New Life
After All These Years
Disclaimer: These are not my characters. I do not own them, well not the noticeable ones at least, the rest are from my own imagination, and I don't care if you use them. Note: This is going to be pretty depressing. If you don't like that sort of thing, then I would advise you not read it. But other than that, I have a feeling that it will get better. I also have a feeling that this will be long, extremely long, and it might take a while to be written, so bare with me.
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I try to say good bye
But I feel so lost inside
I don't know my name
And I can't erase what's
weighing on my mind
I try to stay awake
and I'm trying to write the word
try to write the word good bye
~Try to Say Goodbye
~Jory Eve
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Josephine Potter sat down at a nearby table in her restaurant that she bought from Bessie. She had turned the Icehouse into a chain, and was considered one of the best restaurant in all of the northern United States.
She propped her head on her hand and sat, watching the people that passed her by. The tall brunette, who was always there, a young man and an old woman, must have been his mother, either that or he married her for her money. Joey smiled to herself.
Suddenly a young boy ran from the kitchen. The boy had a face of innocence and mischief. His large green eyes and his medium blonde hair showed that he looked like his father. Everytime she saw her son she thought of him, or he reminded her of Dawson.
Dawson left her two years ago for a chesty redhead. She had actually worked for Joey when Dawson and Sofia first met. Joey noticed something was there, she knew deep down that something was going on, but couldn't admit it to herself.
When she finally put her foot down was when she caught them. She sent him packing, and he took Sofia with him. Joey was in a state of depression for a year before she realized that she was better off without him. She decided to be the best mother for her son that she could, and make her restaurant the best, rather than stay depressed for the rest of her life.
Her son ran into her arms and held onto his mother. He hid his head in her shoulder and held tightly to her. She pulled him back and looked at his dirty face.
Suddenly the cook burst out of the kitchen.
"Okay, Noah, what did you do?"
"Nothing," he said innocently.
"Don't lie to me."
"I didn't mean too."
The cook walked over to Joey and began, "Do you know what your son just did?" Joey shook her head," He just dumped all the water in the mop bucket into the floor."
Joey looked at her little boy. The 5 year old couldn't look at his mother. She furrowed her brow, and looked back to the cook. She let out a deep sigh.
"Seth, will you clean it up? I know that it's not in your job description and if I have to I'll pay you for it."
"You don't have to pay me, just...please keep him out of the kitchen. All the stoves are on and he might get burned. And I wouldn't want that to happen."
"Neither would I." Seth walked back into the kitchen and Joey then turned to her son. "I thought I told you to stay out of the kitchen and away from the cooks. I don't want you to get hurt, so please, for mommy, stay out of the kitchen."
Noah smiled at her, and she smiled back. He was to precious for words. 'How does he do that' she thought. He could be in so much trouble, smile, and get back on her good side.
Joey hugged her son, and saw a figure that she hadn't seen in years. He stood there, tall and brooding, but with something else. She looked down to see a small child, about the age of six standing next to him, holding his hand.
They went and sat down at a table in the corner. It was like he was hiding from someone. She stood and grabbed an order pad and walked to the table.
She wasn't sure if it was him until she got closer. He didn't look the same. Like he wasn't himself. She walked slowly and stood at the end of the table.
"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in!" she said.
He turned to see Joey standing in front of him. His eyes became as big as his head. A smile appeared across his face and he instantly stood up and embraced his long time friend.
He pulled away and took a better look at her. She looked the same just with shorter hair.
"Joey..."
"Potter."
"You mean you didn't marry Dawson?" he said perplexed.
"I did. But he left me."
"Oh. It's been what...eight years?"
"Yeah about that long. I must say Pacey, you haven't changed."
"Neither have you. Same ole' Joey."
"Daddy."
Pacey and Joey looked to the little girl sitting next to him. He picked her up and introduced her to Joey.
"Sam, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, this is Joey. Joey this is my daughter, Sam."
Sam held out her hand and shook it.
"While we're doing introductions," Joey held out her hand and a blonde headed boy grabbed it. "I'd like you both to meet my son, Noah. Noah this is Pacey and his daughter, Sam."
Noah ducked behind his mother. Pacey and Joey smiled at him. Joey turned around and picked him up. He hid his face in her shoulder.
Joey whispered in his ear, "Be nice, Noah. If you are, I'll take you swimming tomorrow."
Noah popped his head up and flashed a smile at the two. Joey laughed. Pacey stared at the two. He looked exactly like Dawson. The resemblance was uncanny.
He could say one thing for sure, Joey still looked as beautiful as ever. Just a little older, possibly a little wiser.
"Are you going to eat with us?" Sam asked.
"Yeah how 'bout it Joey? Old times sake?"
Joey looked at Noah, he was still smiling, and would probably do just about anything now.
"Are you hungry?"
"Mhmm."
