. 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

Pacey 

“Knock, knock, knock Joey Potter,” I call out to the front door. 

“Hey Pace,” she says groggily opening the door cradling Alexander on her hip. Her hair is a mess and I think she may have some sort of split pea stuck on her brow that matches the same gook Alex is slurping off of his fingers. 

“Tired?” I ask stepping through the doorway. 

“Let’s just say I know exactly what it’s like to be a teenaged mother without the painful childbirth although this constant baby sitting must rank up there,” she whines pouting out her lower lip as she muses with a loose lock of hair. "Bessie's never home anymore, I have piles of AP work and all I want to do is go to sleep but he never stops, ever!" 

“Come here baby,” I chuckle taking Alexander from her arms lifting him up over my head as he giggles in amusement, “Want Uncle Pacey to take you for a ride?” I ask swerving him in the air before cradling him in my arms. “So what movies are putting him to sleep now a day?” 

“You don’t honestly believe that quoting movies will put him to sleep,” she says folding her arms over her chest. 

“It’s worked once it will work again,” I insist rocking the infant. 

“I’m pretty sure he fell asleep during the second or third hour of Gone With the Wind but honestly who hasn’t?” She decides defeated. 

“Perfect,” I smile hooking my free arm around her neck and pressing a kiss against her cheek. "You go take a nice hot shower sweetheart and I will put the little man here to bed and then," I continue kissing her forehead, "if I'm feeling generous maybe I'll give you a nice relaxing massage." 

"That sounds nice," she mumbles against my neck. 

"Twenty minutes," I say kissing her one last time before heading towards the nursery. 

"Thanks Pace," she calls after me and I smirk before slipping through the door. 

"Alright little man, we're going to give Aunty Joey a little break," no reply, "So how have you been lately, I rarely talk to you anymore," no reply. "That good, huh?" 

"Bah," he squeals like Mr. Peepers, God this kid is adorable. 

"I love those kind of days," I reply ruffling my fingers through his soft curly mop of hair.

He gurgles something inaudible grasping his little fist around one of my fingers before pulling it into his mouth and chewing on it, I think he may be teething or else he's not the only Potter who's a sucker for my charms. 

I retract my hand wiping it on my jeans and he begins to cry rolling around in his crib, "Hey, hey, hey, shh." I say steadying him by placing a hand on his stomach, "We don't want to bother Aunty Joey now do we?" 

Another wail. 

"Alex," I whisper harshly. 

A louder wail.

"It all started in the wealthy southern city, Atlanta on a farm called…" what was it called, Tessa, Jara. "Tara, where the beloved Scarlett O'Hara can woo any man, well except for it's a girl's name I know," it seems to upset him that I don't know, but come on people it's a four hour movie. "Ashley! But see Ashley doesn't want Scarlett he wants his bland cousin who has a very good heart despite the fact she lacks any major character defining traits. But him and Scarlett are still all ‘I love you,’ and he’s all ‘I can’t’ but then he’s all ‘I love you too!’ 

"So anyway at this party she meets Rhett Butler who's rich and clever and witty and just an all around cool guy. He falls for Scarlett but she isn't having it because she thinks Ashley is the one for her. So Rhett is all persistent like, 'No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you! You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how." I say in my uncanny Gable impression. 

"And then there's a war and Scarlett gets married a whole bunch of times and a lot of people fall off horses and die. And at some point Scarlett moves to Savannah and has this long trek back to Tara with Melanie and the baby and that big lady, the slave whose name was Mammy, yeah that's it. So Tara is in ruins so Scarlett gets on her knees in the dirt after picking up something, it could have been a carrot. Anyway," he's beginning to drift off but I'm finally getting into story telling mode, "hey, listen she screams out to the sunset, 'As God as my witness, I'll never be hungry again!' And then there's this intermission. 

