When It All Comes Down…
by Rachel

 

"Where is he?" Pacey asked as he and Joey bound through double doors into the hospital's emergency room.

"I don't know." Joey said as they rushed to the front desk.

"Excuse me! We need to find Jack McPhee…He should have been brought in about twenty minutes ago..."

"Oh, the football player," The nurse said, quickly checking the register. He's been taken up to the OR…Take the elevator to the sixth floor and make a left. You can check in with the nurse on duty. They can let you know the status-"

Pacey was already off before she could finish. He led Joey by the hand as she rushed to keep up.

"I hope he's okay," Joey said clasping her hands together under her chin as they rode the elevator up to the sixth floor.

"He'll be fine!" Pacey said adamantly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "He's going to be fine."

The elevator stopped twice on the way up, as people got on and off. They rode up with an orderly from the second floor who stopped at the fourth. When he had finally departed, leaving Pacey and Joey alone as the doors slid slowly closed, Pacey rammed his fist into one of the walls.

"Fuck!" He yelled out angrily. "This is taking too long!"

Joey's was troubled as she rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

As the elevator finally opened to the sixth floor, they hurried out and made the left turn as the nurse had instructed. The sped down the hallway, almost in a run and as they entered the large OR waiting room. They saw Dawson, Andie and Jen already there.

"Pacey!" Andie cried out, her face streaked with tears. He flew to her, embracing her as another sob burst out.

"Ssh..." He cooed as he rocked her. He ran his hand over the back of her head, smoothing down her hair. "Everything's going to be fine…everything's going to be just fine."

Jen walked up behind them, her eyes red and her cheeks flushed.

"He's not doing so hot right now," She said, sniffling hard as she tried to hold back her distress. She folded her arms across her chest, covering the large yellow "C" on the front of her cheerleading uniform. As she started to pace the floor, Dawson went up behind her, and grasped her, holding her as she let another flurry of tears run loose.

Just watching her, Joey wanted to cry. But as she looked at Dawson and Pacey, strong, and diligent in protecting them, she too wanted to be strong. She wanted to be supportive for Jack. He was the one who needed somebody right now.

She took a deep breath as she slid into one of the chairs. She slumped down, letting her face fall into her hands as she closed her eyes.

'How did this happen?'…

Almost forty minutes ago, Jack had been playing football on the field at Capeside High. As wide receiver, he had ran as fast as he could down the field, dodging brick walls; guys that must've outweighed him by a hundred pounds or more. As he got to the end zone, the ball came at him…he had watched it, gritting his teeth, calculating where it would land, where he could catch it…then as, he jumped, as his hands went up-

Dawson sighed as he helped Jen sit down. She leaned forward, hiding her face in her hands as she cried uncontrollably.

"No, no, no…Why is this happening!" She heaved as her make-up ran in streaks. "How could this happen to him! Why Jack!"

Dawson's face was red, his lips taught. He rubbed her back absentmindedly...to calm her? Maybe just to calm himself? It didn't matter… He rubbed without thinking as he stared at the floor.

Pacey looked at Joey as he held Andie in a bear hug. Compassion was written all over his face, and it was almost too much for her to bear. Joey blinked back tears, even as her eyes stung at her. He gave her a weary smile, closing his eyes, and thinking back to Andie. She sat back and waited quietly.

Andie's sobs grew to a quiet trickle of gasps and gulps. She leaned her head against Pacey's chest, clutching his shirt to her; clutching on to the only support she had left right now. She thought about all the turmoil that had upset her life in the past few years. Now Jack. She could not lose Jack, not now. Not ever.

Jack had jumped for the ball.

He had no way of knowing that he was being pursued so closely. He had no sense of the weight that was about to descend upon him, thundering towards him, plunging into him, taking him out. He had no idea as to how many bodies would follow, slamming frame on top of frame, crunch on top of crunch…as the crowd, roaring at a deafening pitch, looked on so ignorant to the damage that was being done to the one beneath it all.

Jack. He had caught the ball. Then he had been railroaded into the mud, into the ground.

Pacey felt Andie's heart pounding in her chest. He felt his anger that had consumed him only minutes before give way to sadness.

"What's the word?" He glanced at Dawson, noting the uncertainty in his eyes.

"We don't know…" Dawson whispered. "They won't say."

"Where's my daddy?" Andie asked.

"I don't know, he isn't here yet," Pacey said.

"I want my daddy!" She cried, clutching him tighter.

