Summary: DJ, everything up to the series finale has happened, but now it is seven years after Jen's funeral. DJ meet up again in New York after losing touch again and try to regain their friendship despite life changes.

Walking out of Tiffany's on Fifth Avenue, Dawson sighed as his cell phone rang again, for the fifth time in ten minutes. Checking the display, he noticed it was Lily, probably calling to find out about the gift he just bought for his mother's birthday next week. He promised he would pick up a nice gift in New York for both of them to give her and after spending hours on the phone with Lily, arguing over what to get, what size and what style, his hour-long shopping sprint at Tiffany's produced a gold heart locket that would hold pictures of Dawson and Lily as well as one of the whole family. He was pleased with his choice, grateful that his excursion was over with and he could enjoy the rest of his day off. Heading toward the Plaza hotel and Central park, he called Lily back quickly, confirming that he bought the gift and he would make sure it was wrapped and brought with him when he went back to Capeside next week for the party. Sighing to himself as he hung up the phone, he put on his sunglasses and sat for a moment on a bench, watching people walk by him. The last seven years since Jen's funeral flew by so quickly that he could barely believe it. For some reason it seemed like yesterday that he was back with everyone in Capeside for his mother's wedding, hanging out at the Icehouse and catching up on old times. After returning to LA, he continued to work like crazy on the show, almost giving him an ulcer between the network and trying to keep up with the actors and production crew, who felt they could not function without him. Finally a year ago he moved to New York to work for the network on a new show they were developing in the area, while still serving as consultant for "The Creek" back in LA. He didn't mind the move. He was closer to home and actually got to watch his sister grow up rather than rely on pictures and phone call descriptions of her life and kid events. He still kept in touch regularly with Doug and Jack, who were still together and happier than ever raising Amy, who was beginning to really come into her own, reminding all of them of her mother. He and Pacey were even able to maintain phone call conversations and e-mails about their life and what they were up to. Dawson knew Pacey was still working in Capeside, managing his restaurant and was even working on opening another location in Boston next year. The only person he lost touch with again after the funeral was Joey.

For a few months after they went back to their jobs they kept in touch with occasional e-mails and what not, but that soon faded away again. He felt bad about it all the time, thinking about her, what she was up to, what she was doing, if she was still in New York. When the network offered him a job in New York, he'd be lying if he said the thought of being in the same city with her again, being near her or being able to see her all the time wasn't a benefit, but in his year here in the same city, nothing between them had changed. He looked up her number a few months ago and called to say hi and see if she wanted to get together, but when a guy answered the phone, he thought he dialed wrong and just never called back.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but hearing that man's voice flashed him back to his dream all those years ago, the dream when he ran into her in the airport after a five year absence in each other's lives, only to find out she was engaged. So he chickened out in calling back, but he still thought of her all the time, knowing she was his soul mate and he missed her like crazy. Every day he would keep his eyes peeled for her on the street, even walking by her office building sometimes at lunch when he was out, but he never saw her. After a few minutes on the bench he got up and stuffed the Tiffany's bag in his messenger bag, throwing it over his shoulder and heading into Central Park for a nice walk. It was unusually hot for fall in New York and he paused for a minute to take off his jacket while walking near the Bethesda Fountain, distracting his attention for a minute. Tucking his jacket in his bag, he looked up for a minute only to run smack into a woman who was also walking toward him not paying attention. Shocked about what just happened, Dawson took off his sunglasses, reaching for the woman to help her up from the ground, where she apparently fell after their collision.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry, are you hurt?" he stammered, feeling a pain in his head and chest, from their collision.

"Ah a bit dazed but I'm fine, thank you," she said uneasily, taking his hand and letting him lead her to the fountain to sit for a minute.

"I wasn't paying attention and I didn't see you, are you sure you're okay?" he said, trying to see if she was hurt or not.

"It's okay really I wasn't paying attention either," she said, managing a small laugh. "That will teach me to do one thing at a time." He was so concerned with her being hurt and brushing off the gravel from her shirt that he didn't even get a look at her face. The whole incident happened so quickly that he still couldn't believe what happened. Noticing some blood on her elbow, he grabbed for it, pulling a few tissues from his bag and applying pressure to the cut.

"Here just keep some pressure on it and it'll be fine," he said, feeling how warm and soft her skin was. Still looking away from him for a second to shuffle some things back in her bag, she finally turned her face to him, gasping and looking at him in shock.

"Dawson?" she gasped, her jaw hanging slightly down. Hearing his name, he heart stopped and he looked up slowly, wondering who this woman was and how she somehow knew who he was. Her voice sounded familiar but he wasn't sure and he couldn't get a clear look at her face, which was covered with sunglasses and a baseball cap.

"Yes," he said slowly, still wondering who this person was. They looked at each other for a minute, still unable to make the connection until she pulled off the sunglasses and baseball cap, tucking her hair behind her ears. It was Joey. He barely recognized her with shorter hair and her natural dark brown hair color, but it was her eyes that immediately gave her away. "Oh my god, Joey?"

"Yeah," she sighed, smiling at him, both unable to say another thing, they could only look at each other and absorb the reality of how long it had been since they saw one another.