Six days, Seven Nights

By Gav Night

 

Pacey Witter trotted up the steps of the Capeside High School auditorium and wrapped his arms around Joey Potter.

"Hello, beautiful," he whispered in her ear, kissing her neck.

She smiled and shrugged him off. "Not in public, Jailbait."

He reached around and kissed her cheek. "Sorry."

He took her hand and pulled her toward the auditorium doors. "Come on, we want to get good seats."

Joey smiled and followed him as he bound through the doors. The auditorium was already filled with students, anxious to know who had won the chance to go on a luxury cruise in the South Pacific. But only two - a boy and a girl - would be chosen out of the six nominees: Ty Hicks, Jen Lindley, Christy Livingstone, Henry Parker, Joey Potter, & Pacey Witter.

Pacey grinned at Joey. "I can already see us now. Me, you, a hot tub, clothes on the floor . . ."

Joey slugged him on the arm. "Oh, shut up."

Henry Parker trotted up the steps of the Capeside High School auditorium and wrapped his arms around Jen Lindley.

"Hello, beautiful," he whispered in her ear, kissing her neck.

She smiled and shrugged him off. "Not in public, Freshman."

He reached around and kissed her cheek. "Sorry."

He took her hand and pulled her toward the auditorium doors. "Come on, we want to get good seats."

Jen smiled and followed him as he bound through the doors. The auditorium was already filled with students, anxious to know who had won the chance to go on a luxury cruise in the South Pacific.

Henry grinned at Jen. "I can already see us now. Me, you, a deck chair, clothes in the ocean . . ."

Jen slugged him on the arm. "Oh, shut up."

 

Jen followed Henry down the middle aisle between the rows of seats. He went to the third row, the closest row with empty seats. He slid in, tripping over several student's knees until he landed on his own knees at Pacey's feet.

"Hey, watch it, Sophomore," Pacey growled.

"Sorry, Pace," Jen apologized from behind Henry. "He's just like Jack, you know? A butterfly on the field, a baboon everywhere else."

"Hey . . .!" Henry protested, climbing to his feet.

"Well, at least his butt ain't naked right now," Pacey quipped.

Jen stifled a laugh and sat down next to him. Henry sat next to her licking his pride.

"Hey, Joey," Jen said, looking around Pacey to Joey's spot at his side.

"Hey," Joey said.

Jen leaned back in her seat.

"I don't recall saying you could sit there," Pacey said, gruffly. "You're the competition."

Jen looked at him, surprised, but saw he was smiling.

"Well, excuse me," she answered. "I didn't see a reserved sign. Waiting for some cheerleader to come sit here so you two can have a menage a trois?"

Pacey wrinkled up his nose. "No. And no former cheerleaders either, so don't get any ideas."

It was Jen's turn to wrinkled up her nose. "Ewwww. That's too nasty to think about."

pacey leaned in closer, his voice low. "Come now, Lindley. Don't tell me you've never wanted to swap Twinkletoes over there for a manly man like myself?"

Jen pushed him away. "Stop flirting, Witter. You're girlfriend might try and start a cat fight."

Pacey grinned at her. "I wasn't flirting. It's not my fault if you're attracted to me."

Jen sighed in frustration. "I am not attracted to you."

"Whatever," Pacey said, leaning back in his seat.

"Whatever yourself," Jen said, looking away.

"Not even a little."

"No!" Jen practically shouted. She lowered her voice. "What is up with you? Are you in love with me or are you really so insecure that you think everyone has to be in love with you?"

"Ha! Don't flatter yourself, Lindley. I have Joey, why would I want you?"

"Ouch," Jen said. "That hurt."

"You asked for it. Couldn't take some harmless paltonic flirting, huh?"

"Platonic flirting? What . . . that doesn't even make sense."

Pacey folded his arms across his chest. "Leave me alone."

"You're the one harassing me!"

Jen cast a glance at Henry, but he wasn't paying any attention. In fact, he and Joey were talking quiet animatedly over Pacey and Jen's head. She looked at Pacey. His lwer lip was jutting out he stared at the seat in front of him.

"You know who you remind me of, Pacey?"

"Who?" he asked shortly.

"Leo in Titanic."

Pacey's face brightened up. "Really? You mean, like, boyishly handsome, charming, suave, dashing . . ."

Jen shook her head. "No, like, annoying, whiny, third-class pig."

Pacye's mouth dropped. "I don't have to take this. Come on, Joey. We're moving."

Pacey started to stand, but just then, Principle Green's voice burst out over the auditorium. "Please, students, take your seats and be quiet. It's time to announce the winner's!"

The audience cheered. Joey pulled Pacey back down into his seat and the conversation halted. The cheering slowly died down.

"Good luck," Jen muttered to Pacey.

