Teaser
Dawson’s apartment in L.A.
(“First Love” by Utadah Hikaru starts playing in the background)
Like other morning afters between Dawson and Joey, sunlight streamed through the windows of the room, making the cocooned bodies, curled together, glow. They lay facing each other, their heads and knees touching, Joey’s arm slung over Dawson’s waist.
Joey is the first to wake, and she smiles sleepily and languidly, moving her head to look at him from a different angle. She plants little butterfly kisses on his nose, his cheek, and his shoulder until his eyes flutter open.
He looks somewhat surprised but bemused to see Joey awake and raring to go at such an ungodly hour, 7 a.m.
“Morning!” Dawson chuckles, before she closes her lips onto his, muffling out the rest of his greeting.
Morning sex is Joey’s favorite kind, and it shows. She eagerly holds onto Dawson’s shoulders, pulling him down and over on top of her, kissing him with renewed enthusiasm.
“There’s nothing better then starting the day like this,” she murmurs against his neck.
“I second that,” Dawson smiles down at her, bracing his hands on the other side of her.
Joey pulls the sheet up and over them playfully, and Dawson chuckles again, kissing her passionately and murmuring, “Love you” in her ear.
She knows he does. She also knows that finally, they can show their love physically, over and over, whenever they want. The prospect is exciting. She gently takes his face in her hands, and kisses him again.
CREDITS
Later in the morning.
“I am SO hungry,” Joey sighs gratefully, when Dawson comes into the room with some toast and orange juice. She is propped up against some pillows, wearing one of Dawson’s old sweaters. It smells like Dawson. It makes her feel warm and even sexy. Yeah, sexy, even if it is at least two sizes bigger. Or maybe it's just the way he looks at her.
“So you should be,” Dawson murmured, handing her the plate and sliding up onto the bed with her after kissing her playfully on the neck, watching her eat. He is now in a pair of jeans.
“Aren’t you?” Joey holds out a piece of toast, offering it to him with a smile.
“I’m weird,” Dawson admits, shaking his head and smiling back, “I can’t eat for a couple of hours after having sex.”
“You can’t?” Joey’s face shows puzzlement, bemusement, but most of all disappointment in the fact that she didn’t get to know that until now.
“I guess…Jen or someone else might have learned that before me,” she says wryly. She puts the toast down, trying not to sound childish or upset. She's not. But now that they are together is seems just…wrong that someone else knew before her.
“Just like Pacey, Chris, or even that guy Eddie knew certain things about you before I did,” Dawson points out casually. It doesn’t bother him actually. Well, maybe a little. But just a little. Yeah, right, just a little.
“Not Eddie,” Joey says thoughtfully. “Besides, you’re the guy I shared a bed with for ten years, so if we start counting the weird, odd and bad habits we both have when we wake up, I’m sure the list would be pretty long. And most of these things, no one else would know about. And you know why?” She asks, kissing him lightly in the lips after her question.
Dawson rolls his eyes, but grins.
“Why?” he asks, his finger tracing paths in her hand.
“Because we never had to pretend. We never had to try and look fresh and bright to the other person like you usually do when you are in a relationship so it won’t break the enchantment, you know? There’s nothing worst than seeing your partner wake up with bad breath and bad humor to start falling out of love with them,” she laughs.
“Oh, I see. But if I recall correctly, that didn’t stop you from having 'thang' for me when you were younger, right? Even though you had seen me burp…”
“… barf, pick up your nose and scratch your butt.”
They both end up the sentence at the same time and laugh.
For a moment Joey just take a few bites more of her toast in between kisses and they have some of sweet small talk before she goes back to the topic at hand, her curiosity still not fixed.
“So why can’t you eat? I thought most guys liked to eat afterwards, after burning all that energy,” Joey flickered her eyebrow, and sipped her orange juice.
“I prefer to eat before, and then use up all the energy,” Dawson laughs. He likes how they’re talking casually about sex. They used to do that when they were teenagers a lot. Or as they put it, “until they were blue in the face”. Never had he dreamed that one day they would do that again, but with the intimacy and excitement of it all still hanging in the air.
“How about a cigarette?” Joey jokes. She puts the plate on the side table after a few nibbles, and rubs his bare shoulder, sliding down until her head is resting on the pillow.
“Don’t smoke.” He’s gazing down at her, aroused by her wearing his sweater, and the shape of her figure beneath it.
“Now…there’s a look I know very well,” Joey says softly, stroking his cheek with her middle knuckle and giggling.
“Look?” he bows down and rubs his nose in her hair, smelling it, then nibbles on her ear slowly.
“Yes. You give me a ‘look’ when you want something.” Joey says, her eyes half closed.
“I guess you learn things every day,” he says muffled, busy kissing her neck. His sneaky hand manages to slip under the sweater.
“Again?” Joey grins sleepily, scratching her head, then moving her hands up to his chest.
“Oh…wait a second.” Dawson winks at her, and then leans over her and grabs the last piece of toast. He chomps on it, and then swallows some juice. She watches, her eyebrows raised.
He then licks his lips, and bends his head to kiss her.
“Now I’m ready.”
“Unbelievable,” Joey laughs as he buries his head in her neck, her arms going around his neck, pulling him closer.
It’s quite an interesting morning.
Mid-morning at Dawson’s bedroom.
