A potential between mesons is extracted from 4-point functions within
lattice gauge theory taking 2+1 dimensional QED as an example. This th
eory possesses confinement and dynamical fermions. The resulting meson
-meson potential has a short-ranged hard repulsive core and the expect
ed dipole-dipole forces lead to attraction at intermediate distances.
Sea quarks lead to a softer form of the total potential.