"I know, you do…Baby, I know…"

Jen had been standing right there, not more than fifteen yards away, when it happened. She kept hearing the crunch over and over and over again, the maddening sound as Jack had been crashed into. It was driving her crazy, the noises. She closed her eyes and kept picturing him, lying crumpled in the grass…

The referee standing over him, signaling for help. The other players standing around, astonished and dumbfounded, as they took off their helmets, letting them fall to the ground. Coach Leery running to Jack's side as the other coaches followed. And then she ran, as the crowd finally hushed.

Henry stood next to him when the other players had backed away in fear. She had screamed for someone to help them, to help him. Henry knelt down and held Jack's hand as he lay lifeless; limp and unresponsive to Coach Leery's shouts.

McPhee, can you hear me? McPhee, can you open your eyes? Jack! Wake up Jack! Someone call 911!

Then the sirens came…

And the ambulance…

And the paramedics had scrambled out to the field…taking him.

She had ridden along in the ambulance.

Jen sat up as she breathed in deeply. She wiped at her eyes, and smoothed back her hair…This couldn't be happening…

Dawson looked up as his father came back. He had gone to the pay phone to call Mr. McPhee and Mrs. Ryan, letting them know where to come.

"Any word yet?" Mitch asked his son. Dawson shook his head slowly. "I'm going to see what I can find out…"

Dawson watched as his father approached the nurse's station behind the tall desk at the front of the room.

His father was so in control. He wondered how he kept it so together.

He and Andie had witnessed everything from the stands. They had caught up to his father in the parking lot, and had been only minutes behind the ambulance as it raced across town to the ER.

They had seen only the tail end of the gurney as the medics had rushed Jack through the double doors. They had hopped out of the truck, and followed on their heels as far as they could before they were made to stand back by the head nurse. They caught a glimpse of Jack being lifted onto an examination table. His clothes were cut and stripped away, tubes and needles were being pushed into his body, commands were barked out by the resident attending…They had heard him yell for someone to call the surgeon on duty before they were ushered out into the waiting area.

Within minutes, a tall man in a long white lab coat carrying a clipboard had approached his father. Dawson recognized him as the attending resident, the one who had given the orders. He had asked Mitch to step aside, just out of earshot, so he could advise him of the situation. Dawson strained to hear, but it was impossible with all the rustle and bustle of the ER and with Andie crying at his side. He had put his arm around her to console her when Mitch had turned and looked at them with a grave face.

Dawson knew that wasn't good.

"Now, Andie," Mitch had started. "Jack has some serious injuries…They're not sure of what's wrong with him yet, so they need to send him up for surgery. The doctor says we can wait outside the OR and as soon as they have something they'll let us know."

Andie had begun to cry harder, and Dawson helped her walk along. He had hugged her in the elevator on the way up, telling her to not worry, that things would be okay. He knew it hadn't helped much, but he didn’t know what else to do. Now Pacey was there to comfort her. Pacey always knew how to comfort Andie.

Andie listened to Pacey breathe as her crying subsided. She thought about her brother lying on that table, unconscious and helpless as they cut into him…Thank god Pacey got there when he did. She didn’t know how she would've gotten through the next few hours without him.

Mrs. Ryan got there about twenty minutes after Mitch had called her.

"Evelyn," He said, greeting her as she held Jen.

"Is there any word as to how he's doing?" She asked seriously. He shook his head as he slid into the seat next to her.

"No, but the nurse assures me that the doctor will be out as soon as they are finished. It's going to be a few hours though. Maybe you should take Jen home."

"No! Gramms! I don't want to leave!" Jen said desperately. "We can't leave him!"

"Jennifer…"

"No, Gramms!"

"Okay, Jennifer…" Gramms said, taking her in her arms again. "We'll stay for a while."

 

An hour had passed without any word.

"Dawson," Mitch whispered as he sat in the chair across from him. "Why don't you take Joey home…"

Dawson and Joey looked at each other. She didn't want to leave, he could tell. He looked back to his father and Mitch returned the stare wearily. "Look kids, there's nothing you can do for him right now. It's best you go home and rest. You can come back later, but for now," He looked at Mrs. Ryan, who nodded in agreement. "I want you to go home with Mrs. Ryan."

"Dad, aren't you coming with us?"

"No…As head coach, it's my duty to wait for Mr. McPhee to get here. I'll call you the minute anything changes. For now, I'm going to wait with Andie."

