Joey grinned a Jen as she slid into her seat at their favorite restaurant, putting her purse on the seat beside her. "I am so sorry I'm late, but Hope said her first word today. I couldn't believe it. Feels like just yesterday we brought her home..."

Jen smiled, "Really? She's getting so big..."

"I know, it's insane. I can't believe she's so big already...did Marissa grow this fast?"

Jen nodded, "Faster. Remember, she's walking now."

"So soon?" Joey pouted, "Can't they just stay babies forever?"

Jen shook her head with a sad smile, "Not how it works, I'm afraid. So what did she say?"

"Dadda." Joey smiled widely, "You should have seen Pacey's face. Shocked doesn't even begin to describe."

Jen bit her bottom lip, "She said...Dadda? I'm sure he melted."

"Like chocolate on a hot day," Joey nodded, taking a sip of her water.

She sighed, "I feel kind of bad for Pacey."

"Bad for him? Why?"

"Well, think about it. He already loved her so much he would do anything for her before she called him 'Dadda', think about how much more he loves her now. When he leaves...it'll kill him."

"I know," Joey sighed. "I've been thinking about it and I'm going to give him joint custody."

Jen's eyes widened, "Really? Have you told him this?"

"Not yet, no."

"That's...really great of you Joey. I know how much you wanted to keep her as yours and yours alone."

"It's not just for him. Hope loves him," Joey set her glass down. "More than she loves me, I think."

Jen shook her head, "Don't even think that."

"You should see them together sometimes. He has the magic touch, no matter how hard she's crying, give her a few minutes with him and she's giggling."

"Of course she is. He's goofy looking to her," Jen said with a smile. "Look, he's like that with all kids. Marissa too. Remember Lily and Alex, all goo in his hands. He just has that effect on children. Hope loves you Joey. You're her mother."

"Yeah, I know." She sighed, "Call me insecure, but I sometimes wonder if she wouldn't be better off with him."

Jen sighed, "You can't think like that or you will drive yourself crazy."

"I know, and he probably wouldn't want full custody of her anyway."

Jen shook her head, "He wouldn't. But only because he knows how much it would hurt you to lose Hope."

"Right. So joint custody it is."

"Yeah. So is she feeling better?"

"Yeah," Joey sighed. "But I hate that she keeps getting these ear infections. The doctor says she'll grow out of them, but still..."

"Yeah. Marissa, luckily, never got them."

"When are we getting some service?"

Jen shrugged, "Got me."

"So how are things with you?"

"Good. Really good. Although we've had to move everything that is considered breakable and small out of reach of Marissa. She gets into everything now."

"Oh, the joys of parenthood." Joey lamented, and then grinned, "I can't wait."

"You say that now...just wait."

"Don't even try and convince me you'd give her up for anything in the world."

"Oh no way. I love her more than life itself. I just need her to stop moving for a little while."

Joey chuckled, "That's what I thought."

"So, Hope's sitting up now, huh?"

"She's working on it, she usually need support from us to pull it off. But any day now."

Jen smiled, "I can't believe how big she's getting. Before you know it, she'll be in everything."

"Well, that's what I have you for, to come over and baby proof my house."

"Your house is already baby proof. You had to do that before Pacey moved in," she said with a smile.

Joey laughed, "So true."








�Dinner�s ready!� Pacey called, putting the food on the table a few weeks later. Joey appeared moments later, Hope in hand. �I made your favorite.�

�Yeah?� She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and arranged Hope in her high chair. �What�s the big occasion?�

�Um, nothing really.� He shrugged, avoiding her eyes as he sat down.

�Just felt like spoiling me?� She asked with a wink, opening a jar of baby food and getting one of Hope�s rubber coated spoons.

�No, actually�� He dished his food and started to eat.

�Actually what?� She wondered, giving Hope a few spoonfuls of mashed carrots and then started to dish her own food.

�I thought, well, I kinda wanted��

�Uh hmm?� She arched a bewildered eye brow at him. She took a bite of her almond chicken, �Oh, God, Pace�this is heavenly.�

�Thanks,� he gave her a soft smile.

�I may have to keep you.�

�Jo? Can we talk?� He put his fork down.

Her eyes flew to him, �Yeah, of course.� She ate some of her dinner, waiting for him to start. �Well, are you going to say something?�

He cleared his throat, �Uh huh. The thing is��

She smiled, �What is *the thing*?�

�The thing is�I think that I��

�Is this about the restaurant?� she wondered.

He sighed, "No...not...not exactly..." He took a deep breath, "You see..."

