Well we all have a face
That we hide away forever
And we take them out and show ourselves
When everyone has gone

Some are satin some are steel
Some are silk and some are leather
They're the faces of the stranger
But we love to try them on

Well we all fall in love
But we disregard the danger
Though we share so many secrets
There are some we never tell

There were a lot of secrets Pacey didn't tell. The scar on his chin. The fact that his father was once a very heavy drinker and had hit him on occasion. These were things most people would consider important to share with your friends. But not Pacey.

His secrets helped him keep the proper distance from people. Especially his friends. They never knew everything. That helped him sleep at night.

With Andie he had promised himself that he wouldn't hide. All of his fears would be abandoned and in there place complete intimacy and openness. It turned out Andie had a lot of secrets, too. And he was so scared of hers he forgot to share his own.

The arrangement had seemed to work well for them. Pacey was the healer, the comforter. He hid behind his masks and kept to himself. All his adolescent life he had fantasized about what his first love would be like. But there was so much emotional baggage involved he felt that he didn't get to enjoy it until after it was over. He didn't even get to share juicy details on the phone with Dawson. Pacey didn't share.

Now it was even harder. The situation more and more difficult. How do you rope your best friend's one true love into a relationship? Do you give up the friend for love? No seemed to be the answer. At least in terms of keeping more people happy.

The dilemma of a slowly breaking heart was difficult to deal with. Watching the woman you adore fawn over someone else could never be easy. But the fact that the woman was so attainable, yet the one characteristic by which she felt she was defined by kept them apart. A regular Romeo and Juliet tragedy.

Pacey laughed. He was no Romeo. And it was only a tragedy if everyone lost. As long as he kept his pain to himself and didn't drag anyone down it wouldn't be one.

In jail, however, he had allowed for weakness. That stupid slip-up of mentioning that there was a woman that occupied his thoughts. Now he would be dealing with pressure from outside forces. And one day he just might crack.

Why were you so surprised
That you never saw the stranger
Did you ever let your lover see
The stranger in yourself?

Don't be afraid to try again
Everyone goes south
Every now and then

You've done it, why can't some else?
You should know by now
You've been there yourself

Another party. Pacey shook his head. This time he would steer clear of any alcohol. Jen was going, he would stay with her. Ever since she gave up drinking it was very easy to stay sober in her presence.

Pacey looked in the rearview mirror of his father's jeep. The smiling faces of Dawson, Joey, and Andie stared back at him. Jen was up front, playing with the dials on the radio. She looked so pretty with that look of innocent concentration on her face. Pacey smiled to himself and didn't attempt to dismiss the suddenly warm feelings that washed over him.

"Everyone buckled?" he asked jokingly. Andie smiled at him in the mirror and motioned to her waist. Sure enough, she was buckled in. Joey and Dawson just rolled their eyes.

"If you're not, you'll be sorry," Jen said in a singsongy voice. She looked over at Pacey and grinned. "No driving lessons for this bad boy, right Pace?"

"Right," he replied. The key slipped into the ignition and Pacey started the engine. With one hand on the wheel, he guided them out of Dawson's driveway.

Talk of the latest movie releases ensued. Pacey blocked it out. The last movie he'd seen had been Galaxy Quest. It was more a feel-good comedy spoof than something Dawson would enjoy dissecting. Joey would just laugh at him.

Time really flew when you were ignoring any and all conversation. They were at the party in fifteen minutes. Pacey felt his stomach knot in nervous anticipation. He got out of the jeep and waited for everyone else to empty out before locking the doors.

He stood with his arm thrown casually across Jen's shoulders as they walked towards the throng of activity. Dawson and Joey were still bickering over the aspects of American Beauty.

"Oh, please, no Jell-O shots," he mumbled. Luckily, no one approached them and demanded a password or a fee. It seemed to be more of an open-invitation type party.

"Want to dance?" Jen asked. A techno beat was playing. Something the ravers seemed to enjoy. Glow-sticks in hand, people were spinning and jumping, glowing beams of colored light surrounded them.

"Sure," he replied. They looked at each other awkwardly. Most couples who were dancing weren't really dancing. It was more of a song to grind to. Not exactly romantic. "Um, how?"

"Sorry, I should rephrase that. Want to grind?" He stared at her, an emotionless expression. "I'm serious." Her voice was just a little bit teasing, but mostly sincere. She looked very sweet and he couldn't resist that infectious smile.

"Why not?" His arms went loosely around her waist, while hers tightened around his neck.

"I won't bite."

