Disclaimer: I don't own the show, characters, actors or anything else you can think of that relates to Dawson's Creek. Kevin Williamson and the WB do.
Notes: This part takes place about 5 months after Andie's death at the very end of the school year. There is a little snippet of the song from the Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast" but again for our purposes Pacey wrote it. Oh yeah, thoughts are between **.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Part Six - The Final Explanation
Pacey had been living with the Leery's for the past five months, and had been invited to move into the guest room permanently. In fact Mrs. Leery had insisted on it when she heard that he had been kicked out. He was completely moved out of the Witter household.
He hadn't heard a thing from anyone in his family, when he saw his father or brother around town they ignored him and he returned the favor. The few times he had seen his mother, he had said hello and made a quick excuse to get out of her presence.
Soon after Pacey moved into the Leery's house, Mrs. Leery discovered she was pregnant. She didn't know who the father was, but Mitch informed the very unique family that, no matter whose it was, he wanted nothing to do with it or any of them. The news left Mrs. Leery and Dawson heartbroken. He was severely depressed for a few months, but together his friends pulled him out of it. Helping them get through their problems helped him get through his.
Jen's parents had permanently severed all ties to their daughter, and signed over guardianship to her grandmother. Jen was hurt, but she knew it was for the best, she was with people who loved her. Her parents had long ago ceased to show their daughter that they cared. Now there was just legal proof of it.
Joey's father returned home on parol at about the same time as Gail revealed that she was pregnant, but he was only there for one month before being arrested again for distributing marijuana and cocaine. Joey put up a brave front and pretended she was okay, and after a while she was. But her friends knew what her father did had hurt her deeply.
Through it all they took care of each other and their makeshift family. They were better people because of all the pain they had experienced at such a young age. None of the other kids understood the new level of maturity they had reached.
Things were back to normal for the most part, as normal as they could possibly be. The Fab Four were more inseparable than ever. Andie and Jack were missed, but they had managed to move on with their lives. Life in Capeside had become routine. And the four teens wouldn't have wanted in any other way.
Jen got a job at the Icehouse with Joey and the two of them became close friends when they realized Dawson wouldn't be an issue between them anymore. Joey and Dawson had come to a silent agreement that they were better off as friends, leaving the door open for Jen. Who, as of yet, hadn't done anything about it. Joey and Pacey still argued, but it resembled affectionate teasing rather than the poison tipped barbs of their past.
Joey had taken over Andie's job as Pacey's tutor and he worked harder than ever to prove his family wrong about him, to prove the entire town wrong about him. Life had become simple, they worked, they studied, they slept, they ate and the watched movies.
Jen and Joey had become permanent fixtures around the Leery house, and out of loneliness so had Mrs. Ryan. Mrs. Leery and Mrs. Ryan found common ground in that they no longer had their significant others and with Jen always next door, Mrs. Ryan found she could go there for companionship. Mrs. Ryan had even learned to tolerate Bessie and Bodie enough to join in the weekly Sunday night dinner at the Leery house.
Movie night had become Sleepover night, all four stayed up all night on Friday and slept all the next morning in Dawson's room. The constant companionship that Jen, Joey, Pacey and Dawson found in each other healed old and festering wounds and dulled the pain of new ones. They had developed a relationship that went beyond friendship.
Friendship had been enough through the end of the school year, each had been happy and content with their relationship as it was. But as the school year drew to a close the secrets, hidden longings, and repressed feelings that were deeply hidden and ignored were inching closer and closer to the surface.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Joey and Pacey sat under in the shade under their usual tree waiting for Jen and Dawson to join them for lunch. Pacey was doing an impersonation of their biology teacher that had Joey crying with laughter.
Jen and Dawson stopped a few yards away and watched the pair. "When do you think they'll give in?" Dawson asked.
"I hope soon. This is just pathetic, it's so plainly obvious they want to be together. You'd think Pacey especially, would know how unpredictable and short life is and just bite the bullet." Jen said.
"Maybe we should help them along a bit," Dawson suggested.
"Oh no, Dawson. We are not gonna meddle in their lives. No good ever comes out of meddling."
"Hey it works in the movies."
"The movies, Dawson. In the movies. Movies are fiction." She reminded him.
"Oh, come on Jen, please. Just hear my idea." He begged, he gave her his irresistible puppydog eyes and made a small whining sound.
