"Seriously, I thought I'd gotten out of these when I screwed around with Joey," Pacey sank onto the couch in front of the TV. A stack of videos were on the coffee table, along with varied kinds of junk food. He smirked over at Dawson, "Why did you think I did it?"

"Good thing she got away when she did then," Dawson said as he set up the VCR."We have a nice new DVD player courtesy of, well, whoever bought it. Why do we bother with the VCR?" Jen questioned with an annoyed sigh, curling herself up on the couch.

Audrey draped herself over Pacey's lap, "I believe, according to Dawson, the truly good movies are still on VHS. Isn't that right, Mr. Film-protégé?"

Joey came into the room carrying a soda and sat down on the armchair. "So what are we watching?"

"Let me use my psychic abilities." Pacey rubbed at his temples, "ET?"

"More like psycho abilities, sweetheart." Audrey teased.

Jen raised an eyebrow. "Isn't ET on DVD already?"

Dawson grumbled, "That digitally enhanced crap only takes away from the true brilliance of the film."

"If you say so, Dawson," Audrey smirked, "I myself have never seen ET. And I don't intend to break that track record tonight."

Joey shook her head in disappointment. "Wrong thing to say, Audrey."

Dawson look at her in surprise. "You've never seen ET?"

Her eyes widened as her friends shook their heads in remorse. "Well...no, but--"

"How could you have not seen ET?"

"I just never wanted to. It seemed stupid."

"Stupid?!" Dawson repeated in incredulous disbelief. Jack jumped in front of Audrey. "Avoid eye contact, and slowly back away, Audrey."

She wrapped an arm around Pacey's shoulders and buried her face in his neck. "Make it stop, Pacey, make it stop."He chuckled, "You brought this on yourself, Aud. Never speak ill of the little brown alien."

"ET is one of Spielburg's best films. It's a timeless tale of friendship," Dawson said in a voice that clearly stated he was just getting started.

Joey rolled her eyes. "Oh boy, here we go."

"Dawson, why don't you take her upstairs and watch ET in your room. Why must the rest of us suffer?" Pacey grumbled.

Jack sat on the arm of Joey's chair with a faint smile of amusement, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Let's make a run for it, while we still have a chance."

"Take me with you," Jen hissed.

Dawson's gaze shot to the three of them and Joey pretended to examine her nails, Jen followed her lead. Jack panicked, his eyes searching the room. Under no circumstances could eye contact be made. Dawson sensed his floundering, and Jack could already see the small smiles that Jen and Joey tried to hide. The ha sucker, you lost! snickers were soon to follow after Dawson told him. "Jack, you agree with me. Tell Audrey what she's missing out on."

Jack coughed and cleared his throat uncomfortably, tugging on the collar of his sweater. He looked to Jen for help, it was her boyfriend after all. She should suffer, but Jen continued to pick at the fading polish on her nails. That was when Jack realized that he was gay, and there would have been no problem if he had examined his nails and that Jen was the spawn of Satan.

"Um," Audrey glanced around the room. "This is kinda weird. You're kinda scaring me here, Dawson. I knew you were a movie fiend and all, but--"

Jack breathed a sigh of relief glad that the focus was off him. He glared at Jen and her pink lips curved into a sweet smile.

Dawson turned his attention back to Audrey, unperturbed. "You're watching ET."

"But..." She turned her pleading eyes to Pacey. "I just remembered. Pacey and I have plans. Don't we, sweetie?"

"We do?" He smiled innocently up at her. "I don't remember any plans." Audrey's pursed her lips together in a way that clearly stated Pacey would not be getting sex anytime in the near future.

Dawson smiled. "Good. So we can watch the movie, Audrey."

Pacey grinned cheekily up at her. "I'll make it up to you."

Audrey grit her teeth. "I don't think you can."

Dawson took her hand and pulled her away from Pacey. "Come on, if we start it now, you can still watch the other movies. Trust me," he smiled widely, "You'll love this movie. It's perfection to a degree that's lost to Hollywood these days."

Audrey turned pleading eyes to Joey. "Jo-ey."

Joey frowned sympathetically, figuring that she should probably help Audrey out. She had unleashed Dawson on her without a warning. She opened her mouth to offer protest, but Dawson beat her to it. "Why don't you join us, Jo? It's your favorite movie too."

Joey thought about it, weighing the pros and cons. Then decided that she could always get a new roommate next semester. She shook her head. "Nope. I think I'll pass."

Dawson grabbed the tape, "You're all missing out." He shook his head at the travesty. "A product of mainstream Hollywood. You should be ashamed of yourselves."

Pacey smirked at started going through the videos. "I vote for an action film. Whatever has the biggest explosions."

"Not so fast, Jean Claude Van Dumbass. I don't think so."

"Lemme guess, Potter, you want some gut-retching Meg Ryan romance. Or better yet, an artsy French film where they smoke and complain and then get naked."

Jen reached for a video. "How about Clueless?"

"Playing peacemaker, Lindley?" Pacey arched an eyebrow at her.

Jen shrugged. "I'm in the mood to see Cher Horowitz navigate through shopping, parties and boys."

"Fine, but I'm going to need booze of some kind if you expect me to sit through this movie." He stood up and slipped the tape into the VCR and then headed for the kitchen. "Anyone want anything while I'm in there?"

A request for Diet Coke and a beer, came respectively from Jen and Jack. "Potter?"