The warm glow of the mid-morning sun fills the room. Dawson stretches, pushing the sheet down to his waist. Slowly opening his eyes, he reaches his arms above his head and stares for a moment at the ceiling. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth and we follow his gaze down to the woman still sleeping at his side.
Joey’s rich brown hair is tousled on the pillow, a few strands covering her face. Even in the dreamy haze, she feels Dawson’s eyes on her and with a contented sigh she snuggles closer to him, turning so that her cheek rests on his bare chest.
Dawson emits a groan from deep in his throat and nuzzles Joey’s earlobe with his lips. ‘This is becoming quite a habit’ he thinks to himself happily. Joey sleepily responds and draws his face close to hers, kissing him lingeringly. Finally breaking apart, they lie with their foreheads faintly touching, smiling broadly at each other.
“Well, good morning at last.” Joey’s eyes gleam with a teasing glint.
“What do you mean 'at last'?” Dawson asks in mock indignation, turning his head to the small alarm clock beside his bed. “Oh, it’s already 11 o' clock.”
“Yes indeed. I must have really worn you out.” Joey wraps an arm around Dawson bringing him back close to her side.
“Why, Miss Potter,” Dawson arches an eyebrow, “you are going to make me blush. By the way, you didn’t look so alert a few minutes ago. Maybe I wore you out a little, too.” Joey attempts to hide a smile and a faint rose hue creeps into her cheeks. “Aha,” Dawson chuckles, “now you’re the one who’s blushing.”
(“No fire, not ice” by Ben Harper starts playing in the background)
“Maybe,” Joey concedes as her blush deepens.
Touched by her vulnerability and openness during the night they have shared, Dawson cups her face in his hand and kisses her softly on the lips. He knows very well how she felt because he was feeling the same way. He had never had any problem with sex or any doubts about being good or bad in bed. But it was different to have sex with someone that was able at any moment, in the middle of it all, to look into your eyes and reach out for your soul and read your mind. To know what the other is thinking, feeling…finding and clinging to that perfect moment of communication of body, mind and soul that makes it all worth it.
There is not a river wide
Not a mountain high
And neither sin nor evil
Could change how I feel inside
Could change how I feel inside
“Where have you been all my life?” Joey murmurs into Dawson’s neck, savoring the smell of his skin. It was almost as going back to that night and morning six years ago. The touch, the smell, the tenderness, the connection… it had been all the same. How could she had forgotten about it? How could she had buried it so deep inside her? But last night… and this morning, it was all coming back to her. And she's never going to let it go again.
“I’ve never been far away, Jo,” Dawson gently runs his fingers through her hair. “Never too far.”
Joey rolls onto her back and draws another pillow under her, lifting her head a little higher. “What about the missing years?”
“Missing years?” he asks, looking up at her from the pillow where his head is resting.
”Yeah, the missing years of Dawson and Joey. The last five, really. Okay, there was the occasional email but who was Dawson Leery and where was he those months before his mom’s wedding brought him back?”
Not all the strength of the ocean
Not all the heat from the sun, from the sun
Though others have tried, I just can't deny
For me you are the one
For me you are the one
“Oh, the wilderness years,” Dawson laughs softly before reaching an arm around Joey’s shoulders. “It was a strange time, you know? I wasn’t around you, Capeside or my family and friends. I guess it was my moment, a chance to be who I was all on my own in the world. It was tough in many ways but it was an exciting and necessary challenge, too.” He pauses and then adds. “But even then, you were ever far from my mind and any contact from you made me reflective and distracted for the rest of the day.”
“Distracted, huh?” Joey whispers, lightly tracing a finger down his chest. “Even during that year in Edinburgh with all those beautiful Scottish women?”
“So you know about my European experience? I thought I was very elusive about that year of soul searching and cultural diversity.”
Joey rolls her eyes. “Please! Any time Bessie ran into Gale there was always a detailed exchange on the latest events in your life, which was immediately relayed back to me.”
Dawson laughs. “I should have known. Well, after finishing that infamous movie while you were in Paris, I started moving and pondering chances, opportunities, offers. In film school, they talked to me about grants for Europe. I applied for one and got it. And I gotta say, it was one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made.”
Hearing this, Joey pouts and pokes her hand in his chest. “Hey!” she protests. Dawson laughs.
“I said ONE of the smartest decisions, not THE smartest decision,” and he leans down to kiss her. Joey grins at him when the kiss is over and Dawson smiles before continuing. “So, the year in Edinburgh was a very good one. I met a lot of interesting people and made a couple of short films. Weird, non-commercial films that gave me a lot of experience, which was what I was looking for. Things in Europe are different than they are here.” He pauses for a moment. “Yeah, it was definitely a very worthwhile experience. Who knows? I may want to repeat it again someday.”
“Yeah, Europe is definitely worth a try,” Joey says, remembering her own experience in Paris. “I have to say, though,” she adds, “I didn’t always feel comfortable hearing about you.” Dawson glances at her with curiosity. “For a long time, I wanted to convince myself that the only way I could be happy was to leave my past, and you, behind. But then I heard you were back, and that you were done with school, and that you were setting up your production company...”
But true love is priceless
For true love we pay a price
But there's nothing can keep me from loving you
”Oh,” Dawson groans. “Just thinking about that time brings back all the stress and worry. I was out of college, finally in the real world. And this idea kept going and going in my head. I didn’t like the way some people wanted me to change things in my movies, so I thought I could be the one in charge, you know? But it needed a lot of time, money, effort, and it was risky as well. So needless to say, I was on the edge of a heart attack. A lot of that stress went away the day I got your envelope in the mail. I think I never really said thanks, so… Jo, thank you so much.” He says, intertwining his fingers with hers as he bores his gaze on her.
