"Dinner hour is fast approaching, Witter. Make it quick."

He nodded and pulled of his cap, heading through the swinging doors out into the dining room. He sat next to her, resting his elbow on the counter. "Hey."

"Hey." She didn't look at him, preferring instead to stare down at the paper in her hand. "Are you working all night?"

"Yeah. I've got closing duties tonight. Why?"

"Are you seeing Audrey afterwards?"

"Nope. She's got something tonight with one of her drama classes. Why? What's going on, Jo?"

"Can we…I need someone to talk to."

"Is he bothering you, Jo?"

"Who?" She looked up at him quickly, then looked back down at the paper. "Oh. Him. No. Not really. Not in class or anything. It's a little awkward, but we're just teacher/studenting it."

"You let me know if he starts bothering you."

"Can I see you tonight, Pacey?" She swallowed hard, her hand tightening around the paper as it curled into a fist. "Don't…I just need someone to talk to."

"Of course, Jo. You know that." He touched her hand, flinching when she pulled away. "Should I meet you at your dorm?"

"No. No. Can't I meet you at your place? Please?"

"Sure, Jo." He watched her with curious eyes as she slipped off the stool and headed for the front of the restaurant. "I'll be home about midnight." She nodded as he headed back toward the kitchen. Danny stood beside him and tilted his head.

"What was that about?"

"I don't know."

"Doesn't look like a happy girl."

"No." Pacey sighed and turned back to the oven. "No, she doesn't."

Joey stood at the railing of the boat, staring down at the blackened water. She shivered in the cool air, blinking against the icy tears that kept escaping. As soon as she heard the sound of footsteps hit the boards of the deck, she raised one hand and wiped away the evidence of her crying, drying her hand on her long sleeves.

"Joey?" His voice was quiet as he touched her shoulders, rubbing her arms gently. "You okay?"

"Can we just go inside, Pace?"

"Sure." He turned her around and guided her, his hand in the small of her back. She moved down below, not waiting for him to follow her before she sat on the couch and pulled the throw blanket over herself. Pacey stopped in the doorway, watching her as she seemed to curl in on herself. "Joey? You're scaring the hell out of me, so can you please tell me what's wrong so that I can figure out what I'm supposed to do to help you?"

She held out her hand and he stepped forward, taking the piece of paper she'd been crumpling earlier from it. Smoothing it out, he walked over to the lamp and switched it on. He stood completely still as he read the words, rereading them several times to try and make sense of them. Finally, he raised his eyes to hers.

"What is this, Joey?"

She shook her head, sniffling quietly.

"Joey?" He moved to the couch and sat next to her, grabbing her chin lightly and forcing her to look at him. "What is this?"

"The official results of my pregnancy test." She laughed bitterly. "Seems that Professor Wilder decided to give me more than an A to remember him by."

"What are you going to do?" He released her chin and stared down at the paper once again, the letters swimming in his vision. "I mean…"

"I know what you mean." She smirked softly, unable to meet his eyes. "You mean am I going to tell him that he's going to be a father or am I going to have this baby all by myself or am I going to give it up for adoption or am I going to have an abortion. That's what you meant, right, Pacey?"

He looked down at his hands, slightly surprised to find them trembling. "I don't know what I meant, Joey." He shook his head, swallowing. "I…"

"It's okay. It's not your problem." She got to her feet and let the blanket drop to the floor. She started to walk away when he grabbed her arm and held her there, holding her in limbo in the middle of the room.

"What can I do to help?"

"Nothing."

"Joey…"

"I know that you want to help, Pacey. And maybe I can let you. I just don't know right now. I don't know anything right now."

"The least you can do is let me give you a ride home." He got to his feet and stood behind her, still holding her wrist. He tilted his head, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "And you know I'm here if you need me for anything more."

"I know that, Pacey." She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. "That's why I told you. And why I can't tell anyone else just yet. Until I know what I want to do, I can't let anyone know."

"Dawson?"

"Anyone. Not Dawson, not Audrey, not Bessie. It has to be our secret, Pace."

