See You in Eternity
Part Two
By Ainsley


Disclaimer: I only own these characters in my dreams...

Recap: Joey and Pacey, and Jen and Dawson were each paired up as couples that are married...with children (hehe!). Jen confessed to Joey that she's still in love with Dawson, and he told Pacey the same thing. Joey and Pacey fought over how to raise their 'daughter'.

"Bowling," Abby sneered. "How totally grammar school."

Dawson groaned. "Go away, Abby."

"Actually, Dawson," Abby said, watching the fear creep across Jen's face. "I know something that I think you'd find very interesting."

"I doubt it,"

"Abby, get lost," Joey said warningly. "You wouldn't want your face to run into my fist, would you?"

"Hello, violent tendencies, Joey," Abby rolled her eyes. "Not that I'm surprised. I mean, your family tree is like an advertisement for Alcatraz."

"Look, Abby," Pacey spoke up just as Joey opened her mouth to fire back. "I know how jealous you must be, seeing me here with other women, but you have nothing to worry about. I'll be all yours later on tonight." He winked at her.

"Be still my beating heart," Abby said sarcastically.

"Precisely what I had in mind,"

Abby snorted. "Oh, how rich. I'm outta here." She turned and stalked out of the bowling alley.

"That girl," Dawson pointed to her figure walking away. "Has a serious mental complex. What could she possibly have to say that would interest me?" Jen and Joey exchanged a look.

"I don't know, Dawson," Pacey shook his head. "But somehow, I don't think she was going to tell you about a great sale at Wal*Mart."

"Why don't we get started," Joey suggested.

"All right. Teams or individual?" Dawson asked.

"Teams," Jen decided. "I don't want to get stuck on my own."

"Girls versus boys, or couples?"

"Couples," Pacey spoke up. "Me and the wife can take on you two uptown preppies anyday."

"Sounds good," Jen agreed. "Except the 'uptown preppies' part."

Joey glared at Pacey, but decided not to complain so that Jen could be partnered with Dawson.

"Okay, you guys can go first," Dawson said, sitting down and pulling on his bowling shoes.

"Come on, Mrs. Witter," Pacey teased. "Show 'em how it's done."

"No way, Pacey. You're going first."

"Haven't you ever heard the expression 'save the best for last'?"

"Yes, and that's exactly why I'm telling you to go first,"

"Fine," Pacey picked up the ball, and sent it rolling down the alley. It knocked down two pins.

"Great job, Witter. That'll show 'em." Joey said sarcastically.

He shook his head. "No, I always do better on the second try." Pacey sent the ball rolling, and it knocked over the remaining eight pins. "Ha! See?" Joey rolled her eyes.

"A spare for the Witter family," Dawson noted. "All right, Jen. You're up." Jen picked up the bowling ball and eyed the finger holes wearily. "Guys, what are those holes for?"

Pacey and Joey exchanged a look. Dawson went up to help her.

"So, Jo, how does it feel to be married to the best looking guy in the bowling alley?"

"I wouldn't know. Ask Jen."

"Ha ha," he said dryly.

"I take it you didn't find my joke funny,"

"No, I did not,"

"Hmm, what a shame. I positively live to please my hubby."

"You're not exactly reveling in being my wife, are you?"

"Geez, Pace, how'd you ever guess?"

"I'm onto you, Josephine. I see what you're saying."

"Finally,"

"Okay, good job, Jen," Dawson said. "Mrs. Witter, your turn."

"Ms. Potter, thank you very much," Joey corrected, walking over and picking up a ball. "I choose to retain my maiden name."

"No wife of mine is going to have a different last name than me!" Pacey protested.

"Then we'll have to get a divorce. Oh, well." Joey frowned in fake disappointment. "I'm crushed."

"If it's that important to you, honey, I can learn to live with it."

"What a great husband, huh?" Joey asked Jen.

"I'm overcome with jealousy," Jen replied.

Joey got into position, then remembered that the last time she had been bowling, she was at the age where you rolled the ball from between your legs.

