Prologue
Disclaimer: Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jen and all other Dawson's Creek characters are the proporty of Kevin Williamson and the WB. I don't own them, so please don't sue.
Rating: PG-13. If you can watch the show, you can read this.
Spoilers: You know what happened in season 1 of Dawson's Creek. Of how Dawson Leery was oblivious to the fact that his long-time best friend, Joey Potter, was in love with him. You know of how Dawson dated Jen Lindley, while his other friend Pacey pursued his English teacher, Tamara Jacobs. But what if some avents had happened differently? I am the Watcher(KIDDING…lol…sorry, in-joke, nevermind). Anyway, in this story, something happened at the end of the pilot episode to change the course of the entire series. What happened? Just wait and see.
Editors Note: I'm trying something different this time around. I usually write in script format, but I thought I'd try narrative this time. It's a little experiment for a fic I might co-write in the future. Hope you like it.
Dawson Leery entered his room and switched on the TV. He had just gotten back from his date witih Jen. Which, by the way, had ended up a complete disaster. Pacey probably had more luck bagging his English Teacher than Dawson dating Jen after tonight's fiasco.
Just what got into Joey? Sure Joey had always been a little rough around the edges, but she actually treated Jen like an enemy tonight. She did not even try to get to know her. For some reason she just seemed mad at Jen.
Why? he asked himself.
He grabbed some stuff off his bed and opened the closet door, only to be startled by Joey sitting in there.
"Oh! What are you doing in there?" he asked her. She looked up at him.
"Hanging with the clothes," she responded softly and sadly. She got up and flopped on the bed, Dawson's stuffed ET 'collectors item' in hand.
"What happened tonight Joey?" he asks her.
"I wigged out." She answers.
"What's going on between us?" he asked her.
Joey, not really knowing what to say, sits there quietly not really knowing the answer herself. "I think I have an idea," she replies reluctantly.
"What?" Dawson asked curiously.
"You remember the other night?" she asks him" "When you asked me if I was developing a "thing" for you...and I said no?"
Dawson nods his head, then he waits for her to continue.
"I'm starting to think that might not have been entirely true."
Dawson is speechless.
Excuse me? Did Joey just say she likes me? I mean not as just a friend but like 'Indy and Marrian' likes me? Oh god.
Dawson reeled back in shock.
"I'd better go," Joey said, starting for the window. Dawson manages to stop her before she can leave.
"Joey...wait. We can handle this." He says, not really sure how to back it up. Joey looks him in the eyes.
"No we can't." Joey tells him. "Maybe you can...but I..." she trails off, not sure how to continue.
"I don't wanna lose you Joey" he tells her. "What we have...our friendship...is the only thing that makes sense to me".
He meant that too. Despite everything that had been happening recently -- highschool, Jen, his movie -- his friendship with Joey was still the thing he felt was most important in his life.
He sits in his chair and thinks.
Somehow I've got to make her understand she's still my friend, despite whatever feelings she's developed. Ok, I'm not denying she's pretty...of course she's pretty. But...
"When I saw you in the movie theater with that lipstick on, I remember thinking how pretty you looked" he says. Joey looks towards him. "I mean, I ignored it. But I thought it."
Joey smiles at him, disbelievingly
"Yeah?" she asks him.
"But that was it Jo" he continues, which causes her smile to fade. "It didn't go any further than that. I'm sorry."
Joey sits up.
"When I saw you going for Jen's hand ... I don't know..." she falters, trying to muster up the courage to reveal this, "... for a moment, I wanted it to be mine."
Dawson looks at her sympathetically.
Joey starts talking, feeling more crazed. "I don't know how to rationalize this...I don't know how to analyze this...I don't know how to fight this" she sighs. "It's just there."
"So where does that leave us?" Dawson asks her.
Joey just sighs again.
Dawson begins to get exasperated. "It's all so complicated!" he says.
"Were growing up Dawson, that's all" she tells him "I mean even Spielberg outgrew his Peter Pan syndrome." She then stands up. Dawson notices her leaving, and tries to stop her again.
"Where are you going?" he asks her.
"I can't sleep over anymore" she tells Dawson. "I shouldn't have told you. I knew you wouldn't understand." Her eyes turn towards the floor.
"No that's just not true, Joey. I'm glad you did" he tells her, sternly. Joey looks at him, disbelievingly.
"Oh, are you?" she asks him, defyingly. "You never would have if you were me."
"I can you tell you anything." Dawson defends himself. He believed it too.
"Yeah?" Joey asks. "How often do you walk your dog, huh?"
Excuse me? Dawson thinks. "What?!" he asks her.
"You know what I mean" she answers. "What time of day, how many times a week?"
Dawson looks away, uncomfortable. What kind of question is that? I mean, getting alittle personal, Joey? he thinks. Although, what she told me was sort of personal too, wasn't it?
Even so, Dawson was feeling really embarrassed. Joey watches as his embarrassment grows. Her face falls.
"Goodnight." Joey tells him, softly. Joey pauses then turns for the window. She looks back once. "See ya Dawson."
"See ya Joey" he says, almost to himself.
She leaves. Dawson, angry at himself, gets up and sighs in frustration. Great going, Leery he thinks to himself.
Joey hurries down the ladder.
Dawson runs his hands through his hair, distraught. Not only have you possibly ruined any chance of a relationship with Jen, but now you might possibly have ruined the best friendship you've ever had.
Joey is walking fast, arms crossed, tears beginning to flow.
Dawson bangs his head against his closet. There has to be some way to... He stops for a second.
Joey is running, the tears flowing faster, to the dock.
Dawson sits in his chair, looking at his picture of Steven Spielberg, thinking. Ohhhhh no...no way, sorry Joey, there's no way you're going to get me to...
Joey unties the boat as quickly as she can. Suddenly, she hears Dawson's voice from the window.
"Joey!" Dawson yells.
She looks up towards the window, her face streaked with tears.
"Usually in the morning with Katie Couric" he tells her.
Confused, Joey stares at Dawson. Then suddenly she realizes what Dawson meant and her face spreads into a grin, her eyes laughing up at his. Laughing she pulls the boat away. They both start laughing. I can not believe I said that Dawson thinks to himself. Thank god Pacey isn't here. He'd never let me hear the end of it.
Joey rows away, happy. A car door slams. She looks and sees Mrs. Leery leaning into her co-anchor Bob's car and kissing him. Joey stares in shock. Oh my god she thinks.
She glances up at Dawson's window to see if he noticed. The window's empty. Dawson... she thinks.