Pacey sighed and held his arm out from where he lay on the couch to aim the remote control at the television, flipping absently through the channels as he eyed the telephone sitting on the table across the room. He shifted positions, chewing on the inside of his lower lip, when suddenly his sister’s voice cut into his thoughts.

“Pacey? Are you still blocking me in? Did you move your truck yet?” Gretchen called out from the bathroom over the dull whirring noise of her blow dryer.

“Yeah, yeah.” He muttered, rolling off the couch. “I’m moving it now.”

He strolled out the door and jogged down the porch steps, the gravel crunching under his feet as he crossed the driveway to slide into the front seat of the truck. The keys were in their usual place, dangling from the ignition. He turned the engine over with a roar, throwing his arm over the back of the seat and craning his neck to watch his progress as he maneuvered his way out into the street and pulled the truck up onto the dirt embankment in front of the beach house. He sat there a moment, idling the engine as he stared down the deserted road that stretched out in front of him, each curve and dip and pothole burned into his memory from countless drives back and forth. Pacey imagined he could most likely travel it with his eyes closed at this point. He finally shut the motor off with another sigh, glancing down the street one last time before he climbed out of the truck.

He was crossing the yard, heading back towards the porch when he thought he heard the phone ring. Bounding up the steps, he emerged into the house, slightly breathless, and saw Gretchen holding the receiver to her ear as she mumbled a good-bye.

“Who was that?” He frowned as he watched her place it back on the table.

“The restaurant. Wondering where I am.” Gretchen hurried around the small house, gathering her bag and coat in her arms and stopping briefly to appraise herself in the mirror hanging on the wall by the door. She glanced quickly at Pacey over her shoulder. “And, why do you keeping asking who’s on the phone? Are you waiting to hear from Joey or something?”

“Nope. Not really.” Pacey shrugged as he dropped down to resume his position on the couch, but the frown was still playing around the corners of his mouth as he reached for the remote again.

Gretchen wrinkled her brow as she watched him. “Are you okay? Did you two have a fight or something?”

Pacey looked over, his blue eyes widening in surprise. “No. Why?”

“You just seem kind of…weird tonight. Weirder than usual, I mean.” She amended with a smile.

Pacey narrowed his eyes and smirked at her. “I just, ah…don’t know where she is. I thought she might be on her way over here, but I guess not.”

Gretchen turned back to the mirror with a knowing smile. “You know, you two just got back this morning from spending the entire weekend together on your little school ski trip. I know you might find it hard to believe, but maybe she just wants a little alone time, Pacey.”

Pacey had already returned his gaze to the television. “Aren’t you late for work?”

“Shit. Yeah, I’ve gotta go.” She pulled her coat on with one arm as she opened the door with the other. “I might go check out a band playing at a bar up in Provincetown with some friends if I get out at a decent time tonight, so leave the porch light on for me, okay?”

“Yep.” Pacey replied quietly, staring blankly at the screen in front of him, already lost in his own thoughts again.

Pacey’s tore his gaze from the time on the cable box as he sat forward on the couch, dropping his head in his hands to rub tiredly at his eyes. He stood up and was on his way into the kitchen when he heard a soft knock at the door.

Walking over to open it, he grinned as he tried to conceal the overwhelming rush of relief that ran through him. “Hey, Jo.”

The smile slowly spread across her face as well as she stepped into the house and leaned up to kiss him softly. “Hey.”

He wrapped his arms around her, murmuring the words as he returned her kisses. “I was wondering if you might stop by. I called earlier and Bessie said she didn’t know where you went.” He pulled back to smile at her again, taking her hand in his to lead her away from the door.

“Yeah, I needed to get out of the house for a while. I ended up going for a walk.” She reached up to shrug off her coat as Pacey continued on his way into the kitchen.

“Did you eat?” He glanced at her over his shoulder as he opened the refrigerator door. “I think we have cold cuts. Do you want me to make you a sandwich?”

“No, thanks. I’m all set.” Joey hesitated as she walked over towards the couch, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jeans as she turned to face him. “I actually, um, bumped into Dawson. He was going to see a movie, believe it or not.” She shrugged, weakly attempting to inject some humor into the tone of her voice.

“Really?” Pacey replied slowly, refusing to acknowledge the sinking feeling in his stomach. His grip on the refrigerator door tightened before he released it and watched it swing shut.

