Forget Paris

*I'd like to once again thank Johanna and Lisa for all their proofreading help, and Ro, Ali, Mel, and Jennifer for being such great people!*
Dawson and Joey quietly sat together at the end of the dock, their legs dangling into the water. Joey decided to be the first to break the long silence. “Dawson, what’s up?”
“I don’t know, Jo. I’ve never seen you act like that. You tell me what’s up,” he replied.
“Dawson, I’ve changed. Are you the only one that hasn’t noticed? I’m not the same person I was when I left.”
“I know,” Dawson said with a note of sadness in his voice, “I don’t think I know you any more.”
“Don’t say that,” Joey pleaded with Dawson, “Inside, I’m still the same Joey. I just changed on the outside a little bit. And I thought it was for the better.”
“But I loved that Joey!” Dawson said, letting his voice rise.
“Are you saying that you don’t...” Joey’s voice trailed off.
“I don’t know. I don’t know.”
“Well, it seems to me that you don’t need me here right now.” Joey picked herself off the dock and stood up.
Dawson grabbed her hand, “Jo, don’t leave. I need you here.”
Joey pulled her hand away from Dawson’s grasp, “No, you don’t, Dawson. You know how I feel. You need to decide how you feel yourself. When you decide, you know where to find me.” Joey kissed Dawson’s cheek, climbed in her rowboat and rowed away.
Dawson stared after her, dumbfounded. He didn’t understand what was going on. He loved Joey! At least he used to. I’m such a jerk, he thought, what if I’ve lost her now? I can’t lose her. I need her.
***
Pacey couldn’t believe what was happening. He was taken to the police station, along with everyone else at the party. He was locked up in a cell. Jen was standing next to him, “I told you this was going to happen, Pacey.”
“Well, I’m sorry, Jen, I forgot that you’re an expert at this,” Pacey retorted.
Pacey’s last comment hit Jen hard, “Come on, Pacey, you know what I meant.”
“Yeah, and I meant what I just said,” he walked across the cell to get away from Jen.
Doug came up to the cell, “Okay, everyone, your parents have all been called. As soon as they get here to pick you up, you can leave.”
***
Joey lied in her bed staring at the ceiling. “I’ll Remember” by Madonna came on the radio next to her head. It was playing softly, to keep Alex from waking up. The song made Joey start to cry. What happened, she thought, everything was going so well. Why doesn’t Dawson want me anymore? I never should’ve gone to Paris, she decided. Then everything would still be okay.
***
Jen followed her grandmother into the house. She knew what was coming, but she hoped she could avoid it. “Thanks for picking me up, Grams, I appreciate it. I know it must have been hard -”
Grams had interrupted her, “Jennifer, I talked to your mother today. She had decided that because your grandfather has died, you don’t really need to be here anymore, and she wanted you to come home. I had told her that it was your decision, that you had adjusted well and you might not want to leave your friends. I have rethought what I said and now I believe it is in your best interest to return to New York. Capeside really isn’t having a positive impact on you like I thought and after tonight’s antics, I believe you should move back.”
Jen was stupified, “So, you really want me to leave, huh? Well, then I guess that’s what I’ll do.” Jen was near tears and ran upstairs to her room and flung herself on her bed. Her mind was reeling from the entire night’s events.
Grams was left staring up the stairs. “No, Jennifer, I really don’t want you to leave,” she quietly said to herself and walked away.
***
Pacey was all alone in the jail cell. “Doug!” he yelled, “Doug!”
Doug slowly sauntered over to the cell, “What do you want, Pacey?”
“Everyone’s gone. You can let me out now.”
“I’m afraid not Pacey,” Doug smirked.
Pacey was outraged, “What??? You’re going to leave me in here?”
“Actually, Dad told me to let you out in the morning, after you’ve spent the night here.”
“Doug, you can’t do that!”
“Oh yes I can, Pacey, and I am,” Doug walked back into the main room of the police station.
“Doug, get back here. Quit playing the Lap Dog Deputy and let me out!” Pacey yelled at an empty cell.
