She picked at her banana nut muffin in the quiet little coffee shop sipping at her coffee absently every so often. Her main focus was trained on the flashing mouse on her laptop and the blank white page that hadn't written itself. She had been in Denver for three months now and had left Rodger one month after. He just wasn't the one who could fill that void in her life and as she neared twenty-seven she knew it was time to stop playing with love or she'd end up alone.
Fluttering her fingers over the keyboard she listened to the clinking sounds of the buttons, letting out an exaggerated sigh as she once again hit a block. Surrendering she closed the application shutting the lid of her computer as she buried her face in her hands.
"Why do I always end up wherever you are?" His voice was raspy but exactly the same. She felt her heart flutter as she ran her fingers through her hair finally looking up over the hood of her eyes.
"Must be those stupid drunken promises again," she replied her voice light as if she had talked to him last an hour ago.
"As I recall when I proclaimed this," he began slipping into the seat across from her, "I was completely sober. You however were getting ready to strip in front of a party."
She blushed resting her fingers on the edge of her computer. There was a long pause as she furrowed her brows, "What are you doing here?"
He sighed shaking his head, "I met this girl," he began as her expression fell, "who just turned my world upside down." He rocked his fingers against the table, "She gave me this idea that you could find inspiration just getting up and going, and I, I guess she was right."
The corner of her mouth twitched into a half smile, "What happened to the restaurant?"
"I sold it to Marty," he shrugged, "see one day this girl she just got up and left, and she completely ruined the city of Seattle for me. I turned into a clingy pre-teen female dumpee, you know spoon deep in a carton of cookie dough, getting all sad and reminiscent at every little thing."
She smirked, "So when did you get here?"
"Just now, actually, I walked past the window saw you sitting there and realized I just couldn't pass that fate guy up again."
"How'd you know I was here?" She asked immediately melting in his soft blue gaze.
"I didn't," he replied his voice dropping to a whisper; "I just took it On the Road."
"What do you mean by that?"
"That book," he smiled leaning across the table on his elbows, "his destination is Denver."
Every word he spoke she fell deeper and deeper practically dazed as she listened to the sound of his voice. "Is this a permanent thing or are you just stopping by?"
"I don't know, the city suddenly has a lot of perks," he said slyly receiving a shy smile from her.
"Do you have anywhere to stay?"
He chuckled, "I have a very spacious backseat."
Glancing back down at her hands she sighed, "Well there's a very spacious Hilton down the road."
He nodded pursing his lips in a straight line patting his hand against the table, "Well I'll go check that out I guess." He stood nodding his head towards her, "Josephine, hopefully I'll see you around."
She nodded still focused on the table as he disappeared through the door. She felt a part of her disappear as his frame vanished and she realized that the moment she saw him she was complete.
Shooting from her chair she didn't even care that she left her laptop behind as she dodged at the door. "I don't have a spare bedroom, but I can make room," she called out exasperated.
She heard a snicker behind her and she continued breathing heavier glancing over her shoulder her heart pounding out of her chest. She felt an ease come over her as she smiled widely throwing her arms around him and kissing him hard out in the middle of the sidewalk.
He nuzzled his nose with hers grinning cockily, "What took you so long?"
~*~
"Ah the happy couple has finally reunited, I can sleep again at night," Drue snarked now the whole table staring at the couple.
"Wait how did that happen?" Jack asked thinking it over, "I thought Joey was in Denver and Pacey in Seattle."
Jen sunk into her seat shielding her face. "Jen," Jack said sternly as she peeked through her fingers.
"Jack?"
"Are we missing something?"
"Three years ago I know they lived together for about six months but after Dawson's story that's all I know," she replied innocently.
From across the room Joey finally spotted her friends excusing herself from Nick she pulled on Pacey's arm anxiously smiling excitedly.
"Joey," Andie chirped nervously as they approached the table, "You're here…with Pacey!"
"And pregnant!" Drue mimicked.
Pacey pulled out a chair next to Andie helping her slide in as he took the one between her and Jack, "Actually Pacey's just my rent-a-date, we didn't want to let all the hopeful class couple fans down." She shrugged motioning towards her stomach, "And this is just a sac of flower for good measure."
"I'm telling our daughter that story before her first therapy session," Pacey quipped shaking his head at her. Stretching out his shoulders he slipped back out of his chair, "Well I'm going to go get something to drink, anybody want anything?" He asked.
"Long Island Iced Tea," Jen announced, Pacey glanced at Jack who shook his head.
"Straight iced tea for Jen, Jo I'll get you some apple juice."
She shook her head, "No get me something bubbly."
He nodded, "Ginger ale it is." He exclaimed dropping a kiss on her forehead before disappearing towards the bar.
