Hi everyone! I know it has been over a decade since I wrote anything in a creative sense, both with my stories and anything else. I grew up quite a bit since then and have gone through more that anyone should so I thought that getting back to something that used to make me happy might be the therapy I need. Like I said, I haven't written anything in over a decade so please bare with me as I try to get back into writing mode. Also, forgive me if the formatting is terrible because my new macbook does not have MS word and I am trying to learn to use this properly. I know I left a couple of my stories unfinished but this one I always wanted to complete. This was to be one where I sharpen my skills as a writer but obviously that never happened. With all that being said; please enjoy this long awaited next chapter…

"Pacey you need to get up!"

With that, Pacey awoke with a jolt. He sat up, put his hand to his chest and took a deep breath. "What the hell?! Doug?"

Doug stood facing his brother with his hand on his gun holster. The look on his face was one that Pacey knew well. The only thing was that Doug looked younger. He had no gray in his hair and his blue work shirt had the word DEPUTY sewn above the left breast pocket in big bold black letters.

Doug took in a deep irritated breath. "Yes, Pacey its me. Who else would it be?" he said rolling his eyes at his little brother.

Pacey couldn't help but stare at his brother. Doug hasn't been a deputy in almost a year, he thought to himself. A light breeze blew across his face and Pacey felt himself rock. He looked down and noticed the light wood under his feet. There was the divet in the plank where he sanded too much that he remembered.

No, it can't be, he thought.

Pacey looked at that little imprint a second more until he noticed his shoes. He was wearing an old pair of blue skate shoes with dirty white laces. Pacey caught his breath at this sight. He then noticed what he was wearing and held the fabric between his fingers and brought it to eye level. His eyes grew wide. He was wearing his old green hoodie that Joey had taken from him a couple of years ago.

"How is this possible?" he said still holding the fabric in his hand.

"How is what possible?"

Pacey quickly looked back up and dropped the fabric. He looked at his brother and then looked swiftly from side to side.

"Im at the docks. How am I at the docks? Is this the True Love? No, no, it can't be," he said looking around like a mad man.

"Pacey did you take some sort of illegal substance last night after you picked up Joey? What is wrong with you?" Doug said in his stern cop voice.

Pacey turned back to his brother and his eyes got wider.

"Joey? I picked up Joey? From where? Why?"

"From Boston in the middle of the night last night. She called you to pick her up from some college or something. You never came back home after and Mom got worried so that's why I'm here. Honestly, little brother, you're acting stranger than usual. Are you okay?"

Pacey felt like he wasn't breathing so he took a deep breath in and shook his head.

" No, no Doug I'm okay. I uh, I just spaced for a second there. I got a little lost but I think I know where I'm at."

Pacey jumped off his boat and walked towards his brother. Once he took a couple of steps he turned back towards his boat and smiled.

"You've really done a great job with her, Pace. She's a real beauty," Doug said hitting Pacey on the shoulder. "Now I don't know about you but I could eat. Do you want to get some food?"

Pacey took a few more seconds to look at the True Love before he responded. "Yeah, I could eat."

The diner was smaller then he remembered. There was duct tape on almost all of the green benches but he couldn't help but smile at the familiarity of it all. Pacey slapped a huge pad of butter onto his pancakes.

"You're going to give yourself…" Doug started saying as he watched Pacey pour half the bottle of syrup on his food.

Pacey nodded. "A heart attack. I know, Doug. I haven't had these pancakes in ages," he said cutting into the pancake and taking a huge forkful.

Doug lifted an eyebrow and put down his coffee mug. "What are you talking about? We were just here the other day."

Pacy stopped and looked at his brother. "Uh, I know. I meant it FEELS like ages. I guess I have been craving pancakes," Pacey said with his mouth full.

"Whatever," Doug said before taking another quick sip of his coffee. "So what happened last night?"

Pacey put down his fork. "Last night? Oh I uh, I kissed Joey…I think."

"You think? How do you THINK you kissed Joey? You don't remember?"

"No, I do. I mean I did. I kissed Joey last night."

"…and…"

Pacey lifted up an eyebrow. "And what?"

Doug rolled his eyes. "Come on baby brother. What happened? What did she do?"

"Oh," Pacey said. "She hit me."

"She hit you?"

"Yeah, she hit me. But its okay because she kissed me back. You know Jo, she just over thinks when it comes to having feelings for someone."

"Hmm. So you think she's into you too?"

Pacey smiled and took another bite. "Oh yeah, for sure. She wants me too. She is just too scared to admit it to herself right now but she will."

Doug smiled back. "Well good. Maybe you'll stop being so mopey all the time now," he said with a little chuckle. "You know she wouldn't have reacted that way if she didn't have some sort of feelings for you, right?"

Pacey nodded in agreement. "I know. The hitting wasn't that bad, really. It was the long diatribe about how fragile everything with Dawson is that kind of spoiled the mood."

"Dawson? What does Dawson have to do with you and Joey? Didn't they break up a while ago?"

"They did but I don't really want to get into it. Its complicated."

"Well if that's the case then…" Doug began.

