A/N: Happy Friday! This week it's the Northern Lights epi and we have a couple of missing scenes for your enjoyment. [WRT Part 1, as much as we'd like to write a scene with Jen slapping Joey and telling her to wake up and smell the Pacey, we can't do that quite yet LOL!] As usual, thanks so much for your support and comments.

*~* Food For Thought *~*

I.

"So? Henry Parker." I put it out there – a question as a statement, an invitation to share - as we walked through the cold sunshine, mittened and scarved. I tried not to smirk as I figured Jen had been humiliated enough by Henry's antics at the after party. I had intimate knowledge of such humiliation but my empathy couldn't help but be layered with the urge to laugh.

Jen rolled her eyes a little but a small smile played at the corner of her lips. "He definitely wears his heart on his sleeve."

"Evidently," I stated dryly. "What about your heart? Firmly under lock and key?"

Jen shrugged, clearly uncomfortable. "Let's just say that Henry has some endearing qualities that bear further exploration."

We ambled through the frozen leaves that had fallen too late for cleanup. There hadn't been any snow yet but I could smell it in the air. Jen and I had found ourselves leaving Capeside High at the same moment and fallen into step together toward home.

Personally, I couldn't see Henry's charms but all things considered, didn't feel qualified to judge.

Jen continued, her commentary becoming an oration. "It's difficult to dismiss the conditioning of peer pressure to stay within or above your own class level when faced with romantic choices. And yet if this was ten years down the road it wouldn't matter one bit. How can I, who personify rebellion, choose only rebellions that are deemed to be 'cool' by the very demographic against which I rebel?"

Fist pumping, I exclaimed, "Power to the wild child! Be at peace with your mission to revolutionize the world one freshman at a time then." I laughed lightly to show my solidarity.

Jen laughed, too, and then demanded quid pro quo. "And what about you, Joey? Hot date with a college freshman? Didn't think you had it in you."

"Why, whatever do you mean, Jen?" I said tossing my head in the manner of a femme fatale from somelame ass old movie Dawson forced me to watch. "Don't you know that men just fall at my feet, begging for the opportunity to guide me in the halls of higher learning?"

Jen's smile, a cross between pained and mysterious, flitted across her rosy-cheeked face. "You have no idea the power you wield. Wield wisely, my friend."

I nodded my head sagely as if I had the slightest idea what she was talking about. I certainly didn't feel as if I had any power in any of my relationships. Let's face it; I've bolted at every boy's kiss but Dawson's - beginning with Anderson Crawford and most recently with A.J. Moller. I was nothing if not predictable.

Despite my propensity for privacy, I was curious. "What did you think of A.J.?" I asked nonchalantly.

Of course, I didn't fool Jen for one second. "In the one point five minutes that I had to exchange pleasantries, I have only an opinion based on his appearance. And somehow, that's not what I think you're asking. The more important question, Joey, is what do you think of him?"

A question to which I wished I had the answer. I thought A.J. was cute in an adorably nerdy, academic way. He seemed so worldly, so mature. As much as I wanted to explore new possibilities with him, I didn't understand how I could possibly hold his interest.

"He's incredibly smart. He knows about literature, mythology, history, architecture, astronomy, he speaks three-"

Jen interrupted me, "I get it, I get it. He's smart. Obviously, you like that about a boy."

"Actually, it makes me feel…" I stumbled, not wanting to admit how out of my element I truly felt around him.

"Inadequate? Lacking? Deficient? Kinda stupid?" Jen helpfully supplied.

I smirked at her and just said, "Kinda."

"Joey, Joey, Joey. You're not supposed to be discoursing with the boy. You're supposed to be intercoursing with the boy."

"Jen!" My mouth hung open, flabbergasted.

She ignored me and went on, "Not literally, of course, but if you're going to spread your wings and fly…" She trailed off with a knowing nod. "So did you?"

"Did I what?" Now I was suspicious as to exactly what spreading my wings and flying meant in the Jennifer Lindley lexicon.

"Kiss him, of course! What did you think I meant? Honestly, Joey, is your mind always in the gutter?" Jen bumped my shoulder as she teased.

I didn't have to answer as my red cheeks told the tale and Jen clapped her mittens together in delight.

"Thank God!"

"For what?!" I wondered.

"That you're branching out of the Capeside circle. Breaking the Capeside curse, as it were."

"Well, don't get too excited, Jen," I retorted dryly. "There is no small number of significant impediments to dating a boy who lives an hour away."

Jen waved her hand at me airily. "Minor details. He knows how to drive, doesn't he? My freshman doesn't even have his license yet. And wonder of wonders is that new-fangled invention you can use to actually talk to someone as far away as Boston! You've heard of telephones, I assume. This is excellent news!"

Her enthusiasm was contagious. It was possible, I suppose, to engage in some kind of social interaction with A.J. even if he did live in Boston. Dare I hope? "Well, I wouldn't mind it if he called me again," I admitted.

