This Is It

Prologue

Second chances. She had given second chances before. She had given Dawson a second a third a fourth even a fifth chance, each seeming to come easier then the one before. Eddie she had given a second chance before reconsidering the way he had treated her just days before, even after he abandoned her she took him back without a second thought.

Yet when Pacey Witter had asked her for a second chance, it was an entirely different story. Her heart had broken before, slowly chiseled away during her relationship with Dawson, a crack or two left by Eddie Doling which were easily spackled and forgotten. But Pacey Witter had done a number, one that still caused her chest to ache when she thought of it. Through the humiliation and the hurtful words he had crushed her heart, watching the pieces crumble to the floor as he continued to spat out insults until there was nothing but a hallow space below her breast.

But they had become two very different people and three weeks ago when he had asked for that second chance, she couldn't think of a reason to say no. The only problem was she couldn't find a reason to say yes either. Her reason however came today, when jealousy surged through her veins at the thought of him with another woman. There had only been a flicker before, a twist in her stomach every time she saw he and her roommate kiss, a slight cringe she involuntarily made whenever their names slipped past their tongues. But that day when Sadia Shaw walked into his office door with her low cut blouse and flowing black hair, a flirtatious smile branded across her features, Joey felt a degree of jealousy she hadn't felt since Jen Lindley and her bouncing corn silk hair had weaseled her way into her life.

There was the look in his eye as well that altered her apathetic feelings, the hunger that bore deeply in his oceanic depths that she could tell was for her and only her. It brought her back to when they were sixteen standing on the side of that open highway as he rambled incoherently on matters she was yet to understand. His impassioned speech that was lost in the wind before it could roll off his tongue leaving him unarmed, left only with the heat of his eyes.

Most importantly however, was that she had loved him, she had loved him the kind of love that was impossible to get over, one that could last a lifetime. And perhaps that's what she was scared of. Not of having her heart ripped out again, but the possibility that this was it, that at 19 she had found who she was supposed to be with.

"You almost done here?" He asked his chin resting on her shoulder as his voice rumbled through her ears.

She shrugged her shoulders casually; "I just have to close up the register."

He smirked nuzzling his face against her shoulder, " Well...that's excellent, 'cause, you know, I was thinking... I just happen to live right across the street."

She bit back her grin, letting the last traces of her doubt fade away. " I was thinking that, too."

"Really," he perked up. She glanced over her shoulder offering him a warm smile, "what a coincidence."

She pressed a kiss to his lips, "I'll be right there," he caught her lips again, "I'll see you soon."

He stood there for another moment just to drink her in before turning for the door a wide grin lighting his face. He turned back to her, "Hey, You don't think there's any chance you might be willing to wear that secretary's outfit—"

A laugh passed through her lips as she shook her head, "You had your chance," she feigned contempt.

He turned to the door throwing on the way out, "We'll talk about that later."

Glancing back at the door she watched it swing shut before clearing the last of the bottles off the counter, the faint thought that this may be it swimming in her head.

~*~

Ramming the last CD into her bag, Audrey rolled her eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh as she tended to the ringing door. "Dawson my knight in shining armor, so good to see you in my parts," she said throwing her arms around his neck.

He was caught off guard for a moment before wrapping his arms around her waist returning her embrace. "You were the one who called Audrey," he pointed out.

"Right," she nodded. "You see the thing is, I'm in dire need of a transportation service to Boston, and although there's the allure of those flying little shuttles, and their pending fiery doom, found at LAX it seems that I've exceeded the luggage apex by at least ten fold." She gestured her head past her shoulder to the various bags scattered around the living room.

"And you're expecting me to provide you with such services," Dawson nodded.

She cringed, "Well I had a traveling companion equipped with his own set of wheels, but said set suffered it's last transmission whatever you call it and is now residing in that great mechanic garage in the sky. Beside the fact of course that I fear being confined alone with this travel partner in confined spaces for long prolonged periods of time, seeing as we've never been on the best of terms."

"You happen to be in luck because I was just on my way to Bean Town myself," he bowed his head, "after blowing my most recent Hollywood excursion it's time to return to the wealth as I believe it is so eloquently described."

"You Dawson Leery are my savior," she pulled him back into a hug, "in more ways I could possibly thank you."

"So who's the excess baggage?"

As if on cue the yellow taxicab pulled up in front of the Liddell Estate and Eddie stepped out swiping a hand through his hear before picking up the unloaded bags from the trunk. He offered an awkward smile lifting his luggage with a slight shrug, "Where should I put these?"

Audrey glanced at Dawson whose jaw clenched tightly, "Er, the back of my jeep should be open," he said gruffly in a dominating manner.

Finishing his way up the driveway, Eddie wiped his hands against his jeans offering Dawson a greeting, "Eddie."

He smirked, "Dawson, we've met before, a few times actually."

"Yeah," he trailed off dropping his head. "Joey's former flame."

Dawson scoffed raising his brows, "Joey's current love interest."

"And Joey's roommate, so now that we're all properly introduced and eerily linked to one Joey Potter, why don't we take that long and winding road straight to her door so I can finally be home."

Only seems like yesterday,
You and I were sayin' goodbye,
Now I'm just a few miles away
Gonna see you tonight.

I'm coming home
Yeah I'm coming home.
Coming home,
I'm just coming, coming,
Waiting it out.
I'm just coming home.

She knocked a second time on the door slipping her hands into her back pockets as she rocked on her heels in anticipation.

