Joey Potter sat cross legged on her bed. Finally home from all the chaos that what college for spring break. It had been a daunting year and without Dawson she wasn't sure she could do it. But thankfully she had made it through. Barely though it sometimes seemed. She fell back on her bed feeling tired and relaxed. The sunlight streamed through her open window promising in no uncertain terms that summer was fast approaching.

Glancing at her bedside table she saw the picture. There picture. Removing it slowly from its resting place against her lamp. She started wistfully and a heavily creased well worn picture of her and Dawson. She shook her head as a wave of memories both beautiful and bittersweet flooded her. Joey could remember that day as clear as though it was yesterday. It had been a boiling hot day in July. Dawson her and the gang had spent the day trying to film yet another of Dawson's movies.

After the filming ended for the day the group found a shady spot near the creek. To talk, hang and just goof off. She was sitting on his lap his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and hers slung around his neck. He wore a mocking smile and she was on the verge of laughter. The were staring into each others eyes so visibly oblivious to the world around them including Pacey and his camera. The smiles they wore told everything. If she felt this much nostalgia now she couldn't imagine what it would be like once she saw Dawson again.

She loved him. No, love was to mild a word to describe the feelings he stirred in her. Whenever he glanced at her she became completely unglued. His smile inebriating her to the break of insanity. He once had called her his 'soul mate' but they were so much more then that. He was her confidant, her best friend, the passion that drove her. Dawson Leery was her world. Her everything. No matter what he did to her she seemed unable to every let him go. One smile one brush of his hand and she fell in love all over again.

The feeling he sparked her were exhilarating, intoxicating, breathtaking, and wonderful. Those emotions consumed her whenever he neared She would do anything for him. She remembered all the times he's been there for her, never hesitant. He held her through her tears and provided a solace that she had never found anywhere else. She couldn't let go of him couldn't sever the ties that bound them no matter how hard she tried. She was always drawn to him.

Even with Pacey she could never completely drive her thoughts of Dawson out of her head. She had never, really given Pacey the chance he and her deserved. They could have really had something had she not been completely enamored with Dawson. And Pacey had been so patient always hoping that one day she would realize how wrong she'd been and given there relationship a real chance. But she couldn't, as hard as she tried Dawson was never far from her thoughts. And not matter how much he seemed to hurt her she could never let him go.

They seemed a doomed couple, star-crossed lovers seemed and inadequate term for there sordid history. Dawson and her seemed doomed to repeat a vicious cycle of love and lies and painful no, excruciating break-ups. She couldn't count the times that no matter how hard he tried not to, he had hurt her. Joey couldn't count how many times she'd cried over him. How many times had she made an ass out of herself because of him? She sighed heavily and shook her head.

No matter how many chances they had given it no matter how much trust and effort they put into it everything always seemed to fall apart. Not gracefully or even slowly, it shattered every time. And they seemed powerless to stop it whatever unseen force that was hell bent on not letting them be together.

Looking back over there long months of separation this year she had begun to realize that sometimes love just wasn't enough. It became painfully apparent that her and Dawson were never lacking in love for one another, but there was always something. Something or someone in the way. Love was something that was always supposed to be worth fighting for, work working for, worth dying for, but when was it time to call it quits? To throw in the towel? To say "Sorry but this is all just to hard." Had that time already past? Those troubling questions played in Joey's head unrelentingly.

The brief times they had been together it was perfect. It was wondrous a fairy tale kind of love. But maybe that's all it really was, a fairy tale. Just smoke and mirrors. A little world they had created because they weren't ready to let go. Were they even ready now? Joey once again could feel the tears pooling behind her warm brown eyes. It hurt. Actually physically hurt her to think about it all. The scars were still so fresh and she still wasn't sure if they would ever heal. They say that it hurts less with time but it seemed to her that it just hurt more.

Their were so many unanswered questions and silent accusations left between the two andshe knew the only way to fix it was to talk it through with Dawson but could they do that? After everything could there still be a we in there future? She could feel that age old pull she had always felt when something was bothering her. To a room and a boy she knew maybe a little to well.

A/N

I want to explain my reasons for this story. First I love Dawson and Joey they were perfect they were soul mates and so much more. But they never could figure it out and that frustrated me to no end. Joey and Pacey were just wrong they didn't have the chemistry that was so natural to Joey and Dawson. I know not many people still like Dawson and Joey but I dunno call it the hopeless romantic in me. Please read and review.