A/N: Hmm..I don't do alot of these lol. First, thanks for the reviews:D This chapter is a bit different since it is going to be from anothers persons POV besides Joey's. It's not gonna happen in the next, so it's kind of temporary. Anywho it's a set-up for the nextchap so read on kind people.

There's No Place Like home


I watch impatiently, as the clock finally stikes 11:00. Ever since it hit 10:45, my attention has been focused on the long hand, and the short hand. There's no particular reason I can convey, other than to witness a change in my day, be it small. I've been trapped in the house for the whole day, thanks to my previous attempt of getting an extended vacation, be it also small. Nevertheless, my attempt was not only for myself, but for a close friend of mine. I suppose I wanted to be in support of him when I thought he needed me the most. When he asked me to come--Without much hesitation, I agreed. There was no surprise when he asked her to come along, though there was a hint of jealousy. 'Why did he need her too?', I admit to silent wonderment of his purposel to bring her along, though I happily agreed. 'Maybe we could become friends' was my simplification on the matter as I gave him a smile, and turned up the brand new a/c.

There is no denying it--Fun was had. I got to go shopping, and get some killer clothes in the process. I wish Joey would have come along, it may have been more fun. Afterall, if I didn't have to hear Pacey ask me 'Are you done yet? For the forthy-ith time, my day would have been made. Maybe if I hadn't had to bed with Joey also, I mean I love her to pieces, but never had I imagined to be sleep-kneed in the side all night.. My back hurt like hell in the morning, though I was unearthly quiet about it. The next night was different. I felt the bed shake as she quietly removed herself, and rendezvoued over to Pacey's. I could barely hear them, as I slowly fell back into slumber-land. It was none of my buisness, though to put it easy, I'm not exactly against dirt, dishing, and all in out nosiness. I still chose to sleep through what would inevitably be the beginning of a beautiful-not-without-problems-the-name-Dawson-comes-to-mind, realationship.

I bravely awaited, my long-waited, return to Grams. But once I was back...she said nothing. Not a word all yesterday, or today. Now, here I sit at the kitchen counter, needlessly counting the minutes, and sadly the hours. Unlike my partners in crime, I made no real attempts to call my worried guardian. Maybe that's why the guilt is killing me, as I'm unable to gather the nerve to leave the house. I figure, if she was to say a word to me, it would be to tell me I'm not to leave the house.

The long hand stops on one, as the short hand stubbornly remains on eleven. Grams enters the kitchen without so much as a nasty glare. Then...Oh there it is.

"Are you ever going to to me again?" I ask squeezing my coffee cup for dear life.

"Jennifer..."

"She speaks."I say sitting the cup down.

"What you did--"

"I know... I know, that I might as well build a live in bathroom in my room since I'm probably ging to be there for the rest of life" I say sighing. "and I also know that I'm still at risk for home-schooling, but Grams please understand that all of that wavers in comparison to the simple act of you not talking to me."

"Jennifer.." She says unrevealingly, as the phone rings.

"I'll get it." I say picking up the reciever.

"Hey, Jen" I hear a familar voice say.

"Hello...Jack." I say cautiously, looking at Grams.

"Have you seen Pacey today?" He asks.

"Um, no--no I haven't since he dropped me off yesterday."I say pressing the phone closer to me ear.

"Jen." She says stealing my attention.

"Excuse me." I say into the phone. "Yes?"I ask turning to her.

"The phone."

"Oh, I know, I know. The phone is a luxury, not a legacy. Time spent on it should be short, not forever." I say remembering a phrase my mother once said to me. I figure she got it from Grams.

"I meant you haven't quite earned your rights back, and the phone is one of them." She says sternly. "Now, say goodbye to Jack, and hang up my phone please."

My mouth drops, as Jack starts laughing.

"Shut up." I say quietly into the reciever.

"Listen, before you go..."He says.

"Yes.."

"Pacey's dad is furious."

"What?"

"Yeah, I came to return something he gave me like a week ago. I was cleaning my room and--"

"Yeah, yeah, get to the part about the furious father."

"Fine." He says wryly. "So, I go to his house to give it back and low and behold, his dad is standing on the porch walking back and forth on the phone."

"Whoa, he sounds pissed."

"Let me get to the point."

"Please do."

"Alright, so he's walking back and forth on the phone right, and before I can say something, his mother and... some guy, walks out of the house."

"Some guy?"

"Yeah, he looked about our age, maybe a little older."

"Okay, so maybe older-guy and Pacey's mother makes a rare apperance outside of the house and then...?"

"Then, Doug follows."

"You know, it was probably his cousin."

"Who?"

"The older guy. I went with him to this family thing, Pacey, not the older guy.He introduced me to him, and he said--very pretentiously I might add-- 'Hey'."

"Wow, that is pretentious."

"I know. So anyway, does he have really brown overly moosed hair?"

"No it was kind of scruffy."

"That's him!" I say loudly.

"Why do you think his cousin was there?"

"To get his carback." I answer, busily seaching my mind for answeres. Why wasn't Pacey there?

"Alright, maybe I should catch up. I know you guys went on a little road trip, thank to Andie taking the time to kindly inform me of such happenings, thanks to Dawson informing her of such happenings, but what does his cousin have to do with anything?"

"It was his cousin's car." I say looking at Grams, who's expression is blank.

"Suddenly it all makes sence." He replies.

"So what else happened?" I ask.

"So, I walk up to the porch, and Mr. Witter looks at me like he just saw a ghost or something."

"Why." I say with a chuckle.

"Couldn't tell you--but he looks at me and asks in that raspy voice of his "Where the hell is Pacey?"

"And you answered..."

"I said I didn't know but 'I wanted to return this'." He says, as I develope imagery of the situation.

"It's as If I were there."I say starting to laugh, as he does the same.

"I wouldn't be to quick to laugh." He says still laughing, but more nervously.

"And why is that?" I ask abruptly serious.

"I sort of told him that you might know."He says, I can almost hear him biting his fingers.

I just laugh.

"You did?" I say faking hapiness.

"I did." So you might want to bolt your doors.

"Ok um--I gotta go." I say rubbing my forehead avidly."I've gotta call Joey. I'll call you back."

"Alright, bye." He says hanging up.

"And what was that about?" Grams asks concerned.

"I don't--Pacey didn't go home yesterday." I say trying to remember her phone numer.

"Oh, lord." She says, her hand grazing her cheek. "I hope that boy is alright."

"So do I." I say quietly. "Can I make another call? It's really important."

"Who are you calling?" She asks as I finally remember the number, and begin dialing it.

"I'm calling Joey." I answer, again sighing."Maybe he told her where he was going, when he was dropped her off."

"Well I have to go upstairs for a moment, tell me what happens."She says still concerned as she walks out.

"No, problem." I say whispering as the phone rings and rings. What's taking so long? Come on pick up, pick up.

"Hello?" A voice asks anxiously as if it hadn't been her first call.

"Bessie?" I ask awkwardly. I've never called their house before.

"Who is this?" She asks.

"This is Jen--Lindley, I was wondering if Joey was free at the moment?" I ask, assuming she had work up to her ears.

"No actually, she's not here." She answeres disenchanted. "Do you have any idea where she is?" She asks worry dominating her tone.

Oh, no.