“Yeah. So I, um, ended up getting a cup of coffee with him. We actually, ah, had kind of a nice talk.” Joey dropped her head to look at the floor as Pacey walked back into the room. He stopped in front of her, his dark blue eyes drifting over her.

“Well, that’s good. I guess. Right?”

Joey looked up quickly and smiled at him. “Yeah, it is.” She said softly, sounding almost relieved.

Their eyes met for a long moment before Joey took a tentative step towards him. Pacey sighed as he reached out to hug her and felt her arms slide around his waist. She nuzzled her head against his neck, pressing soft kisses along his warm skin as she made her way up towards his mouth. Pacey couldn’t help but smile as he lifted his hands to hold her face, the slow, gentle strokes of his tongue meeting hers.

“I’m glad you’re here.” He whispered against her lips.

“Me, too.” She sighed and pulled back from the kiss to watch his face before she blurted out. “I told him.”

Pacey raised his eyebrows slightly before dropping his hands as he cleared his throat. “You did, huh?”

Joey nodded and bit her lower lip, still watching him. “I, ah…had to, Pace. I wanted to.”

Pacey reached over to hold her hand, staring down at their interlaced fingers while several different emotions passed over his face, almost as if he were trying each one on for size to see which might fit the occasion. When he spoke finally, his voice was small and uncertain. “So…how do you, um, feel about that?”

Joey inched towards him, closing the space between them. “The same way I felt about it this morning.” She whispered as she reached up to touch his chest.

Pacey blinked his eyes a few times as he looked down at her before leaning in to run the tip of his nose along hers and kiss her. He took slow sips, tasting her, and then slid his tongue in to explore her mouth thoroughly as the kiss deepened and lengthened, escalating in heat and passion.

Joey pulled away after a long while, her breathing slightly ragged. They held each other’s gaze, their eyes darkening with their mutual arousal. “Is Gretchen at work?”

Pacey nodded silently, waiting for her reaction.

Joey hesitated, swallowing nervously. “Do you have…?”

Pacey nodded again, not needing her to finish the question. He reached out for her hand. “Which doesn’t mean I’m expecting anything here, Jo. Last night …I mean, it’s still up to you if…”

She stepped forward again to cut him off with a kiss. “I know.” She whispered. “And I appreciate it, Pace. But I already told you that I feel the same as I did this morning.”

Pacey furrowed his brow slightly, the mild confusion evident in his features. Joey reached up to touch his cheek, smiling as she spoke gently. “That I want to do it again.”

“Ah, that.” He drew out the words as he gave her a small grin, tugging on her hand to lead her to the couch and pulling her down into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her as he moved in to kiss her neck “I get it.”

“You’re quick, Pace.”

“Yeah. That’s what people tell me.” He pushed her over onto her back on the cushions, silencing her giggles with a searing kiss that left her almost lightheaded as he made his way down towards her chest. She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly as his warm lips brushed over her collarbone, trailing a path down between her breasts to the top button of her shirt. He made his way back up to her neck, gently sucking on the tender skin there as he settled himself on top of her, his skilled hands moving over her, touching and caressing her, eliciting soft sighs and moans from low in her throat. Joey’s hands were resting on his shoulders and she slowly ran them down over the muscles in his back, arching her hips up towards him when she reached his waist, gripping him there and groaning under breath as she felt him hard against her.

“I could still feel you.” She whispered breathlessly, tilting her head to rub her cheek against the scruff of his unshaven face as he glided his lips along the sensitive skin beneath her ear and ground against her. “Inside me.” She sighed. “I felt it all day.”

Pacey’s breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes tightly shut as he tried to gain some composure, her words going straight to his already throbbing erection. He exhaled slowly as he lifted himself up on his forearms to watch her face. “Are you sore?” He asked hesitantly, frowning in concern.

She reached up to touch his cheek, her eyes shining at him. “No. Not like that.”

His face softened as he smiled, leaning down to press a tender kiss to her lips. “C’mere.” He wrapped his arms around her to pull her with him as he sat up, settling her on his lap again. Joey reached her hand down between them to run it over the prominent bulge in his jeans, adjusting her position to straddle him on the couch. He grinned at her, peppering her lips with kisses as he spoke. “I’ll be right back.”