"That's the spirit! So spill, fellow rebel, what do your boys have to say about this new development?"

I crinkled my brow in confusion. "My boys?"

"Dawson. Pacey." she spoke slowly as if I was indeed stupid.

I rolled my eyes. "If either of them had anything to say about it, and they most certainly do not, why in the world would they care?"

"C'mon, Joey. You can't be that dense. The three of you barely take a breath without checking in with the other two. You don't think they have an opinion about the girl they deem theirs by right of history and sheer length of relationship, going out with a college guy?"

I thought back to my après-date visitor with whom I shared the sight of the northern lights and wondered if it was his twisted passive-aggressive way of keeping me hooked despite his protestations to the contrary. There was no denying that a little lost Dawson in need tugged at my heart strings and gave me purpose.

At least, Pacey, in his goofy, over-protective way was clearly concerned for the Potter honor, as misguided as it was.

I dismissed Jen's theory. "Dawson's hardly one to talk. He lambasted me for expressing concern over his penchant for distraction by every set of new breasts that show up in Capeside." I paused and glanced sideways at my companion, hurrying to offer, "No offense intended."

"None taken," Jen replied promptly. "Bygones."

Although I was still at a loss as to her thought process as far as sex pacts were concerned, I smiled then, glad we had become friends.

I continued, "Dawson and I have been… hanging out sometimes. As for Pacey, well… he's just Pacey. We're barely friends."

Jen stopped in her tracks then and turned to look at me incredulously. "Barely friends? Seriously?"

Grudgingly I admitted, "Well, I haven't wanted to kill him in his sleep for quite some time." I raised my eyebrows and gave her a little shove to get her moving again. It was too cold to stop for long. "Better?"

It was Jen's turn to roll her eyes. "Marginally. Since we're talking about the boy who helped you get the B&B up and running and continues to work his ass off over there."

My face softened into a smile, remembering how often Pacey had come to the rescue lately. "He has been kinda useful recently. Although he has this obsessive notion that A.J. is after only one thing."

Jen smiled knowingly as we walked up her driveway. "Well, you know, the average teenage boy thinks about sex every 6-8 minutes. Maybe he's projecting."

"Ewwww, Jen. Pul-eeeeze. That's just too disturbing for me to even think about."

Jen stood at the bottom of the steps, laughing. "Wanna come in? I'm sure Grams has some kind of baked goodies."

I stood for a moment, debating. Homework or cookies? Well, one cookie wouldn't keep me out of college, would it? And a little more girl talk, though out of character for me, couldn't hurt. I didn't think Jen had all the answers or that they would somehow even turn out to be my answers. I wasn't even sure I would ask her the questions but I followed her into the vanilla-scented warmth, content for the moment to have a conversation with someone whose hormone profile didn't primarily consist of testosterone.

*~*

II.

"Hey, Bodie!" Pacey popped through the kitchen door to see Bessie's other half peering intently at a recipe card taped to the front of the cabinet.

"Hi, Pacey," Bodie acknowledged, his attention turning to the array of bowls, utensils and ingredients spread on the counter before him.

"Joey around?" Pacey asked, stretching his neck to try and see into the next room.

Bodie didn't answer but began to mound flour into a measuring cup and then level it off with the flat side of a spatula. Pacey bounced a little impatiently and then started off across the kitchen to look for her himself. Bodie's voice stopped him. "She's not here."

Pacey let out a deflated breath. "Where is she?"

"Couldn't say."

"When will she be back?"

"No idea."

Pacey frowned; visions of what's-his-name sweeping Joey off to a warm weekend getaway somewhere along the coast suddenly flooded his mind. That guy… that smooth-talking, ivy-league-walking, college guy… Pacey's thoughts were riddled with derision. He wouldn't put it past Mr. Renaissance to fake some rare comet sighting this time (or anything else the Discovery channel was showing these days) solely to get another chance alone with Joey and the night sky. He was certain this guy had no honorable intentions toward Joey or her pantalonies. In any language, dead or alive.

Bodie's addition of chocolate to the bowl caught his attention and he leaned in for a closer look, attempting to dip his finger to taste. "Hey, whatcha makin'?"

Bodie swiftly picked up the bowl, moving it out of Pacey's reach, and began to vigorously beat its contents with a wooden spoon. While resting his hip against the opposite counter, he finally looked at the boy who was apparently on a mission today. "New brownie recipe. Hang around, you can taste test 'em for me."

"Well, why didn't you say so sooner?" Pacey let his brown corduroy coat slip off his shoulders and slung it on the back of the nearest chair. "At your service," he said with a grin and sat down. Watching as Bodie moved around the kitchen, Pacey tapped his palms on the counter to a tuneless beat. "When will they be ready?"

Bodie's straight, white teeth flashed in a return grin over his shoulder. "Gotta bake 'em first." He scraped the batter into a prepared pan, talking as he worked. "Saw the show. You did a great job."