Joey shook her head. "I'm good."

He returned with two beers and a soda, and settled in to watch the movie. Not that he'd let any of his friends know, but Clueless was one of his favorites. And Cher was hot.

"Well, that is two hours of my life that I am never getting back," Audrey announced as she came back down the stairs.

Pacey laughed, "Now multiply that by two hundred and you'll know how the rest of us feel."

"Yeah," Audrey said. "I'm still not talking to you." She grabbed Dawson's hand. "Come on buddy, you and me have a date with some Cherry Garcia."

"Should Jen and I be worried?"

Audrey winked at Dawson. "We'll see how it goes and get back to you."

"Have fun," Jen waved after them. "Ooh, bring me some Chunky Monkey."

"Will do," Audrey said, reaching for her coat.

"Well," Pacey clapped his hands together, "Now that they're gone. Orgy."

"In the immortal words of Cher: As if." Joey threw a kernel of popcorn at him.

"Potter, you wound me."

"Too bad it's not fatal."

"Are you two ever going to stop?" Jack groaned.

"And on that note," Joey said climbing to her feet. "I'll be heading home."

"Good riddance."

Joey rolled her eyes, and walked over to the door, pulling on her coat. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, Jen."

"Um..." Jen sat up uneasily. "I'm busy tomorrow, but I'll call you."

"Jen doesn't wanna hang around you either, Potter. I think you're losing friends."

Joey smiled at Jen, stalwartly ignoring Pacey. "Alright. Talk to you tomorrow then. Night."

"Night Jack." She shut the door behind her.

"Bye, Jo." Jack called over his shoulder, hitting Pacey upside the head. "You're being a dick."

"What's your problem, Pacey?" Jen asked, scowling at him.

"I don't got one." He tipped his head back, draining the last of his beer.

"Could have fooled me."

He stood up abruptly, "I'll see you guys later."

Jack waved him off. "Later."

"Yeah," he muttered grabbing his coat and heading out the door. He shrugged into it has he looked up and down the street, he spotted Joey walking away, "Joey!"

She stopped, and glanced back regretfully. "What?"

He jogged to catching up with her, "I'm..."

She raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. "What?"

He winced, "I'm sorry."

She sighed. "Okay."

He frowned, "I am, I don't know what...every time I open my mouth, something unexpected and hurtful comes out. I don't mean it, Jo."

"It's okay."

"It's not," his brow furrowed. "I've never in my life wanted to hurt you, and I keep doing it..."

She shrugged. "Whatever, you know, it's no big deal."

"We meant a lot to each other once upon a time," he bit down on his lip.

She nodded. "Yeah..."

"I feel like I've lost that."

"Sorry?"

"It's my fault." He lifted his hand, touching her hair lightly.

She bit her lip. "Like I said, it's okay."

"How do you not hate me right now?" He asked, his eyes dark with confusion and something else. He pushed her hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing her cheek.

She smiled weakly. "I'm amazing like that?"

"You're amazing period, Jo."

She smirked. "Thanks."

"I'm going to do something very stupid here..."

"O-kay..."

"As my friend, you should probably stop me." He said, his voice thick.

She swallowed. "From what?"

"From kissing you," he replied in a whisper, curving his hand over her cheek and brushing his lips over hers.

"Oh." Her lips parted softly in surprise, as she drew in a painfully unsteady breath.

When she didn't immediately protest, he tilted his head to a new angle, deepening the contact. His thumb brushed back and forth over her cheek bone, his other hand at her waist, holding her close to him. All thought was rapidly draining from his mind as he became further lost in kissing her. Her hands curled uselessly at her sides and she shut her eyes, pulling away.

"Jo...don't," his voice was husky, and he slid his hand from her cheek to the nape of her neck. Threading his fingers through her hair, he pulled her gently back to him, his mouth moving over hers with a desperate hunger. She moaned softly, parting her lips further for his. Heat unfurled inside her, warming her blood

Dazed by the intensity of emotions that kissing her released, he fisted his hand tighter in her hair. He sucked lightly on her lower lip, biting down gently on the tender skin. She gasped quietly, breaking away.

"Please," the word was whispered against her neck as he placed, slow, hot kisses over the pale skin.

She shook her head, her lips trembling slightly. "No."

He sighed, his breath warm against her skin. Lifting his head, he gave her one last, lingering kiss on the lips. "I'm sorry," he finally shoved both hands into his pockets.

She stood there numbly, not able to say anything.

"I told you I'd do something stupid," he murmured, his voice raw. He watched her, unable to hide the yearning in his eyes. "If you don't walk away now..."

Her brown eyes filled with confusion. "Why?"

He swallowed, taking his hand and reaching out to touch her again, but stopping just short of making contact. "Because if you don't, there's nothing to stop me from doing it again."

She nodded slowly, and glanced back down the street, swallowing back the questions on the tip of her tongue. "Okay...I'll go."

He inhaled a shaky breath, "Right."

"Are you going to be okay?"

His eyes widened in surprise, "Me?"

She nodded. "Yes."

The corner of his mouth quirked up sadly, "I took advantage of you, and you're asking me if I'm okay?" The husky quality of his voice hadn't faded.

Her cheeks flushed faintly. "Well, you have been drinking."

"I've never been more sober in my life."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure."

"You're not walking away." He pointed out.

"I am." She turned and slowly started walking away.