Joey still remained seated at the couch, silently watching her godfather return to the living room with her sister—half sister.  Either way, Bessie was her sister.  The two sat on either side of her.

            "Jo, I am letting you go to England with Remus if you want to.  But, if you don't want to, then it is fine with your godfather and me," Bessie comfortably said, lightly squeezing Joey's right hand.

            "I am not going to put pressure on you to come with me, Joey, you must know that.  But the choice is yours, and I ask you to make a decision as soon as possible.  I know it's too much to ask and it probably is putting a lot of weight on your shoulders, but I must return home before the month of September," Remus explained.

            "Can I take some time to think about it out on the dock?" Joey asked both of them.

            "Sure, just come back before dinner, all right?" Bessie said as Joey got up and walked out to the sit on the dock.  Bessie and Remus began to discuss the outcome of Joey's decision.

            Joey sat on the dock, listening to the movement of the water.  She dipped both her feet in the creek and kicked the water.  She leaned on the support of her arms, which were stretched out on the back.  (If you don't know what I am talking about, join the club…neither do I.)  She thought of her life spending the rest of her senior year in England with her godfather, and then she thought about spending her senior year with her friends, Bessie, Bodie (Bessie's boyfriend), and Alex (Bessie and Bodie's son).  The more she thought about it, the more going to England sounded more adventurous than staying in Capeside.

            Joey stopped her kicking when she heard footsteps behind her.  She figured it was Remus or Bessie, so she decided against looking back.

            "Joey?" It was indeed Remus who was behind Joey.

            "Yes, uncle Remus?" Joey asked, turning around as Remus took a seat next to her.

            "Well, I wanted to tell you the rest of the story," Remus spoke.

            "The rest of the story?" she said, bewildered.

            "Yes, the rest of the story.  It concerns Lily and James.  See, to every good, there's an evil right?"

            "Yeah, I do believe that's true…"

            "For all of us good witches and wizards, we had dark times back then.  There was an evil wizard who goes by the name of Voldemort.  He was a brilliant wizard—but he used his magic in an evil way.  He would do many, many horrible things to innocent witches and wizards along with his followers.  His followers were known as Death Eaters.

            "One night, he decided to pay a fatal visit to the Potters, your mother, James, and Harry.  After Voldemort had his so-called "fun" killing James, he went after Harry.  But your mum, she was determined not to lose another one of her children.  Oh, Lily always had the strength of two men when anyone she loved was in danger.  She stood up to that evil Voldemort.  Then, oh my dear Joey, he finished her off as well," Remus trembled, his voice cracking.

            "So, my mom is dead?  Both of my moms—even if the other woman wasn't really my mom?  Is Harry all right?"

            "Yes, the little tyke got away with just one scar.  Professor Dumbledore believes it was the love of your mother for Harry that saved him.  But Lily loved you as well.  She was unable to show it, though, unfortunately," he whispered.  There was silence as Joey tried to gather all that had been told to her.  "Would you like to be alone?"

            "Yes, I would prefer to be alone for a while," Joey whispered as her godfather nodded and got up, heading for the house.  Joey sat there alone, pondering what her decision would be.

            "Jo?" Bessie asked, knocking on Joey's door.  She opened the door and walked into the room.  "Joey?  Are you actually gonna go to England, then?"

            "I don't know yet, Bessie.  I mean, I just couldn't put anyone through that if I were gone for that long—especially on my last year of high school," Joey explained, feeling tears rolling down her eyes.  Bessie, who sat by her on her bed, took a Kleenex from the box on Joey's nightstand and handed it to her sister.  Joey accepted it and then whispered, "Thanks."

            "Jo, you have my blessing to go.  I really don't mind you being gone for a while…you've been working so hard lately, you need a break," Bessie sighed.

            "Bess, I don't think I can go.  I mean, you're gonna need help with the Bed and Breakfast and with Alex…and I have to go to school."  Joey dabbed her cheek

            "Joey, that's what I have Bodie for.  He can help me with the B&B and he's the father of Alex.  It is his natural responsibility to take care of his child.  And you'll be getting schooling in that school Remus is gonna be working at," Bessie explained, trying to convince Joey to go to England.

            "Well, I'd have to break it to the gang, first," Joey said, trying to imagine their reaction.

            "You could invite them all for dinner and then break it to them," Bessie suggested. 

            "All right, then," Joey smiled her famous lop-sided smile.

            "Okay, tell them to be over at six," Bessie said, getting up from the bed to start cooking dinner.  Joey looked at her watch.

            "Hmm, two.  Exactly four hours to practice how to tell my friends I am leaving them," Joey whispered to herself, reaching for the phone.

            When Joey had invited all of her friends to come over to her house for dinner, she decided how to practice getting off what she needed to say.

            "'Er, guys, I have to move to England because my godfather decided it was time for me to meet my half brother.'  No, not that.  'I know it would be hard to understand it, but I have to go to England and meet my half brother.  It would be a nice experience for me if I did and I promise to bring all of you back some souvenirs.'  No, not that either."  Then, she looked at her watch and then decided to take a bath and change.