Not fire, nor, not ice
Not fire, nor, not ice
Joey looks quietly at Dawson.
“When I knew your dreams were so close to becoming a reality, there was nothing else I could do. I hoped the money would help and to be honest, it was just a small repayment for all you’ve done for me. Like giving me the money for Worthington, for example.”
Like the hero or the champion
You are the best, you're the best
Like religion or superstition
With you I am blessed
With you I am blessed
“It wasn’t just the money. It was knowing that my dearest friend in the world still had faith in me.”
“Well, I’m you biggest fan. I always was,” she says, and they smile at each other. “I could never deny the faith I had in you. You’ve always just shone with potential.”
“Not everyone saw me that way,” Dawson admits, remembering the struggles he faced in achieving his dreams.
“I’m sure that there were many women who found you and your potential irresistible,” Joey counters slyly.
“Oh, I get it,” Dawson grins. “This is just a lead-in to the ex-girlfriend talk.”
“So sue me,” Joey pouts. “I admit that, where you are concerned, I have a healthy dose of feminine jealousy.”
Dawson pulls Joey closer and enfolds her in his arms. They both are still naked and it feels so good to feel her skin against his.
“Since you’ve been so honest with me, I’ll spill the beans just a little. About those beautiful Scottish women, well there was one.”
”Natalie,” Joey interjects.
“The mom and Bessie gossip tag team?” Joey nods and gives a cheeky grin. “Well Natalie and I dated on and off for the year. She was someone I needed at the time, a barrier to the loneliness. Not the healthiest grounds for a relationship, I know. And when I came back to Boston, I went out with Dominique for about a semester, but that was it. She was blonde, funny and wild, and we had fun together. Then I went to L.A and I was too busy to date anyone seriously. So there was no one for awhile till Rebecca, and as heady and exhilarating as that was for the first couple of months, she was no match for my work once I had the company up and running. Again, when it was all over, I looked back at these relationships and wondered what there ever really was.”
Joey moves restlessly in his arms.
“I know. Now that we are here, it makes me wonder, too. It was like that with Frank and Ben as well.”
“I think I heard about Frank back in the day.” Joey looks up at him “Yeah, the gossip team worked both ways,” Joey laughs. “But Ben?” Dawson queries, “Do I know about Ben?”
“There’s nothing to know about Ben,” Joey gives a short and somewhat bitter laugh. “A poet who classified cheating as free love. With the benefit of hindsight, I wonder how it ever began. Like all of my relationship seemed to always start, I guess...some charm, some banter and witty comments, and there you go”. She pauses. “I really thought that was love, in my own dysfunctional way.” Joey smiles wryly and links her fingers through Dawson’s. “And maybe that is for some people, but not for me. With the help of time and my therapist, now I know it,”she jokes.
Now the river may grow wider
The mountains may reach past the sky
But wether or not you feel the same
My love shall never die
My love shall never die
They are both silent, reflective on the journey each has taken in discovering the true meaning of love. And the road they still have ahead, for now comes the hardest part...making it last.
“Thank God it’s different with us,” Dawson breaks the reverie. As Joey looks up at him he continues. “I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. Not always romantically, but in the best possible and real way. Never for a moment has there been a doubt about what we share.”
But true love is give and take
True love is sacrifice
But there's nothing can keep me from loving you
Joey’s eyes moisten with tenderness and she speaks again after a moment. “For the longest time, I was confused about what the love between a man and a woman should be like. Books, movies, TV - they all had me convinced that love has to be turbulent, passionate, wild and crazy. But you know, the movie is over in a couple of hours. What happens then? And I’ve learned a truth. The lesson was painful, but the truth is wonderful. There’s another love, and this one lasts forever. It’s a quiet love, a love that makes you calm and at peace with yourself and the world, a love that makes you whole. I think I always knew about this love. After all, I knew you. But for so long, I misjudged what it was. My love for you is so deep and is such a part of me that, in a way, it was simpler to forget that it was there.”
Not fire, nor, not ice
Dawson and Joey lock eyes.
“I now know that this love is the sweetest, strongest and purest feeling I’ve ever had. The other night, when we made love, I felt something I’ve never felt with the Eddies, Bens, Chris and Paceys of this world...I felt complete. We are one and, Dawson, I love you. I love you in each and every way someone should be loved. Like a friend, like family, like a child, like a soulmate, like a lover…altogether. I just love you.”
Not fire, nor, not ice
Dawson responds to the sincerity and strength of her emotion the only way he feel is right at the moment, by gently covering her upper body with his own. “Jo…” he sighs into her mouth. She reaches both arms over his shoulders and lifts herself to meet the depth of his kiss, knowing that in them, she will find true greatness and, even more than that...pure love.
Not fire, nor, not ice
Later, still at Dawson’s bedroom.
We see Joey wearing the same blue sweater Dawson gave her. Dawson is in a shirt, and they are both still tucked in bed. Dawson has his head resting on his arm and Joey is curled up next to him, holding his hand in hers.
“You know what?” Joey looks at Dawson. “I realized that we only really fought, as in really fighting, when we were apart or about to break up. Did you know that?”
Dawson looks at her with a raise eyebrow. “Really?”
