January 6. Sitting huddled inside his warm brown coat on the Leery's dock, Pacey stared across the calm waters of the creek with reverence. It was a typical January morning in the Capeside area with no hint of snow but just enough moisture in the air to cause everything to frost over. The sun was out, and by late morning most of the frost would melt away. His fishing line barely moved in the water. It hadn't moved much at all in the past twenty minutes. He also hadn't learned any information that would explain Dawson's unexpected interest in hanging out together.

He turned slightly to the left and glanced over at his former companion. "So, uh, is this your New Year's resolution, Dawson?"

"What?"

"You know, this. Me and you, hanging out like old times and acting like nothing ever happened."

Dawson scoffed, watching his red and white bobber float gently along the small creek waves. "Well, I wouldn't say we were acting like nothing ever happened, Pace, but… we're acting like friends, which is what we are and what we have been for most of our lives."

Friends, huh? But Joey had basically told him the same thing, he thought. "So, what brought this on? Did you get one of those classic Mitch Leery pep talks?"

"Uh, no. I just… I don't want to finish out senior year with there being any sort of bad blood between us. That's not how I want us to leave Capeside."

"So, you're saying you don't hate me anymore?"

"I've never hated you, Pacey."

"Do you recall a certain boat race, Dawson?"

"Not my finest moment." He sighed. "Well, since the conversation came around to this topic, I want to apologize. It was stupid and childish and dangerous of me to try and prove something in the regatta. I knew how hard you worked on your boat and how much the race had meant to you, and I ruined it. I'm sorry for that."

Pacey had honestly never expected to hear an apology. "It's water under the bridge. I only wish I could've entered the regatta this year."

Dawson frowned. "Yeah."

He stared down at his line in the water. Still nothing. "Maybe we're too early. Maybe the fish are still sleeping."

"Fish don't sleep, Pacey."

"You know, I'm really glad we're hanging out again, but… did our first jaunt together in months need to be at sunrise?"

"Oh, well… I've got something to tell you that I have a feeling will keep you awake. I like Gretchen."

And there it was. The real reason he was here. They were finally getting down to brass tacks. "You like her, or you like her-like her?"

"I'm talking about your sister, not Winnie Cooper."

"Well, are we talking about the feelings of fondness and fellowship that naturally follow from an almost obligatory mistletoe kiss, or are you going to show up outside my house holding a boom box over your head?"

"I'm crazy about her, Pacey."

A confusing mixture of panic and disgust was swirling around his gut. "You've had a crush on her for years, Dawson. I mean, that's all this is, right?"

He shook his head. "This is more than just some grade school crush. And even though she won't admit it, and says she just wants to be friends, I think she feels the same way about me."

"This is a hell of a lot to digest before breakfast, Dawson."

"Well… last spring if you had just come to me and told me how you felt about Joey, it would've made things a hell of a lot easier. So, that's all I'm trying to do."

"Dawson, you and I are friends. Friends." Well, sort of, he supposed. "And sisters are…"

"Off limits?"

"Yes!" Pacey exclaimed. "Sisters are off limits. They're like mothers, only pretty."

"I'm not asking for your permission, Pace. I'm just letting you know."

Unbelievable. "So, what's the big plan? What are you going to do about it? How are you going to pursue my sister?"

"Nothing. She says she just wants to be friends, and so that's what I'm gonna be: her friend. I'm just gonna let things play out and see what happens."

"Nothing? What kind of a plan is that?"

"I've done absolutely nothing so far, and we almost kissed."

"You almost kissed because there was mistletoe hanging over your heads, Dawson."

"Well, you know what I mean."

"So, your plan is to not have a plan." Pacey sighed and shrugged his shoulders. That didn't sound like Dawson to him. Dawson always had some master plan, some scheme, where a girl was concerned. There was always an agenda, an ulterior motive to nearly everything. Only the girl in question was usually Joey. He certainly didn't like it any better if his sister was the target.

"I'm glad you've applied to some colleges," Dawson said, changing the subject.

"We'll see if I hear back from any of them." Then he watched Dawson reach inside his coat pocket, pull out two folded pieces of official-looking stationary, and hand them over.

"These came in the mail yesterday."

With his fishing pole in his right hand, Pacey took the papers and opened them with his other. A cursory glance told him one was an acceptance letter to Boston University and the other a rejection letter from Emerson College. "How… how did you hear back so fast? I thought most schools don't send out letters until March or April?"

