. Summary: This is an alternate series finale that takes place during the 10 year reunion.  Therefore Jen is still alive.  Italics are flashbacks and sometimes titles. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

The red brick of the high school looked exactly the same, as it had ten years prior, though the white trim that surrounded it had definitely been repainted since he had last seen it. Shifting his eyes along the building brought back a million memories and he could feel his lips twitch into a smile when his sight finally fell upon the sign, Welcome Back Class of '01. Adjusting his burgundy tie he ran a hand through his cropped blonde locks before descending into Capeside High, many classmates filing in around him. 

At twenty-eight, Dawson Leery was considered a success. He had took the ally of such directors as Kevin Smith, shooting cheep independent films on his credit card that had transformed into a cult following. He had graduated into mainstream after his third movie Piece of Your Mind had been a success with the release of the action film Trapped. His greatest achievement came along in and issue of Variety when he was claimed to be "The next Steven Spielberg." But through all his achievements he still regretted the paths that he chose and for the girl who got away. 

~*~

It was the beginning of senior year; Dawson had gone down to New York for the weekend to visit Jack and Jen who had transferred down to the University of New York. They had talked for hours about regularly meeting in Connecticut every few months to better stay in touch but the three knew it would never happen. 

Their new apartment was tiny and Jen and Jack had to share a bedroom until about a year after moving there when they were able to pull together enough money, along with the aid of their parents, to buy a beautiful and enormous pad on the Upper East Side. 

Dawson settled into the plush couch cradling the long crystal neck of his beer as he looked out the window onto the bright city lights. “I heard Joey moved here,” Jen said entering through the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn, her chopped blonde hair loosely tied in a bun behind her neck. 

He nodded staring down at his thumbs, “Yeah, she transferred here about two years ago, some prestigious college that’s so small I don’t even remember it’s name. She decided after she got back from Paris a couple summers ago that she was going to be an artist.” He let out a deep breath as he watched Jen fiddle with video cassette tapes, “But last I heard of her from Bessie was that she was going to be a writer.” 

Jen smirked, “The perfect job for us cynics.” 

“You’re a cynic,” he pointed out, “I’m the dreamer.” 

“So when was the last time you were up in Capeside?” Jack asked sinking down next to him. 

He cleared his throat scratching his head before he spoke, “About a week ago,” he replied a little unsure. “You know Lilly just turned four and I figured these are the years she’s going to start remembering people. I actually took her out to the pier and found Pacey out there cleaning up a boat; he managed to straggle up enough change to get a new one so he took us sailing. It was amazing to see him in that element, and I’ve never seen Lilly’s face that bright before.” 

“Well sailing Pacey is much happier and more trustworthy the stockbroker Pacey,” Jack stated tilting his beer in the air. 

“I miss him,” Jen pouted sitting in between the two men as she crossed her arms firmly over her chest, “He never accepts our invitations down here. He rather just lie on Doug’s couch watching soaps all day.” Digging her hand into the popcorn bowl she popped a few kernels into her mouth, “See where that will get you in ten years, three heart attacks and a wife named Mitsy.” 

They all chuckled as the light of the screen filled the dim room and they were washed away in the fantasy of the movie. 

~*~ 

In front of the gymnasium sat Barbara Johns who watched over the assigned pins protectively running her index finger along a clipboard and checking off names as people passed. Last he heard of her she was married to the perfect Ken doll, had three kids and a white picket fence. Behind that wall he was sure that one of them had a drinking problem and one of the blessed children would declare their homosexuality by the time they were 17. 

Digging his hands in his khaki pant pockets he grinned, “Hello Barbara Johns.” 

She glared at him holding out her ring finger, “Matheson.” Flipping through some pages she smiled content placing a check next to his name. Scanning the table she picked up the pin that read Dawson Leery, and handed it to him. 

He searched through the scattered pins stopping when he saw her name, Josephine Potter sitting almost alone in the upper right hand corner. He smiled softly at himself before accepting his tag, “It was wonderful catching up,” he said dryly before disappearing in the cafeteria doors. 

~*~ 

Walking down the busy streets he checked the card with the written address one last time before he spotted the school. It was protected by a long black fence and behind the elaborate gates a medieval style building with high pillars filled the yard. It looked like an evil castle, one that he would probably fear and create stories of as a child. Walking along the gravel path he quickly found the dorms, checking in with a guard before being directed to a room. 

Rounding the corner he saw her, her fingers running through the short hairs of his honey blonde hair, pinned against the wall of what had to be her room. She kissed the stranger passionately and Dawson cringed at the sight. Exchanging goodbye’s he heard her soothing voice, a sound that he had missed for two years now, as the mysterious blonde passed by him. He straightened out his coat taking a few steps forward his fist hovering over her door but before he could knock it swung open. 

