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At the same time, Jen thought about the night at the carnival, and how hopeful Dawson had been at his chances of winning her back. She also thought about the look on his face as she broke his heart, again. She knew it was for the best, so she stuck by her excuse about needing to be "alone" mostly because of her broken heart. It seems odd that she dumped him and yet she ended up with as much of a broken heart as he did. Hers, was due to the knowledge that Dawson and Joey belonged together. She had seen it from the moment she arrived in Capeside. She saw their indescribable connection and how protective they were of each other, especially Dawson of Joey. Deep down she knew that she was the one on the outside.
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Finally, Jen broke the silence. She couldn't stand sitting there allowing her heart to break as she watched Dawson and Joey in a liplock.
"Pacey?" she asked
"Yeah Jen?"
"You have feelings for Joey, don't you?"
"How did you know that? I only told Dawson and, well...Joey" he asked embarrassed
"Relax Pacey, no one said a word, I can just see these things. So, what happened?"
"Well, you know how Joey and I got stuck working on that Marine bio thing together and we kept fighting. Well, after we swam through the creek we changed out of our wet clothes and into blankets by the truck, and well..."
"Pacey what did you do?"
"I just finished changing quicker than she did, it's a guy thing, so I went to start the truck, and I kinda, accidentally, saw her changing in the mirror." He said the last part very fast and quiet.
"PACEY!!!"
"It wasn't like I was trying to look, it's just that, well, she mesmerized me. She was just so breathtaking. And at that moment my feelings became clear. It wasn't just physical either. I really like her."
"Was that it? Cuz I get the feeling that there is a lot more to the story than that." Jen said knowingly.
"Well, I went to the carnival with Joey and I asked Dawson for permission to date Joey cuz I knew that they always had that sexual tension thing and I didn't want to overstep my bounds. He said that he was OK with it, but then he changed his mind. Then he changed it back and said I had his blessing. So, I took Joey home and told her that I had a really good time and I kissed her. Unfortunately, she pulled away and said she didn't feel the same way and that if she had kissed me back she probably would have been thinking about Dawson."
"Oh, God Pacey I'm sorry." she interjected.
"It's OK, but later I was working at the video store and Dawson stopped by to tell me he didn't want me to kiss her. So, to prove a point, I lied. I told him an elaborate story about how Joey and I had kissed and instantly fallen in love, etc. However, Dawson knows me too well and knew
that I was lying. So, I told him he was too. I made him see how much of his life he spent on her and asked him who he really wanted."
"Well, I guess he chose, unfortunately for both of us, he chose Joey." Jen said with tears in her blue eyes. They were both so sad they sought comfort in each other. They sat there in silence for a long time enjoying the familiar comfort of a friend’s arms around them.
"So what do we do now?" Jen asked him
"Do you really want Dawson back? Do you really love him? And, you won't pull any of this I need to be alone stuff again?"
"Yeah I do, and I could never hurt Dawson like that again."
"Then, I say we work together to try and get you back with Dawson and me back with Joey. Correction, with Joey. What do you think?" he asked her deviously.
"You mean intentionally hurt Joey and Dawson for both their and our own
good?" Jen asked with a devilish look in her eye.
"Yeah, that way we get what we want, and hope its what they want too."
"OK, so how do we do it?"
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Dawson and Joey were still reveling in the joy of the false pregnancy. It had scared them, but it also brought them together and tested their love. A test in which they passed with flying colors. They were meant to be together, forever.
"Hey Dawson?" Joey asked
"Yeah Jo?"
"You didn't tell anyone, did you? I mean about the sex or the pregnancy scare right? Not Pacey or Jen?"
"Are you kidding I told the world and its gonna be on the six o'clock news tonight. My mom is doing the feature." He saw the scared and angry look on her face and immediately added: "I'm
just kidding, you know I would never do anything like that. You mean more than that to me."
"I know, It was just so scary."
"We won't ever go through anything like that ever again Jo, I promise."
And they sat together watching the water and the stars.
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"Sex?" "Pregnancy scare?" both Pacey and Joey said at the same time
"Well, it would appear that our two innocent virgins are no more." Pacey said.
"They have no idea what they are doing!" Jen exclaimed
"After a pregnancy scare, I'm pretty sure it dawned on them as to what they were doing. They won't let it happen again. I know them." Pacey said trying to reassure Jen
"Lets get out of here, all of a sudden I feel really ill."
And they left, Pacey with his arm around Jen, trying to accept just what had been said and experienced.