In Another's Eyes Part Two by: Aria

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(Song Written by Garth Brooks, Bobby Wood, and John Peppard. Performed by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood)

In another's eyes, I'm someone who
Loves her enough to walk away from you
I'd never cheat, I'd never lie
In another's eyes.....

In another's eyes, I can do no wrong
He believes in me, and his faith is strong
I'd never fall, or even compromise
In another's eyes........

In another's eyes, I'm afraid that I can't see
That picture perfect portrait that they paint of me
They don't realize, and I pray they never do
Cause every time I look, I'm seeing you,
In another's eyes.

In another's eyes, starin' back at me
I see a sinking soul trying desperately
To turn the tide before it dies
In another's eyes.........

And what they don't see, is killing me
And it's a blessing and a curse that love is blind.......


In another's eyes, I'm afraid that I don't see
This picture perfect portrait that they paint of me
They don't realize, and I pray to God they never do,
Cause every time I look I'm seeing you
In another's eyes.
______________________________________________

"You've got to be kidding me..." Dawson said to the clerk at the airport terminal.

"No sir, I'm not kidding. The layover will be longer than expected due to fog in the area. Probably no more than 4 hours. Now if you would please just take a seat, I'm sure there will be an announcement soon concerning your flight." She replied shortly, as Dawson turned to go back and sit down. It was about midnight, and because of the fog, it had taken them nearly twice the time it normally would to get from place to place. Just what he needed, 4 more hours stuck in an airport in Denver with three tired and cranky kids that just wanted to see their grandparents. He sat there for a while, holding a sleeping Maura against his strong chest. Colin was laying across a couple chairs with his head resting on his father's leg, sleeping peacefully, and Max was laying on the ground with his head on a carry-on bag.

Dawson didn't want to sleep. He didn't want to miss an announcement about their flight, and he needed to watch his kids. He found his mind wandering back and forth between what he was going back to Capeside for, and memories of his friends and their times in high school. All the movies they watched, all the road trips they took, all the things that made growing up so special. His mind drifted back to their senior year of high school, to their prom.

~*~

Nervous, he stood in the front of Joey's house. He couldn't wait to see her. Bessie could tell he was getting bored, and was becoming increasingly nervous. She walked over to lighten the mood.

"So, Dawson, you planning on having my baby sister back at a decent hour tonight?" She asked, trying to break him, and attempting to get him to smile.

A grin spread over his face. "Not a chance in hell." he replied.

"I thought so. Gosh, Dawson, you do really look handsome." Bessie reached out and straightened his bow tie. His black tuxedo fit him perfectly, and Bessie commented "You guys are going to be he best looking ones there" with a smile. "Joey was really looking beautiful last time I checked on her."

"She always looks beautiful to me." He added with a goofy grin on his face. "What's taking her so long?" he asked impatiently.

"I'll go check and see what's going on...keep your shorts on." Bessie said as she walked to the back of the house where Joey was getting ready.

Dawson sat on the edge of the couch fiddling with the corsage he had bought her. His mom helped him pick it out, and it was beautiful with delicate lavender tea roses. He hoped she'd like it. He looked up when he heard the sound of someone entering the room. When he saw her, he was breathless. He couldn't think.

"Well, say something Dawson." Joey said. She was utterly angelic. From her Cinderella-like lavender gown, to her delicate hair and make-up, Dawson had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

"Joey, you are breathtaking." He walked over to her and put his arms around her waist. She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off. "Shhhh....I just want to remember the way you look right now, for the rest of our lives." he said as he brought a finger to her lips.

She smiled, moved his hand, and kissed him gently on the mouth. "You know, if you are this speechless at our prom, how are you going to react when you see me in a wedding gown at our wedding?" she asked.

"At our wedding, I will be the happiest man alive. However, the sight of you in a wedding gown may be more than I can bear....Pacey may have to prop me up at first glimpse of you." he answered smiling.

"I love you, Dawson Leery. Let's go to our prom." she said, taking his arm.

"I love you, Joey Potter. I'd be honored to escort you." he added, opening the door for her.

~*~

Dawson thought about this night often. It was the first time Joey had ever mentioned marrying him. A wedding that would never happen. It was so strange to him. He had always assumed that he would marry Joey. He had always assumed that his children would be her's too. But life didn't work out that way. He fell in love with Rachelle, and married her. These kids that he loved so much were her's, not Joey's. How could his dreams have been so far off from reality? His head was starting to hurt. A voice over the intercom awakened him from his thoughts.

