One True Thing by: Amanda

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Disclaimer: Okay, put yourself in my shoes for a moment here. You're a 16 year old girl, funny, charming, popular, extremely hyper, and really neurotic. Let’s say your name is Amanda, and your nicknames are Mandy, Amandi, Chop Chop, Indi, and other various odd names. You’re pretty normal, just like every other non-snob in high school. So you write every once in a while, while also balancing school, a lot of homework, catching "Dawson's Creek" on Wednesday, soccer, and studying for tests. You enjoy writing, you get good feedback. But then comes *insert evil theme song, preferably Darth Vader’s march* the disclaimers. As if being a teenager isn’t complex enough, now you have to worry about lawyers stalking you. Now, Mr. Williamson and Ms. Carey are cool people, they were teenagers once, and seeing as how they write the best damn TV show out there and #1 songs, they must have done some writing when they were teenagers, so they probably understand where I’m coming from. So, at the risk of being sued for my Jelly Bellies and "Dawson's Creek" tape collection, I write this whole long, drawn-out disclaimer. Mr. Williamson and Ms. Carey, if you’re listening, don’t sue me. I've just got too much to live for.

Author's Note: No duh, ("Nar, NAR!" as Sheerlie would say-and NO, I didn't copy you!) the thing's told from Dawson's point of view. Also, thoughts, flashbacks, and something to show that a word is being enunciated are in **, so you'll have to figure that one out on your own.


When you love someone so deeply
They become your life

*Why is it now that I have her, I'm letting go?* I thought. *Because when you love someone so deeply, they become your life, and I now realize I have to let go.*

It's easy to succumb overwhelming fears inside
Blindley I imagined I could
Keep you under glass

*And it's easy to yield off overwhelming fears inside. I blindly I imagined I could keep her under glass.*

Now I understand to hold you
I must open my hand
And watch you rise

*But now I've come to understand to hold her, I must open my hand and watch her rise.*

"Joey, what must I say, what must I do, to help you understand I can't do this?" I sighed, as I broke away.

"I don't know, Dawson, but I *need* to do this," she answered.

Spread your wings and prepare to fly
For you have become a butterfly
Fly abandonedley into the sun

"Joey, for years I saw you as this...wonderful thing, and kept you under glass, but now I understand that I have to let you go, so spread your wings and prepare to fly. Away from me, into the sun" I told her.

If you should return to me
We truly were meant to be

"And if I return to you?" she asked.

"Then we truly are meant to be.''

So spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

"So spread your wings and fly, Jo," I finished.

She sighed and looked like she was going to cry. "Okay, Dawson, I accept this strange decision of yours, but I will be back," she announced with sad eyes.

"I have to go visit Pacey, he probably thinks I vanished off the face of the earth."

"And I have to get Katie."

"So I guess I'll...see you around.

I turned from her and began to walk towards the elevator. What would Pacey say about all this?

I got back upstairs to his level and walked into his room.

"Andie, can I talk to Pacey please?" I inquired of her when I saw Pacey's wife in the room.

"Sure, Dawson," she replied, leaving and closing the door.

"Pacey, a lot of things happened in the past few minutes," I countered.

"Enlighten me."

"I know I have a daughter, Kathryn "Katie" Jane Leery, and Joey kissed me."

"And?" my best friend inquired hopefully.

I have learned that beauty
Has to flourish in the light
Wild horses ride unbridled
Or their spirits die

"I realized that I need to let go. I learned that beauty has to flourish...for example, wild horses have to ride unbridled, or their spirits die."

"Dawson, why did you ever give her up? You loved her for 17 years, and now that she wants you, you can't throw that away!"

You have given me the courage
To be all that I can
And truly feel your heart will
Lead you back to me when you're
Ready to land

"But she gave me the courage to be everything I can be, and I feel that her heart will lead her back to me when she's ready to land."

"Ready to land?" he asked, confused. "Dawson...what's happening to you? Don't get all sappy on me, now!"

Spread your wings and prepare to fly
For you have become a butterfly
Fly abandonedley into the sun

I sighed. "In all those years I loved her, I built her up to be this wonderful...thing, something she isn't, just so I had a reason to love her. But now I know that she has to spread her wings and fly abandonedly into the sun."

If you should return to me
We truly were meant to be

"And if she returns to you?"

"Then we truly are meant to be."

So spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

"But for now, she has to fly," I ended firmly. But was I sure of my decision? I knew the answer to that.

I can't pretend these tears
Aren't overflowing steadily
I can't prevent this hurt
Almost overtaking me
But I will stand and say goodbye
For you'll never be mine
Until you know the way it feels to fly

No.

"The one thing I can't do, though, is pretend these tears aren't overflowing steadily inside, and I can't prevent this hurt almost overtaking me, but I will stand and say goodbye. Because Joey will never be mine until she knows how it feels to fly," I sighed, my voice shaking.

"Dawson, you still love her, I know you do, and you never stopped."

Spread your wings and prepare to fly
For you have become a butterfly
Fly abandonedley into the sun
If you should return to me
We truly were meant to be
So spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

"You're right, Pace, but she has to spread her wings and fly into the sun. And if she returns to me, which I predict she will, then we truly *are* meant to be. But for now, she has to spread her wings and fly."

Spread your wings and prepare to fly
For you have become a butterfly
Fly abandonedley into the sun
If you should return to me
We truly were meant to be
So spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

"Did you ever hear that song "Butterfly" by Mariah Carey? It's exactly like what you're saying, Dawson. And in the end, I always visualized her giving in and grabbing that butterfly and bringing it back to her. And that's what you need to do."

So spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

*"Joey, for years I saw you as...this wonderful thing and kept you under glass, but now I understand that I have to let you go, so spread your wings and prepare to fly. Away from me, into the sun" I told her.*

I knew that was a lie.

"You're right, Pace. I can't let her go, because who knows she may not come back to me when she's done. I have to talk to her." I got up, but before I left, I turned and smiled at him. "Thanks, Pace."

"No problem. Now, go get her, Tiger!"

I grinned at him and exited the room. My eyes searched for Joey and I found her staring right at me.

So flutter through the sky
Butterfly

*God, please don't have let her flutter through the sky yet.*

"I've flown, Dawson, and I came right back here. To you." We looked at each other, and knew we had to be together. I walked towards her, slow, then faster and faster until I was running. When I got to her, she was sealed into my arms.

Second chances are hard to come by, and I wasn't going to pass that one up.

So spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

Epilogue:

Joey and I had one more child, Rachel Miranda. Joey was the Speaker of the House for a number of years, and Katie and Rachel became Hollywood legends as actresses.

Pacey and Andie had two children, Molly and Jared. Pacey was a pediatrician and Andie was a English teacher who could never keep control of her classes for very long.

Josh was a artist and died instantly when he was in a plane crash at age 34.

Jen went to college where she became addicted to cocaine and died after 5 months.

Jack had been married to Jen when she died of cocaine addiction. In sorrow, he committed sucicide.

Emily, (Joey's child from her marriage with Josh) became the first female president and didn't have an affair with an intern!

FINIS


Yes, this whole "procrastinating-the-end-of-my-beloved-saga" plan isn't working anymore, it took too long to find songs and I just said, "To hell with having 14 million parts!"

-Amanda, (or "A", as "L" refers to me as ;)

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Drmaqn3@aol.com


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