Love Returns Part Three by: Tiffany

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Dawson nods his head. "Sure, we can talk."

"Good...ah.." Joey goes over to the door. "Now let's see what kind of car the parentals bought for you."

Dawson and Joey walk downstairs and outside toward the garage. It was chilly outside. Winter was certainly making its presence known. Joey wraps her coat around herself closely to shield the cold. Once inside the garage, Dawson turns on the light. There it was, a late 80s green car, with a few not so visible dents and note taped on it.

Hi Dawson,
This is a gift from your father and I.
I've gone out to the news station and won't be back until late.
But feel free to take your car for a test drive today. Have Fun.
Love, Mom.

Dawson looks over the car and smiles. "I see Mitch and Gale are trying to teach their son the value of money with a old automobile."

Joey shakes her head. "They have no idea we're totally on to them, do they?"

"Apparently not." Dawson answers as they get into the car.

After sliding inside, they put on their seat belts. Dawson starts the car, and it begins to warm up. Joey turns on the heater to take of the chill and they seat back in silence for a few moments. It was a nice comfortable feeling and both were content for the time being.

Dawson puts in the car in 'drive' and replies. "Here comes another juvenile driver hitting the road."

Joey laughs. "Burn rubber!"

Dawson smiles and backs out of the driveway, then turns onto the main road. Joey relaxes more into the seat. *Dawson is a good driver. Funny, I never knew he'd taken his test.*She reaches to the radio and turns it on, looking for a pop/rock station, her hand stops on the dial, as the broadcaster talks.

"It's going to be a cool day along the Cape, so bundle up. Temperatures dropping as the morning wears on around 30 degrees. And now, back to America's only pop/rock station Beat 101.9." The broadcaster finished.

A slow song began to play. Joey at first didn't recognize it...but then, she slowly began to listen.

'N Sync
"I Drive Myself Crazy"

Lying in your arms
So close together
Didn't know just what I had
Now I toss and turn
'Cause I'm without you
Now I'm missing you so bad
Where was my head?
Where was my heart?
Now I cry alone in the dark

I lie awake, I drive myself crazy
Drive myself crazy thinking of you
Made a mistake when I let you go baby
I drive myself crazy wanting you
The way that I do.

Joey swallows hard, and looks at Dawson, whose eyes are concentrating on the road. That song was so powerful in meaning to what she felt. She finally knew about the mistake she had made by dumping Dawson...over what? Finding herself? And just yesterday, she had questioned just what exactly that meant. Just like Colin had said when she asked him why he broke up with his partner..."ya know at the time I could think of a million different reasons, but now I can't think of any." I can't think of any either.

I was such a fool
I couldn't see it
Just how good you were to me
You confessed your love, undying devotion
I confessed my need to be free
And now I'm left with all this pain
I've only got myself to blame

I lie awake, I drive myself crazy
Drive myself crazy thinking of you
Made a mistake when I let you go baby
I drive myself crazy wanting you
The way that I do...

Dawson feels the silence in the car even with the music on. It was a silence that wasn't completely content now..there was tension. He turns onto the dock area where a local coffee stand was and pulls into a parking spot.

"Want to go for a walk?" He asks as he turns the car off and turns to Joey.

Joey is staring at him..but through him, so he waves a hand in front of her, and she jumps a bit from the seat.

"Oh god!" Joey yells. "You scared me."

"Couldn't help it...just like always, the scardy-cat." Dawson smiles and then continues. "Where did you go? You were a million miles away."

"I was just thinking about something." She answers quietly then looks to see where they were. "What are we doing here?"

Dawson opens his door. "You said you wanted to talk...so this okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine." Joey replies.

Dawson and Joey get out of the car. It begins to snow. Light, white flakes fall to the ground, covering the docks lightly, everything quiet and peaceful. They go up to the coffee stand and order two hot chocolates then proceed for a walk along the docks. Joey covers her hands around her warm cup.

"It's snowing." Dawson says spreading his hand out to catch a few flakes and looks at Joey. "Are you cold?"

"No, I'm fine." She answers through chattering teeth.

