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| FLASH FICTION #1: Always There (Part 1/1) |
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| [i:db17c0d12a][b:db17c0d12a]Hey, ya'll! I decided to post this today instead of Saturday since I won't have time to do so that day. Ever since slyn posted this week's spark, I knew exactly where I wanted to go with this. This isn't my first time writing a DC fanfic, but as I mentioned a while back, my first fic got lost over at POTL during the big crash and I lost my original. Anyhow, I've always wanted to write more, but never quite had the time. And I have several ideas floating around in my head. So, thank goodness for slyn's "flash fiction" idea or I probably wouldn't have ever acted on them. So, thanks slyn for setting this whole thing up for us, because I definitely need some writing exercises. I had fun writing this little one-parter and I hope you all enjoy reading it!
- Dollface
[/b:db17c0d12a][/i:db17c0d12a]
[color=darkred:db17c0d12a]Always There[/color:db17c0d12a]
The sun crept in through the windows to steal a peek at Joey as she fiddled with her hair, trying to get it just right. She gazed at herself in the full-length mirror for a long moment with a small frown. She then tore her eyes away to stare at the simple pearl necklace on the dresser next to her. It was Bessie’s favorite necklace, a present from Bodie. Something borrowed.
Joey took the delicate necklace in her hand and gingerly wrapped it around her neck, admiring its brilliant luster. She didn’t normally wear such elegant things, but this day was an exception. Twiddling with her hair once more, she wondered if she was even worthy to wear something so beautiful. If she was beautiful enough.
Just then, Bessie walked in with a small smile.
“Hey there, Miss Bride-To-Be.”
Joey hesitantly turned around with a forced half-smile, but before she could return the greeting, Bessie let out a soft shriek.
“You look absolutely beautiful.”
Joey only gave her a shrug of the shoulder, “Eh, I guess.”
“Well, [b:db17c0d12a]I’m[/b:db17c0d12a] guessing you’re being a bit too modest”, Bessie shook her head as she appraised her little sister. Joey was wearing a cream-colored silk dress with thin straps that accentuated her athletic shoulders and graceful neck. She passed on the traditional veil and opted for a gardenia in her hair instead. Simple, elegant, and beautiful.
Joey only offered another half-smile in return and turned back to face the mirror.
Bessie furrowed her brow with a small frown, “Okay, what’s wrong?”
Joey glanced over her shoulder with a smirk. “Nothing.”
Bessie walked over to her and peered into Joey’s brown eyes. “You’re talking to me, here. You really think I’m going to accept ‘nothing’ as an answer?”
Joey rolled her eyes on a sigh, “It’s nothing really, just that my hair won’t do what I want it to do.”
Bessie glanced up dubiously at Joey’s thick locks, each strand of hair perfectly in place from the tips of her brown roots to the tips of her loose curls. She raised her eyebrows on a laugh, “Riiight. And is ‘My hair won’t do what I want it to do’ bride-speak for ‘It’s my wedding day, and I’m nervous as hell’?”
Joey sneered, “Okay, so I’m a little nervous. Isn’t that normal?”
“It’s quite normal. In fact, it’s very normal. This is a very big day for you, little sis.”
Joey smiled a little more self-assuredly. The truth was, Joey was very nervous. And it wasn’t because she didn’t want to get married, it was because she [b:db17c0d12a]really[/b:db17c0d12a] wanted to. And that scared her. She had run away from becoming too serious when it came to several relationships prior, but with this right now, she had absolutely no doubts. Which was even scarier. She was about to dive heart-first into something big and the possibilities made her shiver with nervous energy as well as anticipation. So, here she was fiddling with everything she could get her hands on, trying to place this energy on something else.
Joey glanced over at the bracelet on the table, the one that had belonged to her mother. Her mom had cherished it so much, that Joey cherished it even more solely because of that fact. It wasn’t flashy or gaudy, but beautiful all the same. Joey’s face lit up a bit more as she placed it over her wrist. Something old.
Bessie smiled at the bracelet as well. “You really do look beautiful, Jo.”
“Thanks, Bess.”
Bessie pointed to the necklace, “So, you have something borrowed and the bracelet is something old. What are you going to use for something new?”
