. Author’s Note: This story takes place near the end of Swan Song in fact a lot of dialogue is lifted from that episode. Basically, what if Pacey stayed in Capeside with Joey for the summer and so on and so forth. Italics are flashbacks from prior seasons. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9| Part 10

A heavy burden was placed on his feet digging his toes further into the plush couch. He attempted to flex each foot pushing off with his calf until a Charlie horse was on the brinks. Digging his face into his pillow he pushed off his feet again the weight momentarily removed before falling back again with more force. Pacey sighed heavily attempting to free his precious toes again but was distracted by the strong aroma of refried beans.

He dug his head into his pillow one more time arching his back before he glanced at the giant Refried Monster holding his defenseless feet hostage. Jack McPhee. He sat there plate of steaming burrito in front of him and video game controller firmly planted in his hands totally oblivious to Pacey’s struggle.

“Oh I’m sorry were you sleeping?” Jack asked innocently. 

“I was trying too,” Pacey replied, “but I was awoken by Godzilla and his burrito palace.”

He held out the plate of the greasy Mexican treat, “You want some?”

Pacey cringed, “I’m fine.” Un-tucking his feet from Jackers he threw his feet off the edge of the couch wiggling his toes in their joyful freedom. “You know what I don’t get Jack,” he said pulling one foot into his hand and massaging the life back into it. “You eat cereal at all hours of the day but in the morning you eat the greasiest, smelliest things like burritos and pizza.”

“You weren’t awake to feed me,” he replied defensively. “Besides I hate to segregate the different foods, lunch and dinner have been integrated why doesn’t breakfast have the same rights?”

“Well your equal rights movement isn’t settling well on my stomach,” Pacey said crinkling his nose. He kicked off the blankets his eyes focused on some sort of battle game flickering across the screen. “I need to find an apartment,” he decided.

“Why is that?” Jack asked curiously.

“Well I’m not going to sleep on Misses Ryan’s couch forever; I need a bed and a room.”

“Just take Dawson’s old room,” Jack shrugged.

“I don’t think Dawson and Joey would feel comfortable fooling around with me trying to sleep in the middle of it,” he shook off the thoughts.

Jack furrowed his brows, “They’re back together?”

“That’s besides the point,” he stood up wrapping the blanket around his arms as he wondered around the room, “the point is that today Pacey J. Witter is going to have an address of his own, not some boat dock number or borrowed pad or couch de Doug, somewhere where the TV guide is mailed to me personally, or to my neighbor to whom I swipe it from.” He picked up the newspaper filing through the ads, “How much do these apartment things cost anyway?”

“On your salary?” Jack calculated in his hand as he chomped on another bite of burrito, “In your dreams.” 

“How is a young bachelor in the city supposed to find a place to stay with,” he squinted his eyes trying to read the rent, “what? That’s insane!”

“It’s called a roommate Pace, you find a roommate,” Jack explained.

“And room with some future Unabomber or other psycho?”

“Look in the mirror,” Jack smirked.

Pacey froze, “You know Jackers,” he approached him, “I think that we should room together.”

Jack gestured around him, “Already got a place to live.”

Pacey sat down next to him placing a hand across his shoulder, “Think about the freedom man, guilt free Sunday mornings after blowing off church, stumbling in at any hour without the burden of waking an elderly woman.”

“She feeds me,” Jack countered.

Pacey placed a hand on his chest, “So do I.”

“She cleans up after me.” 

He thought about it for a moment, “We’ll get Jen and Joey to do it.” 

“You drive a hard bargain, Witter,” Jack contemplated. “What about when I…well I have guests over.”

Pacey’s jaw dropped, “You think I wouldn’t be comfortable, I am extremely gay friendly, some call me Pacey Witter Friend to Homosexuals.”

Jack stood off the couch wolfing down the final bite of his burrito as he rounded the bookcase squinting in to watch Sheldon still in his ‘peaceful slumber.’ “Do they allow pets?”

~*~

Joey’s tongue chased the dripping slop of ice cream as it trailed down her thumb, the scorching August heat violently attacking her innocent frozen treat. Dragging her tongue up her wrist she stopped the flooding of the eastern side of her cone, the western was another story as a waterfall of vanilla lava covered her fingers. 