Joey mock-pouted at him as he helped her to slide off his lap onto a cushion. He jogged into the bathroom, where he had safely stashed a box of condoms away from Gretchen’s prying eyes. Coming back out to the living room, he hesitated as he approached the couch, his eyes locking on Joey’s body as she let her already unbuttoned shirt slip from her shoulders. She held his gaze as she reached behind her back to unclasp her bra, letting that fall away as well.

Pacey walked over to her, dropping down onto his knees in front of her on the floor as he took her in his arms to kiss her. He tore his lips away from hers, moving down to her chest to cover a rosy bud with his mouth as he reached up to gently massage the other supple mound with his hand, circling that peaked nub with his thumb. Joey gasped and moaned as he gently teased her with his teeth, grabbing at the material of his shirt, wanting it off. He pulled back for just a second to tug it over his head, tossing it carelessly aside as he returned his attention to her breasts.

Just when Joey thought she couldn’t take another minute of the sweet torture, his mouth moved down her stomach, covering the skin there with hot, open-mouthed kisses as he pressed his fingers into the soft flesh of her waist, pulling her towards him. He quickly unfastened her jeans, sliding the zipper down and then tugging them off as she raised her hips off the couch to assist him. She had on a whisper thin pair of pink panties, and Pacey raised his dark, intense gaze to her face as he gently stroked her over the silky material. Joey moaned and closed her eyes, her hips lifting up again of their own accord. Pacey continued to watch her face as he slid a finger underneath, edging the fabric out of the way to dip into her wetness and then trace slow circles around her clit. Joey bit down on her lower lip to stifle a cry as she tried to grasp futilely at the flat cushions of the couch, her hands clenching into empty fists.

Pacey hooked his fingers into the panties, easily sliding them off her as he trailed his hand down her long legs. He moved in closer, covering her flat stomach with kisses again before traveling lower. Joey reached behind her to grip the back of the couch, lowering her other hand to thread it through his short hair as he glided his tongue along her, parting her folds before he slowly slid inside her. She moaned his name as he stroked her, crying out again as he moved up to suck on her clit and the overwhelming sensation rocked through her. She came almost immediately, her whole body trembling and shaking against the tip of his tongue.

Pacey sat back on his knees, unfastening his own jeans and pushing them down after retrieving one of the condom packages from his pocket. His eyes drifted over Joey on the couch in front of him, her rapid breathing gradually beginning to slow, her heavy-lidded eyes holding his gaze as they both smiled.

He slipped the condom on over his length and then leaned forward to rest his hands on each side of her, kissing her hungrily. He gripped her hips in his large hands, pulling, dragging her over to the edge of the couch. Joey reached up to hold tightly onto his broad shoulders to balance herself, her breath catching in her throat in nervous anticipation. Sliding in between her legs, he lifted one over his hip and held it there as he positioned his cock at her tight entrance. Joey looked down in rapt fascination and then raised her head to meet his gaze, her eyes dark and wild. He leaned in to kiss her, slowly pushing inside her, hearing her gasp into his mouth as he filled her completely.

“Okay?” He whispered, almost grunted, closing his eyes as he fought the urge to start driving himself furiously into her.

“Yes.” She hissed quietly in his ear as she wrapped her arms around his neck, tentatively rocking her hips forward to meet his thrusts. He pulled almost all the way out and then pushed deeper, sliding in and out of her with a gentle rhythm he struggled to maintain as his breathing became labored.

Pacey heard Joey moan and felt her hold on him tighten even more as he buried his hand in the back of her hair, grasping the silky strands in his fist as his fevered kisses made their way up her neck and whispering as he brushed his lips over her earlobe. “Tell me.”

“More.” She sighed, almost whined.

“More what?” Pacey growled low in his throat as he thrust deeper, his fingers digging into her skin where he still held her leg.

“More you.”

Pacey slid his hand under the back of her thigh to cup her ass, holding her flush against him, careful to stay inside her as he lifted her up and pressed her back at the same time. He shifted both their bodies onto the couch, adjusting her underneath him as he moved on top. Burying his face in her neck, inhaling her scent, he began to thrust into her with more powerful strokes, feeling her wrap her legs around him and dig her fingernails into his back as she cried out.