Once I used to believe
I was such a great romancer
Then I came home to a woman
That I could not recognize

When I pressed her for a reason
She refused to even answer
It was then I felt the stranger
Kick me right between the eyes

Pacey and Jen had managed to stay away from the beer and liquor that was floating around. It had passed through so many hands, and other orifices, that it sickened them to even think of taking a drink. The other that had joined them weren't as sensible.

Andie was belting out a cheesy bubble-gum pop love song. Dawson was dancing with himself. Joey was just sitting in a lawn chair staring into space. A few hours before Pacey had found her so irresistible, but now she repulsed him. That's how everyone must have looked at me, he thought.

"Maybe we should get these crazy kids home," Pacey suggested. He and Jen were still dancing very close. It was a slow song after all and it felt appropriate.

"They'll be okay for a little longer. I want to keep dancing," she replied.

"If you think so," he whispered. All of his senses had come to life with her breath hot in his ear. They had opened their jackets before, in order to share body heat in the biting cold. Now he could feel her breasts crushed against his chest. His hands were occasionally brushing with the ends of her soft hair.

Her hands were a completely different story. She had jokingly put them on his butt during a rousing rendition of The Thong Song. Pacey guessed she had just forgotten to remove them.

"Jen?"

"What?" she mumbled against his shoulder.

"Would it be okay if I," he stopped short. Insecurities crashed over him. The fear of rejection mainly. He didn't want to ruin a perfectly enjoyable evening.

"Kissed me? Yes, Pacey, it would be more than okay."

Without hesitation he did. Her lips were warm and full and soft. At first her mouth didn't seem to want to cooperate. Maybe she didn't really want to kiss him, she just didn't want to be rude. But when he felt her tongue he felt a little better.

They kissed through three songs. It felt longer. It felt right. Pacey pulled away when he felt someone tap on his shoulder.

"Pacey?" Andie was standing behind him, looking very pale and shaken. "Do you think we could go home?"

He looked back at Jen who nodded. "Yeah, Andie, we can go. Let's go find Dawson and Joey."

"Dawson's in the car. He wanted to lie down."

"Then where's Joey?"

"Over there," Andie pointed to a picnic table. Joey was spread out on one of the wooden benches, asleep. Pacey walked over to her and tried to shake her awake.

"Joey, Joey," he whispered. She didn't stir. "Wake up, Jo." Her eyes fluttered open. "Hey, sleepy. Time to go home."

With gentle hands, he lifted her up and on to her feet. She smiled at him and held on for support.

Well we all fall in love
But we disregard the danger
Though we share so many secrets
There are some we never tell

Why were you so surprised
That you never saw the stranger
Did you ever let your lover see
The stranger in yourself?

The flashing lights told Pacey he was being followed. His brother's squad car was trailing behind him. Pacey wasn't worried. He hadn't had anything to drink, Doug could do nothing to him.

"All right, Pacey, it's obvious you didn't learn your lesson the first time. Get out of the car," Doug ordered. Pacey stepped out.

"I haven't been drinking, Doug. I swear," Pacey said with conviction.

"We'll see." Doug proceeded to make Pacey walk a straight line, touching his fingers to his nose. Then Doug pulled out a balloon and made Pacey blow it up.

"I told you," Pacey said, shaking his head. Doug was polite enough to open the car door for him.

"Sorry, just doing my job."

"Of course."

"Get them home safe. And if there is any vomit in that car, I'm telling Dad it was you," he warned as he walked back to his squad car.

"Yes, ma'am."

Don't be afraid to try again
Everyone goes south
Every now and then

You've done it, why can't someone else?
You should know by now
You've been there yourself

"Pacey, please don't," Jen pleaded. She was sitting in the front seat of Pacey's father's jeep. Her back was to the door, Pacey had her hands held tightly in his own. "I'm very ticklish, don't do it."

"What are you going to give me not to?"

Jen smiled. "I have to give you something? Like what?"

"You will be indebted to me," Pacey paused, "one thousand kisses."

"No problem," she replied. She had no idea Pacey could be so sweet. They had gone out on one or two dates, trying to resuscitate the chemistry that had come and gone. This was one of those nights when they could barely keep their hands off of each other.

Leaning in to him, still holding hands, she kissed him. "One."

"Two."

"Three."

"Four."

"Oh, I lost count. Let's start over."

You may never understand
How the stranger is inspired
But he isn't always evil
And he is not always wrong

Though you drown in good intentions
You will never quench the fire
You'll give in to your desire
When the stranger comes along...


END OF PART 2

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