I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing by: Katy

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Time: End of the Season Finale, baby!
I don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing.
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing.
-Aerosmith "I don't want to miss a thing" from Armageddon

Dawson and Joey's kiss seemed to go on forever. When they finally broke apart, they stared into each other's eyes, letting the moment absorb into them.

Joey broke the silence. "Is this a dream Dawson," she asked, "Am I going to wake up and find you're still with Jen and I'm on my own again?"

Dawson smiled at her. "You're never going to be on your own again. And if it is a dream, I hope I never wake up, because this is the sweetest dream of all."

Jen stared at the figures of Dawson and Joey kissing in the window. She felt sad knowing that she had lost him, but she was happy for Joey. It was Joey's turn to shine. Jen let a smile break through her tears, happy that they had finally found each other.

"It's about time," she said, laughing despite herself, "Now if only I could find someone, too."

Dawson had stayed awake all night long, watching Joey sleep. He was tired at school the next day, but to him, it had been worth it to watch her sleep. He loved the way she rested her cheek on her hand. He loved the way her hair fanned out over the pillow. He loved the way she breathed so softly. He even loved the way she looked in the morning, with her hair tangled and the sleep in her eyes. She was beautiful every moment of the day. Dawson's only regret was that he couldn't stay awake forever, just watching her.

Pacey had cheered when he saw Dawson and Joey kiss at school. He patted them on the back and told them that he had dibs on the role of best man at their wedding. Surprisingly, Jen seemed fine with it. In fact, she was even happy. She had hugged Joey and shaken Dawson's hand.

It was at lunch that Pacey, Dawson, and Joey found out about Jen's grandfather. They were a little hurt that she hadn't told them, but when she explained that she didn't want to put a damper on their day, they understood. Dawson and Joey wanted to keep her company that afternoon, but she wouldn't hear of it, telling them that they should spend the day together.

Instead, Pacey offered to walk her home, but she told him that she should probably be alone with her Grams that day.

Joey was working at the Ice House that afternoon, an hour before she was going to leave to meet Dawson. The day had been surprisingly slow, except for a few people coming for an early dinner.

Around five, a man and a woman walked in the Ice House. They immediately caught Joey's eye, because they seemed to stand out. They were dressed in designer clothing, the woman in an elegant blue business suit, the man in a turtleneck and khakis. They looked around the restaurant, sneering slightly.

It sort of ticked Joey off. The Ice House might not be a high-priced, ritzy restaurant, but she was proud of it.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Joey asked, walking over to their table.

The man and the woman looked her up and down.

"Excellent physique," the woman said, looking at her waist. "Impeccable figure," she continued.

"Fine bone structure,' the man said, looking at Joey's face, "lovely facial features."

"Excellent skin care," the woman said, "healthy, shiny hair. Not a blemish in sight."

Joey gave them a strange look. "Okay," she said, putting her notepad in her apron, "I'll give you a few minutes."

"Tell me, miss," the man said, "what's your name?"

"Joey…" Joey said, wondering if these people were escaped patients from a mental institution.

The couple grimaced as if they had been hit in the gut.

"Boyish name," the woman said, "Tell me…Joey…is that your real name?"

"No," Joey said, "My real name is Josephine. Josephine Potter."

The couple immediately brightened. "Josephine," the woman said, "I like it. It's old fashioned and elegant. And Potter gives it a down to Earth ring. Tell me Josephine, have you any modeling experience?"

"Well, I was first runner up in the Miss Windjammer Pageant," Joey said, with the strange look still on her face.

"A beauty pageant?" the man asked, "Excellent. Pageants, although someone primitive, are an excellent way to begin one's modeling career. You learn to walk properly. Tell me, Josephine, have you ever considered becoming a model."

"Um, who are you two?" Joey asked, not comfortable with all the attention she was receiving from the strange couple.

"Oh, how rude of us," the woman said, "I am Jacqueline DeMourier, and this is my associate Mark Elliot. We are from the Daphne Erikson Modeling Institute in New York. Surely you've heard of us?"

"Oh, of couuurseee," Joey lied, mocking the lady's affected accent, "Why, I practically live to hear about them."

The couple obviously didn't catch on to Joey's sarcasm.