"Anyway the movie goes on for another two hours and Scarlett wears a dress made out of curtains like in the Sound of Music except for the fact that this movie was made over twenty years before. So eventually she and Rhett get married and they have some kids who don't quite make it and they're all depressed. Ashley's wife finally dies so Rhett leaves Scarlett to go live happily with Ashley but she realizes then that she's wanted Rhett the whole time but he's all like, 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn' and then she goes back to Tara and the movie is over. There is a plot in there I just don't really remember it," I explain, but by this point he's already fast asleep. "Night buddy boy," I whisper stroking his cheek before flipping off the life. 

~*~ 

Andie 

Pitch Black… 

I sit in the passenger seat of my Saab gazing out the window, I feel happy and with the window rolled down the wind dances through my hair tangling through the ends. The radio wails with some 80’s tune that I’m sure I should recognize but can’t quite grasp. 

It’s then that his voice rings in my ears, howling off key to the song on the radio. “Stop it, Brown,” I say offering him a playful shove but he sings on. 

“So where are we going?” He asks glancing at me through the corner of his eye. 

“I don’t know you’re driving,” I counter looking back out the window. 

“What’s wrong with you?” He asks as we slide along the deserted highway. 

“Nothing,” I dismiss. 

“C’mon Andie,” he urges, “You can tell your big brother what’s wrong.” 

“It’s nothing, Tim!” I argue on the verge of tears. “I’m just alone that’s all.” 

“You’ve got me,” he says in a low voice and it sounds almost distant. 

“You’re gone too,” I say looking at him through misty eyes. 

“I don’t have to be,” he says placing a hand over mine and it feels so real. 

The car spins out of control flying, soaring off the edge of the highway and there’s nothing below it just endless sky so we fall and fall and fall and I like this feeling. 

I look out the dashboard and the ground is finally approaching, and I’m not scared, in fact I’m welcoming it and when we finally make contact with the earth I feel free. But I’m unscathed, unharmed by this impact I glance over at the driver’s seat and Tim is already gone and instead its Pacey healed over the wheel, lifeless. 

I practically jump out of bed wiping my clammy brow and desperate to catch a breath. Wondering through the halls my house feels like an empty shell of doors and walkways never leading anywhere. I need somebody to hold to tell me everything’s okay, but I’m alone. Mom and Dad are in Providence, Jack is at Jen’s, Pacey is not here, and Tim is gone. “Andie.” 

I turn around to his familiar voice, but as always, there’s nobody there. 

~*~ 

Joey 

There’s nothing like the sound of silence and I’m basking in it at this very moment nuzzled into my pillow the only sound the rhythmic breathing of Pacey on my neck his arm draped protectively over my waist. 

He kisses the spot between my shoulder blades before mumbling groggily, “What time is it?” 

“11,” I say glancing at my alarm clock. 

“Really?” He says rolling around so he’s on his back and finding my remote control. 

“What are you doing?” I ask rolling slightly with him. 

“Red Sox game,” he explains as the glow of my television set fills the room, “They’re probably in the 8th or 9th inning.” 

“You are such a guy,” I groan burying my head back in my pillow. 

“It’s not my fault I don’t have a TV in my room,” he says distractedly stroking my side with his eyes glued on the screen. 

“I hate you,” I mumble into my pillow. 

“Jo did you see that?” He stirs pointing excitedly at the TV. 

“Yes, Nomah is wicked pissah,” I say in a southy accent, my voice heavy with sleep. 

“Aw, honey are you tired?” He asks swinging his arm back over my waste and pushing his heat against mine. Did he just call me honey? Because I know earlier he called me sweetheart and now I’m really confused. I mean it’s not like it bothers me or offends me it’s just so couple like and we’re not a couple. But the thing is I kind of like it when he calls me sweetie or hun or whatever and I wonder if it offends him that I don’t give him pet names too. 

“Yes,” I say rolling over snuggling into his chest. 

“But it’s the post season!” He whines wrapping his arms around me. 

“It’s a school night,” I counter reaching for the remote and flipping off the TV. 

