. Summary: Her choice changed everything, EVERYTHING! (Remember the season 4 promos when they played Madonna and had a lot of sad faces, yeah that's what I mean) What if one night did the trick? If you don't get my promo like summary let me elaborate, it's mid-season 4 minus all the P/J goo. Near the end of junior year Dawson and Joey get back together and then break up and I think the rest is pretty self-explanatory.  Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Epilogue

"So who was she?" Gretchen asked shaking her gloves off her hands. 

"Nobody," Pacey said swirling his spoon through his cereal. 

"I guess I'll have to work this one out of you," she said pouring a mug of coffee. 

"No, you'll have to pry it from my dead cold body," he stated coolly, still focusing on the drowning morsels of Kix. Averting his eyes from the sunlight creeping through the window he groaned through the pounding of his head. 

"Somebody seems a little hung over," she yelled as he cradled his head in his arms. "Or a lot." 

"What are you going to tell Dougie and Dad on me?" He grumbled his eyes still squinting shut. 

"I should," she paused stirring the sugar into her mug, "so are we talking one night stand with a nameless figure?" 

Pacey shrugged, "Yeah, something like that." 

~*~

"Josephine Potter, where have you been?" Bessie exclaimed her arms crossed firmly over her chest as she glanced up from Alexander sitting in his high chair. "I've been worried sick." 

Biting back her lip she panicked shivering from the cold wrapping her jacket more snuggly around her and cradling Pacey's offered clothing around her icy fingers. "Um," she struggled through chattering teeth, "I was feeling a little down over the whole Dawson thing so I caught a few movies at Pacey's and fell asleep on the couch." 

Changing her hands positions so that they were resting on her hips Bessie's tone didn't falter, "And you couldn't pick up the phone?" 

"It was really late." 

Rolling her eyes Bessie shook her head, "Why would you hang out with Pacey? Don't you have other friends you actually like, you know Andie, Jack, even Jen." 

Suddenly feeling dizzy from the cold and her pending hangover Joey quickly shrugged her shoulders, "I was desperate," she offered quickly, "Now I'll be heading to bed." Slipping into the bathroom she fell to her knees her stomach churning again as she leaned over the toilet. Leaning back against the wall she ran her fingers through her hair and flipping on the shower. 

She had always prided herself for being so careful, that's why she always waited with Dawson, she wanted it to be perfect and after she nearly destroyed that at the beginning of junior year, she was extra cautious. Dawson and her had reunited near the end of the year to no one's surprise and then dated off and on till late January when he had realized he wanted to experience life before they settled down. That of course led him strait to Gretchen by early February, and her deflowered by his best friend, her mortal enemy by Valentine's Day. 

It was then she noticed the cigar ring still surrounding her right index finger, laughing at herself through the tears she ripped it off her finger trying to propel it across the room only to have it float right back next to her landing on the damp floor. 

~*~

"Pacey Witter, how have you been doing?" Jen said sipping at the coffee she held firmly between her two purple gloved clad hands. 

"Not so good," Pacey mumbled shuffling his foot against the dock. 

Hoisting herself onto the fence next to him she nudged her shoulder against his. "Why so low, Jo?" She teased. 

He released a deep sigh his breath creating a cloud of vapor around his face as it quickly faded into the cold winter's air. "I did something really bad last night, that no matter what I do, I can't change it." 

She laughed lightly, "Do you need help getting rid of the body?" 

Releasing a grin he twitched his nose, "Well I hear there are some sort of corrective surgeries but that wont change what happened." 

"So do you want to talk about it?" Jen asked warming her nose in the warm vapor of her cup. 

Bringing his hands to his lips he rubbed them together blowing on them softly, "I got really, really drunk last night." 

Cringing she took a sip letting the warm liquid scorch her throat, "Ah, I know many a stories that begin with that." 

"Well it gets worse," he continued nodding his head as he pursed his lips, "I slept with somebody. Not anybody mind you, the worst possible person I could ever sleep with." 

Furrowing her brows she gave him a sideways glance, "Do I get names?" 

"Not so much, no," he answered shaking his head. 

"So what was there a condom break, lack there of, diseases?" She asked curiously. 

"No, no, it's just she was a virgin." 

She nodded, "And you were both drunk and you feel bad because you don't remember it and you both regret it." 

Burying his head in his hands he shook his head, "See that's the thing, I do remember it and I don't regret it, it's just I'm positive that she is on the complete contrary." 

"Feelings ignited in the throws of passion?" 

Dragging his hands down his face he looked back at her, "I don't know." 