He nodded, belatedly releasing her hand. "It will be."

She smiled bitterly. "At least for another couple of months, huh?"

Audrey settled on Pacey's lap, smiling before finding his neck with her lips, nibbling his skin. "Did you miss me?"

"More than you know." He grinned back, his fingers playing with her long, blonde hair. "How was drama class?"

"Very dramatic." She sighed and leaned back, slipping off his lap so that her legs were over his, her butt pressing against his thigh as she slumped against the arm of the couch. She ran her hand down the front of her shirt, catching the top button and unfastening it. "And oddly arousing."

Pacey's eyebrow rose in interest. "Would that explain your presence here then, Miss Liddell? All anxious from your class, so you came running to the one man in Boston who can relieve you of this particular," his finger started at her knee, trailing up her thigh before sliding down to the bottom of her zipper, "tension?"

"Something like that." She smiled coquettishly, promise in her eyes. "I have to admit, I was surprised to find you awake. I thought you'd be all tuckered out from a full day of cheffing, curled up under the covers and waiting for my icy cold feet to awaken you."

"I'm not tired." He stifled a yawn, belying the words. "I've had a lot on my mind tonight."

"Danny giving you shit at the restaurant?" She lifted her arm and played with the hair at the nape of his neck, closing her eyes as his fingers continued to trail over the thin denim between her legs.

"Nope. More of a personal…family nature." He closed his eyes as well, letting his head fall back, trapping her hand at the base of his skull. "Stuff I really don't want to think about." Turning his head, he smiled at her warmly. "What do you say we make our way into the other room and work at relieving some of your tension."

"And get your mind off your family issues?"

Pacey nodded, leaning down to kiss her softly. "Exactly."

"Why Mr. Witter, what kind of girl do you think I am?"

He pushed her legs off of his and stood up, extending his hand to her and pulling her to her feet and into his arms. "My kind."

She shook her head as he pulled away slightly and started walking toward the bedroom. "Do you really think shit like that works?"

He glanced at her over his shoulder as he opened the bedroom door. "Are you coming to bed with me?"

"Yes."

He let her pass him then pushed her down onto the bed. As she turned over, he straddled her, covering her body with his. "I think you have your answer." He nuzzled her nose with his.

Audrey sat up in the bed and leaned against the headboard, sighing quietly. Pacey was standing on the opposite side of the room, staring out the porthole. "Believe me," she spoke softly, befitting the quiet calm in the air. "I know that nothing is worse than a girl who asks you what's wrong. Except a girl who asks you what's wrong and then, when you say nothing, proceeds to ask you again and again."

"But?" He turned toward her, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth.

"Well, what's wrong? You know you can talk to me, right? I mean, it's been proven that, not only am I a good listener, which most people don't believe because I talk quite a bit, but it's totally true, but that I can keep a secret. Even those that have serious potential in the amusement department, were they to get out."

"I appreciate the sentiment."

She watched as he moved back to the bed, his naked body flecked with silver from the spray of moonlight. "But?"

"But it's really nothing."

"Right." She nodded and pulled the covers back for him. "You're just waking up in the middle of the night and staring out at the moon because you're…what? Writing poetry?"

"Something like that." He climbed into the bed and moved over her, holding his body above hers. "You wanna hear my iambic pentameter?" He kissed his way down her body, ignoring the soft sounds of protest as she struggled to talk to him.

"Pacey."

"There once was a Worthington girl, who gave this one boy whirl." He used his thumbs to part the damp flesh. "They made a good fit, as he sucked on her clit." He suited action to word, letting his tongue flicker over the hard nub. "Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah - irl."

Audrey's giggles dissolved into breathy gasps as his tongue continued moving over her, joined by his fingers as they slipped between the folds of flesh and pushed up into her heat. She let out a soft moan as he began moving his hand, pumping his fingers inside her, the tips of them brushing the upper walls of her passage, smoothing over the slick skin.