Gritting his teeth and stifling a curse under his breath as he forced himself to remember this was only her second time, he tried to hold back, to slow his movements, but then he felt Joey’s hips rising up to meet his.

“Pacey, please…” She whimpered in a voice he almost didn’t recognize. “It feels so good.”

“You like this?” He whispered, pulling back to watch her face as he increased the strength and force of his thrusts again. Joey could barely nod her head in response as her eyes fluttered shut and she moaned. Needing no further prompting, he finally let himself go and their hips began to rock against each other with urgency and abandon.

“I love you.” He breathed in a husky voice against her neck as he closed his eyes, feeling her inner walls clench down around him, stroking into the warm rush of her release as he heard her cry out his name. He came right after that with a low groan, and as his thrusts gradually slowed, he felt her arms wrap around him a little tighter and she whispered that she loved him, too.

“Which of these places deliver?” Pacey held up the various take-out menus he found in the kitchen drawer as Gretchen passed by him to get the phone.

She glanced over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes as she dialed a number by memory. “Umm…the red and white one. Those guys deliver until 9:00, I think.”

Pacey looked down to peruse over the menu she indicated, absently dropping the rest back into in the drawer.

“Damn.” Gretchen muttered, practically slamming the phone back onto the counter.

Pacey raised an eyebrow as he frowned. “What’s up with you?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just hoping to catch my friends. They had an extra ticket to this concert tonight and…eh, whatever.” Gretchen shook her head as she turned away from him.

Pacey watched her in confusion. “I thought you were going over Dawson’s house tonight.” He glanced over at the closed bathroom door, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “As in, all night?”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to spoil your plans. I’ll just stay at Doug’s.” Gretchen snapped, digging through her purse for her keys as she started for the door.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Pacey sighed, jogging after to catch up with her at the front door. “What’s the matter, really? Did you and Dawson have a fight, because if you really want me to, you know I’d be more than happy to go over there and kick his ass for you.” He joked in a low voice.

Gretchen shook her head at him with a smirk. “That won’t be necessary, thank you.” She dropped her head. “I’ve just decided that it might be for the best to cool things a bit with Dawson.”

“Things were hot?” Pacey scrunched his face up in mock-disgust. Seeing that his sister was not amused, he quickly became serious. “Why did you suddenly decide this?”

“Let’s just say that I’ve noticed an obvious change in Dawson’s attitude about the status of our relationship that seems to, interestingly enough, coincide with him finding out last week about a change in status of yours and Joey’s relationship.”

“Oh.” Pacey replied quietly, dropping his head before he raised his eyes to meet hers. “I’m sorry, Gretch.” He sighed heavily and then continued with sarcasm. “I guess sometimes I forget about Dawson’s unhealthy fixation on my girlfriend and his subsequent inability to move on with his life. As, um…ambivalent, shall we say, I was with Joey handing out details of our personal life to him, I have to admit that at the same time I kind of hoped that maybe it would make him realize …”

“It’s not even that.” Gretchen cut in with a shake of her head as she pulled on her coat, keeping her voice in hushed tones. “It’s the fact he asked her, you know? That he was so desperate to know, or holding on to some romantic, foolish notion where she was concerned, that he actually came out and asked his ex-girlfriend of almost three years this wildly inappropriate question, that I guess no one but me thinks is inappropriate because you all seem to…”

“Hey. I was wondering where you two disappeared to.” Joey grinned as she turned the corner from the kitchen, adjusting Pacey’s oversized hockey shirt and sweats on her slender frame. She hesitated as she realized her appearance had brought their conversation to a halt. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” Gretchen smiled reassuringly. “Just typical family nonsense. I’ll see you two tomorrow.” She waved over her shoulder as she disappeared out the door, not noticing the blank look of disbelief that was lingering on Pacey’s face.

“See ya, Gretchen.” Joey called out before looking down to tug at the sweatpants again. “Okay, I’m going to trip over these. They’re way too long. I’m going to go grab a pair of boxers instead, okay?” She turned to leave the room without waiting for a response, also oblivious to the look of disbelief on Pacey’s face, missing the moment where it changed over to anger.

Joey watched Pacey out of the corner of her eye as they ate their pizza in silence. His gaze had been fixed on the television screen for the past half hour, yet the one time she had asked him a question about the plot of the movie they were watching, he didn’t even seem to know what she was talking about.

