. Author’s Note: I always wanted a soap opera style fic, where the relationships change constantly. Anyway it’s sort of based on some life experiences from when I was in high school and had my own Dawson, Pacey, Jack and Jen, in fact some of the PJ banter comes from some banter I shared with a friend of mine. It takes place in multiple points of views so between every break I’ll label the narrator. Summary: The beginning of junior year, this picks up after season 2. Some plots and season 3 story lines from the actual show will be used but only briefly and altered. Example: Andie still cheated on Pacey and Dawson is still being seduced by Eve.. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15

Joey

My summer went by in a twisted daze, thinking back on it I can’t remember what happened and in what order, I can give you the rundown which involved syndicated sitcoms and a few unfortunate encounter with a fellow moping teenager. 

I spent most of it at home helping Bessie with banking and recovering insurance money from the fire. I wasn’t ready to go back out on the streets of Capeside, because once again my family was the top selection of gossip du jour. I couldn’t even go to the grocery store without hearing the muffled whispers. 

Most recently I got a job at the marina, my boss is a jerk but it creates some source of income. I’m scared because we have nothing, Bessie has yet to find another place of employment and Bodie has disappeared off to some culinary school leaving us to fend for ourselves. Junior year approaches sooner and sooner every moment and college becomes a larger and larger reality to the point that I have nightmares of working down at the diner in an ugly powder pink sweater and a sideways ponytail. 

In late August there was an incessant knock on my door and I reluctantly answered it wishing I hadn’t when the demon spawn himself materialized on the other side. He was rubbing his hands briskly together hopping on his heels. “What do you want?” I moaned already anticipating how hard I would have to swing the door to effectively shut tight. 

“There’s a party tonight,” Pacey replied eagerly. 

“Thanks for telling me, I can sleep easily tonight,” I said wryly already distracting myself with the dust bunny I see rolling down the hardwood floor from the draft created by the open door. 

“I want to go,” he explains but I chose not to catch on. 

“You have my permission.” 

He clasped his hands together, “Alright, I want you to come with Me.” 

I sighed, because I owe him, he’s been down at the marina nearly everyday keeping me company, but I return the favor because I keep his as well. He’s still broken, ever since Andie left and the few meaningful ‘friendly’ conversations we’ve had has revealed just how much he loves her. “Why would I want to do that?” 

“Because he’s fresh from the big city,” he said with a wink and I wanted to strangle him because I know he’s right. 

“Why would I care if Dawson’s home?” I asked coldly. I remember the last day I saw him vividly and I meant every word, he made me betray my father, to turn my back to him when he obviously needed help. I meant what I said when I told him that I didn’t want to know him. 

“Okay, plan B,” Pacey began sinking down to his knees and folding his hands, “Please, please, please, please…” 

It goes on forever until I finally caved in, “Alright I’ll go,” resting my hands on my hips I arched a brow, “Why do you want to go anyway?” 

He grinned wickedly, “Last night as a free man, Andie comes home tomorrow so I’m not going to be in the mood for social events for a while.” 

I cringed physically disgusted with the thought of anything engaging in sexual mating rituals with this creature standing before me, even though I’ve seen it with my own eyes on that tape with Tamara. 

“So are we going or am I going to have to beg again?” He asked climbing back to his feet. 

“Yeah,” I replied brushing a few frustrating locks of hair from my face before following him out the door. 

~*~

Jen

Jack’s been living her for nearly three months now and the three of us, Jack, Grams and me have formed this incredible bond. Grams organizes creative activities for random church benefits, and teaches us how to bake for the many sales and benefits. 

Jack and I have turned into an old married couple; we nag each other constantly and then laugh it off. We know each other like the back of our hands and I could tell anybody that he was my best friend with out hesitation. 

Things had been going fine really, until this one day when I caught his eyes in this strange light and my heart fluttered. I sort of froze staring at him intensely, grinning like an idiot until he cleared his throat uncomfortably turning away. It hit me then that I had forgotten he was gay, I mean really he doesn’t come off as gay, I never noticed he was gay. Maybe I’m just trying to will his sexuality away but suddenly I’m beginning to think that I’m in love with him. 