His tongue flickered over her clit, bathing the hard nub as his dark hair brushed the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Her breathing grew shallow as he pulled his mouth away, kissing her upper thigh then her stomach as he made his way up her body, his thumb now teasing her clit as he found her lips with his own.

Audrey's tongue snaked into his mouth, tasting the lingering flavor of her body trapped there. She deepened the kiss, both of them swallowing the sound of her moan as she came around his fingers. He slowly eased them from inside her, dragging his fingertips over her clit as he pressed his body to hers to hold her still as she spasmed with reaction.

Without allowing her to recover, Pacey reached up and grabbed a condom, slipping it on silently before sliding between her legs, pressing his cock into her. Audrey spread her legs wider, granting him access, her body grasping at his hot, smooth flesh as the waves of her earlier orgasm assaulted her. Pacey groaned deep in his chest and pushed forward, filling her.

They moved without words, the slick sounds of sweat and skin, heat and need speaking for them as he pushed inside her, his mouth against her neck, his breath hot on her skin. Audrey's fingers raked across his back lightly, leaving barely-there pink trails on his tanned skin. Her blonde hair lay scattered across the pillow, blanketing him as he pushed deeper, his hand reaching down and behind him to guide one of her legs across the backs of both of his.

Audrey complied, following suit with her other leg, both arms holding him as well, burying him further. Pacey's tongue wove over her skin as he whispered her name, the tight restraint of her body around his pushing him closer to the edge. He felt more than heard her gasp beneath him, her body grinding against his as her second orgasm hit. He felt her close around his cock, her body instinctively contracting around him and he gasped as well, losing himself inside her completely.

Audrey brought her hand up to Pacey's hair, stroking the thick, dark strands. "Pacey?"

"Yeah?" His voice was muffled by her skin.

"Great sex isn't going to make it go away."

He pulled away as far as she would let him, looking down into her eyes. "It was great sex though, wasn't it?"

Audrey smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah. It was."

"Can we leave it at that? For now?"

She let him pull away completely, watching him with sharp eyes as he fell to the bed beside her. After a long moment she nodded, letting him pull her against him, settling her head on his chest. "For now."

Joey stared at the line of girls outside Wilder's office and sighed, turning away immediately. Who knew how many of them knew she'd been his freshman conquest this year? Who knew how many of them had been there before her or were waiting to be the next one beneath his sheets? Leaving the building, she stopped and faced his window, not surprised to see him slipping over the sill.

"You know, there's actually a statistical possibility that some of them are actually lined up in there to get some guidance."

He stopped at the sound of her voice, looking at her somewhat warily. "Joey."

"David." She smiled as he winced slightly. "We need to talk."

"Is this going to be a talk where I walk out of the room with all my body parts attached? Figuratively and literally?"

"Possibly." She held her books against her chest out of habit, slightly surprised that she didn't feel she needed them for protection. She let one hand slide lower, resting at the top of her stomach and smiled knowingly. She had her protection.

He looked at her even more warily as she smiled. "Where? When?"

"Shall we meet at your place again?" Her eyebrow arched, her smile turning cruel. "Or would that put a damper on your love life, Professor? I'd hate to think I was ruining anyone's shot at a good grade."

"You know that had nothing to do with us," he dropped his voice, stepping closer. "You earned that grade."

"Did I?" She shook her head slightly. "You honestly think you're such a great writing teacher that I went from writing a C-level paper at the beginning of the semester to earning an A?"

"You earned that A before anything happened between us."

Joey stepped up to him, closing all the distance between them, her arms brushing his stomach. "That's bullshit, David. You know it and I know it. The sole purpose of that A was to close the gap between us."

"I don't lie about student grades, Miss Potter. You'll note the long line of students outside my door right now. I could fuck any one of them without a single thought to their grade."

"But where would the fun be in that? I mean, come on, Professor. Wasn't it you who said the forbidden fruit was so much sweeter?" She insinuated herself closer, dropping her books to her side so that her entire body was pressed against his. Her smile grew feral as he stepped back, looking around to see if anyone had seen them.

"Stop this, Joey. Right now."

