Nice To Meet You Part Four Pulling the door open, she stepped back, her mouth falling open in surprise. She saw him, jogging out to his car. �Pacey,� she called. He stopped midstride and turned slowly. He was wearing a dark blue short sleeved button down shirt and faded jeans. His hair was slightly touseled, and his eyes were wide and bright. He flashed her a guilty grin. �Jo.� �Where you going?� She closed the front door behind her, stepping onto the porch carefully. She eyed him cautiously, her arms wrapped around herself protectively. �Forget something in the car?� �I-I, I did. Actually. I�m too early. I was gonna just go and sit in the car and then,� Pacey paused, looking down at his feet, �then,� he breathed, eyes finally moving up to rest on her, �you came out.� She smiled softly. �Yeah.� �Yeah.� �So...� �Um, yeah, we�d better,� he took a quick step towards her, holding out his hand, �get going, right?� She took the stairs down the porch quickly, taking his hand in a faint grasp. �Right.� ** The car ride was quiet. It was the kind of silence where you could hear the twiddling of thumbs, the kind where Joey would later swear she heard Pacey�s heart beat behind every breath he took. It was the silence that stretched minutes into hours. Treated with more reverence than church quiet even. Not that Joey�d been to church since her mother�s death. It was one of those moments...up until Pacey cleared his throat and pulled the car into park in front of the empty lot. The large brick wall loomed overhead, the sun setting behind it appearing to halo it in fire. He stared up at the reddish brown message, a wry smile curving his small lips. �Not much penmanship wise, huh?� �No.� Joey looked at him briefly and back at the wall. Pacey tapped an impatient hand against the steering wheel, still staring at the wall. He exhaled heavily, surprising himself as the air ruffled at a strand of Joey�s hair. �I was thinking we could go to dinner.� He eyed her sideways. �And maybe a movie.� �Sounds like a date,� Joey observed, her half smile directed to the wall in front of her. �I,� Pacey started, his hand running through his hair, �I wanted to...� �You wanted to-?� She asked, turning in her seat to look up at him. �I thought we could talk at dinner, and in case I piss you off in that time...we could remain in sullen silence for two hours after?� She grinned. �Good thinking, Pace.� �Yeah.� He was silent as he searched her eyes. �Potter?� �What?� �Was it the wall?� The question was vague, but she knew what he meant. He wanted to know why she�d chosen him. �Maybe.� She shrugged, looking back at the wall, her gaze soft. �Maybe it was you.� Her hand landed on him unceremoniously, fingers stroking a light circle around his knee. Pacey nodded and started the car, pulling it into reverse and back to drive, making the turn towards the center of town. ** He saw her leaving the restaurant and his breath caught. There she was. Stepping through the door of Circa 1922 looking absolutely breathtaking. Joey Potter was still in Capeside and there was a god. Dawson started to walk towards her when the door that had been held open began to close, the man who had been holding it moving through with an easy stride and sloping an arm round Joey�s shoulders gently. Pacey. She turned her head up to his and a soft smile stole over her lips. Pacey grinned, leaning in and dropping a kiss on her nose. As Joey laughed, Dawson felt his stomach twist. The pair walked across the street huddled together. His mouth went dry when he noticed Pacey�s car parked mere feet away from him. How stupid was he? Pacey saw him first. Their eyes met over Joey�s head and at first Pacey started to smile, his mouth opening in greeting. No words came out and Pacey�s head dropped. His arm fell off of Joey and hung at his side. She looked up at him in surprise. �Dawson,� Pacey said. Dawson stood frozen to the spot as Joey raised her eyes to his. She grabbed Pacey�s hand. �Hey.� �Joey.� There was silence between the two for a moment. She tilted her head and sighed. �How are you?� �Fine,� he bit out, his nostrils flaring. �You?� �Fine,� she whispered, her smile fading. She tugged at Pacey�s arm leading him to the car. �We should be going. Have a nice summer, Dawson.� �A nice summer?� Dawson blinked. �You going somewhere?� Joey didn�t even turn around. She felt Pacey�s breath hot on her cheek, his presence giving her a rush she couldn�t pinpoint yet. �Pacey and I are gonna sail down the coast and back.� Pacey watched as Dawson�s face fell. He felt Joey�s shoulder tremble against his chest. He ran a hand through his hair and dropped his head. �We don�t have to, Jo.� Her fingers tightened around his hand as she swung around on him, eyes wide. �Yes, we do.� She flashed a bright smile over at Dawson. �I�ve been waiting my whole life to get out of this town. Even if it�s only for the summer.� The boys gaped at her. �Okay,� Pacey said, a grin spreading across his face. �Well. Let�s go then.� �See ya, Dawson,� Joey whispered, as she let go of Pacey�s hand finally to open his car door and slip inside. Pacey ran around to the driver�s side without a backward glance at his former best friend. ** �I�ll pick you up tomorrow morning. 7 am, sharp.� �Okay,� she replied, smiling down at him from the top step of the porch. Pacey shifted on his feet again, his head down. He glanced up at her quickly. �We really don�t have to go, Jo. I�ll stay if you-� �I�m not gonna ask you to stay, Pace.� She smiled shyly. She took a step down to him. �What happened to playing Hemingway all summer, huh?� He swallowed as her finger trailed down his collarbone. �You happened.� �Yeah?� She pressed a kiss below his ear, listening to his pulse beat faster beneath her touch. �Well, yeah, Hemingway was really more the old guy with the massive amounts of alcohol. And the sea.� Pacey stuttered. Joey kissed his neck and he gasped. �And no women allowed. You�ve totally screwed up my whole soul searching plan to sail the seven seas-� �Pacey?� She looked up at him with wide eyes. �Yeah?� He tried to fight how his voice betrayed him, flashing a cocky grin down at her. �Shut up and kiss me goodnight.� He pulled her to him without further comment for the night. |