But I Thought...

Had she really said that?

"Jo, are you saying what I think you're saying?" Pacey asked incredulously.

"Yes," she breathed, "I want you to spend the night... with me."

Pacey looked at her to make sure he was hearing correctly. He didn't know what to do. A part of him wanted to stay with her, and the other part told him that it wasn't right - not so soon after Tamara, and because she was JOEY. And what about Dawson? But his teenage hormones took over, and he took her hand and led her into the house.

Joey looked around, her eyes adjusting to the darkness, and then beckoned him upstairs. They tip-toed into Joey's room and locked the door behind them. The lights were off as Pacey crushed his mouth to hers and they fell onto the bed. She pulled at his shirt and it was off in seconds. Hers was the next to go. Soon, the rest of their clothes (except for underwear) were on the floor, and Pacey was ready to pull those off, too.

But then he thought of how Joey was always thinking of her and Dawson being together like this, and he restrained himself.

"Jo, wait-" he said. She opened her eyes and looked into his, which were both dark with passion and dark with seriousness.

"What?"

"This isn't right..." Pacey answered, and rolled onto his side, "You'll - we'll both - regret this if we go any further."

Joey turned to face him.

"But Pacey-"

"No buts. Don't forget... you almost kicked me out of the house a few hours ago," he said and smiled, "And when I kiss you... I know that you're thinking of someone besides myself. Don't lie to me."

Joey sighed, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"I guess I did. But now... I don't know. Maybe you're right. But I don't want - I mean I do... I don't know what I want!" Tears began to fall down her face.

"Shh," Pacey comforted, "You don't have to say anything. Let's just get some sleep, and we can figure this out in the morning. Okay?"

She nodded. He opened his arms for her, and she lay against him with her back to his chest. Soon, sleep enveloped them both.

******************************************************************************

(The Next Morning)

"Hey, Bessie, is Joey awake?" Dawson asked. It was 10:00 A.M., and Joey hadn't come by yet to help finish the script for Dawson's new movie.

"I don't think so," Bessie answered as she set a plate full of pancakes down in front of Dawson, who began to shovel them down. "She got in kind of late with Pacey. Why?"

"Sha wa thupothed ta come ova an hel me wit ma skipt," he answered through a mouthful of pancakes, butter, and syrup. Bessie laughed quietly at his deformed words.

"After you finish those, you can go check her room. It was locked when I went up there, but I'm sure she'll let you in... And I see you're finished," she said, and took the plate away. Just then, Alexander began to cry in his bassinet in the living room, and she went away top take care of her baby.

Dawson poured himself a glass of milk, gulped it down, and then started up the stairs to look for Joey.

When he reached her room, he heard the shower running, and then shut off in his friend's bathroom. He tried the knob on the door, and found it was open. He heard the shower door open and shut. Then Dawson walked in... on Joey getting dressed and Pacey coming out of the shower in only a piece of white terrycloth.

Joey's head snapped around when she saw Dawson, and Pacey nearly dropped the towel around his waist. Joey's face had a horrified look on it, and she staggered back onto the unmade bed, pulling her shirt over her head.

"Jo? Pace?" Dawson squeaked.

"Dawson, man, this isn't what it looks like," Pacey tried, and then looked at the situation, "Well, maybe it is, but really-"

"No, Pacey, save it. I don't want to hear about your romping and rolling last night," Dawson said with a hurt smile, "You two obviously want some time alone, so I'll just leave now..." He turned around and left the room. Joey still sat on her bed, speechless as to what to say or do.

"Be right back, Jo," Pacey said as he pulled on cotton boxers and a white tee- shirt. He kissed Joey lightly on her cheek, and then dashed down the stairs. Then he realized that Bessie was probably up, and made a mad dash for the door just as Bessie came into the kitchen.

"Dawson!" he called, "Wait up, man!" He ran to catch up to Dawson who was just leaning down to untie the little boat that would take him back home.

"Wait for a sec, man, gimme a moment to explain myself," Pacey said, trying to catch his breath.

"There's nothing that needs explaining, Pacey," Dawson said calmly, but there were tears welling up in his eyes, "You and Joey had... had..." He couldn't even get the words out before the silent tears began to run down his cheeks. He brushed them away, and then sat down on the bank of the river.

"Dawson, we didn't have sex," Pacey answered quietly, "We were going to, but we just slept together. Nothing more."

"You really expect me to believe that? I'm not that dumb Pacey, or blind. You would also say that Joey wanted to do it, and you stopped it!"

"Well," Pacey said in amusement, "That's actually how it DID happen."

Dawson looked at him with cold eyes.

"Dawson, when I was kissing her, it was amazing. But I realized after a while that she wanted it to be you kissing her, your tongue in her mouth, your hands on her-" Pacey was interrupted.

"You don't have to go any further, Pacey, I get the idea. But you're wrong. Joey doesn't think of me like that. She thinks of me as a big brother or something, not a boyfriend," Dawson said, looking down into the cool water.

"And how do you think of her?" Pacey asked.

It was silent for a full three minutes before Dawson answered.

"If I lied, you'd know," he said and sighed. "I saw you two down at the docks last night. Jen and I were there. I thought we were getting back together. But then I saw you two kissing, and I got incredibly jealous. When I walked in her room, I wanted it to be me stepping out of her shower."

"In other words..." Pacey urged him on.

"I love her. I really love her. Not like I thought I liked Jen. But real love," Dawson admitted.

An audience applauded in Pacey's head... but his heart was breaking. He had been trying for months to get Dawson and Joey to realize how much they loved each other, but when Pacey finally got up the nerve to ask her out, they were realizing it. It just wasn't fair.

"Well," he said, getting up, "Tell her. But don't come running to tell me how great everything is for you, or how perfect you are together." He began to walk to the truck, still parked on the dirt path.

"Pacey, wait a sec!" Dawson said and went after him. He caught up and Pacey turned around.