"Or what? You'll report me?" She moved toward him. "Something tells me that you won't have a leg to stand on, David." She turned away and started walking, looking back over her shoulder at his confused and frightened face. "I'll be at your place at seven. And you'll really want to be alone for this."

Audrey tossed her book toward her desk, falling back against her pillows as it missed, slamming onto the wood floor. "Figures."

"What does?" Joey came in the door, shutting it behind her before making her way over to her bed.

"Everything. Everything figures." Audrey blew out a breath, her bangs dancing in the air. "You dated Pacey."

"Riiiiight." Joey nodded, glancing warily at her roommate. "I thought we'd covered this."

"We have. I'm just…reaffirming."

"That I dated Pacey?"

"Right." Audrey nodded and sat up straight, looking directly at Joey. "I mean, you've known him forever."

"Close to, yeah." Joey narrowed her eyes questioningly. "Are we going somewhere with this, Audrey? Because you're much better at the direct approach."

"Did you get laid?"

Joey stopped, her mouth open. Snapping it shut, she shook her head. "You remember that like, two weeks ago, I broke off my illicit affair with my professor, right? You remember that I'm sweet, innocent, little Joey Potter?" Smirking, she shook her head. "What makes you think I've gotten laid?"

"Well, you look…satisfied."

"And one can only get a sense of satisfaction from random sex?"

"Oh no. It doesn't have to be random. It could be deliberate. Or specific."

Joey crossed her arms over her chest and stared hard at her roommate. "Let me make sure I'm understanding you here, Audrey. Are you asking me if I got laid? Or are you asking me if I got laid by Pacey?"

Audrey sighed and fell back on the bed. "Neither. I'm not asking you anything." She stared at the ceiling for a long while. "You know him better than anyone though, right? Wouldn't you say?"

"Audrey…"

"I'm not talking about sex, Jo. I mean, we've got that part down. The sex is great."

"I really don't want to hear about your sex life with Pacey." Joey lay back and stared up at the ceiling as well, her hand resting on her stomach. "Is there something wrong with you and Pacey?"

"No," Audrey assured her before sitting up, sliding to the end of the bed and letting her legs dangle over the edge. "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Joey sat up and looked at her friend. "What's going on?"

"I can't talk to you about it."

Joey froze. "Why not?"

"Because it's a stupid thing that's probably nothing, whereas you're going through something big and serious. Life altering."

"What do you mean?" Joey managed to ask through clenched teeth.

"This whole Wilder thing. I mean, it hit you hard, Joey. You can admit that to me. There's nothing wrong with that. And it can't help that the two guys you always count on are otherwise involved."

Joey let out a quiet sigh, her body relaxing. "I'm fine. Professor Wilder was just…he was my teacher in more than English." Joey shrugged. "But I'm fine. It might be nice to think about someone else's relationship for a change. So tell me what's up with you and Pacey."

Audrey shrugged. "I went to see him last night." She shifted slightly, looking uncomfortable. "And everything was great, as usual, you know?" She blushed and shook her head. "But I could tell he had something on his mind. He said he didn't want to talk, so we dropped it. But then later, it was there again. He was just staring out at the water and…" Audrey paused and sighed again. "Do you think it's me?"

"What?"

"Whatever he's preoccupied with. Do you think it's me?"

"Why would it be you, Audrey?"

"Well, even though I'm his girlfriend, we're not your typical couple, are we? Weird circumstances abound." Audrey lay back on her bed, unsure she wanted to meet Joey's eyes. "Sometimes, I get a little worried when the sex is really good."

"Why?"

"Because what if he's putting everything into the sex because it's all we've got?"

Joey pressed her lips together for a long moment. "Audrey, Pacey's not just with you for the sex."

"Are you sure?" She sat up and stared at her friend. "How can you be sure?"

Joey held Audrey's gaze for a moment before answering. "Because when Pacey's in a relationship, he gives everything he has. No matter what."

"But I'm not you, Joey."

"It wasn't just with me, Audrey."

