posted on 8-Jul-2002 10:44:30 PM by Peter Parker
Ok, since my AU fic I posted wasn't very popular, I'm going to try again with a normal-universe story. I know a lot of people stopped watching after the second season, so maybe this will appeal to fans of the classic episodes.

OT- Ever notice how, for any show, the first season was always the best. Look at Roswell, for instance. Same with Angel and BTVS, and Lois & Clark as well. Just something to think about...
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Miscasted

Disclaimer: Dawson, Joey, and the rest of the Dawson’s Creek characters are owned by Kevin Williamson and the WB. I don’t own them.

Category: Dawson/Joey

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Everything up until the season 1 episode ‘Escape From New York’



Joey Potter opened the medicine cabinet, searching frantically for something that would get rid of the throbbing pain in her cranium.

In that moment, she made a promise. No drinking…ever again!

Not finding anything, she shut the cabinet in frustration. It figured. Bessie had hardly done any shopping since the baby arrived. They kept getting food from the Icehouse, and Bodie kept picking up the baby supplies.

But could they afford the afterthought to pick up some aspirin? Oh noooooo…

Joey threw herself down on a couch, groaning. God, she didn’t even remember how she got home. Only bits and pieces: Dawson hitting some guy and picking her off the ground. Saying he’d always be there for her…

Joey laughed at the thought. Yeah, that would be perfect…which is why it probably didn’t happen. She had probably imagined that herself. Bessie probably went out looking for her and brought her home or something.

No, Dawson was too busy being Blondie’s ‘boy toy’ to bother with his so-called best friend passing out on a beach.

“Face it, Joey,” she said out loud. “You’ve just hit rock bottom.”

Why couldn’t she be interested in one of those disgusting pigs at Capeside High like everybody else? I mean, for some incalculable reason, there were people interested in her, as hard as it was to imagine. The guy on the beach, Grant Bodine, Anderson Crawford…how come she had to fall for Dawson Leery? The guy who wouldn’t notice her if his life depended on it.

She knew why, of course. That dry sense of humor, those eyes…that smile. As much as she made fun of the fact that he saw the world through rose-colored glasses, it was one of the things that endeared her the most. His ability to see the good in everything and everybody. Dawson Leery was one of the few things in Joey’s life that made her feel good.

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” a voice called from the doorway. “But you look horrible.”

It was Dawson. Joey could tell without even getting up off the couch.

“Gee, thanks!” she replied sarcastically.

Suddenly, she was greeted to an upside-down view of his face. He was looking at her.

“You ok?” he asked. “I’m sorry I had to bail on you yesterday.”

“No sweat,” Joey said. “Jen broke a nail, and wanted you to hold her hand.”

Dawson looked at her, slightly annoyed.

“Sorry, Dawson,” she said, sitting up. “Must be the migraine talking.”

He sat down next to her.

“So, what’s up with ‘Billy The Kid’?” she asked finally. “He gone?”

“Back to the land of skyscrapers and nightclubs,” Dawson responded.

“So I’m guessing you won your little chest-beating match, huh?”

Dawson laughed. It wasn’t a ‘funny’ laugh, or even an amused one. It was an ironic laugh.

“I think this is one of those things that don’t have a winner,” he informed her. “She dumped me.”

Joey looked over at him, completely shocked.

“Dawson, I’m sorry”

He nodded.

“It’s just that…” he started. “I don’t know what I did wrong here. I’ve analyzed it to death, and have gone over and over it in my mind time and again. The only conclusion I’ve come up with is…”

“What?” Joey asked him.

He turned towards her.

“It’s not my fault,” he said. “It’s hers. I don’t know whether she just has an inferiority complex, or hates my concept of romance, or just likes to play games with people minds and hearts. All I know is that I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Oh, I see,” she chuckled sarcastically. “You were completely the victim of the evil blonde manipulator. No individual thought from you at all?”

Dawson gave her the ‘evil eye’.

“Face it, Dawson” she continued. “You regressed into the common male. Easily made to leap over backwards for her the second you get in view of her pouty lips, blonde hair, bony arms, and b--”

Before she could finish her sentence, Dawson clamped his hand over her mouth.

