But I Thought...

Dawson stared after Pacey, a look of total confusion on his face. Not the confusion of choosing Joey or Jen, but the confusion with Pacey. He didn't get it - what had he done?

Okay, so maybe you okayed it that they could go out, but... DevilDawson said.

No buts. You said they could, and they did. You should let Joey decide for herself. AngelDawson replied.

"Will you two please be QUIET!" Dawson said aloud. Then he smiled at himself for that, but his smile disappeared as he heard Joey's tears form her window. He ran into the house through the front door, past Bessie and Alexander, right up to Joey's room.

She was sitting on her bed with her head in her hands, crying to no end. Dawson couldn't bear to see her in so much pain - and it was all his fault.

"Joey?" he said.

"Go away, Dawson, please. Just go away," she answered through sobs.

Instead of obeying her, he went and kneeled down in front of her. He brought her hands away from her eyes and looked at her puffy red face. Dawson almost began crying from the look of her. He blinked away the tears and touched Joey's face.

"I told you to go away," she said weakly.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm going to obey," he answered. "Joey, please don't cry - I hate it when you cry."

Joey closed her eyes and brought her breathing back to a normal rate. When she opened them, she spoke.

"Dawson, when I came to see you about Pacey, I thought you said it was okay. But I don't know anymore. I don't even know what I feel myself!"

"Pacey told me what happened last night. I know you two didn't... It doesn't matter, anyway. All I want is for you to be happy, Jo, don't you understand that? And if it means being with Pacey, then... I'm happy that you're happy. Don't you understand that that's all that matters to me?" Dawson pleaded.

"Pacey stopped us last night," Joey said quietly. "We were going to, but he stopped. He said that it wasn't right. That when he looked at me, he knew that I was thinking of someone else. And I think he was right."

Dawson brought his face closer to Joey's.

"Then I also have a confession to make. Jen came over the other day, and said she wanted to get back together. I welcomed her with open arms. Literally. But that doesn't mean that the whole time, I wasn't thinking of you."

Joey sniffed. "But I thought...?"

"I love you," Dawson answered, and claimed her mouth in an earth-shattering kiss. It finally was his lips on hers, his tongue in her mouth, and his hands on her body. Joey kissed back in full, thoroughly enjoying the taste of his lips and tongue, and the feel of his hands on her.

When Dawson released her, Joey was breathless.

"The feeling's mutual," she said in between breaths. Dawson smiled and touched her hair.

"But what about Pacey?" Joey asked after a moment.

"He's going to be more than a little upset, we both know that," Dawson said and laughed quietly. "But if he really loved you enough to make you wait last night, he'll come to understand."

"I hope so," Joey answered. Then seeing Dawson's face, which had turned a little jealous, she kissed him again. The temperature in the room went up ten degrees with the kiss, and all Dawson could think about was his future with Josephine Potter.