While I do not condone the relationship between Tamara and Pacey, it was a learning experience for him and so I didn't write it out completely but I'm ending it differently. I am also going to make the relationship between Dawson and Jen take it's time.

Ava sat at the lunch table as Dawson decided what scenes needed to be filmed next for his movie. She had kissed Pacey for the movie and been slightly disappointed that it had ended so soon. She remembered that half the drama in the next week was centered around kissing, Dawson wanting to kiss Jen, Joey not wanting to kiss Pacey. With the kiss scene done they were on the way to getting his film done, mostly on time. It hadn't even been a full month, but she has reduced the amount of time she spent at Dawson's having not spent the night once since school started, and always having something she had to do so she couldn't hang around after filming what scenes were scheduled for that day. Dawson had been talking about the same thing since he sat dawn nearly ten minutes, she was getting tired of the conversation and decided to change it by bringing up the dance. "So, what do we think about going to the dance on Saturday?" She asked when a large enough pause presented an opportunity. She hears a groan from Dawson, and a small half laugh from Pacey. "We are not joiners Joey you know this; I will however rent some movies in honor of said dance. What about Saturday Night Fever, Stayin' Alive and Greece?"

"In lieu of going?" Jen asks looking slightly confused.

"Yeah, it'll be a John Travolta Night of interpretive expression. That way we can dance, and our feet never have to move." Dawson said with a smile.

"We are in high school now Dawson and I for one would like to get the full experience which means going to a dance or two and even a school function on occasion." Ava said. "I am taking your answer as a no and Pacey's laugh as his answer, what about you Jen, want to go just us girls?" She asks turning towards Jen. "Sure, sounds fun." She replied with a smile.

As school let out for the day Joey made a stop at Jen's locker. She only had to wait a couple of minutes when she arrived. "So, I have to admit that I don't have much that would be considered high school dance worthy." She greeted as Jen opened her locker.

"That could be considered shameful to admit in certain circles Joey." She smiled back at her.

"You must promise to take my shame to the grave," She answered back with a serious face before cracking a smile. "and go shopping with me to find something for Saturday."

"When and where?" Jen agreed. They had just decided on a day after school when Dawson walked up. Ava looked up as he joined them, catching sight of Pacey heading out the doors as she did. "I'll see you guys later." She calls out already steps away intent on catching Pacey. Once out of the building she called out to him.

"Pacey, hey wait!" He stops and turns one eyebrow raising as he looks back at her. She catches up to him. "I have an offer for you." She starts as they both turn to walk.

"Are my ears deceiving me or is it just the end of the world, Joey Potter has an offer for lowly me." He smirks.

"Shut up," She half laughs nudging him away from her slightly. "I was thinking it would probably be a good thing for me to know how to drive, and in exchange for you teaching me, I offer up my services as a tutor."

"What makes you think I would be interested in this trade of learning that your offering?" He asks her.

"The reduced chance of flunking out of school and having to redo your sophomore year." She offers dryly. He responds with a humorless laugh. "Why would you want to disappoint my parents like that Jo." She rolls her eyes at him and nudges him once again. "Please Pacey, please, please, please, please."

He gives her a put-upon sigh. "Alright fine!" She smiles at him as he caves. "Thanks Pace."

"So, when am I going to be teaching you to drive and in what vehicle, while I can get away with driving my pop's cruiser, you, not so much."

"Well since we have a stick shift truck and with Bodie having to go out of town more often for school, I would most likely need to know how to drive Bessie to the hospital. I think the best bet would be for you to teach me in our truck. That way I'm already familiar with it." Ava explained to him. Truthfully, she knew how to drive, she probably knew how to drive better than most. She had learned to drive so many different cars, trucks, motorcycles, she had even driven cars when they had to wound up like a jack in the box, that had been a bit inconvenient. She thought that would be a good reason for her to spend some time with Pacey, and her exchanging tutoring makes sure that he would pass his classes this semester.

"While I could leave you out to dry, I couldn't stand the thought of leaving poor Bessie like that, count me in Potter." Pacey agreed. They were coming upon where they would part ways, "Thanks Pace, tomorrow after school?" She asks. "Sure, why not." He says. She throws her arms around him in a quick hug before turning and heading to the Icehouse for her shift.

She hadn't looked behind her but if she had she would have seen her three friends all with very different looks on their faces. A confused look on Pacey's face his arms by his side unsure how to react, and about 20 feet back Dawson with his mouth dropped open in shock at seeing his two best friends hug, and Jen with a smile on her face as she came to suspect that Joey liked Pacey.

