A/N: Hi everyone, So very sorry for the long wait, but i promise you will like the next chapters. i am wrapping this story up in the next few chapters. So please enjoy!!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part or anything regarding Dawson's Creek.

The Past repeats itself

"This is a little creepy Jen". I said as we pulled up into a driveway of a brown cottage in the middle of the French county side. Granted I was extremely nervous, I mean I literally had not seen this woman in over 17 years. "Well scaredy cat, you're just going to have to get over yourself and go knock on the door". With hesitation I did as I was told. I knocked twice with no answer.

"See I told you this would be a stupid plan, she isn't even here and by the look of all the cobwebs it doesn't look like anyone has been here for a while". "Yeah well look at the garden, someone is here tending to it". "Well I don't want to stay here all day and at least we tried right'. I turned to walk back to the car when the front door creaked open just enough for a pair of eyes to peak out.

"What do you want"? The voice was so similar to my mothers that I could barely turn around in fear I would see a ghost. Jen beat me to the introductions though, "Um so sorry to bother Mamm, but we are looking for Renee Follet"? "What do you want with her"? I turned around and looked into the brown eyes lurking out inch-by-inch intrigued by the visitors. Once she saw me she fully stepped out of the doorway. She was a little shorter then me, slender with long silver hair, worn straight down the way my mother had. "Lillian"? She said it in such a shocked soft whisper that it made my eyes tear a little.

"No, Im her daughter Josephine". Without any hesitation, she came up to me and pulled me in her arms. She hugged me for a while sighing every so often. When she finally pulled away she looked at me her hands on my face, "You are the spitting image of your mother, Oh golly, I've been so rude please do come inside". Jen and I both stepped through the front door into a beautiful Victorian living room. With a floral print sofa and armchair to match, black and white photographs covering the walls. The smell of fresh lilies filled the room, as well as what smelled like some sort of cookie.

"Ladies please do sit down". She ushered us to sit in the living room, as she dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. "Would you like some tea? I just made some". "Yes that would be lovely". I looked over at Jen and she smiled at me with her 'be calm its okay' look that she gave to me often when I was nervous. Renee went into the kitchen and came out with a tray of tea and cookies. "Oh Josephine I can not believe it has been so long, what are you doing now? Are you married? Do you have children?" She leaned back in the chair and laughed.

"Oh Goodness me. I am getting ahead o myself my dear. First things first what brings you here?" Picking up the cup she gave me I took a sip before responding. "Well Im actually on a little vacation." Pff, vacation? She's running away from her problems." I looked over at Jen sharply. She retorted with, "What?! Well you are". Renee was immediatly intrigued. "What are you running away from?" "Its really nothing, Imp just trying to figure some things out." Renee sighed and took my hands in hers, she looked down and when she lifted her head, she had tears in her eyes.

"The last time I was 'trying to figure things out' I never returned." "Oh I have ever intention of returning I do have a job to get back to and my sister would probably fly here and drag me back herself if I did decide to stay." "Oh Bessie, how is she?" "She is very well, she runs a bed and breakfast in Capeside and has a 10 year old little boy, Alexander." "Oh my, your mother always wanted a bed and breakfast." She sat silently for a while, a far away look in her eyes. She finally came back from her trans, "So what about you Josephine, do you have any children?"

"No, sadly I am married to my job. I am an editor in Boston." "She is really great at her job Ms. Follet. We are all so proud of her." "Yes, I am glad you are doing so well, but I must ask, what is it you are running away from if you have such a wonderful job and family"? She looked over at Jen who remained silent. "Well I have some feelings I need to sort through and I wanted to get away from everything and take a look at everything before I make a rash decision". "It is about a boy?" Feeling guilty for some strange reason I looked down at the floor. "Yes" was all I could muster to say.

Renee sighed and scooted to the edge of her chair and touched my hand. "I am going to share something with you, that might give you some insight as to why you are running and why you are running in the wrong direction Josephine." She lifted my chin to look at her in the eyes. "When I was 23 years old, I was terrified of my life, I was engaged to a man that I did not love." She let go of my chin and sat back in her chair. "I was head over heals in love with my best friend William, but was so utterly scared to do anything about it plus it didn't help that he was in the army, so as I always had, I ran. I ran away from home to Paris." I let out a chuckle the same time she did and felt closer to this woman then I ever had before. " Seems to run in the family."

Jen said before Renee continued. "But when I got here, I felt as if I was missing something, that a part of my soul was gone. But choosing to set that aside I set out to hide my heart. I had been here for about a year, when I got a strange telephone call. It was William's mother calling me to tell me he had been stationed here in Lyon." Sitting in anticipation, Jen spoke up, "Well did you see him?"

She let out a small laugh, "Yes I did, when I went to visit him, he had never looked so handsome. But both of us being so foolish and stubborn, we fell into the same old friendship routine. I had written him letters throughout his station here, and I was so heartbroken when I never received one back. For about three years I wrote him, and when I was 27 I finally received a letter back". She was starting to cry when she continued. "He wrote to tell me that he was in love with me and always had been. That he was a fool for never telling me and marrying me. And that he was getting out of the army and was going to come here and marry me if I felt the same way." She stopped the story to get her handkerchief. "So what happened? Did you guys get married?"She sniffled and looked at me with eyes filled with sorrow.

"He never made it back, he died on the train ride home." I looked at her and felt tremendous heartache. She again took my hands and said, "Josephine, do not repeat my mistakes. I ran away from the love I was meant to have. And I am assuming you are too for the first time in your life, stop running and go be happy." My eyes were now filling with tears.

"But I am so scared, I don't want to make a mistake." "What mistake? Love is not a mistake my darling, true love doesn't just fill your heart, it overflows into your whole body and soul." The three of us sat crying in that living room. "But I don't even know if I deserve that love or if I even have it he is engaged to someone else, and if I break that up I wont know who I am anymore." "Josephine, when you are truly in love your not suppose to recognize yourself. Now I want you to stop this running and go get your true love." I got up with Jen and went to the door, "I cant thank you enough, thank you for opening my eyes." "Just don't let it be so long till the next time you come and visit me, and next time bring that sister of yours." She gave me a hug before turning back to the door.

n the car Jen looked at me with wet eyes holding the map, "What's the fastest way to the airport?"