Crime of the Century

Either that, or we could always kill each other

I hoist my shovel over my shoulder as we head back towards Dawson's shed, the hole that we dug in the dark corners of his yard delicately sealed, all remnants of our genius plot removed from inquiring eyes. The moon reflects off the dull metal of my shovel almost as if the twinkle was a sign from the heavens, a smile tugging at my lips as I consider the possibilities.

I glance back over my shoulder at the fresh hole, the loose dirt that could be easily removed by one person. The few more feet it would take to bury a human corpse. That would leave enough depth to suitably cover his gigantic forehead, and then as a diversion I'd place the evidence of our earlier misdemeanors above it, safely covering that and leaving none the wiser.

But the murder weapon would be hard to remove. I'd probably have to burn it, create a small campfire in the Leery's front yard. I mean the reverence we were treating the barely incriminating evidence from an already solved high school level mystery, nobody would be at all suspicious of burning shovels. Only see it as the end of two crazy kid's fun playing criminals. Dawson would have disappeared after going off to get marshmallows and I'd be at the store getting graham crackers with… Joey, yes I'd need a witness to support my alibi.

But I wouldn't be able to keep that secret from Joey. The fact that I'd murdered her one and only soul mate. No she would not be happy, not happy at all. And the consoling period alone would damage my ego when she reacted to his death with far greater emotion then she'd ever exhibit for me. Yes even in death, my insecurities towards Dawson would still consume me.

I throw a glance back at the edge of my shovel checking the leverage of my swing towards his cranium. Yes, his friendship has meant a lot to me, but in hindsight, it was pretty one sided. I dispensed endless advice and ego boosts and what did I ever get in return? A birthday rant at age 16 in which he insulted me declaring that my only position in his life would be mere peasant who would always be insubordinate to him, always and forever.

Blood spatter, damn.

Resting the shovel back against my shoulder, I wonder if he has tarp in his shed, but Saran wrap would probably be better… no a garbage bag, those are large enough. The distance to his house is too far though. I have him in perfect location, dark, quiet, not another Leery in sight, the view from the Ryan's shielded by the trees. It's now or never. And now would get me caught.

He turns around, eyeing me strangely, "Okay so we'll have to clean off these shovels, I'll go get the hose and we'll wash them over the creek."

"Yeah," I nod distractedly as he disappears around the side of the house.

And the crime of the century slips through my fingers.

~*~

I shake off my coat, tossing it on the wicker bench on the porch as I step into the beach house.

"How's my little criminal mastermind?" Joey asks tossing the magazine she was flipping through on to the coffee table.

"Better, now that I see you're here," I smirk sinking down next to her on the couch. "Did Gretchen let you in?"

"Yeah," she hooks her arms around my neck pulling me closer, "but she had to run off to her shift at the Leery's."

"The one that doesn't end till two, right?" My smile widens. "Thank God it's Friday," I murmur against her lips. I brush my lips over hers, my nose sweeping against the powder fresh skin of her cheek, the aroma intoxicating.

"You smell like dirt," she giggles, pressing our foreheads together.

My tongue darts out, wetting my lips, "Yeah, I knocked off Dawson, he knew too much, I'm going after Jack in the morning."

"But was Drue already officially indicted?" She asks kissing the tip of my nose.

"I wasn't talking about the prank," I chuckle pressing a kiss against her lips. "They know far too much about you, and I'm the terribly jealous boyfriend type."

She rolls her eyes, "So I've learned."

I cup her cheek in my hand, smoothing my thumb over her plump strawberry lips before racking my fingers through her silky hair, brushing it behind her ears. "So now that I'm a known felon, how does that affect this relationship?"

She presses her lips together, "As a fugitive, where proper authorities may come busting in at any moment to drag you away? It's a dream come true."

I arch a brow, "Not at all sexy?"

"Sorry slugger," she claps her hands against my cheeks.

"See if I ever kill anybody else for you," I mutter sitting back on the opposite side of the couch.

She places a fake scowl across her features before standing up to settle in my lap, "I'm sorry honey. I know after a long day of deceit and incrimination of an innocent party, not that Drue could ever be considered an angel, you just want to throw your feet up and watch the game, right?" She says climbing back to her feet.

I grab her waist pulling her back into my lap, wrapping my arms tightly around her as I assault her neck with kisses. "I think I have enough energy for other naughty non-law abiding behavior."

She squirms around straddling me her arms wrapped around my neck as she positions herself over my rapidly growing erection, "Oh really?" She asks biting her lip, God she's so amazingly sexy.

Her lips tease mine, hovering just above my reach before I tighten my grasp on her, capturing her lips in a kiss, pulling away slowly before crushing them together with a heated passion.

My hands roam her body, my fingers dancing delicately over the exposed skin her shirt reveals as it rises higher up her chest. Her thighs tighten around my legs eliciting a low grumbling groan from the back of my throat, my hands cupping her breasts through the material of her shirt.

Our tongues dual, slipping and sliding with practice and ease, the tingle of butterflies fluttering in my stomach still present every time she kisses me. I remember while aboard True Love being simply amazed by the way she made me feel with just a simple kiss, how just holding my hand as we walked along the foreign docks along the coast made me feel as if I were flying. I've always wondered if it was possible to love somebody this much, and now that I have, I can't believe I've ever doubted the concept.

She pulls back with a playful grin, sitting back in my lap and twining our fingers for support. "I'm really happy that you did what you did."

"What kiss you? Because I can do it again," I offer leaning forward.

She narrows her eyes pushing me back against the cushion, "No, the prank."

"Yeah I figured any sort of foul play against the Valentine's would leave you quite satisfied," I say dropping my hands on her thighs, smoothing the pads of my fingers against the rough denim.

"Although that was an added bonus," she tilts her head thoughtfully, "I'm glad that despite the current conditions of yours and Dawson's relationship, you still managed to conspire and work together. I mean if this year has shown us anything it's that you two had a much deeper friendship then you ever realized."

I furrow my brows, "I thought I've only seen the weaknesses."

"Pacey, he found you in the middle of the Ocean, if that's not a explicit sign of true friendship, I don't know what is?"

"Jo," I move my hands around her waist to pull her closer, "just because Dawson and I teamed up again to fulfill a childhood pact, doesn't mean all is forgiven, and I can't promise that they will be anytime soon."

She frowns fiddling with the buttons of my shirt, "I know, I'm just optimistic."

I laugh, "Since when?"

She rolls her eyes, "I'm hopeful that you two are back on the right track to reconciliation. Just think how much tension will be lifted when you two kiss and makeup? It'll be less awkward in the hallways and maybe I'll be more inclined to do this," she says pressing a hard kiss against my lips.

I grin, "Oh, so now you're reverting to bribery," I shake my head, "you naughty, naughty girl."

"I'm the law abiding citizen," she reminds me, hooking her arms around my neck, "be it the law of the land or simple school policy."

I chortle devilishly, "I can change that."

I pull her back against me, kissing her thoroughly until she's a melted pool in my arms. I may not have been able to knock off my former best friend, but I still pulled off the crime of the century. Because snatching a woman's affections from the former man of her dreams is no easy feat, and now that I've got her, I'm never letting go.

-September 2004

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