***
Dawson was lying in his bed staring at the ceiling. It was early morning, and he hadn’t slept at all last night. His thoughts about his situation with Joey had kept him awake. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted his old Joey back, not this new one that had come. What’s my problem? he asked himself. It is the same Joey, she’s just a little different. That’s all, what’s the big deal? But I don’t know her, his voice of reason was telling him. Who cares? He suddenly knew what he had to do.
He heard someone climbing up his ladder. “Joey,” he yelled, “I’m so glad -”
It wasn’t Joey. Pacey appeared at the window. “Sorry, man, expecting someone?”
“No,” Dawson replied, “I wasn’t really expecting anyone. I was just hoping. Why are things always so screwed up, Pacey?”
“Man, I don’t even want to here it,” Pacey retorted with anger in his voice, “You have the perfect life. I would trade my life with yours in a minute.” Pacey was disgusted with Dawson and his whining.
“What are you talking about? I would love to be like you. Fun, uncaring...”
“You have no idea Dawson.”
“Okay, Pacey, I’m sorry, I’m just a little upset. I know things are hard for you, what’s up? How was the party? I’m sorry I had to leave early but things -”
“THE PARTY??? You want to know how the party was?”
“Pacey, what’s up?” Dawson looked concerned.
“Well, besides the fact that Doug busted the party and everyone there was nailed with underage, I got the luxury of spending the night in a jail cell.”
“What?” Dawson was speechless, “You mean...”
“Yes, good ‘ole Dad left me there all night. Something about teaching me a lesson or something.”
“Wow, Pacey,” Dawson sat down on his bed, “I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be, man,” Pacey sat down next to Dawson, “Be glad you left early. I wish I would’ve.” Pacey laughed, “I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe my dad would do that to me, you know? I guess that just goes to prove how he really feels about me and my position in the family.”
“Pacey, don’t think about that. I’m sure there’s some weird lesson your father was hoping you’d get out of this experience,” Dawson tried to comfort his friend.
“Yeah, well, I did get something out of it. I’m better off without them,” Pacey stood up and walked to Dawson’s window, “I’ve got community service uptown to do. One of the benefits of being underage.”
“Hey, Pace,” Dawson called after him, “Want to do something tonight? See a movie or something?”
Pacey smiled, “Sure, as long as we don’t repeat what happened last time.”
Dawson laughed, “Deal. I’ll call you when I get home from work.”
Pacey climbed out the window, but stuck his head back in, “Oh, by the way, Dawson, Jen was busted last night, too.” And with that, Pacey was gone.
***
Joey was helping Bessie clear tables, but Joey was really just thinking of Dawson. Bessie caught Joey’s odd behavior and said to her, “Go.”
“Hmmm?” Joey asked, “Go where?”
“To see Dawson. You know you want to.”
“I do, but I can’t. He needs to come to me.”
Bessie spotted Dawson walking in and Joey hadn’t seen him yet, “Well, it looks like your wish came true,” Bessie left Joey alone.
Joey turned around and saw Dawson, “Hey,” she said.
“Hey,” he replied, “Um, I only have a few minutes before I have to go to work, do you think we could talk for a sec?” He motioned towards an empty table.
“Uh, sure, I have a second,” Joey sat down across from Dawson.
“I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately,” Dawson said.
“Ditto. And?”
“And I don’t want to lose you over Paris.”
Joey sighed, “Dawson, forget Paris. I’m not there anymore. I’m here. And I don’t want to lose you either. If you ever loved me, even a little, you’ll understand what’s happened and you’ll accept it.”
“But, Jo, I do accept it. I just don’t know you anymore.”
“Oh, well what do you want me to do?” Joey felt the blow of Dawson’s last words.
“I want you to give me a chance to get to know you again. For you to get to know me again. We have years of memories, Jo, and I don’t think we should lose them because of Paris.”
“I agree, Dawson, but how do we do that? I mean, get to know each other again?”
“Slowly, Jo, that’s all I know. It can’t be that hard. We are still the pretty much the same people, just a little more experienced. Whoa, I have to get to work.” Dawson checked his watch and realized that he was already late, “I’ll call you tonight, we can do something?”
“Sounds good, Dawson. Bye.” Joey returned to her work as Dawson left.
***
Jen couldn’t believe it. She was leaving and no one was there to say good-bye. Oh, well, she thought, it’s probably better like this. She took one last look at the creek as the taxi pulled away.