"Excellent," the man said, "so then you are aware that we are one of the most elite modeling agencies around. We rarely accept new models. However, you have the look, Josephine, and few people can claim that. Here's our card. We'll be in Capeside for a few days, until our limo gets fixed. Dreadful town, Capeside. Not a Dolce and Gabbana in sight! Anyways, you can reach us on our cell phone. We'd like to take you to New York and sign you to a contract if you are interested."

"Well, I don't know," Joey said, "I mean, I have school, friends and family here. Plus, I have to work so I can save up for college."

"Oh we understand dear," the woman said, "Saving for college is a beast. That's why I went to New York to pursue modeling. We're not asking you to come for long, just for a few days, for promo shots. We'd have to submit them to the board of directors, but I'd bet you could become one of our models. And you could easily make around ten thousand dollars at a single photo shoot or fashion show. If you did sign with us, you would only have to come up to New York for a few weeks, then you could come back to Capeside for a while, or until we needed you for another shoot. We would have tutors for you, of course, so you could finish high school. And if after you graduated, you still wanted to go to college, why, you'd have earned enough money to go to any college in the world. Do say you'll consider it."

Joey looked at the card. 'It can't hurt to try,' she thought, 'I've got nothing to lose.' "Sure," she said, "I'll think about it. I'll have to talk it over with Bessie, but I might be able to."

Pacey found himself walking towards the ruins. Times like this, when he was alone, he thought of Tamara. Her memory was fading fast, and Pacey was afraid that once it disappeared, that he would be even more alone than ever.

When Pacey reached the ruins, he saw that he was not alone. Hiding behind a bush, he saw a beautiful girl, about his age, walking around. It was as if she was a ghost. Her clothing was old fashioned Victorian dresses, cream colored, with an elegant lace bodice. In her hair, she wore a single faded ribbon. He could have sworn it was Joey, except this girl had hair all the way past her waist, and Joey would not be caught dead in such a frilly dress.

Pacey lost his footing, and fell on the ground, causing several twigs to break. The girl heard, and turned around quickly with wide eyes.

"Wait!" Pacey called as the girl began running away, but it was too late. She disappeared through the ruins. Sinking down to the ground, Pacey put his head in his hands and said, "Smooth, Pace, real smooth."

Later that day, someone knocked on Jen's door. When she opened it, she saw Cliff standing there with a bouquet of wildflowers.

"I heard about your grandfather," he said, "So I brought these for you and your grandmother."

Taking them, Jen smiled and said, "Thanks, that's really sweet. I'm sure Grams will think so too. Would you like to come in?"

"Sure," Cliff said, stepping inside the house. He looked around for a moment and said, "Nice house, your grandmother keeps it up well."

Jen smiled. "Yeah," she said, "She loves this house dearly. Lately though, I think it makes her sad, because this is the house that Gramps bought her for their wedding day."

The conversation stopped when a teary-eyed Grams walked in the room. "Oh,' she said, drying her eyes, "Clifford, I didn't know you were here."

"Yeah, Grams," Jen said, handing her the flowers, "he came by to bring these for us and to give us his condolences."

"There was something else too," Cliff said, "I know there's nothing I can do to lessen the pain of losing a loved one, but I was going to offer to make dinner for both of you tonight. It would be one less thing you had to do."

Grams and Jen both smiled, touched at his offer. "That is very nice of you, Clifford," Grams said, "And we accept."

Cliff smiled. "Shall I come over around eight? I'll cook the food at my house and bring it over."

Grams nodded. "That would be wonderful, Clifford. This is very sweet of you."

Cliff smiled again. "It's just my small way of telling you how sorry I am. Eight it is."

Dawson was straightening his room, when he heard Joey climbing the ladder.

"Joey," he said, smiling, "I'm glad you're here."

Dawson immediately picked up on the fact that something was on Joey's mind.

"What's wrong?" Dawson asked, concerned.

Joey paused, and said, "Well, this weird couple came in the Ice House today…Not weird like most people, but really weird. They were these modeling agents from New York. Anyways, they want me to go to New York with them and join their modeling agency."

Dawson had a distraught look on his face. "If you went, how long would you be gone?" he asked.

Joey sighed. "Well, I'd have to go up for a couple days for promo shots, and then I'd come back." Dawson relaxed slightly. "And then," Joey continued, "If the board of directors decided they wanted me, they would contact me, and I would go to wherever they booked me."

Dawson paled. "Well," he said, hesitantly, "It's a great opportunity…You'd make a lot of money, at least enough to go to college."

