Author's Note: See Part 1 for synopsis. Please be kind and send me feedback (I would send it to you!) [email protected]>

"Mom, how much longer until we can open presents?!" Taylor asks running into the kitchen and hugging Joey's legs. Joey looks at her watch, 5 pm. "Usually you wake up at eight, so that's about 15 hours." Joey tells him, smiling.

"Joey, can you check on the potatos?" Andie asks her. The place was a mad house. Andie and Joey were trying to get dinner ready, Pacey, Dawson and Jack were parked in front of the TV, doing absolutely nothing to help and the kids were running amuck. "This house is a mess." Andie says looking around. The kitchen looked like a tornado had just hit it, Andie was making a huge dinner for Christmas Eve. Mr. And Mrs. Leery were due to arrive any minute, and tomorrow Pacey's mother, his sister Lizzie and brother-in-law Mike and their daughters Kerrie and Allison were all coming. Originally, Andie had just wanted a quiet Christmas at home, but family had a funny way of getting invited.

"We should have gone out to dinner tonight, Andie." Joey tells her, poking the potatos with a fork. "You shouldn't have to make this big dinner tonight, another tomorrow night, it's crazy."

"Andie have you heard from my parents?" Dawson asks her. "They're late."

Andie glances at her watch while basting the turkey. They were almost an hour late. "Not yet."

Joey feels her stomach go inside out, the smell of the food was getting to her. "Dawson, can you mash these for me?" Joey asks him pointing to the potatoes. "I have to go lay down."

"Are you okay?" Andie asks sliding the turkey back into the oven.

"No, I think I'm gonna be sick." Joey tells them her complexion almost turning green. She sits down on a nearby chair and rest her head in her hands, the room feels like it's spinning.

"Dawson, take her upstairs, Jack will get the potatos." Andie tells him, worried

"Do you want to take a pill?" Dawson asks as Joey splashes water on her face in the bathroom connected to their bedroom. Dawson had had to carry Joey upstairs, she was too weak. She'd thrown up violently for a few minutes, it broke Dawson apart to see her in such pain.

Joey nods. "Dawson." She says, siting down on the bathroom floor, her eyes half closed. "I have to go to sleep." She closes her eyes and leans against the wall. "I'm sorry, I have no energy."

Dawson hands her a pill and some water and she swallows it. He lifts her up and lays her down on the bed. "Tell Taylor I'm sorry." She tells him and falls asleep.

"Jack, can you mash the potatoes?" Andie asks walking into the family room.

"Sure." He says standing up. "Is Joey okay?" He asks once they're in the kitchen.

Andie shakes her head. "She's getting worse and worse. She has good days and bad days."

"She looks bad. When she hugged me, I could feel all her bones, it felt like a skeleton was wrapped around me." Jack says pouring some milk into the potato's.

Andie nods. "This is horrible for Taylor, too. He's only four years old. He doesn't understand."

"Yeah, I noticed that Dawson didn?t look so good either. I can tells he's taking this hard."

"That's an understatement." Andie nods stirring some gravy in a pan. The door bell rings.

"Ive got it, it's my parents!" Dawson yells from the stairs.

"Mom, Dad."

"Dawson! Hi, sweetie!" Mrs. Leery exclaims stepping into the house hugging Dawson.

"Hey, Dawson. You okay?" Mr. Leery asks him.

Dawson shrugs. "I'm just...going forward." He tells them. It wasn't like he had a choice. Forward was the only direction...it was better than standing still.

"Where is Joey?" Mrs. Leery asks.

"She's sleeping, she's exhausted. We took Taylor to the park today and she was helping Andie cook, and I guess it just wore her out."

"Mitch, Gale." Pacey greets them walking into the foyer.

"Pacey, sweetheart you look wonderful. What a beautiful house you have." Mrs. Leery says kissing him on the cheek.

"Hi," Andie greets them walking into the foyer. "How was the flight?" Andie asks as she hugs Mr. and Mrs. Leery.

"Too long, I'm such a bad flier. Andie, your house is gorgeous." Mrs. Leery tells her as they walk into the kitchen.

Andie blushes. "Thank you." She opens the door to the basement. "Boys!" She calls to Taylor and Tim. "We've got some company."

"Grandma!!!!" Taylor yells running up the stairs and into Mrs. Leery's arms.

"Sweetheart." Mrs. Leery squeezes him. "Are you okay?"

Taylor nods. "Yes, and I've been good all year. Even though we're not at out house, Uncle Pacey said Santa will still be able to find me here." Taylor tell his grandmother, not exactly getting her drift.

"Tim, this is Uncle Dawson's mommy, Mrs. Leery. She's Taylor's Grandma." Andie explains to her son, who had just made it upstairs. "You met her when you baby, you probably don't remember."

"Hello, Tim." Mrs. Leery ruffles his hair. "He's beautiful, Andie, he looks just like you."

"He looks like my brother." Andie smiles. "Why don't I show you to your room, you're probably exhausted."