She finally dropped the slice of pizza she had been nibbling on back onto her plate with a sigh. “Pacey? Are you okay?”

“Huh?” He barely glanced over at her. “Yeah, why?”

Her voice softened with concern. “What’s the matter?”

Pacey closed his eyes briefly, pushing his plate away with a heavy sigh. He hesitated a long moment, chewing on the inside of his lower lip, before he finally spoke. “How did it even come about in conversation that you told Dawson about…us, Jo? I mean, I’ve been thinking about it since you told me and I really can’t picture you just offering up such personal information like that. Especially when you think that information might have the potential to…” Pacey’s voice drifted off as he frowned, dropping his gaze to the floor. “Why didn’t you tell me that Dawson asked you?”

“Wha…what does that matter?” Joey looked slightly taken aback.

“What does it matter, Jo?” Pacey scowled. “I know Dawson has some boundary issues where you’re concerned and often feels compelled to stick his somewhat sanctimonious nose in other people’s business, but to come right out and ask you something like that? You’re telling me that you don’t see anything wrong with that?”

Joey dropped her head then. “I…I told him…I know it wasn’t the most appropriate thing for him to ask, Pace. Even he admitted he knew that. But…you have to understand the circumstances…”

“The circumstances?” Pacey almost chuckled as his eyes widened slightly. “Do I even want to know the circumstances in which my girlfriend’s ex-whatever feels like he has the right to ask her the status of our sex lives? Because unless he’s got a framed certification hanging on his office wall from the American Board of Gynecology, I’m still seeing the inappropriateness there myself.”

“And, Dawson being my gynecologist would somehow fall into the realm of things that are deemed appropriate?”

Pacey ignored her attempt at levity as he shook his head. “Look, I don’t even want to get into why he felt he could ask you something like that right now. I’m more interested in why you wouldn’t tell me.” He turned his steady blue eyes on her.

Joey sighed. “If you remember, we didn’t even really talk about it at the time I told you, Pace…”

“Well, maybe that’s because when the person I’m in love with is standing right in front of me, usually the last thing I want to do is to think about Dawson.”

A quick flash of hurt and anger appeared in Joey’s eyes. “Is that supposed to be a dig at me, Pacey? Because I’m sorry if I felt guilty about the feelings of my life-long friend.” Her voice rose and trembled with the tears that were beginning to well up in the corners of her eyes. “Things were just starting to calm down and everyone was getting along and I knew if I told you, you’d be upset and angry with him, and maybe I just wanted things to go back to the way they used to be…the way you two used to be with each other.” She sniffed and reached up to brush away the tears that were now spilling down onto her cheeks.

“That’s not going to happen.” Pacey burst out in frustration, temporarily unmoved by her tears. “You’re a smart girl, Jo, why don’t you get that? Things between Dawson and I can never go back to the way they used to be. We can possibly get past it all and move on and find some common ground, but we can’t go back. That’s not how life works. I knew that when I first realized what this thing between you and I would do to him. I knew that I would have to live with the consequences of my actions when I made that decision. But, it was worth it to me.” He sighed and grew quiet for a moment. “You were worth it to me.”

Joey looked at him through her red-rimmed eyes. “If I didn’t think you were worth it, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now, Pacey. You know that.” Her teary voice was laced with reproach.

They were both quiet for a moment, neither one looking at the other before Pacey finally spoke, his voice sounding tired. “And, yet another perfectly good evening ruined by the name Dawson Leery.”

Joey quickly wiped at her eyes as she spoke slowly, struggling to keep her voice steady. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the whole story. I’m sorry you had to feel like I was keeping something from you. But, it’s not like I didn’t tell him the truth about us.”

Pacey shook his head with a soft, bitter laugh, his gaze still fixed on the floor. “Why is it that you make it sound like you’re supposed to get some credit for that, Jo?” He looked up to meet her eyes. “For not lying?”

“Do you want me to just go then, Pacey?” She stood up quickly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Because it’s becoming obvious I can’t do or say anything right as far as you’re concerned.” She crossed the room to where her bag was leaning against the wall by the front door.

“Jo…” Pacey sighed in defeat, slowly standing up. “Wait…”

Joey picked the bag up to throw it over her shoulder, wiping at her eyes as Pacey approached her.