"So," Jack exclaimed clapping his hands together then motioning his hands towards Joey, "You and Pacey."
She shrugged, "It's not like we've never dated before."
"True, true, a decade ago."
"So how'd it happen?" Andie asked.
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear she shrugged again, "Well five years ago I moved out to Seattle and ran into him and he let me stay there with him. We lived together for about six months and just needed space—."
"Drunken declarations of love?" Drue asked slyly.
She rolled her eyes, "Something like that. Anyway I moved down to LA with Dawson for about a year," she said gesturing towards the blonde across the table. "Fell madly in love with a man named Rodger and ran off to Denver with him where we quickly parted ways. Then about two months later I was just sitting in a coffee shop and Pacey sat down in the seat across from me and we've been together ever since. We got married a little over a year ago and I only have two more months to go with this pregnancy thing."
"Wow," Drue exclaimed glancing over at Dawson, "almost sounds like a soul mate."
Joey glanced at him nervously but was distracted when Pacey slid back next to her. "Iced Tea for you my sweet," he said leaning across the table towards Jen, "and ginger ale for you, I even had them put it in a little champagne flute so you'd feel special," he smiled handing her the glass.
"Who would have thought that you two would be the first to reproduce our incestuous group," Jen said sipping at her drink.
"Well we're still waiting on the paternity tests for that one," Pacey joked his hand protectively traveling along her back.
Drue glanced down at his watch, "Come on Lindley, it's time to go screw with the system." He began scooting away from the table, "Are you coming McPhee's?"
"Why not?" Andie shrugged rising from her seat.
"I'll pass," Jack replied.
The three scurried off and Dawson finally broke out of his shocked daze, "Um, Joey can I talk to you?"
"Sure," she nodded pushing herself out of her chair and following him off into the corner.
Pacey watched after her warily and Jack let out a laugh, "Some things will never change."
~*~
"Why didn't you tell me?" Dawson asked desperately the feeling of the knife through his heart now twisting with agony.
"We didn't really want to make a beg deal about the ceremony," she replied nervously.
"No, not about that, why didn't you tell me that you and Pacey were living together in Seattle?"
"It must have slipped my mind."
"Six months is an awfully long period of time to just vanish from your memory Joey," he snarled.
"Things were really complicated and I knew you wouldn't understand," she countered.
"We were supposed to be friends, you didn't have to tell me that you were sleeping together or anything but you should have at least told me that he was the reason that you suddenly wanted to regain contact after four years!"
"Because I knew that you'd react like this!" She cried throwing her hands in the air.
"React like what?" He asked bitterly crossing his arms over his chest.
"Like you always do, like you did when we were sixteen and Pacey and I got together and you made me feel so guilty for the next two years," she explained aggravated.
"That's because you broke my heart Joey," he placed his hands on her shoulders, "You break my heart every time I see you and you're with somebody else. Like when I went to see you in New York you were with some guy in the hall, or when you and Rodger would snuggle on the couch, or when Pacey does sweet things like put ginger ale in champagne flutes because you can't have the real thing. All those things kill me because you were the love of my life."
"Dawson four months of twisted manipulative dating at age fifteen does not qualify as the type of relationship you compare others to for the rest of your life," she said sternly.
"You never felt that way before," he whined.
"That was in high school, there are a lot of things that I did in high school that I'll never do again but that doesn't mean I dismiss them as memories," his lips twitched as she took a deep breath, "but it also doesn't mean I'm going to dwell on them for the rest of my life."
"I guess this means the tale of two star-crossed lovers has come to a tragic ending much like its innovators had many years ago."
"Don't you understand?" She began, "We never were star-crossed, there was nothing ever standing between us, in fact fate and our families were using all their power and will to push us together, but the truth was we didn't want to be together."
"No," he pleaded, "I wanted you and I loved you it just never worked out like it was supposed to."
"Dawson," she said soothingly cupping his cheek with her hand, "you just don't understand yet, when you find that person that you can love selflessly with all of your heart you'll finally be complete and you'll never question it again and you'll stop running."
He laughed softly his eyes twinkling, "And where did you come up with this theory?"
"I didn't," she said twitching her nose, "That was actually a rip off of Pacey's explanation for his relationship with beer."
He wrapped her in his arms embracing her tightly as they walked back to the table hand in hand, "So what is Drue up to exactly?"
~*~
"Welcome back distinguished graduates of Capeside High School's class of 2001," Drue announced as Jen angled the spotlight on him. "Now just incase you've all forgotten the memories, the loving staff at this prestigious place of learning were kind enough to pull together a narrated slide show of our school years." There were claps as he waved around the CD-Rom in his hand, "But, seeing as those would only be filled with fluffy fake moments, I've orchestrated the real memories of Capeside High. So sit back my fellow classmates, and enjoy."
