. Summary: Who doesn't love the episode 'Four to Tango'? This story is an alternate version because that episode deserves to be relived in as many ways possible. This begins in the classroom scene right after Pacey starts talking to Joey about his casual sex pact with Jen. Warning: Includes sexual content Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

Taking in a sizzling breath she entwined her fingers pacing nervously in front of the boat house. She found herself there every night now hovering outside of the door working up the courage to confront him. Releasing a heavy sigh she took a strong step towards the misty doorframe working up confidence with each passing step, unaware of the follower in the shadows.

“Pacey?” Her voice cracked as she called into the twilight.

Looking up from the workbench he shook his head solemnly, “We have nothing left to say Jo.”

“I had to talk to you,” she explained rocking on her heels.

“What wanted twist the knife a little further, so you and Dawson can have another laugh at my expense?” He questioned bitterly before turning away.

“I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry,” she continued biting back her tears, “and that we could all just turn back to the way it was.”

“I think we already have,” he muttered coldly, “we’re back to bitter enemies and Dawson and you get to try soul mate reunion round four.” He paused, “But you can’t relive the past now can you? Because you see now, no matter what you try to change, we’re lovers.”

“I never said that I wanted to change everything,” she sobbed timidly.

“Don’t do this,” he shook his head pointing an accusing finger at her. “Quit with the mind games and tugging me around with my heart like I don’t even matter.”

“But you do matter,” she pleaded as he headed towards the door.

“Just tell me one thing, Jo, there’s one thing that I really want to know.”

“What is that?” She tried to sound strong, a masquerade of how broken she truly was.

“Do you regret it, anything, everything, did you regret it?” He questioned his voice now soft.

She downcast her eyes sniffling back her tears, “It would hurt too much if I told you.”

His eyes hardened as he scoffed, “That’s what I thought,” he finished before stalking out of the boat house.

Dropping her head to her hands she wished she could turn back things to the way they were, before Dawson knew.

~*~

She had lied to him, he thought pacing through the darkness, he had asked her and she had lied. Stopping mid-step his eyes fell on the sailboat, still hovering in the air, almost perfect and brand new after months of hard work. His boat, their boat, everything that he had come to hate over the past week, they had built it together and staring at it now it was the most appalling thing he could lay his eyes on. Tightening his hands into fists Dawson stomped towards it a new fire in his eye.

~*~

Still in an empty daze she wondered through the boat yard trying to find her way out but not having the will to leave. Suddenly she heard a crackling sound a strong thick smoke hitting her senses and as she glanced over her shoulder she saw the oranges and yellows dancing in a glowing flame on the deck of True Love.

“Pacey!” She screamed, and without even realizing it she had started running towards the fiery mess. Stopping she was suddenly enticed by the swirls of red and yellow blending with the soft blue of the bow melting away months of work, so quickly, so effortlessly it swiped through it worse then the hurricane.

He was already standing beside the boat, frantically dousing the flames trying to protect his baby, all his sweat and blood before it was too late. Within a few moments it was down to a small smoldering flame, gashed into the side of the bow like a scar from a battle.

Joey glanced at Pacey wiping the sweat and sot from his brow catching his breath as he glanced over at her from the corner of his eyes questioning her presence. Without thinking her arms were around his neck wrapping her body desperately around his and sobbing into his neck, “I was so scared,” she whimpered.

He was in shock for a moment lost in the heat of her body before he slowly returned the embrace his arms so tight around her he wondered if she could breathe. “It’s okay Jo,” he cooed softly into her ear patting his hand over her silky strands of hair. “Everything’s fine.”

“I thought I lost you,” she cried clinging tightly.

“I’m right here, I’m still right here,” he reassured her.

“The boat,” Joey gestured towards it, “what about the boat?”

“I’m gonna fix it, I’m gonna make everything better,” he bowed his face into her silky chestnut hair inhaling the sweet lavender sent that he had craved for the past week.

“How’d it happen?”

“I don’t know,” he sighed honestly, “I was just sitting on the edge of the dock and saw the reflection off the water.”