“Is your sense of adventure so lacking that you can’t stay up past 11 o’clock on a school night?” 

“Pace I don’t maintain a 3.9 GPA lounging around watching TV at odd hours of the morning,” I say settling my head back on his arm. 

“If they lose I’m blaming it on you,” He says tightening his arms around me. 

“Just blame it on the Bambino, that’s what everybody else does,” I yawn allowing myself to drift back to sleep.

~*~ 

Dawson 

The image of the woman in the picture haunts me and I can’t quite grasp why I feel like I’ve seen this woman before. "Hey there Dawson," Jen and Jack say coming up behind me and as I swing around I catch Jen's eyes and it all comes together. 

"What's wrong with you?" Jack asks through furrowed brows. 

I close my eyes envisioning the picture and suddenly all the little shapes and shadows of Jen's face line up with the woman in the picture and the fact that Eve was looking into the Ryan's home makes so much sense. I blink a few times shaking it off, "Nothing, nothing." 

"You ever notice that it's always nothing?" Jen says and suddenly I can hear similarities between hers and Eve's voices. 

"No, no, no it's always something," Jack corrects in his Roseanne Roseannadanna impression. 

"Well in this case it's nothing," I say trying to change the subject realizing now that that was a horrible method. 

"Alright then, if there's nothing here, I need to head off to English," Jen shrugs hugging her binder to her chest. 

"See ya," I nod off waiting for her to be out of earshot before, "Jack I need to tell you something." I'm horrible at keeping secrets. 

"What?" He asks suspiciously. 

"I think Jen may have a half sister." 

"What?" He repeats but this time with a tone more of astonishment. 

"This girl the one who came to town she's been searching for her mother." 

"The illusive eve?" He grins with a cocked brow. 

"Possibly," I say with an amused eye. 

"And you think that this girl is a blood relative to the one and only Jen Lindley." 

"Possibly," I repeat nodding along. 

"And what gives you this impression is it the fact that these girls are the only ones willing to rob your precious flower?" 

"Ha, ha," I laugh dryly, "no, it's this picture. I need your help, I need you to find a picture of Jen's mother." 

"Um, okay," Jack agrees. "But what are we going to do if the mom's add up?" 

"Honestly I haven't thought that far into the future but it makes for a thrilling mystery." 

Jack chuckles, "Yeah for a Murder She Wrote episode." 

~*~ 

Andie 

"Ms. McPhee could you wait up a moment?" Mr. Pasley says before I can reach the door. 

"Sure Mr. Pasley, what is it?" I ask with faux perkiness. 

"Andie, this last paper you wrote, it definitely isn't on par with your past essays." He explains sliding a paper across the desk. I feel my stomach tighten as I flip it over reading the large 'C-' in red print. 

"Sir, it's just I've been going through some rough times and I haven't had time for—." 

"Have you considered taking an easier course? I mean most students your age wouldn't be taking this AP course as a junior year, we made an exception for you based on past records." 

"I know but I need these college credits if I want to enroll as a sophomore, it's necessary that I get into law school as soon as possible and the more under grad work I get done at Capeside High the better." 

"Andie this is the third low grade you've gotten this month, you started so well with the summer reading exam and then just dropped." 

"Mr. Pasley is there anything I can do to make this up, extra credit or whatever I can't have two C-'s and a D it ruins my GPA entirely," I plead with him. 

"I can't bend the rules Ms. McPhee I gave you ample time to complete all of these assignments," he sighs heavily. "I understand that you spent the summer… seeking treatment." 

"Yes, sir," I mumble down casting my eyes. 

"And that your family life is rather poor," he continues. 

"Basically yes, sir," I reply. 

"Andie I really think you should consider taking the easier course, but if you insist, if you make a drastic improvement I may let that 'D' go away." 

I smile weakly trying to hide my glazed eyes, "Thank you sir." 

When I stumble out of the hall I need somebody to confide in someone to make me feel better but right now, there’s no one, “Andie,” I turn around but as usual it’s a sea of unfamiliar faces. 