After school on Wednesday Pacey had walked home with Joey and had indeed given her a driving lesson. The driving lesson had gone smoothly, a little more smoothly then she thinks Pacey had expected. They had kept up the usual Joey pacey banter. After the driving lesson they had headed inside to look over his homework, an hour in Bodie had saved Pacey from boredom with dinner. They had spent the afternoon together and it hadn't been all that bad. After dinner and another hour of homework and studying, Pacey was all caught up with his homework and even studied for an upcoming test in a class. She had expected him to run off at that point, over to Dawson's or home, instead he had asked what she had to watch and settled himself on the couch. At a certain point that evening she had simply handed him a pillow and blanket and kicked him onto the floor to sleep, while she climbed into her own bed. Neither of them said anything, and the next morning Bessie and Bodie had greeted him as if it wasn't a big deal that he had stayed the night. Ava knew this had been the first time and it hadn't been brought up, objected to, commented on, or even agreed upon beforehand.

The next day at school Neither of them mentioned it to Dawson, nor did Dawson bring up or mention the hug he had witnessed on Tuesday. Joey did want to tell Jen, but never really got a moment alone with her, but knew that after school they would be going shopping and she could talk to her then.

Browsing through the racks of clothes Ava paused looking at Jen. "So, we both agreed on being friends and I'm hoping your still feeling friendly cause there is something that I would really like to talk about, if I have a girlfriend that is." Jen turns to her smiling. "Of course Joey, I'm feeling the need for a girlfriend chat or two myself." They smile at each other both nodding.

"Okay so since you're doing me a favor by coming shopping with me you get to pick who spills first." Ava prompted her.

"You go first Joey, I'm all ears."

"Okay but you have to promise you won't tell anyone, at least not yet I don't think I could live down the embarrassment if anyone else knew." Ava paused once again in her browsing of the racks to look at Jen. "Promise." She said back solemnly.

"So, I might, sort of, kind of, like Pacey, just a little bit." She said quietly.

Jen smiled back at her. "I suspected you might."

"What? Really? How?" Ava asks playing surprised, Jen had always been observant and had known how Joey and Pacey felt for each other before they had.

"I saw you hug him the other day, that and whenever he is around you guys sit right next to each other, and you're always teasing and bantering with each other." Jen Explained to her. "Huh." Was all she responded with. "So are you going to try and ask him out, I'm guessing that's what you were doing in a roundabout way when you asked if we were all going to the dance."

"Yah, I guess it was. We don't have to go to the dance if you don't want to." Ava said shrugging her shoulders. Truthfully, she wanted a way to strengthen her budding friendship with Jen and thought that it was a good excuse, plus the two girls going together means that much less drama and obsessing from Dawson.

"No I want to I think it will be fun, plus we get to get cute and show them what they are missing by staying home and watching movies instead of going to the dance with us." Jen gave her a conspiratorial smile.

"I'm not even sure Pacey notices that I'm a girl half them time or sees me as anything but Dawson's other best friend and someone whose presence he can't be in without teasing about something. Ugh why do I even like him?" Ava half whines at her, pulling her face into a pout.

"Come on, let's find you something to wear that will make him notice and while we are looking I can tell you my thing and then you can tell me about your best friend Dawson." Jen says pulling her to another rack.

After shopping she had rushed to the Icehouse, an hour into her shift in walks Pacey his backpack over his shoulder. "A study session today gets you a driving lesson tomorrow before school." He says as he walks up to her at the counter. Her own books laid out in front of her for her to look over while she worked. She nodded her head, "You want something to drink?" She asks him. "I'm good." He says pulling his books out and putting them on the counter next to hers. She glances over at the tables to check that they don't need anything then gets to work with him. She was checking on her tables, clearing the dishes away and handing the check over when Dawson walks in. She had given him a small smile as she walked over to drop off the dishes.

"Oh, hey Pace, didn't know you were here." Dawson says throwing a confused between Joey and Pacey. He shrugs off his confusion when neither of them offers up an immediate answer. "Anyways, Joey can I talk to you for a minute."

"Ah, sure I guess." She said following him to an area where no one was sitting, while throwing a bewildered look back at Pacey. "What's up." She asks him when he stops and turns to look at her.

"Are you avoiding me?"

"What? Why would I be avoiding you Dawson?"

"I don't know, I just feel like since school started you haven't been coming over as much." He had a slightly confused almost disappointed look on his face.

"Well since school started, we have been spending less time together." She was trying to distract him, shift blame from just her to both of them. She really wasn't trying to avoid him, just make some space. "We spend how many hours a day at school, and we don't have any classes together, but we do sit together at lunch. I have my job here after school most days and you have you job at the video store, and we spend most weekends and any afternoon that we both don't have work, filming your movie. When am I supposed to be avoiding you Dawson?" She asks him dryly. She knew she was working more then she needed to, and that she had skipped the last couple movie nights, she also hadn't slept over since she woke up in Joey's body.

"Uh… well I am just not used to not having you over more often I guess." He said, his face gave him away though. He could feel that there was a distance that was growing between him and Joey, he had had Joey to himself for too many years and now that she was pulling away he was losing his favorite toy, it was being taken away and he didn't know why or for what reason. She could feel that Joey would have caved, would have promised him that she would come over tonight or make more time to spend with him. Ava was not going to do that.