Pacey grunted. "More like good riddance. I'll wave at you when me and Joey are on that plane to California."

Jen glared at him for a moment, then turned her eyes back to Principle Green.

Green smiled at the crowd and waved. "Good morning, students! As you all know, we're here to announce and celebrate the winners of the Paradise Cruise contest. The winners will be flying to San Diego, California where they will board the Pacific Sea Breeze. They will then spend six days and seven nights in the South Pacific, living like royalty on board ship."

The crowd cheered again and Green waited untilt he noise died down to continue. "And now . . .! The six nominees of your choice! Ty Hicks! Jennifer Lindley! Christy Livingstone! Henry Parker! Josephine Potter! And Pacey Witter!"

Another roar erupted from the crowd, this one lasting for several minutes. Green laughed and waved the students quiet.

"Okay, okay, calm down, kids. We haven't announced the winners yet."

"Hurry it up!" someone shouted. The kids surrounding him began to cheer.

"Quiet!" Green bellowed into the microphone.

They fell silent. Green smiled pleasantly. "Thank you. And now, the moment you've all been waiting for . . .!"

"It's not a game show, Green," someone else shouted.

Green glared at him and continued. "The winners are . . .!!!! Jennifer Lindley and Pacey Witter!!!!!"

The crowd erupted in applause. Pacey and Jen looked at each other, apalled.

"Noooo!!!!" they shouted simultaneously.

 

ONE WEEK LATER

Pacey stared out the airplane window, he could see Joey and Henry inside the airport terminal still. Jen leaned across him and waved at Henry. Henry waved weakly back at her. Pacey pushed her hand out of the way and waved at Joey, who also managed a weak wave. Jen slapped Pacey's hand away and and waved again. Pacey grabbed Jen's wrist and pulled her hand down. Within seconds, they were scratching and clawing at each other.

Jen jerked away and fell back in her seat. "You fight like a girl."

"You look like one!"

"Thank you!"

Pacey paused, confused. "I mean . . ."

"Look, Pacey, we don't want to be here with each other. We both know that. And right now I don't even like you as a human being. You're more like that crap you find on the bottom of your show after taking your dog for a walk."

"I don't usually weak shoes when I walk my dog." Pacey stifled a grin.

Jen paused, then her jaw dropped. "Not that dog, you pervert." She hit him in the stomach.

"Augh!" Pacey screamed. "Help! Help! Pacey abuse! Pacey abuse!"

Jen clamped her hand over his mouth. He bit her. She screamed and slapped him across the face.

A stewardess walked over to their seats and cleared her throat. Pacey and Jen froze when they saw her. She was big, nearly six feet tall. Not Pacey's idea of stewardess material. More like Hitler's idea of prison guard material.

"If you two don't keep it quiet and act your age, I'm going to have to remove you from this flight. And we're already a thousand feet off the ground."

Pacey and Jen pasted on simultaneous fake grins. "Yes, ma'am."

The stewardess nodded and stalked off. Jen glared at him. "See what you did?"

"I did? You started it!"

"I started it."

Jen glanced out the window. "Hey, we are a thousand feet off the ground!"

"What?!" Pacey asked. He looked out the window and yelped, jumping over so he fell into Jen's lap.

"Get off me! What is your problem?"

"I'm afraid of heights!"

 

"Attention passengers, Flight 121, Boston to San Deigo, will be landing shortly. Please, fasten your seatbelts and prepare for some slight turbulence."

Jen pulled her seatbelt across her lap and roughly nudge the sleeping Pacey. He rolled over as much as he could in the airplane seat and mumbled something indistinguishable.

"Wake up, shit-head," Jen said, slapping the back of his head.

Pacey rolled over and looked at her through bleary eyes. He stared at for several seconds, blinking his eyes, obviously confused.

"What?" Jen asked curtly.

"Um, did we have sex?"

Jen's mouth dropped. "No, you pervert, we did not have sex. No. 1, we're on an airplane, no, that's No. 2. No. 1 is that I would rather do it with a rabid sheepeating groundhog!"

Pacey just looked more confused.

Jen sighed. "The plane is landing. Fasten your seatbelt."

Pacey nodded dumbly. He fastened his seatbelt and spent the remainder of the flight trying to wake up. Finally, the plane coasted to a stop on the runway.

The stewardess' voice crackled over the speakers. "Flight 121 has now landed. Please gather your belongings and make your way forward. We hope you enjoyed your flight and travel Delta again in your future. Thank you."

Pacey came awake almost instantly. "Whoo! We have arrived!"

"In hell," Jen muttered.

Pacey scrambled over her into the aisle. He grabbed Jen's hand and yanked her up and down the aisle. Jen jerked her hand away.

"Don't touch me, freak."

Pacey shrugged and pushed his way past the other passengers, leaving Jen behind.