“Jo, c’mere…” He spoke softly in his deep, rough voice as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, feeling her body start to shake with her silent tears. “Shhh, don’t.” He whispered against her neck before he turned her around to hug her close, stroking the back of her hair. “I was just pissed off at the situation. Not at you. I’m sorry I upset you.” He sighed, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he removed the bag from her shoulder. “Don’t leave. That’s the last thing I want you to do.”

She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck finally, holding on to him until her tears subsided and she was able to compose herself.

Pacey pulled back after a while, reaching up to brush a stray strand of hair out of her eyes as he watched her face. “Do you think…do you regret it?” He whispered hesitantly.

Joey furrowed her brow as she looked up at him. “What do you mean?” She raised her eyebrows. “Do I regret us having sex?” Pacey nodded silently and Joey shook her head definitively. “No, I don’t regret it. Not for even a second.” She reached up to touch his cheek, and Pacey heard the quiet sincerity in her voice. “I’m in love with you, Pace. And you’ve shown me a whole new way to let you know how much. If it’s possible, I love you even more for that.”

Pacey gave her a small smile before he leaned down to kiss her tenderly, closing his eyes as he felt her kiss him back, pressing her soft body against him as she sighed into his mouth. He pulled back, reaching up to caress her cheek and frowning as his thumb brushed over the dampness under her eye. “I’m sorry.” He whispered. “I don’t mean to let these things get to me so much. And I certainly don’t mean to ever hurt you.”

“It’s okay.” She reached up to cover his hand with hers and squeeze it reassuringly, smiling playfully as she met his eyes. “But, you know, if we could technically call what just happened here a fight, you could maybe show me if this make-up sex I always hear so much about lives up to the hype.”

Pacey grinned, leaning down to wrap his arms tightly around her and lifting her up off the ground to kiss her.

Joey smiled as she stood at the stove, feeling Pacey come up behind her, gently resting his hand on the curve of her backside as he pressed himself against her and kissed the exposed skin on the back of her neck where her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail. Every touch sent a rush of exhilaration through her now, a little thrill as each innocent moment between them immediately reminded her of far more intimate touches and moments. He leaned down to rest his chin on her shoulder and she turned to kiss him on the cheek.

“This is almost ready. Will you grab me some plates?”

“Sure.” He pulled away reluctantly, placing another kiss on her neck. He glanced at her over his shoulder as he reached up into the cabinets. “So, what did Bessie have to say when she called?”

“She just wanted to make sure I was coming home at some point today. She needs me to watch Alexander for a couple of hours while she gets some errands done for the B&B.” Joey hesitated before turning from her cooking to watch him. “She also mentioned Dawson called. He’s working on some yearbook thing at school and I guess he told her I should stop by to see him if I had the chance.”

Pacey’s back was to her, but she couldn’t help but notice as his shoulders slumped just slightly. “He’s at school on a Saturday, huh?” Was all he mumbled as he turned to bring the plates over to the table.

“I think I need to go talk to him, Pace.”

He sighed heavily, finally turning to meet her eyes. “I don’t want you to feel you have to do something like that for me. To somehow make me feel better. I already told you last night that I know I tend to overreact when his name comes up and I…”

“I need to talk to him for myself.” Joey cut in quietly and paused for a moment as she held his steady gaze. “Do you understand?”

Pacey nodded silently and then walked over to kiss her lightly on the forehead. He was about to move away to continue helping her with breakfast when he leaned down to surprise her with another kiss, his soft lips brushing over hers, lingering there.

“I love you.” She whispered.

Pacey smiled against her lips. “I know.”

Joey took a deep breath as she walked down the deserted hallway, pausing just briefly and nervously playing with the material of the winter coat that she held in her arms, clutching it to her almost like a timid child with a security blanket. She leaned her head around the corner, stepping into the room lit only by the dreary sunlight filtering in through the windows.

“Dawson?”

“Hey, Joey.” He smiled widely as he spun around in his chair to see her standing there. “I take it you got my message.”

“Yeah.” She smiled and nodded, walking over to stand next to him.

“You were up and out of your house pretty early this morning, huh? I thought I’d catch you still in bed when I called.” He was still smiling at her, his face beaming up from where he sat at the computer station.

