Hey everyone! This week, we have two missing scenes which bookend the infamous Four To Tango episode. As always, we hope you enjoy and please let us know what you think. Thank you.

** Silver Lining**

I. Starlight

Joey Potter was having a bad day.

No, rephrase that. A terrible day.

It wasn't one thing that stood out to make her day so bad. It was the cumulative compilation of events: the alarm clock that didn't go off, making her late for school. The deep puddle that she didn't see in time, completely soaking her left foot. The book that she'd needed for class, the one safely sitting on the table at home because she'd forgotten to put it in her backpack that morning. The drink that she'd spilled down her top at lunch, much to the amusement of Pacey and Jack. The argument that she'd had with Bessie after school while Bessie tried to teach her how to drive, swearing tooth and nail she'd never teach Joey again. The endless questions spewing from Bessie's mouth as soon as they'd walked through the front door afterwards - "Can you feed Alexander for me, Joey? Have you washed the dishes yet, Joey? Did you do the laundry, Joey? When are you going to the store, Joey?"

Bessie's voice was the straw to Joey's camel's back.

She'd had enough.

In her mind, the problem came down to her location. If she wasn't here, none of this would be happening. She wanted out of Capeside, now more so than ever. The year and a half she had left until graduation couldn't go by soon enough in her opinion.

Then - sweet independence. She could start again; somewhere no one knew her or her history.

Except for the pesky little problem of financing that independence. Once the B&B was up and running she'd have even less free time on her hands, so getting a part-time job was out of the question right now. She knew she needed a college scholarship or she could kiss her dreams good-bye. Her only chance was to keep her grade-point average at a 4.0, giving those administrators no excuse but to accept her in their scholarship program.

Still, it was a shame she couldn't earn some extra cash just in case.

Shifting the heavy shopping basket onto her other arm, she blew the hair from her eyes and scanned the grocery list that Bessie had thrust in her hands just as she was leaving the house.

Bread, check.

Milk, check.

Apples, check.

Spaghetti sauce, check.

Tuna fish, check.

Soda, check.

Chex Mix, check.

She smiled to herself as she read the last item; looked like Pacey had cleaned them out, again.

Satisfied that she had everything Bessie needed, she put the list away and strolled over to the cashier. Smiling politely as she passed the ever inquisitive Mrs. Kennedy, Joey stopped short when, in her periphery vision, she caught sight of a colorful flyer pinned on the store's notice board. She stepped closer to read it properly.

The Starlight Foundation's Annual Dance Scholarship Program... open to all Capeside students over the age of 16yrs... no previous dance experience required... full instruction provided... single dancers paired up with partners, if necessary.... must attend one of the two week courses to quality... scholarship given to the high school student who best exemplifies the spirit and grace of ballroom dancing... scholarship worth $1500... contact Miss Penny Pretty for more information... an experience to last a lifetime... now's the moment to start fulfilling your dream.

If someone were to ask her in ten years time what that flyer said she wouldn't have been able to tell them. All she knew was that she qualified, and the scholarship would provide a whole lot of money toward her college tuition.

She was applying. That was that.

So what if she had two left feet and didn't know the first thing about ballroom dancing? She'd done worse things in the past with the hopes of obtaining college money, hadn't she? Two words: beauty pageant. Learning to dance had to be better than singing live to a room full of people while wearing a formal dress, high-heels and bright red lipstick.

What's more, it wasn't like she was planning to tell anyone. The flyer said they'd provide dancing partners if needed. Although she didn't relish the idea of dancing with a stranger - and with her luck it would be an elderly man who thought it was cute to pinch her ass - what choice did she have? She could count on one hand the number of eligible partners she would even consider asking and all of them were out of the question as far as she was concerned. She'd never hear the end of it. Unfortunately, she didn't have dirt on any of them to twist their arm into being her partner and keeping quiet. She was on her own.

She snagged the flyer from the board and tucked it in her back pocket, smiling for the first time that day.

Maybe this wasn't such a bad day after all.

*~*

II. Starbright

Joey let Pacey's fingers slide from between hers as they tumbled out the front door of the Starlight Dance Studio into the night. He stuffed his suddenly empty hand into the pocket of his coat and bumped her shoulder, saying, "C'mon, Potter, I'll walk you home."

