. 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.. Warning: Contains sexual content. 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

Jack 

Joey drags my hand down the hallway dodging past the swarms of students, whoever thought it was a good idea to move the freshmen onto our territory needs to be gagged and shot, okay perhaps that is a bit extreme, twenty four hours of inhumane torture is more fitting. 

A freshmen girl smiles shyly at me as I follow Joey and offers me a wave, “Wrong team,” Joey calls to her, if she can’t have me, I guess no one can. 

“Where are we going?” I ask her as we reach the main doors finally making it to the fresh open air. 

“Jack you and I are intellectuals, right?” She asks hiking her bag up her shoulder. 

“I don’t get it?” 

She sighs rolling her eyes, “Out of the six unique members within our,” she fights for a word, “posse,” I smirk; she’s a regular Steve Sanders. She elbows me, “Out of the six of us you and I have a startling list of hobbies in common.” 

“True we enjoy art, we’ve had a career in food service, and we both like boys,” she elbows me again. 

“Jack I’m being serious,” we continue walking in some foreign direction. “This is junior year and college is just around the corner and when going through the acceptance process, they don’t just pick the people with the flawless 4.0 GPA’s.” She takes a breath, “They look for people who have contributed a positive attribution to their community, who are active in their town’s everyday lives. If you know anything about me however, you know that my extracurricular activities included a minimum wage waiting job and countless nights studying the art of film making in my best friend’s bed room.” 

“Well as of late I think we could expand that to physical—,” she elbows me a third time before I can get it out; I think I’m going to be bruised. 

“My point is, I need to join the school paper,” she finishes. 

“And you needed a ten minute monologue to justify that to me, why?” 

“I want you to join it with me,” she pops out her lower lip; even a gay man can’t deny the lip. 

“But I’ve already got extracurricular activities,” I explain, “football.” 

“That’s almost over anyway and I already checked the schedules don’t conflict,” she begs, “Jack please?” 

“Why don’t you just ask Pacey?” 

“I spend every waking moment with Pacey, I feel like I’m cutting my self off from everyone else.” 

“He already said no, didn’t he?” I grin. 

She huffs, “It’s for the best really, he doesn’t know the difference between there, their, and they’re, or two, too, and to or…” 

“I get it,” I say but in reality they all sounded the same. “Fine I’ll do it.” 

She throws her arms around my neck kissing me on the cheek, “Jack you are all kinds of amazing.” 

“I know, I know,” I nod as we head I’m guessing towards the journalism room. Heading back into an entrance I didn’t know exist we continue down an abandoned hallway. “Is this still our high school?” I ask her. 

She looks at me dumbly, latching onto my hand and leading me to the last door on the right. We wonder past a vast line of computers and stacks of papers making our way to the little office in the back. “Hey David,” Joey calls out, “I’ve recruited our sports man.” 

I narrow my eyes I don’t want to be type cast as the sports man just because I’m on the football team, I feel degraded. “That’s great Jo,” the voice sounds familiar. 

David Rivendale peeks his head past his computer, “Jack this is David, David Jack,” Joey introduces her eyes jumping between us. 

“No we met, the Halloween dance,” I cut in. 

“Oh,” Joey trails off, “I was off… feeding the rumor mill.” She changes the subject, “David’s the editor of the Capeside Chronicle.” 

“A sophomore as the head?” I cock a brow, “Impressive.” 

“Not quite,” he shakes his head, “turns out all the big newspaper geeks graduated last year and none of the juniors/seniors were up for the task.” 

Joey cringes, “I don’t get this computer layout stuff.” 

“So you just want me to write an article on sports?” I question. 

“Yeah, interview some players, interview some student fans, maybe do a little piece on professional sports and keep track of the records.” 

“That can’t be too hard,” I turn to Joey, “What do you do?” 

“Editorials and reviews,” she shrugs, “you know just bitch and moan about how everything sucks.” 

I smirk, “You’re dream job.” 

~*~ 

Dawson 

I head into the library with a note book determined to do some level of studying during this lunch period. Poking my head inside my eye catches on Andie sitting at a table in the corner. I stroll over there taking a seat next to her. 

“Hey,” she perks up, “what brings you to the library at this hour. If you’re anything like Pacey, nothing can get in the way of eating.” 

“Math test,” I explain holding up my book. 

“So how have you been?” She leans her face in her hand, “Since Thanksgiving that is.” 