Joey furrowed her brow, opening her mouth to explain, but then decided it wasn’t necessary. “So, what are you working on here? I didn’t realize that you had such in interest in our class yearbook.”

“Well, I didn’t really.” Dawson smiled and shrugged. “Until I became an unwilling participant in another one of Drue Valentine’s devious, though not very well executed, plots.” He rolled his chair over to the computer to click a button on the keypad. Joey watched as a familiar picture of her and Pacey appeared on the screen with the heading “Class Couple”.

The smile slowly spread across her face. “You fixed it.”

“I did.” Dawson nodded affirmatively with a certain amount of self-satisfaction.

Joey’s gaze drifted over the picture. It had been taken by one of the student yearbook staff photographers one morning as they were arriving at school, only a few days before the senior ski trip. She remembered just what Pacey had been saying to her in the second before the flash went off, and could recognize the amusement and affection still there dancing in her eyes. She resisted the sudden urge to reach out and touch it, this crystallized moment preserved in black and white, this tangible piece of evidence of something she had known all along. Her smile faded a little as she tore her attention from the screen to look back at Dawson’s face.

“I’ve been thinking about the night last week I bumped into you downtown.” Joey began, speaking slowly and carefully. “When we talked. I’ve been thinking about what you asked me and why you might have asked me a question like that.”

Dawson held his hand up. “Just let me say how sorry I am again, Joey. I realized after I thought about it too that I had no right to pry like that. Believe me, I already heard an earful from Gretchen on the subject when we broke up so…”

“You and Gretchen broke up?” Joey frowned.

“Yeah.” Dawson looked at her in surprise. “You didn’t know that?”

“No. I…I guess I haven’t had the chance to really talk to her lately. I’m sorry, Dawson.”

“Well, I can’t say that it wasn’t bound to happen sooner or later. In retrospect, I’m actually surprised she stayed with me as long as she did. I can imagine it must get tiring after a while to constantly hear…well, to hear someone else’s name come into the conversation so much.” He looked at Joey pointedly as she cast her gaze to the floor.

“I would guess so.” She agreed softly in a far-away sounding voice. She chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip before she raised her eyes to meet his again. “But, did you ever consider all the other things you could be talking about? All your common or different interests? All the things you both find funny, or both find sad? Everything you want to do in the next ten years and everything you don’t? Everything you could possibly be to each other if you just gave it the chance?”

Dawson looked at her blankly. “A chance would imply some measure of luck needed to be involved, and I’ve come to the conclusion that is one thing I am distinctly lacking in.”

“No, Dawson. A chance would imply you at least tried. Luck has nothing to do with it.”

He dropped his head and didn’t reply. Joey watched him for another moment before she spoke again.

“So, as I started to tell you, I was thinking about why you might have asked me that question the other night and I realized that I am as much at fault here because I most likely made you feel like that was an appropriate topic of discussion for us. I know I said some things to you when I first got back from my trip with Pacey last summer and I realize now how wrong that was of me. I was trying to not hurt you any more, I was hoping that we could find our way back to being friends, and I think I may have made matters worse in attempting to…”

“Let me down easy?” Dawson offered, staring straight ahead as his jaw clenched.

Joey sighed, reaching up to rub her forehead tiredly. “It’s wrong for us to hold on to each other to the point it is affecting our current relationships and possibly hurting innocent people. If we both agree that we don’t want to lose one another in our lives, well, then, we won’t.” She shrugged. “Dawson, you’re the friend I could not see for years and I know the moment we did see each other we would just immediately pick up from the last conversation we left off at. That’s so special to me and so important to me, but there are other things in my life that are just as special and just as important and I can’t constantly be worried about losing what I have with you to the point where I might lose everything else. That’s not right, and if we really are all that we say that we are to each other, it shouldn’t be necessary. It shouldn’t be so hard to maintain a friendship we’ve had all our lives.”

“Every day is harder for me, Joey.”

“I’m sorry about that. And I wish I could do something to help, I do. But I can’t. You’re the only one who can do that, Dawson.” Joey blinked rapidly to clear her eyes from the blurry sting of tears. “What we’ve been doing to each other here, the way we’ve been trying to hold on…it’s not healthy. It’s not doing either one of us any good.” She dropped her head. “And it’s easy to blame other people, to say that others came between us…but how does that explain the fact that we didn’t work together when it was just the two of us? And why we weren’t together when neither of us had anyone else?”

