The same morning
Capeside, Massachusetts

Doug was sitting down with his morning coffee with a donut, and Jack was bemused at how religiously he kept to the stereotype of a cop as he walked behind him and started massaging his shoulders. Amy was sitting nearby happily, and Jack realized that Doug was reading Joey's book.

"Didn't think you'd be into that," Jack said wryly.

"C'mon, it's not every day I get to read about my husband and his high school girlfriend. Here, this is gold."

Chapter 6
The Sketch

The first time I saw an erect penis was when I sketched my friend Jack. I was taking an art class at the local college, and Jack had spilled chocolate milk all over my drawing of the male model. He offered to pose for me so that I could redo it.

"Oh god, I try to forget about that incident."

"Well, thousands of people are about to read about it in glorious detail."

Jack was mortified, but he kept reading.

It was so awkward. I had sketched the model in class, but this was different. It was intimate. He must have thought the same thing, because there it was. It popped right up. I asked him to describe sex to me as if he were describing a painting. The passionate way he described it left me entirely aroused. He got dressed after I finished the sketch, but I was still intrigued.

Doug started snickering.

"Cut it out. Do you want me to read this or not?"

He stopped and Jack continued.

Little Joey Potter was ready to lose her virginity that night, but it was not to be. He didn't know he was gay yet, but maybe that's why he couldn't go through with it. His clothes stayed on, and nervousness got the best of both of us. It would be another two years before I lost my virginity, but that was the last time I ever thought of myself as Little Joey Potter.

"God," Jack said deflated. "Why did you make me relive that?"

"C'mere," Doug laughed, pulling Jack onto his lap before they started kissing.

That evening

New York, New York

Joey was bored with herself. Joey Potter, author extraordinaire, was married to the love of her life. She had a huge book launch coming up. Her husband was thriving at his new restaurant. Everything she wanted she had. Her life was perfect. She was bored. She decided to call Dawson.

Hey, Jo.

She knew instantly that something was wrong. His voice was too dry. It had been months since she heard his voice, but she still knew. She always knew.

"Uh oh, what's wrong?"

Gretchen and I got into a fight.

She had a suspicion what it was about, but she hoped she was wrong.

"About the book?"

Why didn't you tell me? Joey, all these years, why didn't you just tell me?

She wasn't bored anymore. She could feel the tears coming.

"I couldn't."

No, you could. You just didn't want to, Jo.

"I'm sorry, Dawson. I really am."

You were the one who told me to follow my heart. You were the one who reminded me that our friendship survived all of our failed attempts at romance. Don't you think I had a right to know?

"I loved you. I mean, I still love you, of course."

I don't get it, Jo.

She tried not to let it hurt that he didn't say it back.

"I just wanted you to be happy. I knew Gretchen could make you happy. We were never going to be happy together, and we both knew it. We were just too scared to admit it. That's why we kissed before you went to college."

Do you know what she asked me?

"What?"

If I would have picked you in my senior year.

"What did you tell her?"

That she already knew the answer. You do too.

"Doesn't seem like Gretchen to have a fight about some hypothetical from high school. What aren't you telling me?"

She asked who I'd pick now.

"That's ridiculous. That's not even a discussion. You don't think that-"

-that you would leave Pacey? Of course not. You guys are amazing together.

"Then what's the big deal. What did you say?"

I said that I didn't know.

"Oh, Dawson."

Why did he always have to be so principled? Why couldn't he just tell his girlfriend what she wanted to hear? Well, he wouldn't be Dawson if he could.

Why did you write it, Jo? You knew I was going to read it.

"For the same reason I didn't tell you then. So that the countless girls and women who read my book, so that they know that what they are feeling is real even if it doesn't make sense, so that they don't make my mistakes."

I don't know what to do.

"I'm guessing you're not looking for 'tell her what she wants to hear.'"

No.

"Then just tell her the truth."

I don't even know what the truth is.

"Yes, you do." She was back to being that 18-year-old girl and couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "You want to follow your heart. I love you."

Thanks, Jo. See you at the book launch.

"Yeah, see you."

The tears unleashed as she hung up. She was acutely aware of the fact that he didn't say it back, that he didn't say "always." She just hoped she didn't screw things up with him and Gretchen. Pacey would never forgive her.

Malibu, California

Gretchen had just walked in as Dawson hung up the phone.

"Was that Joey?" she asked flatly, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," he replied just as flatly.

"And?"

"And what happened to our deal? I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not going to hide my feelings."

"Dawson, it's not about hiding your feelings, it's about hiding from them."

