Author's Note: The amount of joy your reviews gave me is obsecene...I appreciate greatly that you like the way I'm writing the DC characters. We get some classic Dawson-ness in this chapter. As well as solidification on the Connie and Pacey issue...and the beginnings of Joey and Adam. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. I still wish I owned Pacey...and Portman...and Dawson too, come to think of it. I'm a creepy individual, what can I say?

Chapter 3: Co opt the Story

Julie found a spot on a boardwalk pier that she stopped at and looked out over the ocean. Everything had been perfect, why did he always push this? And it didn't help that she could now be running into Portman at any moment.

"It's Julie right?" She turned around and saw Dawson. "I went to your boat, and that guy said that you went for a walk, and I thought, 'Where would a girl who's never been to Capeside go on a walk?' and I figured the beach!" She smiled. "So, how's your glove?"

"You know about my glove?" She said.

"Well, when you guys were playing and on TV, Pacey made me watch every game," He laughed, "It was torture."

"Not a hockey fan?" Julie said turning around and leaning her back against the pole.

"I'm not really a big sports guy," He said, "I thought you were kinda cute though, and that last block, awesome. I couldn't have written a better sports film twist. The cute blonde girl goaltender goes in cold and saves the day."

"It was a good day," Julie smiled, "Unlike this one."

"Why don't your friends like him?" Dawson said, "I mean, he seemed nice enough."

"They don't think I should be with him," Julie sighed, "He wasn't exactly what they had in mind."

"What did they have in mind?" He said, the confusion in his face.

"Dean Portman," She laughed. "Or you know, nothing, that would probably be OK with them too."

"I see," He nodded, "You are the girl at the center of a classic love triangle."

"Yes," Julie smiled, "Me, the lovely ingénue, caught between the two archetypes."

"Which archetypes would they be?" Dawson enquired. "I'm a film maker, so I get these things."

"Well, on the one hand you have Scot," Julie smiled, "who is everything my parents ever wanted for me, he's older, from a good family, lots of money, takes care of me. Once upon a time that was the ultimate turn off for me, until I met him, and that changed. Not that that's all it is, I mean, he makes me laugh, and he's smart, and we have amazing conversations, great sex," Dawson blushed, "Sorry, about that last part."

"It's fine," He said, "So, the other hand,"

"The other hand," Julie laughed, "The other hand is Dean, your quintessential bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks."

"Let me guess," Dawson said, "Leather jacket, bandanna, fights a lot, calls you by misogynistic pet names."

"Babe being his favorite," Julie laughed, "He and I, God, we were just hot you know? A lot of making out, a lot of being half dressed, and flirting and all of the superficial, physical bullshit. But then last year, I don't know, we all went to this school, except for him. And he never told me, he just didn't show up."

"That sucks," Dawson said, as they continued to walk.

"Yeah," she said, "So, in the couple of months that he wasn't there, I figured he didn't care about me anymore, so I forced him out of my heart, and I found Scot, and let him in. But then Dean came back, and I had to make a decision, and I did, but unfortunately when you have a relationship like the one we had,"

"One based purely in physical bullshit?" Dawson asked. Julie nodded. "Just making sure it's clear."

"Yeah, the problem with a relationship like that," She continued, "Is that it doesn't seem to go away. I still get butterflies every time I see him, bringing up his name is enough to bring a smile to my face." She sighed, "When I'm talking to Scot I can't even say Dean or Portman, I have to say him, otherwise, he sees the look, and he knows, and there's this wedge between us. And it just does not help that the Ducks aren't supportive, they do everything they can to end me and Scot and force me and Portman together."

"Which is what this little week long Capeside excursion is," Dawson nodded, "Can I steal this little plot?"

"It's all yours," Julie laughed. "You know, you people are incredibly easy to talk to."