"Emerson and BU have early action if you apply by November fifteenth."

"Wow. That's good about BU, but I'm sorry you didn't get in to Emerson." He handed back the letters.

Dawson shrugged. "Emerson wasn't exactly in my top five. Now, if USC sends a rejection letter, I might need to be committed."

"But, hey, wasn't Spielberg rejected by USC?"

"Yes, he was. Twice." Dawson reeled back his line and then cast it back out. "So, you looking forward to the ski trip?" he asked, once again abruptly changing the subject.

"Uh, yeah. It'll be good to get out of Capeside for a whole weekend."

"Doesn't compare to a whole summer, though, I'm sure. Who are you sharing a room with?"

"Jackers."

Dawson nodded. "I take it Joey will be staying with…"

"Yep. Jen."

Then they were quiet for some time. The sun rose higher in the sky. The frost melted. Pacey reeled and cast his line further out, trying several different spots, but had no more luck there. The fish weren't biting. "Are you sure fish don't sleep, Dawson?"

He laughed. "So, did you do a lot of fishing over the summer?"

"Uh, yeah." Pacey felt surprised Dawson would initiate any talk surrounding his summer spent sailing with Joey, and this was now the second time he'd alluded to it. "I had to. There were some days where if I didn't fish, we didn't eat."

"Did you stay on the boat in Key West, or did you guys rent a couple rooms or something?"

That suspicious feeling started to return. "We stayed on the boat. I hung up a couple hammocks below deck, and that's where we slept."

"I know it doesn't compare to having a boat, but your own beach house with Gretchen can't be that bad."

"Well, Dawson, it's better than staying with my parents, I know that," Pacey said. "And no, it doesn't really compare to my boat. I still can't believe she's gone."

"And Gretchen works most nights down at the restaurant, so I imagine you get the house all to yourself a lot, right? Must be nice, and for Joey, too. That way she can escape a house full of guests as often as she wants."

Pacey stared for a moment. Suspicion rose up like weeds after spring rain. "Yeah, pretty much."

Dawson reeled in his line and hooked a fresh live worm to the hook, before casting it back out. "I'm sure you've thought of this, but it probably won't be too difficult for you to get Jack and Jen to let you be alone with Joey on the senior trip."

"That's honestly up to her, Dawson. If you're wondering if I've got some grand romantic plan for the ski trip, well, I don't."

"Smart thinking, Pace. I mean, the senior class trip? How cliché, right?"

"Right." About two thousand red flags of warning went up in Pacey's already suspicious mind. What exactly was cliché? Seniors getting in trouble on the ski trip? Sex on the ski trip? Was Dawson trying to ascertain whether Joey was sleeping with him or not? Or if she would be soon, say, a month from now? That's really what these vague questions full of insinuations came down to. Gretchen was right: Dawson was still as obsessed with Joey as he ever was.

Pacey glanced at his watch; it was almost ten o'clock. "I don't think we're having much luck here with the fish, Dawson. We'll have to try another time. I should get going, anyway. I promised Gretchen I'd help her with something today."

"Picking up her car from her college campus?"

"Uh, yeah…" He frowned as he reeled his line back in for the last time. It was unnerving that Dawson knew Gretchen's personal business.

"Well, thanks for coming. It was good to hang out. We'll have to do it again soon."

He doubted it. "Sure, Dawson. Sounds good." Standing up from the chair and gathering his fishing pole and tackle box, Pacey thanked Dawson for inviting him over, and left.

An hour later, Pacey was in the passenger seat of the Witter wagon while his sister drove them out of Capeside. He glanced at the speedometer and noticed she was going fifteen miles over the limit. "What's the hurry?"

"At this speed, we can get to the school, grab my car, and get back home before dark."

"Your car hasn't been at school for months. Your friends have borrowed it all this time, and suddenly you need it back?"

"Friend. And, well… ex-boyfriend, actually."

"Nick has had your car this whole time? Why'd you two break up, anyway?"

She hesitated to answer. "That's not really important."

"Are you ever going to tell me why you decided to take a break from school and come back to Capeside? I know it's not for a change of scenery or you really missed your beloved family and hometown, or any of the other bogus reasons you've spouted over the past seven months. Was Nick the reason you left school?" Gretchen didn't answer. "You know, I always liked that guy."

"That's because you don't know him. You met him one time and you guys spent two hours eating pretzels in Mom's living room."

"I know enough, Gretchen. He loves the Patriots, loves sailing, and has excellent taste in music. His favorite song is Freebird."