Mrs. Ryan picked up her purse.

"Jennifer…" She rubbed her granddaughter's shoulder. "Let's go home and get you cleaned up."

"But Gramms…" Jen sighed, defeated and tired.

"No buts, young lady. As Mr. Leery said, we're not doing Jack a bit of good just sitting here. Now come on…we'll be back later." They stood up and Gramms put her arm around Jen as they walked.

"Come on, Jo." Dawson said, also rising. She followed.

Joey locked eyes with Pacey as she passed where he had been sitting with Andie. His arm was around her, and she sat very still with a far off look in her eye as she stared at the wall.

"Pacey…Are you coming?" Dawson asked. Pacey shook his head. "K…see you later."

Dawson walked ahead. Joey stopped in the doorway, staring back at Pacey. He stared too, smiling slightly. His eyes told her everything would be okay.

'I love you,' She mouthed to him.

'I love you too.'

 

The four were quiet on the way home. Jen sat slumped in the front seat, as Dawson and Joey sat staring out the windows in the back.

Dawson looked over at Joey from time to time on the short trip home. He wondered what she was feeling. He liked Jack. Jack was a good guy, but Joey knew him better; they were closer.

And Jen.

He glanced at her. He need not see her face to know she was deeply affected by this. After all, Jack had lived with her for the past ten months. They had become very close, like brother and sister; best friends.

He focused again on Joey. He was glad Pacey had not come along. Now they would be alone, and he would have time to talk to her, to sort things out.

He saw Joey look forward as Mrs. Ryan pulled her car into the packed dirt driveway that split off between the two homes. She pulled up to the smaller house nearer to the creek and shut off the engine.

As they climbed out, Dawson rounded to the driver's side to meet Joey, and Gramms turned to him.

"If you need anything, dear boy…We're right next door."

"Thank you." He said lowering his gaze.

Jen was silent as she and her grandmother entered their home.

Dawson and Joey were also silent as they made the way across the lawn to his porch.

They got to the door, and he fumbled with his keys. He worked the lock, letting her in.

"It's been a long time since I've used the front door," Joey joked, smiling momentarily.

"Yeah," Dawson said, his lips uncurving. "Do you wanna go to my room?"

"Okay." She said.

She followed him up the wide banister, glancing across the walls as they went. They were arranged with framed pictures of the Leery family. Some of Dawson as a baby, then of Mitch and Gail on their wedding day; some more recent, like Dawson's junior photo.

She paused as she crossed one of her and Dawson as children. They must have been about six or so, and Joey remembered posing for it. They stood side by side at the edge of the creek, their arms around each other's shoulders and their heads touching as they smiled. Then she looked to the next; another of them as kids, but this time they were playing. Dawson was up in a big, old oak tree, which still stood about thirty feet from the house. Joey was climbing it, her long braids swirling around her chin.

And there was Pacey.

They had turned ten years old when they first met Pacey J. Witter. A trouble-making boy with the attention span of a two-year-old. They had all been assigned to the same class that year, and he was forever making their teacher's hair turn gray.

Dawson and him had become friends after a fistfight over a ball at recess, and to Joey's dismay, spent the next five years inseparable. She had been so jealous…

And here they were playing, in the photo.

"Are you coming?" Dawson asked when he reached the top of the stairs and found that Joey was straggling behind. She looked up at him, wide brown eyes shining, mouth slightly ajar.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were coming." She looked back at the photo.

"Yeah…" She started towards him. "I'm coming."

Dawson fell back on his bed, exhausted. Joey circled the bed and sat down, leaning back against the headboard. They sat quietly, both deep in thought.

"What do you thinks going to happen?" Joey asked as she gazed down at the bedspread. Dawson ran his hand through his hair.

"I honestly don't know."

"Do you think he's going to die."

Dawson didn’t respond at first. He sat up and turned to look at her. She watched him, and absentmindedly reached for his stuffed JAWS that sat on the floor next to his nightstand. She always did that when she was upset.

"Honestly…No. I doubt think he'll die…I don't know how serious he's hurt, but I don't feel in my heart that he'll die."

"Me neither." Joey said, smiling shyly at the stuffed toy. Her face grew still. "So, how did it happen?"

"What?"

"How did it happen?" She looked up at him inquisitively.

"You didn’t see it?" Dawson asked suddenly changing his tone.

