Author's Note: The gang has somehow managed to make it through their sophomore and junior years with only minor bruises. We peek in as they are just beginning their senior year. I'm not gonna tell you anything about anything, you'll just have to read!

Older Every Day

"Today, my friends, is the day. The one that a person remembers his or her whole life. The first day of senior year." Pacey, Joey, Dawson, Andie, and Jen walked toward Capeside High School with a distinctive skip in their step.

Andie smiled, "Our last time walking through these doors for the first time, guys. I will cherish this moment for the rest of my life." Pacey groaned, then ran over to her side and scooped her up into his arms.

"Why not do it in style, then!" He exclaimed as he carried her over the 'threshold'.

"Pacey! Put me down! My gosh, how embarrassing!" Pacey threw his head back in laughter as he placed her gently on her feet. Dawson and Joey looked at each other and rolled their eyes good-naturedly.

Jen sighed as she glanced at her schedule, "I don't see why all of you are so hyped up over this. One more year of angst ridden hell."

Pacey chuckled and waltzed over to Jen, placing his hand on her shoulder, "But don't you see, Jen? Only one more year of suffering. Look at the freshmen." Pacey pointed out a random scrawny, spectacle-clad boy. As Jen looked, he dropped his load of books onto the feet of the quarterback. Jen looked away as the burly, Neanderthal-ish creature began to berate the small underclassman. Pacey made a see-told-you-so face at her.

She shrugged indifferently, "I hate to wake all of you up, but reality calls and it's shouting two hundred and eighty more days of falling out of bed before the sun manages to open its eyes. I can't see the fun in it."

Dawson groaned, "What a downer! Keep your dismal opinions to yourself, don't ruin the first senior day high. Some of us," he motioned to Pacey and Andie, who were attempting to tango in the hall sans music, "have been waiting our entire high school career just for this day, this moment of glory. This feeling of.." Dawson struggled for the right word, "this feeling of..seniority!"

Jen snorted, "Remind me to write that profound statement down later, will you?"

Dawson smiled and moved closer to her, "Why do I hang around you, anyway?"

Jen smirked, "I just don't know, maybe because you claim to love me?"

Dawson nodded and snapped his fingers, "That's it! I keep forgetting." He leaned in and kissed Jen softly on the lips. Joey looked away painfully. Young and niäve, that was her back in her sophomore year. She had Dawson, he had loved her. But she was scared of the commitment that he was so willing to give. She had been blinded by Jack. Technically, by his safety. Joey had been in complete and utter control of the relationship. If she had said jump, he would have asked how high. With Dawson, it was the switch of roles that scared her out of his arms.

"Earth to Joey..." Joey snapped out of her reverie as she noticed Dawson slowly waving his hand in front of her face.

"You okay, Jo?" he asked, concerned. Joey managed a half-smile.

"Fine, just thinking of all the difficult and challenging courses I'm not taking this year."

This evoked a laugh from both Dawson and Jen. "Even I have to admit, the lack of work this year will be refreshing." Jen added truthfully. Joey nodded halfheartedly, trying to avoid staring at their linked hands.

"Tell me about it! Four of my eight classes deal with movies and the art of direction. I thank the heavens everyday for the cinematic revolution our beloved high school underwent." Dawson added emphatically.

Jen kissed the tip of his nose, "That's my little psychotic, over-obsessed film buff. What a cutie." Her sarcastic tone was extremely evident.

Dawson flashed a proud smile, "That's me." Suddenly, the bell beginning homeroom rang overhead. Dawson stooped down and grabbed his books hurriedly. He uttered, "I'm late!", brushed Jen's cheek with his lips and ran down the hall.

Joey and Jen watched his retreating figure, shaking their heads, "It's funny," Jen mumbled, "But I was just about to say, since we're seniors and all, that maybe he'd loosen up a bit."

-DC DC DC DC DC-

"I do not regret the things I have done, but those I did not do." Dawson recited the line with Lucas. He and Joey were watching Empire Records on one random movie night. Those had resumed, after a lengthy period of separation. Dawson and Joey had returned to their previous state, it wasn't even awkward to be together anymore. Not even alone in Dawson's bedroom. They affectionately termed their short-run romance as the 'hormone period'. At least, Dawson referred to it affectionately. Joey yearned for it back again. The hormone 'years' had a nice ring to her.

She leaned back in his desk chair and yawned, "This movie screams bizarre, Dawson. Why did you waste your time memorizing every fraction of dialogue?"

Dawson turned to her and rested his chin in his hand, "How can you say this movie is bizarre, Jo? It captures the essence of teendom. No movie has grasped even the fringes of what this movie accomplished."

Joey shrugged, "Kevin Williamson and his various productions came pretty close."

Dawson made a so-so motion with his hand, "Almost, I'll give you that. But he lacked some of the immaturity that lies underneath the angst."

Joey snorted, "Speak for yourself. I don't consider myself immature."

Dawson smiled, "Good thing, since you're the only one who doesn't."

She glared at him, "Ha ha. I'm not liking the sarcasm, Dawson."