“Dawson!” She exclaimed drawing her fingers to her lips in a guilty manor. A moment later her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was smiling from ear to ear. “What brings you to my corner of the city, Mr. Leery?” 

Her long auburn hair hadn’t been cut in a long while and the strands reached levels near her midriff. She was skinnier then he remembered making her limbs appear longer as they latched around his body. One thing that hadn’t changed was the glow in her eyes, they were still so bright and mysterious and after drinking in her appearance again he remembered why he had fallen in love with her. 

“Well I mean, good friends visit their soul mates every now and then,” he replied as she ushered him into her room. 

Scanning the small room he realized that she had gotten a single, her room distinctively Joey. Paintings she must have purchased in Paris were scattered around the room along with a few Joey Potter originals featuring a sketch of a photograph the six of them had taken before Andie moved to Venice. Some papers were scattered around the floor and on the desk he could see a word document glowing on her laptop. 

“So Ivy League wasn’t what you had anticipated?” he asked shoving his hands into his pockets. 

She shrugged organizing a few CD cases, “I was sick of being pretentious.” Setting down the stack she smiled brightly again at him, “So what have you been up to?” 

He sat down on her bed still looking around the small room, “Well I’ve been staying with Jack and Jen for the past few days, which they say hello, and I just got back from Capeside, which your family also says hello, and asked for pictures.” 

She chuckled sinking down next to him, “I’ve been pretty distracted ever since I got home from France.” 

“How was that by the way?” He asked raising a brow. 

“Beautiful, amazing, everything you could possibly dream of plus so much more,” he noticed a daze in her eyes a she spoke, a real adoration seeping through. 

“I’ll have to go there sometime.” 

“Well you better bring me with you,” she replied nudging his shoulder. “How is the movie thing coming along, did the thing we shot the other year get anywhere?” 

He smirked thinking back on it, “Not really, I picked up a few honors at a couple of film festivals but there was nothing to life altering.” 

Her face melted, “Well one of these days, right?” 

He nodded, “Yeah.” 

There was a long silence before Joey bounced on the bed changing her position to face him, “I’ve missed you all, how is everyone doing?” 

Dawson furrowed his brows, “Well Gail is still running the restaurant and has recently started dating again,” she cringed searching for his reaction but saw none, “Lilly is excited about going off to preschool so she can be more like yours truly. Alexander has gotten so big and he says that he misses his Aunty Joey but he has Pacey to entertain him.” 

She froze and he noticed her mind drifting at the mention of his name, “Bessie, Bodie and the B&B are doing great. Grams actually found a small little house back on the Cape and Jack and Jen live in walking distance. Oh and Andie got back from Venice and I see her up in Boston every now and then she’s perky as ever.” He struggled with the next sentence but he knew it was what she wanted to hear, “Pacey’s still Pacey, sleeping on Doug’s couch like he did when he was sixteen and playing around with boats. He got a new one recently; it’s beautiful, looks just like True Love.” 

She nodded absently a few times, “I really have been such an awful friend, I’m not even out of college yet and I’ve already lost touch.” The bright gleam in her eyes returned as she wrapped her arms around Dawson again, “I’m really glad you came to see me.” 

~*~ 

Rolling up his cuffs Pacey checked the smoothness of his shave before splashing a little water over the soft surface. Ruffling his fingers through his hair he realized that he was going to need a cut soon. He fidgeted around the hotel bathroom awkwardly trying to remember where he had dropped his tie. Finally spotting it he fiddled with the loose ends still a little uneasy with the concept tightening the not up to the collar of his light blue shirt. 

~*~ 

“The summer of 2005 is upon us baby brother,” Doug exclaimed rummaging through the kitchen. He popped his head out into the living room staring at the younger man resting on the couch and cringing as another handful of chips missed most of his mouth fluttering like confetti to the floor. “What are you going to do with your life?” 

Glancing over his shoulder he shushed his older brother, “Not now Dougie,” letting out a heavy sigh he glared at him, “Great I missed whatever insult Edward cracked this time.” 

“You’re hopeless,” his tone rose as he pulled at his hair, “how many years am I going to have you latched onto my couch watching woman’s smut? And you question my sexuality.” 

He nodded a few times hopping off the couch and walking to the closet, “You’re right.” He threw his brown burlap bag onto the sofa staggering into Doug’s room to pull out his draw worth of clothes. “I’m gonna make a life out of myself, no more screw up Pacey, this one,” he said throwing his finger in the air, “is getting out.” 

