dawson was a good friend with a director who owned a ranch near Dallas, and he had invited them to stay for a couple of days on their way up East. It was a beautiful, large place with miles of plains, horses and a big, old mansion in the middle.

They rode on the same horse at dusk, Dawson holding Joey close to him as he steered it around the ranch. They didn't need to talk�their breathing was telling them everything.

****

"I'm married. I can't believe it." Joey mused as they walked up to the front door. She turned to Dawson and kissed him gently. "And you're married too. Dawson Leery�married� imagine that."

"Hey." He reached inside her coat and squeezed her breast gently. "Stop teasing me, or I'll start teasing you."

She whispered in his ear, "I'm not wearing any panties."

"So?" they jostled each other as Dawson opened the front door. "Dawson�Joey�" Gail rushed in happily, hugging both of them to her. "It's been too long my darlings. Get in here."

They were all out on the back porch. Lilly was playing with Andie and Amy and a few other friends from school.

Pacey and Jack were talking football and the big game with Stan by the barbecue.

"Hey guys." Andie stood up and held out her arms, genuinely happy to see her old friends. She and Joey hugged tightly, and then Dawson picked her up and swung her around.

"Why Dawson�" Pacey came slowly up onto the porch, smiling broadly, "What's making you look so happy?"

"Oh�nothing,"

"So, what's new with you two? How was your drive?" Gail ushered them into seats and tousled her son's hair adoringly. She squeezed Joey's hand.

"Long, but nice. I've never seen Arizona before," Joey piped up, squeezing Gail's hand.

"We, uh, saw the Grand Canyon, didn't we?" Dawson tried to remember what else they saw other than hotel beds. Andie and Pacey looked at each other sideways.

"Yes�and we rode horses and stuff. And we even stopped in�where did we stop? Indiana? One of those middle states." Joey shrugged and drank her beer thankfully. "Ah yes, the middle," Jack came over, adorning a gingham apron and holding a pair of tongs. "Not much to see there."

"So�" Joey flexed her hands and smiled at everyone. "What's been happening here?" There were a few replies at once�"Lily lost a tooth yesterday�" "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." "I bumped into Drue Valentine."

"He's cuter now." "You think?"

Dawson and Joey just laughed. Obviously, Jack, Andie and Pacey had been having a good time together. They bounced off well together. Jack and Pacey were good friends, as were Andie and Pacey and Andie and Jack of course were like brother and sister. Perhaps Dawson and Joey were outsiders, perhaps they always had been.

"Your ring is pretty, Joey." Lilly said suddenly, toyingly, playing with Joey's slender hand in wonder. "Thanks�Lilly�" Joey blushed and lifted Lilly into her lap, looking quickly at Dawson who intercepted a curious look from his mother.

"We have something to tell you," Dawson said. Everyone was quiet, curious.

"Uh� we�Joey and I�are�" he looked at Joey. Engaged? Or married? Should they tell the truth?

"Engaged," Joey said loudly, staring back at Dawson, and winking subtly.

"Oh my god!" Andie exclaimed, grabbing Jack's hand and gasping.

"Ow, Andie," Jack shook her off and quickly went over to gather the two of them in a huge bear hug. "Congratulations, guys, it's about time."

The surprised silence disappeared as Gail and her new husband, Andie and Jack started talking a mile a minute, kissing and hugging Dawson and Joey.

Joey then looked around for Pacey and saw him standing a little to the side, looking blank.

She went over to him and hugged him. He smiled. "You're growing up so fast."

She picked his hand up and squeezed it. "I've missed you, Pace." "I've missed you." He hugged her back, warmly. "I'm happy for you guys. Really, I am." Dawson came over and Pacey hugged him as well, a quick, manly hug, which made Joey and Andie laugh as if it was adorable.

That evening it was as if nothing had happened between them a year ago, or even eight years ago. No stupid fights, no misunderstandings. They were back to a simpler time when it was just the five of them, only a little hormones included. Of course, nothing could erase their tumultuous history.

"When should we tell them?" Dawson whispered to Joey later on that night as everyone sat around talking about the wedding, Gale in particular who was thrilled to have her son engaged at last. "Its not them I'm worried about, its your mother," Joey whispered back.

THE END.