“Well, Jen and I were shopping downtown yesterday and we passed this lingerie store with a window display of extra risqué pieces. Well, of course, Jen suggested that I just [b:db17c0d12a]had[/b:db17c0d12a] to wear one of the sets on my wedding day…and well, now I have something new”, Joey admitted with a blush.
Bessie grinned widely, “Well, I’m sure your hubby-to-be will be quite pleased with that new something.”
“Bessie!”, Joey shrieked as her cheeks tinted with an even brighter pink.
Bessie couldn’t stop grinning. “Well, I’m gonna leave you with your new something. I’ll let you know when everyone’s ready for ya.”
Bessie walked out with a quiet shut of the door, and Joey turned back to the mirror. She smiled at her reflection, a bit surprised at just how right Bessie was. Maybe she did look pretty. Joey was caught off guard at how much she had grown into a woman, remembering that little girl who loved to hang with the boys…
* ~ *
[i:db17c0d12a]The sun shone vibrantly on the kids of Capeside Elementary as they scampered about the playground, soaking in the fun and excitement of recess. Joey and Dawson sat on the swings, as they swayed back and forth, higher and higher. Joey looked over at Pacey with a roll of her eyes as he stood on the seat of the swing, obviously out-swinging the two of them.
“Betcha can’t do [b:db17c0d12a]this[/b:db17c0d12a], Josephine!”, Pacey shouted as he jumped off the swing and landed on the ground of wood chips with a perfectly soft thud of his feet.
Joey only rolled her eyes in response and brought her swing to a stop, turning to Dawson. “Hey, Dawson you want to go over to the slide?”
Just as Dawson opened his mouth to respond, Pacey yelled out, “Yo, Dawson! Wanna go play some marbles?” Dawson turned to Pacey excitedly, “Sure!” And the two boys went over to a small cemented spot in the shade. Joey looked over at the boys with a disappointed frown and continued to swing. Sometimes, Pacey needed to just go away.
Just then, a stout boy came over to Joey with a rushed stride. Joey’s heartbeat sped up a bit faster as he approached. Bobby Wrigley. She had always been a bit afraid of him. He bullied just about everyone in school and always got his way because of his size. He stood over her as he flared his nostrils with an evil grin.
“You’re sittin’ on my swing, girl.”
Joey gulped. “I…I…don’t remember seeing your name written on this swing.”
Bobby’s evil grin turned into a tight lipped frown. “Look, little girl, you better get your rump off my swing or you’re gonna be sorry!”
Joey’s heart shivered in her chest, but she remained on the seat with a bit of determined bravery.
“Oh, you’re tryin’ to be tough, huh? Well, we’ll see how tough you are!” At that, Bobby roughly shoved Joey off the swing and she landed on her butt with a hard thud. Bobby howled with laughter and promptly sat on the swing in her place. Joey’s eyes welled as she fought the stinging sensation of her tears. Just then, she saw Pacey running over toward Bobby with angry determination.
He roughly shoved Bobby to the ground and kicked at the chubby bully as he screamed in pain. Pacey kicked him like this for a while until he stopped and said with a pointed finger, “[b:db17c0d12a]No one[/b:db17c0d12a] messes with Joey but me!” He then walked over to Joey and helped her up.
“Are you okay?”
Joey hesitated, with her mouth slightly open, as she quickly swiped at some escaped tears. “Um, yeah.”
“Good. But, don’t be a crybaby about it.”, Pacey laughed as he ran back toward a shocked Dawson.
Joey just stared after him.[/i:db17c0d12a]
* ~ *
Joey smiled to herself. She had no idea why he’d felt the need to come and rescue her from a bully when he teased her himself for so long. Maybe his declaration to Bobby was just a way of saying she was his girl.
