Author's Note: A big thank you to Mel for encouraging me to write Drue/Joey fic, and for being a wonderful beta reader.
Joey and Drue are sitting on the ground of the stockroom. Joey has her head on Drue’s shoulder as they try to stay warm with only her sweater.
“I’m so hungry,” Joey complained.
“Quit thinking about it, and it won’t be so bad, and quit talking about it so I can stop thinking about it,” Drue shot back.
“I’m sorry my fear of starving to death is bothering you,” Joey responded.
She yanked the sweater away from Drue so that more of it covered her.
“I’m hungry too you know, and cold.”
Drue yanked on the sweater pulling more of it over his lap.
“It’s my sweater,” Joey shot back as she yanked on it again.
“You know it wouldn’t kill you to share, or to show a little compassion.”
“You got us into this.”
“It was an accident,” Drue exclaimed.
“Accident?” Joey asked her words laced with disbelief.
“Yes a mistake.”
“Well you have to pay for your mistake.”
Joey yanked on the sweater harder this time pulling it completely away from Drue. She stood up and walked away from him.
“You’re such a bitch.”
“That hurts coming from you,” threw back over her shoulder.
Drue remained silent as he wrapped his arms around his knees trying to warm his body as best he could. Joey stood facing away from him still cold despite the sweater. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. Of all the bad luck in the world she had to get stuck with Drue.
Joey turned back around, and frowned when she saw Drue slightly shaking from the cold. Joey sighed, and walked back over to him. She took off the sweater, and sank down to the floor next to him. She pulled the sweater over them, and scooted closer to Drue to get warm.
“Thank you,” Drue mumbled
Joey nodded. She didn’t move when Drue put his arm around her, and pulled her closer to him. She didn’t pull away, because she was warmer snuggled up against Drue. The stockroom was freezing. She was afraid they would freeze to death before anyone found them. She knew it wasn’t likely, but it didn’t change the fact that she was cold, hungry, and tired.
Joey shivered. Despite being warmer than before, she was still cold. Drue stretched his legs out in front of him.
“Come here,” he ordered motioning to his lap.
“What?” Joey asked.
“Don’t argue any more please. Just come here. You’ll be warmer.”
Joey didn’t argue. She silently climbed in between his legs. Drue adjusted the sweater over her, and wrapped his arms around her. Joey settled her self into his embrace. He was right she was much warmer.
“Thanks,” she mumbled
“I’m not that bad of a guy.”
“I know.”
“Do you?” Drue asked.
“I’m sorry about your dad.”
“Yeah me too,” Drue said quietly.
“I hated my dad for years for breaking up our family, for making our lives so much harder, for cheating on my mom, but all that anger didn’t get me anywhere.”
“You mean you used to be angrier than you are now?”
“I changed my mind. You’re a jerk,” Joey responded as anger rose inside of her.
She was angry for feeling sympathy for Drue, and for allowing him to fool her. Joey tried to get up, but Drue held her to him.
“I may be a jerk, but I’m keeping you warm, and right now I think that’s more important,” Drue whispered into her ear.
Joey stopped struggling, and collapsed back against his chest. He was right, and she was too cold to fight it anymore.
“Did you forgive him?” Drue asked.
“What?” Joey asked in confusion.
“Your dad, did you forgive him for everything he did?”
“Yeah, no matter what he’s the only Dad I have.”
They fell into silence. Joey laid her head back against Drue’s chest, and closed her eyes. Drue tightened his grip around her as he watched her face. A small smile formed on his lips as he gazed at her. He’d be lying if he didn’t admit to enjoying the time alone with her. She amazed him with her quick sarcastic wit, and beauty.
Joey opened one eye slowly, and caught Drue staring at her with a smile.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Joey sat up slightly, and turned her head to look at Drue.
“No what? What were you thinking?” she persisted.
“Just that all things such as hunger, and freezing temperatures aside it’s not so bad being stuck here with you.”
Joey gave him a half smile.
“I have better things I could be doing, but all that aside it could be worse.”
“You are just overflowing with compliments aren’t you?” Drue asked.
“You’re very warm how about that?”
“It’ll do for now,” Drue grumbled.
Joey rolled her eyes before turning around, and snuggling against Drue again.
“I’m so tired,” she said as a yawn escaped from her mouth.
“Go to sleep,” Drue gently ordered.
“I don’t think I can sleep stuck in here,” Joey replied through another yawn.
Drue pulled Joey closer to his body, and moved her head to lie on his chest.
“Try.”
“Okay, but no funny business while I’m sleeping, or you’ll be leaving here with one less body part.”
“I wonder which one you are talking about.”
“Wanna find out?” Joey threatened.
“Not really. For some reason I fear you’d do it.”