"You basically just described yourself."

"Well, great men think alike."

"Ha! He's a jerk, Pacey. Trust me."

"Of course, I trust you, but this little sojourn back to college will give you two a chance to spend some time together. I hope you two crazy kids can work it out."

She shook her head. "It's not gonna happen. Is this sudden urge for me to reconcile with Nick have anything to do with a certain fair-haired pal of yours? I told you we were just friends."

"Yes, I know, you keep assuring me that you're just friends and that almost-kiss at the Leery's Christmas party meant nothing. But I'm pretty sure Dawson doesn't think it's nothing. He told me he's crazy about you."

"Dawson and I are just friends, Pace. That's it, and that's all it's ever gonna be. He knows that, and I know that. I don't think of him any other way."

"Well, I hope that's true because you were right about one thing." His sister glanced at him and their eyes met and held for a brief moment. "He's not over Joey. Far from it."

Gretchen threw him a concerned look. "Did something happen on your little fishing excursion?"

"Other than Dawson trying to figure out if me and Joey have a sex life, you mean?"

She heaved a sigh and looked at him hesitantly. "Um, you know how I mentioned to you at said Leery's Christmas party that he was hung up on her and talks about her all the time?"

He eyed his sister. "…Yeah."

"Uh, well, he might've mentioned to me one time that he'd always assumed he and Joey would lose their virginity together. He spoke about it in the past tense, but… I really don't think it's past tense, Pacey. I'm pretty sure he's still hoping."

"Well, that's just great."

"Do you think it's possible that if Joey was suddenly single, Dawson would still be crazy about me? Do you think it's at all possible that Dawson doesn't really want us to be more than friends, and that maybe he just wants you and Joey to think he does?"

As Pacey looked out the window, memories came back. Like images on a screen, the pictures slid across his mind. His hands balled into fists. So, Dawson's grand plan was to do nothing, huh? Nothing about Gretchen, but maybe something about Joey. "Do I think it's possible?" he echoed with a grim laugh. "Let me tell you a story, Gretch. It's a day I'll never forget. In sophomore year, after Jen dumped Dawson, she was gonna go on a date with Cliff Elliot. Dawson decided to make this girl, Mary Beth, think he liked her. He asked her out on a date to the fair and maneuvered things so that it ended up being a weird double date with Jen and Cliff. Did he like Mary Beth? No. But he sure wanted Jen to think that he did and that he was totally over her in his grand scheme to win her back."

Gretchen shook her head. "Well, that was sophomore year. I would think Dawson has matured since then."

"Maybe not where Joey is concerned."

"Why is that a day you won't forget?"

His brows furrowed. "Huh?"

"You said that whole double date thing with Dawson was a day you'll never forget."

"Oh, well, that was the day I spent with Joey hunting for snails for a science project. It's also the day we went to the fair together afterwards and ran into Dawson in the middle of his double date fiasco, where I proceeded to tell him that I liked Joey and he gave me his blessing to go for it. It's the day I kissed her outside her house and it was obvious she wished it was Dawson who'd kissed her instead. So, yeah, I'm not gonna forget that day."

"And look who got the girl in the end?" his sister said with a smile.

"You think this is the end, do ya?" He frowned. "A lot can happen between now and forever, Gretch. Especially if Dawson gets his way."

"Pacey, come on," she implored. "Joey adores you."

Thoughts of his girlfriend filled his mind, and the truth in his sister's words made his heart warm with joy. He grinned somewhat sheepishly. "She does, doesn't she?"

"You're her knight in shining armor."

Almost two hours after leaving Capeside, they arrived in Boston, and after merging onto the I-90, drove ten miles west of the city to Bentley. Situated between a reservation and a conservation, the area around the university appeared rural, despite its close proximity to the city. Gretchen drove them to a wooded area on the edge of Lyman Park, where she soon pulled up in front of what was obviously student housing. It looked like a typical house, but it was teeming with college students in the middle of throwing a party.

To his sister's horror, her car was in nowhere near enough shape to drive. The car was up on cinder blocks, with the hood popped open and two tires missing. "That son of a bitch!" she groaned as she stomped toward the house.

Dressed in a pair of snug jeans and a tight-fitting long-sleeved shirt, her ex-boyfriend came out the door when they reached the bottom of the porch, and Pacey proceeded to watch them argue about the car and its state of disrepair. Nick defended his actions, stating the tires were bad and he was worried something would happen to Gretchen if she drove with them.