"Talking is the town wide past time," Dawson laughed, "As are movie nights, at my house, we're having one tonight, actually, just me, Joey and Pacey, although your friends will probably be along too, so,"

"I'll probably be gone by then," Julie said, "But in case I'm not, I think I'd like that."

"Great," He smiled. "So, I think I'm supposed to bring you to Pacey's house."

"I'm not ready to face them," Julie shook her head, "Can it wait?"

"Sure," He said, "Want a tour?"

"That sounds perfect," Julie said, "Thanks."

"Potter!" Pacey walked into the restaurant, followed by the ducks. "There are some people who I want you to meet. Where's Dawson?"

"He went to find to Julie," Joey said, "I take it these are the people that she threatened with painful death for coming here."

"I knew it!" Portman groaned.

"Portman shh," Charlie said. "Hi Joey."

"You're Charlie, right?" She said.

"She doesn't remember me?" He said offended.

"Man, the last time she saw you, we were four," Pacey pointed out.

"True," Charlie said.

"Anyway," Pacey said, "Yes, Joey, this is my cousin Charlie, and these are his friends, Fulton Reed, Adam Banks, and" He smiled, "Connie Moreau."

"Oh," She said, "Hi. Sit down, I'll get you guys some food." She walked past them, "He likes you." She smiled at Connie and whispered as she walked past. Connie smiled. Her post Guy male experiences had not been all that great. Aside from the leering looks of Rick Riley and some of the other varsity goons, she had gone out with a few guys, and found that between her reaction to Rick's come on at the senior dance and Portman's rather violent defense of her honor afterwards just about all of them were afraid to go further than holding her hand. One of them did venture to kiss her, and it had been awkward at best. She was attracted to Pacey, to his quick talk, and she liked the way he looked at her, and it didn't hurt that he was unaware of the past fall's events, so he might actually touch her. "So," Joey said, as they settled in, "I recommend the burgers, because well, everything else is just a little bit risky."

"Great," Adam smiled at her, she blushed and looked down. She remembered him from the few games she caught on TV with Pacey and Dawson. "So, six burgers."

"Coming up," She said and walked away. Adam followed her with his eyes.

"See something you like Cake Eater?" Fulton said. Adam clammed up, and stared at the table.

"What Potter?" Pacey pointed with his thumb. "You actually like her?"

"She's pretty," he mumbled. "I was just noticing."

"I guess," Pacey scoffed, "I mean, underneath the hostility, maybe."

"Sometimes that hostility is sexy," Portman smiled, "It can be very, very, sexy."

"The man knows from experience," Charlie nodded. "I mean, he and Julie had their most intense make out session after she punched out two guys for making fun of her for being a girl."

"The Iceland game?" Pacey asked. Portman nodded. "Right, you got thrown out too."

"Yeah," He said. "God, that was hot." He lowered his head to the table. "She killed me a little I think."

"I somehow did not think he would be like this," Pacey said.

"He didn't used to be," Connie said, "The whiny brooding, give up hope at life Portman is in direct result to the giddy, happy go lucky, run around having obscene PDA with her rich good looking boyfriend Julie." Portman sat up and shot Connie a hateful look. "Oh come on, I did it too."

"Guy went out with one girl," Fulton said, "And I think he held her hand in front of you once and you freaked out and hid in Julie's dorm room for like two hours. It's not the same."

"Who's Guy?" Pacey said.

"My ex boyfriend," Connie said, emphasizing the ex. "He's really a great guy, and we're not on violent terms or anything. But we were together like, forever and it's been a weird adjustment."

"But it's definitely over?" Pacey said, raising his eyebrows and shooting her a sheepish smile. Charlie looked at him and laughed.

"Yes," Connie said flirtatiously, "It is definitely over." The guys looked back and forth at each other, completely confused. She glanced out the window. "Oh no, Scooter alert."

"Where?" Charlie said turning around. "Oh good, phase one can begin." He stood up. "You guys ready?"

