"No, she hasn't called Pacey. The last time I tried getting a hold of her, her cell phone went directly to the voicemail. Just like the first ten times I tried calling. She doesn't want to talk to anyone." Bessie ran a cloth across the dining room table, tidying things for the lunch crowd at the B&B. "I'm sure she's okay, Pacey. You don't have to be so worried."

"No offense, or anything, Bessie, but you didn't see her last weekend. She was pale and skinny. Really skinny, like she hadn't been eating. She smelled like vodka and pot."

Bessie sighed, not wanting to get in the middle of her sister's issues with Pacey. The truth was, she had called, and told Bessie in no uncertain terms that she didn't want to speak to Pacey, and to tell him so if he called. "Pacey, she's at college. You said yourself she was coming home from a party. People do those kinds of things at parties. And we both know Joey has more sense than to participate. Have a little faith in her, Pacey."

Pacey shook his head, and his voice took on a pained tone. "You didn't see her eyes, Bessie. You didn't see her eyes."

"If you're that worried, go see her again. I refuse to get all bent out of shape over something that I know Joey wouldn't do. I have to go now, Pacey. Good luck with your exams."

"Yeah. Thanks, Bess."

Pacey hung up the phone feeling even more put out than he had after seeing Joey. He wanted to go see her, but he wanted to respect her request. She didn't want to see him, and he was man enough to know when to back off.

But he was also human enough to know when Joey needed him.

Grabbing his keys, he left his apartment and readied himself for seeing her again.

Maybe, just maybe, miracles did happen, and she'd be happy to see him.

----

Joey flicked the lighter again, bringing the flame to life, and brought it to the end of the bowl. The dried leaves cracked as they burned, letting off a smell akin to musky sweat and bad cheese.

She inhaled deeply, holding her breath as long as she could before exhaling.

She waited until her lungs started to burn, and then let out a puff of smoke on a laugh. "You know, Miranda, when I was in high school, I condemned anyone who even talked about smoking pot around me." She grabbed another Cheeto out of the bag sitting between them, and waited for Miranda to take her pass. "I wonder when those giraffes will be done remodeling the living room."

Miranda gave her a contemplative look as she exhaled. "Probably when they're done painting the couch."

Joey nodded, accepting this. "You're right. It would be pretty hard to label the living room as finished if they had forgotten to paint the couch."

"Well, these giraffes know their business. I'm actually kind of glad we hired them over the penguins. The long neck really is an asset."

"Joey, there's some guy at the door for you," Kenna shouted from the common room. "Says it's important."

Miranda frowned. "If it's about the bill for the living room, tell him we're not paying until the couch is painted."

Joey winked at her. "Don't worry. He won't get a dime out of me."

She made her way to the door, stopping to compliment the giraffe next to the end table on his flamboyant use of color on the ceiling fan. Kenna shook her head in amusement and joined Miranda in the bedroom to give her some privacy.

"Pacey!" Joey exclaimed, reaching the doorway. "When did you start working for GU?"

"What?"

"GU. Giraffes Unlimited. They're redoing the living room." Joey gestured around the room with her hand. "I'm not going to pay you until the couch is painted, though."

"Jo, are you all right?" Pacey edged his way around her into the room. The smell hit him immediately. "You're high."

She grinned at him. "Yeah. I'll share if you want. I got it for free anyway." She leaned in conspiratorially, and whispered in his ear, "Perks of having a vagina."

"Let's go get something to eat, Jo. I want to talk to you."

"Food? I love food." Joey grabbed her coat off the hook next to the door and walked out the door ahead of Pacey.

"Uh, Joey?"

"Yeah?" She whirled around, grabbing on to his shoulders when she lost her balance.

Her eyes were glassy, and she reeked of the drug that he could smell in her dorm room. She looked horrible, and all he wanted to do was bundle her up and carry her off to safety. "You need your left shoe."

She collapsed into a fit of laughter then, dropping to her knees on the floor. "What do I need a shoe for, Pacey?"

"Joey, I'm going to come back later. When you're not so..."

She cocked her head to the side, and looked at him as he trailed off. "High?" she finished for him. "I may be high, Pacey, but I still remember telling you to leave me alone." She shook her head, climbing to her feet. "Learn to listen."

He stepped back as though she had hit him, and watched, for the second time in a week, as the woman he knew he loved more than anything walked away from him again.

She shut the door, without a sound, but to Pacey, it was the loudest noise he had ever heard.

----

Pacey waited outside the office of his freshman advisor's office. His appointment had been at one-thirty, and it was already past two. He had paced. He had finished a crossword in a discarded People Magazine. He had renamed everyone in his contacts list on his phone.

The door edged open, and he caught the end of a conversation.

"We found drug paraphernalia in her room. It's grounds for expulsion. Campus police has already notified her parents, and right now they're escorting her off the grounds."

Pacey felt a chill run down his spine. iWhat if that happens to Joey/i, he thought. If she got kicked out of school, Bessie would kill her.

He pushed the thoughts from his head for the moment as his advisor called him into his office.

"What can I do for you today, Mr. Witter?"

"I'd like to declare my major."

"Kind of early for a decision like that, don't you think?"

"Let's call it an epiphany. I want to be a social worker. And I want to specialize in drug-use prevention."