"Thanks for looking out for her, man." Pacey smiled appreciatively.

"Yeah, Nick Taylor is a renowned protector of women," Gretchen said acidly.

"Look, if you want to leave, I'll fix the car and you're outta here," Nick offered. "But listen, all your old friends are gonna be here tonight. I figured you'd wanna see everybody, and you'll have a room all to yourself to sleep in. You and Pacey here will have a comfortable place to crash."

"God help me," Gretchen sighed.

"Go on in and see everyone. Me and Pacey will fix you a medium-rare veggie burger over on the grill."

"You think you know me so well, don't you?" she snapped.

"As well as any guy can," Nick grinned. Gretchen scowled and then turned to walk up the stairs. "So, Pacey, you like imported beer?"

Pacey stared after his sister's disappearing back, the door closing behind her. "Oh, I'll…" Was he serious? While it was tempting to sit around and slug back a few beers with the guy, he suddenly felt nervous about drinking at a college party without Joey around. "I'm not old enough to drink."

"Well, I won't tell if you won't." Nick winked at him and chuckled. "So, Heineken? Corona? Red Stripe?"

"Look, I shouldn't. I'm gonna be driving the Jeep back to the Cape as soon as Gretchen's car is ready."

"Are you sure? Might be a few hours before y'all leave."

Pacey nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'm sure. Thanks, anyway."

"Head on inside. There's probably some soda in the fridge."

"Thanks, man," Pacey replied before walking up onto the porch and going into the house.

After an afternoon spent hanging out with Nick, Pacey was starting to think college might not be so bad. Gretchen didn't seem too thrilled that they were hanging out and getting along, but he didn't get what the big deal was. Nick was a nice enough guy, and he had painted college to be like a small city where everyone was your own age, the beer flowed like water, and parties were never-ending. It was a lot different from high school, where anyone who wasn't standard just didn't fit in. Nick had told him that college was a fresh start, like wiping the slate clean and deciding for yourself who you were gonna be. It made him think of Joey. If only it were a possibility they could end up at the same school. At least there was hope they'd be at schools that weren't too far apart.

Meandering through the house, Pacey went in search of Gretchen. The sun was going to set soon. If they wanted to have the car fixed and on the road by dark, they needed to get going. As he wove through groups of partygoers, he noticed a lot of the girls were trying to get his attention, reaching for him and grabbing his hand or his arm, but he just shrugged them off and kept moving.

He soon ran into his sister talking to Nick, and threw his arms around their shoulders. "It's so good to see you guys together. Honestly. Hey, can you believe that she's still single, considering what an amazing catch she is?" he told Nick.

Gretchen rolled her eyes. "Okay, before you try and show all my teeth to prove what good breeding stock I am, you'll have to excuse me."

Pacey watched her start to walk away. "Hey, what about the car?" he called out after her.

"I think she wants to stay a little longer," Nick said.

"So, uh, whatever happened with you two?"

"Our lives just moved in two different directions." Nick then tilted his head, and he followed his gaze across the room and laid his eyes on a pretty woman in a yellow sweater smiling and waving at him. He recognized her as one of the girls who'd been trying to get his attention earlier. "I think I see someone who wants to move in your direction."

Pacey gave her a half-hearted wave in return. "I don't think that'd be such a grand idea."

Moving closer, Nick lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Her name's Christie. She loves horses, watersports, and back rubs from guys just like you, buddy. You can't go wrong."

"Oh, but I can go wrong. Very wrong. There is someone back at home who would think that's a very, very bad idea."

"Is that certain someone here? I don't think so. And I am definitely not going to say anything." Nick smirked and tossed him a set of keys. "Second room upstairs to the left. Condoms are in the cigar box next to the futon. I'm going to go talk to your sister."

Pacey was at a loss. He'd spent the entire afternoon talking the guy's head off about Joey. Why would he think this was cool? "Nick—"

"Hey, don't mention it, man. Guys like me and you, we got to look out for each other."

His mood plummeting, wordlessly he watched Nick walk away. Gretchen was right: the guy was a jerk. Shaking his head in disbelief, he turned around to see Christie had closed the distance between them and was standing right in front of him. She twirled her long strawberry blond hair around a finger.

She greeted him with a smile. "Hi. Nick said your name was Pacey?"

"Nick talked to you about me?"

"Yeah." She was still smiling.