“Yeah. I think we fought the most when we were teenagers and you were so oblivious…”
“Oh yes. We fought a lot back then,” Dawson chuckles. “I even mentioned it to your father that day we went to see him in jail.”
“You were so frustrating,” she says, rolling her eyes.
Dawson laughs. “Yeah, I was. Sorry.”
“But I’m not even referring to that. I’m talking about the intense fights, you know what I mean?”
“The ones fuelled by angst and intense hidden feelings?”
Joey seems to think about this description seriously. “Yeah, those. The ones we had after we finally let the truth about our feelings out.”
Dawson looks at her, burrowing his eyebrows.” Do you really want to talk about this now?”
“Yes, I do. I’m in therapy, Dawson,” she reminds him playfully. “This is good for me, “she adds, giving him her sad puppy dog eyes and then laughing.
“Okay, okay. So shoot. Anything for your health of mind,” Dawson retorts mockingly.
Joey smiles and readjusts her position in bed glad that she had her way.
“Which fight do you think that was our best one?”
Dawson thinks about this for a moment. “Mmmm… I think one of my favorites, if you can call it that,” he says and Joey laughs, “has to be when we thought we had had sex with other people, back in high school.”
“Oh, that one,” Joey says, remembering it clearly. “When we both screamed YES!!” Dawson laughs. “I was so mad!” she nods her head. “I remember distinctly one about ‘Creek Daze’, “ Dawson groans but Joey ignores him, “when you told me you weren’t over me and that was the reason you were making that movie.” There is a moment of silence.
“History really has a way of repeating itself, doesn’t it?” he asks. “Years later, that was still the reason that I was making what I am making. The show about us.”
Joey looks at him and cups his face, kissing him sweetly. “I just should have known better. All the times you put your brave face on and helped me go through all my crisis and everything I ever needed, but it was still there, hurting you.”
“No. There always came a time when it didn’t hurt anymore. Not as long as we still had our bond. But yes, I guess I never got to be as over you as I would have liked.”
“Neither one of us did,” Joey says softly.
“But the worst fight, number one with a bullet, has to be the one on your nineteeth birthday.”
“Oh yes. That one,” Joey agrees softly.
Then they both speak at the same time.
“I should have found the moment to tell you…”
“I’m so sorry I overreacted.”
They look at each other and then just smile. Joey gets closer to him and buries her face in his neck after Dawson kisses her forehead. Her voice sounds muffled when she speaks.
“That look in your eyes when I said that sex may have been a mistake followed me for a long time. I hurt you, once more, when I had promised myself I wouldn’t do it anymore. And maybe that was one of the reasons why, for so long, I never gave our romantic relationship a second thought.” She lifts her head up from his neck and looks at Dawson right to the eyes. “I can’t handle it. I can’t handle hurting you, and since I didn’t want that to happen ever again, I kept myself away from you. Although I almost opened that door.”
Dawson doesn’t even have to ask what she is referring to.
“Me too,” he replies in a quiet whisper. “I placed my hand in the doorknob, then walked away.”
“I cried all night while staring at that beautiful snow globe you gave me,” she remembers with a sad smile.
For a moment they just stay there, together, holding each other, comforting each other for all of the past wounds and scars.
Which fades to…
Dawson is sitting and leaning on the bed's headboard, Joey settled in between his legs. They’re still wearing the same clothes and for what we see around (leftovers) it seems as if they just finished eating some sandwiches.
“God, it had been like… what? Years? Since I did something like this,” Dawson says, sighing satisfied.
Joey smiles as she rests the back of her head in his shoulder, lacing her fingers with his and pulling his arms around her chest.
“Done what?”
“Nothing. Just being here in bed all day, enjoying the passing time. It feels just so good.”
“Well,” Joey retorts playfully, “I wouldn’t call to what we’ve been doing all day ‘nothing’” and then she laughs.
Dawson shakes his head.
“Joey Potter…” he starts, with a false scolding tone in his voice, “… I love your dirty little mind,” he finishes, nuzzling his nose in her hair, tickling her. Joey just laughs.
“They’re gonna break up, you know?” Dawson says all of a sudden.
Joey looks up to him over her shoulder. “What?” although she knows perfectly well what he is talking about.
“Sammy and Colby. I’m gonna break them up and allow them to explore the world by themselves.” He says. It’s something that has just occurred to him, but now it seems so obvious. Having Joey, his real Sammy, in his arms makes it so obvious that he is surprised he hasn’t realized it before. “I know you asked me not to, but they need the time apart. Plus, who wants to waste all that angsting, longing and tension?” Joey rolls her eyes, but then they laugh. “They really need the time apart. They need to grow up and they need to go through life, sometimes together and sometimes apart, because that is how it goes in real life. Then they will find their way back to each other as best friends, until they realize the true meaning of what a soulmate is. It’s gonna be a long and bumpy road, but it's gonna be worth each and every step,” he says looking at her with a reassuring smile.
“I remember when I told you something like that,” Joey says. “Fasten your seat belt, Dawson. It’s gonna be a bumpy life.” Dawson looks at her amazed. “What?” she asks, smiling, getting closer to him.
“I just don’t know how you can remember so many things. So many little details, you know?. Like that line, or the music playing in my mother’s car when I held your hand to run…”
Joey just laughs “Dawson, I’ve spent an entire life obsessing about you, or feeling bad about things I’ve done to you, and then back to obsessing about you… it’s just normal that I remember things like that.”