It’s this problem that I’ve had since I moved here, with the exception of Chris Wolfe and crazy fisherman, that I’ve been falling for the sweet perfect boy next door. Dawson was a parent’s dream, Cliff a parent’s fantasy, and Ty God’s best friend. All three of them contained this quality that drew me to them, this innocence that I was trying to recapture, a na?ve characteristic that reminded me of what it was like to be accepted. 

Jack contains this too, he has a good heart and strong morals and he’s so artistic and amazing and with each passing day it’s harder to sit by him without wanting to reach out and touch him. But he’s gay, and last time I checked I had no penis so my snow flake has began to retreat from its decent on hell. 

~*~

Joey

I lean against the wall my arms folded firmly against my chest as I watch the hoards of drunken fools prance across my line of view. Pacey had ditched me hours before for a round on the beer bong, and last time I checked he was down to his boxers and a single sock in an intense round of strip poker. 

I cradle my soda in my hand watching the single cube drawn in the carbonated pool eating away at the ice until it dissolves within the liquid. Occasionally bobbing back a little smaller this time the wedge shape a smoother curve with white frosty…I think that sufficiently describes how bored I am. 

I’m about ready to leave when the crowd parts and in a total clichéd movie moment I see him standing on the other side of the room studying his drink like I had moments before. The world slows down and the faces around me melt together as if they didn’t exist and all I can see is him, looking exactly the same as when I had last seen him. 

I remember the last day I saw him vividly and recall the words I spoke rather harsh, I mean everyone makes mistakes right? It wasn’t total betrayal; my dad was dealing drugs after being in jail for over two years for the same offense. He obviously hadn’t learnt his lesson and it wasn’t right to drag Bessie and me into it. 

His eyes meet with mine and all thoughts of last May vanish, every bitter moment boiled away in the blue of his eyes and I hate it, because I want to hate him, but I can’t. He looks away quickly and over to Pacey who is still in the process of pulling his shirt back over his head. But I don’t pay attention to the brunette, I watch Dawson carefully wishing he would look back, but he doesn’t, instead he chats with Pacey for a while before turning and walking away. 

~*~

Pacey

I’m tipsy but I’m not stupid, I scan the room spotting Joey quickly, understanding immediately why Dawson was in such a hurry to leave. Shaking my head I stroll over to her, “You should tell him that you don’t hate him.” 

“Why, the same thing will happen again, it’s a vicious cycle Pacey, and I’m caught inside like an endless whirlpool that never eases so you get sucked in after years of trying to swim against the current,” she explains exasperated. 

“Did you see all those beers I just guzzled down?” I ask motioning towards the foldout table serving as a bar, “Enough with the metaphors.” 

She raises her brows and I can already tell that I’ve been open to ridicule, “Speaking of all those guzzled down beers, Pace what’s with the AA?” 

She’s caught me and I bow my head, “I guess I’m just scared, that’s all.” I feel completely sober again and thoughts of Andie flood my head. What if I’m the reason she lost it in the first place and when she gets back I make her lose it again? What if the time apart ruined our relationship forever? I’m scared because I’m so in love with her and can’t imagine my life without her right now. 

It barely crosses my mind that I’ve lived fine for the past three months on my own but I dismiss those thoughts quickly because I’m not happy. I’m miserable and alone and I miss her like hell. 

But I’m comfortable in this limbo, knowing that she’s waiting for me and that I’m waiting for her. Knowing that I still have her without actually having to deal with the relationship is comforting right now because I’m not sure if I’m ready to take care of her again. 

I slip out of the party stalking down to the edge of the creek and using it to guide myself home, I need to be alone right now and thankfully Joey understands because in the corner of my eye I see her walking off in the opposite direction. 

My heart thuds out of my chest anticipating and fearing the morning caught in a fierce dual. I’m sure tomorrow when I see her all my doubts will be gone, but right now it’s killing me. 

~*~

Andie

My dad just picked me up from the clinic and I’m sitting here in the front seat staring at the scenery go by. Saying goodbye to Marc was harder then I thought and the guilt grows inside of me with each passing moment. The level of betrayal is horrific and the fact that I knew it was wrong makes it seem worse. I slept with another guy while Pacey, the love of my life sat alone at home all summer waiting anxiously for my return. 

