Author's notes
This story follows on from my last story The Creek Gang Visit Lawndale. "Daria" characters will be largely absent, but will show up in a side story.
My motivation for writing this is an overall frustration with this season. In particular, the love triangle, the way it cheapened Andie and her relationship with Pacey and what they did to Dawson, which took most of season 4 to fix (we'll get to that). Will Krudski will have a much larger role and some secondary characters will be excised—specifically, Henry, A.J. and Eve. Principal and Nikki Green will have equally small roles (although I wish I'd done more with them), but we will hear from them afterwards.
Mostly, it will have the same beginning and end, but how we get there will be quite different. There will still be the same love triangle, but it will unfold differently, and it will also be a square, because I won't ignore Andie.
All of my alternate seasons will have a theme song. The theme song for this season will be "I Don't Want to Wait", by Paula Cole, for obvious reasons.
Special Thanks goes out to my proofreaders, in no particular order; Sara, Jacinta, Neonhomer, Richard, Nicole, Maruisz, Kim and Mia
Pacey was driving Dawson back to Capeside after the latter had spent much of the summer interning with his mom in Philadelphia. Shortly after crossing the border from New York into Connecticut, they saw a hitchhiker. Neither of them would probably have given the guy a second look, if not for the cardboard sign he was carrying which had the word 'Capeside' scrawled across it. Without needing to say anything, they decided to pull over and pick him up.
"So, you guys heading to Capeside?" he said.
"Will Krudski?" Dawson and Pacey said in unison and then looked back.
"Well, isn't this a nice coincidence," Will said.
"How long has it been?" Pacey asked.
"It must have been..." Dawson started.
"A very long time indeed," Will finished when it was clear Dawson couldn't remember.
"So, what brings you back to Capeside?" Pacey inquired.
"I kinda had a falling out with my family. I can't go back there right now. I was gonna ask if I could crash with one of you for a while."
"Well, don't look at me," Pacey said defensively. "My family's not much better than yours."
"You can stay with me as long as you need. I'm sure my dad won't mind," Dawson said reassuringly.
"And your mom?" Will asked.
"She's out of the picture. It's a long story."
"They split up and she's now working in Phillie" Pacey interjected "We're on out way back from there now"
"Apparently not that long," Dawson said, slightly annoyed.
"So, Pace, your family still giving you problems?"
"You have no idea..."
Jack had moved in with Jen and Grams nearly three months ago. The three of them were now used to each other and had developed a shorthand. It was the middle of summer, and they had nothing in particular to do today. But they all got up around the same time; Grams cooked a hearty breakfast for the three of them, Jack washed up, and Jen saw a note on the fridge for her to buy more milk. This had become so routine, they didn't even need to say anything about it, but they still engaged in small talk. Afterwards, Jack and Jen left to see what they could get up to today. Grams smiled and realized that, even though it wasn't conventional, they were a family.
Joey was in Providence visiting Andie in the mental hospital. She hadn't had any visitors since her little trip to Lawndale, but she was keeping busy. Jack and her dad still called from time to time and she lied and said she was okay. It was second nature to her at this point.
"So, how are you?" Joey asked
"I'm actually doing pretty well. They said I should be ready to go home next week."
"No you're not," Joey said, in a somewhat accusative tone. "You can lie to your dad, Jack and your doctors, but you can't lie to me." And was shocked with what she had said, but decided to go with it.
"Okay, fine, but you can't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you. You have to promise," Andie insisted.
"Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye," Joey said, trying to lighten the mood.
"When I first arrived, there was a guy, another patient. We realised we'd shared a lot of similar experiences, and one thing lead to another, and before either of us knew it..." She trailed off.
"What?" Joey was now intensely curious.
"We slept together."
"And Pacey…?"
"Can never know."
Joey was shocked, she took a moment to adsorb what she had just heard.
"Well, he won't hear it from me," Joey said and everything about her tone and body language said she was serious.
"Enough about me, how have you been spending your summer? What's been happening in Capeside?"
"Well, I've mostly been worried about what's going to happen when I see Dawson again. We didn't really leave things on the best of terms. But I have a plan..."
And now it was Andie turn to hang on Joey's every word.
Dawson, Pacey and Will arrived back at Capeside late than afternoon. Rather than going home, they first stopped by Leery's fresh fish. Will was impressed that Dawson's dad had finally gotten around to starting his own business after so many years of talking about it.
"Hey Pete, where's my dad?" Dawson said, approaching the counter.
"Hey Dawson, he's out of town for the week on business. He'll be back day after tomorrow."