Since she couldn't very well do that now, she had to give the 'grown-up' way a shot. She made her best attempt at copying how Pacey had done it. The ball hit the wooden lane, and almost immediately rolled into the gutter.

"Great job, Josephine," Dawson teased.

"Don't worry. Us Witters do better on the second try." Pacey defended her.

Joey tried again, and the ball traveled a little farther down the lane before rolling into the gutter. She stood up and shrugged helplessly. "I haven't done this in a while."

Pacey stood and walked up to her. "You're not getting the right angle, Jo. Here-" He handed her a ball, and placed his hand on hers. "You have to tilt the ball just before you let go..."

Joey only vaguely heard the rest of his 'how to' speech. She was too busy trying to ignore the jolt of electricity that shot through her body when his hand covered hers. And how warm his breath felt on her cheek...

"...and then, you just let go. Got it?" Pacey finished. "Jo?"

"Huh?" Joey looked up at him wide-eyed. "Oh, yeah. I got it. Thanks."

"All right. Knock 'em dead." Pacey returned to his seat next to Jen.

Joey tried to recall what Pacey told her. Get the right angle? What was the right angle? Something about tilting the ball...yeah, that was it. Tilt the ball just before you let go.

All right, Joey, She told herself. You can do this. Don't make a fool out of yourself.

She slid her fingers into the finger slots, raised the ball out in front of her, and took a few steps forward. Then she tilted it quickly, and let go.

The ball headed straight down the center, crossed the middle arrow half way down the lane, and crashed into the pins, knocking down each and every one.

"Yes!" Joey cried, and jumped up into the air.

"All ten!" Pacey exclaimed, running up onto the lane to join her. "Perfect, Joey, perfect!"

Overcome with excitement, he pulled her into his arms and spun her around.

Joey laughed, and held onto to Pacey's shoulders tightly. Pacey gently lowered her to the ground. Joey stared up into his eyes, and suddenly realized where she was--in Pacey's arms.

"Wow," Joey said awkwardly, stepping away from him. "I can't believe I got all ten pins."

"Yeah," Pacey ran a hand through his hair. "Me either."

"Maybe you should be a bowling instructor, Pace," Dawson spoke up.

"Yeah," Pacey sat down and turned to Dawson. "So, who's turn is it?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Dawson and Jennifer, your baby is being baptized at St. Martha's on Sunday at two p.m.," Mrs. Maslow announced.

"Uh, that's going to be a problem," Jen said.

"Whatever it is, cancel it, Jennifer. Your baby must always come first."

"No, it's not a scheduling conflict," Jen explained. "It's a belief conflict. I don't believe in God."

Mrs. Maslow looked taken aback. "Well, that's something you'll have to discuss with your spouse." She moved on to Joey and Pacey. "Josephine and

Pacey, your baby has a doctor's appointment at five p.m. tonight."

"But I have to work tonight!" Joey protested.

Mrs. Maslow shrugged, as if she couldn't care less. "That's your problem, Josephine. Speak to your husband."

Joey looked over at Pacey, who was grinning.

"It's time to finally admit that you need me, Joey,"

"No way," She shook her head. "I'm not leaving the baby in your care. I'll talk to Bessie; she'll find someone to cover for me."

"Not on such short notice," Pacey said, in a sing-song voice. "Say it, Joey. You need my help. You can't do this alone."

"Dawson," Joey asked desperately. "Can you take Hope to the doctor's tonight?"

"No can do, Jo. I'm working."

"Jen?"

"I have a huge English paper to write. Sorry." Jen said apologetically.

Pacey smiled. "Come on, just say it."

Joey sighed. "You're enjoying this, aren't you."

"Yes, very much,"

"All right, Pacey. I need your help."

"You can't do this alone,"

"I can't do this alone," Joey forced out the words. "Satisfied?"

"Yup," He grabbed the egg off the table and stood up. "Come on, baby girl. Daddy's gonna take you out tonight."