Her wide brown eyes looked into his shaky and shiny with threatening tears, “Are you sure Pace, that she’s going to be alright?”

He nodded smoothing his hand over her cheek tangling his fingers through her hair in the process, “I’m going to fix her up, and she’s going to be stronger then ever.”

She raised her brows, “How can you be so sure.”

Taking her hands in his he led her to the ladder leading to the deck, “Because she only looks bad on the outside, on the inside she’s still fine.”

Joey turned to him before mounting the steps bracing his face in her hands and kissing him softly and timidly, “Nothing’s changed on the inside.”

He knew it was wrong, every cell in his brain telling him to turn away, but he was already pulled in mesmerized by her powerful spell, the one he could never resist. He kissed her back, his tongue quickly invading her mouth as he braced herself on either side of her, “Nothing,” he repeated before they continued their way onto the deck of True Love escaping into the cabin.

~*~

His empty eyes bore into the cracks of the smoldering wound their limbs entwined, the soft creak of every thrust piercing in the stale air.

Oh God 

He cringed but it didn’t hurt him.

Pacey

His eyes darkened but he refused to feel pain.

I love you

Like a gun shot through his chest he was broken, and now more then anything he wanted her back. Running his hands through his blond locks, he swore to himself that he would get her back.

~*~

He held onto her tight, surprised when he woke up and she was still there and when she began to stir he loosened his grasp, cursing himself for waking her. “Morning beautiful,” he groaned his voice still thick with sleep.

She smiled warmly rubbing her sleepy eyes against his bare chest before looking back at him, “I was afraid I’d wake up to your smug mug,” she teased cuddling against his warmth.

“That almost hurt, Josephine,” the past week vanishing in his mind except for the parts that brought her there.

“Please tell me it’s Saturday,” she moaned burying her head back into the contours of his chest.

“It doesn’t matter,” he explained tightening his arms around her, “I’m not letting you go anywhere.”

Her round eyes looked up at his, “I’m going to have to leave eventually.”

Pacey sighed resting his chin on her forehead, “This is it, isn’t it?” He whispered painfully.

“Let’s not think about that right now,” her tone matched his as she dragged her wet lips along his chest.

“Can we just get this conversation over with now, before I get the wrong impression then?”

“We’re hurting too many people,” she said simply.

“What about ourselves?”

“We’ve been selfish,” she dismissed still trying to hold him tightly.

“Is it anything I’ve done?”

“No, it’s just not the right time, there are too many outside forces, we should have been more honest.”

He nodded, “Do you think there will ever be a right time?”

She met his eyes, her glossy eyes looking at him hopefully, “I hope so.”

“Me too,” he whispered kissing her softly on the forehead. The glimmer of hope still shining dimly not yet ready to give up.

~*~

Joey stared down at her tray after having a long day of death glares from Andie, bitter snuffs from Dawson, and longing gazes from Pacey she felt like the biggest bitch on the planet.

“Is anyone sitting here?”

“No,” she shook her head smiling softly as Jack sunk into a seat across from her. “So I guess you hate me too right now huh?”

He sighed, “Andie’s really hurting right now.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

“I’ve been trying to hate you all week, you know for stomping on my sister’s heart but I can’t pull myself to doing it.”

She offered him a half smile, “You don’t know how much that means to me right now.”

“I guess it’s because I can’t find anything that you really did wrong, I mean it’s not like you’ve been sneaking around behind our backs, Tom on the football team says you’ve been making out in the halls for at least the past month,” he paused smirking slightly. “I guess that shows how shitty of friends we’ve been.”

“I still can’t help but feeling really guilty, you know, for betraying Dawson and Andie to such a strong degree. We broke the cardinal rule, both of us dating our friend’s ex.”

“But still,” Jack interfered, “it’s not fair to you two, for not getting your chance, we all did. You and Dawson, Andie and Pacey, me and you, hell even Jen and Pacey.”

“I wish Dawson was as understanding as you are,” she sighed her expression dropping.