Dawson looked over at her quickly, anger and resentment clearly visible in his steely gaze. He opened his mouth to reply but hesitated as his eyes met hers, the anger dissipating and dissolving into a sad weariness as he stared into the truths contained in the wide gray depths.

“We need to stop hurting everyone, Dawson. Starting with ourselves.”

He dropped his head and nodded. “Despite everything, I still care about you. I still want you to be happy.”

“I know.” Joey gave him a watery smile before she turned to leave. “I understand that more than you will ever know.”

“So, we are officially class couple, huh?” Pacey grinned as they walked along the beach, gently squeezing her hand as he held it. “I guess I can cross that one off my list of life goals to attain.”

Joey smirked, shaking her head as she gazed out at the water. She turned to look at him with a small smile. “It is kind of funny when you think about it. Could you have ever imagined back when we started high school that our picture would be placed in the class yearbook under that particular title?”

“That title? No, not exactly.” Pacey chuckled. “Though I could think of a few other choice titles that might have applied.”

Joey laughed. “Something tells me I don’t want to hear them.”

“Yet, at the same time, we might as well face it, Potter. The sex was going to happen here. It was inevitable.”

“Oh, really?” She arched a haughty eyebrow, drawing her words out dubiously. “Pretty sure of yourself there, huh, jailbait?” She narrowed her eyes playfully. “Which, if you think about it, is how your legacy could have been remembered in the yearbook superlatives.” Pacey made a face at her and pretended to laugh as she shook her head again. “And, by the way, you’re seriously deluded if you think I ever even momentarily entertained the possibility of letting you touch me back then.”

“Ah, denial. It’s a beautiful thing.” Pacey sighed, glancing out at the water.

Joey stopped short, her mouth falling open as she lightly punched his arm. “Oh, please!” She laughed. “You aren’t seriously telling me you think I was secretly lusting after your skinny freshman butt, Pacey.”

“Hmm. Interesting you should bring my butt into this. I don’t think I was even talking about that. I wonder what other indecent thoughts about my physique were swimming around in that subconscious of yours, Potter?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Trust me, the only thoughts that ran through my head where you were concerned in the physical sense involved serious bodily harm.”

“Now, see…” Pacey shook his finger at her as if he were contemplating this carefully. “I always suspected you might like the rough stuff.”

Joey’s mouth fell open but then she couldn’t help but laugh at the amused look on Pacey’s face. She watched him a moment as she composed herself, a calm façade falling over her face as she spoke with indifference, continuing on her way down the beach as she brushed past him. “Hmm. Yeah, maybe you’re right, Pace.”

Pacey’s eyebrows shot up as he quickly scrambled to catch up with her. “Right about what, exactly?”

Joey stuffed her hands in her coat pockets as she walked. “Well, I’ll admit I’ve always been a little hesitant to bring it up. I don’t think it’s the type of thing most guys could handle.”

“Oh, now, I wouldn’t be rushing to judgment on that one quite yet, Potter.”

She glanced over at him as if she were appraising him. “I don’t know…” She sighed uncertainly, almost cringing. “You might think it’s kind of…perverted.”

“That is not even possible.” Pacey shook his head definitely.

“Well, it involves…appliances.” She stopped and spoke in a breathy voice as she looked up at him through her doe eyes and trailed a finger down his chest.

“Major or small electric?” Pacey placed his hands on her waist, pulling her into his body.

Joey glanced down as she felt his hard-on pressed against her. “Oh my God. You are so easy, Pace.” She laughed, unable to play the game any longer.

“Where you are concerned, Josephine, yes, I am.” He smiled, leaning down to kiss her gently. “And, I have no problems admitting that.” He kissed her again, their tongues sliding easily against each other as the kiss fell into the delicious, practiced rhythm they always found. He broke away finally, smiling again as she moaned in soft protest at the loss of contact. “So,” He whispered. “When are you going to tell me about what fantasies you really have?”

She smiled slowly. “And, you think you can handle the real thing?”

He groaned low in his throat as he kissed her again, so that his words sounded like a growl. “I don’t know. But I’m willing to die trying, Potter.”

“That won’t be necessary.” She smirked, stepping away and reaching for his hand to turn and lead him back towards the beach house.