Jen took a deep breath, willing herself to be calm. "Must not kill. Must not kill."

She rudely squeezed thought the crowded aisle and raced after Pacey.

 

Jen stood in the middle of the crowded airport terminal, searching for some sign of Pacey's wild Hawaiian shirt. But he had disappeared. Jen sighed in frustration. Then a thought struck here and she brightened. Maybe he had been kidnapped and she could go alone, or they'd send Henry out to take the cruise, or . . . Jen scolded herself. She hated Pacey, but she didn't want him to die. Just suffer severely, painfully, and slowly.

Jen glanced at her watch. It was 3:15 p.m. They were supposed to be at the dock by four to get their baggage checked in. Then they would be allowed to board at six, and the ship would leave port at seven. There was supposed to be a special taxi from the ship's owner waiting to take them to the dock, and if they weren't in it by 3:30, they would be out of luck, or have to find some other way of getting to the dock. Jen would have given anything for a chaperone at that moment to keep Pacey's ass in line.

Jen sighed again. If I were a retard, where would I go? Jen thought a moment. To Providence with Andie. Jen scolded herself mentally for that. Andie was a perfectly nice nutjob. Unlike Pacey, who was a perfectly f**ked up, bastard.

"Jennifer Lindley and Pacey Witter," a voice crackled over the airport loudspeaker. "Your taxi is waiting for you at the east door. Please report there immediately."

Jen groaned and trotted over to the luggage area where the bags were being unloaded. She found her bags and considered leaving Pacey's, but thought better. She wasn't that mean. With the help of an airport employee, she lugged the five suitcases tot he east gate.

A white taxi-style car sat at the curb, trunk open. A tall, skinny kid leaned against, looking as if he shouldn't even have a liscense, much less be a cabbie.

"Ms. Lindley?" the cabbie asked.

Jen grunted in reply. "I don't know where Pacey is. I'll have to go find him."

The cabbie glanced at his watch. "Hey, it's a twenty minute drive to the dock, lady, and it's already twenty-five after."

"Shit," Jen hissed. "Look, do we have to be there to check in our bags."

"Well . . ."

Jen reached into her purse and pulled out two ten dollar bills. "Here. Take care of it for us."

The cabbie grinned and stuffed the bills in his pocket. "But how will you get there?"

Jen sighed and looked around. "I don't know. We'll be there in time to board though."

The cabbie nodded and slammed the trunk shut. Jen turned and went back into the airport, in search of Pacey.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Jennifer Lindley and Pacey Witter," a voice crackled over the airport loudspeaker. "Your taxi is waiting for you at the east door. Please report there immediately."

"Oh, shit," Pacey hissed, as he crammed the last bit of hot dog into his mouth. He had been so freakin' hungry when he got off the plane, he had left Jen to forage.

Pacey stood, dusted the crumbs off his clothes, and ran toward the east gate. He thought. He ran out the glass double doors and didn't even see the sign above them clearly marked WEST DOORS.

He stopped outside in the heat of afternoon sun, panting. There was a bus parked at the curb with a picture of a cruise ship on it. Pacey grinned. He'd made it. He was certain Jen would have taken care of his luggage. She wasn't mean enough not to. He trotted over to the bus and hopped in. He grudgingly paid the bus driver, thinking it unfair to pay for the ride to a free cruise.

He scanned the passengers, but saw no sign of Jen. Shrugging, he sat down in a seat near the back. It wasn't his problem if she missed the bus. He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes, hoping to catch a quick nap before they got to the dock.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jen ran out the west doors and stopped, panting, in the afternoon sun. It was hotter over than the other side, and she could feel her clothes already beginning to cling to her. She saw a bus with a cruise ship picture on the side pull away from the curb. And then she saw Pacey's sleeping face plastered against one of the windows.

"Pacey!" she screamed, running after the bus. "Pacey, you shit-brained SOB!"

Jen slowed and took a few weary steps after the bus. She turned and trotted back to the nearest cab. A family was about to load their luggage into the trunk. Jen slammed the trunk down with one hand, pushed a twenty at the father, and said, "Here, catch the next one. I need this one."

She turned to the driver, pointed at the bus. "Follow that cab!" The driver shrugged at the family and got in the cab. Jen slid in the backseat and the cab roared to life and shot after the bus.

"Do you have any idea where it's going?" Jen asked through the glass separating her from the cabbie.

The cabbie looked over his shoulder and said. "That's the bus that goes to the San Diego Zoo."

 

Pacey awoke to the 'whoosh' of the bus doors flinging open. He sat up with a yawn and stretched. He started to scratch himself, but refrained when he saw an old woman gaping at where his hand was resting. Pacey blushed and quickly stood.

"Where am I?" he asked the lady.

"The San Diego Zoo."