She didn't argue but shrugged, quickly slipping into her coat as they started off through the streets of Capeside toward her side of the creek.

"All that dancing… and for nothing!" Joey exclaimed shaking her head.

"Whaddaya mean – nothing? Look how well-equipped we'll be if…" Pacey paused.

"If what?" Joey insisted.

"Gimme a minute here. I'm thinkin'," Pacey tapped his chin comically.

Joey snorted, "Don't strain what little brain power you've got left in there - you need it!"

He glared at her playfully and then switching to a more serious tone, asked, "Hey, Jo, you're still gonna help me with my trig, right?"

"Er, you do remember what Miss Pretty said in there?" She pointed over her shoulder. "No scholarship means no dancing. Our fair-trade deal is null and void. Why should I help?" she demanded.

Pacey skipped ahead a step and then turned to walk backwards in front of her. He put on his most pitiful face and beseeched her with just a little whine in his voice, "C'mon Jooooeeeey. You don't want me to fail, do you?"

She smirked at him and opened her mouth to speak when Pacey, still walking backwards, tripped on an uneven pavement. Instinctively grabbing his coat sleeve, she held on while he scrambled to regain his footing. "Doofus," she said, letting go of his sleeve as soon as he was steady. "Watch where you're going!"

He resumed his place next to her and they continued on their way. "Well…?"

"Well, what?" she feigned.

"Will you help me with my trig or not?"

"I don't know, Pacey," she said slowly. "I'm not sure I'm the right person to help you. I lack all the qualifications you seem to require to succeed in your academic endeavor."

"What do you mean qualifications? You're one of the brainiest people I know, Potter. And I happen to know you're doing great in that class."

"Because you've actually been showing up!" She laughed. "Here's the problem as I see it." She lifted her fingers one by one as she enumerated. "I'm not blonde, I'm immune to your questionable charms, and I have nothing with which to entice you but Chex Mix."

Pacey rolled his eyes. He was never going to live this down, was he?

Joey looked at him slyly and offered, "But I do know a blonde who may be able to help you."

"I told you, Joey. The limited time offer has expired. Besides, I don't think Jen's taking trig."

"Jen? Who's talking about Jen? Why don't you ask Dawson to help you? Maybe he's got something besides snacks to persuade you to study."

Pacey laughed with a grimace, "Ewwww… You're just not right, you know that, Potter? You and I both know Dawson would make a terrible tutor. He'd start out talking about math and end up deconstructing Amistad."

"Hey, what were you guys arguing about tonight, anyway?" Joey asked. "He seemed perfectly fine with your little arrangement with Jen."

Pacey coughed, "I told you. He thought that arrangement was with you."

Remembering the snippets that she had overheard from their conversation across the dance floor, Joey wanted to ask him what exactly he meant when he called her a goddess. Yet she quickly dismissed it as some kind of posturing between the two boys. Besides, if he turned that adamant declaration into a joke, her ever-present insecurities would rise up and knock the wind out of her and she just wasn't prepared for that tonight.

Instead, she pursued the usual line of dialogue, "Why would he care?" She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Not that there would even be a remote possibility that you and I would…" she trailed off, turning to look ahead once more. "But Dawson and I are just friends." She frowned. "Does he really think I won't ever date again?"

Pacey shrugged, unwilling to pursue this topic with Joey after his exchange with Dawson on the dance floor. Dawson really was a douche bag sometimes.

Joey's voice rose, clearly annoyed now. "Isn't that just typical? He doesn't want me but he doesn't want anyone else to have me? Honestly, his head is just so-"

Attempting to halt the escalation of her ire, Pacey placed his hand on her shoulder and interrupted her mid-flow. "Now, Joey, you know Dawson can be a little protective when it comes to you. He's just lookin' out for ya."

Joey snorted. "Please, Pacey, don't patronize me. This isn't about Dawson looking out for me. This is about Dawson trying to put me in cold storage until he decides our relationship should be something more. We should tell him we're dating just to piss him off." She laughed.

"Whoa!" He raised both arms. "First, leave me out of your little revenge schemes. Second, I thought you'd be thrilled that he still thinks of you that way."