I shrug, “Pretty good actually, I haven’t felt this good in a long time, all the angst of being a teen with that added will they won’t they drama with Joey seems to have been lifted from my shoulders and I just feel the overwhelming burden of junior year.” 

She smiles, “Tell me about it, I’ve taken so many SAT II’s and SAT study sessions and read so many ACT review books I’m not quite sure how to differentiate it all anymore.” 

"And ever since we took those PSATs, God I hate the college mail already," I add. 

Her grin widens again and for the first time I realize how beautiful it really is. I never really thought of Andie in any sense other then friend because during the entire duration of our relatively brief camaraderie she was always with Pacey. She was either his sparring partner, or his flirting companion, or his girlfriend. Now she's just Andie McPhee and everything's different. 

I remember one time Pacey told me that Andie was a lot like me, our outlook on life was blurred by rose tinted glasses and our optimistic hopes were "nauseating," maybe that's what I need, someone who sees the world like I do. Jen and Joey both seemed to have more mature out looks on life, or at least more bitter tones. They had some sort of view of different shades of gray while I always wanted to categorize it as black or white. I thought that was better for me, to be paired with a realist when I was such a dreamer, to direct me in a way that wouldn't veer me off course. 

Jen and I couldn't last because I couldn't accept her past, although you fantasize about the bad girl actually obtaining her is a different story. I felt inexperienced and childish next to her with this pending fear of never living up to the demons of her past. Joey and I were far too different; we knew everything about one another and therefore knew how to hurt each other the most. Instead of complimenting each other, our faults made our relationship worse and the polar opposites we had become only became a catalyst for endless fights. 

"Earth to Dawson," she snaps her fingers in my face. 

"What?" I blink my eyes a few times. 

"What are studying for maybe I can help," she says leaning towards me slightly. 

I catch the scent of her perfume and my eyes flutter a bit. Her perkiness was a little tiresome but my incisive whining can be considered that as well so I can't hold it against her, "Pre-Calc." 

"Oh I'm great at that," she says excitedly sliding my notebook towards her. 

At the end of sophomore year when Joey Potter broke my heart I thought love was useless, a simple word that just mucked up the world. I thought if it wasn't love with her then there was no love at all, that I should just become a monk and rot away in the deep darkness of loneliness. But now sitting with Andie my heart flutters again, my mind reveals possibility and thinking about all those doubts last year, well, maybe I was wrong. 

~*~ 

Pacey 

I dig through my locker which is cleaner then usual; Joey's been in here, I can tell, especially when I find a note taped onto the door:

This isn't your room, clean up! 

Below that though are a bunch of little hearts and a curly cue spelling out Joey. I smile folding the note back and shoving it back in side mussing up a few more papers so I feel at home. 

"Hey, Pace," I freeze; I'm hearing things that's all. "Pacey," there's only one Pacey in this school right? Hell one Pacey on the eastern sea board. 

I turn my head and see him coming towards me, "Hey Pace, I wanted to talk to you," Dawson says all too cheerily. This isn't the Twilight Zone is it? This isn't some alternate universe that I've suddenly ended up in. Perhaps the past three months has all been a dream, I glance back into my locker catching a glimpse of the note Joey just wrote me, no this is real. 

"Hey man," I try to say casually but the awkwardness is still there, "what's up?" 

“Look, I know we haven’t really spoken since well,” he trails off. “We’ve said and done a lot of things that we can’t take back but I would like to think that our friendship is strong enough to get past that.” 

I shut my locker turning to him, “True,” I nod. 

“I’ve hurt you, you’ve hurt me and there has to be a point where we can just get over ourselves and end this little feud that we’ve been holding up for the past month or so.” 

“I completely agree,” I nod. 

“It comes to the point that you forget what exactly you were fighting about and just miss your best friend.” 

I smirk, “I know what you mean.” 

He extends his hand, “Peace?” 

I meet it, “Why not.” 

“Good because there was something I wanted to ask you,” there’s always something. “It’s about Andie.” 

My ex-boyfriend senses kick in as my lungs fail me for a moment, “What, what about Andie? Is she alright?” 

“Yeah, yeah she’s fine,” he trails off brushing a hand through his hair before chuckling nervously, “she’s great actually.” 

My best friend instincts start up as well and a smile crosses my lips, “You like her don’t you.” 

He closes his eyes, “Is it that obvious?” 