AT THE DINNER:

            Joey took a seat in between Pacey and Jack, who was seated beside Bodie.  Jen, Dawson, Bessie and Remus took a seat across them.  Alex was on his high chair next to Bodie. 

The dinner was silent except for when someone told a joke and it was followed with laughter.  When the desserts went gone as quickly as they had been served, Bessie decided to take Remus and Bodie into the living room with Alex so the three could talk over Joey's "vacation" to England over a cup of tea.

            "So, Jo, why did you want us all here?" Jack asked, putting down his cup of iced tea.  (*Why tea is the choice of drink in this story, I have no clue.)

            "Well, I just wanted to tell all of you that I am not going to be here for a while," Joey hesitantly said after an awkward silence.  She shifted in her seat and looked around her group of friends.

            "Well, how long is this "while"?  And where are you going?" Jen asked, staring at Joey.

            "Er, this whole year—senior year.  And I am going to England," Joey sighed.

            "Senior year?  The entire year?  Are you mad?  What is the cause of this 'vacation'?" Dawson questioned angrily.

            "Well, Remus, my godfather, wants me to meet my half brother for the first time," Joey said.

            "Well, couldn't he have done it during the summer—or another time?  Joey, we are talking about senior year, here.  This year is the most pivotal year of our high school lives—you can't leave us," Dawson yelled.  Pacey watched silently as his two old friends debated what Joey needed. 

            "Look, Dawson, I don't exactly want to leave all of you, either.  But this trip would be good for me.  I would have a break from my life here in Capeside, I will be in England, and I get to meet my half brother.  I want to go, guys.  I want to go and I don't think any of you could stop me from doing so," Joey yelled as she ran out of the dining room and back to the dock.

            "Potter?" a familiar voice said behind her.  It was Pacey.  He walked up to her and sat next to her at the edge of the dock.

            "Witter," Joey whispered, her tone comfortably happy.

            "So, you're going to England, then?" he asked, putting his arm around her waist.

            "I guess I am.  That is, unless, you want to fight with me about it."

            "No, I'm not going to fight with you about it."

            "I figured you wouldn't.  You were too quiet in there," Joey said, putting her head on Pacey's shoulder.

            "I just didn't want to say anything and have Dawson shout at me too.  He was really unfair.  But I guess he is human to feel angry."

            "Should I go?" Joey asked.

            "I don't know.  It's really your decision.  But, if it were up to me, I would let you go…no matter how much it would hurt," Pacey whispered in Joey's ear.

            "Really?" Joey asked, just to make sure Pacey wasn't making up bull.

            "Really," he whispered again.

            In time, the two of them headed back to the house.  Joey apologized to her guests and they apologized to her for their actions.  Dawson stared bitterly at Pacey on the fact that Pacey was the one who comforted Joey, not him.  Or maybe Dawson was bitter because he had been the one that turned Joey away.  The gang talked about Joey going to England and how she would have to write to them everyday and tell them about her experience.  But, eventually, as the night grew older, everyone one left.

            The next day, Joey was up early and began packing her bags before and after breakfast.

            "Oh, Joey, I can't believe you're gonna be gone.  It's gonna be so lonely," Bessie cried.  "Let me give you a hand with these clothes."

            "Well, Bess, just don't talk me out of it because you were the one who talked me into it," Joey said to her sister.

            "I promise I won't.  Just—"

            "Write to you everyday.  Will do, Bess."

            "And bring home some things from England for me.  Whatever you want to give me—spoil me," Bessie said as Joey laughed.

            "Okay, I'll spoil you rotten—if you gave me money," Joey said as Bessie picked out many other choice clothing for Joey's trip.

            "All right, I'll give you some money.  And please, behave yourself.  I don't want to hear any news that you've been assaulting a poor English man."

            "Bess, you know me.  When would I ever assault an English man?"  Bessie giggled.

            "Just don't.  And don't knock up anyone there like dad did.  I know that was an unfair comment to make, but really, just don't."

            "Okay, Bessie.  I won't do that stuff," Joey reassured her older sister.

            "Jo, Jen and Jack are here," Bodie said, popping his head in Joey's room.

            "Bring them in," Joey told Bodie as he motioned for her two friends to come into the room.

            "So, you're really going England, eh, Joey?" Jen asked, as she and Jack started to help Bessie pack Joey's clothes. 

            "Yeah, I'm really sorry, guys.  I don't really wanna go, but since I have Bessie and Pacey's blessing, I decided to go," Joey explained.  Jack took a look at the two luggage already packed, then turned back to the bag that he was helping to pack.

            "How many clothes and things are you planning to take to England?" he asked, staring at disbelief at all the luggage.

            "Well, I am going to be there for a whole year, so I guess I'd take this much.  And I am gonna bring other stuff like toiletries and stuff like lotion.  And of course, I am gonna bring my journal and some stationary, you know, to write to all of you guys and stuff…" she looked at the things she had laid on her bed and then decided leave a few things out—like her thirty-something books she had planned to read there (she only picked two.)

            The group continued to talk about how they would miss Joey, but despite that, they told her that they were happy for her and would let her go to England.