"Yeah, right. You're shivering." He answers. "You want to go back to the car?"

Joey shakes her head. "No really, Dawson. I'll be okay. I'd rather stay out here."

"Okay then." Dawson takes note of Joey's quiet attitude and blank stares. "You have something on your mind. Come on, and tell me."

Joey avoids his eyes and nervously tugs at the string on her jacket. Her mind begins to race. Okay, now I say it..right? I mean..this is the moment I say 'I want you back'. That I love you, and I miss you..and everything.

She clears her throat. "I...want to talk about...something important. A conversation which I have avoided, and can't any longer."

Dawson was instantly curious."And what would that be, Jo?" He prompts her.

Joey finally gets courage to meet his eyes and replies bluntly. "Us."

Dawson raises an eyebrow. "Us?"

"Yeah..umm..." She begins to become more nervous and talks faster. "Well, actually it's more about me...than you." Joey stops herself. "No, wait. It is about you, but it's about me mostly figuring out about me and us."

Dawson shakes his head completely confused. "I'm not understanding, Jo. What are you talking about?"

Joey turns around completely to face him. "I need to talk to you about...me, what's been happening lately, and why my behavior has contradicted everything I argued about with you for the past few months."

He nods his head. "Alright, tell away. I won't interrupt."

She takes a deep breath. "For the past 2 months, I've been trying to figure out what I need..ya know. And for years it was always you...you're all I ever needed or wanted---"

Dawson keeps his eyes on hers, keeping his promise to not say anything, but his eyes saying everything. You're all I ever needed or wanted, too. You're everything to me and more if that's even possible.

"Then," Joey continues as she stares into his eyes. "When I found out that I could draw...maybe even have a future in it someday, it was a shock. I mean, little Joey Potter could do something out of this world. It was new and exciting and wonderful, and it provided a great deal of pleasure for me and an escape from my life." She looks at her hands sadly. "But... then you and I couldn't connect with it..together...as we could with movies or scripts or talking...or anything else. You didn't see what I saw when I looked at a painting. But Jack did."

She watches him again closely. "And I was flattered by the interest and happy to have someone to share it with. He saw and felt almost the same thing I did." She could see by his expression that he wanted to say something in defense. "I was only frustrated with you because..I didn't know how to deal with this..and I fought you over it. Am I explaining myself so far?"

Dawson had been listening intently to Joey. He was instantly curious to hear more. "Yes, I understand pretty much. But what brought on this analysis?"

She sighs softly. "Some things that didn't work out...things I didn't understand. Things I thought I wanted, but really didn't. It's been bottled up for a while, and I decided last night that enough is enough."

Joey takes a sip of her hot chocolate and returns to her story. "Then...I kissed Jack."

Dawson winces as if in pain and looks down. It was something that even now brought an ache inside his heart.

Joey turns to him. A few tears swell up in her eyes and she stops them before they can run down her cheeks. She knew that it wasn't going to be easy to talk about the next part. But more harder for Dawson to hear, than for her to say.

"I want you to understand my reasons for being with Jack, Dawson. It's important to me. I haven't given you an explanation and you deserve to hear this." Joey swallows hard.

Dawson lifts his eyes to meant hers and waits patiently for her to begin.

"Okay umm...my reasons for breaking up with you, Dawson were true, partially. I did need to find my something, my passion, what brings me to life, what lights up my whole being. But, my approach was wrong." She pauses for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "I did run from you to Jack, I completely admit that. And, in the mist of figuring out myself...I walked into a relationship with him."

"Did you love him?" Dawson asks softly. *If she says she did, I won't be able to hear anymore.*

Joey shakes her quickly. "No, I didn't. I think he knew I didn't feel that way about him. He was a cover...to hide my feelings, my hurt, my confusion. When I love or hate someone, Dawson, I push them away, you know that. It's my way of hiding from the pain of getting hurt. I thought if I had Jack, someone who I didn't love or hate, someone who didn't know me very well, I could persue my art without any fear. But... then things progressed with Jack before I realized. We were going out together, kissing, and..." She stops to take a breathe.

