I'm really happy you're all enjoying this little fic. Thanks for reviews. Annie

Part 4

Joey's POV

I stand there looking at those blue eyes I used to know so well. I see the shock mirroring my own. I feel my knees trembling, my hands shaking as I lean down to pick up the chart that had slipped from my lousy fingers. Potter, compose yourself, I mumble. God, I'm hyperventilating. This is not good. I lift my gaze again, no it's not a dream, it's Pacey Witter who's staring at me with darkened eyes, surprise and a kind of sadness taking over his features. I'm brought from my daze by John's voice.

"Joey, are you all right?" He looks at me with real concern in his voice. We have been friends since I came to the County when I was a third year Med student and well, friendship had led to other things a couple of months ago…I know I should've learnt by now that friendships must not be mixed up, but try to think about two lonely people trying to comfort each other. I stand up and even manage to smile.

"Yes, I'm fine, the chart just slipped." I'm relieved he doesn't push me for a better explanation.

"Joey, this is Pacey Witter, our new Emergency resident, fresh from New York. Witter, this is Joey Potter, one of our surgery residents."

Pacey looks at me, waiting for my reaction. I can almost swear he thinks I'm gonna bitch him out for closing me off, but I'm still too surprised to do even that. So instead of lashing him out, I smile and simply say.

"Pacey? What kind of name is that?"

I see him smiling, almost like the old Pacey I used to know.

"Joey? A boy's name on a girl."

We both laugh, making Carter confused.

"You know each other?" He asks looking at us.

"We grew up together in Capeside." I explain, still feeling my world was spinning around me. Pacey opens his mouth to reply, but Abby comes in.

"MVA arriving. They're bringing two victims."

Carter heads to trauma 1, and I follow.

"Joey, take Witter to the lounge so he can put his stuff there, and come back here."

I nod, and Pacey follows me silent. I show him where he can keep his things and we go back to the trauma rooms without saying a word to each other. It's not that I don't wanna talk to him, but what can I say? It's been ten years since we saw each other, almost a life time. Carter calls me form trauma 1.

"Potter, we need a surgeon here."

"What do we have?" I ask, work now filling my head.

"Linda Thompson, 34 years, she was driving and apparently lost control of the car." I hear him stating the vitals and what they'd already done. I check her abdomen with the ultrasound scanner.

"I'm calling Dr. Corday. She has a ruptured spleen. Call the OR and get her prepared for surgery. How is her crit?"

"29" Abby answers me.

"Good, let's take her." I take my patient upstairs and I take a quick peek over the glass window that divides the two trauma rooms, to see Pacey in a hurry, doing his best and I can't help smiling. He was back in my life.

The rest of the day goes in a blur. I spent a good part of the morning at the OR with Dr. Corday operating the MVA victim. When I get back to the ER, things are pretty busy and I spend the day working at stealing glances at Pacey, trying to convince myself he was really there. And now I'm here, outside the ER, waiting for Carter, we were going to celebrate my birthday at home, with pizza and movies. I don't have to look to know that Pacey is outside too, I can feel him like I always did.

"Hey." He talks to me, still unsure of how to act around me.

"Hey." I feel the awkward silence between us again.

"I don't know what to say here." He mumbles. "I'm still socked."

"So am I. This shouldn't be so difficult…"

"It's always been difficult between us, Jo." He sighs sadly. I see again that painful glint in his eyes, I wish I could do something, but I don't know how close I can get after all those years.

More awkward silence. Carter arrives, hugging me.

"What a day, huh?" He asks me, and then turns to Pacey.

"Don't get scared, Witter. It isn't always like this."

I roll my eyes when I hear this, it was usually worse than that. Before the awkwardness gets worse, I decide to cut John, before he starts bonding with Witter.

"John, can we go? I'm really tired."

"Sure, Joey. See ya tomorrow, Witter."

"I'm going home myself. See you guys tomorrow."

He stands there, watching me leave hand in hand with Carter. I hear his voice calling me.

"Hey, Potter." He yells.

I turn around to face one of those old smiles that seemed so rare now. (Maybe I'm assuming things, but he looks like he never smiles anymore.)

"Happy Birthday!" And with only two words I know he still remembers everything.