Title: Brother and Sister day 75: Almost Home Author: Kjiara Author's E-Mail: kayjay@sunwave.net Category: PJR Rating: Spoilers: True Love Archive: Go ahead, just give credit where due. Feedback: Makes my day! Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. Summary: True Love's on it's way home. http://www.geocities.com/kjiara "Good-evening, Potter's Bed and Breakfast. May I help you?" "Andie?" "Joey, is that you?" "Yeah. Why is it every time I call my house I wind up talking to you?" Joey asked, her tone teasing. 'Well, some people would say it was pure luck on your part." Joey laughed. "And they would be right. I take it you're babysitting?" "Yeah. But Bessie and Doug should be home any minute. They went to the early show." There was silence on the line. "Joey?" "Andie, did you say Bessie and Doug would be home?" Joey asked softly. "Oh, god! I did it again didn't I?" Andie wailed. Joey couldn't help but laugh at her friend's distress. "Andie, it's okay. I figured it was pretty inevitable." "Please don't tell Bessie I told you, Joey. I don't think she's forgiven me for the last time yet," Andie pleaded. "I promise," Joey laughed. "Good," Andie sighed with relief. "So how are you guys? Looking forward to coming home?" Joey hesitated. "Yes and no." "I guess that's understandable," Andie sympathised. "But, Joey, just know that there are a lot of people here who will be happy to see you." "Thanks, Andie. That means a lot.' "Um, Joey?" "Yeah?" "Is Pacey there?" "Sure. Hang on a sec." Andie heard Joey call Pacey's name, telling him Andie wanted to talk to him. "Hey, McPhee." Pacey greeted cheerfully. Andie was suddenly at a loss her mind flashing back to his letter. "Andie?" "Hey, Pacey." "Andie, is everything okay?" "Of course. Everything is great. I can't wait for you guys to get home. And can you believe it, senior year?" Pacey chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Yeah, senior year. Yippee!" "Party pooper," Andie chided before she cleared her throat. "Listen, Pacey, I know you talked to Jen and I just- " "Andie, it's okay," he said reassuringly. "Are you sure? Because I had no right to say anything and Dawson went *way* overboard and I- " "McPhee!" "Yeah?" "I said it's okay, and it is. So stop blaming yourself and start preparing our homecoming party." "And what makes you think you're getting a homecoming party?" Pacey snorted. "Please, how long have I known you?" "Shut up," she shot back. "Oh, hey, Doug and Bessie are home. Hang on." Pacey turned to Joey. "Doug and Bessie are *home*?" Joey nodded, smiling crookedly. "Yeah. Seems my sister acquired a new room mate in my absence." Pacey realised Joey hadn't recognised what this could mean. "Uh, Jo? Do you remember where I lived before we took our little journey?" Joey's jaw dropped and her eyes widened almost comically. "Oh. My. God!" she breathed. "Hey, Pacey." Pacey had to turn his attention from his stunned girlfriend. "Hey, Bessie. Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Pacey would have been mortally afraid had he seen the evil smirk adorning Bessie Potter's face. "You go first." It took Pacey a moment to comprehend her meaning. "I, uh. What? I mean-- I um, how -" he stuttered helplessly. Joey snatched the phone from his hand. "We have to go Bessie!" she barked and hung up. Bessie stared at the receiver for a minute then turned to face Doug. "She hung up on me!" Doug started laughing and Bessie swatted him. "It's not funny. She hung up on me. What if she's mad about us living together? She finally seemed to be accepting that we are together and now this!" She glared at Doug then turned to Andie. "Was she angry?" Andie's face was red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Bessie. It just kind of slipped -" "I'm not mad at you, Andie. I just need to know if you think my sister is mad at me." Andie shook her head emphatically. "No, she didn't seem mad at all. Not like last time." She smile encouragingly at Bessie. "I should go. Um, I hope they call back," she said brightly before fleeing the room. Bessie turned to glare at Doug who by this time was laughing helplessly. "You really are not helping you know that?" she huffed. Doug tried unsuccessfully to stifle his laughter. "Come here." He pulled Bessie into his lap. She refused to give in to him, sitting stiffly. "B, look at me." "No," she sniped petulantly. "Elizabeth Michelle Potter, look at me." He tickled her lightly causing her to squirm. "Fine. What?" She pouted as her eyes met his. Doug dropped a quick kiss on the protruding lip. "Why exactly are you mad at me?" The pout deepened. "Because you're not taking this seriously. "She could be furious with me. I really don't want to have to deal with that. I want to be happy for a while." Doug's smile softened. "We are happy, B. And Andie said Joey didn't seem angry. It's probably just dawning on them what this arrangement of ours means to them." "Bessie snuggled into his arms. "You think so?" "Yeah. As a matter of fact I wish I had seen the look on your little sister's face when she realised she was going to be sharing a house with Pacey." Bessie giggled. "Oh, god. It must have been priceless." "And I can only imagine Pacey's reaction." "Doug, I really don't want to think about what your brother's reaction to finding out he's moving into the same house as my sister was, okay," Bessie tone was cool. "Hey, I thought you said you were dealing with it." Doug brushed her hair back from her ace. Bessie stiffened then stood. "How am I supposed to deal with the fact that my seventeen year old sister is sleeping with her boyfriend?" She slammed her hand on the table. "Why couldn't he just have waited until they got home?" Doug stood and took her hands. "Okay, first of all, I can tell you with perfect certainty this was not a solo decision on my brother's part. I think you know that, B. Pacey would die before he would ask Joey to do anything she wasn't ready for. Secondly I think we both knew it was inevitable." "We waited. Why couldn't they?" she asked as she buried her head his chest. Doug smiled and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "We didn't spend three months alone together on a boat at their age." "True." Bessie's voice was muffled by his shirt. "Do you think we would have if we had?" It frightened Doug that he knew what she was talking about. "I think we would have been hard pressed to abstain, B. I know I would have." Bessie lifted her head and grinned at him. "Couldn't have resisted me, huh?" Doug kissed her lightly. Never have been able to, as you well know." Bessie deepened the kiss. "Gotta love a man with no will power." ~*~ "Andie?" The blonde lifted her head. "Hey, Dawson." "What are you doing out here?" He sat next to her on the Potter's dock. Andie shrugged. "Just thinking. What about you?" Dawson smile was slightly rueful. "I row over here sometimes at night. Makes me feel closer to her." He shrugged. "I have to be careful now. I'm not exactly Deputy Doug's favourite person." Andie didn't return the smile. "Can you blame him, Dawson?" Dawson's chin came up defiantly. "I don't see what he has to be so touchy about. Though it would seem the brothers Witter are more alike than we ever suspected." Andie closed her eyes trying to decide whether she really wanted to hear this. "How is that?" she finally asked. "Neither one of them has any problem encroaching on another man's girl." Andie stared at him, incredulous. "Okay, well, first off, if I were you I would eliminate the possessive from your vocabulary. Joey would slaughter you if she heard you say that. Secondly, she wasn't your girlfriend, Dawson. Hadn't been for a very long time." "You and Pacey had been apart too. You were still angry," Dawson sulked. "Yes, I was. Because it hurt. It still does. Because no matter how much I may wish it weren't so, I am still in love with Pacey." Andie softened her tone. "But, part of loving him is wanting his happiness. And no matter how much it hurts to admit it, Joey makes him happy. He loves her completely and absolutely" She took his hand. "And, Dawson, the biggest part of loving someone, really loving them, is wanting their happiness above all else." The End Brother and Sister day 75: Almost Home Special thanks to Nat for another great beta job.