"So...I was thinking we could shoot the last scene in the ruins or something." Dawson tried not to let his nervousness look apparent. But he was saved.

"Sure. I'd love to...this weekend as in, tomorrow?" she answered smoothly, smiling with those glossy, pouty lips.

"Oh...that'd be great." He grinned. Wow. He sure had a way with words!

Jen looked expectantly at him, and the nervousness came rushing back.

"Uh...so..." he backed away.

"Bye?"

Jen nodded; frustrated he hadn't gotten around to kissing her yet. He scooted off.

"History...English..." Joey muttered, picking out each book from her locker.

"Joey!" called a familiar voice.

She cringed. Uh-oh...She slowly closed her locker and locked it, before turning to face him. "Hey." She said softly.

"Joey...look...I...." He hesitated. "Is there something wrong? You haven't come over in days..." he laughed a little. "Hey...my script and bed need you."

Joey groaned inwardly. No, what Dawson needed right now was to get laid! She nearly gasped out loud. Why had she just thought that?

"I can't exactly sneak out and leave my father just because *you* want me to write your script," she said. As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. She hadn't meant to sound so bitter. She looked up at Dawson's hurt and confused face. "I...I don't want you to 'write' my script, Joey. All I want is my best friend." He shrugged. "I guess it is getting a little hard lately. Your father hates me just because years ago my father turned him in. And now I can't even see you!"

"You have a girlfriend now, Dawson." She said sharply. "You don't need me." She said those words with great difficulty.

He rolled his eyes and stormed off.

Joey watched him leave, choking on the urge to call after him. He didn't know just how *much* she wanted to crawl into his bedroom, watch a movie, make sarcastic remarks at the screen, have a talk about how they were changing, piss him off by saying she couldn't sleep over, then kiss him and they'd...She shook her head. Waaait a minute. THAT was taking it a step too far. When was the last time they had started making out?

"Where's Joey?" Pacey asked, tucking into his fries and throwing Dawson a look.

Dawson broke off his conversation with Jen and shrugged. "I haven't a clue."

His voice was bitter and Pacey guessed they had had an argument. It was kind of obvious what it was about...Dawson complained Joey wasn't spending any time with him, Joey defends her father then attacks Dawson by mentioning he had a girlfriend. Technically he practically did. They had been having a lot of those talks at school lately.

Pacey was upset his two best friends were fighting like this. He studied Jen and Dawson. She was smiling prettily, leaning on her hand, and he was miling, his body turned towards hers. It was like a perfect picture, but that was all. Pacey couldn't help but feel apprehensive towards their relationship, which was silly. They had only met about two weeks ago, anyway, and Dawson had already decided she was his one true love. Pacey knew that Joey liked and maybe even loved Dawson, and watching he and Jen was painful for her, so using her father's hate for Dawson was the best excuse to just...slowly flit away.

Joey let herself into the house, and called out. "Dad? I'm home."

There was an urgent shuffling from her father's room, and then he came out with a beaming smile.

"Hello, Joey." He hugged her, then noted her sad face.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." She shrugged.

"Just..." She looked up at his concerned face.

"Just guy problems." She laughed as though it was no big deal.

"Aaaah. Let me guess...you like a guy...but he likes someone else? A friend, I suppose?"

Hah! Joey giggled. "Actually, I hardly know her. And it doesn't matter, I guess." She looked around the house, and saw things had been cleared away, and a large supply of alcohol was sitting on the kitchen bench. "Are you having a party?" She asked.

He grimaced nodded. "Yeah...the guys insisted I'd do it here."

He then turned serious. "I want you to stay in Bessie's bedroom, okay? She'll be at the Icehouse with Sandra, but you'll be here...right? Just keep to yourself. There might be some weirdo's and stuff. But...mostly friends...and even some family. Cousin Danny will be bringing a few friends." He chuckled uneasily and Joey nodded to show she understood, but she cringed. Her father was back only one week, and already he was planning wild parties? Joey knew, she just *knew* that there would be no drugs at this party...would there? And any idiot knew that Innocent eighteen year old Danny had *weird* friends.

Pacey spotted Dawson walking home and approached him...no Jen was in sight.

"Hey." He greeted Dawson's grim face.

Dawson instantly wiped the look off his face. "Hey." He answered.

"So..." Pacey said smugly. "Word has it Mr. Potter's throwing a huge bash tonight. D'ya think Jo'll be waitressing? Or maybe...table top dancing?" he said slyly.

Hmmm. The thought of Joey in a revealing tight dress was a good one...he mentally slapped himself. Oh, *ew*. Dawson rolled his eyes. "Come off it, Pacey. Mentioning Joey is not going to get me to admit I miss her."