“Don’t even say it!” he pleaded, removing his hand.

Joey laughed, and gave him her signature half-smile.

Suddenly, she noticed a look on his face. Really serious.

“Joey?” he asked. “Something else happened. Just last night.”

“What?” Joey inquired.

“Well, this is sort of…” he began. “There’s this…this other girl who likes me.”

Oh, wonderful, Joey thought sarcastically. Just what she wanted to hear.

“Last night?” she asked. “Before or after the Barbie doll dumped you?”

“After,” he informed her. “It’s really weird. Apparently she’s been interested in me for awhile, but never said something. Maybe she was scared I wouldn’t feel the same way.”

“And you don’t, right?” she responded. It was more a suggestion than a question.

“That’s the thing…I don’t know,” he said. “I just never thought of this girl in the romantic context before. Knowing this, it really puts some things in perspective.”

Joey couldn’t believe her ears. He found somebody else? Already? Just because this girl liked him?!

“Dawson, just think before you pull a ‘Pacey’ here,” she warned him. “You’re completely on the rebound here. Don’t do something you’ll regret. Um, what’s she like?”

Dawson thinks for a moment.

“Beautiful,” he said, dreamily. “I don’t think many people notice it. It’s not the ‘stand out in a crowd’ kind of beautiful, but it’s…it there. She’s really independent to. No one tells her what’s what except herself. But she just…she seems so lonely sometimes.”

Yeah, welcome to my world, Joey thought. Every word that left Dawson’s mouth right now was like a stab in the chest.

“Well, what do you think Dawson?” she finally spoke up. “Are you attracted to her?”

“I don’t know,” he responded. “A month ago, I would have said no. Now…now I’m not so sure. That’s why I’m asking you. I don’t know…what if I approach her about it and she hates me for knowing?”

“Now you’re being self-destructive,” Joey complained. “Just talk to her about it.”

“It’s not that easy, Jo,” he responded.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” she asked him. “Just kiss her or something and see what happens. Trust me, she won’t hate you.”

“Promise?” he questions.

Joey half-smiles at him.

“I promise”

Dawson smiles back for a moment, looking at her.

What was he looking at, Joey thought. Were there dark circles under her eyes or something?

Without any warning, Dawson leaned in close and kissed her full on the mouth. Joey responded for a moment, lost in the feeling…

Then her eyes shot open, and she realized exactly what was happened. In a panic, she fell backwards, off the couch, and onto the floor.

“I-I…you…” she jabbered, picking herself off the floor. “Why? Whe-why did you?”

Dawson walked over to her, concerned.

“Joey, don’t freak out…” he pleaded.

“I’m NOT freaking out!” she defended herself, though her much-freaked-out tone suggested otherwise. “You…you kissed me?”

“You told me to,” he reminded her.

Suddenly, it hit her. She was the girl he had been talking about the whole time. God, she was so stupid.

“You knew?!” she asked, a little angry. “You knew and you never said anything?!”

“Only for a few hours,” he replied, defending himself. “Pacey told me.”

“That little scum,” Joey muttered, turning the other way.

“You kissed me,” he continued, her back turned to him. “When we found you on the beach, I brought you home. I said some pretty intense things and…and you sat up and kissed me.”

She was surprised. Joey had thought that speech of his had been an hallucination or something. It actually happened?

“I thought this was what you wanted?” he asked her, his voice quiet.

She turned around.

“Not like this,” she informed him. “Not because you’re trying to get over Jen…”

“That’s not the reason at all,” he replied.

“Oh, sure it isn’t,” she said, sarcastically.

“No, it isn’t,” he repeated, walking up to her. “After what happened last night, I did a lot of thinking.”

“About?”

“About us,” he answered with a smile. “Mostly about me. How I’ve spent the past two months trying to…to transform my life into some awe-inspiring real-life movie. Now, my script was flawless. It’s the casting I made a mistake with.”

Joey gave him a weird look.

“You lost me with the movie analogy,” she told him.

Dawson just smiled.

