Disclaimer:Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jen, Jack, Andie, Grams, Mrs. Leery, Mr. Leery, Bessie and Alex do not belong to me. And shocker of all shockers here: they never have.
Spoilers: The episode where Dawson and Joey are at school and then something happens and Joey worries about her stupid art and Dawson worries about Joey, and Jen is a ho and Pacey is jonesin' for Andie. You know that one?
Rating: How hot do you want it to be? If you haven't already noticed, I intended for this piece to be a little darker and a little more serious--as well as a little more passionate--than some of my other...er, adventures. Give me some feedback! Tell me how I'm doin'!
"Hey, there, gorgeous," Pacey stepped up behind Joey in the lunch line.
"Pacey, you feelin' okay?" Joey asked quizzically, raising her eyebrow.
"Of course," he grinned amicably.
"You do know that you are acting awfully strange, right?"
"Actually, I've been told that twice already today, once by your-best-friend-and-mine, Dawson Leery, *and* by my lady love over there, McPhee."
"So why so happy? You get laid?" Joey joked.
"Take a look at this," Pacey handed over his English paper.
"A plus, Pacey!" Joey, despite her inhibitions, threw her arms around him.
"So, technically, *I* am not a loser any longer," Pacey said proudly.
"I beg to differ," Abby Morgan retorted from behind him. Joey and Pacey turned around to glare at her, prompting an indignant "what?"
"You were never a loser, Pacey. Remember that time you took me to see my dad? You were my hero that night," Joey said shyly, picking up a bottled water and handing the lunch lady her meal card.
"Yeah, well, shhh," Pacey grinned. "Come sit with us," he prodded, and Joey grinned and followed him to the table to sit with Andie and Jack.
Jack McPhee rubbed aftershave on his cheeks and looked at himself in the mirror. He was thinking about his talk with Jen in the dark classroom after school that day. He had admitted to her that he hadn't been able to get aroused with Joey. Despite her reassurance that it was normal, he felt a primal urge to prove himself that he'd never before felt, and especially not with a woman. Hell, it couldn't hurt to be a *little* more assertive, instead of being compliant, he would lodge his protest. He pulled a polo shirt over his head and turned off the bathroom light.
Joey stared down at her textbook. She wasn't even sure which one it was. All she did know was that Dawson Leery was doing funny things to head. And everywhere else for that matter. She closed her eyes briefly and imagined his hands wandering idly over her body, and she sighed heavily. After seeing him by the creek the night before, she hadn't been able to think about anything else. Neither had he, most likely, she thought ruefully.
It wasn't just the fact that he was aching to see her that was bothering her; it was the fact the she was yearning just as badly to see him. And to top it all off, she was desperately in love with him. Maybe it was her curse, never to be happy. Maybe it was fate that she pushed Dawson away. A knock at the door sent her spinning out of her reverie. She shook off her feeling on uneasiness and rose to answer the knock.
Outside, the day had turned gray and dark. The kitchen was bathed in darkness, with a faint light coming from the open door. Before she even got there, she could see Jack's skinny frame through the door.
"Hey, Joey," his voice broke as she pushed the screen door open.
"Jack," Joey crossed her arms over her chest and watched him come into her home. "I think we need to talk."
"Shhh, no talking," Jack whispered, coming to her and pushing her up against the kitchen counter.
"J-Jack!" Joey broke away, pushing him backwards using the palms of her hands.
Pacey Witter was driving aimlessly. After showing his dad the nearly perfect English paper, his father had accused him of cheating off someone. So Pacey bailed. It was the only thing he knew how to do anymore. Driving past Joey's house, he decided to stop. He was bored, and wondered if she had been doing anything more interesting than he had. He slammed the door and sauntered up the sidewalk.
"C'mon, Joey. What's wrong? You wanted this *before*," Jack was firmly groping her breast.
"Jack, no--things have changed now, and I want to..." Joey gasped and cut off when she realized Jack had a raging erection. He was well hung, that was for sure. For a few brief seconds, she wondered why he hadn't been aroused the night she had drawn his portrait, when they were making out on the couch. Surely she would have felt *that*.
"C'mon, Joey, I'm all hot and..."
"Get away from her," a steel voice came from the inside of the screen door.
"Now," another voice chimed in. Surprised, Joey and Jack looked through the dark kitchen to see two tall, hard bodies filling the doorway. Jack took two steps away from Joey before he realized it was Pacey and Dawson.
"Dawson!" Joey said in surprise.
"Joey?" Pacey asked, concerned.
"Pacey?" Jack questioned.
"Jack," Dawson threatened.
"Pacey!" Joey exclaimed, exasperated.
"Joey?" Jack stared. "We were trying to have a conversation here," Jack said defiantly to Pacey and Dawson.
"That looked less like talking and a lot like groping. Groping that didn't seem to be very welcome," Pacey put himself between Jack and Joey.
"Listen, while I appreciate the offer, guys, I really don't need a babysitter," Joey said, tight-lipped.
"We know," Dawson threw in, "we're just waiting for Jack to leave."
Jack threw a look at Joey, but headed out the door.
Joey flipped the light switch and stood in the kitchen doorway with her hands on her hips.
"I can take care of myself!" she yelled in fury.
"Jo, he was forcing himself on you," Dawson pointed out anxiously, afraid that he had over stepped his bounds.
"He was a little eager," Joey corrected.
"I'll say," Pacey muttered.
"Bite me," Joey glared at both of them, "you know what? Just get out!"
Pacey and Dawson looked at one another, and shrugged.
"Call me later if you want to talk," Pacey suggested.
"I was going to ask you to come watch a movie with me, Jo," Dawson interjected.
"Forget it!" Joey said, rolling her eyes at both of them. Dawson left and Pacey threw her one last look, and left as well.
Joey sighed and flopped on her bed.
Journal,
Dear God, what would I have done if Pacey and Dawson hadn't shown up? Why did I berate them? They were only trying to help and not that I think he really would have hurt me, but Jack was being too forceful and too insistent. And then there's Dawson, and I can't deny I love him. Oh, God....
Dawson, meanwhile was in absolute agony. Just when he had been *so* close to reestablishing boundaries in his relationship with Joey, so that she might start to feel more comfortable, there was his quixotic, heroic side stepping in to protect her and tearing down the fragile friendship he'd been trying so hard to resurrect. And Jack, the bastard, standing where Dawson should have been, kissing and touching her body the way Dawson should have been. Dawson sighed and put his head in his hands.
Pacey sat next to him, contemplating everything that was now on the verge of changing. Joey would no doubt be angry for a while, but what he was really curious aboout was what Andie would say. *This* would be interesting...
"Dawson, I have got to go--I still have about thirty math problems due for tomorrow, and if I want help I will have to call Andie *before* Jack gets home," Pacey excused himself, and Dawson could hear him loping down the stairs.
Presently, from outside his window, he heard an enormous thunderclap and the rain began coming down in sheets. It would take Pacey about three seconds to be completely drenched, Dawson smiled to himself.
Without any warning, a warm body stepped from his roof into his room. Dawson watched as she stood, dripping water from her flimsy raincoat onto the hardwood floor.