"Attention passengers of American Flight 486 to Boston, Massachusetts: Please make your way to the boarding area at this time."

"It's about time.....hey guys, wake up. It's time to get on the plane." He gently woke up the boys and gathered their belongings. Being careful not to wake up Maura, Dawson led the way to the boarding area. Within a few minutes, all were comfortably in their seats, waiting for take-off.

I just want to see what her life is like now. I want to know how she is. If she's happy. Nothing more, Dawson thought to himself, as the plane started it's ascent. He knew it was more than that, but for the sake of his kids, and his feelings, he was trying to convince himself that it was just that. I wish I didn't still love her....... was his last thought as he drifted off to sleep, as the plane soared high over Denver.
__________________________________________________

"I cannot believe I am going back there. Andrew, I don't want to. I changed my mind." Joey said to her husband as she crawled into bed beside him.

"Okay, so we won't go. You know, you've changed your mind about 40 times since that letter came last month. I don't care if we go or not, Jo. You know that I'll do whatever makes you happy. But you also know I think you should go, at least to see your old friends." he said, taking her into his arms.

"You're right. I want to see Jen. And Pacey, I want to see if he's been in prison yet." she added sarcastically, resting her head on his chest.

"Okay, so then tomorrow we pack up the girls, get on the plane and go back to where you grew up. I'm actually excited to see it, Joey. And plus, don't you want to see Bessie and your family?" Andrew asked, brushing her hair out of her face with his hand.

"Of course...I'm just nervous I guess. It'll pass." She thought of Bessie and Bodie. They were married shortly after she left Capeside for Boston. Alexander was almost 8 now, and very soon before Joey's daughter Molly was born, he was joined by a brother, Christian. Her sister and her family had all come to her and Andrew's wedding, and to Molly's christening, but they had yet to meet Katie. Seattle was so far away from Capeside that they didn't get the chance to visit often. "The distance was part of the allure" Joey thought to herself.

She was so nervous about seeing Dawson again. Andrew knew about him, and he knew how much she had loved him. However, he didn't know that she never really got over him. In a way, Joey still wanted him to be a part of her life, but she didn't know if that was possible. She loved her husband, and he loved her and their children with all of his heart. Joey was so afraid that when she saw Dawson, all the feelings that she had tried so hard to push back would coming rushing out. She was comfortable and happy with her life now, but it had always felt like something was missing. She knew what it was, but she never could admit it. It was Dawson. Not nessacarily his love, or him physically, but she missed his friendship, for that was what had meant the most to her anyway. She just didn't know how to explain this to her husband without hurting him.

"I'm sure it'll all fade away once you see it all again. Who knows, maybe it will even be fun." Andrew said to her as he laid back against the pillows.

"I really hope so." She said settling in beside him. "You do know how much I love you, right? And how much I love our life here?" There was a look of fear on her face that Andrew had never seen before.

"Of course I do...why do you ask that?" he asked with a surprised look on his face. He could see tears starting to form in her eyes in the moonlight.

"No reason....just reminding you." she replied with a smile and a kiss. She calmed down, and swallowed hard to get rid of the lump in her throat.

"Well, I love you too." he said holding her close.

She laid in his arms, fighting back tears. She wanted so badly to forget all about Dawson Leery, to not love him. She rolled over away from Andrew after she was sure he was asleep, so he wouldn't feel her tears. After a few minutes of this, she got up and silently left the room. She walked down the hallway of her home, stopping in the living room, picking up a picture album laying on the coffee table. She opened it up carefully, looking at every single picture as if it contained a part of her life. Andrew had taken up photography as a hobby in college, and some of the pictures that he had taken were absolutely beautiful. Joey and Bessie hugging at Joey's graduation from college. Joey in her wedding dress sharing a silly drunken dance with Jen at her and Andrew's wedding reception. Joey and Andrew planting flowers in the front of their new house. Molly two days after bringing her home from the hospital sleeping in her bassinette. Alexander trying to teach Molly to walk during one of their summer visits. And most recently, Joey in a hospital bed, holding a newborn Katherine, and introducing Molly to her new baby sister.

Joey closed the book lovingly, and carefully padded down the hallway to another door. She opened it silently, and slipped inside the room. She walked to the bed, and tucked the covers in around Molly, who was fast asleep. She then moved to a crib across the room. She reached down and placed a loving hand on the infant's head. She listened to the gentle breathing of her sleeping children, and was content.

