Awakenings by: Jeannie

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The first crack of daylight burst through the sky and the light sprayed over the horizon. The spectrum of colors: purples, blue, and orange hues blended to form the most beautiful sight ever seen. A palette of nature, that a painter dipped his paintbrush into his paints and splashed across the sky, forming an extraordinary canvas. The sun rose and light splintered in all directions. Casting a soft eerie glow over the peaceful creek. It was morning, a new exciting, bright, beautiful day. A day filled with promise and hope.

Laying cuddled up cozy under the covers was a restful Joey. Eyes closed, auburn flowing mane cascading over her pillow, and a sweet smile formed on her lips. Her face was picture perfect of serene slumber and beauty. Rolling to her side, she clutched her pillow tightly and held it to her chest. The smile grew bigger as her dreams filled her head freeing her from reality. Leaning her face further into her pillow, she softly mumbled. "Hmmm…. Dawson."

The morning light poured through the open window, and basked the room in a gentle glow. A light breeze blew the curtains gently, and the sweet sensation of birds chirping could be heard drifting in the window. The room itself was silent. Not a harsh stifling silence, but a calm comfortable silence. Sleeping soundly in his Spielburgized bedroom was Dawson Leery. His face calm and relaxed. Eyes shut, blond hair tousled from rolling around in his sleep and a sweet smile formed on his lips. Turning slightly, he rolled to the left side of the bed. Her side. Groping for her pillow, he rested his head on it, and smiled even more deeply. Laying face down into the pillow he softly whispered, "Joey."

Joey clutched harder to her pillow. Letting her dreams take her away to a sleeping netherworld where her dreams played out as reality. The deeper she slept, the further she drifted. Sitting on a bench at the Ruins, she watched the ducks. They were communicating in their own language, and splashing each other. Looking up suddenly, she saw Dawson standing over her. A huge illuminating smile filled his face, and his eyes sparkled like sapphire gems. Joey noticed there was a secret gleam in his eye. Smiling self-consciously, she turned her gaze back to the jocular ducks at play. Dawson kneeled in front of Joey, and clutched her hand in his own. Lifting her chin, he made her meet his gaze. Joey suddenly felt nervous, and bit her lip waiting for him to speak. Dawson looked at her with this new adoration, one Joey did not understand. Reaching out he stroked her cheek, and softly spoke. "Joey, I have been wrong. Oh god, I have been so wrong. I cannot apologize enough for the blunders that I have made. I was an idiot, Jo. Plain and simple."

Joey placed her hand over his on her cheek, and urgently said, "what are you trying to tell me, Dawson?" Rubbing her thumb over his wrist she said, "you can tell me anything. I'm always here for you."

Dawson smiled again and captured Joey's hand in the confines of his own. Lacing their fingers together, he started to speak again. "I know I can, Jo. That's the beauty of you and I. I can tell you anything, and I know you'll still be here beside me. Where you belong."

Joey smiled a little, and whispered, "Yes, I will. I told you I can wait."

Dawson shook his head in certain, without faltering when he spoke said, "You don't have to wait, Joey…not anymore. I…I don't want Jen…I…I am not sure I ever did." Bringing Joey's intertwined hand to his mouth, he kissed it slowly. "I want you…I've always wanted you. There's nobody else for me, Joey. You're my dream. I have been blind…but I'm not anymore. I can see, and I see you. Joey Potter. The most beautiful, talented, sensational woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting…and whom I have fallen deeply in love with. Joey, not even the deepest ocean is as deep as my love for you." Joey's eyes twinkled and her grin spread to a full fledge smile. "I only have one more thing to say to you before I seal this moment with a kiss," Dawson said moving closer still.

Joey eagerly awaited the kiss by licking her lips in anticipation. "What is that, Dawson?"

Dawson, still gazing longingly at her, opened his mouth to speak. "Joey…I…WAHHH."

Joey's eyes fluttered open like a shutter, and she sat bolt upright in bed. Taking notice of her surroundings shift, she blinked a few times to make sure she wasn't still dreaming. Climbing out of bed she cursed her life, and stumbled to the baby's room that adjoined hers. Walking up to his crib she picked up the wailing infant, and rocked him. Rocking and bouncing him she tried her hardest to calm him down. Yawning deeply she carried him into the kitchen, and retrieved his bottle from the fridge. Getting a saucepan she heated some water, and placed his bottle into the pan. Sitting down in a kitchen chair Joey continued to soothe the red faced Alexander. Giving Alex the bottle, her mind drifted back to her dreams. Groaning again, Joey silently wished Alexander were mute. She would have liked to finish her dream. Especially because that's all it was, it was a dream. Having quieted Alexander down again, Joey slowly carried him back to his room and settles him back in his crib. Joey watched him sleep for a moment then slowly crept back to her own bed. Crawling back into her own warm, cozy, inviting bed she wrapped the covers tightly around her and tried to go back to sleep. Squinting up her eyes very tight, she willed herself back to that exact moment in her dream. Just about there she relaxed and let her mind flow. Drifting further along, she found herself on a mountaintop. Okay, so the scenery was altered, big deal, she could still enjoy the anticipated moment. Dawson still leaning close whispered, "I have only one more thing to say before I kiss you."

