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Tempest - Chapter Twelve - Too Close To Home
"It's ok, I got it," Pacey said as he heaved two bags out of the back of the van. Joey sighed. How had he managed to convince her to come? Old re-runs of Buffy were on tonight! She sighed again. That wasn't the real reason she didn't want to be here. She was nervous. These people were practically his family! So, therefore, she was doing the whole 'meet the parents' thing. These people were going to be judging her every move, trying to see if she was worthy of his affections. A tall, attractive blonde came bouncing out of the house and ran to hug John. "John!" she squealed like a little girl. "Hey Baby," he said, crushing his little sister in a big bear hug. She stepped back and hugged Isabelle, exchanging greetings and 'It's good to see you's. "And you must be... Chris, am I right?" she asked, her eyes running over his body. "Yeah. Hi," he said, a little nervous. "Brett," Pacey said, holding out his hand. She shook it, tempted to let her eyes wander over him too, but wouldn't allow herself. He was obviously with... "Natalie," Joey said with a smile. Pacey couldn't tell if it was sincere or not. "Well come in, please," she said warmly, helping Isabelle with the remaining bags. Joey stuck close to Pacey as they entered Carol's house. Well, semi-detached house. They passed two bedrooms before they reached the lounge room. "Ok, the first bedroom is for you and Isabelle," she said to John. "Brett, you and Natalie can have the other bedroom, and Chris, you and I'll have to share the lounge. Sorry." "No probs," he shrugged. "You see, now that impresses me," Pacey commented. "You just met me for the first time EVER. How the hell did you remember my name? Most people end up calling me 'the loser with the weird name'." Carol smiled proudly. "I always remember names. People who I've only met ONE TIME - I can still remember their name, like, ten years later!" "Wow," Joey breathed. Carol motioned for everyone to sit down. "Ok, you're all probably pretty tired, so I'll be quick. The plans are... there are none until twelve-thirty tomorrow. If I were you I'd spend that time sleeping in, but sadly, I've gotta go to work. Anyway, I got time off on a special condition. At twelve-thirty, we're all going out to lunch. I've booked us into a really good restaurant." John groaned. "It's sushi, isnt it?" he asked, well aware of his sister's fetish for raw fish. "No, it's not sushi. You'll really like it there," she told him. "But what exactly is wrong with sushi?" "It's RAW FISH and SEAWEED!" John argued. "That's disgusting." John, Isabelle and Pacey all left the room. Isabelle to make coffee, Pacey to put everyting of his and Joey's into their room and John to do the same with his and Isabelle's stuff. Pacey tried to stay awake until Joey came to bed, but she spend the whole night talking. He tried to fight it, but it didn't take long for sleep to overcome him.
"Uh, hi Jen," Dawson said nervously as he entered Jen's room in the maternity ward of the hospital the next day. "Dawson?" she asked, sitting up in her hospital bed. "Where'd you go last night? Your girlfriend showed up and then you just left." Dawson sat down on the chair next to her bed. "So you didn't ask him to do it?" "Ask who to do what?" "Send me away," he replied, running a hand through his blonde hair. "Your husband told me to leave. He said that I wasn't needed and that I should go away. I just assumed that you didn't really want to see me. I didn't really blame you either." "Of course I wanted to see you! I've really missed you, Dawson. But he always said that the only people he wanted present at our baby's birth were me, him and the widwife. We only plan on ever having one child, so I guess he wanted to do it right." Dawson looked around the green-tinted hospital room. "Why are hospitals always this ugly, boring, pale-green colour? I mean, does someone ACTUALLY think that these colours are going to cure the ill, save the dying and protect your baby?" Jen looked at him oddly. "Why'd you bring that up?" "I don't know. I just had to comment on it." He paused for a while. "If you ever get out of here you'll have to come over for dinner sometime." "I'd like that," she smiled. Dawson returned it. "Would you like to hold the baby?" she offered warmly. He carefully took the newborn from her and rocked it back and forth. "Boy or girl?" he asked. "Girl," she replied, still extremely tried. Childbirth tended to do that to you. "I was kinda hoping for a boy, but I've been blessed with a beautiful, healthy baby girl and I couldn't possibly be more thankful." Dawson stood by the fifth-storey window and looked out at all the passer-bys scurrying along the pavement and the cars waiting impatiently at the traffic lights. The infant coughed and he looked at her lovingly, almost as though she were his own. "You'll make a wonderful father," Jen said sleepily. "Excuse me?" "When your kid arrives. You'll be a wonderful father." "Don't hold your horses. We don't plan on having a kid yet. Maybe in four or so years, but... we're not ready. Our lives are too unstable at the moment." "Well... when it does happen..." she trailed off. "She's a lucky woman." "And I'm a lucky man." This sentence was followed by a long, comfortable silence. The hospital was quiet. None of those awful noisy beeping noises and panicking doctors which you see on TV. This was peaceful. "What's her name?" "Genevieve Francoise Lyttle. Lyttle for obvious reasons, Francoise after Jean's mother, and Genevieve so that people can call her 'Jenny'." Dawson smiled. "Genevieve... Jenny? I guess..." She glared at him. "It's a beautiful name." "Thanks." He handed her back her sleeping baby then sat beside her and placed his hand in hers until she herself was asleep. He was halfway out of the door when as he looked back at the new mother and her newborn daughter. He dug through his bag and pulled out his camera. He took one single picture of them before turning around and walking away, ready to start the assignment which his new boss had given him.
