Disclaimer: I still don't own 'em.
Author's Note: Let's see…I don't own them, I don't own anything, really. I hope this is enjoyable reading. Tell me what you think. Direction would be nice. This part took me a long time to write because I'm sort of lost. No surprise. Enjoy.
Feedback: It would be nice to have some. I'm a novice, so bear with me.
*****
“Pacey? Pacey Witter, is that you?” she asked. Pacey swallowed the champagne he had just sipped, and grinned at Cheryl Morgan. She fell into a gentle embrace with him, and then brushed his cheek with her lips before pulling away. “I must be in the twilight zone.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Why else would you be in a museum? I haven’t seen you in over a year, and this is where I find you? I would ordinarily have a better chance at a Knicks game,” she said slyly.
“I’ll concur with your reasoning. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t be here, but Jack McPhee is an old friend, and I haven’t seen him since high school,” said Pacey placing his flute on a passing tray. “So what have you been up to?”
“The usual. I’ve been living the glamorous of your average CPA, and on the side, I’m planning my wedding,” she added softly. Cheryl watched as Pacey raised one eyebrow, and smile slightly. He took her left hand, and observed the modest diamond on her finger.
“Miss “I shun commitment” has decided to settle? Maybe I’m the one in the twilight zone,” he cracked. She used her free hand and slapped him on the shoulder. “Ow.”
“Isn’t that just the pot calling the kettle black,” she shot. “That’s all in the past. You know I was willing to be with you, but I couldn’t wait forever, Pace. So I found Jason, and I’m utterly in love with him.”
“Then I offer you my most sincere congratulations,” he said squeezing her hand.
“Speaking of significant others, where is Joey?” asked Cheryl scanning the room.
“That wasn’t the smoothest segue. How do you associate Joey with significant others? We were never together.”
“Please, Pace. You two always go places together. That was part of the reason why we broke up,” said Cheryl. And the fact that you love her didn’t help either, she thought wryly. Pacey shook his head, but didn’t deny it. He knew his past infatuation with his roommate never helped any of his relationships. But things were different now. He finally accepted that Joey would never return his affections, so he had to move on.
“Let’s not rehash all that,” he sighed, turning to look at where he was talking to Joey, Jen and Bill earlier. Now there was only Jack and Bill. Pacey furrowed his brow and glanced around the room, but still couldn’t find them. “I don’t see her anymore, I suppose she’s just in the ladies room with Jen. Did you want to talk to her?”
“I know you’re good friends and all, but honestly, I would rather not. You know she never liked me.”
“I never understood that. Your personalities are so alike, I just don’t get how you two couldn’t get along,” said Pacey.
“Poor, foolish, Pacey. You obviously know nothing about women. It often perplexes me how a person of your intelligence could miss such an obvious thing as jealousy, and then I remember that you’re a man,” said Cheryl cynically.
“Don’t hold back on my account. What the hell are you talking about? Jealousy?” he asked.
“I’m so tempted to not tell you, and let you figure it out yourself, but I don’t think you two will ever get together unless someone helps you along,” she sighed. Cheryl let a moment of silence pass between them before going on. “Joey never liked me because she was jealous of the fact that we were together. She might not have minded any of your other girlfriends, but I was different because she and I are so alike. I remember you telling me she denied it, but I think on a subconscious level, she saw it too, and she wondered why I was with you, and not her. You follow?”
Pacey looked at her with an expression that could be nothing other than pure confusion and skepticism. He laughed it off and shook his head. “I think you must have been misreading some signals. Joey’s never thought of me as more than a friend,” said Pacey. And maybe a good lay once in a while. “I’m not wrong, Pacey, and you know it. Oh, and don’t forget the reason why we broke up. I figured out that your love for Joey went a little deeper than mere friendship. It upset me to no end when I realized I was just some sort of substitution for her, but I digress. I got over that a while ago. Now that I look at things, you two belong together. Because at the same time you were longing for her, she was harboring feelings for you,” she ended softly. Then she glanced over his shoulder and nodded her head to her fiancée. Pacey followed her line of vision, and saw a tall blond man who looked suspiciously jealous of Cheryl and the dark mystery man standing with her.