The bell attached to the diner door chimed and Sam walked in. Pacey saw him and watched as he sat down at a table. Pacey took one last big forkful of food before standing up.

"Excuse me, Doug. One of my friends just walked in," he said before walking away.

Pacey took a seat across from Sam. "So what the hell is going on?" Pacey said.

Sam lifted up his finger to get a cup of coffee. "What do you mean?" he said innocently.

"This," Pacey said grabbing at his hoodie. "All of this. I mean I haven't seen this hoodie in years and this place burnt down during senior year. Oh, and my boat. I woke up in the True Love and she sank a long time ago."

Sam shook and opened a packet of sugar. "You sound like this is a bad thing."

"That's not what I'm saying, not at all. I just…I don't know what's going on. One second I was in a room with you and the next thing I know I wake up and I'm back in my junior year of high school. Its just a bit freaky."

Sam stirred his coffee. "Well you picked it, Pacey, not me. Apparently there is something here, at this time, that you want to change. Is there anything, or anyone, that didn't end very well around this time?"

Pacey thought about it. "It must be about Dawson. This is the beginning of where our friendship went downhill."

Sam shrugged his shoulders as he took a sip of his coffee. "Could be. If you think that's it then maybe you should find him and make things right. Now, excuse me but I could really use some food."

"You mean I have to just guess that's why I'm here. Aren't you supposed to guide me or something?"

Sam laughed. "This is your journey, Pacey. I can't tell you what to do and I can't make you do anything. Free will remember? I can say this; I think you should enjoy some extra time you have with your boat and probably talk to Dawson…and Joey."

Pacey nodded and walked back to his brother. When he reached the table Doug was paying the bill and standing up to leave.

"Are you going already?" Pacey said.

Doug pulled up his pants at his waist and patted his stomach. "Duty calls, Pacey. Not that you would know anything about that." Doug chuckled. "Listen, I was saying that if you are serious about being with Joey then it might be a good idea to talk to Dawson about how you feel before things go any farther. He's your best friend and I think he would appreciate you thinking of him; even though you don't need his permission."

Pacey walked out of the diner behind his brother.

"I think that is a great idea, Doug. Maybe Dawson will understand if I give him a heads up."

Pacey strolled down the street to Dawson's house like he did so many times before. He was deep in thought, not quite sure of what to say. All he knew was that he needed to tell Dawson about Joey. He already lived though the repercussion of not telling his best friend about his feelings for Joey so telling him couldn't be any worse. Pacey kept replaying in his head the pure look of hate Dawson gave him after he found out about him and Joey. Pacey never meant to hurt Dawson but he couldn't help falling in love with Joey. Joey became his confidant; his best friend; his rock after he was crushed by Andie. He's not quite sure when exactly he fell for Joey Potter but there was always something there. As much as they bickered, he couldn't help but like it a little. Joey didn't hold her punches and she certainly could handle the ones he threw at her. He always thought she had this underlying beauty that was undeniable and the fact that she had no idea how beautiful she was made her even more amazing.

Pacey knocked on the Leery's door and took a step back when Mitch Leery opened the door. Pacey knew Mitch was alive during this time of his life but seeing a man alive after last seeing him lying in his casket brought on a chill.

"Mitch…Hi. Wow. How are you?" Pacey said grabbing his arm and shaking his hand.

Mitch gave Pacey a funny look. "I'm fine, Pacey. How are you?"

Pacey kept shaking his hand, longer than he probably should have. "Good, Good. I'm good. Yeah Mitch I…" Pacey trailed off and couldn't help himself to pull Mitch into a hug. "I'm sorry this might be weird but I could really use this hug if its okay."

Mitch wrapped his arm around Pacey and patted his back. "Its fine. Pacey, is everything okay?"

Pacey felt a tear drop. He forgot how much this man meant to him. Pacey held onto Mitch a couple more seconds before letting go.

"Yes, everything is fine. I just…its just been a weird day and I needed that hug. Is Dawson home?"

Mitch squinted his eyes at Pacey. "He's upstairs in his room," was all he said.

Pacey smiled and walked passed Mitch into the house. Pacey walked slowly up the stairs and down the hall to Dawson's room. He opened the door and saw Dawson lying in his bed, watching a movie. This was a sight that Pacey saw a million times before but this time was different. Sure Pacey and Dawson started talking again but they never got their friendship back like they once had. Pacey had lost all of Dawson's trust and would probably never get it back.

Dawson turned off his TV and smiled at his friend. "Hey Pace. I wasn't expecting to see you today," he said.

Pacey looked at his old blonde friend and his heart hurt. He forgot what it was like to have Dawson look at him without hate and he forgot how much he truly missed him. Dawson was Pacey's best friend his whole life. Dawson was one of the few people that Pacey could count on without a doubt and Dawson never made Pacey feel like he was beneath him. Pacey could talk to Dawson about everything going on in his life and could rely on him to make him feel better. Dawson was an important part of his life and played a big role in who he was.

Was eleven months with Joey followed by years of heartache really worth losing his best friend?