"Oh, God," Joey shook her head in disbelief. "Pace, you're taking her to the doctor's office, not Disney World."

He raised his eyebrows. "Who says we can't take a little detour?"

"If Hope isn't at the Icehouse with me by seven, you can bet your sorry little ass will never see the light of day again."

"Aw, Jo," Pacey draped his arm around her shoulders. "I love it when you get aggressive."

Joey pushed him away. "And I love it when you get absent."

"Come on, wife. Where's the love?"

"If I said Siberia, would you go there?"

"I'd go anywhere for your love, my darling," Pacey joked. "Would you miss me if I went to Siberia?"

"How can I miss you if you won't go away?"

"Hello, plagiarism!" He rolled his eyes. "Jo, you stole that right off a popular keychain."

"Oh, and what about that 'Where's the love?' line? Pace, you took a song lyric from Hanson. How low is that?"

"Hey, those little dudes got it goin' on,"

"Please. I'd rather go through brain surgery with no anesthesia than listen to those morons."

"Mmm, now there's an erotic thought,"

"Excuse me?"

"The thought of you being tortured has always turned me on, Jo."

"Okay, you are the biggest pervert I've ever been married to,"

"Aw, you're just sayin' that,"

"No, I mean it. Trust me."

Jen and Dawson exchanged a look.

"They've never been this bad, Dawson," Jen said. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," He shook his head, watching his two best friends continue to spar right in front of him, unaware that there was anyone else on earth. "But something weird is definitely going on..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Bessie, what time is it?"

"Five minutes of seven. Why?"

Joey sighed impatiently. "Pacey should be here with the baby by now."

"Jo, aren't you taking this a little too seriously? I mean, it is just an egg."

"I don't know. Maternal instinct. Every fiber of my being is telling me that right now, Pacey is cracking my daughter open on the side of a bowl, and mixing her with milk and pepper, and then pouring her remains onto a frying pan!"

"You really don't trust him?"

"I don't know," She shrugged. "I guess I do. But I'm still edgy."

"And you're positive that this edginess doesn't come from wanting to see your husband?"

"Of course not," Joey replied, giving her sister a strange look. "Besides, he's not really my husband."

"Just like that egg isn't really your daughter,"

"Right,"

"Jo, do you realize - "

"Pacey!" Joey interrupted, as he walked into the Icehouse, and sat down on a stool at the counter.

"Hey, Jo. See, baby girl, this is where Mommy works. And that is Aunt Bessie. She makes good food." Pacey said.

Bessie smiled.

Joey grabbed the egg out of his hands, and glared at him. "You're late." Pacey checked his watch. "Nope. I actually have two minutes and fifteen seconds before my 'sorry little ass will never see the light of day again.' Did I get that right?"

"Yes," Joey sighed. "All right, I'm sorry."

"Excuse me? Remember, Hope is a deaf-mute. She can't hear you unless you speak up. And forgiveness is a very important lesson to teach a child."

"I'm sorry, okay?" she repeated loudly.

"I forgive you,"

"Gee, I'm so relieved," Joey said sarcastically.

"I can tell," He paused. "Hey, Jo?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you laugh at me if I said you look really beautiful right now?"

"No,"

"Would you kill me?"

"No,"

"What would you do?"

Joey tilted her head to the side, as if deep in thought. "Before or after I punched you?"

Pacey grinned. "That's what I get for trying to be a nice guy."

"I guess so," Joey handed him the egg, then began walking toward the kitchen.

She stopped about half way there, and turned around. "Pace?"

He looked up. "Yeah?"

Joey smiled softly. "Thanks."

Pacey's grin widened. "Anytime."

* * * * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks so much for all the great e-emails I got. Because of all the positive reinforcement, I've decided to continue. By the way, if the name of the story just doesn't make any sense to you, don't worry. My sister is confused too, but I promise, you'll get it when the story starts to end. Which won't be for a while, but hey, you can wait, right? I've got a whole master plan, and it'll all tie in together at the end. Thanks for reading, and keep that feedback comin'!



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