“So you two are just going to desert Joey and I without a second thought, without discussing this with us first?” Drue asked incredulously dramatically waving around his own melting scoop of chocolate as he sent droplets onto Joey’s defenseless red tank top.

“Essentially yes,” Pacey explained as they continued their walk along Freedom Plaza. 

“But I barely know this Grams character as it is,” Drue begged, “the most she knows about me is that I sleep till 3 and I screwed her granddaughter.”

“Vacation’s over in like two weeks anyway,” Pacey argued, “you’ll be moving into your dorms before Jack and I even find a place.”

“If you’re so content on a bed sleep with Joey or something, she won’t mine, she’ll probably be so overjoyed that she’ll jump you,” Drue offered.

Joey swiped her tongue across the perimeter of her cone finally clearing off the sticky dribble, “What?” She asked reacting to her name.

“Drue wants us to have sex,” Pacey explained.

“Oh,” she shrugged returning her attention back to her cone.

“Okay final offer,” Pacey began, “you can crash on the couch until the dorms are ready.”

“Do you even have a couch?” Joey asked her eyes never leaving her ice sculpture.

“We’ll get one,” he replied.

“I accept,” Drue backed down.

"Where are we going anyway?" Joey asked.

"Lunch," Pacey said snatching the ice cream cone from her.

She scowled as he took a lick before dropping it in the first available garbage can, "Where are we eating?"

"Where do you think?" He asked directing them through Liberty Hall.

"You never stop advertising do you?" Drue shook his head in disappointment before something else caught his eye, that something else being a lovely Latin beauty. He patted Joey's head distractedly, "You kids have fun, I'll catch up later."

Joey narrowed her eyes ducking away from his assault; "He's so delusional."

Pacey smirked wrapping his arm around her shoulder and guiding her into Civilization, "Prepare to be blown away sweetheart, this is Pacey Witter in his element."

"Funny that's what you said about sex," she countered.

"And you loved every second of it, didn't you?" He winked patting her on the ass.

"Witter," Danny called out coming from the kitchen, "you brought an audience?"

"Just another annoying critic," he shrugged.

She pinched his side; "I resent that."

"Ignore him, he's all charm," Danny whispered to her, "but once you get past that he's got nothing."

She eyed Pacey a smile tinting her lips; "He has his moments."

"Introductions, Danny this is Joey, Joey Danny."

"Joey," he thought for a moment, "I never forget a name, you're the one Pacey was rallying to join the wait staff earlier this year."

"Yeah but I respectively bowed down to my roommate, Audrey Liddel?"

"Ah yes, Audrey," he cringed, "I think we referred to her as the Ceramic Dish Monster. Listen, we're still throwing the staff back together and could use some waitresses, care to live up to Witter's kind recommendation?" 

She grinned, "Well I was elected Little Miss Serving Wench '96 through 2001 and with school starting up I could use some extra cash."

"Great we'll set you up," Danny patted her on the shoulder heading back into the kitchen.

She arched her brows, "Rallying recommendations?" She teased leaning back against the counter shaking her long chestnut hair behind her shoulders.

He tried to advert his eyes but they couldn't stop trailing down the column of her neck across her round breast, suddenly he was wondering whether she was wearing a bra or not. He cleared his throat, "I was worried of the other unqualified contestants, you know, anything for the future of this restaurant, right?" He leaned on his elbow against the counter next to her his fingers brushing against her forearm.

"I think you just wanted to see me on a regular basis. What is the uniform for this place, tight white blouses and short black skirts?" Her round chocolate eyes flirted with him playfully; it was becoming harder to resist him.

His eyes darkened, crystal blues being replaced by a deep stormy sea she bit her lip with anticipation her eyes jumping to his lips. "Hey Witter do you have to sleep with every member of our wait staff?"

He looked away trying to build up a smile, "Just trying to keep up with you Brecher."

"We do have customers, why don't you come do your job?" Danny finished coming back out of the kitchen with a clipboard and pen. "You my dear just fill this out and pick out something nice to eat, it's on the house."