"Yeah, I hate traveling." She agrees.

Andie and Pacey showed Mitch and Gail to their room, a guest room next to their bedroom, connected by an adjoining sitting room. When Tim was a baby it had been his room because it had an adjoined their room, but it was a fairly small and they'd moved Tim to a room on the other side of the upstairs. Andie had thought she'd have more children, so she'd stored Tim's baby clothes in the closet and left the bunny wallpaper up, but a year ago she had decorators take it down and had it decorated like a normal guest room. Pacey didn't really want anymore children, and maybe that was okay now, because Dawson had talked to her about moving closer, and Andie planned on being a bigger part of Taylor's life. "Thank you, Andie so much." Mrs. Leery tells her.

"Sure." Andie smiles. "Dinner should be ready in half an hour."

"Do you need any help?" Mrs. Leery asks her.

"No, Jack and I have everything covered." She tells them. "Just relax." Andie says and leaves the room.

"She is so sweet." Mr. Leery comments.

"She is. To have us, her friend's parents, as guests in her home so that her friend can have a memorable Christmas, that's just so generous." Mrs. Leery agrees.

"Hey." Dawson knocks on the door softly. "Joey woke up, she wants to see you, mom." Dawson tell her.

"Are you doing okay, Dawson?" Mr. Leery asks as Mrs. Leery unpacks.

Dawson sighs. "I guess the best someone could be in this situation. As much as I don't want to lose Joey, to live without her, I don?t want to see her in this pain anymore."

"What about Taylor?" Mrs. Leery asks.

Dawson shakes his head. "Taylor, I can say for sure, is thoroughly confused. I think he understands that Joey is sick, and they can't give her any medicine, but just doesn?t understand the concept of death and dying. Which I guess is to be expected."

Mrs. Leery nods. "Are you sure she's up to visitors?"

"Absolutely. She asked to see you. She's just a little tired, she was okay today." Dawson assures.

Mrs. Leery hugs Dawson and leaves the room to go see Joey. "Dawson, your mother and I have been talking, um...about what to do after." Mr. Leery starts. "After Joey dies, that is, and we're willing to move nearby you or in with you to help take care of Taylor. Unless you want to move by us in Florida."

Dawson sighs. His parents probably wouldn't like the decision to move closer to Andie and Pacey. Bessie and Bodie wouldn't be too crazy about it either, but Rhode Island was closer to Capeside than Connecticut, and it was what was right for them. "Actually Joey and I have talked this over, and we think it would best for Taylor and I to move up here. To be by Pacey and Andie. They've been incredibly supportive and that way we're still close to Bessie and Bodie. Besides, I don't think I could go on living in that house, our house." Dawson tells him.

"Dawson, are you sure? We're willing to move back up here with you."

Dawson nods. "Don't uproot yourselves. We'll be okay." He reassures his father.

There's a soft knock on Joey?s bedroom door. "Come in." She says putting her book down. She's been sitting up in bed reading.

"Hi, sweetheart." Mrs. Leery says entering the room.

"Gale." Joey cries with outstretched arms. Mrs. Leery hugs Joey and holds her, for awhile, rubbing her back, kissing her face, telling her it would be okay. Gale was there when Joey's mother couldn't be, just like Andie would be there for Taylor. Joey lifted herself from Gale's embrace, with tears streaming.

"Hey, McPhee." Pacey says walking up behind Andie and wrapping his arms around her waist. Jack was in the dinning room setting the table, Dawson, Joey and the Leery's were upstairs and the boys were in basement. It was just them in the kitchen.

Andie turns around. "I feel sad." She says resting her head on Pacey's chest.

"I know." She says rubbing her hair. "You've done an amazing job, Andie. I'm sure everyone will love it."

"I hope so."

"I know so." Pacey tells her. "You're an amazing woman, Andie. You're making this immaculate Christmas for our friends, having their parents stay with us, taking care of their child and ours, you do it all."

Andie smiles. "I'm glad you think so." They kiss.

"Aunt Andie!!" Taylor calls running up the stairs. "I'm starving."

Andie laughs and scoops Taylor up in her arms. "Dinner's almost ready, sweetie." She tells him and gives him a big hug.

"Taylor," Pacey tells him. "Your mommy isn't feeling good. She's not very hungry, she's very sleepy."

"She's not gonna eat with us?" Taylor asks looking upset. He was very attached to Joey, especially since she got sick.

"She can't tonight sweetheart. She doesn't feel very well, but tomorrow is Christmas, and she'll be with you all day." Andie promises him. "In fact, I think I have something for you in here." Andie says opening the fridge and taking a cup with Chocolate milk in it out. Taylor's face lights up like lightening, bringing a big smile to Andie's.

Dawson walks downstairs and from the doorway can see Andie holding Taylor. He watches as Taylor wraps his arm around Andie's neck and gives her a big hug, as Pacey looks on smiling. Dawson feels a smile stretch across his face. Maybe everything would work out after all.

On to Part 14