Pacey looked around the bus for Jen. Not seeing her, he shrugged and made his way to the front of the bus. He debated whether he should stay on board, but . . . he wanted to see the tigers. He loved tigers. Oh, well, he thought. The ship didn't leave until seven, and it only just barely four o'clock now. He had plenty of time.

Pacey stepped off the bus and cut in line at one of the ticket booths. He paid for his ticket and, smiling stupidly, went into the zoo.

Jen fingernails were digging gouges in the leather upholstery of the taxi. They were stalled at what Jen was sure was the longest red light in history.

"Can't you just go?" Jen shouted. "I mean, you're a cabbie, you're supposed to be stupid enough to do things like that."

The cabbie glared at her. "That's it! Get out! I don't want your money."

"What? You can't kick me out of a cab!"

"I can if it's my cab. Out! Out!"

"Fine, I'm going, I'm going. But you'll here from my lawyer about this, you b*st*rd."

Jen slid out of the car. She ran through the stalled cars to the sidewalk. She turned, gave the cabbie the finger, and waited at the crosswalk for the little box to say WALK.

TWO HOURS LATER
Jen limped up to the ticket gates of the San Diego Zoo. The lines were nearly empty now. She collapsed against a ticket booth contain a young woman.

"Have you seen a guy . . .?"

"Was he hot?"

Jen stopped, confused. "Pacey? Well, I don't know. Yeah, sort of. Okay, so he's very hot, but that's not the point."

"I've seen a lot of hot guys today. Was he hot like the kid from Skulls?"

Jen nodded. "Yes. Just like that."

"Was he wearing a blue Hawaiian shirt?"

"Yes! Have you seen him?"

"Um, no."

Jen stared at her. "What do you mean NO?!"

The girl giggled. "Yes, I saw him. Silly."

"Has he left?"

"Not that I know of."

Jen sighed in relief. "Great. I need a ticket."

Jen paid for her ticket and ran into the zoo.

 

 

Pacey sat on a bench surrounded by a dozen little kids, their parents, and a zookeeper. He stroked the furry little orange and black-striped 'kitten' in his arms.

"Yes, you're a pretty kitty. Yes, you are. Pretty kitty, pretty kitty," Pacey cooed into the little striped face.

It reached up an over-sized paw and swatted him on the face. "Owww! Bad kitty!!"

Form the back of the crowd, a familiar voice laughed. Pacey looked up, rubbing the bloody marks on his right cheek.

"Good tiger," Jen cooed, mocking Pacey. "Yes, you is. You really, really is."

Pacey scowled at her. He handed the cub back to the zookeeper and gave it one last scratch under the chin. He stood dusted off his shorts, and walked over to Jen. She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to a grove of trees. And slapped him across his already bloody cheek.

Pacey yelped and jumped backwards, falling on his butt in a patch of dark brown mud.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Witter?!" Jen screamed. "Do you know what time it is? Do you?!"

Pacey looked at his watch. "Six-thirty. Why?"

"We were supposed to be aboard ship thirty mintues ago, sh*t-for-brains!!!"

Pacey grinned. "Don't worry, Jenny. I saw Titanic. That doesn't mean anything. If we leave now, we can catch a taxi, run through the docks swearing in Italian and make it aboard just in time."

Jen stared at him. "This is not a movie! But if it were, it'd be a bigger disaster than Titanic

Pacey laughed nervously. "Are you mad at me or something?"

Jen took a deep breath and smiled at him. "No, Pacey, I'm not mad, I'm not even pissed. I'm yelling at you because I'm I want you to make mad, passionate love to me right here in front of an entire third-grade class!"

Pacey eyes lit up. "Really?"

"No, not really! I'd rather make loved to - " Jen pointed at the first animal she saw, " -him!"

Pacey followed her finger. "That's a warthog!"

"Yes, I know it is. But better a warthog, than a . . . a male chauvinist pig like you!!"

Pacey stared at her, confused and lost. "What did I do?"

Jen's knees buckled and she crumpled to the ground, sobbing. Pacey moved toward her and put his arm around her shoulders. "There, there, it's okay, Jen . . ."

"Don't touch me!" she screamed, jumping away from him. "Don't touch me, don't talk to me, don't even look at me! You have ruined what was supposed to be the most awesome event of my high school life. First, you had to be the one who got picked instead of Henry. And now, I've missed the boat."

Pacey's lip quivered. "I . . . I didn't mean to."

Jen jumped to her feet and looked down at him. "Well, you didn't mean to be born either, but you were!"

Pacey began to sniffle. "I guess it would be better if I hadn't been born, huh?"

"Yes!" Jen screamed.

Pacey stood. "You wish I were dead then?"

"I wish rabid monkeys would eat out your entire reproductive system!"

Pacey's jaw tightened. "Well, I'm glad I know how you really feel."