“I guess the conversation ends here.” Pacey chuckled nervously, and cleared his throat.
“I’m sorry I dumped all this new information on you. I suppose a party wasn’t the best setting to reveal some truths to you, but I felt as though you should know,” she explained. “You’ll come to my wedding, right?”
“Count on it. Who else would be the life of the party?” he asked, putting up a cheery front, though in his mind, he was in complete turmoil. The very idea that he could have been dense enough not to pick up on Joey’s feelings made him angry with himself. How many times had he scolded Dawson for his oblivious behavior?
“Of course. I’ll talk to you later, Pacey.” Cheryl touched his shoulder as she passed by, and he smiled slightly. As soon as he saw that she was with her fiancée, he strode over to Bill and Jack.
“Hey, McPhee, how you doing?” asked Pacey casually as he walked up to the men. Jack couldn’t help but smile at how little his friend seemed to change.
“Not too bad, how about you?”
“That’s still to be decided,” Pacey said cryptically. “Where did Jen and Joey go?”
“Your guess is as good as ours,” said Bill. “One moment they’re hugging Jack here, and the next they’re running out of the room.” As if on cue, Jen returned to their circle looking exasperated.
“Um, sorry about that,” gestured Jen, referring to their hasty exit. “I just sent Joey home in a cab. She said she was having a migraine, so I thought it best that she leave.”
“You sure it’s just a migraine? I think I’m going to go home and check on her,” said Pacey, eager to leave and find her.
“I think you should too,” Jen told him. Pacey turned to Jack and smiled.
“I’m sorry for abandoning ship like this; it would’ve been nice to catch up. But hey, look me up any time. In the mean time, I’m making my exit.” Pacey slapped Jack on the back and saluted them all before sauntering away.
“Are you sure they’re not dating?” asked Jack. “Because this has lover’s quarrel written all over it.”
“An astute observation, Jack, but they’re not dating. They’re in denial,” Jen sighed.
“From what you’ve told me, honey, I am so glad I didn’t know you guys when we were teenagers. How could four people be so angst-ridden?”
“That’s a question for the ages,” muttered Jack.
*****
The apartment was dark when he arrived at home. Pacey flipped a switch to turn on a lamp, then glanced up at her room, and saw that there was no light coming from under her door. He knew she wasn’t home, because if she were sleeping in her room, she would still have all the lights turned on. Joey hated to walk up the stairs in the dark.
Throwing down his keys, he began taking off his tie. He settled into his recliner and put his feet up. Where could she possibly be? And why would she lie to Jen?
*****
She hoped that he would care. But chances were, he didn’t. Chance were, he brought her home with him. Chances were, they weren’t just talking idly. Joey snatched her hand away from the doorknob. Stop it, Joey. You’re just being silly. He’s probably in there right now wondering where the hell you’ve been all night. Or maybe he’s not there at all. Maybe he went home with her.
Joey shook her head, then opened the door. All the lights were out, and the only sound was her keys clinking against one another as they dangled from her fingers. She smiled bitterly as she pressed the door shut softly behind her. Joey leaned against the door, and put her hand on her forehead. She used her other hand to turn on the lights.
“Well, at least he isn’t home to see me like this,” she sighed to herself. With a look of utter defeat on her face, she wobbled up the stairs, grasping onto the railing for dear life. Her balance was never good when she was drunk, even when all her other motor skills and senses were intact.
An audible gasp escaped her lips as she turned on the lights in her room to find Pacey sitting on her bed. He had pillows cushioning his head against the headboard, and he was comfortably dressed in his standard cotton white pajamas with navy blue trim.
“Damnit, Pacey, don’t scare me like that,” she admonished him. Joey stood motionless, using the door to keep her upright.
Pacey opted not to look at her when he spoke. “How’s your migraine, Jo? Feeling any better?” Joey wasn’t sure what he was talking about, and then she remembered her last words to Jen.
“I’m better now. Is that all you wanted to know? If so, could you kindly leave the room? I want to change and go to bed.”
“You were never one for modesty around me, even in college, so why start now?”