I shrug my shoulders, “You’re guilty about something, why else would you have given me that long drawn out apology.” 

“I just,” he struggles for words, “I felt it would be a little hypocritical to go off the deep end on you over Joey and then suddenly develop feelings for your ex.” 

“Wise my amigo,” I side step to my girl friend’s locker pulling out a sheet of paper from my backpack and scribbling some inane little note shoving it inside. “So you want my permission to date her or something? Sounds a little too noble for a six month relationship.” 

“Not exactly,” he begins, “I was actually hoping for some advice.” 

“Why would you want advice from me, the failed suitor?” Suddenly I’m starting to wonder if I’m content with a Dawson and Andie Entente. I mean I’m over her honestly and I’m falling head over heels for Joey but the idea with him with her…I’m a hypocrite. 

“It’s just I know that when you and Andie started you couldn’t stand each other but then you established this amazing connection.” 

I cringe, “Let’s see, she’s a total softy with movies, any little thing she bawls at you could put on Cinderella or Clerks and she’d still find moments to get teary eyed. She’s a sucker for romantic gestures, roses, sweet nothings, she turns to goo so be a regular old Romeo. And just support, she needs someone who can take care of her, but more importantly someone who will make her stronger.” 

“Thanks Pace,” he pats my shoulder, “that’s amazingly mature of you.” 

He begins to head off but I catch his arm, “By the way, if you hurt her I’ll kill you.” 

~*~ 

Joey 

Brushing my hands nervously over my jeans I head into his office unable to shake the anticipation that tightens my entire body, "Mr. Milo, I wanted to talk to you about college plans." I explain taking a seat next to his desk. 

"Oh right, the junior year jitters," he nods organizing an endless pile of papers. 

"Yeah, I know that I've been lax in preparations but I just wanted to say that I've added a few extra activities for the College Board and what not." 

He furrows his brows, "Lacking, Josephine you're among the top students in your class, any college would be happy to take you," he pulls out my file scanning it over. "Actually, you almost have enough credits to graduate, all you have to do is add in another English second semester and you could be class of 2000." 

I laugh slightly, "Yeah but why would I want to do that? I mean wouldn't they look down on that to skip an entire year when there's still so much I could do?" 

"Remember last year, those sketches that you submitted," he begins, "well Amherst College was very impressed by them, it's an amazing school Miss Potter." 

I narrow my eyes, "What are you getting at?" 

"Amherst if offering you a $15,000 scholar ship to go to their school, all you have to do is fill out an application," he looks down at the pile. "That's over half a years tuition and you're receiving it all four years if you keep your grades up." 

"Well can't I defer it for a year? Check out my other options?" I ask. 

"Certainly, but your future's out there, and you have the opportunity to get to it that much quicker." 

“I’ll consider it,” I force a smile heading back to the hallway my eye almost immediately catches Pacey. 

“You’ll never believe what happened,” he says leaning against the locker row as I fiddle around with my combo. “Dawson offered peace and I accepted, looks like your boys are growing up after all.” 

“That’s great,” I say distractedly, “what’d he want?” 

“Ironically enough, Andie, he wanted Andie,” he explains and if I could get my mind off of college I would be shocked, honestly. 

“I’m very proud of you,” I say forcing a smile. 

He looks at me strangely and already he knows me too well, “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” I refute too quickly. 

“No see, I can tell that this is one of those situations where you say there’s nothing going on but deep down your beating yourself up over something,” he accuses. 

“Good observation,” I nod, “but that doesn’t mean I have to tell you because it really is nothing.” 

“I’m far too stubborn to drop this,” he continues, “it’s therapeutic to talk, I thought you learned that over your past sixteen years of continuous diatribes.” 

“Nope, sorry.” 

“Okay,” he nods, “how about we turn this into a contest if I win you tell me if I lose secrets safe with you.” 

“Not only is that corny, but keeping things to myself is my own free will.” 

“Jo,” he whines, “you know I hate secrets, they make me all paranoid and stuff.” 

“No kidding.” 

“How about if I just came over here,” his hands wrap around my waist rotating me around to face him his lips teasing mine. “What’s the secret Jo?” He asks nibbling on my ear lobe before trailing kisses along my jaw line. 

“Secret what secret?” It’s getting harder to tame him.

“Joey,” he repeats his lips assaulting my neck. 

I cup his face pulling it away from my skin reluctantly so his eyes meet mine, “If it becomes a something I’ll tell you, but since it’s nothing, there’s no reason discussing it.” 