The first time I slept with Marc I cried myself to sleep afraid that somehow in some strange twisted way Pacey already knew, like he could sense it through the connection we shared. In fact the next morning he called early and I was afraid he was going to tell me how much I hurt him and what a slut I was for betraying him. Instead he reminded me that it was our eight month anniversary and he told me how much he loved me, and how excited he was about seeing me at the end of August. 

I wanted him to hate me, because at that point I hated myself. 

It didn’t stop me from sleeping with Marc again because I was lonely in a place that I didn’t know, around people who treated me like an invalid. Marc didn’t make me feel that way, he made me feel like a person, he made me feel the same way Pacey did, like I was special. Every time Pacey called I felt even bitchier because I would keep our calls brief, I would act distant I didn’t want to sound suspicious and I knew if I truly talked to him he would see through my entire act. 

But there’s no more running and there’s no more hiding because right now I’m home and he’s staring at me through the passenger seat window waiting. 

~*~

Dawson

My dad tells me that I should go out, because ever since I returned from Philadelphia I've been lying around in my bed, with the exception of the party. And look where that got me. 

I need to stay away from her before we fall back into the pattern we've been in. Falling helplessly in love and then breaking each other's hearts. I miss the days before everything became so terminally angsty, when she was Joey Potter my best friend and just one of the guys. Before she was Joey my soul mate. 

But those simple times are over, and in order to protect my heart and her own I have to do just what she requested, act like I don't know her. And the only way I can do that is to stay away from her, because if I'm near her I can't help but long for her. 

~*~ 

Pacey

All of my doubts melt away when I see her timidly climbing out of the car. She seems shy all of a sudden and I want to make her feel like home, to make her remember how it was. 

Circling my arms around her I hug her tightly lifting her off the ground with a grunt, at first I think she's giggling but when I pull away to drink in her appearance I realize that she's crying. "What's wrong?" 

"Nothing, nothing," she dismisses, but I don't believe her. This is much more then merry homecomings, these are guilty tears. 

"It's not your fault that you weren't here this summer," I reassure her trying my hardest to see her smile, and she does weakly in return. 

"I just missed you so much." I want to believe that that's truly the only thing that's bothering her but she's become so distant that it doesn't quite add up. 

"Is there something wrong?" I repeat stroking her cheek soothingly. 

Her grin widens this time and I feel this ease wash over me, "Not anymore." 

That's all that I need because in the next moment I'm kissing her and everything's right again. 

~*~ 

Joey

School is starting insanely early this year, last year it was September 6th and now they're trying to push us into academic torture camps three days earlier. I am missing well deserved viewing hours of Saved by the Bell, how am I supposed to know if Zack and Kelly got back together in today's block of episodes? I haven't seen the Vegas wedding in at least a month now and I'm still not sure if I've viewed every college episode. 

I'm distracted by a happy couple holding hands and frolicking down the hall…okay so maybe frolicking is pushing it, but they're happy and together and I'm alone. To make my insane bitter jealousy of love struck teens worse I nearly walk straight into two people with they're tongues shoved so far down each others throats I can only imagine that they are tickling one another's spines. 

The gods of loves spit on my shoes one last time and laugh cynically once again when I get to my locker and Pacey and Andie are snuggling talking intimately to one another on top of it. 

"Not to interrupt this Hallmark moment or anything," I begin tapping on Pacey's shoulder, "but some of us here are actually in the pursuit of academic excellence and require sporadic visits to these metal boxes here for supplies." 

"Move would have been adequate, Potter," Pacey replies scooting with Andie like a single unit to the next locker. 

"What brings the hallway dry humps to this row of lockers?" I question organizing supplies in my empty locker. 

"I've been relocated," Pacey explains tapping on a locker, "good ole A-28." 

"That's nice," it then hits me as I shut my locker that mine reads good ole A-29. I smile tightly looking up at him but he has been quickly distracted with his blonde outgrowth. "Won't this be fun," I say wryly. Damn you gods of love, why must you hate me so? If turning Dawson into a complete stranger weren't enough you have reminded me how lonely I truly am by placing John and Marsha the spit twins ten inches from me. 