She lifted her shoulder and let it drop with an uncomfortable look. She stated firmly, as if to convince herself as well, "Like I said, Dawson and I are just friends. My biggest concern right now is school - you know that."

"Well then, it can only help you, if you continue to tutor me in math. All that practice and repetition. Right? See how wonderful I am?" His voice was saccharine as he continued, "Always thinking of you, Jo." He slung his arm around her shoulder as they continued walking.

Joey ducked out from underneath his arm, breathing out a laugh, but she relented. "Come on then. Let's go study my house. We have a lot ofwork to do if you're going to pass mid-terms. Now's as good a time as any to get started with that practicing."

Pacey stumbled in his stride, his voice raising an octave. "Now? See… er… I was thinkin' that we'd start like tomorrow?"

"Now, Pacey." Her voice meant business. "It's only 8 o'clock. We have plenty of time to get a lot of work done."

"But, Jo," he whined, "The Bruins are playing the Flyers tonight."

"And…?"

"And?! It's one of the biggest games of the season!"

Joey stopped walking and turned on her heel, leveling him with her eyes. "Look, either we work tonight or you can forget about my help. I have a busy schedule, you know! What's it gonna be?"

Pacey scrunched his lips, rolling them around in a circle as he considered. "Okay, fine." He raised a finger. "But we're keeping the TV on while we work."

"Not a chance." Then she quickly added when Pacey opened his mouth to dispute, "Do you want to pass trig or not?"

Pacey dropped his shoulders muttering under his breath that, no, he didn't want to pass, that he didn't have any choice about it; he needed to pass. "Fine."

They started moving again, their strides in sync as they strolled along the road.

"Slave driver."

"Slacker." Joey countered. She nudged his shoulder. "You'll thank me for it one day."

"Yeah." He laughed humorlessly. "Don't hold your breath, Potter."

Something inside Joey tugged at her seeing Pacey's face, which only a few moments ago had been carefree and happy, now look the opposite at the thought of missing his game. It was like she'd kicked a puppy. She sighed. "I never said we wouldn't take study breaks. If the TV was on during those breaks… that would be okay."

Pacey immediately perked up and grinned. "Really?"

"But you have to earn those study breaks, really concentrate on the math problems I give you to solve."

"Now, see… I always knew you had a softer side, Potter. Somewhere deep down inside. Way down. Deep, deep, down. So deep you almost can't-"

"Knock it off, Pacey, before I change my mind and the TV stays off."

He chuckled good-naturedly doing as she requested. "You disappointed about the scholarship?"

Joey glanced up at him, surprised by the non sequitur. "Um, yeah, I guess. The money certainly would have come in handy." She added slyly, "But at least I don't have to dance with you anymore."

"Hey! I was good!"

"Right, tell that to my bruised toes." She let out a breath, going back to his original question. "I'm sure everything will work out. Scholarship or not, I will find a way to get out of Capeside."

"Wait, what's this? Joey Potter being positive?" Pacey quickly placed the palm of his hand on her forehead. "You sure you're feelin' alright? Not exhausted from keeping up with my smooth dance moves, are ya?"

She slapped his hand away. "No, Twinkle Toes. I feel fine." She tucked the loose hair from her ponytail behind her ears, keeping her voice airy. "What can I say? Someone recently told me anything can happen. Maybe I choose to believe them."

Pacey bobbed his head then dropped his chin, accepting her words and letting the matter drop. The small smile on his face indicated he was strangely pleased she'd remembered his words from Thanksgiving.

"What about you? Are you disappointed? That your limited time offer with Jen has expired?"

"Well, sure. I am a guy and Lindley is hot but I'm also relieved, you know?" His eyes sought hers and she nodded to indicate she understood. "As it turned out, Jen and I simply didn't have that all important chemistry factor goin' for us. Trying to make something happen that just wasn't there, well… I care about Jen's friendship too much to do that."

He clapped his hands together and smiled, "Let's get a move on, Potter. There are math problems to be solved and the sooner they are, the sooner I get to see me a hockey game."

Joey returned his smile, gesturing with her arm for him to lead the way. "Home, Jeeves."

Pacey's eyes were warm with nostalgia as he replied, "Yes, Miss Daisy."