The Unseen Obstacle Epilogue

I Disclaim

It came the evening of her wedding it was addressed to Mrs. Josephine L. Witter, having not even had the title more then five minutes; Joey was stunned to say the least. The envelope had been worn she could tell that it was old and had been through some rough times, because age had caused the ends of the envelope to curl at the edges.

But it was the hand writing that got her, it seemed familiar and forced her to think back to try to find the author.

"Hey, Mrs. Witter." Pacey said as he dropped on the bed beside her, and wrapped a hand around her waist to pull her back into him, as he rests his chin on her shoulder, looking at the envelope in her hands." What's that?"

The tone was weary, still years after Dawson been committed Pacey was still wear about the man that used to be their friend, he had improved some through therapy, but he would never be the boy they once knew and every know and then he had a break. His writings would start again and he began sprouting phrases like soul mate and 'love of my life'.

"It's a letter just delivered, by Bessie."

"You going to open it?" He leaned away from her from, and smoothed by her hair. "You want me to leave."

Joey turned and gave him a smile, before she pulled his arm back around her waist, and tugged him forward. "No, its okay, no secrets remember." She kissed his cheek." Besides its addressed Mrs. Witter, you got me the Witter so I guess you're involved."

"I like the way that sounds, Mrs. Witter." Pacey began kissing her neck, and lowering the neckline of her dress down on her shouldering.

"Yeah it does, it unfortunate that I'm still using Potter, no matter what you do." She said slapping his hand away, and chuckling at his pout. He seemed bound and determined to have the byline on her articles for the Boston Times be Josephine Witter." Now I can't read this is you're going to distract me."

"Fine, but can we at least comfortable." Pacey sat back on the bed after readjusting the pillows and moved his wife into his arms. "Now proceed."

Joey glared at him but still fell into his arms, as she had done every time, since their reconciliation on the edge of the docks five years ago. Not to say that everything had been something sailing, but everything had progressed the way a relationship involving Joey and Pacey would go. Lots of fights, bantering and arguments full of sexual tensions and innuendo. "Marriage has changed you Pace."

"Whatever POTTER, just start reading."

"Fine." Joey traced her name again on the envelope, and gave a sign as she opened the letter with her finger tip, and removed the letter recognizing the stationary immediately. It was her mother's stationary, se remembers it from her childhood clearly, and her mother still believed in a handwritten letter and in her final days she would have Joey go get her some so she could write letters to friends to keep in touch.

"Jo?" Pacey sensed the change in her before he saw the tears began to form in her eyes, and hugged her from behind, and smoothed her hair." Hey you okay?"

"It's from my Mom."

"Oh." There was nothing else he could say, a letter from a woman dead more then a decade had a way of taking away your ability to speak. Especially Lillian Taylor Potter, she was as engraved in their story as he and Joey were. "You still want me here."

"Yeah, I need you." Pacey tightened his hold on her.

" Then I won't I leave you."

"Thank you." Joey settled back on his arms and traced the words on the paper; she could almost see her mother painfully hunched over her bed writing furiously as she was know to do in her last days.

Dear Josephine,

It's safe to say that this is your wedding day, and may I first say congratulations to you and your husband Pacey, on what I'm sure was a wonderful day. Knowing that I'm not going to be there to see it cause me both pain and curiosity.

Pains that I couldn't win this fight, and stay and watch you grow up. That couldn't share the secrets and moments that I shared with Bessie, or simply watch while you stubbornly try to find the answers on your own.

Curious to see if your courtship of Pacey was as eventful as I think it will be. I know from experience that dating a Witter man can be an experience in itself. They are stubborn men by nature, and also fiercely loyal and noble to the point of stupidity. Which makes my curiosity grow , as just like me, you are also stubborn and unwilling to bend to ideas that limit your own free will, even when its done fro your own protection

I noticed the similarities between you and Pacey almost immediately, you were both to rebellious to be told what to do, and yet still obedient enough to try to conform. Pacey however was different, he seemed to have a confidence that far surpassed you Josephine, and it I saw right away that it challenged you.

I would watch you three play and I could see that connection, you and Pacey had , always fighting and battling about everything from the activity to play to the color of the sky, and even angry anyone could see how you both enjoyed the fight.

I'm curious to see the role of little Dawson Leery, even as children I could see him feeling threatening by the bound you shared with Pacey. He was never quick enough to catch up when you two gave chase and could never seem to hold his own in one of your fights, whether it be verbal or physical. It was sad to watch his retreat, but hopefully as you grew older he began to understand the reality of the situation. That you and Pacey were meant for each other and that he was bound to be on the outside looking in on that connection.

Most of all I'm curious to see how you my darling little girl handled the knowledge that it was Pacey that I hinted about. Did you fight the attraction as much as you fought the boy, and there was an attraction even as young as you were it could be seen quite clearly. Others would walk into a room and you sometimes would glance up, but never engage, but Pacey was another matter. Even if you didn't get up and speak to him, you would look up sharply and narrow your eyes, like a prey just entered into your hunters sights, and he's noticed too because you could see his smirk. I have a feeling that smirk will annoy you to know end, but rest assured it grow on you. I wonder how many other people you will involve before you see the truth, will you leave behind a trail of broken hearts before you look into the eyes of your friend and see the truth. I wonder if you'll relinquish the control you've begun to take so seriously and take a bigger risk.

But most of all I wonder the future will hold you now, that your search is over, and my dearest Josephine it is over. Trust me when I say that you will never find a more perfect person for you then Pacey John Witter. He will fight with you, annoy , challenge you, but more importantly he will love with his whole heart, just as you will him, when you finally let down the wall that of hurt you've been working on this last few years.

I'm sorry Josephine that I couldn't be strong enough when I needed to be, I'm sorry that I can't seem to fight the cancer, or be the kind of wife and mother our family needed. But I hope that one day you realize that I was only human and that the errors and judgments I made in my life were the ones I felt were right for my life, but not for you and Bessie, and I hope you learn from my mistakes.

I want to pray that you and Pacey had an easy relationship, one free of hassles and drama, but I doubt it. So instead I pray that you and Pacey have grow together, and will continue to do so, that your children will have the same energy and drive that you two had, but more importantly I pray that you remember the love, it will never leave you.

Love Always

Mom.

Joey finished the letter tearfully, with Pacey holding her tightly, wiping the tears as fast as they fell. "It's okay Jo."

"She knew way back then."

"Yeah, I always knew I liked your mom." He kissed her temple, and gave a laugh that was a little tearful itself. "At least I was her favorite."

"True but she didn't know Jack." Joey said as she wiped her tears and tried to lighten the mood, even after all these years Jack being known as Bessie and Grams favorite still got to him, and she enjoyed watching him scowl at the mention.

Pacey lightly pushed his wife away and watched as struggle to sit up right on the bed still laughing at him." Well she did know Dawson, and she thought he was a tool too."

"She didn't call him a tool; she just said he didn't get it."

Pacey began unbuttoning his dress shirt, and looks over at her, and laughed." Jo, Dawson not 'getting it' is what makes him a tool."

Joey watched him take off the shirt and dropped it on the floor; she placed the letter carefully on the end table, and sighed contently." You known now is really not a good time to be talking about Dawson, after all it is our wedding night."

Pacey began walking towards the bed with purpose, his blue eyes lit with pleasure. "And there's that control your mother talked about."

"And there's the smirk." Joey countered, before Pacey dropped down on the bed beside her, and those were the last words spoken that night.