"N-No…" She said, setting the toy aside. "I was with Pacey…We weren't-We weren't in the stands…"

"Oh." Dawson said rather abruptly. "Well, since you were so busy, off doing 'other things'…He got creamed by these huge linebackers. They all jumped on him, and when they got up, he was unconscious."

Joey stared at him with a slight intensity. He was being mean on purpose. She hated when he acted this way.

"Dawson, what's your problem?" She asked defensively. He stared at her. "Well?"

"You, Joey. You're my problem."

"Me!" She yelled.

"Yes!" He snapped. "You're sleeping with my best friend!" His eyes betrayed him, showing his anguish. He tried to act tough. "You've taken away the only friend I had left…and when I needed someone, when my mom left and my dad wasn't here for me, I had no one!"

"I thought I was your best friend, Dawson."

"You sure as hell didn't act like it."

"Like you ever gave me the chance!"

"Like you took any chances, Joey." He stood up and walked over to his window. "Joey…there was a time when I thought that we meant everything to each other…But then all of these issues came up, and we drifted apart. And you said," He gulped. "You said you hated me…"

"I never hated you, Dawson."

"But you sure let me think you did!" He turned around. "You let me feel every ounce of hurt you could toss my way…and then you stabbed me in the back when you started-"

Argh! He couldn’t even say it; it still hurt too much!

"Dawson," Joey scowled. "Me and Pacey have nothing to do with you. We fell in love long after you made it clear that we were a part of the past. You dated other people, I dated other people…is it the fact that I've finally found someone who makes me happy? Or the fact that it's Pacey?"

"Just what does he have that I haven't got?" Dawson suddenly asked, his eyes welling up.

"Me, Dawson." Joey frowned. "He has me."

She looked at him with such absoluteness that he thought he might die. He took a deep breath and slumped down in his chair. She was right, he knew. He had no right too intrude. He was happy for her but still so jealous. And the jealousy had overcome him more easily then he had first anticipated when he had found out they had spent the night together on Pacey's boat; the boat he had so coincidentally named "True Love".

"Dawson…I don't want to talk about this now. We're supposed to be thinking of Jack, not ourselves. Please, let things be."

He looked at her helplessly.

"You're absolutely right." He crossed the room towards her. "Joey, you are absolutely right. Please don’t hate me."

"Dawson, I don't hate you." She looked into his eyes. "I could never hate you."

"And you are my best friend…" He said. "Even though I acted like a jerk."

"Yes…you're my best friend too." She said.

"I'm sorry…" He said. She nodded and reached out to him.

They held each other for a long time, thinking about all that had happened in their lives; all that had happened today. Both exhaled, deciding to move on without regret.

Mitch had come home a few hours later, having had dropped off Pacey first. Dawson and Joey flew down the stairs in anticipation of good news.

"Well?" Dawson asked.

"What happened?" Joey demanded.

"Well, he's out of surgery now. They were afraid of spinal injuries, but…" He smiled. "Luckily nothing unfixable was broken,"

"Whew!" Dawson sighed.

"But, he's still not out of the woods yet…He has a serious concussion, and they had to correct a problem with his hip. It's going to take a few months of physical therapy before he'll be able get around again. Right now, he's listed in critical but stable condition and as soon as he wakes up, we can visit him."

"Yes!" Joey yelled out, hugging Dawson. "Thank god."

"I'm going to call Evelyn right now…" Mitch said picking up the phone.

"No," Dawson said, grabbing Joey's hand as he led her to the door. "I'm sure they'd rather hear it in person."

They ran, giggling, across the grass as they so often had as children. They reached the Ryan's porch and banged on the front door. Mrs. Ryan answered.

"He's going to be okay!" Dawson announced.

She stepped aside, smiling as Jen came out.

" Jack's okay?" Jen asked.

"Yes!"

Jen's face brightened as her grandmother hugged her.

That night, Dawson and Joey did something they hadn't done in a long time; they played hide and seek in the dark. Joey hid amongst the bushes as Dawson searched for her, tripping as he stumbled across branches and rocks.

"OW!" She heard him cry.

"Are you okay?" She called out.

"Yeah…" His voice was close…a few yards away at best. "I just tripped…It seemed so much easier as kids!"

Joey started laughing, leading Dawson right to her.

"Should we call Pacey to come over and play?" Dawson called out, as he now was the one in hiding.

"Nah…" Joey smiled, as she stepped lightly around the trees in search of him. "Tonight's our night. Tomorrow, he'll play…"

 

The next morning, the group met at the hospital. Jack had been moved to the fourth floor and was said to be awake and responsive and in surprisingly fair condition.