"This can't be good," Pacey said resting his chin on Joey's shoulder.
The proxima focused on the Movie screen as Drue's voiceover began:
"Capeside High School, the only school in the country whose mascot, the Capeside Minuteman, relates to over half the male student body," he narrated over a picture of a large group of males whoring for the camera.
"The cheerleaders had the best pep," shot of the girls slumping in their fishnets, "Hey, remember former head cheerleader Jen Lindley?" He asked over her junior portrait, "Well here she is now," shot of squealing pig.
"Hey!" She exclaimed punching him in the arm as the gym roared with laughter.
"What you thought because I liked you that you would be exempt from this?"
"Best eyes winner Jeff Anderson wasn't so lucky after an unfortunate encounter with future knitting champion of the world, Cindy Ellington," he said over a shot of the two transformed into a CGI of a knitting needle hanging out of his eye.
"Let's not forget the McPhee's, including Jack, the straightest gay man in America," shot of him and Jen goofing off in the halls.
"Don't you regret now a day, picking on those geeks from chess club?" He asked over the club photo, "Because now they're running America, with a model on each arm…go figure."
The slide show continued on poking quips at each social group including a shot of the football team done up in makeup.
"Ah, and who could forget class couple?" He narrated over a photo of Joey and Dawson, "No, not that one," he joked as a candid shot of Joey and Pacey snuggling in the halls appeared, "Yes, that's the one, remember how Joey Potter and Pacey Witter were so in love," he paused as a shot of prom flashed on the screen, "that they broke up in front of the entire prom?"
There were harsh 'ouch's from the crowd as Joey rolled her eyes knocking her head against her husband's.
"Well rest assured because," he began as a slide appeared reading 'Insert Insanely Cheesy Hollywood Love Story Here.'
"Speaking of Hollywood! What about most ambitious winner Dawson Leery? Who's broke the mold in tinsel town with such blockbusters as…Bomp chicka wonk wonk."
Dawson blushed as the porn track played in the background followed by risky photos from random movie covers.
"But before we depart let us remember all our grand leaders of Capeside High. Like our sophomore principle, insert responsible minority figure one, the woman. Junior year we received fun loving responsible minority figure two, the African American. And finally senior year we were treated to not so responsible minority figure three, the washed up comedian.
"Thank you my fellow students and goodnight!"
~*~
They all sat around the table awkwardly when a man approached the table tapping on Jack's shoulder, "Ryan hey," he greeted cheerfully.
"Oooo, Ryan," Andie said with a large smile.
"I got off work early so I decided to stop by just like I promised," he explained pulling up a chair next to Jack.
"Everyone, this is Ryan," he motioned, "Ryan this is everyone."
"Nice to meet everyone," he joked lightly scooting in his chair nervously. "So these are the high school friends I've heard so much about. I recognize Jen and Andie but the rest of you I'm sorry."
"That's Dawson, Drue, Pacey, and Joey," he said addressing each one of his companions.
"Boy's name on a girl I love that," Ryan exclaimed. They all laughed at how cute he was, his jet black hair chopped short held in place with a clean layer of gel. He wore a light gray button down shirt under a stripped sweater vest and his hazel eyes were hidden behind thin black frames. "So how'd you all meet?"
"I think we may need some more liquor before taking this quest down memory road," Pacey said leaning back into his chair.
"Well it all started in 1998 when I moved to—." Jen began.
"No it starts back in 1997, when Jen and myself were experimenting with sex and drugs down in NYC and she was caught in coitus activities with our good friend Billy on her parents bed," Drue interjected.
"Thank you Drue for reminding us all of my sordid past," Jen said rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I moved to Capeside sophomore year and rounded out the fantastic four when I began dating Dawson."
"Joey, Dawson, and I had known each other since we were in diapers so we were a fairly tight knit group," everyone gave him a knowing glare. "Well except for the part where Joey and I hated each other."
"I also hated Jen because I was in love with Dawson, but he never noticed so this long drama began," Joey continued.
"Then after my many creative stalker attempts, I wound up dating Joey for a while," Dawson cut in.
"I broke up the star-crossed lovers when I moved down from Providence mid-semester and started dating Joey," Jack explained, "well then I turned out to be gay."
"And I was introduced to the group when I crashed my car into Pacey's and we began dating," Andie added.
"And Drue just weaseled his way in senior year," Jen half whispered from across the room nudging towards Drue.
"Wait," Ryan began trying to compute this, "then why are these two married?"