Doug eyed him warily as his brother began stuffing the clothes in the bag mumbling something incoherent as he did so. “Pacey, I wasn’t kicking you out; I just thought maybe you wanted to get a job.” 

“No you’re right Douglas; this place offers no motivation it’s time for me to go.” He replied struggling with the zipper, “if she can run away from things, I can do it too, if she’s going to move on, hell so will I!” 

“You’re still hooked on a girl you haven’t seen for two years?” He said sympathetically. 

He eyed him incredulously, “Of course I’m over the girl!” Doug shook his head as Pacey threw the bag over his shoulder. 

“So where are you going this time for your great profound journey?” 

Rubbing his forefingers along his chin he shook his head, “Anywhere but here,” he stated before disappearing through the door. 

~*~ 

Entering the dimly lit gym it suddenly took on a nightclub feeling, the room was lit by blue lights that gave a jazzy glow on all the familiar faces. The white table cloths had small ‘2001’ confetti’s scattered along it and returning to their high school mentality some of the men began flicking them at their female accomplices. 

His eyes fell upon the open bar in the corner and he knew if he shifted his eyes slightly to the right or left he would find his friends immediately. 

“Dawson, Dawson Leery!” The petite blonde called out standing from her chair and waving her arms excitedly. 

Her skin was an ivory white highlighted by the dark blue dress she wore with thin straps that ended by her thigh. She was a little heavier then she was when he last saw her, but the weight only accentuated her dangerous curves. Her lips were a ruby red and long blonde locks framed her round face. 

He hurried over to the table sitting next to Jen as they hugged in greeting. Jack also sat at the round table, his jaw line more broad his hair slightly longer and wavier giving him an old mature physique. His sister Andie sat awkwardly next to him; she had changed the most wearing a long red dress with a plunging neckline, her blonde hair resting past her shoulders in loose luscious curls. 

He had lost touch with Andie especially after the few times that they had slept together. 

~*~ 

He had just finished his last final and decided to celebrate at a bar he had been going to for years now. The thick smell of smoke filled the air and the neon lights of the beer brands added color to the misty haze. He sat down on a bar stool surprised when he looked next to him seeing the perky blonde. “Dawson, how are you!” She squealed as they embraced in a hug. 

“I’ve been good,” he nodded a few times as his beer was placed in front of him .

“So you’re graduating now aren’t you?” she asked stirring her thin red straw through her glass. 

“Yep, next week actually,” he said twirling his stool towards her and resting his elbow on the bar.

“That must be exciting,” she smiled. “What do you plan on doing now?” 

He shrugged sipping at his drink, “I think I’m going back out to LA, try that whole thing out again before finishing off my latest script.” 

“So you’re really going to do this movie thing, huh?” 

“I hope so,” he chuckled. “So how’s Jack doing, I haven’t seen him since the summer.” 

“Oh, he’s great, has a new beau,” she said nudging him with her arm, “they are so in love it’s nauseating. Jen’s great too, she’s actually producing some play.” 

His eyes widened, “Really.” 

“Yeah something very artistic, that I probably wouldn’t understand until she explained it to me later.” She paused nursing her drink again, “They also heard from Joey recently, they said they’ve hung out a few times seen some plays, you know did the whole New York thing.” 

He smiled her name always giving him a warm feeling, “I visited her actually at the beginning of the school year, she seemed really happy, I think she may have been seeing someone though.” 

Andie shrugged, “Well as far as I know she’s single and swinging.” 

“Joey’s the type of person who never really like talking about new relationships,” he sighed placing an order for another beer and refilling Andie’s as well. 

“Neither was Pacey,” Andie slumped against the bar resting her head in her hand. “We’re pathetic aren’t we? Sulking over relationships that ended sophomore years of high school.” 

“No, no,” Dawson countered tilting his beer at her, “We’re entitled to these sulking reminiscing periods at the end of every deep profound era in our lives, and since I graduated college let the whining begin.” 

She laughed shrugging her shoulders, “I guess we always regret the first one that got away, especially when they’re your self proclaimed soul mates.” 

“Yeah,” he said slumping his shoulders, “and they run off with someone else’s self proclaimed soul mate.” 

“And then the proclaimers of the soul mates are left in the dust, while they go off exploring the non-existent theory of true love.” 

“It’s sad though,” Dawson sighed, “I really don’t think they would have cared if we ever hooked up.” 

She met his eyes and they sat there staring at each other for a long moment before he reached over and kissed her. She swerved in her chair to face him deepening it as he reached into his pocket laying down some bills and they exited the bar.