Dawson kisses her temple and when she turns her face up to him he leans down to kiss her tenderly in the lips.
“So it will?” Joey asks, turning around in her embrace nuzzling his neck.
“It will what?” he asks distracted, concentrating in the delicious feeling of her lips over his skin.
“Be worth it. Breaking up Sammy and Colby.” she moves to the other side of his neck. "Remember that you promised me the happy ending.”
“I know, I know,“ he gives up and closes his eyes. “And they’ll have it. No doubt about that,” he promises once more as he cups the back of her head and moves to kiss her lips…
“They better, or I’ll have to… torture you!”
And with that she starts to tickle him mercilessly, with Dawson groaning in surprise and Joey laughing. “I also remember how fun it was to trick you, so I could do this,” she says, both of them now fighting like they used to do in Dawson’s bed when they were just kids.
Their laughter fills the room as the camera pans out. Some things may change, but some others never do.
Two days later, still in Los Angeles.
We see a cab driving down a street. A closer look shows us Dawson and Joey in that cab all dressed up. They have their fingers interlaced and Joey is resting her head on Dawson’s shoulder while they’re talking.
“Now we’re even, you know?” Joey says, smiling playfully.
“Even?” Dawson asks, intrigued and amused.
“Yep. You escorted me to my promotion party some weeks ago, and now I’m accompanying you to this New Year’s Eve party that the network's giving. We’re even.” She explains matter of factly.
Dawson laughs, kissing her forehead.
“So... are we going to count how many parties we attend together?” he asks seriously, but his playful eyes betray him. “Because, you know, I have to go to a lot of parties during the year, and I’m gonna invite you every time I can.”
“Well, since I don’t have that many parties because of my job, we’ll have to find a way for you to compensate me, don’t you think?” she retorts with a big grin.
Dawson’s eyes light up at the suggestion. “I think we’ll find a way.”
She giggles and he leans down to kiss her. It’s a soft kiss but they linger a little. They’re still getting used to kissing and touching each other like that. It’s only been a couple of days since they got back together officially, and they’re hungry for each other. They are afraid it may take a while to get used to it, actually. Not that they care at all.
Joey looks at Dawson, remembering the last few days. The night they spent together on Christmas, the fight they had the morning after, Joey flying to LA, her confession on the set of “The Creek”, the exhilarating feeling of Dawson kissing her right there and telling her he wanted to be with her as well… But the memories that fill her mind are mostly of the last two days, the loving, the kissing… It’s pretty powerful when you get your biggest wish in one moment, and not even time can change that. She’s finally living that long life dream, and she doesn’t want to wake up, ever.
They arrive at the location of the event and exit the cab as someone hold the door open for them. The place is huge and it's already buzzing with people going here and there. It looks like a chateau in the middle of the grand avenue. It was the private mansion of someone long ago, but now it is used as a party location. There’s also a red carpet and that is where Dawson and Joey head to while holding hands. We see Dawson dressed in a tuxedo and Joey is wearing a light red dress that falls to her ankles, fitting her slender curves perfectly. The dress has tiny shinning pieces all over it that makes her look like she's glowing in the lights of the party.
They stand in the line of people waiting to enter the place and Dawson looks at his girlfriend in awe. She looks amazing, the dress sparkling and with that shy smile of hers. But the best part is how Joey looks happy and content, and he knows her expression is mirroring his own. The last couple of days have been incredible. He’s still trying to find the words to describe them, and, as someone said so long ago ‘It's not often that Dawson Leery finds himself at loss of words’.
Dawson embraces her from behind and she leans on him, smiling.
“Have I already told you how beautiful you look tonight?” he asks in a low voice.
“No, I think you haven’t.” She smiles. “Thank you.”
Just then a flash lighting dazzles them. They look up to find a journalist with a camera right in front of them.
“Great picture, guys.” The journalist says. “Mr. Leery, could you answer a few questions?”
“Come on, Jeff. We’ve just arrived.” Dawson protests, releasing Joey from his embrace but still holding her hand.
“I know, I know. Just a couple of questions and then you’ll be free to enjoy the party with this beautiful woman.” Jeff replies with a wink.
“Ok, but just two questions, Jeff. I know your 'couple of questions' has the tendency to become a thousand.” Dawson jokes.
Joey listens them talking and can’t be more surprised. It’s amazing seeing Dawson talking like that with that journalist. It’s obvious that they know each other pretty well. Although she’s not totally comfortable with the press, she stands by Dawson’s side.
“So, I take it you’re not free anymore, Mr. Leery.” Jeff begins. “Could you tell us something about this beautiful lady?”
Dawson laughs softly. “Don’t go there, Jeff. You know I don’t like to talk about my private life. You can just say that I’m finally with my Sammy. But that’s all you’ll get from me.” Dawson ends with a half joking, half serious tone.
“Great! This great news about one of the most desired bachelors in L.A. and you won’t tell anything else.” He sighs. “What can I do? Tell me about your work, then. How are things going with the show now that you’re not here to watch the plots and the scripts closely?”
“Well, it’s been good for me to take a step back and concentrate on other things. Also, it’s not like I’m living on another planet. I’m just on the other coast, so I’m still available if they really need me, just like now. I left some plots ready before I left anyway. Things are under control. I wouldn’t have left otherwise.”
Joey watches Dawson closely while he’s answering Jeff’s questions. At first, when Jeff had asked about her, she had felt Dawson tightening, although he was smiling. But as soon as the journalist began to ask about work, she clearly felt him relax.