"Do you know what I wish?"

"What?" she asked sharply, not thinking she was going to like how this conversation was going to go.

"I wish that my mom had adopted Joey after her mother died."

This was the last answer she expected. She sat down next to him on the couch.

"What's that?"

"When Joey's mom got sick, Bessie and my mom went to see her together. They had it all worked out. My mom was going to adopt Joey, take care of her like she was her own daughter."

"Why didn't it happen, then?"

"Joey's mom was insistent. She wanted Bessie to raise her. She said it was important for both of them that they take care of each other. Didn't stop Joey from practically living with me after her mother died, but it wasn't the same."

Gretchen started to see where Dawson was going with this.

"No, of course not. The Westermarck Effect."

"The Westerwhat?"

"Westermarck. It's a theory that people who grow up together, related or not, naturally repress any sexual attraction for each other. It's supposed to be an evolutionary defense mechanism."

"Oh. I was just going to say I wouldn't have wanted to date my stepsister."

"Yeah, that too. I guess Westermarck wouldn't even have applied. It's really only applicable for the first six years of your life or so."

"I don't even know what I'm saying."

Gretchen did. She grabbed his hand. This was progress. She could work with it.

"I'm sorry, Dawson. I never should have asked."

"No. If I couldn't answer it, then you were right to have asked, but I'm ready to answer," he sighed.

Gretchen steeled herself.

"Okay…"

"Do you remember what Joey told Pacey when Jen was dying?"

"Yeah, she said her soul belonged to you, but her heart belonged to him."

"Gretch, my soul does belong to Joey, but my heart will always belong to you. No matter what."

"No matter what?"

"No matter what."

She kissed him and retrieved the ring that was still laying on the table.

Late that night
New York, New York

Joey was still up when Pacey got home. That in and of itself was odd. She was almost never awake when he got home, especially not on a late night like tonight. He noticed the bottle of wine as soon as he walked in. He picked it up. It was empty.

"Hey, Jo, I'm home." He called out.

"Hi," she barely managed.

"You're drunk, Potter."

"Drunk."

"Dawson called, didn't he. I told you not to include that passage."

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"I called him." Her words were badly slurred.

"And what did he say?"

"Gretchen. Fight."

"He got into a fight with Gretchen?"

"Mhm."

Pacey didn't know what to do. He usually had an answer for everything. His wife was drinking away her trouble, unable to face the drama she had stirred up. His best friend and his sister had gotten into a fight, and he wasn't sure if he'd need to smooth things over.

"Do you want me to text Gretch?"

"Text Gretch. It rhymes." She started laughing uncontrollably.

"All right, Potter. I'm putting you to bed, then I'm texting Gretchen."

"Oh. Kay."

He walked over to her and picked her up easily. She didn't weigh much more than a 10-gallon container of stock.

He started to put her down on the bed, but she cried out.

"Mmm, bathroom!"

He changed direction and took her there. She grabbed for the toilet seat. Pacey knew what was coming. He put her down in front of the toilet and held her hair back. As she threw up, he reflected curiously. He couldn't remember her ever throwing up because she was drunk. Besides, a bottle of wine shouldn't have been enough to do it. He helped her wash her face and put her in bed, not bothering to change her out of her lounge clothes. He grabbed his phone and texted his sister.

Malibu, California

Dawson and Gretchen were already in bed when her phone chirped. She reached for it, them both wondering who would be texting this late.

"Oh, it's Pacey," she announced. "Seems like Joey had a rough night. He wants to make sure everything is okay with us."

"Ah."

"Ah? That's all you got? Ah? You call this woman your soulmate, and she drank herself into oblivion because she was so upset that she caused us to get into a fight, and that's your response? Ah?"

"Yes. I'm not really in a Joey-friendly state of mind right now."

Gretchen was secretly pleased.

"You will be after you get a good night's sleep."

"Probably."

"Oh!" She held out her left hand. "Should we tell them about this?"

"We're going to see them at the book launch, let's just wait."

She nodded and texted Pacey back to let him know that everything was okay.

Monday evening
New York, New York

Dawson and Gretchen were sitting next to each other at one of the best sushi dens in the city. TriBeCa was never lacking in such options. Dawson had acquired a taste for the raw fish, it being a fixture of almost every Hollywood party he attended. Sake, on the other hand, never did the trick for him. A nice cold beer was all he ever needed to drink. He sipped from the one in front of him as they considered the two empty seats across from them.

"I wonder what this big news is. Pacey seemed pretty excited." Gretchen looked as if she were trying to work out a puzzle.