"Well, I guess that's your answer."
"Guess so."
The sat down, and ordered their food. Joey told him what happened with Dawson. Pacey thought that what he did was cruel and extremely low class.
"So...where's Sam's mother?"
Pacey took a drink of water and swallowed his food. He looked down at his plate and pushed it away. She had asked a very delicate question, one of which would be hard to answer and hold his composure at the same time.
"Umm...Veronica, her mother...she...uh...she died."
"I'm sorry. When?"
"About three months ago. She was hit by a drunk driver, on her way home from the hospital. She was a nurse and worked nights. And the driver hit her head on."
"I didn't mean to upset you."
"Daddy, I'm full."
Pacey turned his attention to his daughter. He wiped her face and her hands. He had finished, Sam smiled at Joey, then at Noah. Joey smiled back and Noah kicked under the table.
"Noah."
Noah popped his head back up and sat in his seat right. Pacey laughed at him. His childishness was so adorable that he instantly took a liking to him.
"So, what are you doing here?"
"I'm moving back to Capeside."
"Why? I don't mean to pry, but you escaped. Why would you ever come back?"
"I...I needed something familiar. Something that...that didn't hurt to see everyday of my life. Something that could give me some sort of...of...peace."
"So you came home?" She said with a smile.
"Yeah. So what's your story? I thought you were going to become this huge painter and travel all over the world. What ever happened to that?"
"Things don't exactly go as planed. I am a painter. It's just...I don't know...I couldn't leave. My home is here. I could have a house anywhere, but your home is where your heart is. Mine seems to always bring me back here. I took it as a sign of fate. That fate was trying to pull me back here. Why, I don't know. But things happen for a reason."
"Does it not pain you to be here? I mean considering that you and Dawson grew up here together?"
"Not anymore. It used to. But then I realized that I don't need Dawson. I got the best part of him, and he's sitting next to me," she said as she looked down at Noah, who was smacking on a French fry. "So I figured, it's his loss. I get Noah, and he gets to suffer for the rest of his life by not having the most wonderful being in the world in his life."
"Wow! You know, you really haven't changed physically, but intellectually you have matured greatly. The old Joey would have slug Dawson and thrown all his cloths out on the front lawn. But, not anymore. You take everything so...calmly. I'm impressed."
"I'm glad I meet your approval. But, I've learned that dwelling on the past can only bring you heartache. You can't change the past, and even if you could, you'd still be curious as to what would have happened if you had let things run its course. I'm a firm believer in the saying 'All good things come to those who wait'. I'm waiting."
"Well, I hope you get what you're waiting for."
"Yeah me too. I had to put up with Dawson's lousy ass for seventeen years, eight as friends nine as a couple, I think I deserve something good. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Noah, he's the best thing I've got going for me right now, but I want something that..."
"Takes your breath away."
"Yeah. I don't know, maybe I'm just being foolish. I mean I'm twenty eight years old, and I'm still waiting for that great love of my life. Maybe I've found him, maybe I haven't, either way I'm still waiting."
"I found mine. She's not here anymore. You think that nothing could ever harm your peaceful existence, but then...BAM...tragedy strikes, your whole world dissolves around you in a matter of minutes."
"Joey?"
"Yeah. What can I do for you Seth?"
"It's closing time, mind if we ran you and your friend out so we can clean up and go home?"
Joey looked at her watch. She hadn't realized it was so late. They had spent the last three hours talking. Noah and Sam had even fallen asleep in the booth.
"Seth, I'm sorry. I hadn't noticed that it was so late. We're leaving."
"How much is the check?" asked Pacey as he reached down in to his pocket to retrieve his wallet.
Joey grabbed his wrist and declared, "Hey it's on the house."
"Come on, Joey. Let me pay."
"No, I insist, it's on the house."
Pacey sighed and looked down at his sleeping daughter. He slowly picked her up, so not to wake her. He patted her back and walked out of the restaurant.
Joey scooped Noah into her arms and made her way to her car. She found the keys in her pocket and unlocked the door. She sat Noah in the passenger seat and buckled him in. She went around to the other side and climbed in.
Pacey pulled up beside her in a Jeep Rangler.
"Where do you live?"
"You're going to laugh, but I live on Windsor. What about you?"
"You're going to laugh too, but so do I."
Joey climbed into the car and started it up. She drove out of the parking lot. She felt happier than she had in days. Pacey always made her feel better. What had happened to his wife was tragic. She could tell by the way that he talked about her that he cared very deeply for her.
Pacey drove down the long deserted highway, thinking about the conversation he had with Joey. She made him see that wallowing in the past only made his pain greater. But it was going to be hard to let her go. He was going to try very hard. He was still going to love her, but not think about her constantly so not to upset Samantha. She was a very special child and loved her so much. She was all he had left of Veronica.
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TO BE CONTINUED...