She glanced at the sparkling diamond on her left finger and admired its beauty as it gleamed in the sunlight. He had proposed to her on his birthday, saying that she was the only present he wanted. That was just like him. To bring all of his attention to her even when the attention was meant to be on him. It reminded her of his 15th birthday…
* ~ *
[i:db17c0d12a] The Witter home was crowded with family and friends as Joey watched Pacey entertain the crowd with ease. He was juggling three party hats as he sang “Happy Birthday” to himself. Joey rolled her eyes on a small laugh.[/i:db17c0d12a] He is such a goof, [i:db17c0d12a] she thought to herself. She then walked out to the front porch to catch some fresh air. She had to admit she really wasn’t the best party guest nowadays. Her father had been recently arrested and sent to jail, which left her with zero parents at home. She had tried her best to be as jovial as possible, but she just couldn’t muster up the energy. She glanced at the stars, secretly hoping that one would shoot across the sky so that she could make a desperate wish. Yeah, it was Pacey’s birthday and he’s supposed to get the wishes, but she wanted a wish, too.
“What did ya wish for, Josephine?”
Joey abruptly turned around to see Pacey standing in front of her with his patented mischievous grin planted on his face.
Joey smirked, “Well, right now I wish you would stop calling me Josephine, doofus.”
Pacey played offense, “Doofus? Is that how you’re supposed to talk to the birthday boy?”
Joey only rolled her eyes and turned back around to face the stars. Pacey’s grin subsided as he walked over to her and said a bit more tenderly, “Is somethin’ wrong, Jo?”
Joey glanced over at him with clouded eyes as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Nah, I just….Well, I’m just not feeling too well these days.”
Pacey sighed as he gazed at her. “I know, Joey. You’ve been through a lot. But, you’ll find a way to cope. You always do. You’re a strong girl.”
Joey stared at him, “You think I’m strong?”
“Well, yeah, you’ve been through all this crap and you’re still standing. That’s gotta count for somethin’.”, Pacey shrugged.
“Yeah, I guess”, Joey shrugged.
Pacey gently placed his hand on Joey’s shoulder. “Now whadya say we go back inside and you can watch me be my awesomely funny self? My crowd awaits.”
Joey rolled her eyes on a smirk, “Yeah, with a face like that, it’s no surprise you’re a funny guy.”
Pacey couldn’t help but laugh as he walked back inside and Joey couldn’t help but smile as she followed after him.[/i:db17c0d12a]
* ~ *
Joey smoothed her hands over her dress as she glanced over at the clock. Her heart raced a little faster as she realized it was almost that time. Several obstacles had been set in front of Joey on her journey to the here and now and she was pleasantly content to realize that she had made it.
She had loved the same boy for as long as she could remember and had loved the same man for almost as long. It wasn’t easy to love him, and it was even more difficult to act on that love. But, as her dear friend Jack had told her many years before, the difficulty and fear is what makes it all worth it. And right now, Joey was never surer that this was, indeed, worth it.
He had been in and out of her life for such a long time, as a lover and as a friend. He had been in her heart, but he had never been out. That, as she’d said to him before, was a fixed point…
* ~ *
[i:db17c0d12a]The moonlight bounced off the windows of the Worthington dorms nearby as Joey and Pacey lied on the grass in silence, their bodies sprawled in opposite directions so that only the tips of their heads were touching.
“The moon looks fantastic tonight”, Pacey finally broke the silence.
“Yeah, it does.”, Joey smiled. She had been so upset about Eddie leaving so abruptly that she hadn’t had the time – or the heart for that matter – to just enjoy the scenery of the sky. But here with Pacey, she was able to do just that.
“Hey, Jo?”, Pacey interrupted her thoughts for a moment. “You remember when we were kids, you used to say that you wanted to taste the moon?”
Joey smiled at this memory. “Yeah, and Dawson teased me about it because he thought it was ridiculous to believe the old myth about the moon being made of cheese.” She grinned. “Which…it kinda was.”
Pacey rubbed his chin. “Eh, I don’t know about that. You sure had me planning a trip up there so I could make the world’s biggest pizza.”
Joey glanced up at him with a laugh. “Yeah, that would’ve been a great trip. And it would’ve been even greater if you stayed.”
“Now, now, Josephine, I think it’s about time you drop the ‘I Hate Pacey’ act because everyone pretty much knows you have and always will have the hots for me.”
Joey rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help but giggle in spite of herself.
She felt Pacey shift and she turned her head around to see Pacey getting up. “And on that note, I’m gonna leave you to your dirty dreams about me.”
Joey ignored his joke. “You’re leaving already?”