Pacey put on a solemn face. "No, it's to make you admit there could be something serious between the two of you if you care so much."

Dawson gasped in disbelief at his friends assumptions, and even Pacey was surprised he had let that slip. "I have no idea what you are rambling on about, Pacey." He snapped. He surged forward, and Pacey wondered why he was getting so uptight.

"Why are you so upset? I'm *kidding*. About our *friend* Joey." Pacey replied. "Look...Dawson. I know you're angry coz' she's standing by her dads' rules." Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Hey...I know...why don't we go to the party?" Dawson ignored that invitation completely. "I mean...not go to the party, just go see Joey! Apologize, explain that you took all the trouble to get there and apologize, and she should accept."

Dawson shook his head. "Can't. I have to ask Jen out...tomorrow we're shooting at the Ruins."

"Cancel it. Jen's not the one ignoring you. She'll understand. You're going." Pacey had made up his mind, and was sticking by it. "Just for a few hours. We'll sneak around the back or something."

Dawson sighed. It was a stupid and careless idea. But he was drawn to it. If Joey wouldn't go to him, he'd go to her.

Joey stared idle out the window, trying to block out the loud party noises coming from the house and the creek. The police would so have to soon arrive, this being a party thrown by an ex-convict. Alex stirred in the corner, sleeping peacefully although the noise from outside was deafening. She had locked the door, and supplied herself with homework, homework...all of which was due on Monday, and which she would never have done in time.

Just then, a tapping at the window made her head snap up. She went over to it, and opened it. She gasped. "Dawson! What are you doing here?"

He grinned. "Came to apologize! It was Pacey's idea...I mean to come here. He's..." He made a sweeping gesture towards the party.

"Mingling." Joey's heart melted. How sweet! He had come, risking getting caught, to apologize!

"Uh...can I climb in?" he asked.

She nodded. "Sure." She helped him climb in, and led him over to the bed.

They sat down. "I know things have been incredibly complicated." he started. "Your dad hates me, my dad is weary of you...but I had no right to act all obnoxious when you said you didn't want to hang with me." he looked down at his hands. "I just...it's weird. I was angry because there are ton of ways to see each other...but you weren't taking them."

"I know." She agreed. "But I was feeling left out."

"Left out? Why?"

She laughed. "You can be *so* oblivious, Leery. Left out because of wonder-bra."

For the first time since Jen had arrived; Dawson chuckled at one of Joey's insults of Jen.

"You have no reason to be left out." He reassured her. "You're my best friend."

She nodded in agreement. "I know I am." instinctively, she reached for his hand, and held it tightly. She smiled at his face, and he smiled back. And that's when it happened. That weird, tingling feeling...sort of like electricity. It went through both of them as they gazed into each other's eyes, oblivious to their surroundings.

Suddenly, a loud whisper from the window shattered the trance. "Dawson!" it was Pacey, he gestured outside wildly.

"I'm fucking getting out of here!" And he was gone, dashing off into the forest to go the short way home.

Dawson sighed. "I wonder what's wrong with him?"

She giggled. "I don't know. Someone realized he was under age?"

"Probably." He stood up. "So...we can make it work out?"

She looked down at her hands, not answering.

"Joey?" He repeated.

"I don't know, Dawson." She sighed heavily.

"I know we're best friends and all...but..." she looked up at him with wide eyes. "You'll have not much time for me." She smiled wryly.

"Tomorrow's the big kiss, Dawson." She stood up. "Your first kiss, Dawson. A life changing moment, in which you share with your ladylove. You know, when you're in love..." her mindless chatter drifted off when she realized they were standing very close.

He bent his head, and softly grazed her lips with his. Then he moved in for a deeper kiss, soft, and gentle. She started to respond, and as she did, the kiss grew harder and more passionate. Almost as if to stop from collapsing, she clung to his chest and back, gripping his shirt as their tongues collided and started a passionate dance. His hands caressed her shoulders, before lowering to her waist, and then her thigh. Gentle tortured strokes, on her soft and quivering bare thigh.

"Mmm." She moaned, sizzling from his touch.

"Joey? JOEY?"

Joey gasped and they broke apart as a man banged on her door. "Dad." She said breathlessly, tugging down her shorts which had been lifted so Dawson could have more of a touch. Dawson straightened his shirt and cast a worried glance out the window.

"Joey?" Her father said again.

"Yes?" she answered, gesturing towards the window to Dawson. "Go!" She whispered urgently.

He nodded, and not sure what else to say, disappeared into the darkness.

Joey stared after him, unlocking the door, still a little dazed.

What had they done?

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