“Good.”
“Go to sleep.”
Drue leaned his head back against some boxes, as Joey closed her eyes. Soon they both drifted off to sleep.
Joey awoke with a start as her body shook. Cold pierced through her clothes as she fumbled for her sweater that she had thrown off in her sleep. She pulled it around her, and looked back at Drue. In his sleep Drue had dropped his arms, and they were now wrapped around his own body as he tried to stay warm in his sleep.
Joey could tell he was cold. She touched his hand lightly, and was shocked to find it ice cold. She turned around, and kneeled in front of him. She rested her hands on his shoulders, and shook him.
“Drue.”
She shook him harder trying to wake him up as she called his name again, “Drue.”
“What?” he asked drowsily, as he came out of his sleep.
“You’re freezing,” Joey said.
She started rubbing his hand in between hers trying to warm it up.
“You’re not so warm yourself,” he remarked.
Joey dropped his hand, and glared at him.
“I was kidding. You know trying to joke, so I wouldn’t think about the fact that my whole body is numb,” Drue replied.
“Maybe we should walk around,” Joey suggested.
“I’m too tired, and too cold to get up,” Drue complained.
“Fine then stay here freezing. I’m walking,” Joey said as she stood up.
Her legs hurt from the cold, and from the way she had slept. She stretched them out the best she could. Drue watched her as she stretched her arms over her head, and stood on the tips of her toes. Joey started to pace back and forth all the while with Drue watching her.
“Is it working?” he asked.
Joey shrugged as she continued to pace. Drue rested his hands on the floor and pushed himself up to his feet. He slowly stood up stretching his cramped legs. He walked away from Joey to the other side of the room. Joey followed him, and stopped behind him.
“What?” he asked turning around.
“Nothing,” she said.
She turned around, and started to walk away, but Drue grabbed her hand forcing her to turn back and look at him. Drue stared at her searching her eyes. Joey looked away as his gaze got too intense.
“Let me go,” she ordered lightly.
Drue released her hand, and she walked away. Joey sat back down against the boxes. She was miserable. Being stuck in a stockroom hungry, and freezing was bad enough, but to be there with Drue was just torture. She touched her lips lightly. He had kissed her earlier, and she had no idea why. She remembered the warmth of his lips, and then yelled at herself for thinking about kissing Drue. She loved Pacey. Pure and simple, and Drue kissing her had been a mistake one she had made sure he would never try again.
Drue sat down next to her, and Joey scooted away from him.
“What is your problem now?” he asked confused.
“Nothing,” she muttered.
They sat in silence not touching each other getting colder by the minute. Drue stole a glance at Joey, but looked away when she turned to look at him. Joey sighed, and moved closer to him. She had to stay warm even if it meant touching Drue.
Drue put his arm around Joey and pulled her closer. She got warmer, but not warm enough. She crawled up onto his lap, and rested her head on his shoulder. Drue wrapped his arms around her tightly trying to warm them both up.
“This sucks,” Joey complained.
“It could be worse,” Drue said.
“How so?”
“You could be stuck in here with Dawson,” Drue answered.
Joey pulled away to look at Drue.
“And how is that worse?”
“Come on stuck in a room all night with your ex. I’m sure Pacey would love that, and I’d almost pay to be a fly on the wall to hear what you two would talk about.”
“I hate you,” Joey spit out.
Joey tried to move away from Drue, but Drue held her to him.
“I’m just saying things could be worse. I may not be the first person on your list to be trapped with, but I’m also not the last.”
“You’re near the bottom.”
“But not last. It’s not so bad is it?”
“How can you say that? This completely sucks.”
“Right it completely sucks. How could I even think that hey maybe I got to know Joey Potter a little better, and find out she’s not just a cold hearted frigid bitch.”
“I’m not frigid,” Joey argued.
“You’re not exactly warm either,” Drue shot back.
“I’m not talking about this with you,” Joey declared turning away from him.
Under his breath he murmured, “Frigid”
Joey responded by elbowing him in the stomach.
“Owww,” Drue cried.
“Have anything else you want to say?” Joey asked.
“No,” Drue groaned.
“Good,” Joey replied.
Drue waited a beat before saying, “You know it wouldn’t kill you to be nice sometimes.”
Joey snorted. “Like you’re nice.”
“I am when not provoked.”
“I provoke you into being a jerk?” Joey asked incredulously turning back around to look at him.
“Yeah you do. You never once tried to be nice to me. From the very get go you were this raving bitch.”
“I was not,” Joey protested.
“Well if that’s what you call being nice,” Drue responded with a roll of his eyes.
“I’ve been plenty nice to you.”