"Okay," She gave a half smile, then glanced behind her at the customers seeing one table getting up and heading out. "Well I have to get back to work." She walked off without really waiting for his reply. While she was cleaning the table, she saw Dawson stop by and say goodbye to Pacey before walking out.

It was a half hour to closing and the place had just emptied out. She sat down for the first time since Dawson had come in earlier, before returning to her homework she grabbed Pacey's finished page of homework to review. "So, what did Dawson want to talk about?" Pacey asks. "Dawson asked me if I was avoiding him. I'm surprised you didn't already know what he wanted to talk about." She answers handing him his paper back. "Good work Pace."

"Are you avoiding him?"

"I'll ask you the same thing I asked him, why would I be avoiding him?"

"Hmm let's think really hard about this Joey why would you?" His tone had sarcasm dripping from it. She knew he thought she had a thing for Dawson and Joey may have, but Ava does not. "Couldn't have anything to do with a blond next-door neighbor, could it?" He continues.

"No, it doesn't actually, I like Jen, and I think they will be an adorable couple. And despite what you are insinuating I do not like Dawson in a romantic sense nor am I jealous." She pauses debating the best way to make him believe her. "If I tell you something you have to promise to keep it to yourself." "Sure." He says rolling his eyes. "Promise me Pace." He finally got that she was being serious. "Fine I promise." She nods her head accepting his promise. "I'm not avoiding him, but I'm also not going out of my way to hang out with him. I have this feeling that Dawson wants us stuck as we were over the summer, forever 15, and our lives revolving around him. He is our best friend, but I am ready to grow up and I don't want to get stuck in some holding pattern to scared to do something for me because Dawson might not like it. I'm worried that Dawson's Peter Pan phase is going to suffocate me." She answered him trying to articulate why she wanted space from him without giving anything away. "I get it." He said giving her hope that the conversation would soon change, and they would be talking about something else. "What I don't get is this homework." He said handing her his science homework.

Saturday morning Ava had rowed herself over to Jen's and dropped off the outfit and stuff she would need to get ready for the dance later. Both Jen and Ava had then made their way over to Dawson's to start the day of filming. Dawson on his own had decided to kill Joey off early just as he had in the tv show. They shot a couple scenes that had brought Jen in incorporating her character, then they shot Joey death scene, and now they were finishing up, after a long day of shooting scenes.

"Okay is that a wrap for today?" Ava asked the group at large she still had the fake blood on her face in spots and wanted to shower.

"Yeah it's a wrap." Dawson agreed.

"Good cause I got plans tonight." Pacey commented.

"And, uh, what are you up this evening?" Ava asks Pacey.

"Well, It just so happens that the woman of my dreams is going to be at the school dance tonight and I plan on attending."

"Lucky her."

"We should actually be going too Joey."

"Right." she said as she followed Jen into her house.

They walked into the dance, both with their hair curled, Jen in platform sandals making her seem taller and Ava in flats. Jen had worn the black mini skirt with a white tank top and black sweater on top, while Ava had gone with a dark blue spaghetti strap dress, Ava was feeling cute. Cliff Elliot had made a bee line for them when they walked in, eyes only for Jen, fortunately he had dragged a friend with him who had made conversation with Ava. After a few moments Ava saw Pacey come in and head straight for Tamara. Jen and Ava had danced once just them, and a dance with cliff and his friend, just as she had noticed Dawson the song had changed to a slow one and here comes Cliff to ask Jen if she wants to dance. Ava did not want to get caught in the middle and walked away from them before Dawson could catch her, not that he even noticed that it was her, which she was thankful for. She found Pacey, hovering around Tamara and decided she would get his attention.

"Hide me." She said stepping behind him out of Dawson's eyesight.

"What Jo, what are you doing?" He asks turning around to look at her.

"Dawson decided to walk in right as Cliff goes for the slow dance with Jen, I don't want to be in the middle of that situation so I need you to either hide me, or dance with me, as far from the two of them as we can get." She said glancing over his shoulder to see Dawson glancing around trying to find someone to dance with. Pacey glanced to the side where Ava could see Tamara out of the corner of her eye. "Alright fine, let's dance." He holds out his hand and Ava places hers in his. They danced one song, before Jen found them, a fast song starting, they convinced Pacey to dance that song with the two of them. As the night wore on Ava was able to avoid Dawson, as well as get asked to dance by two different guys from the school. Her last dance of the night had been with Pacey again, Jen had been asked again to dance by Cliff, and just as in the show Dawson made a fuss.

"Sorry guys, Joey you think we could go for a walk?" Jen walks up and asks. "Yah sure Jen, Night Pace." Ava said letting go of Pacey and following Jen from the building. They had walked around for a time before heading for the direction of Jen's house when the ice cream cart appeared. They both got one and were taking a moment to enjoy them when Ava looked over her shoulder and saw Dawson paused in the street behind them. She signals for him to come over as she says good night to Jen, walking away from the soon to be couple.