“Obviously you have more on your mind than my well-being. So go ahead and tell me what you have to say,” said Joey.
“I’ve been worried sick about you,” he said, finally turning to look at her. “When Jen said you left because you had a migraine, I rushed home to check on you. Evidently, you felt it necessary to lie to us, so I’d like to know where you’ve been, Joey.”
“That’s really no business of yours,” she said before going over to her walk-in closet. She chose to leave the door open as she unzipped her dress and let it fall unceremoniously to the floor. Suddenly Joey felt his hand grab her right upper arm, spinning her into his arms. She looked up into his eyes and saw his apparent anger.
“It is my business,” he said roughly. But almost as soon as his anger came, it left, and his expression softened. “Not only are you my roommate, but you’re my best friend. If there were something wrong, I’d like to know. I might be able to help.”
Joey reached up, and lightly ran her fingertips over his lips. Her heart ached as she realized she was just his friend, and not much more. Impetuously, she leaned in and kissed him. It lasted mere seconds before he pulled away.
“You’ve been drinking. I can taste it.”
“So what if I have?”
“You only drink when you’re really upset. I was right. Talk to me, Jo.” She pushed him away, and ran her hands through her hair in frustration.
“I’m okay, Pace. I…I just need some sleep, that’s all,” she said softly. Joey desperately wanted to throw herself into his arms, but she knew he’d just pull away again. Her pride couldn’t possibly take another blow at that moment. “I’ll be fine by morning.”
“Jo, I’m sorry…” She put her hand up to cover his mouth.
“No, don’t. It’s not your fault I’m this messed up lonely drunk.”
“Can you at least tell me where you’ve been? You left the party hours ago.”
“Obviously, I went to a bar,” she began with a nervous laugh. “And…here’s a shocker for you. I made amends with Dawson Leery.”
This visibly threw Pacey. “You talked to Dawson?”
“Uh, yeah. I figured it was about time to bury the hatchet,” she said, moving over to her bed. She slid under the covers, but remained in a sitting position. Pacey sat down next to her legs and kept his eyes trained on her, seeking some sort of emotion in her eyes.
“So how is Dawson?”
“Married. A little over a year to a perfect woman named Emily,” said Joey, rubbing her tired eyes. “He’s a successful child psychiatrist and he couldn’t be happier, save his reason for being in New York.”
“So he didn’t become a director? I wouldn’t have predicted that.” He thought she looked pained. Tears seemed to threaten to overflow at any moment. Suddenly, things made sense.
She might have initially left because of a headache, but Joey was clearly upset about more than that. Talking to Dawson. Finding out he was married and blissfully happy. Joey still loved Dawson. After all these years, after all the things that went down between them, she was still carrying a torch for him. Why else would she be so sad? He thought.
“Pacey, Pacey?” He snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to see her staring at him.
“Were you saying something, Jo?”
“I was just apologizing about being a nuisance. I shouldn’t have made you worry like that,” she said softly. Pacey squeezed her hand gently, and reached over to hug her.
“It’s what I do best.”
“What were you thinking about?” He released her, but still held her hands.
He pulled away and smiled slightly as he shook his head. “I was just thinking about some work I have to do tomorrow, or should I say later today.”
“You haven’t worked on the weekends since you first started out.”
“Yeah, but the current project I’m working on is highly important to the corporation, and I have to be on top of things all the time. I’ve slacked this past week, so I need to catch myself up,” he explained, both sick and relieved about how quickly he came up with his fabrication. “I suppose we both need some sleep. He tried to get up to go, but she held on to his hand.
“Stay with me tonight,” she whispered. Joey tried not to sound pitiful, but she needed him. It didn’t matter that he’d be there because he felt it was obligatory because he was her best friend; she just wanted him to hold her.
Pacey nodded his head, and she scooted over so he could get in next to her. He reached over and turned the light off before settling under the covers. He snaked an arm under her neck, and she snuggled in his body, resting her head on his shoulder and curling one arm around his waist. Pacey smoothed out her hair before kissing her on the forehead.
“Goodnight, Pacey.”
“Goodnight, Jo.”