~*~

The days were getting longer and the feelings of Spring peaked through the mild March days. Joey picked through her tray keeping her eyes downcast as Jen slid into a chair across from her. "What's wrong with you?" She asked her. 

"Um, I don't think I should be talking about it," Joey said shakily still messing with the pasta on her plate. 

"Well if you need someone to talk to, I'm a great listener," Jen offered, "and great at advise, you live a bad thing, I've done it." 

"Thanks Jen," she mumbled. After a moment of fumbling with her bread Joey looked back up, "Jen I'm late." 

Her eyes widened in concern as she dropped her fork, "What, does Dawson know?" 

"I never slept with Dawson," she explained focusing her attention back on the tomato mess. 

"Well have you not been eating right? Are you stressed? Those things can factor into the cycle sometimes," Jen questioned. 

"Yeah, probably," she sighed taking a sip from her drink. "But the thing is a few weeks ago I got really drunk and I slept with this guy and it kind of makes you wonder right?" She asked embarrassed and uneasy. 

Jen stared down at her tray for a moment then back up at the brunette, "You should talk to Pacey, you know." 

Her eyes widened in fury, "What? He told you?" 

"A similar story yes, but with a nameless girl," she defended. 

"It's probably just psychological anyway," Joey said shaking her head, "I don't know why I was so worried about it in the first place, it's nothing really." 

~*~

"Do you ever clean in here?" Gretchen yelled from under Pacey's bed. 

Entering his room he took a sip of his iced tea, "Nah, that's what you're here for, Gretch." 

"Pacey, some of these bottles have mold on them!" She cringed tossing them into his trash can. 

"Well when I'm drunk I don't think about recycling and then when I wake up I forget they're there, it's not my fault." 

Continuing through the pile of garbage she gasped, "Please tell me you accidentally opened two." 

Scrunching his face in confusion Pacey asked, "Two of what?" Holding up the unused condom Pacey's eyes widened, "I'va, I've gotta go make a phone call." 

Fumbling with the phone he suddenly couldn't remember her number, but his fingers worked without him pressing each correct key. "Hello?" She mumbled on the other line. 

"Hey Jo, It's Pacey, I know we haven't really talked to each other since… well you know. But I uh just wanted to start off this conversation with I've only had two prior sexual partner and I am completely clean." 

"Thanks for sharing Pace, can I go now," she said impatiently. 

"Listen, um, have you been experiencing any nausea, stomach aches, dizzy spells?" 

"Only when I think of you," she replied dryly. 

"Joey I'm serious, have you felt your body changing?" 

"What are you failing health or something?" 

"Have you missed any of your monthly cycles?" He asked as silence filled the phone line. "Jo?" 

"I don't know what Jen told you but this is not funny," Joey sneered into the phone. 

"I found the condom we used," Pacey explained. 

"Pace that was like a month ago." 

"Yeah exactly and it was good as new," he continued. 

"Oh, God," she mumbled falling back into her chair. 

"Maybe we should go and see a doctor, make sure everything's okay," he suggested softly. 

"Um, I think I'm just going to take care of this myself, I'm fine really, everything seems pretty normal." 

"Alright, I'm right here if anything changes," he forced out. Dropping the phone onto the receiver he dropped his head to his hands, she wasn't going to let him help her and he hated that. 

~*~

Spring break was finally here and the halls of Capeside High were empty for the next week and a half. Carrying the groceries into the B&B, Bessie floated around the kitchen, placing the food in each cabinet. "Jo?" She called out bending into the refrigerator. Picking out a bag of moldy fruit she turned to the cabinet with the trash can, one box standing out in front of all the rest. Gasping she headed down the hall banging on the bathroom door. "Joey open up!" Jostling with the handle the door swung open. 

Joey sat in the corner in a fetal position rocking slowly as she stared down at the white wand. Handing it to her older sister Bessie sank down next to her placing an arm around her shoulder. "You have to go tell Dawson," she advised holding her baby sister tight. 

"I can't," she cried burying her face in Bess's shoulder. 

"The father has to know," she assured her. 

Joey climbed to her feet brushing out the creases in her jeans. "I'm going over to Pacey's," she said exiting the room. 

Bessie eyed her confused as she looked back down at the blue strip on the wand. She shook her head, Pacey, it rang through her ears. Her baby sister had been so much smarter then her and yet she was sitting there making the same mistakes. It had happened to her, it had happened to their mother, and now Joey had fallen to the curse as well. 

~*~

Sliding the porch door open Gretchen greeted Joey with a smile, "Hey you, what brings you to our lovely beach house." 

Wiping at her clammy eyes Joey forced a half smile, "I was actually looking for Pacey, is he here?" 