~*~

“McPhee,” Pacey shouted jumping over the couch and plopping down next to his friend. “I found our Barbie Malibu Dream House.”

Joey followed through the front door calmly rendering a Styrofoam container, “I brought you dinner,” she said handing it to him after kissing him on the cheek.

“I don’t get a welcome home lip smack?” Pacey asked pouting out his lower lip.

“No,” she narrowed her eyes, “I just saw you two minutes ago.”

“So this Barbie House,” Jack asked absently stabbing at the steak in the container.

“Right, right,” Pacey got back on track. “It’s down the street from Liberty Hall, two blocks from Boston Bay and get this,” he said excitedly, “it’s on the top floor.”

“Did you look at it already?” Jack asked.

“Sort of, it’s a newlywed family, they already have their first child and have a second on the way so they want to get a larger place, and,” he eyed Joey, “I told them that I was married and we were shopping for our first apartment.”

“You want me to lie for you?” Joey’s eyes widened.

“You just need to go check out the place with me tomorrow,” he begged.

“We’re being deceitful, do you know how many young married couples are out there that could actually use a place to stay?"

"And Jack and I don't?"

She frowned, "It's the principle."

Jack stabbed his steak one more time, eating steak without knives was a tricky task, one that he was up to, this steak would become his bitch, he could guarantee that. The Styrofoam slipped from his hand crashing to the floor; clumsiness was his greatest ally. 

"Jack," Joey sighed scooping up the sight of impact; he followed her into the kitchen Pacey on their tails.

"Come on Jo, when have I ever asked you for anything?"

She rolled her eyes, "Do you want the bridged version or are you planning on not sleeping for three days?"

He folded his arms over his chest, "Enlighten me."

Wait…I was just out looking for a date and since I couldn't find one, I thought of you. So, how about it? Want to go crash a beach party with me? Huh? 

She scoffed searching through the cabinets for a plate, "When we were fifteen you dragged me off to that beach party at Cliff Elliot's abandoning me so you could get rejected by a bunch of out of your league beach babes while I got taken advantage of by some giant Fabio."

He reached around her pulling out a plate from the next cabinet over; "As I recall you found the alcohol yourself and I saved your life and nearly broke my knuckles."

Not quite yet, but I am thinking about making a run for it before the pods hatch. What do you say Scully?

She scowled, "Fine, junior year you talked me into cutting school with you led me all over town on foot no less," she said as she dished out the take out container setting the plate in front of Jack. "We were half way home after walking what 5 miles? When we got picked up by Mr. Greene ruining my flawless permanent record and putting me in the rear end of a mule."

He grinned, "First off, you came with me on your own free will, second your permanent record was everything but flawed, Grant Bodine," he coughed, "and third, we convinced those freshmen to do the mascot thing anyway."

Perhaps a remote dock. You brought some candles and some champagne and birthday cake that you are going to feed to me by hand while serenading me-- off-key, of course, and—whoa, dressed only in Victoria’s secret lingerie, after which, you will lay me down under the stars and ravish me.

"Okay, you're eighteenth birthday," he cocked a brow. "I felt so terrible about that secret birthday bash that I let you talk me into doing," she looked down at Jack who stifled a laugh, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh come on that was fun," he defended.

"I think I may still have splinters," she retorted.

"What about me? Do I have to show you the scars again?"

Jack cringed, "Trying to eat here."

"The point is Potter, you owe me one."

She rested her hands on her hips, "Oh really, and what makes you think that?"

"Um remember, plane tickets to Long Island, a couple of laps around the airport, a few choice words with a soul mate, ring a bell?"

She shook her head, "Nope, I paid off that debt when I bailed you out of prison."

"You were in jail?" Jack snapped to attention.

Pacey ignored him leaning both hands against the dinning room table Joey following suit, they were in the middle of either killing each other or some sort of mating ritual and either way Jack didn't want to be there to see it.

Pacey narrowed his eyes stubbornly, "What if I said please, real nice?"

"Don't think I'm a fool," she replied, "you're Witter charm is useless on me."

He snapped his fingers, "Jack, eyes."

