Joey paused before pushing open the doors to the Ice House early the next morning. She had lay awake a good half of the night trying to think of what to say to Pacey. The idea of not going to see him at all, taking the easy way out seemed appealing, but she generally didn’t like to take the easy way out. She decided she’d go to the Ice House before it opened and talk to Pacey before packing for L.A.

As she expected, Pacey was busy picking up a little. His focus on the counter he was wiping off quickly before the restaurant opened. He looked up though at the sound of someone entering the restaurant.

“I’m sorry, but the-” he began before realizing who had just walked in. He stopped dead in his sentence as Joey walked over to him.

“Hey,” she said softy.

“Hey,” he said back, trying not to look at her too long. “What do I owe to this little visit?” he asked.

“Pacey, I came here to explain before I leave,” she said.

“Back to New York?” he guessed. She shook her head.

“L.A.” she corrected. Pacey’s face hardened at the name of the city.

“Of coarse. You must not have gotten enough fun the first time down there, right?” Pacey said bitterly. Joey winced at his words, but knew she deserved the hatred that filled them.

“Pace, I know I messed up,” she said. “And I know there’s nothing I could possibly do to make up for the pain I’ve caused.”

“Then why exactly are you here, Jo?” Pacey asked, walking out from the side of the bar.

“Because I couldn’t leave here…and let us end like that; screaming at the top of our lungs at one another,” she explained. The room fell silent.

“And whether you believe it or not…I do care about you Pace,” she told him.

“Really? You care about me so much that you go off and sleep with Dawson. And now….you’re going back to him.”

“I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen between Dawson and I now that...” she trailed off. “And I didn’t come here to talk about Dawson.” Joey paused.

“Do you think, in the future, we could be friends again; like we used to be before everything?” Joey asked. Pacey thought about it hard.

“I honestly can’t give you an answer to that one, Jo,” he said. Joey nodded, lowering her gaze to the floor.

“But I’d like to think that could happen someday.” he added. Joey raised her gaze back to his face and smiled. That’s all she wanted; to be friends with him again.

“See ya Pace,” she said.

Pacey smiled. “See ya Jo.”

Joey felt relieved the whole car ride home. She figured that would’ve gone a whole lot worse than it had actually gone. Now for the next thing she was dreading… telling Dawson face to face that because the birth control had failed the night they were together, she was now carrying his child.

“So how’d it go?” Bessie asked as Joey packed up the things. Joey sighed as she folded a shirt.

“It went alright; could have done worse I suppose,” she said. “I don’t know. I mean, It’s not like all is forgiven between us…but for now I guess things are…” she paused, searching for a word. “better.”

“That’s great to hear Jo, really,” Bessie said. “Now all I gotta do is fill Dawson in on this,” she said as she motioned to her stomach. She wasn’t noticeably showing yet, but she had gained a few pounds.

“I wasn’t going to say anything, but since he called this morning-”

“Dawson?” Joey asked.

“No, Dad.” Joey froze. She had completely forgotten about him from all of this. It wasn’t like she could not tell him; he was her father.

“Uh, how’s he doing?” she asked, slightly caught off guard.

“He’s doing alright. He asked about you ya know,” Bessie told her. “Jo, your going to have to tell him soon. He is our father.”

“I know, I know. I just…I have to tell Dawson.” she said. “Bessie, I’m ten weeks already! That’s ten weeks I’ve kept from Dawson; ten weeks he’s missed out on.” The room fell silent. “But I do plan on telling dad.”

Just then, a small voice called out from the other room.

“Ma? Aunt Joey?” Both women turned towards the door.

“Were in here, Alexander,” Bessie called out. A few minutes later, little Alexander walked into Joey’s room.

“Whatcha guys doin?” Alexander asked.

“Packin’” Joey explained to her nephew. Alexander paused.

“Is it true your gonna have a baby with Dawson?” Alexander asked. Joey froze as both she and Bessie looked at Alexander.

“Alexander, how did you know about that?” Joey asked as she carefully squatted down in front of her nephew.

“I heard you and mom talking about it a few days ago. Is it true?” he asked. Joey looked up at Bessie before returning her attention back to Alexander.

“Yes it is; me and Dawson are having a baby,” she told him.

Alexander smiled. “Yes!”

“Your excited?” she asked.

“I’m really excited Aunt Joey!” Alexander exclaimed. “Just…have it be a boy, ok? Lilly’s enough to deal with,” he explained. Both Bessie and Joey laughed. Then it hit Joey.

“Alexander, honey, does Lily know?” she asked hoping he hadn’t told Dawson’s little sister. If he had then Gale probably would find out not too long after that.

He shook his head. “I haven’t say anything to her about it.” Joey sighed in relief.

“Can you do Aunt Joey a favor?” she asked.

Alexander nodded quickly. “Of coarse I will Aunt Joey.” Joey smiled.

“Don’t tell Lily about it yet, ok?” she asked.

“Ok, I promise.” Joey smiled.

“Good boy,” she said as she hugged him. After she broke off their hug, she stood back up and continued packing.

“Aunt Joey, when are you coming back?” he asked. As he joined Bessie on the other side of the bed.

“Hopefully, real soon,” she said honestly. She really had no idea what would happen in the next few weeks.

Finally Bessie spoke up. “Jo, where are you going to stay in L.A?” she asked.

“Well since Audrey’s back there, for god only knows how long, I was going to see if I could stay there for a few days,” she explained. It’d be good to see her friend again. She hadn’t seen Audrey in quite a while. She had gotten a call from her a few months earlier, telling Joey she was currently residing in L.A.

“Oh that’ll be good seeing Audrey again,” Bessie said.

“Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve seen her.” The three talked and joked while Joey finished packing, even tho her flight wasn‘t for a few more hours, she knew Audrey would be awake by the time she landed there. It was going to be a long flight…

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