"If you go out there, I will maim every single one of you," Portman said. They rolled their eyes and headed out. "I'm serious," he yelled after them.

"Hey Scooter!" Connie said, intercepting him.

"Hi," he said shortly, "I figured I'd run into you all eventually."

"Where's Julie?" Fulton asked.

"I was about to ask you the same question," Scot said, "She went out for a walk about an hour ago, and I was hoping that you all had seen her."

"Trouble in paradise?" Charlie mumbled.

"You say something Conway?" Scooter said.

"Just thinking maybe a month of close contact made out little kitten stir crazy," Charlie smirked.

"Truthfully?" He said, "She was pissed off because you people showed up, she needed to cool off."

"Oh God," Julie said, as they approached the ice house.

"What?" Dawson said.

"Ducks," she pointed, "Boyfriend, not good. Shit."

"You were going to have to do it eventually," He shrugged, and put his arm around her, "Come on. Think of them as your shark, I'll be your Quint."

"I think I need a bigger boat," Julie sighed, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "OK, let's go." She started walking towards them. "Hi," she said quietly, breaking into the conversation. "Scot," he looked over, "Could you excuse us?"

"Julie, I," he said, and then gave a defeated sigh, "Fine." He kissed her. "I wanted to get some lunch anyway."

"What were you thinking?" She said turning to them as he walked away. "This is the worst you've ever done guys. And bringing Portman with you,"

"He didn't want to come," Charlie cut her off. "We sort of made him. Hi Dawson."

"Hey man," Dawson said, "How you doing, last time I saw you, you were having potty problems?"

"I'm good, I got those under control actually." Charlie said. "What about you? I hear you're making a movie."

"Yeah it's cool," Dawson nodded.

"Hello?" Julie said, "Issue at hand?"

"Right, sorry," Dawson said.

"Come on Julie, we just wanted to see you," Adam said.

"Bullshit," She said.

"Break up with him!" Connie said, "Anyone who would pull you away from the team for a whole summer doesn't deserve you!"

"I'm flying to Minnesota in two weeks!" Julie said, "Right after Abby's debut. You all knew that."

"Maybe I just wanted to visit my family," Charlie said. "And help out an old friend. We're not here for you, we're here to help Dawson."

"Charlie," Julie said, "You haven't been here since you were four years old. Joey didn't even know who you were, nice try though. Scot and I are leaving tonight, we only stayed this long because I didn't want to make Pacey tell you guys off. You're totally out of line here. It's none of your business, stay out of it." She went to turn around and find Scot.

"Do you even care that he's been pining for you all summer?" Fulton asked. Julie stopped in her tracks. "Seriously Cat, I'm getting worried about him."

"That's not fair," she said, turning around, "It's not my fault."

"Right, because someone else broke his heart," Fulton said.

"After he broke mine!" She exclaimed. "Why do you people always leave that part out? He abandoned me! He cut off contact, not me!"

"I'm just going to go inside," Dawson said. Charlie nodded.

"So I take it you're not into the whole breakup plan?" Pacey asked Portman while they sat at the table.

"I don't see how it would change anything," he shrugged, "besides making her miserable."

"You don't see you two getting back together?" Joey said sitting down with them as she brought the food over.

"Too much has happened," he said quietly, "I blew it, I know that much. Not to mention she's pretty over me."

"She said she still thinks about you," Joey said. He looked up at her. She nodded. "I mean, I don't know your whole sordid story, but, she was pretty clear about that."

"You two talked about me?" Portman asked. He was surprised, he was under the impression that the only person Julie talked to about her relationships with was Abby.

"In the vague theoretical sense, yes," Joey nodded. "She definitely regrets that you weren't her first."

"Excuse me?" He looked at her.

"Well, she didn't out and out say that," Joey sighed, "but that's the impression I got. Look, take it from someone else who loves from afar," Pacey looked at her confused, "You two can dance around it forever, which I do not recommend because it totally sucks, or you can do something about it."

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