“Why are you letting him control you like this?” He asked leaning against his elbows on the table.

“It’s too complicated for you to understand,” she shook her head. “Dawson is all I have, and if he left me I’d have nothing.”

“Think of all that you’d gain when you finally cut him loose.”

She bowed her head contemplating it for a long moment, “I don’t think I’m ready to do that yet. All my life when I didn’t have a family he was there for me, and I can’t turn my back to him.”

Swallowing her hand with his he smiled at her reassuringly, “I’m here for you Jo.”

She smiled again fighting her hardest not to cry, “Thank you Jack.”

~*~

April had rolled around and nothing had changed, every one walked on eggshells around each other afraid they’d say the wrong thing and shatter their broken friendships further. Dawson and Pacey never spoke, Andie avoided Joey’s apologies at all cost, and Joey and Pacey never got beyond small talk before some minor disruption. 

Shuffling through her locker Joey groaned, her first day at seventeen had been nothing that she had expected. Her favorite sweater had a giant hole in it, her truck wouldn’t start and she realized that she had forgotten to write her English essay that was worth 20% of her quarter grade.

Sifting through a pile of papers her eyes fell upon a shiny navy blue box with a golden trim. Picking it up she ran her fingers along the edge before unfolding the letter.
 

Thinking it as a peace offering from Dawson she clawed the clasp of the box opening it quickly to find a small silver charm shaped like a sail boat, but not any sail boat, this one mimicked the familiar True Love almost flawlessly. Shutting her locker tightly she stalked off towards the door.

~*~

She found him sitting on the edge of his boat already bobbing on the waves tied to the docks looking off at the horizon. “Hey,” she whispered fidgeting nervously on the salty wood of the pier.

“Hey,” he replied glancing over his shoulder the setting sun setting a pinkish glow on his skin.

“I wanted to say thank you,” she explained holding up the box.

“Well I got it for you a while back,” he sighed, “I guess I just didn’t want it to go to waist.”

She stared down at her feet, “It’s perfect.” Digging her hands into her pocket she took a strong step forward, “Do you mind if I join you?”

He shook his head, “C’mon aboard.”

Bracing herself on the post of the dock she took a step on the deck climbing over the railing and taking a seat next to him. “I can’t believe she’s actually afloat.”

“I told you I’d fix it,” he shrugged still staring out at the water.

She nodded looking off into the distance, “You did didn’t you.”

“So how’s your birthday been?” He asked trying to lighten the mood.

“Crummy,” she rolled her eyes stopping them when they landed on his frame, so close she could reach out and touch him for the first time in what seemed like forever. “Until now.”

He hid his fluttering heart with a light chuckle, “You don’t have to preach to me about the birthday blues, remember I’m the one who originated the curse.”

She nodded, “Right.” The sea breeze danced around them as they sat there afraid of what to say next, “So how’ve you been.”

“Okay,” he shrugged, “besides this constant pain in my chest, you know it’s kind of like an elephant stepping on your chest, it hurts to breath sometimes.”

“Yeah,” she agreed slightly above a whisper, “and you can’t find the strength to smile anymore.”

He took comfort in the fact that she was going through the same thing as him, “And you can’t think straight because your mind is always on something else.”

“So you keep yourself busy but it doesn’t change how empty you feel.”

Pacey glanced at her through the corner of his eye, “What do ya think it is?”

“A broken heart,” she murmured.

“Do you think it will go away anytime soon?” He questioned hopefully.

“Some day.”

“Reconstructive surgery or am I gonna have to get a new one.”

“The surgery sounds more appealing because yours is too beautiful to replace,” she whispered painfully.

“There goes that cramp again,” he bit back a tear that was about to fall laughing nervously and clutching his chest.

“The right time will come eventually,” she said taking his hand in hers, “but I’m not ready yet.”

“Can you keep me posted, because I’m really not a patient person?”

She smirked, “You’ll be the first to know.”

Directing their attention back to the sunset they rested on the edge of the boat fingers laced slightly rocking steadily on the open waves, not ready to let go.