Jack looked up at Joey his eyes like glossy saucers as he quivered his lower lip, "Please," he whimpered.

"You're evil," she sneered at Pacey trying her hardest to avoid Jack's gaze.

"Pretty please," Jack begged.

She groaned, "Fine I'll do it!"

~*~

Joey wiped down the table picking up the fold of bills left haphazardly across the table a smile spreading across her face as she counted out her tip slipping the money into her apron. The tables that were once crowded with customers had thinned down to a few straggled diners as she headed across the restaurant flashing a kind smile towards a family as she slipped into the kitchen.

"How's your first day going?" Pacey asked throwing the final touches on some fancy dish she would never be able to identify.

"I never thought I'd see the day where I would admit that I enjoyed my wait job," she said almost in shock. "The people are cooperative and very generous in the tipping department."

"Wait till Friday night," he smirked handing her the finished dish.

"Great now I'm scared," she organized her tray heading back into the dinning hall coming back moments later with a tray of empty dishes.

"Wow they're chomping that stuff down faster," Pacey smirked.

"Ha, ha," she said dryly. "Is it closing time soon? The place is nearly empty."

He glanced up at the clock, "Yeah another twenty minutes or so. This is when the fun starts though," he exclaimed flipping on the radio.
 

“Come on people,” Pacey called out grabbing onto Joey’s hand, “this is the National Dancing in the Kitchen Anthem.” He pulled her close, “Rib cages touching,” he announced mimicking Miss Penny.

She was suddenly sixteen again rubbing her tired eyes to the faint sound of music roaring in her kitchen. It was the simple times, Jack and Jen twirled around with a carton of orange juice, Andie jumping around singing wildly, Dawson and Pacey flinging biscuits across the room. 

"Reminds you of Fred Fricke, don't it?" He whispered into her ear.

"You think you know me so well don't you?" She teased.

"I was right though," he said cockily, "wasn't I?"
 

Their bodies hadn’t been this close in a long time and the sensation made her knees week, her heart swell and her whole body feel alive. She hated that he could do this to her.

I remember everything. 

She shuddered his breath warm on her neck as he playfully rocked her to the song.

It’s when you can accept the bad memories and build on the good.

The music suddenly drowned out and it was only him and her, the way it always was when they were together.

It's over, isn't it?

I’m "upset" because we haven’t spoken in two weeks and now finally do, the first words out of your mouth, as per usual, are about Dawson.

Who are you kidding, Jo? Come on, you got off that boat long before the two of us did.

Exactly what I said. This is how you deal with everything. You run away. You take the easy way out every time.

Just as long as you realize that if you do turn into some typical hormone-filled, silly-ass boy and try to manipulate me again, I'm out the door.

I'm not angry that you asked Dawson to do something for you. It's the question. "The person who knows you best." When do I get to be that person?

And after that whole pseudo-motivational diatribe, you flat-out lied

You know what? You haven’t. You never do. You are the perfect boyfriend, and you win the perfect boyfriend contest. You beat Dawson. Is that what you want to hear, Pacey?

You and I are just on opposite paths, Jo. On different roads; and we are heading farther and farther away from each other.

So, basically you're saying that if I don't sleep with you soon, we're gonna break up, and it's gonna be all my fault?

Well, if that's how you feel, then... Then why did you stay? Why stick around for 9 months if that's what you believe, Pacey?

Why are you with me? Because I don't know why I'm still with you. I mean, I used to know, but I don't anymore.

But I want you to care! I want you to care! I don't want you to just accept it like that's the way it's supposed to be.

Joey. When I'm with you, I feel like I'm nothing. I feel like I'm nothing. That's why I flinch when you come to touch me. It's why I never touch you. Why I never even think about it. Because when I start to, it just reminds me that I'm not good enough.

She pulled away shaking her head furiously, "Um, I've got to go," she nodded towards the door, "I'm sure there are customers waiting. You know it's getting late and all want to get out and go home as soon as possible, or dessert, God help you if you make diners wait on dessert."

"Rambling," he said simply, she looked at him flustered before turning away.

Biting her lip she shut her eyes tightly, so many questions floating in her head but not an answer in sight.