“The girl,” he continued. “The innocent, vulnerable and supportive leading lady. I had the elements all in my head. The whole romantic epic that I tried to place Jen into. I tried to make her into this preconceived notion of the ideal person for me. But that’s not who she is.”

Slowly, Dawson took her hand.

“You know that ideal fantasy girl I came up with in my head, Jo?” he asked. “It was you. I was just too blind to see it. Smart, strong, funny…beautiful…”

“No I’m not,” she muttered.

“You are from where I’m standing,” Dawson argued.

“Dawson…” Joey said. “I’ll admit, your whole perfect scenario sounds nice in theory. But this isn’t a movie…this is reality.”

“So?” he asked. “Who says the two can’t co-exist?”

Joey rolled her eyes. Looks like she wasn’t dreaming after all. This WAS the same old Dawson.

“I can compromise,” he admitted.

“I find that hard to believe,” Joey told him with a laugh.

“Oh yeah?” he retorted. Dawson knew a challenge when he heard one. “How about I ask for the pleasure of your company to the school dance this Saturday night. Not as friends, but an actual ‘date’ date?”

Joey raised an eyebrow. He was being completely serious.

“You’re sure?” she asked. “How do I know you won’t start ogling Jen the second you reach the dance floor?”

“Believe me, my ogling days are over,” Dawson reassured her. “As of right now you, Josephine Potter, are my number one concern.”

She smiled.

“On one condition,” she said finally.

“Name it,” Dawson replied.

“I don’t care what your screwy romantic ideals say,” she told him. “Do not call me ‘Josephine’ when we’re at the school. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

The two of them laughed.

“Deal,” he agreed. “Ok then. Joey Potter, will you go to the school dance with me?”

Joey half-smiled.

“I’d love to” she said, standing up.

Suddenly, she put her hand to her head. She started loosing her balance.

“Jo?!” he asked, catching her. “Joey?!!

Her head must still hurt from that drinking yesterday, he thought. He looked at her, concerned…but was taken completely by surprise when he found her mouth latched onto his own.

Instantly, it felt familiar to the two of them. Not like the quick kisses from the night before or a moment ago. It was intense…passionate. A lot like that kiss they shared in detention last week.

Only now it wasn’t something they were dared into. This kiss wasn’t thrust upon them by a third party. It was something they wanted. Something they both wanted.

For a second, Joey was filled with the most joy in her entire young life. She finally had what she wanted for so long. To be in Dawson’s arms. Not as a friend, but as something much, much more.

Finally, they broke off the kiss.

“I, uh…” she said, blushing slightly. “Just wanted to get you off guard. A little payback from earlier.”

Dawson grinned at her. Joey’s ‘tough’ exterior may fool other people, but not him. Not anymore.

“So?” she asked, grinning back. “Want to go to your place and catch a movie?”

“You want to just watch movies?” he asked, mildly amused. “Ok then, but I get to pick it. How about some old John Hughes films?”

“What do you have in mind,” she asked, a bit intrigued.

“I was thinking ‘Pretty In Pink’ or ‘Some Kind Of Wonderful’,” he said. “How about ‘The Breakfast Club’?”

The two of them giggle at their own private joke, as they headed for the door.

“Hey Joey?” he asked, as the two of them walked towards her rowboat. “Since we’re sort of dating now, could I ask you a personal question?”

“Shoot,” she responded.

“You ever going to explain the Crisco to me?” Dawson questioned.

She looked back at him, smiling.

“Let’s try to get through the dance first, ok?”

Maybe it had been worth the headache after all?

The End
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-Peter
posted on 9-Jul-2002 3:18:07 AM by Peter Parker
Nope, not too much.

I just want to update a few of my other stories first(the Humanity Chronicles, for one). I'll see what I can do about a sequal.

-Peter
posted on 10-Jul-2002 10:04:51 PM by Peter Parker
Oh, I agree with you completely. Although I sort of liked the first season storyline with The Master, Buffy seemed to keep it's edge for the first three seasons. It wasn't until the fourth season where things fell apart(Angel leaves, Willow/Xander plot dropped completely, overflodding with characters, etc...). Although, with this years season finale they seem to be trying to undo that.