By Pesh Lockard

Part Two

Disclaimer: Don't own them, not making money with them, I'm just re-arranging them for awhile. All rights go to the owners.

Author's Note: Takes place in the future, everyone is in their early thirties. I really enjoyed writing this, and it is my first submission, so please be kind and send me feedback (I would send it toyou!) [email protected] Thanks for taking time to read this?.

"Are we at Aunt Andie's yet?" Taylor asks Joey from the back seat of their car.

"Not yet, sweetie." Joey tells her son. "We won't be there for another hour."

"Jo, what exit is it?" Dawson asks her.

"47." She tells him. "Did you shut the coffee pot off?"

Dawson nods, and glances in the rear view mirror. Taylor had fallen asleep. "Did we put film in the camera?" He asks her.

"Did we remember the camera?"

Dawson's face falls. "How could I forget the camera?" He scolds himself.

"Dawson, it's okay. I'm sure Andie will give us doubles and we can always stop at a store and buy a disposable one." Joey tells him leaning back in her seat. "Don't worry about it."

But he did. How could he forget a camera this time? There was so much to worry about, how could she tell him not to worry? He glanced over at Joey, now sleeping in the passenger seat. At least she was relaxed.

"Andie have you seen the replacement bulbs for the Christmas lights?" Pacey asks coming back into the house. He sees Tim sleeping in front of the TV in the family room. "Andie?!" He calls looking around downstairs. She's no where to be found. He goes up the stairs. "Andie!" He calls, a little nervous. He walks down the hall into their bedroom and sees Andie sitting on the edge of their bed going though a photo album crying. He stands in the doorway, knowing what kind of pictures were the that album. It was an album of old photos, mostly from high school and a few from college. He walks into their room. "Are you okay, McPhee?" He asks her.

Andie closes the book and wipes the tears from her face. She shakes her head. "This isn't fair, Pacey. She doesn't deserve this. And Dawson and Taylor don't deserve this. Think about Taylor. He's only four years old. What if I died? What would Tim do?" Andie cries on his shoulder, wanting answers.

"Andie, it's okay. This is hard on everyone. Of course things are gonna get bad. We just have to be the best friends we can be to Dawson and Joey. They're our best friends and we'll be there for them until the end." Pacey tells her, rubbing her back.

She's quiet for a minute. This kind of thing was hard for her to handle. She nods and stands up. "I better set the table. They should be here soon."

Dawson glances over at Joey from the driver's seat and sees she's still fast asleep. Dawson smiles seeing her look so peaceful. Taylor was fast asleep as well, they'd be at Andie and Pacey's in less than half an hour. They were late and Dawson had called a few minutes ago to let them know they would get there - eventually. He'd spoken to Pacey, who told him Andie was taking the news about Joey hard. Dawson wasn't surprised, Joey and Andie were best friends, despite their distance in mileage. After college, Pacey and Andie had married and moved to Rhode Island. Dawson and Joey lived in Massachusetts, near Capeside, for a while before moving to Connecticut. Dawson had managed to keep a strong front about the news, Pacey confessed to the same. Joey seemed strong too, but there were a lot of things they needed to work talk about and decide. They both been avoiding the inevitable questions and answers.

"Dawson?" Joey wakes up.

"I'm right here, Jo." He tells her taking her hand. "We should be at Andie and Pacey's in twenty minutes. You feel okay?"

Joey nods and sits up. "Yeah. I feel okay." She smiles. Dawson nods. "I bet Andie is a nervous wreck, we're already half an hour late." Joey rollsher eyes.

"I called her a little while ago, and she is. Something about the house being a mess and Tim tracking snow and mud all over the carpet, you know how incomprehensible she is when she gets crazy.."

"Andie isn't crazy, she's just a little too woundup."

"She freaks out too easily."

"If I were married to Pacey, I would freak out all the time." Joey laughs. Dawson shakes his head at her, and laughs too. He couldn't believe that despite all that was happening, Joey could still crack jokes.

"Did you get the mud out of the carpet?" Pacey asks Andie walking into the living room.

Andie rolls her eyes. "Yes. Remind never to put cream colored carpet and a four year old in the samehouse ever again."

"Dawson called. He said they'd be here any minute. Tim's in his room playing." Pacey tells her.

Andie nods. "Well the house is spotless, the lights look good, the tree looks good, dinner's in the oven, the table is set, Tim is occupied. And now I have time to think."

Pacey sits down at the kitchen table, across from her. "And?"

"And, you're right. I can't spend this week feeling bad about this, I have to spend this week making it the best week for Joey and for Taylor and Dawson. If this were happening to us, that's how I would want it to be. I wouldn't want Joey crying about it, I'd want her to spend her last time with me laughing."

The door bell rings as Andie finishes. "Buckle your seat belt." Pacey tells her.

On to Part 3