“Well, I gotta head home so I can get some sleep. This suit-and-tie gig I got goin’ for me requires some of that.”
“Oh.”, Joey frowned, disappointed.
Pacey studied her as he furrowed his brow, “Unless, of course, you wanted a bit more of my company. Because, ya know, my company is a cherished rarity among women such as yourself and…”
“Pacey…”, Joey rolled her eyes on a sigh.
Pacey chuckled, “Okay, I’ll stop.”
“It’s just that…well, if I just lie here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?”, Joey offered a half-smile through dangerously incoming tears. “I guess it’s easier to do that when [b:db17c0d12a]you’re[/b:db17c0d12a] here…in particular.”
Pacey only stared at her for a moment before offering, “Sure. Who better to share forgetting the world with than you?”
Joey smiled as he sat back down so they could lie together again, only not in their previous positions, but directly next to each other.[/i:db17c0d12a]
* ~ *
He had always been there for her, even when she least expected him to be. He didn’t start out as the one she went to first when she had something to talk about, but somehow he had become that person. And Joey was more than ready for him to always be that person.
Bessie poked her head through a small crack in the door, “Joey. We’re ready for ya. Are you ready?”
Joey turned around with a big smile and even bigger self-assurance, “Couldn’t be more ready.”
Joey walked out of the bedroom and was stopped by her father. He extended his arm, but not before he let out, “You’re beautiful, Joey. Just like your mother.” Joey smiled at this and took his arm.
They walked toward the entrance and Joey glanced around at the guests who had been eagerly awaiting her arrival. She skimmed the entire decorated room, until her eyes finally landed on him as he stood smiling directly down the aisle. Pacey.
He was there, as always. |
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| This was beyond sweet. The flashbacks were the best. You have me feeling all sappy with the P/J love.
I love this part.
[quote:54c2a4ac55]He roughly shoved Bobby to the ground and kicked at the chubby bully as he screamed in pain. Pacey kicked him like this for a while until he stopped and said with a pointed finger, “No one messes with Joey but me!” He then walked over to Joey and helped her up.
“Are you okay?”
Joey hesitated, with her mouth slightly open, as she quickly swiped at some escaped tears. “Um, yeah.”
“Good. But, don’t be a crybaby about it.”, Pacey laughed as he ran back toward a shocked Dawson.
Joey just stared after him.
Joey smiled to herself. She had no idea why he’d felt the need to come and rescue her from a bully when he teased her himself for so long. Maybe his declaration to Bobby was just a way of saying she was his girl. [/quote:54c2a4ac55]
And this
[quote:54c2a4ac55]She glanced at the stars, secretly hoping that one would shoot across the sky so that she could make a desperate wish. Yeah, it was Pacey’s birthday and he’s supposed to get the wishes, but she wanted a wish, too. [/quote:54c2a4ac55]
And the absolute best part. And so perfect I might add - Tasting the moon :). It made me think of Jack and Jen season three on the lawn when the sprinklers came on. Which is great, because Jack and Jen are the ultimate couple - totally connected. As are Pacey and Joey...anyway...I loved it.
[quote:54c2a4ac55]“Yeah, it does.”, Joey smiled. She had been so upset about Eddie leaving so abruptly that she hadn’t had the time – or the heart for that matter – to just enjoy the scenery of the sky. But here with Pacey, she was able to do just that.
“Hey, Jo?”, Pacey interrupted her thoughts for a moment. “You remember when we were kids, you used to say that you wanted to taste the moon?”[/quote:54c2a4ac55] |
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| awwwww im almost crying!!! that was soo good!!! i would love more of this!! :D |
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| Nicely done Dollface. Enjoyed that very much. |
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| [i:887331670a][b:887331670a]Thanks for the compliments, everyone! I've always wanted to know more about the creekers' childhood, which is why I chose the flashback route. The show televised some scenes for D/J as kids, but never showed a Tiny Pacey which always made me kinda angry. So I've always imagined what Tiny Pacey would say or do. Anyhow, when slyn came up with the spark, I automatically pictured Joey and Pacey lying on the grass, so that's where that came from.
I really enjoyed writing this and I'm glad you all enjoyed reading it. I really appreciate your comments![/b:887331670a][/i:887331670a] |
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