"But everyone else was before you." She looked at Joey, the unwanted glint of tears shimmering in her eyes. "What if everyone after you has to live up to you?"

"Considering how I treated him? I'd say everyone after me should be thanking me."

"I'm not worried about how you treated him, Joey. I'm worried about how he loved you."

Joey looked up when she sensed movement, a small smile lifting the corner of her mouth as Professor Wilder came around the corner and stopped, seeing her sitting on his porch steps. "Potter."

"David."

He winced again, and moved closer, walking up the steps without looking at her. Joey got to her feet and followed him, stopping in the doorway and watching him take off his coat, settling it on the rack beside the door. He turned around and looked at her, his eyebrow raised in question. "Are you coming in?"

"I wanted to be invited."

"Fine." His lips were drawn in a thin line. "Won't you please come in, Miss Potter?"

She moved into his house, closing the door behind her. She leaned against it, watching him as he walked directly to the dining room, grabbing a bottle of amber liquid off the top of the china hutch.

"You want a drink? Or is contributing to the delinquency of a minor another crime you plan to hold me accountable for?"

"I'd love a drink. Unfortunately, I can't have one."

"Oh?" He poured one for himself, not looking at her. "Why not?"

"At least not for the next eight months or so."

He continued pouring, the liquid spilling over the sides of the cut crystal. His hand tightened around the bottle and he forced it upright, setting it down on the table in the pool of scotch. He turned slowly, his eyes locking on hers. "What?"

"You're going to be a daddy, David." Watching his eyes widen further, she pushed off the door and moved closer to him, unable to keep from smiling as he took a step back. "What's the matter? None of your other little student flings ever hit you with this particular bombshell?"

"What the fuck are you talking about, Joey?" He reached for his drink and downed the entire thing in one swallow. "We…I always used…"

"Nothing's fool proof, David. And you have to admit the way you suckered me, I was definitely a fool."

He pulled a chair from beneath the table, not noticing as he sat down in a pool of liquor. "What does this mean?"

"It means we're going to have a baby."

"That's not what I fucking meant." He snarled the words, a feral glint in his eyes. "What do you want from me?"

Joey's smile faded and she looked at him seriously. She walked into the dining room and sat across from him, her slim hands resting on the polished oak. "I don't know yet. I don't know what I'm going to do." She glanced down at her nails as she traced the grain of the wood. "My sister got pregnant when she was twenty-one. She wasn't married. She's managed to cope pretty well. Of course, she'd probably skin me alive if I tried to follow in her path. I'm supposed to be the first Potter to go to college. To graduate from college. This would put a damper on that particular life plan."

"You wanted to have sex, Joey. Just as much as I did."

"A rape charge is the last thing you'll have to worry about, David." Joey met his gaze. "Trust me, there's more than enough for me to ruin you with, I don't have to make up a damn thing."

"Get an abortion."

"That's easy for you to say. You don't have to have your body vacuumed out. You don't have to live with the pain and the guilt. You don't have to do a damn fucking thing if I just get an abortion."

"I'll pay…"

"You think your 500 bucks is going to do a single fucking thing to alleviate what I'll have to go through? By myself?"

"How do you even know it's mine?"

"I've only slept with one other man, David. And it's been almost six months since I was last with him." She stood up and walked toward him, watching the fear in his eyes with a sick sense of pride. "You're stuck with this, David."

"What do you want from me?"

"Right now? Nothing." She ran her hand through his hair, curling her fingers in the thick strands and forcing his head back, his eyes to hers. "I just wanted you to know. Wanted you to sweat every day until I make a decision. Wanted you to suffer." Her smile widened. "Wanted you to think about the baby growing inside me every time you slide your dick into some other unsuspecting freshman."

Her lips were cool on his as she kissed him lightly, disdain scarring her features as she shook her head.

"Have a pleasant evening."

Danny looked up from the ledger on his desk as Pacey sat on the edge of it, tapping his heel against the metal leg. "Something I can help you with, Witter?"

"You're kind of a philanderer, right?"

