Chapter 3: The Great Divide



"Yeah guess Pacey's character came out less than glowing, but mostly it's true." Joey shrugged into the phone.



"Jo." Jen's sardonic tone warned her.



"All right so maybe I could've explained his motivations a little more clearly."



Joey could all but see Jen shaking her head at the words. "Jo, I thought the whole Dawson-Pacey thing was over for you. What happened to Steven?"



Joey sighed heavily. "Changed his name to 'Sky,' joined a band and moved to Seattle."



"Good grief. You sure can pick 'em Jo."



"Tell me about it." Jo rolled her eyes. "So anyway, I'm going to see Gayle tomorrow."



"Tell her I said hello and hug Lily for me and Amy." Jen said as she swept her toddling little girl into her arms and cooing at her.



"I will and give that sweet baby a big hug from her auntie Jo."



"You got it! Call me when you find out how Dawson's doing."



"Will do." Jo nodded and hung up the phone. Talking to Jen seemed to ground her, bring the world back to perspective through brutally delivered thruth. And MTV seemed to know fearless talent when they saw it. Though they no longer aired the Loveline television show, they monitered it's radio success and were pleasantly surprised with Jen's hosting prowess, at least for most of the show. They were twice as impressed with her moxy when she walked off stage mid show. Within days they were calling her, and in a few months they had her installed in a New York loft three blocks from the studio where she wrote, hosted and co-produced With a Bullet, a successful talk show about hard to discuss topics ranging from teen musical tastes to teen pregnancy and drug addiction.



Joey looked out the window over the sink. The creek shot rays of sun haphazardly over the New England shore line. It was inviting, and knowing she had to see Gayle sooner or later it was irresistible. She threw herself into rowing and was soon at the familiar Leery dock. She sighed as she pulled herself on to the pier. She saw Gayle shove her spade into the winter toughened soil and smiled. Alexander and Lily rounded the corner and climbed unnoticed into the treehouse dawson had built her for her birthday. Joey smiled seeing the inside walls plastered with old movie posters. She walked across the newborn spring grass and called a greeting to Gayle.



"Joey!" she responded with a quick smile and brief soil covered wave. She pulled her goves off and met Joey at the porch stairs where the pair hugged and walked inside arm in arm.



A few hours later Joey shook her head at Gayle's relay of Dawson's new movie script. He was in the process of directing the script, a throw back to his early Sea Creature from the Deep days. "Except this time it's alien teachers." Gayle sighed with a shrugg. "Apparently the studio ate it up."

"Well, you know you don't argue with one of Hollywood's most successful writers." She paused unsure how far her boundaries extended, but with a heavy sigh decided she had to know. "How's everything else?"

Gayle looked at her searchingly. "He's dating some mystery woman. I haven't met her, but he assures me I'll love her. He's coming in for my birthday in a couple weeks. Then he has a two month break before he goes back--" She stopped and looked Joey in the eye. "To start shoot with Spielburg."

"Oh my God!" Joey sadi grabbing the older woman's hand. "I can't believe it!"

"I know I couldn't either." Gayle's smile drooped a little. "Joey, this might be totally out of line, but as he's my son I'm going to say it anyway." She sucked in a deep breath. "He's happy. Really Really happy for the first time in a very long time. If you're still here when he gets back..." She stopped thinking that her point was clear.

"I'll be leaving next Thursday, Gayle." She dropped her gaze to the polished hardwood floors. "I never meant to hurt him."

"It wasn't just him you hurt, Joey."

"I know."

"Have you seen Pacey?"

"Yeah, I stopped by his shop."

"And?"

"He hates me."

"No he doesn't but he's hurt. He never moved on Joey. Dawson seems to, but then I've thought thtat before, but it always seems to come down to the three of you breaking each other's hearts. None of you need that anymore."

Joey nodded swallowing hard against the burning tears clogging her throat. Finally able to trust her voice she stood. "That's why I came back." She said brushing away the single tear that managed to escape. "To lay aside old ghosts." She started to walk back to the pier when she turned and nodded at Gayle again. "Tell him—never mind, don't—Thanks for the talk Gayle." Joey said just loud enough to be heard over the distance that separated them.



When she arrived back at the B&B she closed her door and cried quiet tears against her pillow.