He purses his lips considering it for a moment, “Fine.” 

I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman hear me roar. “Good,” I murmur pulling his lips back to mine. There a million reasons why I should go to Amherst next year, to advance my future, to get out of Capeside, to actually become something significant. But then in that con column is Pacey staring back at me wondering why I’m so anxious to leave him. 

“Party at Boone’s!” A random kid calls out. Great I really need to get drunk. 

~*~ 

Jack 

I’ve decided that I need to hang loose more often, go to parties, have fun, you know all that good stuff. Andie has decided to come with me, the McPhee’s a couple of regular old party animals. 

“Andie I just want to remind you that the last time you got drunk, you and Dawson got dragged off the stage for your embarrassing rendition of the blues and then proceeded to puke in his sink all night.” 

“I’ve grown since then,” she counters. 

“It was like six months ago.” 

She frowns, “Fine, nothing but responsible, no rum and coke for me.” 

“That’s better,” I pat her shoulder a few times before my eye catches David chatting with CJ in the corner. I don’t know what it is about him but I’m drawn to him but I have no idea if he’s interested in me, hell I don’t even know if he’s interested in my gender. Andie looks at me and then follows my gaze. 

“Ooo, he’s cute,” she says. 

“The tall or short one?” 

“The short one, he’s adorable,” she looks over at me, “and you like him don’t you?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” 

“Oh come on, Jen’s drooling over the other one and frankly he doesn’t look like your type.” 

“I don’t have a type,” I challenge. 

“Yes you do and it’s,” she snaps her fingers hoping to think up his name. 

“David,” I fill in. 

She points an accusing finger at me, “See, I told you, your type!” 

“I’m not going to confirm nor deny such an accusation.” I look back over at him, he’s talking to some girl and suddenly I feel jealous, the small glimmer of hope that I had for him is fading away, I know I’m paranoid but that doesn’t stop it from hurting. 

“What?” Andie looks at me questioningly. 

“I’m going to go get a drink,” I nod toward the kitchen. 

Stopping in front of the keg I spot Joey scanning her selection of other various hangover inducing concoctions, “Hey,” I say coming up behind her. 

She jumps turning to face me, “Oh, hey.” 

“What’s wrong with you?” 

“Choices are very hard,” she explains turning back to the table, “there are so many choices.” 

“I was thinking about testing the keg first,” I nod behind me. 

“Good idea,” she follows me towards the keg accepting the offered cup I hand her. “Tastes a little watery,” she states tasting it. 

“Bastards, watering down our liquor,” I shake my head. 

We lean against the wall staring at the table of drinks across from us, “So are you hiding from Pacey or something?” 

“Not exactly,” she shrugs, “he just went to the bathroom and I darted.” 

“Right,” I nod chugging down the rest of my cup. “This really doesn’t quench the thirst,” I decide. 

She nods downing the rest of hers, “Let’s go try some of the others.” 

“Oranges,” I pick one up sipping on the straw, “Orange juice with a twang,” I offer it to her. 

Taking a sip she smiles, “Whoever thought this up was brilliant.” She picks up a Jell-O shot wiggling it around, “Slimy,” she concludes before downing it. 

I pick up one of my own tasting it, “Strawberry, not bad.” 

She picks up some foreign bottle pouring some into her cup and them in mine, “To our sucky lives.” 

“Amen,” I cheer. 

~*~ 

Pacey 

The sea of drunken louts is flooding around me and I still can't seem to find Joey who is off roaming around with at least three cups of that fruity brew she can't refuse hazing her system. "Pacey!" I hear behind me turning around to see Jack running up to me, "Hey Joey, it's Pacey, I found him!" He's wasted but at least he's leading me to her. 

"Pacey!" Joey matches his enthusiasm rushing through the crowds and jumping into my arms without warning. "Don't you ever do that to me again," she says with mock sternness. 

I grunt trying to adjust her weight in my arms and she helps by wrapping her legs around my waist with her arms hooked firmly around my neck, "What did I do exactly?" 

"Did you know that the oranges taste like vodka?" She changes the topic quickly, "They're very good I recommend them highly, right Jackabee?" 

"Correct Josetter," he slurs happily. 

"Jackabee?" I question confused. 

Joey's face lights up, "It's Jack and McPhee mixed together," she explodes in laughter along with Jack and I just smile and nod. 

