Joey and her girls followed Mr. Williams and the rest of camp on a 20 minute walk to the Fort Campbell bunkers. Once they arrived, Mr. Williams directed all of the groups to sit on a set of large stone steps. "Okay kids, we have an hour to explore all of the bunkers. There is a set here, and another set of bunkers 10 more minutes down the trail. Half of you will come with me to the other bunkers now. Then in half an hour, we'll switch. I'll call groups by last name of counselor who are to come with me. Anderson, Ashley, Carter, Fields, Potter, Stevens, Ryan, Richards, and Witter. Would those groups please follow me?" he finished and began walking off down the path.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at a single, very large bunker. "This is O'Neil's bunker." Mr. Williams began after everyone had caught up. "It was built into the cliff side and used for military surveillance. Since the outside was made to only look like one large room to hide an intricate network of inner rooms. A secret door, which has now since been demolished, reveals the inner section of the bunker. Since the inside is pitch black, we are going to split up into partners. Each group will be issued a standard flashlight which I will hand out. You need to give it back to me before we leave. If anybody doesn't want to go in, I'll be waiting outside. When I blow my whistle, everyone is to come back outside."
Joey's girls split up among themselves, except for Brook who buddied with a guy in Pacey's group. Five minutes later, all of Joey's girls had gone in. She remained in the same spot drawing circles in the dirt with her shoes. "Hey Joey?" a voice asked from beside her. Joey looked up only to squint at a flashlight beam directed in her eyes. The beam was quickly removed to reveal Pacey. "Want to escort me in?" he asked.
"I think I'm going to pass on this one. I don't know what could be milling around in there." Joey said hesitantly taking a step backwards.
"Come on Jo. I'll protect you." Pace said linking arms with her and leading her into the bunker.
The inside was darker than Joey'd imagined it to be and the air held a pungent musty stench. Pacey waited until they were entirely shrouded in darkness before flipping on the flashlight. Even then the measly beam only illuminated a couple feet in front of them. Voices from within the bunker echoed of the walls making it seems as in the voices were surrounding them. Joey released Pacey's arm and latched firmly onto his hand. "Jo, you're not afraid again are you?" Pacey said, his voice barely a whisper so it wouldn't echo repeatedly off the walls.
"No, of course not. Why would I be. Any rational person would realize that there is nothing different between dark and light. Just the absence of sight, but who really needs that anyways. I mean, it's just like closing your eyes right and like I'm afraid..."
"Joey." Pacey said putting a stop to her rambling. "Calm down. You're rambling. Do you want to go back outside?"
"No, no. I can handle it as long as you're here." she said lowering her voice so as it was barely audible. Pacey smiled at her even though he knew she couldn't see it. They walked through a couple more rooms. Shining the light around, even though they wasn't really much to see. After ten minutes or so of looking at nothing, Pacey led Joey to a small stone bench and sat down.
"Why does Mr. Williams even bother?" Pacey asked. "This is obviously just a way to distract the students for a couple hours so they don't have to plan any real activities."
"Pacey. I..." she stopped, not really knowing what she wanted to say. She wondered how she'd ended up here with Pacey of all people. They had been hanging out a lot together recently. Even more so than her and Dawson. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she'd really done something with just Dawson. It was either her and Pacey or all of them. 'Me and Pacey. Pacey and Me,' she thought. It seemed strange to her that they had become such good friends. A couple months ago they would have killed each other if placed into a room together. Now he was the only person she could really talk to after her break-up with Dawson. He had been so sweet these past couple months. Always there to lend a hand. She smiled thinking how literal that was since her hand was currently in his.
"Um Jo?" Pacey said interrupting her reverie. "You've been pretty quiet. Were you going to say something?"
"Um, no. I was...no I wasn't. Just thanks Pace."
"For what?" he said pulling their linked hands into his lap causing her to slide a little bit closer to him.
"For being you," she said with an obvious smile in her voice.
"Did I do something special?" he asked gently nudging her with his shoulder.
"No. You've just been such a great friend to me lately. I mean take earlier today for example. Say I wanted to go into the dark tunnel and you weren't there to go in with me. You didn't see my supposed best friend Dawson there eager to escort me in. I haven't even talked to him since the meeting last night and even then we didn't really chat it up." Joey said exasperatedly. "I feel so distant from everyone. It's not like I was ever close to Jen, and she's always off gallivanting with that Henry guy anyways. And Andie, well, she's never been the same since she came back, but you already knew that. Jack, well Jack is off learning just what makes Jack time. So he's really too busy dealing with his own problems to help me with mine. And you know the story with Dawson so that just leaves you Pacey."
"I didn't know I meant so much to you Jo. I've just hanging around you to score free food at Potter B&B." Pacey said obviously joking.
"Way to spoil the moment Pace." Joey said nudging him.
"So it's just me and you against the world. Huh, Jo?" Pacey said smiling to himself.
"Seems like it. It's not too horrible putting up with my endless whining about life's little problems is it Pace?"
"No, Jo. Anything but. Spending time with you has been a God-send. You've helped me with my school work. I'm getting better grades now you know. And you've helped me keep my mind off Andie. You helped keep me on track when I was at the verge of losing it. I owe you Potter."
"Pacey you're the best friend a girl could ask for," she said leaning over and wrapping her arms around him. Pacey also reached around Joey and pulled her closer to him. It didn't matter that he couldn't see her. Feeling her heartbeat against him was satisfying enough. Joey lay her head against Pacey chest and closed her eyes also listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart. After a minute or so in their peaceful embrace, Pacey began to slide his hand up her back and entangled in her hair. Joey unconsciously did the same to Pacey as if it were to most normal thing in the world. Lifting her head up, she imagined Pacey smiling face in front of her since all she could see was darkness. His soft enchanting eyes, his full ultimately kissable lips. Pacey was doing the same in his head about Joey. Her dark enticing eyes, her rosy cheeks, her beautifully enticing mouth. Slowly Pacey leaned in until he felt his forehead resting gently against hers. He could feel her breathing softly against his face.
"Jo," he murmured trying to slow his breathing down. Was it suddenly getting hot in here?
"Shhh..Don't talk Pacey," she whispered back leaning in a little more closely. They got closer and closer. If the room were illuminated one would see theirs lips were within a centimeter of touching. Ever so slowly they moved closer. Closer and closer until, "TWEEEEEET."
"Wha....?!" Pacey leaned back quickly as did Joey. "Umm..that, that's Mr. Williams isn't it?" he said standing up.
"Yeah it is," she said with a bit of disappointment in her voice.
"We should get going then." Pacey said flipping on the flashlight and taking off.
"Um Pacey?" Joey called.
"Yeah Jo?" he said stopping
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
"Like what?"
"Me," she said obviously.
"Oh. God sorry Jo," he said walking back and taking her hand. "I didn't mean to. It was just the whistle andyou and I were and then there was the whistle and..."
"It's okay Pacey. I forgive you. Now just please lead me out of this dank hell hole."
"Anything for you Jo," he said smiling as he led her out of the bunker.