Incredible. "Um, Christie, is it? Look, Christie, I'm sure you're a very nice girl, but I have a girlfriend at home who is waiting for me and I really wanna get back to her as soon as possible. So, whatever Nick told you…"

"Relax," she said, laughing. "He didn't say much. I only asked him to tell me your name because you happen to be the best looking guy here. Too bad you're taken." She shrugged and sipped from the straw in her drink.

"Yes, I am very taken. Very, very taken. I am also still a high school senior and don't really belong here."

"Are you planning on going to Bentley when you graduate?" she asked. "Are you here for a campus tour?"

"Oh, no. My sister goes here. Well, she did… Anyway, I'm just here to pick up her car and then we're going back to the Cape."

"Cape Cod?"

"Yeah. So…" She was still standing there. Was she expecting him to make conversation? "What are you studying?"

"Graphic design and computers."

He didn't know why that surprised him, but he was taken aback. She didn't look like any computer nerds he knew. "Really?"

She nodded, still flashing a smile of perfect white teeth. "I run a website that I started freshman year and it's become this huge hit. We get tons of traffic. I want to use it as my final project next year, but I'm not sure how cool my professors would be with that."

"Why? What's the website?"

"Oh, sex stuff," she said casually.

Pacey gulped. "Uh… what, like porn?"

Christie started laughing and slapped him playfully on the arm. "No, of course not, silly. It's just different forms of art—drawing, painting, photography, and short stories. But the subject matter is all very sexual."

"You don't say." He laughed nervously.

"Yeah, you should totally check it out. So many writers and artists have been able to publish their work on the website. It's been really great." She touched his arm again. "Oh, did you know that most Christian guys who ask me about my website are perverted hardcore closet freaks? I mean, who knew?" She paused a moment, sipping from her drink. "So… are you?"

He blinked. "Am I Christian, or am I a perverted freak?" She only laughed in response, still waiting for his answer. "Well, my family is Catholic, and I guess I believe in God, but I never did anything with the Catholic thing. We never really went to church except special occasions. And as for the other… I don't know. I haven't really had the chance to find out."

There were many times over the years that Joey had called him a pervert, but he honestly thought he was just a normal guy with normal urges. She certainly hadn't called him a pervert since they'd started fooling around, no matter what he said or did. He laughed uneasily, feeling like an idiot.

"Something tells me you'd like to find out," Christie said, grinning at his nervous laugh.

The way she was looking at him made Pacey's face burn. He wanted to leave. "Well, I think I'm gonna—"

"I think you just need to hook up with someone who will bring out the freak in you," she said. "You say you have a girlfriend, so what's the problem? I take it she just lies there, if she lets you have sex at all. So, why are you with her? I'm guessing because she's pretty, right?"

He thought Christie suddenly seemed a bit smug and he scowled. "China dolls and flowers are pretty. Josephine Potter? She's more a sunset over the ocean or a waterfall on a tropical island. A rare beauty. And not that it's any of your business, but no, she doesn't just lie there, and there isn't a problem. We're very happy. So, if you'll excuse me, Christie, I really need to go fix my sister's car so we can get out of here. Good luck with the website."

Pacey tossed Nick's keys down on a table, grabbed his coat off a hook on the wall, and went outside to work on the car. When he was finished, he found Gretchen coming back down the stairs, her coat in her arms, and thankfully her slimy ex-boyfriend was nowhere in sight. He took hold of her hand and led her outside. "That man is a world class jerk," he said. "Were you up in one of the bedrooms with him?"

"I know that, Pacey. I tried to tell you. And you don't need to protect me. Yes, I was upstairs with him, but nothing happened. I mean, it almost happened, but then I realized why I came here."

"Didn't you come here to see Nick?"

"No, I came here to say goodbye to Nick. To finally let it go and move on with my life."

"Well, I guess we've both had enough of him for tonight, right? Let's get out of here, then, and go home. Your car's fixed. I found the tires. They only needed a couple patches. The tread is fine. He lied about that to keep you here, obviously." Pacey sighed. "He's the reason you left school, isn't he?"

"I am the reason I left school."

"So, what happened? What'd he do to you?"

"Nothing I didn't allow to happen. Look, it's my fault, too. I can't just blame him, and neither should you."

Pacey did not like the sound of that and his face hardened. "Blame him for what?"

Then Gretchen finally told him the truth. She got pregnant and miscarried, but never told Nick about it. "It would've interrupted his plans to sleep with half the Theta house."