He stalked out of the grove of trees, and Jen started giggling at the dark brown stain on the seat of his pants. Pacey looked over his shoulder at his butt, glared at her, and kept going.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

Pacey turned around and folded his arms across his chest. "I'm going to go hail a cab so maybe we can make it to the dock in time. We have twenty minutes still before it sails. So I guess you can either come with me and let me try and fix my mistake or stay here and check out my butt as I leave!"

Pacey scowled and started walking again. Jen ran to catch up with him. Some hope was better than no hope. That, and she really didn't want to look at his butt any more than she had to.

 

 

Jen dozed lightly in a soft. cream-colored armchair in the lobby of the White Whale Cruise Line office building. Pacey had insisted she let him fix this himself; she had been too tired to argue. So she had collapsed in this chair, twenty minutes ago, closed her eyes, and slipped off into dreamland.

"Jen! Oh, Jen, where are you?" Henry's voice called sweetly.

Jen found herself standing on a sandy white beach. On one side, nothing but turquoise ocean. On the other, palm trees, rocky crags, and tropical bird calls. It was, in a word, paradise.

She dropped onto the white sand, laying on her naked belly. She felt the spray of the waves against her naked back, the sand between her toes, the cool breeze drifting off the ocean and over her bare body. She rolled over on her back, staring up at a cloudless sky the color of the ocean at her feet. She closed her eyes, sighing heavily.

"There you are," Henry's voice again. "I've been looking all over for you."

Jen didn't open her eyes, she just smiled sweetly, waiting for him to come to her. She felt the light sting of sand against her arms as he shuffled over to her. She felt his shadow over her as he stopped, one leg on each side of her.

Then he lowered himself onto her. She moaned softly, at his naked skin against hers. She wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him into her. Her mouth parted, in a louder moan. There was no one to hear them after all. Before her mouth closed, his own mouth was on hers. Hot, moist, tasting of salt and his own peculiar flavor. She opened her eyes to catch a glimpse of her lover.

And came face to face with a pair of soulful green eyes that could only belong to Pacey Witter.

Jen screamed and fell out of her chair onto the thick creamy carpet. She looked around, eyes wide, heart pounding against her chest in a vain effort to escape the awful dream. Her breathing slowed as she realized there was no sand, no water, no trees, only Pacey walking towards her.

She leaned her head back against the chair, disgusted that she could dream about sex with Pacey. No, disgusted that she could dream abotu sex with Pacey and enjoy it.

Pacey was beside her now, offering his hand. Jen waved it away and pulled herself to her feet, smoothing her clothes and hair.

"Well?" she asked, looking anywhere but into those eyes.

He smiled. "How do you feel about helicopters?"

Jen raised an eyebrow. "What do helicopters have to do with anything?"

Pacey smiled. "The owners have agreed to get us a room nearby for the night. In the morning, a helicopter will fly us out to the ship."

"And what, we parachute down to the deck?"

"No, they have ladders you can climb down. Don't you watch the news?"

"You expect me to climb down a swinging ladder onto a moving ship?"

Pacey nodded. "Exactly."

Jen tried to think of a million reasons why she shouldn't, couldn't, wouldn't, but none came to her. Her mind was too freaked out by her dream. Her shoulders sagged and she nodded. "Whatever you say."

Pacey grinned. "You look beat. C'mon, there's a cab waiting to take us to the hotel."

Jen nodded. She let him take her by the arm and lead her outside. She only just remembered climbing into the cab and slumping against Pacey's chest inside. Then, there was nothing.

Jen awoke several hours later in a room that smelled of cigarette smoke and with a heavy arm across her waist. She yelped when she opened her eyes and found Pacey, wide awake and staring at her.

"Morning, sunshine," he said.

Jen threw his arm off of her. "Don't sunshine me!"

She looked at the little, almost twin-sized, bed they were inhorror. "Oh, shit, did we . . .?"

Pacey looked startled for a moment, then burst out in raucous laughter. "You're dreaming, Lindley, if you think I'd screw you."

Jen glared at him. "One never knows what to think when they wake up in a sleazy motel room with stench of cigarettes and Paceys beside them."

Pacey sniffed the air. "You don't smell to fresh yourself either."

"Why are you in bed with me?" Jen growled.

"Because there are no other beds in this room. Believe me, if I could have slept anywhere else I would've - what with the sex stains on the sheet - but the spiders in here are bigger than Joey's butt . . ."

Jen screamed.

"What?" Pacey asked.

"There's elephants smaller than Joey's butt!"

Pacey glared at her. "Don't talk about my girl that way."

Jen sighed. "Sorry."

They were silent for a few moments. Finally, Pacey said, "I wonder if they miss us, Henry and Jo, that is."

PACEY'S BEDROOM

Henry and Joey simultaneously burst out of the tangle mess of sheets on Pacey's bed, gasping for air. They looked at each other and smiled.