Hope began crying and Joey's attention immediately went to her. Pacey sighed and shook his head. Joey picked Hope up out of her high chair and left the room. �I�ll be right back, Pace.�

Pacey put his head in his hands, frustrated. He'd been trying to tell Joey he was in love with her for weeks now, but every time he got up the nerve, something interrupted them.

Ten minutes later, Joey returned, carrying Hope in her arms. "She just had a dirty diaper, didn't you sweetie?" She handed Hope to Pacey and went to wash her hands at the kitchen sink. "Mommy took care of it though."

Pacey kissed the top of Hope's head as she rested her head against his shoulder, "Feel better now, baby?"

"So what were you saying, Pace?" Joey asked, sliding into her seat and taking a bite of her stir fry.

He looked at her, and shrugged, "I don't remember now."

"Sorry about that," she touched his hand in apology. "I'm sure it'll come back to you."

He nodded slowly, "I'm sure it will."

"Want me to take her so you can eat? I've mastered the ability to feed both her and myself at the same time."

He shook his head, "No, I've got her."

She took another bite of dinner and smiled at him, "So how's work?"

"It's work. I bought that restaurant, just so you know."

She nodded, "That's great. When do you start working on the renovations? Are you going to close it down while you do that, or work around the customers? Tell me everything."

"Well...renovations start next Monday, it is going to be closed. I'm going to expand it a little, too. I still don't have a new name, though."

"You should have plenty of time to think of something, Pace." She gave him a sincere smile, "You've always been adept at naming things."

He tilted his head, "I guess."

She winked at him, "It took you how long to name my breasts? Something like three hours after we sailed away together."

"That was easy. I actually thought about that a long time before then."

She chuckled, "I should have known."

He sighed, "I have the menu pretty much figured out. It's just the name that is kicking my ass."

"You have the menu ready so soon? You're a fast worker." She paused, "You could always call it True Love. If you can name a boat that, then why not a restaurant?"

He shook his head, "I'll think of something."

"You will. I have faith." She nodded, and took drink from her glass of water. "What do you have planned tonight?"

He shrugged, "Nothing much."

"You wanna walk to the video store with me and Hope and make it a Blockbuster night?"

He shrugged, "Why not?"

"I'm in the mood to curl up on the couch tonight."

"What are you planning on renting?"

"I figured an action flick for you and a romance for me." She winked at him, "I'm good at compromise."

He smiled, "Sounds perfect."

"Then, after Hope goes to sleep...who knows?"

He nodded, "I really like the tone you're using there," he said with a wink.

"Why whatever do you mean?" She blinked innocently.

He smiled, "Oh nothing."

She nudged his foot under the table and took another bite of her dinner, slipping the fork into her mouth with a heated look. "That's what I thought."

He smiled at looked down at the baby, "Your Mommy is being silly," he said kissing Hope on the top of the head.

"Mommy's always being silly." Joey grabbed Hope's foot, and gave it a quick tickle as she smiled at the baby. "Daddy doesn't know the half of what goes on while he's not home, does he?"

Pacey looked over at her after he took a bite of his food, "Care to tell me what I'm missing?"

"Nope, you'll think I'm dumb."

"No I won't."

"I stopped by the gallery this morning," Joey changed the subject.

"For what?"

"To see how things were going," She sighed, "It's a good thing I went down there and took a look at the books. I guess Ana thought while I was on leave that that meant she could give herself a little raise."

Pacey shook his head, "She didn't. What did you do about it?"

"I fired her of course. What else was I supposed to do? She was embezzling. I'll have to press charges."

Pacey nodded, "I was just wondering if you decked her or anything," he said with a smile.

"I managed to restrain myself," she smirked. "She didn't take enough to put us in serious jeopardy or anything. It's not the money so much as the fact that she went behind my back like that. I trusted her."

Pacey nodded, "I know."

She glanced away from him, "I have to go back to work."

He looked over at her, "Okay."

"Just, okay?"

He shrugged, "You do what you have to do Joey. Do you want me to be upset or something?"

"No, but we should discuss what to do with Hope."

He shrugged, "What do you mean? I'm here during the day and you'll be back before I leave."

"That doesn't leave us much time for each other..." she paused. "But, I guess it doesn't matter all that much."

He sighed, "Joey...We'll have time, okay? Keep in mind, I don't work but three nights a week."

"Well, right now, but once the remodeling is done..."

"Which won't be for a few months. At least three."

"...And then you'll be gone," she finished for him. "No, you're right, I guess if it's only going to be three nights a week, there's no reason to worry."

Pacey nodded, "Right."