"Fine, what's your idea?" She gave in.
"I haven't got one yet. But wait until I get one. It'll be a doozy." Dawson walked the rest of the way to his friends with Jen following.
"A doozy, Dawson? Since when do you talk like a sixties cartoon?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pacey was at the Icehouse later that day to pick up the girls for Movie/Sleepover Night, they were going to meet Dawson at Screenplay to choose the movies. He took a seat at the counter and waited for Jen and Joey to finish their shift.
Joey walked over to him without looking up, "Welcome to the Icehouse, what can I get you?"
"How about the two most beautiful waitresses in town?" He asked.
Joey looked up blushing, she smiled at him and he returned it with a grin of his own, his dark green eyes alight with amusement. The intimate warmth of his expression almost knocked her from her feet. With a sinking sensation she realized she'd never before been so drawn to a guy, not even Dawson. She was dangerously close to falling for him.
"We...uh," she swallowed," We should be done in about ten minutes. You want anything to drink?"
"Just water."
"Okay," She left to get his water.
Pacey never took his eyes off of her. Her appeal was beyond beauty and warmth. With his artists eye he could see the intense vulnerability beneath her dazzling surface. After she brought his water he continued to follow her around the room with his eyes. She was so unaware of the effect she had on him. He had learned at a young age to hide his emotions and he had become used to the ache of yearning whenever he was around Joey. *I can't have her,* He reminded himself bleakly, *she wants Dawson.* He vented his desires in his journal, *hey that's good.* He thought as inspiration struck him, and he pulled out his current journal. He flipped to a page with a drawing of Jen and her Grams on it and began to write.
Jen and Joey both went to place orders at the same time and Jen immediately zeroed in on who entered the restaurant next. She poked Joey in the ribs and they both watched as the man made his way over to Pacey. Joey's blood began to boil, *How dare he?!* She began to make her way over to the man to intercept him before he reached Pacey, but Jen grabbed her arm to stop her.
"This had to happen eventually." She hissed to Joey who stood watching the two men helplessly.
Doug Witter approached his younger brother, a condescending smile on his face. "So, little brother, how are things with the Leery's?" Pacey quickly shut his journal.
"Fine, Doug." Pacey said coldly, his face turning to stone and he focused his steely gaze on his older brother.
"You know it won't be long before they realize what a loser you are and throw you out on your ass. They'll get tired of the low grades, laziness, and the--"
"What do you want Doug?" Joey interrupted, she and Jen had decided that enough was enough and had joined them.
"Welcome to the Icehouse, would you like to order anything?" Jen asked innocently. Joey gently raised her hand to the counter to cover Pacey's, to give his some reassurance and strength.
"No, thanks." Doug replied and turned back to his brother. "You know, you're friends will leave you, too. You can't hide the fact that--"
"Doug, if you're not going to order anything, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Joey said just as sweetly as Jen had before. "You're taking up counter space." Though the restaurant was hardly crowded at the moment.
"Yeah, fine, just a minute." He shot daggers at the two waitresses. "Listen Pacey, Dad wants you to come see him at the house. Today. He'll make you sorry if you don't show." Doug said threateningly and left, his back straight and his head held high.
"Are you going to go?" Pacey shrugged. "You can't! What could he possibly say that you would want to hear?" Joey continued.
"Who knows?" Pacey said cynically, "Maybe he'll have a last-minute change of attitude. Apologies, repentance, eleventh-hour reconciliation's. Could be amusing."
Neither Jen or Joey were deceived by his brittle humor, but they didn't say anything. There was nothing to be said.
The really depressing thing, Pacey realized, was that in his heart, he couldn't help but hope that his ironic words would come true.
"You guys choose the movie, I'll come by later. No chick-flicks, please?" He said as he finished his water and packed his things. He lifted his hand in parting as he retreated for the door.
Joey sent a wistful glance after him. "What do you thinks gonna happen?" Jen asked as she began to wipe the counter.
"Nothing remotely worthwhile has ever come from that family except for Pacey. So, whatever they're going to tell him, it can't be good." Joey told Jen, her eyes still on the retreating form of Pacey as he walked down the street.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Pacey stood in front of his house. He could see his father in the living room and his sister doing dishes through the windows. *Might as well get it over with,* he rang the doorbell.
His father answered, his face stony.