He held up his hands, "Ooo, sorry Miss Josephine."

Joey jumped up from the chair and hurried over to the bed, "Did you just dare to call me Josephine?" Dawson nodded and flashed her a gleeful smile. "Just making sure," she drawled before she leaped over to his side of the bed and dug her fingernails lightly into his skin. He began laughing uncontrollably. She tickled harder as she asked, "Now, did I hear right when you said Josephine?"

"Yes!" He squeezed out. She chuckled as she dug her fingernails in deeper.

"Even now?" She asked sweetly.

"I'm..huh..I'm positive," he gasped.

"Did I interrupt something?" Joey and Dawson jumped apart at the sound of the icy voice. Dawson turned and saw Jen, shooting icicles at the pair with her eyes. He smiled, it still left a warm feeling in his body when Jen acted jealous.

"No," Dawson explained, "Joey's just being immature." He looked over at Joey and scrunched his nose up at her, grinning. She rolled her eyes as she stood from the bed.

"Bessie is sick and Alex's first day of preschool is tomorrow. I need to get all of his stuff together for him."

Dawson stretched out on the bed and said, "Tell the little tike I said good luck." Joey nodded.

Jen sighed as she took Joey's spot on the bed, artfully avoiding Joey's green-eyed glare, "We're finishing and he's starting, poor kid."

Joey laughed slightly, "I don't think I'm going to tell him that, no offense." They finished their good-byes and Joey climbed out of the window. She had a foot on the first rung when she remembered she had forgotten her jacket. She retracted her foot and walked back to the window. She popped her head through, "I forg..." her voice faded out as she beheld Dawson and Jen entangled in each other on his bed. She pulled herself back out onto the roof and leaned against the wall, fighting the feeling of remorse that flowed violently through her body.

-DC DC DC DC DC-

"I'm going to visit Mom, you want to come?" Jack pulled on his jacket as he yelled to his sister.

"No! I've got homework," was the reply.

Jack shook his head as he walked out of the door, "Second day of senior year and she's loaded down with homework," he muttered to himself as he shoved the keys in the ignition. He backed out of the driveway and thought about his mother. She had gotten out of control in the past two years. Too far gone for Jack and Andie to handle. She had been admitted into the hospital the day Jack turned eighteen. That was about the time he had left Joey.

It was too much to deal with, he had told Joey. He needed some time.

His reasons were lies. Every one of them. He loved Joey, he wanted her back more than anything in the world. The times spent with her were his best times. She had given him hours of freedom, of being able to forget about what was waiting for him at home. There was one reason why he had broken up with her, he hadn't wanted her to find out the truth.

-DC DC DC DC DC-

Andie curled up on her bed and picked up her phone. As she dialed the familiar numbers to Pacey's house, she smiled. Pacey was her savior, her reason for living. She loved him. And he loved her.

"Hello?" Andie enjoyed the sound of his deep voice.

"Hey, Pace," she said.

"Andie! What's up?"

"You want to come over? Jack is visiting my mother."

She could almost see Pacey's grin, "Sure, Dad's letting me use the squad car tonight."

"Great. Come over now." Pacey agreed and they hung up. Andie stood from the bed and twirled around. She was excited. Tonight, she was going to show Pacey how much she loved him. She walked over to her desk drawer and opened it slightly, pulling out two, thin, flat packages. Across the front, 'Trojan' was written.

-DC DC DC DC DC-

Jen pushed Dawson off her and started to re-button her shirt. "Not tonight, Dawson."

He sighed and ran a frustrated hand through his hair, "Why not? Your grandmother's at church. We have the house to ourselves. It's the perfect opportunity."

Jen laughed at her boyfriend's eagerness. "Just because we have the 'perfect opportunity', as you so crudely called it, doesn't mean we have to."

Dawson moaned and flopped back onto her bed, "You never feel like it anymore."

Jen smiled and rested her head on Dawson's chest, "Sorry, maybe you just don't do it for me anymore."

"Seems like it," Dawson relented as he realized the chance of his winning the argument was extremely slim, "It's okay, I really didn't want to anyway."

"Liar!" Jen accused.

Dawson chuckled and began to run his fingers through Jen's hair, "I lie to pacify you. I just wanted you to think that I wasn't in the mood, no matter how much I really am."

Jen rolled her eyes, "State a time when you aren't really in the mood."

Dawson put a finger to his chin and spread a thoughtful look across his face, "Hm," he stalled. Suddenly he snapped his fingers, "I've got it! When I eat tacos. I'm never in the mood when I eat those things."

Jen laughed, "Tacos? I'll keep that in mind next time we're alone together."

Dawson pulled Jen on top of him and held a finger to her lips as she began to protest, "We don't have to do that. I just want to kiss you, is that okay Miss High and Mighty?"

Jen nodded, "I'd like that."

Dawson kissed her cheek, "Me too." He went for her lips, but paused. "Hey, Jen."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Dawson. Now kiss me before I explode."

Part one is over!! Stay tuned for more! Give me feedback! I need it!

Back to Nicole's Stories | Back to Fan Fiction | Back to the Main Page This page has been visited times.