"That would make you good sir, Pacetter," Jack says patting my shoulder. 

"I think you two have had enough," I say as if I was speaking to four-year-olds. 

"No, no, no," Joey says sticking her finger in my face and poking my cheeks as she grins like a mental patient. "There are still kegs to be checked, Jell-O shots to be jiggled, and body shots to be tested," she finishes attempting to sound sexy but just sounding like a crazy drunk girl. 

"Body shots, huh?" I ask playfully for my own evil amusement. 

"Yeah," Joey shakes her head, "like this," with that her tongue swipes sloppily across my cheek like a puppy dog and she's laughing wildly. 

She tightens her grasp around my neck digging her breast into my neck, “Jo, I think you may be drunk.” I tell her but she ignores me pushing her cleavage further in my face, I kiss each round mound before looking back up at her, “Why my dear Josephine, are you so drunk?” 

She looks around mischievously chewing on her lower lip, “Well,” I’m getting somewhere, “I think it was from all the alcohol I consumed my darling Pacey,” she mimics. Okay so we are getting no where, I begin to wonder if this has anything to do with what was bothering her earlier. 

“Joey,” I say more sternly, but she just rolls her hips against my stomach forcing me off balance as I fall back against the wall catching my footing once again. 

“What?” She asks innocently her dark eyes staring back at me. 

“Am I going to have to take you home?” 

She pouts her lip shaking her head slowly, “No,” she leans in her lips attacking mine as the tropical concoction of various fruity drinks as well as tequila and vodka slips across my tongue. Her fingers slip through my hair and even as a crazy drunk girl she’s still amazingly sexy. 

“Way to go Joey!” Brett Jones cheers as he others become aware of our groping. 

I pull away banging my head on the wall behind me in the process, “It’s time to go,” I decide. 

“Ooo, are you going to do ungodly things to me?” She slurs a growl into my ear. 

“Sorry toots but that isn’t the gentlemen thing to do,” I say as if the ungodly things would be proper gentlemen etiquette. 

She pouts, “Please?” 

“See that’s what you get for being so drunk,” see there’s a life lesson behind everything, if you want to get drunk you give up oral from your boyfriend. 

“Please?” She begs again dragging her slobbery kisses across my cheek. 

“Nope, I’m standing my ground, home now.” I stumble back off the wall working my way through the crowded house with her still clinging to my chest. Jack follows awkwardly until I find Andie. “Hey Andie, I’m on sober control, mind taking your brother,” she looks over at the girl she was talking to before grabbing Jack’s hand. 

“Responsible drinker my ass,” she quips offering me a shy smile. 

“Seems to be going around these days,” I pat Joey’s back. 

“Andie!” Joey dips back smiling widely as she looks at the blonde upside down, “It’s Andie!” 

“Good luck with that one,” Andie smirks. 

“AnPhee!” Jack announces, “Tell Pacey that Joey and I still have many a shot to check, you never know when there spiked with water or apple juice and that is just blasphemy.” 

“Same for you,” I wink tripping the rest of the way to the front door shifting Joey’s weight long enough to grab our coats. 

“Pacey Witter,” Joey says dramatically as we make it out to the cold night, “You are my hero.” 

I scoff, “I’m sure,” I say setting her down as she wobbles on her feet for a moment. 

“That’s funny, I feel like Gumby!” I chuckle draping my coat over her shoulders as we head for her truck. 

“Just wait till tomorrow sweetheart.” 

“What’ll happen then?” She asks looking at me quickly. 

“You’re head,” I rest my chin against her shoulder as I guide her down the lawn, “will go boom, boom, boom,” I get a little louder with each repetition. 

“Ow,” she moans tilting her head away. 

“Someone’s got to teach you a lesson,” I counter. 

“Since when did you become all responsible?” 

“Only to salt your game, honey,” I smirk helping her into the passenger seat. 

She sits on the edge still facing me, “Pacey, I have to tell you something.” 

“And what is that,” I ask playfully. 

“They want me to go to college,” she explains. 

“Of course they do,” I smile, “your future’s so bright why wouldn’t they.” 

“No next year,” she protests, “they want me to leave you and go to college in September.” 

I gush of wind is knocked from my chest and I want to be happy for her. “Oh.” 

“But I don’t want to leave you Pacey,” she wraps her arms around my neck. 

I frown, I knew this would come eventually but I thought I had more time, and suddenly I feel like I’m holding her back.