“Really?” Drue asked. Joey nodded her head. “I guess I missed that in between your boyfriend setting me up, your friends blaming me for little miss sunshine’s drug abuse, and getting belted in the eye.”
“You deserved all that.”
“Right because in your little picture perfect Capeside world you guys have to have a villain.”
“You give yourself too much credit.”
“So do you,” Drue threw back.
“What?” Joey asked in disbelief.
“Don’t act all baffled.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Of course you don’t.”
“Can we just not talk? This situation would be a little more tolerable if you just shut up.”
“The same goes for you.”
“I’m not the one trying to get under your skin.”
“You think I’m trying to get under your skin?” Drue asked, and Joey nodded. “If I was trying to get under your skin you’d be a lot more miserable than you are now. I’m just trying to make conversation.”
“Well you can stop, because I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Fine. Excuse me for trying to make the best of a bad situation.”
Joey turned back around, and they sat in silence for a while. Joey tried to calm down, but Drue just made her blood boil. He was so annoying. Drue looked down at the top of Joey’s head as she tried to ignore him.
“I’m bored,” Drue whined.
Joey turned back around, and said, “I don’t care stop talking.”
“What the hell else are we going to do?” Drue asked.
“Go to sleep.”
“It’s too cold.”
“Then sit there and twiddle your thumbs for all I care just shut the hell up, or I’ll rip your tongue out,” Joey threatened.
Joey glared at him defiantly almost daring him to say something else. Drue tilted his head as he watched her stare at him. Drue gaze drifted to her lips as she unconsciously licked them. Drue impulsively leaned forward, and kissed her.
Joey was frozen with disbelief as Drue’s lips pressed lightly against hers. She couldn’t believe he was kissing her again. Joey moved to shove him away as anger built up inside of her, but she didn’t. Drue’s lips were warm on hers, and she felt a sudden wave of heat course through her body.
When she didn’t push him away, Drue wrapped his arm behind her back, and pulled her tightly against his chest. He deepened the kiss, and when Joey felt his tongue on her lips she parted her own lips.
Drue’s tongue invaded her mouth, and Joey didn’t protest. She wasn’t thinking straight all she could think about was how warm she had gotten. Joey entwined her hands in Drue’s hair as the kiss continued for what seemed like an eternity to Joey.
It all started so quickly, but now it was in slow motion. Joey’s eyes fluttered open, and when she saw Drue she pushed away from him. Drue opened his eyes, and stared at her in confusion.
“What?” he said out of breath.
“I can’t do this.”
“Do you want to do this?”
“No,” Joey yelled.
“You kissed me back,” Drue pointed out.
“It was a mistake,” Joey argued.
Drue waited a beat before pulling her into another kiss. Joey fought him at first, but Drue held her tightly, and eventually Joey just gave in and kissed him back. The warmth that surrounded her was comforting, and exciting. Parts of her body felt like they were on fire as Drue continued to kiss her. It felt so good, but it was so wrong. This thought forced Joey to shove Drue away from her.
“Stop doing that,” she ordered.
“Anything else I can’t do?” Drue asked.
“What?”
“Well let’s see I can’t talk to you. I can’t kiss you. What can I do?”
“Nothing.”
“Fine.”
Joey stood up and walked away from Drue. She huddled in the corner of the stockroom trying to stay warm, and trying not to think about Drue. Drue was right she had kissed him back. She had enjoyed it. She had really enjoyed it. How could that be she hated him, and she loved Pacey?
Oh God Pacey Joey thought. Pacey would never forgive her for this. Joey started to silently cry as she realized what she had done, what she had allowed to happen.
Drue heard her sniffle, and looked back at her. She was slouched against the wall in the far corner her knees pulled up to her chin, her face streaked with tears. His heart sank in his chest. He didn’t know why he had a soft spot for Joey Potter, but he did.
Drue stood up, and walked over to her. He sat down next to her.
“Go away,” she choked out.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
“No you’re not. This is what you wanted,” she said angrily. “Now you can run and tell Pacey what happened, and gloat about your success in ruining my life.”
“That’s not what I want. I won’t do that,” he assured her.
“Why should I believe you?” Joey asked.
“I don’t know, but I swear I won’t tell Pacey, or anyone else. I promise.”
Joey looked up at him, and she was shocked to see actual sincerity and regret in his eyes. Drue stood up, and offered his hand to Joey.
“Come on let’s go huddle under your sweater, and go to sleep.”
Joey took his hand, and he led her back to their previous place on the floor. He sat down, and Joey settled between his legs. Drue adjusted the sweater over them, and held Joey tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder, and soon drifted off to sleep exhausted from her crying, and the whole ordeal this night had been.
Drue watched her while she slept. He knew he could love this girl, but he didn’t have a chance in hell.
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