Joey nodded. "I think I'm going to take it," she said, "After all, what have I got to lose?"

So Joey went up to New York that weekend, and had her promo shots taken. She was to be notified later that week. All week long, she walked around nervously. She wasn't really into modeling, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Dawson, Bessie, and Jen all picked up on Joey's strange behavior, but Pacey, who was pretty perceptive for a male, didn't. He was too preoccupied with the mysterious girl he had seen.

Everyday, he went down to the ruins and watched from behind bushes, but she didn't show up. One day, when he had just given up and was leaving, he heard her coming.

Hiding behind some bushes, he saw her walk out, carrying a white rose. This time, she was in a blue chiffon gown, still from the Victorian era. Her hair was immaculately curled and styled.

Pacey was careful this time. He stepped out slowly. When she saw him, her eyes went wide, but she didn't run.

"Hello," Pacey said softly, not wanting to frighten her, "My name is Pacey, what's yours?"

The girl froze like a deer in headlights. "I'm..," she said, shaking, "I'm not supposed to talk to boys."

Pacey smiled. "I'm not a boy," he said, "I'm a Pacey." She giggled at this, somewhat at ease. "Now, does a name come with that pretty face?"

She blushed. "My name's Kathleen. I'm staying with my grandfather Ethan."

Pacey's eyes went wide. "You're staying with Old Man Ethan?" he asked, incredulously.

She nodded. "Yes. I've actually lived on his land for a while, but he just recently let me wander off on my own. I'm always supposed to stay with my tutors. I'm not supposed to be here either. He said this is off-limits. That's why I ran when I saw you. I thought you worked for him and were coming to bring me back. I don't want to get in trouble."

"I'm not going to get you in trouble," Pacey said, "I was just curious about you. You do seem a bit…old-fashioned."

Kathleen looked at her clothes. "Grandfather Ethan says I shouldn't worry about trends. He says old clothes are just as good as new ones. These were my Grandmother's. Grandfather doesn't really want me to be tainted by outside influences. He's afraid that I won't survive out there. He says to me, 'Kathleen, the world's a dangerous place. I keep you inside because I love you. I don't want you to die. That world killed your mom, killed your pa, and killed your grandmother, and I won't let it hurt you.'"

"So he keeps you inside all day long?" Pacey asked, not completely understanding.

Kathleen shook her head. "Not all day," she said, "I get to go play in the fields sometimes, but I don't really go any farther. Grandfather doesn't even tell people that I'm here. He says it's none of their business, and they wouldn't understand his devotion to protecting me."

Kathleen looked around nervously. "I dare not stay longer," she said, looking terrified, "Grandfather will come looking soon." She started to walk away, then stopped and turned around. She ran over to Pacey and kissed him square on the lips. Then, she blushed and ran away, leaving her rose behind.

Pacey picked up her rose, and smelled it, imagining Kathleen as he did.

Looking after the way she ran, and fingering the rose gently, he wondered when he would see her again, and if their meeting was fate.

"That was lovely, Clifford," Grams said, placing her napkin on the plate.

Joey and Dawson were hanging out at Joey's house on Wednesday, when the phone rang. Joey answered it, and after saying a few words in it, she hung up and screamed excitedly.

"OMIGOD!" she yelled, grabbing Dawson, "They want me to be in the agency! The board showed my pictures to Cynthia Rowley, some fashion designer, and she wants me to be in her Spring Fashion Show! Not only that, but Jacqueline says that they'll pay me $2000 dollars to do that show. $2000 dollars! If things go like this, I can pay for my college education, Alexander's college tuition, and maybe even put a little aside for the future."

Dawson faked a smile, happy for Joey, but upset that she might leave. "When do you go to New York?"

"I would leave this week-end," Joey said. Suddenly her eyes went wide. "Oh my god," she said, "There's so much I have to do! I have to tell Bessie, and I have to pack. Bye, Dawson!"

"What about movie night?" Dawson said, sitting up, as Joey began climbing out the window.

"We'll have it when I come back," she said. Joey stopped before she left.

"Things are really happening for me Dawson. Just think, I pass up going to France for a semester, and instead land a modeling gig. This isn't usually my thing, but I mean, this is amazing."

With that, Joey disappeared out the window.

"Yeah," Dawson said, flopping back on his bed, "See ya Jo."

Next up…
"Supermodel"

Next

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