"Well this is where the wife swapping comes in," Jen explained.
Ryan knitted his brows, "What do you mean by that."
"Well I for example have had sex with both Drue and Dawson, and almost had sex with Jack and Pacey but have only ever dated Dawson," Jen stated.
Joey nodded, "And I've slept with both Pacey and Dawson, couldn't get a rise out of Jack, and had the misfortune of being on the other side of Drue's lips in a storage room."
"And I had the misfortune of a right hook in my eye," Drue countered flinching at the memory.
"I dated Dawson twice sophomore year with Jack sandwiched between and Pacey from the end of junior year to the end of senior year," she finished.
"And I," Andie finished off, "only kissed my brother in a family way, never hooked up with Drue, had a few encounters with Dawson, and dated and slept with Pacey my sophomore year."
"You people really don't get out," Ryan snarked.
"That was just high school," Pacey cleared up, "and a fraction of the relationships."
"Oh yeah," Joey joined in, "Jen had Cliff Elliot drooling after her and taking her to Dawson's house for dates."
"And let's not forget that sleaze bag Chris Wolfe."
"Oh you mean the beer bellied gas station attendant I ran into on my way here?" Jen joked dryly.
"And Ty the bible loving freak," Jack added through a heave of laughter.
"What about Joey's rich boy?" Jen asked dodging out of the spotlight.
"Oh you mean Richie Rich?" Pacey joked, "That doesn't even count."
"I guess we shouldn't bring up all that extra credit you completed for Miss Jacobs," Jen said wiggling her brows.
"You slept with your teacher?" Ryan asked incredulously his innocence adorable.
"Yeah and Dawson had it on tape," Joey inserted, "he had some sexy throbbing neck muscles," she teased rubbing his neck.
"Let's get back to Jen and her serial rapist fisherman," Pacey said conspiratorially.
"Hey Joey remember that photographer you had the hots for that really wanted me?" Jack joked.
She blushed shadowing her face with her hand. "Let's not forget Eve," Joey snarled bitterly rolling her eyes.
"I miss Eve," Pacey said reminiscing receiving a shove from his wife.
"I thought Eve was messed up," Dawson began, "but remember Henry?"
"Don't ever mention that crusty stalker freak ever again," Jen warned. "That was a difficult time in my life that led to a sex pact with Pacey."
"Let's just skip over college boy," Pacey added.
"And right onto Ethan," Jen said with a smile.
"Rejection at its finest," Jack replied bowing his head.
"Oh and Andie and her fake French guys?" Jen added.
"He was pretty cute," she said dazed.
"Then came Dawson and Pacey's sister," Joey continued.
"And Tobey, I miss Tobey," Jen whined, "but I love you Ryan."
"Thanks," he said confused.
"Wow and that was just high school," Dawson began slumping onto his hand.
"Yeah we haven't even gotten to the part where Pacey slept with my roommate for almost a year," Joey added a jokingly exasperated look on her face.
"You slept with your ex-girlfriend's roommate?"
"She gave us her blessing," he pointed out directing an accusing finger at Joey.
"Wow," Andie said grinning widely, "it feels like we last saw each other yesterday."
"Well I can't get rid of this woman, she follows me everywhere," Pacey said gesturing towards the brunette.
"No, it's really great to see we've kept this bond over the years," Andie continued.
"It must have been all the sex," Drue said wryly.
"We've all been pretty bad keeping in touch," Dawson admitted.
"After we promised so many times to keep it the same," Joey added remorsefully.
"Well at least we can join at a table every decade or so and joke about our past relationships," Jen said trying to brighten the mood.
"90210 alert," Pacey said in a muffled voice holding his hand over his mouth like a walkie-talkie.
"It's really sad how little we've changed," Jack said pitifully staring at Pacey and his cop impression.
~*~
"So this is it," Dawson began as the group walked towards the parking lot.
"Well we are all meeting for breakfast at Leery's Fresh Fish, right?" Andie chirped pulling her coat around her shoulders.
"Right, and Jen and I are here till the end of the week at Gram's," Jack added. "But sorry you guys Ryan regretfully has to get back home for work."
"Aww," everyone said in unison filled with disappointment.
"Are Joey and Pacey staying at the B&B?" Jen queried.
"No, it seems my sister doesn't love me enough to automatically reserve my room for me this time of year, so instead someone like Grant Bodine will be screwing some former cheerleader between the sheets of my sacred bed."
"It would have completed the memories, just you and me," Pacey joked kissing her softly on the neck.
After hugging goodbye and exchanging new phone numbers the group parted their separate ways, different people now but their childhood bond still there.
Author's Note: I know the ending is a little cheesy but what can I say some fluff is nice every now and then.