~*~ 

Joey 

I rotate the dial on my lock another few times but fail at hitting the right numbers and just when I think I’ve got it I’m distracted by the fist pounded against it. “Pacey,” I groan sliding straight past the 36. 

“What’d I do?” He feigns innocence. 

“Nothing,” I roll my eyes sarcastically finally getting the combination right but the lock doesn’t budge. “Its official, my locker hates me!” 

“If I were a locker I’d hate you too,” he jokes with a wink. 

“Give me a valid reason and I may consider taking offense to that previous statement,” I say finally popping the lock open. 

“You’re hair looks lovely this afternoon, did you do something different?” He asks weaving a few strands of hair around his index finger. 

“Yeah I let this psycho put it in a ponytail; he was freakishly insistent but seemed harmless enough, though definitely has no potential in hair dressing.” I say angling my shoulder between my locker and the door. 

“Maybe he had three sisters growing up with long hair who’d never let him play with it,” he smirks. “What are you doing?” He asks eyeing me strangely. 

“I don’t trust you,” I say pulling out my English book. 

“I wouldn’t trust me either,” he says flicking at his lock with practiced ease. “So what are you doing tonight?” 

“I don’t know,” I shrug, “I was thinking about going downtown to some bar to pick up truckers, you know now that that whole V-chip isn’t an issue anymore.” 

“That’s my girl,” he says patting my back and I grin peeking my tongue through my teeth. 

“I’ll be there,” I finally say giving him the answer he was looking for. 

“Hey guys,” gasp. I smile tightly making a 180 turn coming face to face with Dawson Leery. I haven’t technically spoken to him directly since that fateful night so there are still a lot of loose ends between us, one of course being the fact that he doesn’t know that I’m ragingly pissed at him. 

“Hey D,” Pacey says his voice cracking, it’s cute that he’s guilty for fucking his best friend’s soul mate, but I on the other hand am much stronger. 

“Hey Joey can I talk to you,” Andie says coming up to our small little group, alright now it’s just a little awkward. 

I glance over at Pacey who too is smiling tightly at Dawson trying to engage in casual conversation while I take care of his ex. 

“Yeah sure what do you need?” I ask distractedly. 

“Do you have the government notes? Pasley is on my case and I haven’t got around to reading the chapter so I want to impress him when he grills me tomorrow.” 

“Um, yeah,” I say rummaging through my locker, keeping Pacey and Dawson in the corner of my eye. 

“Thank you so much,” she says retrieving the papers, “you are a life saver.” 

“Don’t mention it,” I say forcing a smile and I feel awful because during the full extent of our exchange, the only person on my mind was the love of her life. 

~*~ 

Pacey 

“So what do you need?” I ask my eyes jumping between him and Andie and Joey’s conversation happening right next to us. Part of me just wants to blurt out what’s going on, to relieve this heavy burden that looms on my shoulders constantly. But that part of me also knows that when we do tell everyone, that it’s over. 

“Well Jack and I are starting up our own little mystery adventure, and I figured what’s wacky hijinx and all around fun without my best friend, Pacey Witter along for the ride?” 

God he’s hit me hard, he is so good at these guilt trip things, and it’s as if he didn’t even know that I was stabbing him in the back… oh, yeah. “What hijinx do you speak of?” 

“The case of the missing half sister,” he says and I arch a brow in confusion. 

“Alright Joe Hardy as long as I don’t have to play Nancy Drew.” 

He grins patting me on the back, “We can have that arranged.” 

“Sounds like a plan,” I say forcing a smile and I feel awful because during the full extent of our exchange, the only person on my mind was the love of his life. 

I glance over at Joey who looks just a guilty as I do, “So you ready for some English?” I ask nodding my head down the hall. 

“Yeah,” she smiles weakly walking along side me. Because we both realize that this is our time to be selfish, we’ve earned it after what we’ve been put through. Now it’s not about them, it’s about us.