Just then the three jocks in varsity jackets piped up:
"Hey did you hear that? Party at Dawson's," the first jock, named Matt Caulfield, said
"Yeah," said the second.
"Woo," said the third, and they started high fiving and fist pumping each other.
"Oh great," Dawson said, annoyed. "Just what I need."
"Welcome back to Capeside," Pacey said with mock enthusiasm.
They ordered a to-go meal, grabbed it, and left. On their way out, Pacey had an announcement.
"Before we go our separate ways, I have one last group activity for us," The others looked inquisitive.
They stopped by the post office and Pacey picked up a small package. They then headed down to the waterfront. They finally found a wreck of a boat that was in a field just behind the docks.
"And here we are, kiddies, this little baby here is my new pride and joy," Pacey said, this time with genuine enthusiasm.
"It's a piece of junk," Dawson said scornfully.
"It's a fixer-upper," Pacey corrected.
"You paid money for this?" Will asked snarkily.
"No, I got it from impound. I convinced my dad not to put it up for auction. One of the benefits of being the Police Chief's son."
"What was in that package you got?" Dawson asked, figuring it had to be related somehow.
Pacey unsealed one end and slid out a wooden sign with the words "True Love" painted on it.
"Every ship needs a name," Pacey said.
"Now that that's out of the way, the reason I've asked the two of you hear today..." Pacey said, producing a couple of bits of sandpaper, wrapped around small pieces of wood.
"Wax on, wax off," he said, making circular motions.
Dawson got it instantly and picked up the sandpaper and got to work.
Will scoffed, but got on with it anyway.
"So, shall I tell you my master plan?" Pacey said in his best mad scientist voice.
"This should be interesting," Will said a bit snarkily, and Dawson was silent but curious.
"The plan is to have her up and running by the end of the school year and take Andie sailing around the Bahamas next summer. Then and only then will I propose to her."
"Assuming she gets checked out in time," Dawson said.
Pacey had explained Andie's situation in the car, but he wasn't sure Will fully understood, so he remained silent.
"Of course she will be," Pacey insisted. "I believe in her."
Apparently that was all they needed to keep sanding.
The three of them finally arrived at the Leery family home shortly after sundown to find the party in full swing. Dawson's stress level immediately went into overload. Jen and Jack were standing downstairs drinking and chatting when Jen spied the three of them entering.
"Hey Dawson," she said, waving them over. "Great party," she added.
Dawson mumbled something under his breath.
"So, who's your friend?" Jack asked.
"Will Krudski," Will said, introducing himself and extending his hand.
"And who might you be?" he said flirtatiously, staring straight at Jen.
Dawson heard noise coming from upstairs so headed up to investigate.
"See you later Dawson," Jack yelled as Dawson ascended the stairs.
Dawson finally arrived in his bedroom to see Joey lying seductively in his bed, wearing a sexy outfit.
"Hey Dawson, long time no see," Joey said in her most seductive voice.
Dawson froze and was completely silent. He had no idea how to respond. To say that he was surprised would be an understatement.
After several seconds, a noise that sounded like something big had just broken came from outside. Dawson went to investigate.
"I'll be back in a moment," he said nervously.
Dawson then climbed out the window and down the ladder to see several broken pot plants and a lawn chair in a few pieces and yelled at the person responsible.
He eventually returned to see that Joey was now asleep. He returned downstairs and found Pacey.
"Can you take Joey home?" he asked.
"Sure, no problem. man," he replied and then got Jack, Jen and Will to help him clean up since the party was now dying down.
"I'm sorry this isn't the best..." Dawson began to concede.
"It's still better than what I left behind," Will said, adding, "Don't worry about it, man."
Pacey dragged the semi-conscious Joey into the Witter Wagon, drove her home, then took her into the house, without waking anyone. This was no small feat. He then put her into bed, when she started to stir.
"It didn't work, Daria, he didn't go for it. Andie, I guess he doesn't love me."
Pacey realised she was talking in her sleep. But what she said next took really piqued his attention.
"I promise Andie, I'll never tell Pacey. Never, ever!"
"What won't you tell me, Jo?" he asked quietly. The sound of his voice was enough to rouse her.
"Pace, where am I and how did I get here?" Joey said, now awake.
"You're at home and in bed. As for the how, I think you'd rather not know."
Joey cringed as she pieced together part of the evening's events.
"Goodnight, Jo," Pacey said, leaving.
"Wait!" Joey cried out. "I don't want to be alone right now."
So Pacey sat down in Joey's bed and she sat up and placed her head on his shoulder and, after a few seconds, started crying.