I stalk off down the hall running into the first familiar face of the day, "Kiss me, Jack," are the first words that stumble from my mouth and I blush slightly. 

He chuckles at my forwardness glancing down at my hand that is clutching tightly onto his. "No offense Jo, but if you're trying to make a guy jealous kissing me isn't going to help." 

"It's not that," I explain, "you're so great Jack, and I mean you don't have to be gay, and if me being a girl is a problem here I've heard of some re-constructive surgeries that can fix it." 

For some reason he finds my diatribe extremely amusing because he can't stop laughing, "Is this about Dawson?" 

I shrug, "Partially," I admit as we begin down the hall hand in hand. "And about your twig off the family tree and her ape like boyfriend, and this is about every other schmoopy pair in this high school." 

"Lonely and bitter," he concludes, have I ever mentioned that Jack is brilliant? 

"Well if I'm not happy nobody should be," I confirm smirking at my own assessment. 

Just then Dawson passes by pretending to read a sign on the opposite wall in a blatant attempt of avoiding my presence, "He'll come around eventually," Jack tells me reassuringly, but honestly it doesn't help. 

~*~ 

Jack

I send Joey off to class before she jumps me in the middle of the hall and take off towards the cafeteria. I had a light breakfast of two bowls of cereal, three slices of French toast, and only one serving of pancakes and I hear the lunchroom is now serving breakfast burritos. 

I run into Jen on the way there and can't fight the smile spreading across my face; it has been at least eighteen minutes since I've last seen her. "Eat time, Milady," I tell her swinging my arm around her shoulder. 

"Jack, I'm not exactly sure how long the long term of your memory is but as I recall we ate a rather hardy breakfast no more then forty-five minutes ago," she protests as we head towards the cafeteria. 

"True, but think of all the fresh young sophomores," I reply with a wicked smile. 

She shakes her head, "No younger men for me, thank you very much, for extracurricular activities I would not like Mrs. Robinson added to the list." 

"Fair enough," I reply, "But there are always the foreign exchange students, and I know what a sucker you are for accents." 

She blushes presumably remembering the run in we had with a Spanish fellow at the beach this past summer, Phillipe, very exotic, very Jen's type. She shoves at my arm as we finally reach our destination and the smell of sausage and eggs wrapped in pieta goodness rushes my senses. 

~*~ 

Jen

I sit there staring at Jack's Adam's apple bob up and down as he chews on his disgusting preservative and chemically enhanced breakfast burrito. I don't have the heart to tell him all the diseases he is vulnerable of picking up through ingesting that filth because I'm afraid I'll break his little heart. 

Andie and Pacey take a seat at our table both with a new glow, and I really hate to think of all the sex they've been having this early in the morning because it's bad for the digestion, "Already planning your ditch schedule, Pace?" I joke. 

"It's never too early," he replies lightly though his eyes are still trained on his girlfriend who elbows him for his response. 

"There will be no illegal absences from you this year Mr. Witter," she says sternly yet sweetly and I wonder how it's physically possible to apply force in kind. 

"Less then a week back and she's already cracking the whip." 

We all exchange class assignments and Pacey and I take off to our first class together while Jack wolves down another burrito. I never get to see Pacey anymore and it's comforting to spend this short time with him. 

"So how was the reunion," I begin breaking our silence. 

"It was good," he says distracted, almost as if he was hiding something. I being the only one in our little bunch to have any form of intuition pick up on this quickly. 

"Am I the only one sensing a crack in your almost flawless sheet of glass?" I inquire. 

"Andie and my relationship is anything but flawless, have you already forgotten our spring of agony and summer of isolation?" He corrects me, and I can already see all of his doubts seeping through. 

"Trouble in paradise?" 

He sighs dropping his head as we continue down the hall, "She just seems distant that's all, and I'm trying my hardest to figure out why but every time we engage in deep conversation she alters it so we're engaging in something else." 

"Any ideas," I continue, I really am the therapist of this group, and without me there would be far more psychiatric concerns. 