"Jo, I really don't want to know..." Dawson begins quietly. Just hearing about the kissing, holding, making out, was more than he would be able to stand, it made his stomach churn.

Joey takes one of her hands away from the cup, hesitates for just a second, and touches his hand. Dawson sees their hands joined and looks at Joey questioningly.

"Dawson, I'm sorry. I know you don't want to hear this, but I have to finish, okay? I need everything out." Joey says.

Dawson nods his head slowly. "Okay."

Joey continues. "Then I drew Jack nude. But it wasn't what you thought. After we talked about your script, Jack came over to see my sketch. He spilled soda over it." Joey hurried over this part. "I needed the grade and he offered to pose for me. We didn't sleep together. I stopped before it went that far..it wasn't right."

Dawson sips his hot chocolate, watching the heat rise from the cup. "I didn't sleep with Jen."

"I thought, perhaps you might have..given your history."

"I stopped it, Jo. I don't know what happened that night. It was about my movie, the characters dealing with lust and love..and that was purely a lust issue, Jen and I. And as you said, it didn't feel right." He answers honestly.

Joey sighs. "Then...Jack's poem. I didn't want to believe that he would be gay. But...things about Jack started to take surface, things I didn't notice, or just ignored and just plainly didn't know about him, which was a lot. And his reasons for writing the poem which I couldn't understand."

She takes a last sip of her chocolate. "You were right. I was being oblivious and not seeing the signs. Ironic, isn't it? I always make you out to being the oblivious one."

"I forgive you." Dawson jokes and pats her on the head. His heart was at ease. This is what he missed. The little jokes and just having fun.

"You are walking a fine line, oh Speliberg fanatic." Pursing her lips, pretending to be stern, which failed completely and a large grin formed.

There is silence for a few moments.

Then Joey continues. "And of course, the classic story of the girlfriend who finds out her boyfriend is gay begins to question her own desirability to the opposite sex. I really felt I had something to do with Jack being gay."

"Jo...Jack had his own issues to deal with, it wasn't you." His face softens as the next words were spoken. "You are beautiful and desirable. Everything about you is."

Joey is flattered but shakes her head. "Dawson, I know you mean well, but I can't agree."

"I'm not saying it to just mean well or just as a comforting thought." He answers quietly. "I'm saying it because it's the truth and because I lo..."

Dawson's voice wavered. He wasn't sure if he could say the next words. His head willed him to be quiet and say nothing, fearing again that confessing his feelings would lead to more pain. His heart wanted nothing more than to tell her how much he loved her. *What should win?*

"Yes?" Joey answers anxiously.

Suddenly two children race by Dawson and Joey, throwing snow balls at each other and laughing loudly. Dawson and Joey turn quickly as the little girl and boy rush past them. The moment was broken.

"Umm...never mind, it doesn't matter."

"Oh." She notes sadly. She had one more thing to tell him and she didn't want to back down now. "I've said everything I planned to..except one more thing I absolutely have to say no matter what the consequences."

Dawson's heart stops. It sounded so serious and it made him both curious and nervous. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

She looks into his eyes. "I miss everything about what is...us. I miss what we had, I miss one person who brings me the best joy and hope, my best friend," *One more thing..can't stop now.* "who I'm in love with. But what I'm asking is, can you forgive.."

And at that moment, Dawson places his index finger on his lips and cupped her cheek tenderly with the other. He leans and kisses her softly. All thought in Joey's head drifted away as she enjoyed the sensation of Dawson's lips on hers. Her eyelids lowered slightly, savoring everything in this moment. Their breath mingled, as their lips tentatively moved over each others.

After a few moments, Dawson slowly ends the kiss and smiles. "Does that answer your question?"

"Dawson Leery, I love you." She answers pressing herself closer to him.

"And I love you, Joey Potter."

Wrapped tightly in the other's arms, they kiss again as the snow fell around them. Hearts beating as one again. True love conquers all.

Okay, that's it people! The end of Love Returns. Please take a moment to comment on this story. I am interested in what you think. You can e-mail all comments to me.Dawson nods his head. "Sure, we can talk."