"Well, that's a happy conversation starter. Any other broad statements you'd like to make on my behalf so I can be sure not to call you as a character witness?"

"Look, sorry." Pacey pulled off his cap and rubbed the top of his head before shoving it back on again. "You ever get anybody pregnant?"

"Is Audrey pregnant?" Danny's voice dropped, his eyes moving to the partially open doorway. "Jesus Christ, Pacey. Are you a complete fucking idiot?"

"I haven't gotten anyone pregnant, speaking of character witnesses." He glared at Danny and got off the desk, moving over to shut the door. He slumped down in the chair opposite his boss. "I know this girl…a friend of mine…"

"Okay, we're not in high school, Pacey, and I'm not an idiot. Joey's pregnant?"

This time his hand went to his face, rubbing his tired eyes. "Yeah. And she came to me to tell me, just to tell someone. And I feel like I should do something, but I don't know what I can do. I mean, I told her I was there for her to talk to and everything, but I feel so fucking helpless."

"You've got some serious issues with women." Danny opened his desk drawer and pulled out a flask, unscrewing the top and passing it to Pacey. "You the father?" He took a long drink, letting the liquid burn his throat before passing the flask back to Danny. "Is that a yes?"

"No. I'm not the father."

"Then why are you so worried about this?"

"Joey's…" Pacey fell back against the chair and stared up at the ceiling, his eyes moving from dot to dot in the tile. "Joey meant a lot to me. We were together for a long time and I loved her. I love her. I mean, I still care about her and want what's best for her, ya know?" He waited for Danny to respond, finally continuing when he didn't. "Joey's the one who's smart and supposed to succeed."

"And she can't do that if she has a baby."

"Joey couldn't give a baby up for adoption. She's not made that way. She'd sacrifice whatever she had to. Her whole family's like that. Her sister raised her pretty much by herself after their mom died and her dad went to prison. Joey knows how to sacrifice."

"What about…"

"I don't know if she can do that either." Pacey blew out a long breath. "Fuck, Danny. I think having an abortion would kill her. Kill a part of her that I don't want to see her lose."

"It's not your decision to make."

"What if she asks me for advice? For help?"

"It's her body, Pace. Her baby. Be there for her. Be her friend. But you're not responsible for any of this." Danny shrugged. "That's not what you want to hear, I'm sure."

"It's just…"

Danny shook his head as Pacey got to his feet. "My high school girlfriend got pregnant our senior year. She was almost past the first trimester, just about to show when she told me. I didn't have time to process a damn thing before we were on our way to the clinic."

"I'm sorry."

"I held her hand through the entire thing and I'll never forget the fucking sound for the rest of my life. I'll never forget looking at her face and knowing that I did that to her and that she was probably going to hate me for putting her through it. I sat there, my knuckles practically white as we held onto each other, hating myself just in case her hate wasn't strong enough."

"Jesus, Danny."

He looked up, meeting Pacey's tortured gaze. "It wasn't mine. She told me on the way home that she'd been sleeping with this guy she met at her job. She was sure it was his, but he'd blown her off when she told him." Danny took a hit from the flask. "You just be there for the people you care about, Pacey. That's all."

Pacey nodded and turned toward the door, not looking back as Danny drained the flask in a single drink.

"Drama class again tonight?" Joey asked softly as Pacey stepped aboard the boat. He stopped and she stood, moving out of the shadows. As he nodded, she shook her head. "I know the answer to that. I think I'm just asking if you want me to leave."

"I don't want you to leave, Joey."

She followed him to the doorway, slipping into the heart of the boat behind him. He pulled the door shut behind her, locking it. She sat on the long couch as he moved to the kitchen area, opening the mini-fridge.

"You want anything?"

"No. Thanks."

He nodded and came back, a soda in his hands. She stared at the can as he popped it open, the sound loud in the quiet room. She tried, but couldn't manage to hear the waves outside, beating against the hull in the soft breeze. "How are you?"

"Okay." She nodded, still watching his hands. "I went to see David…Professor Wilder today. I…I told him."