He felt disgusted. Anger flooded his gut like molten lava. "What a dick. What. A. Dick. I can't believe I was hanging out with that guy, thinking how cool he was. I am gonna break his—"

"No! No, you are not. I am not a victim here, Pace, and I don't want him to know. Nobody knows about this except you and Dawson."

What?! "You told Dawson Leery before you told me?"

"He's my friend."

"I'm your brother!"

"With a very specific idea of how sisters should behave. I left school to work on me and the person I wanna be. I can't be who everyone else wants me to be."

"Okay, fair enough. At least you now know who Nick really is. I can't believe you fell for such a self-centered, egocentric jerk like him. You know, I get that you were the cheerleader who always had the good grades and the good boyfriends and maybe you were tired of being the good one all the time. But that guy? Why him? He's an ass! You don't deserve to be treated like shit. You deserve better than that guy. You deserve someone who will listen to you, and who will commit to you and be faithful to you. You deserve somebody who will make you the absolute center of their universe."

"Joey's really lucky."

He blinked. "What? Don't change the subject."

Gretchen laughed and put on her coat. "I'm not. Joey's really lucky, and so am I. Do you know where I got the strength to finally get closure on Nick and that part of myself that I needed to let go? From you. Ever since I was a little girl, I looked to you for cues on how I should be treated. And you're right. I deserve so much better than Nick, and my heart knows that because I have a brother who treats me as well as you do." Her eyes filled with tears. "Do you wanna know why I came back to Capeside, Pacey? I mean, you've said it yourself many times—I could've gone anywhere."

He nodded. "Well, yeah. You were tending bar in Provincetown all summer. You could've just stayed up there. Or you could've gone to New York or Philadelphia, or hell, you could've drove across the country to L.A. Why in the world come back to our shitty town and be forced to endure Sunday dinners at Mom and Dad's house? I don't get it."

"Pacey, I came back to Capeside because that's where you were," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I was having a difficult time, and I know it sounds silly, but… I needed to be somewhere I felt safe and protected, and that was with you. I needed my brother. I needed to be around someone who actually understands me and loves me unconditionally, someone who really cares about me. And in all my twenty-one years, there hasn't been anyone who's cared about me more than you, Pacey."

He pulled her into a hug. "I'm glad you came home, Gretchen." His sister meant more to him than words could say. From childhood, there had been one person who'd consistently had his back. She'd been his constant defender, and he'd been the same for her. Growing up in their house wasn't easy, but they'd both tried to shield each other as much as they possibly could.

"Are you gonna be okay to drive home in the dark? It'll be really late by the time we get back to Capeside. We can stay and leave in the morning if you want."

"I'm all right." Gretchen pulled away and looked up at him. "I don't wanna stay here a minute longer. Let's go home."

"Okay. I'll be following right behind you."

About two hours later, they were pulling into the beach house driveway. When he was about to ascend the stairs to his bedroom, Gretchen called out to him, "Pacey, there's a message for you on the answering machine."

He walked away from the stairs and joined his sister, who once again pressed the blinking red button. An automated voice told him the new message had been left at eight fifty-eight P.M. Then Joey's voice filled the kitchen.

"Pacey? It's Joey. Oh, God. I thought you'd be home by now. Well, I guess this means you're not back yet. Um, well, when you do get home, can you please come over to the yacht club? I tried calling Bessie, but no one is answering the phone and the machine is full. I'm locked in the basement storage room with Drue and we can't get out and everyone's left for the day and… Just get here as soon as possible, please! My bag is behind the bar and there should be a set of keys to get us out."

Good lord. He picked up the phone and called the Potter's house. On the fourth ring, Bodie answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Bodie. I'm sorry to be calling so late, but did Joey get a hold of you guys?"

"Joey? Isn't she with you? She said she'd be going to your place after work."

"Shit." He heaved a sigh. "I just got back from Boston. Apparently, she's stuck at the yacht club. I'm gonna go get her."

After asking Pacey to let them know immediately if there's a problem, Bodie said goodbye and hung up. Then he shrugged on his coat and walked back out to the Jeep. Minutes later, he was pulling up to the yacht club's restaurant entrance. To his relief, the door was unlocked. Just like his girlfriend had said, her brown bag was on the shelf behind the bar and her set of work keys was inside it. Now all he had to do was find the basement in this huge place.

The employee hallway between the dining room and kitchen had three doors. Thankfully, one was marked "Storage." Twisting the doorknob, Pacey opened the door. It was pitch black, but the air felt cool like a stairwell to a basement. Reaching on the inside wall, he quickly found a light switch, illuminating the space, and he began to walk down the stairs.