Leaving the room, she crawled carefully back into bed with Andrew. "That's why I'm doing this," she said to herself. "For them." She drifted off the sleep, imagining all the things to come in the next few days.
_____________________________________________________________________

"GRAMMA!!!" The shouts of Max and Colin could probably be heard in the next county, as Dawson pulled up to his childhood home in Capeside. They bounded out of the car without even closing the doors, and straight into he arms of none other than Gail Leery.

"There's my boys. Come here and let me look at you...You've gotten so BIG. Geez, you are almost men now." Gail said as she covered the two little boys with kisses. They both beamed with pride at her last comment.

"Hi Mom, we've missed you." Dawson said as he hugged his mother.

"I missed you all too...so much. Let me look at Maura....wow, she just keeps getting more and more gorgeous." She said taking the toddler from her son. She squealed in delight as her grandmother placed those kisses on her head.

"That she is...I can't argue with you on that one." He added smiling. "Where's dad?"

"He's in town at the restaurant. He'll be home soon. Well, come in, come in. Let's get some milk and cookies into these little ones." Gail added in a tone that only a grandmother can use.

They made their way up the porch, and into the same house that Dawson had spent his entire childhood in. Memories once again flooded his mind. Everything that he had ever dreamed and wanted was all wrapped up in this house. As many times as he looked at that creek, the first thing that came to mind was Joey rowing up to his house. And in less than a day, he would be face-to-face with her again. He was tempted to ask his mother if she had heard anything from her, but he used his better judgment. He'd rather just be surprised when he saw her.

The reunited family spent the evening reminiscing about old times, talking about the children, and discussing future plans by the warm glow of citronella candles on the porch, after all people under the age of twelve were tucked in and asleep. It was comforting to Dawson to know that no matter what happened, his parents would always be there. They were an immovable fixture in his life, and he needed that.

Dawson slept in the bed that he had slept in for 18 years previous. That bed had been through a lot. It was here he and Pacey and Joey had watched ET countless times. Jen had crashed in it drunk, and spiraling more times than could be counted. It was the bed where Joey and Dawson first made love. The last thought made him shudder. He just couldn't grasp the fact that his life had turned out so differently. He would see just how differently tomorrow night, when he and Joey would come face-to-face for the first time in 9 years.
______________________________________________________________________

"Babies should come with a caution sticker on them......does not travel well." Joey said to Andrew, looking pretty much like hell. Katie had screamed the entire plane ride to Boston from Seattle. She held the now quiet infant close to her chest, rocking her gently. Andrew was holding Molly by the hand.

"I'm know, I know. You look so tired, here let me take her." He said dropping Molly's hand, and taking the baby girl from Joey. She took Molly's hand, and led her over to a bench outside, where they waited patiently for their rental car. Andrew sat admiring his newest daughter, for no apparent reason.

"Joey, Katie looks so much like you, it's almost amazing. I mean, she could be you in some of those baby pictures."

"I know....poor kid." She added rather sarcastically.

"Hey now, I think she's gorgeous." He said looking in Joey's eyes.

"She's a pretty baby, yea." she retorted, sounding rather irritated.

"I wasn't talking about the baby." Andrew said with a big stupid grin on his face. That smile, that was the one. It melted Joey's cynicism and bad mood instantly. Only one other person had ever been able to do that to her with one look.....Dawson.

"Thanks babe. I'm really sorry about my foul mood. This is just turning out to be a hell of a lot more stressful than I thought it would be. I'll be ok." she said kissing the hand that he had placed on hers.

"Mommy?" Molly's little voice asked.

"Yea honey?"

"Are we there yet?" Joey laughed at this comment. Good question baby, she thought to herself.

"Not quite sweetheart. But soon, I promise." She knew it was only a matter of time before she would face what she feared most. Dawson Leery, and everything that came with him. She knew she needed to talk to Andrew about this before it was sprung on him. She knew that at the very least, she wanted to talk to Dawson alone. To get some questions answered. But she didn't know if she could do it. God, how was it possible to still be in love with someone after almost 9 years, and to be simultaneously in love with someone else?

As the car pulled up to the curb to take them to Bessie and Bodie's, she thought about Molly's tiny little musical question. Are we there yet? Not quite yet, but soon...... she would soon realize just how true this was.
______________________________________________

That's it for Part 2! Thanks for all of the WONDERFUL feedback on Part 1! I know it's going kind of slow, but it'll get more interesting soon! Part 3: THE REUNION! Send Feedback, but remember to be gentle, cause it's my first attempt.

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