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Her legs moved, foot after foot, in a mindless run. Her sides were starting to ache and her muscles burned but she still continued to run. The Potter B & B looked peaceful, tranquil, yet it did not provide the solace and comfort she needed. Her room would be filled with memories, filled with reminders of his presence, something Joey could not bear at this moment. So she ran once more. Away from her house. Running. Running to the one place that where she would be safe. The one place she had been running to for almost two years now. Into the arms of unquestioning protection. She clambered into his room with practised ease and found him soundly asleep. The blankets were tangled around his legs and he lay on his side his hand resting on his stomach. Innocent. At peace. He looked like a little boy in his sleep. Angelic almost. The description brought a half embittered laugh to Joey's throat. It was the last thing she would have ever had called him. Yet the truth could not be denied. He had been her savior in so many ways, picking her whenever she fell, offering the much needed hand to bring her to her feet. Joey moved towards the bed gently untangling the blankets from his leg and gently covering him. His eyes fluttered open in instinct as if he knew of her presence and her need despite his deep slumber. "Hey." He whispered, concern in his eyes. There were no questions about why she was here or what she was doing here so late, only the acknowledgment that something was wrong and the need to make things better. "Can I sleep with you tonight?" She hadn't meant for her voice to sound like a little girl's but that was how it had sounded and how she felt. He moved the blankets in an open gesture of consent and she crawled in next to him. She could feel his arms around her. Warm. Safe. Protective. She could stay there forever in his embrace where all the horrors of the night would disappear. His hand stroked her hair; a comforting motion that lulled Joey to ease. She snuggled deeper into his embrace as he began to talk. Whispering and murmuring words in her ear, sometimes singing. Words of no consequence. Words that only served to reassure her that she was safe, protected and loved. Unconditional love. They remained like that for some hours even as morning began to overcome the time. Finally his voice faded as sleep reclaimed him but not before he quickly glanced to check on Joey. For the moment she was fine. For the moment she lay in Pacey's arms resting.
Waking up happy was not something Joey experienced often yet the sensation of complete and utter contentedness flooded through her body even as she began to awake. She was safeguarded from the dangers of the world, cocooned and she never wanted to leave this sanctuary. Joey stirred a little and Pacey's arms tightened around her but it was not constrictive but rather a natural protective instinctive as if he knew even in his sleep that she was scared. Scared of the outside world that threatened to intrude, that would inevitably intrude and shatter her peace. She closed her eyes tight and relished in the feel of his arms around her. Security. Friendship. Love. Yet the day was intruding and Joey could feel Pacey awakening as he moved and began to stretch. She felt him lean over to check if she was awake and tried to feign sleep. "Jo? Jo... Joey...Jooooooeeey." He heard him whisper in her ear and tried to stop the reflexive twitch that came with the tickle of his breath. "Jo. I know you're awake. C'mon Joey...wakey up." His hands moved and then she felt it. His fingers lightly brushing under her arms, tickling. She tried to fight it but the urge was too great. The laughter burst out of her mouth as she yelped for mercy. "Pacey. Stop! Stop it Pace. No. Don't. Pace!" Pacey grinned in triumph. "That woke you up Potter." "That was just plain mean Witter." "Ah but you know you love me." "In your dreams." "All the time Ice Queen." "Jailbait." They smiled at one another sharing a moment of regression into childhood. Then Pacey's eyes grew serious and the questions that were unasked last night came to surface in his eyes. Joey blinked wanting to tell him everything but not knowing where to start. Not knowing how to explain her feelings of strangulation and suffocation. "Jo? Last night..." "Could we..could we go for a walk?" He nodded his head his arms wrapping around her waist. "You know you can tell me anything right? And you don't have to say anything you don't want to. But you can trust me. I'm here for you. No matter what. I'm here for you. Forever." Joey smiled at him, a genuine smile. Pacey would always be there for her. This Joey knew. He was her best friend and that was what best friends were for. |
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