"What did he say?" His voice was soft, as if he was afraid to upset her.

She looked up at his eyes quickly, startling him. "Are you disappointed in me?"

"What?" He shook his head immediately, moving to sit beside her. "God, no. Joey…" He pulled her into a hug, holding her body close to his. "You should know that."

"I'm disappointed in me. For being stupid enough to think that he cared about me. For being stupid enough to just rely on one form of protection. For being so fucking stupid…" tears broke through, slipping down her cheeks as she raised her face to his. "I'm supposed to be really smart, you know."

"You are smart, Joey." He wiped the tears away gently. "You liked him. You thought he liked you…"

"I made you wait for nine months, Pace. Why'd you wait so long for me?"

The dark, silky strands of her hair slid back easily as he brushed them away from her face. "I was head over heels in love with you, Potter. And trust me, the second time always comes easier. And faster. I'm not disappointed in you, Jo."

"I thought I was pregnant once before. In high school." He sat back a little and she shook her head, unwilling to meet his eyes. "I didn't tell you because I was so afraid and then I found out that I was just a little late…"

"Jesus, Jo. You shouldn't have gone through that alone."

She laughed and pulled away from him, shaking her head more violently. "Stop it."

"Stop what, Jo?"

She stood up and glared at him, slapping him hard on the upper arm. "Stop being so goddamn nice to me!" Her voice rose, hysteria adding a keening edge to it. "Be angry. Be hurt. Be fucking pissed off that I fucked my teacher as if you didn't mean a fucking thing to me! Be…be something!" She sank to the floor, burying her head in the sofa cushion. He watched her sob, listening as the sound turned to bitter laughter as she pulled away and slumped against the opposite wall. "Jesus. I'm really living down to the Potter name, aren't I?"

"I can't be mad at you just because you're angry with yourself, Jo."

"Why should that be the reason? Haven't I given you a thousand other reasons to hate me?" She got to her feet and started pacing the room, the defeat from the night she'd told him replaced with anger and self-hatred. "What the fuck would I do with a baby? I can't even manage to take care of myself. Obviously."

"What does he want you to do?"

"Not tell Worthington that he's fucking his students." She laughed again, the sound harsher. "He offered me money for an abortion. He asked me what I wanted from him."

"What did you tell him?"

"That I didn't know."

"Do you know?"

"It would be a kind of justice to let him sweat after I'd made a decision, don't you think? Let him worry about it every day, wondering what I'm going to do as it gets closer and closer to the point of no return?" She smirked. "I don't have any choice, Pacey."

"You have choices, Joey. And you know that, whatever you choose, your friends will stick beside you."

"Which do you think would disappoint everyone more? If I had a baby or if I had an abortion?"

"Everyone? Or Dawson?"

"For once in my life I can safely say this isn't about Dawson." She sat down next to him again, her body close and warm. "Which would disappoint you more, Pacey? Which one would make you look at me with something other than respect in your eyes?"

His fingers grazed her face lightly, teasing over her cheek. "Nothing can change how I feel about you, Jo."

Her face tilted slightly and she pressed her lips against his, a soft insistent pressure that deepened as her tongue slipped past her lips to touch his, wetting them before slipping into his mouth. Pacey groaned softly and grabbed her by the arms, holding her away from him as he shook his head.

"No, Joey."

"I know. I'm sorry." She ran a hand through her hair. "I am sorry."

"It's over. It happened, but it's over and it won't happen again." He shook his head. "Let's just leave it at that."

"Right." She glanced down at her watch. "I should go. It's late and Audrey might be here soon, and I don't want to have to explain what I'm doing here." She turned and placed her hand on the door, turning the lock as she looked back at him. "I'm eighteen years old, Pacey. I've got my whole life ahead of me."

"And it's your life, Joey. So decide what you need."

She smiled, the corners of her mouth barely lifting. "I already have."

Audrey barely felt the wind coming off the water as she watched Joey make her way along the dock. Shoving her hands in her pockets for warmth, she slipped out of the shadows and headed for the boat.