She looks at him, furrowing her brow softly. Jeff is leaving to interview someone else and Dawson looks at her at that very moment. Seeing her expression, he squeezes her hand reassuringly and smiles. In that look, what Joey sees is love, not a trace of doubt.
“I’m sorry this is taking a while. The red carpet at these kind of events is something we all have to endure. Journalist are not allowed inside, so we have to deal with them out here.”
“No problem,” Joey says smiling at him.
A few minutes, a couple more interviews and a lot of pictures later, they’ve reached the entrance to the building and are free to enjoy the party.
“What are you thinking?” Dawson asks suddenly, casting Joey a side glance.
“Nothing. Just something silly.”
“Come on, Jo. I know you better than that. Something’s bothering you. At least, something was a while ago,” he insists.
“No, it’s nothing. It’s just that I felt you tense up when that guy, Jeff, asked you about me. And, at first, I thought that maybe it was because you were still having doubts about us and about me or something. And I just wanna make sure…”
Dawson interrupts her with a deep and passionate kiss. When he breaks the kiss it takes her a few seconds to open her eyes. Dawson’s thumb caresses her chin when she finally opens them and she looks at him with questioning eyes.
“I wasn’t tense because I had doubts about us. It's just that I don’t like to talk about my private life and that guy is usually very persistent. I already told you...I love you and I want to give us this chance to be together and happy once and for all.” He explains looking at her with loving eyes.
“I know, I know. See? I told you it was silly.” Dawson shakes his head and they both smile as they start walking again. “By the way, I love your way of shutting me up.” She says looking at him, grinning.
Dawson stops in his tracks and makes her turn around to him, tugging at her hand when she didn’t stop walking.
“Something like this?” He says softly, cupping her face with one of his hands and kissing her softly. When the kiss is over Joey is smiling, their eyes still closed, as they lean in for one more kiss.
Inside the party.
The camera pans across the late night sky, across the “Hollywood” sign before the image fades and then merges with one of a crowded ballroom. As the camera pans over the crowd, we see people milling around the bar and by the buffet table as the camera sweeps over couples on the dance floor before falling on the dancing Dawson and Joey.
One of his hands is in hers while the other rests on her waist. Joey has one hand resting on his shoulder and the other is clasped in his hand and they lightly move to the music, talking and not paying much attention to those who are around them. He says something to make her laugh and she makes a face at him.
“Very attractive, Jo!” Dawson jokes and she sticks her tongue out causing him to laugh at her. “So, are you having fun?”
She smiles at him before she tiptoes to lay a gentle kiss on his lips. “Yeah.” She glances around. “Is it always like this at your big Hollywood soirees?”
“Like what?” He asks as he twirls her around.
“The people, the food…the odd big Hollywood star…”
“There’s a Hollywood star here?” He looks surprised and laughs showing a dimple.
“Wonder how that happened.” Joey playfully swats his shoulder before resting her hand there again, rubbing it a little.
“I guess I just got used to it. I never ever expected to. I mean, I’ve come a long way from “Sea Creature From The Deep”. I’ve come a long way from the day when Todd fired me when I was still this awe-inspired kid.”
“Maybe part of it is related to the fact that you are a Hollywood star yourself.” She voices, knowing very well the status he is now elevated to, but feeling that he doesn’t think the same.
“No I’m not!”
“You’ve never seen the looks of people as you walk by them on the streets? That look they get when they’re sure you’re the guy they saw on E! News the night before or a picture in a magazine they’d been reading over lunch?”
He looks at her questioningly.
“You’ve never seen it as you walked down the street in New York?”
He shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders. “Never paid attention to it.” He spins her around again.
“I can’t believe you never noticed it.” She says as they bump into the couple dancing beside them.
“Oops. Sorry!” Joey apologizes as she turns to the person she banged into.
“Sorry, Dawson. Sorry, Joey.” The boy and girl say in unison before sharing a quick glance with one another and burst out laughing.
“We’re spending way too much time together.” The guy says to the girl as they continue to dance next to Dawson and Joey.
“It’s okay.” Joey tells them as Dawson laughs. She recognizes them from the set, although they weren’t officially introduced. She and Dawson were too busy with each other to even realize that there were more people around them, despite all the clapping.
“Joey, this is Adam, who plays Colby on the show. And this is Jessics. She plays Sammy.” He glances back to Joey and then to Jessica and Adam. “You guys already kind of met Joey the other day.”
“Yeah. We did. Well, kind of since you guys rushed out of the set as soon as we all turned around.” Adam says smiling as he holds his hand out to shake it with Joey's and she does the same. Joey laughs and Dawson echoes her, not embarrassed even a little. “It’s nice to get a proper introduction. Being introduced to us as ‘his Sammy’ was sure to confuse matters, with there already being someone called Sam.”
“It’s good to finally meet you; I always wondered whose shoes I was trying to fit in.” Jessica says, also extending her hand for Joey to shake it.
“It’s nice to meet both of you.” Joey says politely as she is still dancing in Dawson’s arms.
“I really hope you think we are doing the story justice, acting wise I mean.” Jessica tells Joey hopefully. “It can’t be easy having your life reenacted by strangers and having your whole life on display.”
“You get used to it.” She retorts as she side glances at Dawson. “When it happens for the one hundredth time.” She spots Dawson’s grin out of the side of her eye. “It’s kinda like water off a duck's back. You just move on with it and hope that he’s finally improved his writing enough.” She winks at Adam and Jessica.