"Yeah? Thanks. I thought I saw you and Bessie afterwards but you were gone before I changed."

Bodie nodded. "Babysitter on the clock. Our regular, free live-in help had other plans." He winked at Pacey.

Pacey's cheeks colored slightly and he dipped his head. Spotting an unused spoon on the counter, he reached for it, twirling it between his fingers. Joey had made good on her promise to come on Saturday night. Her presence front-row-center had motivated him to pull out all the stops on stage resulting in not one, but two standing ovations, thankyouverymuch. His good mood plummeted, however, when he lost sight of her in the crowd afterwards and he was left to try to quell the rising disappointment that she'd gone without even a word of congratulations. But this disappointment soared into unfettered excitement when he found her waiting patiently for him in the hall outside the backstage.

She looked just as incredible as she had the night before for her (he mentally spit out the word) date - even though he knew she hadn't dressed up just for him.

"Pacey! You were wonderful!" Joey exclaimed, smacking him on the shoulder with her rolled up program. "I knew you could do it."

"Thanks, Potter." A blush crept across Pacey's cheeks. "Couldn't have done it without you."

"Oh, you would have been fine. Seriously, you were a natural up there."

Pacey shrugged, squirming a bit from the oh-so-infrequent, unabashed praise. He clapped his hands together and pointed at her. "All I know is, without your help I would have drawn a complete blank and adlibbed those obscenities. So whattaya say we go get a pizza to show my appreciation?"

"Sure. It's your night, Pace. Whatever you want to do," Joey answered easily.

So they had gone for pizza. The quantity of butterflies in his stomach - now ever present when she was near - prevented Pacey from eating as much as usual; instead he took the opportunity to drink in the sight of her. Chocolate tresses framing her face in soft waves; hazel eyes twinkling with the laughter that came so easily between them. And, of course, those very berry lips issuing opinions, retorts and commentary on every subject.

He'd been mesmerized.

"Pacey?" Bodie's voice interrupted his trip down memory lane.

He glanced up to see Bodie's hands wrist deep in dishwater and the oven timer steadily blinking the brownie countdown. Pacey dropped the spoon and sat up straight. "Yeah… sorry. Need a hand?"

"Nah, I got it, thanks." Bodie placed the last bowl to dry on the dish rack and grabbed a cloth to wipe his hands. "You know, I'm headed back out tomorrow."

"Yeah? Already?"

"Duty calls."

"Man, it must be rough." Pacey shook his head. "All those nights away."

Bodie shrugged. "Won't be forever. One day I hope to have my own place closer by and it won't be so bad."

"Still, the long hours…"

"Not tempted to try a career in the restaurant business I take it?"

Pacey chuckled. "Right, because the paying public would travel hundreds of miles just to try my one-of-a-kind canned cranberry sauce."

Bodie grinned back, laughing along with him. He threw the dish cloth to one side and cleared his throat. Looking Pacey dead in the eye, he turned serious. "I hope you know I'm counting on you, Pacey. To take care of my girls for me while I'm away."

Pacey's voice raised an octave. "Me?" He opened his eyes wide. "Shouldn't you be askin' Dawson?"

It was Bodie's turn to shake his head. "I know who's responsible for getting the B&B opened successfully and it certainly isn't Dawson." He held the younger man's gaze. "There's no one else I'd trust, Pacey."

Pacey shuffled a little in his seat, uncomfortable with Bodie's confidence, and tried to make a joke. "Need me to take Alex under my wing, too? He's old enough to drink alcohol now, right?"

Bodie rolled his eyes, a trait he'd obviously picked up from his many years with the Potters, deliberately ignoring Pacey's second question. "Somehow I think you'll have your work cut out just looking after the girls. Bessie has Alex covered. But, hey, if you want to lend a hand in changing diapers or-"

Pacey gave a small wave of his hand cutting him off and smirked. "You know what? That's okay."

"So, how about it, Pacey? Can I count on you?"

Pacey's eyes slid away, as though afraid Bodie might read some secret there. He bit his lip briefly and then turned back to him with resolve. "Like you even have to ask, Bodie." He smiled. "I'm here."

The oven timer dinged in perfect sync with the opening of the kitchen door. A rush of cold air blew in with a flurry of activity as Bessie, Joey and Alexander tumbled through the doorway. Palpable relief flooded Pacey as he realized Joey was safe from the clutches of college guy.

When she saw Pacey sitting by the counter, Joey smiled brightly. He knew he was probably grinning like an idiot; a fact that was confirmed when he caught Bodie giving him a knowing smile. Pacey quickly rearranged his face and jumped from his seat to take Alexander from Bessie as she struggled with her coat.

As Bodie removed the baking tray from the oven, the smell of warm chocolate permeated the room. Bessie and Joey gathered around the table, mouths watering. Pacey subtly pushed his way to stand next to Joey's side, under the pretense of guarding his position as the chief taste-tester. But the real reason was a lot simpler - he cherished another opportunity at Potter proximity.

*~*