He opened the door slowly his eyes shadowed by the darkness of the night. She bit her lip trying to extinguish the smile that threatened, "Mister Witter," she began, "I was hoping to renegotiate the position of my employment." Her eyes scanned over his body, his wet hair ruffled in its own unique Pacey fashion. His chest was bare, and as he leaned against the doorframe she could see his muscles contract causing a soft sigh to pass her lips.

His grin widened, "I'm not sure this is the proper locale to discuss your employment options."

She took a step forward running her fingers down his chest, "Actually, I figured here would be more appropriate seeing as it actually supplies the privacy of a door," she took a step through the entrance latching the door firmly shut behind her. "And of course there's the absence of your primordial coworkers," she purred her lips drifting across his neck, "and that gawking boss of yours."

"Are you insulting the company that you wish to retain a position at?" He asked incredulously allowing his fingers to tangle in her silky hair.

"Well I haven't gotten to my qualifications yet."

He gripped at the hem of her shirt pulling it over her head his hands stroking her sides, "I don't see any resume."

Letting her hands slip lower she grinned wickedly, "That's because it was more of an oral presentation," she finished her hand cupping his erection through his thin sweat pants.

She teased him, tilting her head farther back as he tried to kiss her, "You sound very promising Miss Potter," his voice was husky, strained by desire, "however I'm going to call for a full physical to make sure that everything is in order."

She moaned as his hand covered her breast, her nipple hardening into a tight peak beneath his palm, "What does that entail exactly?" She whimpered.

He flicked the clasp of her bra allowing the weight of her breast to fall into his hand, his tongue swirling around the rosy bud eliciting a gasp. "You may be prone to screaming," he murmured as he suckled the milky flesh, "but I can certainly guarantee that it will be nothing but enjoyment on your part."

Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pressed her body against his reveling in the sensation of his lips, "So Mister Witter, did I get the job?"

Finding her mouth with his he kissed her deeply, "We'll have to see if you pass the performance test, but as of now," his eyes drifted down her body, "it's looking pretty good."

She narrowed her eyes pressing her chest against his kissing him fiercely, "How about now?"

He grasped her hips pulling her tight against his hardening bulge, "We're getting there."

Bowing her head she placed a kiss on his shoulder before leaning into his ear, "I really missed you Pace."

He hugged her tightly inhaling her scent deeply as he absorbed her warmth, "I missed you too Jo."

Meeting his eyes again she tilted her head meeting his lips softly in a tender kiss before pulling away her eyes fluttering open slowly, "I was just hoping that you could make love to me like you used to," she said her voice breaking through her whisper.

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before pressing a kiss to her forehead, "I'd like that too."

Turning her, he rested his hands on her hips guiding her up the stairs guided only by the faint light of the moon. Lying against his slippery red comforter, Pacey kissed a trail between the valley of her breast ending just above the waistband of her black slacks.

Removing her jeans and panties, he paused for a long moment to admire her, to commit the slightly altered curves to memory, to remember just how much he loved her, to feel those same feelings washing over him in this moment.

His stubbled cheek rubbed against the ivory skin of her inner thigh and he inhaled her heady scent, "Pacey," she murmured her fingers gripping the comforter.

He grinned to the sound of his name rolling off her tongue in such a tone of heavy desire surging blood through his veins. Slipping two fingers between her folds, he watched her body shudder before he began to slowly thrust, his thumb flicking her clit as her labored breath began to echo through his bedroom.

Replacing his mouth with his thumb, Pacey sucked the nub between his teeth allowing his tongue to swirl around it as Joey called out his name again, her orgasm building. Feeling her approach the edge he removed his fingers delving his tongue into her opening, thrusting deeper until the juices of her orgasm washed over him.

She took a few deep breaths, sitting up to grasp his shoulders before her hands drifted back down his chest stroking his throbbing erection through his pants. He leaned forward nibbling on her neck before catching her earlobe between his teeth, "You sure?" He whispered huskily.

She pushed his sweatpants down his hips pulling him back onto the bed with her, "It's been too long," she murmured against his lips.

He rolled over her kissing her tentatively sucking her tongue lightly as his own swirled in her mouth. He slid inside of her, waiting for her walls to adjust before his first thrust, mumbling her name numerous times as he picked up his thrust, wanting this moment to last forever yet desperate to pump deeper before he lost her again.

These past few weeks seemed like a dream, and her doubt and confusion had helped him keep his hope in check, but now that he had her again he wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to let her go. That he would ever be able to deny the feelings for her that he had push to the back of his mind whenever she was with someone else, or whenever he was trying to move on without her.

He emptied himself inside her, pressing a kiss to her damp forehead as they slowly drifted down from their high. She snuggled against his chest drawing small patterns on his chest, "I'm sorry I took so long," she whispered bowing her head, "I'm sorry I was so scared."

Pacey buried his face in her hair hugging her tightly against him, "I don't blame you," he said drawing up the covers, "but we've changed."

She frowned chewing on her lip thoughtfully, "I think that was part of what I was afraid of," she sighed, "I was afraid of reliving the past but at the same time I was afraid that you weren't the same man I fell in love with."

He tilted her face so that their eyes met, his thumb tracing her lower lip, "So we'll have to make a point of falling in love all over again," he pressed a kiss against her lips, "because right now it seems like a very reasonable possibility."

Smiling slightly she nuzzled her head in his chest drifting to sleep.

-July 2004

Lyrics from "Coming Home" by Bryan Adams

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