“Hey! I am standing here you know?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I say something to offend you?” She smirks.
“Just hurt my pride is all.”
“We’ll leave you two to, um, talk this out.” Adam says before whisking Jessica away again.
“They think that I really hurt your feelings.” Joey says, slightly embarrassed. She looks at them as they dance away and they talk and look at each other. They look so young, just left the teenage years behind, and she thinks that they couldn’t have chosen a better couple to play Dawson and her. They ooze chemistry.
“I know. They’re good kids. They’ll realize soon enough that your words did not penetrate.” Dawson responds before dipping her back a little. “I may have already told you this, but it sure can’t be said often enough. You look sensational tonight.”
Joey imitates a southern accent and responds, “Why thank you, kind sir.” This causes Dawson to laugh. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
“I bet you say that to all the guys.”
“Just to the extremely successful, yet soulful, Hollywood types that have their own TV show about their life.”
“Yeah sure.” He rolls his eyes. “I bet you’re just saying that, too.”
She shrugs and grins. “Maybe.”
They’re suddenly caught up in the moment and everything around them fades as they just look into each other's eyes as they continue smiling at each other, subconsciously they still move to the music. Then there’s a casual glance from his eyes to her lips while she wets her bottom lip. Her head moves closer to his.
“Ah ha-ha.”
“Hmm.” Joey murmurs as she is shaken from the moment to find Todd’s smirk. By his side is Samantha, smiling wide at the two of them.
“Well, well! So, Leery has his bird back, I see,” Todd jokes in his usual fashion. Dawson rolls his eyes amused, and Joey pretends she glares at Todd but then she smiles and all of a sudden she is hugging him. Todd looks totally taken back, the smirk erased of his face now. Just like that, Joey breaks the hug and goes back to Dawson’s side, smiling.
“That was a thank you,” she explains to the guy, who is still trying to figure out what happened. “I know you had quite a talk with this man right here the other day in the set,” she says, looking at him as Dawson looks back at her, they both smiling, “So… thank you.”
Todd shrugs his shoulders and the smirk is back on his face. “No problem, if I had known what it was going to earn me, I would have done it better,” he says, wiggling his eyebrows at her.
“Oh please!” Sam groans.
“Don’t worry, honey. I like you, too and I have love for the both of you,” he says, checking her out. And without further ceremony, Sam slaps the back of his head.
“Well done,” Joey says to Sam.
“Thanks,” she replies.
“You should have known better,” Dawson laughs at Todd.
“Yeah, whatever. I was just trying to be nice, where’s the bloody fuss?”.
“Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen,” one of the waiters approach them with a plate full of champagne glasses. “Would you like some champagne?”
“Yes, we would.” Dawson says as he takes two glasses from the tray before handing her a glass. Todd tries to offer Sam one of the glasses as well, but she has already taken her own. He shrugs his shoulders and Dawson and Joey exchange an amused look.
“So… we have made all the obliged rounds of VIPs, right?” Todd asks to Dawson as he sips of his glass of champagne.
Dawson nods his head patiently. “Yeah, well, almost all of them.”
“That’s great, Dawson,” Sam interjects before Todd can say anything else. “But take this night easy and just enjoy the company,” Sam says, winking at Joey, who smiles at her with gratitude. “Todd and I will take care of the public relations for tonight.” And with that she drags Todd out of the picture. But not before he turns around and gives Dawson the thumbs up while he is driven by Sam out of their gaze.
“He hasn’t changed that much, has he?” Joey asks, laughing as Dawson places a hand on her waist and they start swaying to the music again.
(The perfect year, by Dina Carroll, starts playing in the background)
“Oh yes, he has. But it's hard to tell on certain days.” Dawson replies, smiling as he has a soft spot for Todd after being friends for so long, and even more since their whole conversation on the set the day Joey arrived to L.A. They smile at each other and rest their foreheads together as they dance.
Ring out the old, bring in the new
A midnight wish to share with you
Your lips are warm, my head is light
Were we in love before tonight?
“Can you believe another year is almost over?” Dawson asks her.
No need to hear the music play,
You eyes say all there is to say
Joey is silent for a moment before she lays a hand on his shoulder, contemplating the question. “Yeah I can, actually. It seems like it’s been a roller coaster ride. So many ups and downs, twists and turns. I’m actually glad it’s over.”
“You are?”
The stars can fade and they can shine
'Long as your face is next to mine
“Yeah. Don’t get me wrong, I love new experiences, but I think it’s time I had a little calm in my life. It just seemed as though I was always on the go this year. Like I was doing so much and didn’t have enough time for it all.” She’s quiet for a moment, reflective. “Life’s too short to run through it all the time.”
“Yeah, I understand what you mean. You have to go at your own speed…” He swings her in his arms slowly, enjoying the curve of her waist in his palm. ”Do you regret any of it?”
She shakes her head. “No, I just sometimes wish I had made different choices and then my life wouldn’t seem so, I don’t know... contradictory. But then, maybe this is the path I was always supposed to take. What about you? Any regrets?”
We don't need a crowded ballroom
everything we need is here
If your with me next year will be
The perfect year
“Not seeing people more… and investing too much time in work, because at the end of the day, we can’t take it with us.” He adds as an after thought.
“We certainly can’t.” Joey agrees.