Dawson, Joey, and Jen waited while Mitch and Gramms spoke with Mr. McPhee and Jack's doctor. They kept whispering, but Jen saw her grandma smile, so she new everything was still okay.

"Okay, kids…You can go in now."

Jack was awake, and regardless of the tubes and monitors, and casts over his leg and hip, he smiled drowsily as the three of them entered the room. Andie sat bedside, smiling proudly as she held his hand. Pacey stood in the corner reading a magazine. He tossed it aside when he saw Joey.

"Hey!" Jen said, almost crying again as she leaned over and kissed his forehead.

"Hey…" He responded in a weak but cheerful voice.

"Hey Jack," Dawson said, as he passed Joey to stand at the foot of the bed.

"Hi Dawson…"

"So, are you ready for another game?"

"NO!" Jack laughed, coughing slightly from the tubes in his nose.

Pacey went to Joey and grabbed her in a hug. She gripped him back tightly before they shared a brief kiss.

"I missed you so bad…" He whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"Don't worry about it," She smiled. "Andie needed you more, and besides, it gave me and Dawson a chance to hash everything out."

"Really?" He looked at her hopefully.

"Yeah."

He grinned, his blue eyes brightened as they stood almost nose to nose. He let her go, and she went to Jack, kissing him tenderly on the cheek.

"Hey, Jo…"

"Hey, Jack. How you feelin?"

"Never better…" He joked. "I've got all my friends around me…"

"Awww!" Jen teased.

"And I'm high on painkillers."

They laughed.

Pacey walked up, standing just behind Dawson, as the girls fussed over the patient.

"Poor baby!" Jen said pouting her lips as she stroked his forehead.

"What can I do to help?" Joey asked fluffing his pillow.

"Do you want to watch TV, Jack?" Andie asked. Jack grinned.

"Wow, if I weren't gay, I'd be in heaven…"

"Hey man," Pacey said, shoving his hands in his pockets as they stood back from everyone else.

"Hey."

"I'm glad everything worked out okay."

"Me too." Dawson sighed.

They stared at each other for a moment, before Pacey held out his hand. Dawson took it, but then grabbed him in a hug.

"Daw-" Pacey started, looking dumbfounded.

"I'm really sorry, Pace."

"For what?" Pacey asked.

"For everything."

"Yeah…Me too."

'See, Joey thought, smiling as she watched them hug. 'When it all comes down…our friendships keep us strong.'

Weeks later, after Jack had been released from the hospital, his casts removed and his physical therapy already in motion, the six of them played hide and seek in the dark.

Jack took a bit longer in hiding, as he hopped along with a crutch, but they made up for it by counting longer.

"Ready or not, here I come!" Pacey bellowed as he dodged around trees and ducked past bushes searching for his friends. He stumbled across Jen and Andie who squealed as they ran, trying to make it back to the counting tree before he was able to tag them. They barely made it, cheeks flushed and laughing hysterically.

"Damn!" Pacey exclaimed, giggling as they touched the tree just out of his reach.

"HA!" Jen beamed.

"There's still three other's…" He said turning back to the woods.

He found Jack easy enough. As Jack hopped over to Jen and Andie, Pacey saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He snuck up quickly and quietly as he fell upon an unsuspecting Dawson and Joey who hid amongst the large roots of an over grown tree. They screamed in surprise and started to run. They were almost out of reach and almost to the tree, Dawson in the lead, when Pacey took a leap of faith. He and Joey tumbled to the ground giggling and breathing hard. They rolled once, leaving Joey on her back. Pacey jumped up in victory. "Yes!" He shouted. "I am the master!" The others laughed as he pranced around in a circle.

Joey lay back laughing. He looked down at her, smiling, and reached out a hand to help her up. "Come on, Potter…You're it!"

"1…2…3…4…" She counted as she leaned against the tree with her eyes closed. When she got to 30, she turned.

She paused as she thought about all of her friends, playing in the woods, all together again, all healthy and safe. Life seemed so complete at this moment.

"Come on, Potter!" Pacey yelled out from somewhere in the dark. "Are you going to play? Or are you just going to stand there?"

"I'm just going to stand here!" She laughed back

"Ohh!" He groaned. "Come on! Come find us!"

"Come on, Joey!" Jen called out.

"Hurry up!" Dawson yelled.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" She said, dashing out into the wood.

 

The End