"Good...ah.." Joey goes over to the door. "Now let's see what kind of car the parentals bought for you."

Dawson and Joey walk downstairs and outside toward the garage. It was chilly outside. Winter was certainly making its presence known. Joey wraps her coat around herself closely to shield the cold. Once inside the garage, Dawson turns on the light. There it was, a late 80s green car, with a few not so visible dents and note taped on it.

Hi Dawson,
This is a gift from your father and I.
I've gone out to the news station and won't be back until late.
But feel free to take your car for a test drive today. Have Fun.
Love, Mom.

Dawson looks over the car and smiles. "I see Mitch and Gale are trying to teach their son the value of money with a old automobile."

Joey shakes her head. "They have no idea we're totally on to them, do they?"

"Apparently not." Dawson answers as they get into the car.

After sliding inside, they put on their seat belts. Dawson starts the car, and it begins to warm up. Joey turns on the heater to take of the chill and they seat back in silence for a few moments. It was a nice comfortable feeling and both were content for the time being.

Dawson puts in the car in 'drive' and replies. "Here comes another juvenile driver hitting the road."

Joey laughs. "Burn rubber!"

Dawson smiles and backs out of the driveway, then turns onto the main road. Joey relaxes more into the seat. *Dawson is a good driver. Funny, I never knew he'd taken his test.*She reaches to the radio and turns it on, looking for a pop/rock station, her hand stops on the dial, as the broadcaster talks.

"It's going to be a cool day along the Cape, so bundle up. Temperatures dropping as the morning wears on around 30 degrees. And now, back to America's only pop/rock station Beat 101.9." The broadcaster finished.

A slow song began to play. Joey at first didn't recognize it...but then, she slowly began to listen.

'N Sync
"I Drive Myself Crazy"

Lying in your arms
So close together
Didn't know just what I had
Now I toss and turn
'Cause I'm without you
Now I'm missing you so bad
Where was my head?
Where was my heart?
Now I cry alone in the dark

I lie awake, I drive myself crazy
Drive myself crazy thinking of you
Made a mistake when I let you go baby
I drive myself crazy wanting you
The way that I do.

Joey swallows hard, and looks at Dawson, whose eyes are concentrating on the road. That song was so powerful in meaning to what she felt. She finally knew about the mistake she had made by dumping Dawson...over what? Finding herself? And just yesterday, she had questioned just what exactly that meant. Just like Colin had said when she asked him why he broke up with his partner..."ya know at the time I could think of a million different reasons, but now I can't think of any." I can't think of any either.

I was such a fool
I couldn't see it
Just how good you were to me
You confessed your love, undying devotion
I confessed my need to be free
And now I'm left with all this pain
I've only got myself to blame

I lie awake, I drive myself crazy
Drive myself crazy thinking of you
Made a mistake when I let you go baby
I drive myself crazy wanting you
The way that I do...

Dawson feels the silence in the car even with the music on. It was a silence that wasn't completely content now..there was tension. He turns onto the dock area where a local coffee stand was and pulls into a parking spot.

"Want to go for a walk?" He asks as he turns the car off and turns to Joey.

Joey is staring at him..but through him, so he waves a hand in front of her, and she jumps a bit from the seat.

"Oh god!" Joey yells. "You scared me."

"Couldn't help it...just like always, the scardy-cat." Dawson smiles and then continues. "Where did you go? You were a million miles away."

"I was just thinking about something." She answers quietly then looks to see where they were. "What are we doing here?"

Dawson opens his door. "You said you wanted to talk...so this okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine." Joey replies.

Dawson and Joey get out of the car. It begins to snow. Light, white flakes fall to the ground, covering the docks lightly, everything quiet and peaceful. They go up to the coffee stand and order two hot chocolates then proceed for a walk along the docks. Joey covers her hands around her warm cup.

"It's snowing." Dawson says spreading his hand out to catch a few flakes and looks at Joey. "Are you cold?"

"No, I'm fine." She answers through chattering teeth.