Pacey woke up early the next morning and found Joey sleeping peacefully beside him. He slid off the end of the bed so as not to disturb her and then left the room. What he saw when he entered the lounge room didn't really shock him. He'd heard all about Carol and her wicked ways. Chris and Carol were lying together on the fold-out sofa, wrapped only in a thin pale-blue sheet. It was pretty clear what they'd spent the night doing. He entered the kitchen and helped himself to everything, determined to make up for ruining their romantic evening. 'Does Joey still like coffee mixed in with her hot chocolate?' - "Morning beautiful," he said as he placed the tray-table on Joey's lap, kissing her nose gently. "Morring," she muttered sleepily. "Time? Wa's time?" "What time is it? It is eight o'clock, my dear." She sat straight up. "EIGHT O'CLOCK?! SHIT! I'm gonna be late for work!" Pacey laughed. "Joey, you're in Boston. It's Sunday. You don't need to go to work." "Really? Good," she muttered, snuggling back under the sheets. Pacey pushed down the blankets and made her sit up again. "Hey! I didn't make this big effort for nothing." He placed a pillow behind her head and watched her continuously rub her eyes and yawn for about ten minutes, pushing her messy bed-hair off her face. When she finally (half-)awake, she looked down at the tray in front of her. "Pacey, did you make all this?" "Yeah. I wanted to make up for ruining what was meant to be our perfect night." "Well... I'd say you've made up for it, but I should probably taste this first. You know, check that you didn't poison it or anything." "I wouldn't do that to you!" he laughed. "So what would you like to try first? We've got cereal, french toast, bacon and eggs, apples, bananas, coffee, hot chocolate---" "Pacey! I can't eat all this!" "Don't worry. Whatever you leave - I'll eat." "I'm sure you will," she said as she picked up a strip of bacon and fed it to him. "How is it?" "It's good. Very good. I never knew I was such a great cook!" He picked up a strip. "Try some," he said, feeding it to her. "This is good. My compliments to the chef," she said, leanign over and rubbing her nose to his. "French toast?" "Please," she said, opening her mouth. They continued feeding each other until they could eat no more. "Hash brown?" Joey pushed it away, covering her mouth with her hand as though she were about to vomit. "Pacey! No! I couldn't possibly fit it in!" Pacey sighed and removed the tray before scooting up to sit beside her, his stomach gurgling from all the food. "Pacey?" "Mmm?" "Thank you." "You're welcome." "Not just for this. For everything. For making a real effort to get this to work. It's not going to be easy. Nothing between us ever is or ever has been. But we're past the worst bit. It gets easier from here." "Does it, Jo?" "Yes. It does. And I know this because... because I love you, Pacey." "I love you too, Joey." Tears welled in Joey's eyes. "What is it? What's wrong?" "I was so certain I'd never hear you say those words to me. To hear you say it, it just---" She let the tears fall freely. "Shhh... Baby, it's ok. I understand." "Do you?" "Yes. I do. I understand EXACTLY what it's like. I do, because I went through the same thing. The EXACT same thing." "It over now thought, isn't it? We'll never have to feel that way again." "It's over now."
"You wanna take the same car or go separately?" "Separately. I've still got to wait for her to finish up so I'll meet you there." "Don't be late." "I won't be." "Good. See you then." "See ya."
"Wow. I feel a bit underdressed to eat here," she said, clinging to his arm. "I feel a bit poor to eat here!" he replied. "Which table did she say she'd be at?" "Table eight. Apparently it's up the back." They slowed walked over there, admiring the incredible carvings on the walls, furniture, ceiling etc... Suddenly Jack felt Andie's grip on his arm become stronger, her nails digging into him. She was frozen in one spot, her eyes fixed on something he couldn't see. Violently, she ripped her arm away. "Andie?" She was shaking all over, tears in her eyes, biting her lower lip and tugging at her hair. "Andie's what's wrong?" "Oh god, IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN!" she screamed before running from the restaurant. Jack stood there and debated whether to follow his sister or see what the problem had been himself. He didn't have to decide. He saw it. Stalking over to them, he ground his teeth and shook his head as he tapped the brunette on the shoulder. She looked up from one man to the other. "Hel---" Holy shit. "Jack? I---" "Listen bitch, I don't want your explanations. And I don't want your apologies. What I DO want, however, is for both of you to ROT IT HELL."
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