Joey more eager than ever demanded, "Say it… please."

Dawson smiled and opened his mouth. "You better get your butt up or you're going to be late for school."

Joey reopened her eyes and groaned. Standing at Joey's dresser applying makeup was Bessie. Joey groaned again very loudly and kicked the covers off her. Frustrated she shouted, "God, can't anyone around her ever get any sleep? Jeez, first the human foghorn sounds, and now you."

Bessie stopped midair from applying her lipstick and shot back, "What's your malfunction, Jo? Get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

Joey, already angry, just glared. Gathering up her clothes she said, "No, I didn't get up on the wrong side of the bed. How can I when it's a couch, and beside that, I was woken by the cry of your baby. That terrible noisy little voice box on high frequency woke me up from a very peaceful and incredible dream."

Bessie back to applying her lipstick puckered her lips and said, "Oh yeah, what about?"

Searching for her shirt muttered, "none of your business." Changing subjects she said, "can't you shut that kid up? We're lucky we live on this side of the creek and don't have neighbors around to complain of noise pollution. I mean Bess that kid sounds on the Richter scale."

Bessie, primping her hair and barely listening to Joey's tirade, said, "he's not that bad." Satisfied with her appearance turned to Joey. "Aren't you ready for school yet? You're going to be late…and I certainly don't have time to wait for you."

Joey still scowling threw her arms up in the air and huffed out of the room. She was mumbling softly that she lived with the Adams Family and even her fantasies of Dawson were interrupted. Bessie amused with Joey's complaining called out teasingly, "don't take too long taking a cold shower, Jo." Joey called something muffled out, and Bessie outraged stormed out the door after her yelling, "don't you dare speak that way to me. I'll knock your teenage rebellious ass out."

While the Potter household was in an array of chaos, the Leery home was no better. Dawson, still asleep, started to mumble even more loudly in his sleep. Caressing his pillow mumbled, "God…yes…Joey…yes" Mr. Leery, present in the room, laughed over his son's over zealous need to praise to God, and not on a religious matter either. Mitch remembered being fifteen and about that those erotic, wild, pleasurable dreams. Shaking his head, he tried to wake Dawson up. Mitch Leery wasn't the least surprised his son was fantasizing over the girl down the creek. Mitch had heard about his reaction to Joey at the pageant from his wife, and agreed it was about time. Nudging him slightly he said, "Dawson? Dawson…come on get up." Dawson still overpowered by his dream grabbed his father and pulled him closer. Seeing Joey's face in his dreams mumbled, "Kiss me."

Mitch trying to stifle his laugh said, "I think not."

Dawson registering the change in voice opened his eyes and looked surprise. Pushing his dad away embarrassed said, "Oh god, Dad."

Mitch laughed and said, "good dream, Dawson?"

Dawson's face turned scarlet and he quickly grabbed his pillow and placed it over his lap. Hoping to advert attention away from his excited state from his dream, and further his embarrassment. Trying to calm himself down said, "how long have you been here anyway?"

Mitch gazed at his fifteen-year-old hormonally possessed son and decided to cut him some slack. After all Mitch was fifteen at one time. "Only long enough to hear the final chorus of 'oh god, Joey.' Not to worry Dawson your secret is safe with me. What you do with your pillow is your business."

Dawson glanced down at the pillow in his lap and back up at his father's grinning face. Blushing again said, "Dad, do you mind not teasing me, this is a sensitive situation. I mean, I don't know what you find more amusing the fact I was having an amorous dream or that I was having it about Joey. Suffice to say, either way you are not going to let this go." Dawson moved from his bed still trying not to let his father see how aroused he became from his dream.

Mitch sat on the edge of Dawson's bed and calmly explained, "Dawson it's not big deal. All guys have them, even me. Matter of fact just the other night I had one about your mother and I…"

"Dad," shouted an outraged Dawson, lowering his voice said, "please don't make this any worse by sharing the intricate details with me."

Mitch nodded. "All right, Dawson, but the point I was trying to make is it's normal."

Dawson, busy sorting the clothes in his closet mumbled, "normal? Yeah it's real normal to fantasize about your best platonic childhood friend."

Mitch smiled and quipped, "well, only if you got the hots for her."

Dawson banged his head loudly into his closet door not sure how much teasing he could take. Still facing away from his father pleaded, "please dad, don't go there. The last thing I need right now is sharing a father-son moment over my conflicting interest in Joey."

Mitch sighed and sympathetically said, "Dawson, it's okay. I know what you are going through…I."