Gretchen's face softened as she listened to the tone of her voice, "Yeah, um he's upstairs." 

"Hey Joey," Dawson said from his position on the couch awkwardly. 

"Dawson," she nodded towards him as she climbed up the stairs. She hadn't been to the beach house since that night and nothing had changed. The walls were still bare with only a scarce picture here and there on some retro table Gretchen had picked out from the Goodwill. The carpets were still stale and dirty the salt from the beach air embedded in the short strands that wafted through the whole house. Tapping lightly at Pacey's door she flinched as it slowly swung open the trunk closed firmly tight the floor organized and clean. 

Pacey leaned against the headboard of his bed his headphones consuming all of his attention as he sifted through a book. Joey absently rubbed her lower abdomen her maternal senses starting to kick in as she crossed the room sitting on the edge of the bed. 

He looked up offering her a confused smile as he pulled the earphone off of his head and tossing the book on his desk, "What are you doing here?" He asked. 

"You told me that you would be right here if anything changed and so things changed and I found you right where you said you'd be," she tried to say lightly but the mucus in her throat forced it husky and the soft whimpers made her voice crack. 

Placing his hand over his mouth he stared off at his feet his expression expecting the worst. "What's changed Jo?" He asked his cracking voice matching hers. 

"Well according to my math skills it seems that you will be a father by Halloween." 

His eyes rolled back as he ran his hands through his hair falling back against his pillow. "Um, okay, so I'm assuming you took a test." 

"Yeah," she said simply biting at her lip. 

"Have you gone to the doctor yet?" 

"No, I just uh found out actually," she explained her eyes skimming his room to distract her. 

"We're going to keep it right?" He said leaning forward his voice soft and comforting. 

She locked eyes with him shrugging, "I was planning on it." 

"Alright good," he nodded blankly, "good," he repeated just above a whisper. "So um, I think we should be together, because I mean, I intend to help 100%."

She looked back down at her hands; her fingers locked together holding onto each other tightly. "Yeah, okay." 

"Does Bessie know?" She nodded the periodic silence deafening. "We should go talk with my parents, maybe they can help." He blurted out suddenly being drowned with all the criticism his father would lay on him. But he needed to hear it, he needed to be punished for the things that he did. 

"Um, sure," she mumbled again her hand returning to her stomach as the rubbing comforted her. Crawling to the edge of the bed Pacey wrapped an arm around her shoulder the other hand covering hers following the circular motion she made over the baby, his baby, their baby. 

~*~

Gliding down the stairs Dawson removed his arm from Gretchen's shoulder as Pacey held onto Joey's hand tightly. "Where are you two going?" Gretchen asked staring at their locked hands. 

"Um, mom and dad's" Pacey explained glancing between the two. 

"Why would you be going to mom and dad's on your own accord?" Gretchen asked with a raised brow. 

"Well something came up." 

Dawson nodded his head towards their hands, "What's with the hand holding?" 

"Something big happened," Joey forced out. 

"What was that?" Dawson asked concern plastered on his face. 

Pacey glanced down at Joey he had never seen her so scared and unsure and she nodded giving him the go ahead, "Joey's pregnant, Dawson." His mouth dropped as his eyes widened, Gretchen's expression matching his, "and um, I'm the father." 

Dawson shook his head laughing incredulously, "I've heard it's impossible to conceive a child without any sexual relations of any kind." 

Letting out a deep breath Pacey bit back his lower lip, "Well it's quite easy to conceive when sexual intercourse is performed," he flinched as the words escaped his lips. 

His concern changed to fury as he stood up, "Get your hands off her, Pace!" Approaching Joey he swallowed her in his arms. "I'm not going to let him touch you again Joey, don't worry I'm going to take care of you." 

"Dawson, I'm going to take care of it," Pacey assured him. 

"Get away from her, Pace, just go away," he said his voice heavy as he gestured him away. 

"It's my responsibility, it's my baby, I'm going to take care of her," Pacey growled through clenched teeth. 

"Haven't you done enough already? Don't you realize that you just ruined her entire life? Her entire future!" 

Joey shook her head against Dawson's chest as her warm tears soaked through his shirt, backing away from his embrace she stepped next to Pacey, "We're going to take care of this," she reached for Pacey's hand. "Me and Pacey." 

Dawson's face-hardened, "Jo you think he's going to stay with you? He's already gotten what he's wanted, maybe he'll keep you for a few more nights till you start to show and then he'll be gone, off to the next girl he can screw." 