"And the favor, don't forget the favor."

"Right." Another piece of the puzzle seemed to shift in Gretchen's mind.

"She always insists on asking me favors in person, and she always makes them seem bigger than they are." Dawson hadn't forgotten a similar dinner he had had with Joey two years ago.

"Only you would call walking someone down the aisle a tiny favor."

"She knows I would do anything for her. Always."

"All right, mister, just because you worship the ground that woman walks on…"

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

"I love you." He said laughing.

"I love you, too," she said returning the laughter.

"Oh, look, there they are," he said standing up as they approached.

"Hey guys," they said.

Dawson shook Pacey's hand and hugged Joey, kissing her on the cheek. Gretchen kept her left hand in her pocket as she let Pacey and Joey hug her. They all sat down. The waiter came over with the menu.

"We offer two different options. We have the a la carte, or you can do the omakase. Of course, you can always add extra pieces to the omakase."

"Thank you," Dawson said.

"What's omakase?" Gretchen asked.

"Chef's choice," Joey answered.

"Oh, can we do that?"

Dawson and Pacey looked at each other and shrugged.

"Well, there we go," Pacey said. "So, what's this big news you have for us."

"No, you go first," Gretchen insisted. "You were the ones who invited us out."

"Nuh uh," Joey said. "You came from all the way out to see us. You first."

"Let's flip for it." Dawson smiled at Gretchen mischievously, before handing Gretchen a coin. "Honey, you flip, Joey can call it in the air.

She flipped the coin with her right hand.

"Tails," Joey called.

Gretchen caught the coin on the back of her left hand and unveiled it. "Tails."

"So does that mean we-"

Pacey and Joey noticed it at the same time.

"That's not fair! You cheated." Joey pouted sarcastically, as she turned the corner of her lip into a smirk.

"I need sunglasses to look directly at that thing!" Pacey quipped.

Gretchen couldn't stop smiling.

"So, this the real deal?" Pacey asked.

Gretchen nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak.

"This is great," Pacey said wiping tears from his eyes. He looked at Dawson. "C'mere, give me a hug."

They both stood up to hug.

"God, now we're actually going to be brothers. This is great. I always thought of you as my brother, even more than Doug. Now, it's really happening."

"You'll be Best Man, right?"

Pacey couldn't even manage to say yes. He sat back down and called over the waiter as he dried his eyes. Joey was examining the ring, completely mesmerized. She proudly wore her mother's ring every day, but that didn't stop her from being impressed by the iceberg on Gretchen's finger. The waiter came over.

"A bottle of your best Champagne," Pacey said. "My best friend and my sister just got engaged."

"Oh, madam, I'm very happy for you," he said, looking at Gretchen. He turned back to Pacey, "Four glasses, sir?"

"Three," Joey said firmly.

Gretchen looked at Joey as the waiter walked away. The last piece of the puzzle fell into place.

"You're not…"

Joey nodded excitedly.

"You are!"

"I AM!" She smiled with her tongue between her teeth.

Gretchen got up to hug Joey. Dawson was confused.

"I don't get it."

"You, my man," Pacey said proudly, "are going to be an uncle."

"Oh my God! That's amazing. I'm going to hug you again." They did. He walked around to Joey and kissed her on the top of her head. He and Pacey sat back down.

"All right, bro," Gretchen started, "what's this favor?"

"Well, you just made it a lot easier with your announcement. We want you to be the godparents."

Dawson and Gretchen looked at each other and smiled from ear to ear. The waiter came back with the Champagne.

"My best friend and my sister are having a baby," Dawson said to the waiter. "We're going to be godparents!"

"Oh, very good, sir, very good. What a happy family." The waiter played his part, but, as he poured the Champagne, he wondered what weird family scenario he just wandered into.

"Sister?" Pacey asked bemusedly. "Did you get some blood test results I wasn't aware of? Because if you did, I have questions."

"Well," Dawson smarted still smiling mischievously, "you and Gretchen are brother and sister by blood. You and I are about to become brothers by marriage. Joey and Gretchen are already sisters by marriage. So, where does that leave me and Joey?"

"Soulmates?" Pacey offered glibly.

Gretchen shot daggers at her brother.

"I like it," Joey said, as she smiled with a hint of tongue behind her teeth. She reached her hand across the table to grab Dawson's, "Brother."

"That settles it, then," Gretchen said lifting her glass. Everyone else followed, including Joey with her water. "To one big, happy family."

"One big, happy family," the rest of them echoed as they clinked glasses.