Lying the small child down on the bed softly, Pacey signed. The day had been long and emotional for everyone. Pulling the blanket from the end of the bed up to cover her small frame, he watched as Amy snuggled into the warmth of the blanket. He signed again, running a hand through her soft blonde curls, noting how much of her mother there was in her.
�Sleep well Amy girl.� Pacey murmured into her hair as he kissed her there, before rising from the bed and making his exit.
Amy had fallen asleep in the car on the way from the cemetery. Joey had told him, when he went to wake her up, that it would probably be the only good nights sleep she would get for a while. He had merely nodded and carried her into the Potter B&B in one swift move.
Finding Joey sitting on the porch steps outside, he went and sat next to her. She didn�t seem to acknowledge his presence at all as she sat watching the water, the rustling of trees, the big white fluffy clouds in the sky, anything and everything. He watched her a moment, knowing that everything was going to fall apart for them further if they didn�t stick together now.
�What are we going to do?�
Pacey let the question hang in the air, he knew neither would have the answer. It had been the question on both their minds since they heard the news two days ago. With the agony and the lost, and they really could think about was Amy. Jack was gone, Doug was gone and Jen had been gone for what seemed like forever. They were really all she had left and that scared them. They had never talked about children, never really thought about it yet. Of course they wanted them, but it had always been someday. With everything that happened lately Joey had been so sure it wasn�t going to be someday either, but that someday was here now and she wasn�t going to be going anyway soon
Joey didn�t say anything as she turned to look at him, not looking at all surprised that he was there next to her. Her face was tear stained and blank, there was no smile, no look of happiness behind her darkened eyes. She looked scared and vulnerable not at all the person she had been that morning. Pacey guessed that this moment was the first time she was letting the news consume her. She hadn�t said much to Pacey since the news, about how she was feeling. She hadn�t wanted to for Amy�s sake, for Pacey sake, for her own sake. But now, now that they had said goodbye, it made the whole thing a lot more really and she didn�t want to hold back anymore, she couldn�t hold back.
�I don�t know. Pacey I don�t know.� Her tears broke her voice up.
�I don�t know either.�
Pacey reached over and ran his thumbs over her cheeks and cupping her face.
�There�s a little girl in there and she counting on us to look after her.�
�I know.�
�She�s going to need us, when she can�t sleep at night and I�m not going to know what to do. She�s going to cry and I�m not going to know what to say to make her stop.�
Pacey didn�t say anything, he didn�t want to lie to her, he never wanted to lie to her and he wasn�t going to be starting now.
�Shh�
Pacey hugged her then, wishing he didn�t have to be the strong one now.
�I�m sorry I made you wear this shirt today. I know you hate it.�
Joey hugged him back, wishing she could just let go. Fly away from here. She closed her eyes tight, but she didn�t want to let go either, let go of Pacey.
�I didn�t mind really, I�d do anything for you.�
He chuckled lightly, forgetting the situation at hand for a moment.
�Blue�s more your colour. It brings out the colour in your eyes.�
�I know.�
Joey reluctantly pulled back a bit from their tight embrace so that she could look at him properly again. Yet she stayed close enough to him that their knees still touched. Unconsciously resting a hand there out of sheer habit, she could feel his warmth through the fabric of his pants.
�I miss him.�
�I miss him too.�
�I just can�t believe he�s really gone.�
Joey turned her gaze towards the water again, taking deep breaths slowly to keep her emotions at bay. Pacey glanced in the direction she had turned to, before letting himself be consumed by her. Pacey had watched her take on everything in the past few days, but it was starting to take it toll on her, on her spirit. There were the darkened circles that were foaming under her eyes from the stress of the ordeal and the sleepless nights, the constant need for air and space when there was nobody around but him. Pacey swallowed the lump in his throat wishing she would just let everything go.
�I�ll never be able to call him up for a recipe or gossip again, and he won�t be there to go walking with in the mornings. You know what I�ll miss most about Jack?�
�I wouldn�t have a clue, dear.�
Pacey smiled in a way that could warm even the coldest of days.
�The way his face would light up whenever he talked about Amy. He never regretted anything that he did with that little girl.�
�I know.�
The sun began to set around them, so the sat in silence a moment longer, enjoying the changing colours in the sky. The yellows, oranges and reds turning to beautiful pinks, purples and blues, and finally the skies were fading into the cool blackness of the night.
Joey shivered slightly from the cool air, Pacey noticed.
�How about we go inside, light a fire and start on the dinner situation?�
Joey continued to stare at where the sun had just been, so caught up in her thoughts; she hadn�t realized Pacey had spoken to her.
�Jo?�
�What?�
�Are you okay? I just asked if you wanted some dinner and it seemed like you were a million miles away.�
�I�m fine, I think. I�m sorry I spaced out on you.�
Joey smiled softly, reaching for one of his hands and giving it a squeeze.