Stepping forward he stuck an accusing finger at the blonde, "Hey you can trash how stupid and irresponsible I was all you want." He was in his face now, his eyes dark his voice like venom, "But if you think for one second that I would ever walk out on my child you haven't known me at all in our 13 years of friendship." 

"Friendship? You screw my soul mate days after we break up and you're preaching to me about friendship," He asked incredulously, "you have to be kidding me." 

Pursing his lips he shook his head, "Oh I must have forgotten the definition after you ran off to Boston with my sister that same night!" 

"It's not like I slept with her!" 

"Will you two stop it," Joey yelled stepping between them. "We've all made mistakes, and Pacey and I just have to deal with the consequences." Grasping onto Pacey's wrist she dragged him away from their best friend, "C'mon it's time to inform the happy grandparents." 

~*~

Swinging on the porch bench he let the cool night air awake his senses. His father marched out sinking on the seat next to him, "Out of all the stupid things you've done in your life." 

"This is by far the stupidest," Pacey finished clasping his hands together. 

"Well it only fits that the respected Police Sheriff's screw up son married the Drug Lord's over achieving daughter." 

Pacey's eyes widened, "Marriage?" 

"You bed it, you wed it, it's the Witter way," his father said simply. 

"Touching, pop, real touching, I'll have to remember that in the proposal." 

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out two gold bands, "I bought these during Carrie's first pregnancy, I offered them to Gerry but he managed to get things together himself." 

"Yes he sure got things together, seeing as Carrie and her little rug rats are still bouncing around the house." 

Slamming the rings on the table he shook his head disapprovingly, "I knew letting you and Gretchen live solo in that little love shack of yours was a mistake, but why should I have expected any less from you?" 

He laughed bitterly, "Maybe because I've only been taught that I can fail." 

~*~

They had visited the clinic saw the little splotch on the ultra sound and heard the baby's heart beat around the room. They had a healthy baby that would be due by mid-October. The rumors in school had started to spread around but nobody actually believed them to be true. Dawson checked in on her often making sure she was okay and offering her help, he still however refused to speak with Pacey. What surprised her most was the shadow she had formed. Pacey carried her books, stood in the lunch line for her meals, helped out at the B&B, and held her hair back when she needed to puke. 

The weather had heated up and May brought around the full springtime atmosphere. Joey lay on her back resting her head on a pillow as she read through her English assignment. The steady warm breath on her stomach no longer distracted her; it seemed like a normal occurrence now days. 

"Hey baby," Pacey said in a soft whisper his chin resting on her lower abdomen. 

"Pacey the baby is barely past embryonic stages, I doubt any thing you do or say will affect its development." 

"That's easy for you to say," he said his cool breath tickling the sliver of skin under the hem of her shirt. "You get to talk to it whenever you want; I on the other hand am restricted to visiting hours." 

"I've told you before, if I could transfer my uterus into your body I would, but males are simply incapable of supporting life." 

He shrugged, "It's just another punishment for eating that damn apple." 

Covering her stomach she gave him a mock shocked face, "Don't use such foul language around our child." 

Snuggling back against her stomach he chuckled, "See baby, Mommy pretends to hate Daddy but deep down she enjoys all the entertainment he provides her." 

"Yes and Daddy also is a liar." Swinging his arm over her pelvis he shut his eyes against her warm skin as the steady rising and falling of her breathing slowly rocked him to sleep. "He also sleeps like a little baby," she whispered absently running her fingers through his shaggy mop of hair. Tossing her book onto the nightstand she flicked off the light. 

The soft moonlight bathed them through the window and the light in the hall furthered to laminate their sleeping forms. Dawson slid through the door placing the mug of tea he had brought on her dresser and rolling his eyes. 

That should be his comforting hand; his hair entwined through her fingers, his baby growing within her. 

~*~

Wrapping his arm around her waist he cupped her belly in his large hand, "You know one day you're going to lose your excuse for doing this." 

"Well I can fix that," he said with a shrug, "I mean this is the greatest feeling in the world." 

"Shut up, we're beginning to sound like a real couple." Joey snuffed prying his hand away from her. 

"So you feeling okay? Do you need me to go run out and pick up some Pepto-Bismol, Saltines?" He asked as she sifted through her locker. 

"I think you should save all this slaving hand and foot thing until I'm actually showing Pacey." 

"Speaking of which, schools ending soon." 

"Yeah, we have a month." 

"And well my dad says that I have to take responsibility of my life, so I think when schools over we need to get married." 

"Married? Why exactly would we need to get married?" 

"Um, for societies acceptance, our child's welfare, and if you ever get royally pissed at me you can't just walk out of my life and take our kid with you." 

"But Pace," she said shutting her locker, "what about college?" 