Henry grinned stupidly. "Jen never let me see that before . . ."

Joey smiled and pulled the covers back over their heads. "Well, then, why don't you look some more?"

 

Jen stared out the window of the taxi cab at the overcast sky. She turned to Pacey with a frown.

"Do you think they'll go ahead with the plan with it rainy like this?"

Pacey shrugged. "It's not even rainy yet so I don't see why not."

Jen nodded, not feeling so confident. She leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the window. The taxi slowed in front of a small, square, brick building. Off to the side, a bright green helicopter sat while several men in raincoats dashed around, making the last minute inspection.

Pacey popped open the door and slid out into the street, just as the first drops of rain fell. He helped Jen out of the cab, and they dashed into the building.

The building seemed even tinier on the inside than the outside. Jen wrinkled her nose at the stench of burnt popcorn, cigarette smoke, and urine. Even Pacey seemed a little disgusted at the smell.

There was no one else in the building that they could see, and no chairs to sit in. Jen reflexively moved closer to Pacey, and he brushed her arm with his in a gesture of assurance. They shared a tight smile, their first in days.

"C'mon." Pacey jerked his head toward a glass door on the other side of the room.

Just before they reached the door, it swung open. A young man, early twenties, stood there in a dripping raincoat. He flashed Pacey a brilliant smile, not even looking at Jen.

"You must be the kids I'm s'posed to take out to that ship, huh?"

Jen nodded dumbly, hot guys sirens going off in her head. Pacey frowned.

"Yeah, that's us," he said.

The man just nodded, his eyes locked on Pacey. "Well, I'm your pilot. Skip Weathers." He flashed another brilliant smile. "You are?"

"Jen Lindley," Jen said. "This is Pacey Witter."

"Well, Pacey, were almost ready, but you can go ahead and load up if you like."

Another dumb nod from Jen, and another frown from Pacey. Pacey turned and roughly grabbed Jen's hand, shooting a meaningful glance at Skip. He pulled her out the door and Skip followed.

Jen jerked her hand away from him and glared at him. "What's your problem?" she hissed.

Pacey frowned. "I don't like him."

"You don't even know him!"

Pacey pouted. "His name is Skip. What kind of name is Skip?"

"What kind of name is Pacey?"

"He was staring at me?"

"Oh, get over yourself. He wants me."

"Jen, the guy's obviously a closet case . . ."

"You say that about everyone you feel threatened by."

Pacey sighed. "Let's just get in the copter."

Pacey stalked over to the waiting helicopter and Jen followed, fuming. One of the technicians opened the door for them and they clibed into the backseat.

Less than five minutes had passed before Skip climbed into the cockpit.

"I have no co-pilot," he announced bluntly. "But don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Jen nodded dumbly. Pacey frowned. Skip flashed another smile at Pacey.

Skip grinned at them. "Before we takeoff, I'd like to tell you a few safety procedures. There's parachutes . . . somewhere. And a self-inflating life raft as well . . . somewhere. That said, let's fly!"

Skip giggled insanely and the helicopter lurched into the air. Jen and Pacey looked at each other, their eyes echoing each other's thoughts. This might not have been a such a good plan after all.

An hour later, Pacey was staring wide-eyed out the window at the black clouds boiling around them. Jen was asleep against his chest. Dash was asleep in the front seat. Skip was flirting with Pacey. It was all to cliche to stand.

Pacey's eyelids had finally grown heavy enough to close when the cockpit was illuminated with a brilliant flash of white. Pacey sat bolt upright. The clouds were full of lightning.

"Um, Skip," Pacey said. "Do you think this is safe . . .?"

Skip didn't hear him. He was too busy telling Pacey about his night job as a drag queen in L.A.

"Hey, Skippy!" Pacey bellowed. "Have you noticed that we're kind of in the middle of a storm?!"

Skip abruptly shut up and looked around him out the windows. "Oh! It seems we are!"

"Yeah, uh, how close are we to the ship."

Skip shrugged. "We'll get there when we get there."

Pacey nodded. He looked out the window again at the rain pouring down in sheets around them. Below, the ocean was a mass of white foam and rolling waves.

Suddenly, the helicopter lurched forward. Jen fell into Pacey's lap. She sat up with a start, her eyes darting around like a scared rabbit's. Pacey pulled her closer to him.

"It's okay. Go back to sleep," he whispered. "I'll wake you if it gets worse."

"It's storming," Jen said, snuggling closer to him.

Pacey nodded. "I know."

The helicopter lurched again, this time the cabin lights failing.

"Skip, what's going on?" Pacey asked.

Skip nervously flicked at some switches. The lights came back on just as another gust of wind slammed into the craft. Jen clung to Pacey as the helicopter rocked from side to side.