It's new year's eve
And hopes are high
Dance one year in
Kiss one goodbye
Another chance
Another start
So many dreams
To tease the heart
“So, what about next year?” He asks as people mill about around them but he hardly notices it. “What does Joey Potter hope the New Year will bring her?”
“Happiness, pure and simple. That’s what I want. What about the soulful Hollywood big wig?” She asks, making a face as she finishes.
“The same as you...to be happy. To get to spend more time with my family and friends.”
“I want one more thing.” She says as the people around them start the countdown from 10.
“What’s that?”
“8, 7, 6…”
“I know it sounds corny, but I hope to end the next year the way I’ll be beginning it.”
“5, 4 ….”
We don't need a crowded ballroom
Everything we need is here
And face to face
We will embrace the perfect year
“How’s that?”
“Like this.” She says as she slowly leans into his body, her frame melting into his as she raises her hand from his shoulder to cup his check at the same moment her lips find his. Their lips move together, her gently sucking on his lower lip. Neither of them seems to be aware of the commotion and cheers of "Happy New Year” that surround them, both content to just focus on the other.
We don't need a crowded ballroom
Everything we need is here
So face to face
They break away from each other, leaning their foreheads together.
“Happy New Year, Dawson.”
“Happy New Year, Joey.” He beams at her. “Come on, let’s get out of here. There’s somewhere I want to take you.”
We shall embrace the perfect year
“Okay.” She beams back.
The perfect year
Somewhere in downtown L.A.
A car weaves in and out of traffic carrying two passengers.
"I'm thinking this wasn't such a good idea, Dawson," Joey states causing Dawson to glance sideways at her and smile.
"What wasn't a good idea?" he replies knowing exactly what she is talking about but playing along just for the heck of it.
"It's not like I can really see anything in the dark," gesturing with her hands in front of her. "See, I can't see a thing," she continues to comment.
"The reason you can't see anything, Joey, is because you're blindfolded," he says with a half chuckle. "I just thought it would be more fun this way. You just have to trust me, Jo. Where we're going is rather symbolic for me just like what happened over Halloween in New York City. For us, actually, but that is all I’m gonna say."
She feels the car turns left then begins a slight incline and she furrows her brows.
"Dawson, just give me a hint where you are taking me," Dawson looks over at her and takes her hand while he is driving. He kisses her knuckles.
“Just a little patience,” he says, and Joey sighs, although is clear she is also enjoying the game.
The paved road that they had been driving on quickly turns bumpy, and Joey can hear small rocks hit the car ever so often. The car finally stops. Dawson looks over at Joey with her blindfold still on and at that very moment he is awestruck not because he has a successful television show or that he is living his dream but because without the person sitting next to him all of this might not have been possible.
In a split second, he thinks back to the time that she told him that she loved him only to let him go to LA that summer to start fulfilling his dream. He thinks about the kiss that they had shared at the airport.
"Dawson," her voice brings him back to reality. “Nice moment to daze off.”
"Sorry...what?" he laughs.
"I said can I take this blindfold off now?"
He leans over smiling and unties it, running his right hand down the back of her head, feeling her silky hair between his fingertips. His hand continues down her back going down it once before resting it on the middle of her back.
Joey's eyes take a moment to adjust but soon she can see the lights of the city in front of her and is intrigued as they seem to twinkle under her gaze.
"Wow," she says letting her breath out. "This is really beautiful, Dawson," she turns her head to find his only inches away from hers, his eyes pinned with hers. They inch closer, pressing their lips lightly against each other. Short, soft kisses at first which lead to gentle, partially open mouthed kisses.
A knock on the driver's side window causes them both to freeze their lips still together. Dawson turns his head sideways then moves to roll down his window.
"Happy New Year, Mr. Leery," the man says greeting Dawson with a smile. They know each other because of a time the place was used for a filming location.
"Happy New Year, George," Dawson returns his greeting with a smile He likes the guy. Not to mention he is doing him a big favor, allowing him to enter the place without permission.
"Is this the girl?" George tries to whisper to Dawson but Joey hears him and blushes slightly.
"Yes, it is. George, this is Joey," he nods at Joey.
"Good evening, ma'm," Joey nods at him then looks at Dawson.
"Just what has Dawson said about me?" She looks at George who looks at Dawson and smiles.
“Nothing but good things, ma´m. If I have to believe this guy here, there has never been anyone like you in the whole world’s history,” and he smiles, because even if his hair is turning gray, he remembers how it feels being young and in love.
"Well, to me she is,” he says and he kisses her gently. “So, George, is everything ready?"
"Yes it is. You can go on up," George points to the road in front of them. Dawson starts the car, "Have a good time and stay as long as you want."
“We will,” Joey says and George smiles at her and the sparkle in her eyes.
Dawson thanks him and rolls up his window. Then he looks over at Joey.
"I know, I know, put the blindfold back on," she begins to place it over her eyes only to be stopped by Dawson.
"Actually, why don't you leave it off," he takes her hand and holds it his thumb gently caressing her palm, causing her to feel tingly all over.
(“The color of roses” by Beth Nielsen Chapman starts playing in the background)
Joey cannot help but to close her eyes and rest her head on his shoulder while Dawson's thumb continues to move against the palm of her hand. Her eyes are still closed and her mind following Dawson’s thumb caresses as the car comes to a stop.
"Jo?" Dawson looks at her. "Joey," he sings her name causing her eyes to gently open. "Look in front of the car," he points towards something that is a short distance in front of them.