"It works out fine, you'll be at Worthington and I'll be over at UMASS, the Leery's already took me in as a chef over at the Fresh Fish, I got a security job over at the yacht club and I'm going for a janitors gig after graduation you know so we can get some money in our account before September. And hopefully our classes will work out okay; I mean you'll probably have to miss the first semester because of maternity leave but after that Grams will be around since she's moving up with Jen and Jack." Stroking her arm he leaned over brushing his nose against her forehead, "I want us to be a family, Jo." 

~*~

She straitened the light blue sundress trying to hide the evident lump that lay below it. Picking up her graduation gown she stared at it slipping it on over her shoulders. "Jo, we need to do this now." 

"What now?" She asked spinning in his direction. 

"Get married, there's an opening down at the Justice today and we need to do this as soon as possible." 

"Pacey, its graduation!" She said through gritted teeth. 

"Do you really want to go like this?" He asked gesturing towards her. 

"What do you mean by that?" Her eyes darkened as she placed her hands on her hips. 

"Jo, this whole town doesn't know yet, sure students and most of the faculty know but do you want to walk across that stage the wind pressing your gown firmly against your chest as all the respected towns people stare in aw at your rounded belly." 

"They're not going to care, Pace." 

"Like they didn't care about when your sister had a baby, she was at least 25! Jo they expect this from us. They'll think we didn't know any better, me being the town screw up and all there was probably a pool going on for the day I knocked some girl up. And you with your dad and the way you were raised, they'll say it was second nature to get pregnant with your unwed boyfriend." He pointed out, disgust lacing his voice, "We've been a part of the gossip before, the whispering, laughing, do you want to walk alone on that stage and hear what they have to say?" 

Turning her gaze to her feet she nodded solemnly, "Okay, let's do it." 

~*~

The town hall's air conditioner kept any of the summer heat out, and its benches were cold and dry. Joey sat tensely, her hand absently rubbing the small mound of life inside of her the other resting on her knee. Noticing this Pacey covered her free hand with his lightly stroking it beneath his thumb; she glanced over at him, his blue eyes watching her intently. For a brief moment their eyes locked and they just sat there, reading each other's fears giving one another support. Joey looked back down at the floor, for the first time she realized that she, Pacey, and the baby growing inside of her were going to be a family, and she wasn't scared. 

The wind blew heavily through the shiny blue gowns; some were decorated in a yellow band, others plain hanging loosely on their owners. Dawson adjusted his cap as he looked over the crowd. His eyes fixed on Bessie who sat proudly with his parents along with Alexander and Bodie. He looked further surprised to see Deputy Doug sitting next to an agitated Mr. Witter, Mrs. Witter next to him wiping away her tears from losing her baby boy. Looking back within the crowd of students he approached Jack, Andie, and Jen, "Where's Joey and Pacey?" He asked them. 

Their names were finally called as they approached the table, Pacey could feel his hand shaking and squeezed on Joey's tighter to hide it. Stopping in front of the Justice of the Peace Pacey handed the small bag containing the rings to him. When his father had told him that he had to marry her he gave him these rings in order to inspire him to do so. "Are we ready?" The Justice asked glancing between the two teens. 

"Welcome students, parents, and future graduates," Principal Peskin began glancing down at his copy of his speech every so often. 

"We are gathered here today." 

Dawson glanced back over at Joey's empty chair, his eyes then focusing on the white folded chair that belonged to Pacey also vacant. "Do you think there's something wrong?" He whispered to Jen next to him. 

"Josephine Potter," her name rang out over the field of Capeside High, but she could only hear the words spoken from the Justice as he continued the vows. 

The dean repeated her name again before setting the diploma off to the side. Bessie sat up her eyes trailing over all the metallic blue her sister no where within it her eyes widened as she took a deep breath. 

"I do." 

"Pacey Witter," Over a hundred heads looked to the empty white seat as his name rang through the air around them. 

Mr. Witter folded his arms over his chest nodding proudly as they continued to the next name. 

"I do." 

Slipping the small gold bands on each other's fingers their glossy eyes met as he cradled her hands in his. 

The students flipped their tassel over their cap suddenly realizing that they were growing up, that this was the next step. 

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." 

"Congratulation class of 2001!" 

"You may kiss the bride," he looked at her shyly before bending over capturing her lips between his. 

Nearly a hundred blue caps danced in the air as they rained back down on the high school graduates who spun below the shower of freedom. 

Pacey rested one of his hands on her stomach as they walked out into the muggy summer air. Twisting the loose gold band on his ring finger they walked to their car, husband and wife.