Skip grinned nervously at them. "Well, uh, you might wanna find them chutes and that raft . . . just in case."

Jen looked up at Pacey, terror in her eyes. He clasped her to him and reached under the seat, feeling around until he found the two parachutes and the deflated raft.

The helicopter dipped wildly with another slap of wind against its hull. The lights flickered and went out, bathing the cabin in darkness. Then, the helicopter began spiralling toward the sea.

Skip was already fastening on his chute. Pacey and Jen did the same. They had just got theirs on, when Skip threw open the door and leaped out, faintly screaming 'good luck' as he fell.

Pacey pushed Jen toward the open door.

"No!" she clung to his hand. "We jump together!"

Pacey nodded. He moved the edge, holding onto a seat to keep from being sucked out into the storm before they were ready. He flipped the inflate mechanism on the raft and tossed it out the window.

Then, he jumped, pulling Jen out with him. They clung tightly to each other's hands as they freefell for what seemed like forever. Then, the chutes opened and they floated through the rain, tossed about by the wind. Then, with a terrify shriek they were plunged into the icy water.

Pacey felt himself being pulled under by the waves. Struggled to free himself from his parachute while still grasping Jen's hand. Slatwater poured into his mouth and nose, choking him. He kicked free of his parachute and pulled Jen to him sliding hers off of her.

With a mighty kick, he propelled them both to the surface. Jen surfaced screaming his name. Pacey held her to him, gasping for air.

"There's the raft," he choked out, pointing to a flash of yellow on top of a wave.

Jen sputtered something he couldn't hear. He began swimming towards the raft, his task made harder by his refusal to let Jen go. Waves washed over them, pushing them farther away. Pacey could feel Jen growing heavier in his arms as her energy was drained from her. His own legs were growing heavy, but he would not give up.

He forced himself to swim harder, but for every three feet of progress he made, a wave knocked him back six feet. Then, miraculously, the rafter appeared on the crest of a wave as it thundered over them. The wave crashed down on them, but Pacey managed to ride it out, just barely keeping Jen's head above water. He caught hold of the side of the raft and pulled it to them. He pushed Jen over the side and heard the satisfying 'thwack' of her body against the rubber. He hauled himself into the raft, collapsing beside Jen's limp body.

Pacey struggled for breath while clinging to Jen's lifeless body. He pressed his wet cheek against her chest. Her heartbeat came faintly to his ear. He smiled as his own body gave out and everything went black.

 

 

Gray clouds still dominated the sky the next morning, but the storm was over. And a little bit of sun was beginning to peek out, shedding its soft light on the sandy beach. The waves, calm now, gently lapped at the white shore. Somewhere in the distance, a tropical bird squawked.

Pacey lay on his stomach in the sand, his head turned so his left cheek was buried in the sand. The waves were lapping at his knees.

Pacey groaned softly and moved one hand to the bloody scrape over his left eye. He winced at his own touch. He feebly rolled over and turned his face up to the sun. His eyes fluttered open briefly, then he clamped them shut again.

He rolled back onto his stomach and pushed himself onto his hands and knees. He turned around, eyes still clenched shut, and crawled into the surf. He plunged his face into the water and scrubbed the sand off his hands and face. He pulled his head out, and took a deep breath of air.

He opened his eyes and sat back on his heels. He blinked his eyes a few times and gasped for air. He ran his hands through his hair, plastering it against his head. His tongue felt thick in his mouth, and his throat itched for water. He sat there for several minutes, trying to catch his breath and remember what had happened.

'Jen!' his mind screamed at him. It all came back to him: the storm, the psychotic pilot, the crash, being in the water, climbing in the boat.

Pacey spun around, splashing water everywhere. His eyes scanned the beach. He saw her lying a few yard down the beach. Halfway under the overturned raft. She lay on her back, one arm across her stomach, the other stretched out in the sand.

He clambed up the beach on hand and knees. He pushed the raft off her legs and straddled her, shaking her shoulders gently. She didn't stir.

"Jen!" he screamed, falling across her chest, pressing his ear to her heart. It was beating. He grinned and collapsed against her, burying his face in her neck.

Jen stirred under him. Pacey pulled his head back and grinned at her. "You're alive!"

Her eyes were still closed, but her mouth parted slightly. Pacey couldn't resist. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

Jen went stiff at first. Then, she began to kiss back, eventually sliding her arms around his neck. He slid his arms under her and pulled her off the sand. He ended up falling over backwards, with her on top of him. His hands slid down to her butt and down her thigh.

She rolled over so he was on top again, on his hands and knees. Her arms were still around his neck so she was halfway sitting up. She brought one knee up and ran it against the hardness in his shorts. He made a nosy halfway between a moan and a squeak.