"Yeah, right. You're shivering." He answers. "You want to go back to the car?"

Joey shakes her head. "No really, Dawson. I'll be okay. I'd rather stay out here."

"Okay then." Dawson takes note of Joey's quiet attitude and blank stares. "You have something on your mind. Come on, and tell me."

Joey avoids his eyes and nervously tugs at the string on her jacket. Her mind begins to race. Okay, now I say it..right? I mean..this is the moment I say 'I want you back'. That I love you, and I miss you..and everything.

She clears her throat. "I...want to talk about...something important. A conversation which I have avoided, and can't any longer."

Dawson was instantly curious."And what would that be, Jo?" He prompts her.

Joey finally gets courage to meet his eyes and replies bluntly. "Us."

Dawson raises an eyebrow. "Us?"

"Yeah..umm..." She begins to become more nervous and talks faster. "Well, actually it's more about me...than you." Joey stops herself. "No, wait. It is about you, but it's about me mostly figuring out about me and us."

Dawson shakes his head completely confused. "I'm not understanding, Jo. What are you talking about?"

Joey turns around completely to face him. "I need to talk to you about...me, what's been happening lately, and why my behavior has contradicted everything I argued about with you for the past few months."

He nods his head. "Alright, tell away. I won't interrupt."

She takes a deep breath. "For the past 2 months, I've been trying to figure out what I need..ya know. And for years it was always you...you're all I ever needed or wanted---"

Dawson keeps his eyes on hers, keeping his promise to not say anything, but his eyes saying everything. You're all I ever needed or wanted, too. You're everything to me and more if that's even possible.

"Then," Joey continues as she stares into his eyes. "When I found out that I could draw...maybe even have a future in it someday, it was a shock. I mean, little Joey Potter could do something out of this world. It was new and exciting and wonderful, and it provided a great deal of pleasure for me and an escape from my life." She looks at her hands sadly. "But... then you and I couldn't connect with it..together...as we could with movies or scripts or talking...or anything else. You didn't see what I saw when I looked at a painting. But Jack did."

She watches him again closely. "And I was flattered by the interest and happy to have someone to share it with. He saw and felt almost the same thing I did." She could see by his expression that he wanted to say something in defense. "I was only frustrated with you because..I didn't know how to deal with this..and I fought you over it. Am I explaining myself so far?"

Dawson had been listening intently to Joey. He was instantly curious to hear more. "Yes, I understand pretty much. But what brought on this analysis?"

She sighs softly. "Some things that didn't work out...things I didn't understand. Things I thought I wanted, but really didn't. It's been bottled up for a while, and I decided last night that enough is enough."

Joey takes a sip of her hot chocolate and returns to her story. "Then...I kissed Jack."

Dawson winces as if in pain and looks down. It was something that even now brought an ache inside his heart.

Joey turns to him. A few tears swell up in her eyes and she stops them before they can run down her cheeks. She knew that it wasn't going to be easy to talk about the next part. But more harder for Dawson to hear, than for her to say.

"I want you to understand my reasons for being with Jack, Dawson. It's important to me. I haven't given you an explanation and you deserve to hear this." Joey swallows hard.

Dawson lifts his eyes to meant hers and waits patiently for her to begin.

"Okay umm...my reasons for breaking up with you, Dawson were true, partially. I did need to find my something, my passion, what brings me to life, what lights up my whole being. But, my approach was wrong." She pauses for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "I did run from you to Jack, I completely admit that. And, in the mist of figuring out myself...I walked into a relationship with him."

"Did you love him?" Dawson asks softly. *If she says she did, I won't be able to hear anymore.*

Joey shakes her quickly. "No, I didn't. I think he knew I didn't feel that way about him. He was a cover...to hide my feelings, my hurt, my confusion. When I love or hate someone, Dawson, I push them away, you know that. It's my way of hiding from the pain of getting hurt. I thought if I had Jack, someone who I didn't love or hate, someone who didn't know me very well, I could persue my art without any fear. But... then things progressed with Jack before I realized. We were going out together, kissing, and..." She stops to take a breathe.