"What is it that you want to say to me? I have places to go, people to see. They're expecting me at home." He couldn't resist adding.
"You are not my son."
"I thought we already went over that. You disowned me, I'm not your son anymore."
"You were never my son." Every nerve in Pacey's body went taught. "Can I say it anymore clearly than that?" Mr. Witter began to yell, "Your whore of a mother admitted it freely." Pacey could see his mother through the doorway, drunk and passed out on the couch. He felt his lungs constrict painfully.
"What compelled you to tell me this? Now? I'm already out of your house, your family. Or is this some last ditch effort to hurt me?" He said through his clenched teeth.
"I don't want you claiming any rights to us. You can never come to us for anything. We owe you nothing. You were never one of us, and now you know why. You were out of this house, thank God, but you weren't out of my life yet."
"How long have you known." Pacey choked out, still standing outside.
"Since you were five." They were both silent until Pacey spoke up.
"Is that all? Are you done. Like I said earlier, I have to be home with the only family I've ever known." He sneered.
"How can you call that a family? You're friends are a loser, a slut, a piece of trailer trash and the only adult in the house is a pregnant adulteress!"
"I call them a family, because we have something that has never been present in this so-called family. Love. Now, if that's everything, I'll be leaving." He turned around and left his father standing on the porch.
"Damn kid!" Mr. Witter mumbled as he stepped back into the house and closed the door.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Pacey spent the remainder of daylight wandering around town.
*I would have been your son, if you'd wanted me to be.* His chest constricted as painful regret washed over him. His father had wanted love and loyalty, he could have had them so easily. Pacey had desperately wanted to love, maybe that's why he had loved Tamara so unwisely.
Now that the first shock was over, Pacey found the news of his illegitimacy curiously liberating. *It wasn't my fault,* he realized. He had done nothing to justify his father's ruthless criticism and savage beatings.
All of his attempts to be the best would never have been enough. He was damned in his fathers eyes no matter what he did with his life. He had been doomed to fail, because nothing could have made his father accept him. Yet the struggles weren't a waste. They had shaped his character, made him who he was. Feeling like an outsider in his own family had given him a soft spot for other outsiders. That empathy led him to befriend Dawson, Jen, and Joey, enriching his life immeasurably.
Though the news was shocking, it had no real significance. He was still Pacey Witter, the same person he was before. If he ever told the truth to his friends, they wouldn't care. They had provided shelter both physically and emotionally while they were growing up and would never abandon him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Movie night wasn't going well. Jen, Joey and Dawson would periodically look from the TV to the window to the bedroom door for signs of Pacey. No one was watching the movie.
"This is useless." Joey declared and used the remote to turn off the movie.
"Come on Jo, we were using it to keep our minds off him." Dawson pleaded, not needing to specify who 'him' was.
"Okay then, Dawson, what movie were we watching?" Joey asked.
He thought a moment before answering. "I see your point."
"Where is he?" Jen asked. "He left the Icehouse hours ago. You don't think his father or Doug would have done anything to him, do you?" Jen interrupted from her chair next to the bed. Neither Dawson or Joey answered her. They sat in silence for a while and sunk further into their seats to wait longer.
Pacey knew his friends would be worried, but he hadn't expected what he saw when he peeked around Dawson's door. They were all staring off into space looking so concerned about him. Jen had a look of frustration that wrinkling her forehead, Dawson was frowning so hard it looked like it might become permeant. Joey was fidgeting with her hair and nervously drumming her fingers against her thigh and looking at the clock.
He smiled and stepped into the room, glad that he had people in his life who worried about him. Cared about him. Immediately Joey jumped and threw herself into his arms followed closely by Jen. Dawson stood and waited for the girls to release him.
"Au, I didn't know you guys cared." Pacey joked, "What? No hug from you, Dawson?"
Joey stepped back and saw that he was smiling, "You jerk! Where were you? We were so worried. You could have a least called! That was so inconsiderate." Joey started to yell. "We had no idea where you were. Or if something had happened to you or if your father or Doug had-"
"Quiet, You guys," Mrs. Leery yelled wearily from down the hall.
"You better explain yourself Pacey." Jen threatened.
"Yes, mother. Chill you guys, I went to see my Dad, and then walked around town for a while."
"What did he want?" Dawson asked.
"So what movie are you guys watching?" Pacey asked rather than answer the question. He took off his coat and hung it off the chair.
