Disclaimer: Ok, as much as I'd like to brag and say that I owned Dawson's Creek and all the characters, I don't. So let's all kneel down and give credit to the people who really deserve it. Author's note: This starts up after the season 3 finale. I must apologise to anyone who thinks what I'm doing to their little 'clique' is cruel. It probably is, but the point I'm trying to get across is that in real-life, people aren't that forgiving. Out of all the fights and break-ups with friends that I've had in the past year (five), I've only made up with one of those friends. Maybe I'm just stubborn, but the harsh reality is that not everyone would be happy to just forgive and forget about what someone did if that thing was estrange themselves from you for the past two summers. I just thought I'd clear up my reasons for what happens to them throughout my story. Feedback: I love feedback! Please tell me what you think of my writing abilities. But I must say... as Nikki said - "Constructive critism only, please." Well... that and suggestions for what you believe should happen. Send all email to [email protected]
Part Three: Gossip and Assumptions
"Joey, when you said you didn't want a friendship with him - were you serious?" Pacey asked. "Dead serious," she replied with conviction. "I know that I have no chance but you---" "No! Pacey, I haven't had a real 'friendship' with him since we turned fifteen! It's always been a bit more or a bit less. His idea of friendship is different than mine. And anyway, you heard what he did," she replied bitterely. "Do you want to talk about it, Jo?" Pacey asked, concerned. "I don't know. I just..." she looked up at him. "Yes," she said convincingly.
"Dawson?" Jen asked, entering his room. "Joey and Pacey are back," he said pointedly. "How did you know? They haven't come 'round, have they?" Jen asked, knowing that she had to speak to them first, and cursing herself for leaving so abruptly earlier. "Who else would you have been with? Andie and Jack came over to tell you that Henry got back. They thought you were here," he shrugged unemotionally. Jen was worried about him, but they had other problems to deal with before they even thought about that. "They're still at each other's throats, aren't they?" he asked, looking away. 'Yeah, but in a whole different way,' she thought to herself, but decided that she was better off not saying that. "No Dawson. They're really happy," she said, trying to rub it in. It had been three months and he had shown no signs of trying to get over it. He was going to see them everyday at school, whether or not he ever spoke to them again. 'He's going to see them laugh at secret jokes which they'll whisper into each other's ears as they eat lunch. He's going to see them walk each other to class holding hands. Sometimes he's going to catch them making out at each other's lockers. And sometime soon he's going to have to accept it,' Jen thought to herself. "Did you organise to see them or did they organise to see you?" "Neither." "Neither?" "Nope. I just... uh... ran into them at the beach." "Killing each other?" That was it! "No!!!" Jen yelled. "Your stupid plan didn't work. They were groping each other when I ran into them. They whisper 'I love you' to each other every five minutes and they are REALLY happy!" "But she doesn't love him like she loved me." "No. She doesn't," Jen said softly. Hope spread across Dawson's face. "She loves him a hell of a lot more!" "Oooooooohhhhhhh!" Dawson groaned, covering his face with his pillow.
"I wonder if anyone painted over our wall," Pacey thought out loud. "Probably," Joey replied. "An ad for some new chocolate bar?" "Or diet coke," Pacey suggested, smiling. "It'll be kinda embarrassing if it still has my little message on it." "True," Joey laughed as Pacey stopped the car. "Thanks for the ride," she said as she undid her seatbelt. "Anytime, Princess." "Thank you, my faithful servant." "Servant?" Pacey asked, mocking offense. "Oh Miss Potter, that's offensive!" Joey threw him one of her famous half smiles. "Alright then, if there anything I can do for you, Master?" he asked. "There sure is," she said as she rummaged through her bag. "Pick these things up when you go to the store," she handed him a shopping list. "I'll pick them up from you tomorrow." "I'll drop 'em around if you want." "That'd be great. Thanks," she said as she kissed his cheek. "Gotta go. Bye!" "Bye Potter," he replied before driving off.
"Jo!" Bessie exclaimed. "You're finally back." "I kinda noticed that too," Joey said sarcastically. "Well... now that you're finally separated from Pacey, you have to tell me the un-cut version of your journey," Bessie demanded jokingly. Joey rolled her eyes and collapsed onto the couch. "What? Including the gory details?" she asked, letting out a small chuckle. "Not exactly, but..." Bessie sat down beside her. "Okay, let's start from the start." "They very start?" "The very start." "Okay. Well, it all started at Dawson's wedding. I walked up to Dawson on the dock and he told me that..." An hour later, Joey was still rambling on. "It was sooooooo sweet! There were all these candles, and the stars, and... oh! Who knew that Pacey was such a good cook! He makes this amazing stuff, he called it something like..." At least another hour later, she was still telling her tale. "...so basically, that's everything that happened up until we saw you. You were the first person she visited." Joey turned to Bessie, wondering what she would have to say about all this, but all she saw was her sister, sound asleep on the couch. She smiled, propped a pillow under her head and placed a blanket over her, before heading up to her own room for the first time in three months.
Joey rubbed her eyes, trying to figure out where she was. Where was Pacey?! Why wasn't she on the boat? She looked around, and was disappointed to discover that she was back in her own room in Capeside. "Joey! Wake up!" Bessie shook her. "What?" she asked groggily. "You have a visitor." Joey immediately sat up. "Pacey?" she asked eagerly. "Nope. Dawson." "Dawson? What the hell is he doing here?" "Beats me. C'mon, get up!"
Joey rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she entered the lounge. "Dawson," she said coldly. "Hey Joey!" he said perkily - his tone reminding her a little too much of Andie. 'Since when is he the perky type?' she asked herself. 'I guess more of Andie rubbed off on him when... well, during the holidays. "What brings you here?" she asked. "I wanted to welcome you home," he said sincerely. 'Ha! Yeah right!' screamed Joey's brain, but she tried to act civil. "Thank you," she said. Bessie entered the room holding a grocery bag. "Hey Jo, Pacey brought this around a couple of hours ago," she said as she passed the bag to her sister. "You didn't peek inside, did you?" Joey asked, worried. "Nope," she replied. "Thank god," Joey muttered. "I gotta go take Alex to the doctor's, k? I'll be back nin about an hour. See ya Joey, Dawson." "See ya later, Bess," Joey yelled to her as she ran out the door, Alex in one arm, and his medical records in the other. "What's that?" Dawson asked, referring to the bag Bessie had handed to her. Joey fought back a blush. "Uh... just some... stuff I asked him to pick up for me." "Ok," Dawson shrugged. "Want me to help you pack it away?" 'No! Mind your own business!' Joey felt like saying, but bit it back at the last minute. "No. That's... ok." "Sure?" "Positive." "She put the bag on the coffee table, then propped her feet up beside it, knocking it down by accident. Dawson bent over to pick it up, and Joey shut her eyes, nervously awaiting his reaction to the... "Condoms?!" he asked accusingly. "So...."
Feedback, please! Here's a spoiler/teaser from Chapter Four: The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth. Dawson was stunned. "How do you know all this?" he asked.
"Leave, Dawson," Joey replied as she opened the door.
"And if I don't?"
"Then you'll regret it more than I regret ever meeting you!"