The shelves were filled with linens and cleaning supplies and dusty boxes containing who knew what. At each end of the large room was a door. He tried one and found the boiler room. He crossed the basement to the opposite door and tried the knob. It was locked. Pulling Joey's keys from his pocket, he started trying each key until he found the right one. He was relieved there were only a few, and he quickly found one that fit inside the lock.

The door opened to reveal Joey and Drue Valentine standing there. His girlfriend's scowl turned into an instant look of relief, and Pacey smiled. His gaze went to Drue, who looked a little worse for wear. His right eye was spotting a serious shiner. Joey quickly crossed the room and he opened to her, wrapping her in an embrace. "Thank God you're here, Pacey," she murmured into his shoulder.

"Are you all right, Jo?" She nodded as she stepped away and took hold of his hand while his gaze remained on Drue. "Um, what happened to your face?"

"Well, so much for it hardly being noticeable," Drue snarked. "Joey punched me."

"She what?"

"Yes. Her right hook connected with my face, and quite hard, I have to say."

Pacey looked at Joey, who was keeping quiet, and then at Drue again. "She really got a good hit in," he said, impressed.

Drue smirked. "You don't seem all that shocked your girlfriend would do something like this, Witter."

"To you?" he asked with a laugh. "Not shocked at all. She does have a good arm on her. I know from experience. So, what was this fight about?" He glanced between the two of them again.

"He tried to kiss me," Joey finally said with an exasperated huff. Being locked in the storage closet for hours had been a nightmare.

Pacey's expression instantly hardened and he squeezed her hand. "What?"

Drue gulped and noticeably became nervous. "Look, man, it was nothing. It was dumb. I apologize. Besides, I'd say Potter can take care of herself. She certainly doled out a sufficient punishment. My face will be tarnished for at least a week."

Joey looked up at her boyfriend nervously and tugged on his hand. "Let's just go, okay, Pace? I'd like to get out of here. I've been stuck down here with him long enough."

He unclenched his jaw and sighed. "Okay. Let's go." He watched his girlfriend hurry away and towards the stairwell, and then started to follow as Drue left the storage room, closing the door behind him. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Joey was already at the top. Then Pacey abruptly turned around.

"You know, uh, last year there was this real jerk at our school," he told Drue. "He was a senior—a real asshole. Matt Caufield. Well, he took it upon himself to ruin the mural Joey had painted in the hallway—tossed black paint all over it—after she'd worked on it for over a month. I beat the shit out of him in the school parking lot."

Drue looked a little taken aback and let out a tiny nervous laugh, eyeing him cautiously.

Staring for a moment, Pacey set his jaw. "If you so much as lay a finger on Joey again, I'll break your fucking neck."

"Jesus, Witter. I believe you."

The three of them were soon walking toward the restaurant exit. When they reached the doorway, Pacey and Joey turned at the sound of Drue chuckling behind them.

"How in the world do you two stay in a relationship with someone so different from you?"

"We're not that different," Joey replied. Pacey nodded in agreement. He didn't think so either.

"Well, I admit I have recently learned that you both have a certain proclivity for violence," he said, shooting a sarcastic look at Pacey. "But seriously, Potter. You're reasonable and responsible, and Witter here is reckless and rash. It doesn't add up."

"Hey, in my defense I haven't done anything reckless or rash in at least a month," Pacey quipped. "But don't tempt me."

Joey smiled at him before turning her attention back to Drue. "Part of his recklessness is that he's constantly surprising me, and part of his rashness is that he's intensely passionate. Those differences are important. They make for a richer relationship."

"We balance each other out," Pacey added.

"Maybe while you're in high school," Drue said. "But the last I heard Worthington wasn't admitting the rash boyfriends of candidates just to keep the world's cutest couple together."

She scowled. "How would you like a broken nose to go along with that black eye?"

"Geez. Lighten up."

"We don't need to be in the same college for our relationship to work, Drue," Pacey said. "Plenty of couples don't attend the same school or… work at the same job. Okay? That's life."

Drue rolled his eyes. "Well, they at least live in the same city. Wouldn't you agree, Potter?"

"Pacey and I have every intention of being in the same city. Why do you even care, anyway?" she asked, annoyed.

"He's just miserable, Jo." Pacey took her hand, threading their fingers. "He sees how happy we are and it pisses him off. Come on. Let's go."