He lowered himself on top of her, pulling at her shorts. She moved her hands from his neck and ran them down his chest. She tugged at his shirt until she ripped it off over his head and threw it away. He pulled her shorts down to her knees and then completely off, leaving them in the sand with his shirt.

He bucked his hips against hers and she tangled her legs through his. They rolled over again and kept rolling and kissing until they landed in the ocean.

They both screamed in shock and broke apart. They scooted backwards away from each other through the surf.

"Oh, shit!" Jen screamed.

Pacey said nothing, just sat in the water, letting the 'cold shower' do its job.

Pacey ran his hands through his dripping hair and gasped for breath. "We just . . ."

"Yeah! We almost . . ."

They both looked away in shame. Neither spoke for several minutes.

Finally, Jen said, "It never happened. I have Henry, you have Joey. End of story. It was just an . . ."

Pacey looked around. "Island flind?"

"Island?" Jen asked.

Pacey nodded. He pointed at the beach behind them. It stretched nearly two hundreds yards up the island before giving way to a thick jungle of palm trees. On either side of them about three hundred yards each way, the beach arched out and extended another fifty yards before giving away to craggy brown rocks.

"This is just a lagoon," Jen said.

Pacey nodded. "On an island."

"We're on a tropical island."

Pacey nodded. "So it seems."

Jen shivered despite the heat. "What happened to Skip?"

Pacey shrugged. "I don't know."

Jen paused, then moving closer to him, said, "What's going to happen to us?"

Pacey shook his head. His eyes locked on hers, mirroring the fear in her own. "I don't know.

 

Pacey limped down the beach, sweat rolling off his head in great beads beneath the afternoon sun. He could see Jen a hundred yards down the beach on the shore of the lagoon, trying to start a fire with two sticks.

He quickened his pace and plopped down beside her heavily. He ran a dirty hand across his forehead and sighed.

"Find any shelter?" Jen asked.

Pacey shook his head. "I found a cave, but there were some pretty nasty looking footprints around it . . ."

"Human?"

"More along the lines of big hungry cat."

"Like a Tiger?"

Pacey shrugged. "Don't know. But I found some little trees we can make a lean to out of. I'll need something to cut them with though. I'll have to find a sharp rock or something."

Jen nodded. "Not enough time tonight. Let's concentrate on the fire and some form of food."

"Here," Pacey reached for the sticks. "I'll worry about the fire. You forage."

Jen looked nervously at the jungle. "Um . . . I'm not sure I wanna go in there."

"You want me to come with you?"

Jen nodded quickly. Pacey pushed himself off the sand and offered his hand to her. She grabbed it and he pulled her to her feet. He dropped her hand and they walked into the jungle side by side. It was a little cooler beneath the trees, but not much.

"What are we going to do about fresh water? We can't drink that salt water," Jen said.

"I know. We'll find something." Pacey paused. "What are we looking for exactly.'

"Plants for now."

"Good. I ain't eating no bugs."

Jen made a face. "Agreed."

There was a rustle in the bushes nearby and Jen practically jumped into Pacey's arms. Pacey pushed her behind him. His eyes cast about the ground until he found a thick dry stick about four inches around and two feet long.

A moment later, a small weasel-like creature came out of the forest. It stared at them curiously with tiny, black eyes. Pacey realized the creature wasn't afraid of them. He had never seen humans before. Pacey felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. But he put it aside and didn't hesitate to bash the little thing over the head with his club.

Jen screamed and slapped Pacey. "It wasn't hurting you!"

"It's food!" Pacey shot back. He slid the stick under the weasel-thing's stomach and lifted it off the ground. Come on. Let's go get a fire going so we can eat."

Jen sighed. "What happened to plants?"

Pacey didn't respond and kept on walking back towards the beach. He glanced up through the canopy of trees. The sky had grown overcast again. He ignored it and kept walking. And walking. And walking.

"Pacey, we didn't walk this far coming in," Jen said grabbing his sleeve.

Pacey looked at her, his face tight. "I know. But this has got to be the right direction. We'll eventually reach the beach."

"I hope . . ."

She was cut off by the strangled scream of some bird not to far from them.

"What was that?" Jen asked, pressing herself against Pacey's side.

"It was a bird," Pacey said. "Being eaten."

Jen gulped. "Eaten?"

Pacey nodded. "I think so."

Jen started to run, but Pacey grabbed her. "Don't move."

Seconds later, it appeared in the path. Nine feet of black fury behind glowing green eyes.

"That's one big mother fucker panther," Pacey muttered.

It slunk towards them on padded feet, head down, tail twitching. Pacey slipped his arm around Jen and thrust his stick at the panther. The weasel fell off and the panther pounced on it. Pacey grabbed Jen and took off running back into the jungle. Behind them, they could hear the heavy feline body crashing through the trees after them.

To be continued…