"The only one I can think of is the clinic she stayed at, but I'm afraid if I constantly bring it up it will only rehash problems from last spring." 

I can tell that he's genuinely concerned, and that his heart aches for the fairy tale romance that they once shared. The days when he could climb up the vine wall to her window with a rose and make everything all right. "She loves you Pace," I reassure him, "as long as you have that everything's going to be fine." 

~*~ 

Dawson

I wonder aimlessly down the halls trying to remember where exactly room 223 is. I feel like a sophomore again put in this place I hardly recognize trying to find out where I belong, but then I realize it goes deeper then finding a classroom. It’s about her, and how half of my soul feels dormant, I guess what soul mates can do to you. 

“Hey I was wondering if you could offer me some assistance,” a soft voice calls out from the dark corners. I step towards it finding a beautiful blonde standing in the twilight. Her hair color can’t possibly be natural because it looks stunningly like a cup of Clorox to the head, but it’s cropped and geld so shortly in a way that doesn’t make it look trashy. Her eyes are a beautiful stunning blue that contain the perfect contrast of innocence and sexiness and her lips are painted a scorching blood red. 

“That depends on what your asking for,” I reply, my eyes still scanning her looking down at her scantily clad body, she wears a tight cut off blue shirt revealing her perfectly shaped abs and a mini skirt that is so short I can see her legs from here till Tuesday. “I’m not a very sufficient tour guide.” 

“I do fine on my own thank you,” she says in a dark sexy voice and I can already feel my body reacting when she draws herself closer smothering my lips with her own and chewing on my bottom lip softly. She pulls me closer effectively pinning herself between my body and the wall as she parts my lips with her tongue kissing me deeper. 

I want to ask questions but I fear if I do so she’ll disappear and my fantasy will end. She breaks our long sensual kiss and I take this opportunity to ask her, “What’s your name?” 

“All in good time,” she replies backing away and I watch her as she disappears her hips rocking back and forth in a mesmerizing rhythm and I decide that school may not be that bad after all. 

But then I head into my first class finally locating room 223, but I’m not the only one to make this discovery. At the same moment as I head in to the door, Joey is slipping in too and her arm brushes against mine in such an innocent motion that I wonder why I can’t stop thinking about it. 

Thoughts of the blonde vanish and all I can feel is the tingling sensation the contact of her arm brought to mine in one simple gesture, and I can’t stop staring at her for the forty minutes of history that we share. 

~*~ 

Andie

With each passing day I forget more and more of Marc and what happened, but then Pacey does some amazingly sweet romantic gesture and I can’t help but feel horrible because I don’t deserve it. 

I need to do something, to end things before he falls even further for me and I for him. Because the thought of breaking his heart further just kills me inside. Because I love him so much, he’s my soul mate. 

I wait by his locker holding my binder tightly against my chest trying to think of the right words to tell him. I want to tell him the truth but I don’t think I can muster up the courage. 

“Hey,” I say as perkily as I can, there’s something already wrong, I can tell. 

“Hey,” he mumbles back. 

“What’s wrong?” I inquire trying to read his expression. 

He holds up the slip of paper, “First test, I guess I’m back to old Pacey,” he shrugs handing me the sheet that reads ‘36’ on it in red numbers. 

“What Pacey how could you do this I thought you said you studied?” I ask incredulously because every time we’re together he says he’s done with school work. 

“Maybe not to this best of my ability, but I wanted to spend time with you,” he explains running his hands along my forearms. 

I see my window of opportunity, “Well if I’m causing your grades to suffer maybe we shouldn’t be spending so much time together.” 

His expression falls, “What?” 

“Maybe we need to spend some time apart, if we’re bad influences on each other.” 

“That’s not it,” he refutes, “Andie what’s really going on?” 

“Nothing!” I yell louder then I should, but it’s so frustrating sometimes, “We just need some space before diving head first back into an intense relationship!” 

“Are you breaking up with me?” He questions, and it hurts worse then I thought. I can’t answer only stare at him with huge glossy eyes. “Tell me Andie,” he backs away dropping his arms to his sides and I miss the feel of them on my shoulders. 

“Yes,” I whimper and without another word he stalks off down the hallway and I feel empty again.