They walked out the door, leaving Drue behind to lock up. Pacey walked his girlfriend to her truck. Their shoulders brushed. Joey turned and he pressed her against the driver's side door, and kissed her longingly. "I missed you all day," he said quietly.

She smiled, but the knot that had somewhat loosened earlier now suddenly tightened fiercely, filling her insides with that sick feeling of dread. She tried to push thoughts of the impending birthday party from her mind. "How was the trip to Gretchen's school?"

He didn't know what to say. "It was nice to hang out with my sister, but… it sucked, to be honest."

"I'm sorry." Joey wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer. Something crinkled in his pocket. "What's that?"

"I don't know," he replied, his brows furrowing. Pacey reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out a small folded piece of ripped paper, opening it. His stomach bottomed out.

Joey reached for the paper and took it from his hand. A girl's name and a phone number were written in a hasty scrawl. It wasn't Pacey's handwriting, but it didn't really look like a girl's either. "Who is Christie?"

"That scumbag," Pacey seethed.

"Who? This Christie person?"

Closing his eyes and sighing, he shook his head. "No, Gretchen's ex-boyfriend, Nick. Christie is the girl he was trying to hook me up with at his house party."

Her old friends jealousy and insecurity welled up inside Joey like a poisonous geyser. She knew Pacey had a fondness for older, mature women. "A college girl?"

"Yeah. I think she was a junior, but I couldn't be sure."

"Was she pretty?"

He recognized that tone and felt panic start to rise. "She wasn't my type, Jo."

She smirked in disbelief. "Sure. Let me guess… she was a blonde?"

"Strawberry blonde. Not my type at all. I happen to like leggy brunettes who boss me around." She laughed and he gathered her in his arms. "How about you come back to my place and stay over? We'll go upstairs to my bedroom, and I'll let you boss me around all night long."

"Oh, my God, Pacey," she giggled. She tightened her fist around the paper with the Christie girl's number and tossed it to the ground.

"Littering, Potter? I'm appalled."

"Maybe some other guy will find it and give her a call."

"He'll be in for an interesting conversation, I'm sure," he snarked, before quickly changing the subject. "Seriously, Jo. Spend the night with me. Think of it as an early birthday present." He waggled his brows suggestively.

The word birthday twisted her guts and she frowned.

His heart sunk at the look on her face. Something was wrong. She almost looked… guilty. "Are you okay? Did something else happen with Drue? Something you're not telling me?"

"No, of course not. I'd never keep anything like that from you." Just a surprise birthday party with your awful family, she thought bitterly. "Oh, so, how was fishing with Dawson this morning?" she asked, wanting to steer him in another direction.

Pacey gazed at her a moment, wondering why the topic would go from her sleeping over at his place to Dawson. He was unsure what to say. He wanted to tell Joey that he didn't believe Dawson actually wanted to be friends again, at least like how they used to be. That he had only invited him fishing to grill him about their relationship. That maybe he didn't like Gretchen as much as he let on. He wanted to tell Joey that Dawson was still hung up on her and as obsessed with her virginity as he ever was. That Dawson was still wishing she'd never have sex with him, that he'd still get to be her first time.

Instead, he smiled, ran his fingers through her hair, and said, "It was fine. Yeah, we had a good time."

Joey beamed a smile of happiness, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and hugging him tight. "I'm so glad, Pacey."

Her hugged her back and frowned over her shoulder.

"Ugh, I can't believe I have to be back here in the morning," she grumbled, pulling out of the hug.

"You probably wanna go home, then, huh? Get some sleep?"

"Yeah, I should." Her eyes flickered over the disappointed look on his face. "I'm sorry we didn't get to spend more time together today, but we'll have all day tomorrow when I get out of work."

"Yeah, but it's Sunday. We'll just be studying and doing homework."

Joey smiled, her hands moving up his chest and around his neck. "But we'll still be together."

He cupped her cheek with one large hand, blue eyes intent on hers. His gaze was warm, tender. He inched closer, nudging her nose with his. "You're right. As long as we're together, I'm happy no matter what we're doing."

As Joey got into the truck, Pacey kissing her goodnight and then shutting her door while she buckled herself in, she could only hope he'd still feel the same way once he learned what she'd done. Yet as she drove away, she couldn't suppress the feelings of guilt and fear that were wreaking havoc on her insides. No doubt her nerves would be completely shot by the time Pacey's birthday rolled around on Monday. She could only hope for the best, knowing very well she was hoping for a miracle.