"Is it too cliched to paint the room pink?"

"No. It's a girl...so the room should be pink with lots of girly stuff."

"You do remember I was a tom boy, right?" She arched an eyebrow as she dipped her roller into the pale pink paint and started spreading it across the wall. "Pink wasn't in my vocabulary."

"This kid is going to be different. I'll make sure she's girly."

"Being a tom boy is a bad thing?"

"No...but you were a jaded tom boy. She needs to be a prissy little girl."

Joey smiled faintly, "But not too prissy. She needs to be able to stand up for herself."

"With you as her mother, there's not a doubt in my mind that she'll be able to kick some ass."

She flicked some of the extra paint at him, "You better believe it."

He looked at her with wide eyes, "Did you just flick paint at me?"

"No."

"Liar!" he said as he brushed at pink flecks on his jeans and it smeared. He ran his brush along her arm, then turned back to painting the wall.

"Oh, you jerk!" She rolled her paint brush over the gray of his t-shirt.

"Woman, you are so dead," he said wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back against him and ran his paint brush over her other arm and under her chin.

"You started it!" She growled indignantly at him rolling her paintbrush over his head with a giggle. "I always knew you'd look good with pink highlights."

He dropped his paint brushed and released her, trying to get the paint out of his hair. He looked up at her, "You better run."

She laughed and started backing out of the room, "Truce, Pacey, I wanna call I a truce."'

"No. No truce. You put paint in my hair. You have five seconds to run and them I'm after you. One..."

She took off like a bolt and ran down the hall, seeking safety in the bathroom, the only room with a lock. He ran after her and tried to get into the bathroom before she locked the door. He got his foot in and pushed against her as she pushed back against the door. He managed to get in, and smiled at her, "Nowhere to run."

"What makes you think this isn't exactly where I want you?"

He stopped walking, "You want me in the bathroom?" He raised an eyebrow in confusion and then smirked, "You want me in the bathroom."

"Uh huh," she grinned and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him to her and claiming his mouth with hers.



~*~


Pacey opened the front door as quietly as he could. He'd had to go into work that night because one of his bartenders had called in sick, which left only him to fill in the position. So he'd reluctantly gone in and stood on his feet for nearly six hours straight. He was a little surprised to find the TV on, but even more surprised to find Joey sleeping on the couch. A blanket was pulled over her body as she lay curled up on her side. He smiled at how peaceful she looked. He flipped off the TV and moved into the kitchen to find that she'd left him a plate of food in the microwave. He heard her groan so he walked back into the living room. He saw her eyes slightly open, "Hey, sorry if I woke you."

"S'ok," she mumbled, letting her eyes fall closed again and she curled up tighter.

He sat beside her, "You want to go lay in the bed?"

"Hmm hmm," she mumbled.

He smiled and slid an arm under her knees and one beneath her back, "Put your arms around my neck," he said softly. She did as directed and he stood with her and walked into their bedroom, Joey resting her head against his shoulder.

She was halfway asleep as he laid her down on the bed, "Pacey..." she reached across the bed for him.

"Yeah?"

"Hmm. Bed. Cold..." she didn't bother to open her eyes as she held open the covers for him. "Warm me."

He removed his shoes and socks as well as his jeans and shirt. He climbed into the bed beside her and wrapped his arms around her. She snuggled into his chest as she pushed him onto his back, "You didn't have to wait for me," he whispered.

"Umm dinm," she mumbeled unintelligably.

He smiled and placed a kiss on the top of her head, "Night, Jo." She mumbled something against his chest and wrapped her leg around one of his.

"You thought any more about baby names?" he asked softly.

"Mmm hmm."

"Such as?"

"Sleeeep."

"Come on...that's not a name."

"Don't care."

"Joey..."

"Hmm?"

"I carried you in here...just give me one name."

"Amy..."

"Amy?"

"Sleep, Pace." She yawned, "Or put your mouth to better use."

"Don't tempt me."

"Shhh," she slid her hand over his chest and pressed a finger to his lips.

He sighed, "Fine. Go to sleep."

"Not tired?" She wondered in a whisper.

"Yeah...but I haven't really had the chance to talk to you today. So I thought I would make up for it now."

"Missed me?"

"Maybe a little."

"Awww," she tilted her head and kissed his chest lightly.

He smiled, "Didn't you miss me?"

"Tiny bit," she admitted.

"Good. I would hate to think the missing was one sided."

"Sleep now?"

"I suppose."

"'Night." She was back asleep within seconds.