Dawson quickly cut his father off and exclaimed, "No, dad you don't know what I am going through because not even I know what I am going through. Everything has become so complicated. Nothing is simple like it use to be…. everything had to change." Dawson banged his head on more time into his closet door.

"That's the way life is, Dawson. Things change. People change. Feelings change."

Dawson groaned exasperated and pathetically joked, "you sound like Joey right now. I mean that's all she has been saying to me for months. Reiterating the sublime point that we have to grow up…evolve."

Mitch nodded his head in agreement and said, "You do. Dawson, things can't stay the same forever."

"Why can't they, huh?" Dawson argued, "who says life has to change…my life in particular. Things were perfect just the way they were. When Joey and I could just hang out and be ourselves, argue and not think it was the end of the world."

Getting a sad look in his eyes, Dawson softly whispered, "I miss us. The way it was when Joey was Joey. Comfortable and normal."

Mitch sighed, feeling depressed like his son. "There's no such thing as normal, Dawson."

"Okay at least what was normal for us…which isn't this. What ever is happening is so complicated and confusing. In the past whenever things got like this, I ran straight to Joey. Now…in coinciding ramification of my hormones I can't turn to her. I can't go to Joey with my problems, and especially not when she is the problem." Plopping back down on his bed turned to his father and spoke sadly, "I feel like I don't even know Joey anymore. She's a mystery to me. She's transformed on me over night. When I try to talk to her, I find myself tongue-tied. I end up babbling incoherently. The other night I tried to tell Joey I thought she looked beautiful, cause she did, but it came out all wrong. I made a fool out of myself and probably in the process lost my best friend."

Mitch put a supporting hand on Dawson's shoulder and spoke with fatherly wisdom. "Dawson, you're over reacting…as usual. You didn't lose Joey…you just finally acknowledged her for who she really is. A beautiful, special, young woman. It's to be expected with your raging hormones that your arousal for Joey is nerve wracking. You're, after all, a fifteen-year old guy. But, Dawson, change is inevitable…you can't freeze time so you gotta go with it." Smiling Mitch put his hand out and made a wave with his hand. "Go with the flow, Dawson."

Dawson laughed and walking back to his closet asked, "Was that your pathetic attempt for trying to relate to my generation, dad?"

Mitch laughed and shrugged. "I don't know, Dawson. I'm just trying to loosen you up a bit. You're uptight. You're probably the most anal teenager I have ever met. Relax. Enjoy your life. Stop trying to figure out all of life's questions. If you don't you're going to give yourself an ulcer before your twenty. Not all questions have an answer, Dawson. Some things are unsolved mysteries."

Dawson looking anxious questioned, "are Joey and I destined to be an unsolved mystery?"

Mitch shrugged again. "Maybe. Maybe not. I can't tell you, Dawson. Only time will tell. All I can tell you is that if you care about Joey…. You got to tell her."

Dawson thought for a second and shrugged. "I don't know yet. I haven't been able to think out how I feel yet."

Mitch moved to the door and said, "well there's one of your problems, Dawson. You don't think love…you feel it. Love isn't logical, Dawson. It's probably the most mixed emotion you can ever have…but it's also the strongest. Love can be some many things…and to so many people. Love can be wonderful." Getting a far-off sad look on his face added, "it can also be the most heart breaking experience of your life. Rendering you completely vulnerable. Tearing you in half and turning your life upside down."

Mitch looked at his son and realized he had said too much. Dawson stood there with a horrified and melancholy look on his face. Mitch felt bad instead of cheering up Dawson about his love life he probably just depressed him more. Trying to forget his own difficulties and marital woes pasted a smile on his face. "You have time for all this, Dawson. That is the beauty of being fifteen. There's still plenty of time for you and Joey to figure out this all out…and when you do you will know. You'll know when you're in love, Dawson. The feeling will overwhelm you…it will be intense…but it will be worth it. Be worth all the pain and suffering you went through to get to that point. It will happen and when it does, you won't know what to do with yourself."

Mitch and Dawson shared a small laugh. Dawson feeling a little more relaxed laughed. He felt so good releasing the tension built up inside of him. Smiling warmly at his father said, "Thanks dad. Whatever this bonding moment we just shared was, either father knows best or you're subtle way for prying into my life and administering unsolicited advice which I don't condone, thanks. It was appreciated. I don't know if it put anything more in perspective, but it did loosen me up a little bit. I am going to try to go with the flow as your hip lingo suggested."

Mitch smiled proud of his son and said, "You'll make your life a lot easier if you do."

"Yeah, I know. Maybe you should take your own advice too."

Mitch nodded feeling depressed and whispered, "I'm trying, Dawson." Mitch started walking through the door and suddenly turned and said, "Hey, Dawson, here's another little bit of advice. Take a cold shower before leaving for school. You look like you still could use one…and it might make seeing Joey just a little bit more bearable too."

Dawson glared at his father. Mitch shut the door still laughing. Standing outside the door for a second he smiled and walked away with the faint opening of Katie Couric's monologue heard through the door.

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