"What did your father say to you?" Joey tried to get him to talk.
Pacey moved to sit on the bed. "Nothing important, he told me he wasn't my father, that my mom had an affair and I was the product."
"Oh, Pacey, I'm so sor-" Jen said.
"Don't be." Pacey interrupted Jen, "I'm glad I have no blood relation to that man." He looked at the concerned faces of his friends. "I'm okay with it, really."
"Are you sure?" Joey asked frowning slightly at him.
"Yes, All right enough with the mushy stuff. What movie are we watching?"
"We're not exactly sure." Jen answered sheepishly, looking at the screen.
"Why don't we just get some sleep?" Dawson suggested.
"Works for me." Joey agreed and Pacey and Jen nodded their agreement. Jen and Joey changed into the PJ's they kept at Pacey and Dawson's house and climbed into Dawson's bed.
Joey slept between Dawson and Jen as always, not wanting to get to close to Pacey. She knew she'd never be able to sleep with him that close. The girls slept comfortably in the middle between the two boys. Dawson and Pacey slept precariously along the outside edges of the bed, each falling off at least twice during the night.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next morning Jen awoke to find Dawson gone. She looked over to the other two. Pacey was dangerously close to falling off the bed ... again and Joey was in a deep sleep. Jen got up from the bed and pulled Joey a little further away from Pacey, not a lot but just enough to give Pacey a little more room. She then went to the other side and tried to move Pacey, but she only succeeded in tipping him over so he lay on his stomach instead of his side, he was practically laying on Joey. *Oh, well, not bad. That's the way it should be anyhow.* She thought to herself and she gathered her clothes, took a shower, and went downstairs in search of breakfast and Dawson.
She found him at the table looking at a bright yellow flier with a bowl of soggy Cheerio's sitting in front of him.
"Morning Dawson, " Jen said and went to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of orange juice. She looked at the clock. "Hey, where's Gail?"
"She went to help her friend move in to a new house or something."
"Is that good for the baby?" She asked while pouring a glass of juice.
"I donno." He answered, then paused. "Jen, I think I have it."
"Have what?" She said taking a drink of her juice.
"A plan." He handed her the red sheet of paper.
She read aloud, "'The Capeside High School administration invites you to an End of the Year Semi-formal Dance to be held June third at 9 o'clock. All Capeside High students and Alumni are invited. Tickets are fifteen dollars a couple and ten for a single.' What exactly are you planning Dawson? You'll never persuade them to go to a school dance. Do you even remember how disastrous the last two we went to were?"
"Jen it's perfect, if you and I go together, they'll want to come. They are dying to see us back together. And fifteen dollars a couple is a much better deal than ten for a single, so they'll go together. It's that simple."
"So we're going to pretend to get back together so that they'll go to a dance with each other and maybe, maybe they'll do something about their mutual crush?"
"Well, if you don't want to get back together..."
"I thought we'd pretend to..."
"No,"
"But, you said..."
"Yeah, we'll pretend."
"But, I don't want to."
"Don't want to go?"
"Don't want to pretend."
"So you want to get back together?"
"Only if you want to."
"Do you want to?"
"Do you want to?"
"I want to" he answered quickly.
"I want to, too." She smiled brilliantly to him from across the table.
"So, does this mean we're..."
"Yeah, I guess we are."
"Should we seal it with a kiss?" Dawson asked.
"I think it's appropriate." She and Dawson stood and met at the end of the table in the most passionate kiss they had ever shared.
"Damn, it's too bad my bedroom is occupied." Dawson said as they broke apart breathless, but he didn't relinquish his hold on Jen.
That brought Jen back to the plan, "Dawson, do you really think that all it will take is one dance for them to get together? The four of us have already shared so much, will one dance really be enough?"
"I have a little something extra tucked up my sleeve. I'll tell you about it, once we persuade Joey and Pacey to go. First things first."
"Well, you can't do any convincing with them asleep, which by the way, you should see, they are so cute all cuddled up next to each other. But in the mean time..." She said coyly tilting her head up to his.
"We should take this window of opportunity and get reacquainted with one another." Dawson said bending down to capture Jen's lips with his own.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To be continued...
So what exactly is Dawson's plan? Stay tuned to find out. I was going to do something different, but I changed my mind. Feedback is so appreciated. Please send it to RinnyJJ@aol.com.