Pacey opened the door at her knock, hurrying her into the heated room. He shut the door behind her, taking her coat and draping it over the counter before wrapping his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Hey," he breathed warmly on her skin.

"Hi." She turned in his embrace and kissed him softly, the heat of his tongue warming her chilled lips. "Mmm. You taste like booze."

"Danny and I tossed back something lethal at the restaurant today." He kissed her again. "How was class?"

"Fine." She smiled and slipped out of his arms, moving over to the couch. "Not exactly boozing it up with the boss, but good."

"Well, I didn't stagger home singing embarrassing songs or anything." He sat next to her, pulling her into his lap. "And you don't have to worry about Danny asking you if you really have a mole in the small of your back."

"What makes you think Danny doesn't already know?"

"Mmm," he nuzzled her neck. "I'm pretty sure he would have mentioned that. I think anyone who's had the very pleasurable experience of seeing you naked would shout it from the rooftops."

"You really think flattery's going to get me to get naked for you, don't you?"

"Well, I've got a few back-up plans, but flattery was my first choice." He began unbuttoning her shirt with one hand, sliding it beneath the parted fabric to find her breast, pushing aside the lace of her bra.

"Were you sitting here all night planning your seduction strategy?"

"No." He eased her back down onto the couch, her body reclined against the arm. He held himself over her, pushing her shirt away from her skin, baring her to the thick air. "Mostly I was just picturing you naked."

"And what was Joey doing while you were doing that?"

Pacey stilled, his expression confused. "What?"

"I saw her leave." Audrey sat up and pulled her blouse closed. "So I'm just curious what she was doing while you were picturing me naked. Or do I not want to know?"

Pacey sat back and shook his head, smirking slightly. "Well, most of the time she was sucking my cock."

Audrey flinched at his harsh tone. "I see."

"Obviously not if you think for a fucking second that that's true." He raked his hands through his hair. "Jesus, Audrey."

"What am I supposed to think, Pacey?" She got up and glared at him. "You've been distant lately. And then I come to see you and your door's locked. Then Joey hops off the boat and just strolls away down the dock."

"We were talking, Audrey."

"About what?"

Pacey sighed and shook his head. "I don't fucking believe this." Moving over to the kitchen area, he poured himself a glass of water, drinking it in one long swallow. "Joey's been a friend of mine most of my life, Audrey. I'm not about to justify every conversation I have with her."

"Why was the door locked, Pacey?"

"Habit?" He held up his hands as he shrugged. "I don't fucking know, Audrey. But it sure as hell wasn't what you're obviously thinking."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Audrey glared at him from across the small room. "What do you expect me to think, Pacey? The last time you two were alone together, she was kissing you, trying to get a hell of a lot more from you."

"And I told her no."

Audrey chewed the inside of her cheek, struggling to keep her emotions in check. "Are you in love with Joey?"

"Oh God." He threw his hands up and stared up at the ceiling, taking deep breaths. Finally, he looked at her, holding her gaze. "No. I'm not in love with Joey. She's my friend. Yes, she's my ex-girlfriend and I think it sucks that she got used by her jerk of a professor. But I'm not in love with her and I'm not fucking her."

"Then why are you so distant?"

"How am I distant, Audrey? Am I distant because one night I couldn't fucking sleep and I just decided to stare out at the sea for a while? Am I distant because I don't tell you every single thought in my head?" He rubbed his eyes and walked to her, stopping when he was barely a foot away. "Let me tell you what I'm thinking, Audrey. I've got this girl that I'm sort of crazy about. And she's wonderful and sexy and I'm the envy of about every guy in the world right now. Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky to have her."

She sniffled and offered him a small smile. "You're trying to sweet talk me."

"I'm trying to make you realize that you've got nothing to worry about when it comes to Joey."

Her smile widened slightly. "I want to believe you."

"You should believe me."

Her hand went out to him, her fingertip tracing over his shirtfront. "I bet there's a way you could convince me."

He smiled in response, closing the distance between them. "You think?"