"Jo, I really don't want to know..." Dawson begins quietly. Just hearing about the kissing, holding, making out, was more than he would be able to stand, it made his stomach churn.

Joey takes one of her hands away from the cup, hesitates for just a second, and touches his hand. Dawson sees their hands joined and looks at Joey questioningly.

"Dawson, I'm sorry. I know you don't want to hear this, but I have to finish, okay? I need everything out." Joey says.

Dawson nods his head slowly. "Okay."

Joey continues. "Then I drew Jack nude. But it wasn't what you thought. After we talked about your script, Jack came over to see my sketch. He spilled soda over it." Joey hurried over this part. "I needed the grade and he offered to pose for me. We didn't sleep together. I stopped before it went that far..it wasn't right."

Dawson sips his hot chocolate, watching the heat rise from the cup. "I didn't sleep with Jen."

"I thought, perhaps you might have..given your history."

"I stopped it, Jo. I don't know what happened that night. It was about my movie, the characters dealing with lust and love..and that was purely a lust issue, Jen and I. And as you said, it didn't feel right." He answers honestly.

Joey sighs. "Then...Jack's poem. I didn't want to believe that he would be gay. But...things about Jack started to take surface, things I didn't notice, or just ignored and just plainly didn't know about him, which was a lot. And his reasons for writing the poem which I couldn't understand."

She takes a last sip of her chocolate. "You were right. I was being oblivious and not seeing the signs. Ironic, isn't it? I always make you out to being the oblivious one."

"I forgive you." Dawson jokes and pats her on the head. His heart was at ease. This is what he missed. The little jokes and just having fun.

"You are walking a fine line, oh Speliberg fanatic." Pursing her lips, pretending to be stern, which failed completely and a large grin formed.

There is silence for a few moments.

Then Joey continues. "And of course, the classic story of the girlfriend who finds out her boyfriend is gay begins to question her own desirability to the opposite sex. I really felt I had something to do with Jack being gay."

"Jo...Jack had his own issues to deal with, it wasn't you." His face softens as the next words were spoken. "You are beautiful and desirable. Everything about you is."

Joey is flattered but shakes her head. "Dawson, I know you mean well, but I can't agree."

"I'm not saying it to just mean well or just as a comforting thought." He answers quietly. "I'm saying it because it's the truth and because I lo..."

Dawson's voice wavered. He wasn't sure if he could say the next words. His head willed him to be quiet and say nothing, fearing again that confessing his feelings would lead to more pain. His heart wanted nothing more than to tell her how much he loved her. *What should win?*

"Yes?" Joey answers anxiously.

Suddenly two children race by Dawson and Joey, throwing snow balls at each other and laughing loudly. Dawson and Joey turn quickly as the little girl and boy rush past them. The moment was broken.

"Umm...never mind, it doesn't matter."

"Oh." She notes sadly. She had one more thing to tell him and she didn't want to back down now. "I've said everything I planned to..except one more thing I absolutely have to say no matter what the consequences."

Dawson's heart stops. It sounded so serious and it made him both curious and nervous. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

She looks into his eyes. "I miss everything about what is...us. I miss what we had, I miss one person who brings me the best joy and hope, my best friend," *One more thing..can't stop now.* "who I'm in love with. But what I'm asking is, can you forgive.."

And at that moment, Dawson places his index finger on his lips and cupped her cheek tenderly with the other. He leans and kisses her softly. All thought in Joey's head drifted away as she enjoyed the sensation of Dawson's lips on hers. Her eyelids lowered slightly, savoring everything in this moment. Their breath mingled, as their lips tentatively moved over each others.

After a few moments, Dawson slowly ends the kiss and smiles. "Does that answer your question?"

"Dawson Leery, I love you." She answers pressing herself closer to him.

"And I love you, Joey Potter."

Wrapped tightly in the other's arms, they kiss again as the snow fell around them. Hearts beating as one again. True love conquers all.

Okay, that's it people! The end of Love Returns. Please take a moment to comment on this story. I am interested in what you think. You can e-mail all comments to me.

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