Potter Bed and Breakfast, Capeside.

We see a car, Dawson’s car, pull out the curve of the B&B. From afar, we see Dawson and Joey taking their seatbelts off as the front door of the Potter’s Bed and Breakfast is opened by Alex.

“Aunt Joey!” he runs to her and hugs her.

“Hey there!” she greets him, smiling as Dawson contemplates them with a smile.

Just then Bessie appears in the front door, carrying Amy in her arms.

“Well, look who’s coming, and not a moment too soon,” she says, bouncing Amy lightly and pointing to Dawson and Joey. She smiles, hiding her face at Bessie´s neck as she sucks at her thumb, then peering over her little shoulder and smiling again before hiding one more.

“Hey, you!” Dawson says, with a soft voice as he walks to her and takes her from Bessie’s arms, lightly tickling her in the process and making her giggle. “How are you, pretty one?” he asks, emulating a baby voice, Joey, who is coming behind him with Alex under her arm laughs.

“Cute voice, Dawson.”

Dawson just turns around and smiles at her as she approaches the baby.

“Hi there, little Amy,” she coos and Dawson laughs.

“Nice voice, Joey.”

“Hey, you two are finally here,” Mike exclaims as he exits the house and places a kiss on Joey’s cheek while hugging her.

“Dad, where are you going now?” she asks as Mike shakes Dawson’s hand and pats his shoulder.

“Where else? The Ice House. I just came home to get something I forgot earlier,” he says as he ruffles Alex’s hair and jogs down the stairs. “Will you two come and visit later? I think you got some things to tell me.” He smiles at them brightly.

Dawson smiles back while Amy is busy with the zipper on his coat, and Joey nods her head to her father.

“We will. I promise,” she smiles as Mike enters the car and waves.

“Well you two, I think we better get inside,” Bessie says, waving back at Mike.

“Yes, Aunt Joey. Let’s go inside,” Alex says, tugging at her hand.

Bessie and Dawson, still holding Amy, follow her, and we see Lily exiting the kitchen with a pancake in her hand.

“Dawson!” she exclaims, running to Dawson and hugging his waist as Dawson rumbles her hair.

“Did you ask for permission before taking that?” Dawson gently scolds her.

“Yes, I did,” Lily says half offended. “Bodie gave it to me.”

“Okay then,” he says as he watches her grabbing Alex´s shirt. “Alex, let’s go outside to look for some…”

“No, I prefer to stay here,” he says, clutching at Joey’s hand, causing Joey to exchange a look with Bessie. And even Dawson, who is doing some baby talk with Amy looks at the boy out of the corner of his eye. Lily just rolls her eyes.

(Music of the credits start playing)

“You’re so ridiculous, Alex. You’ve been ridiculous since Amy came to this house.”

“I have not!” Alex protests.

“Okay, okay kids. Enough. Don’t start fighting now that Joey and Dawson just arrived, okay?”

Lily shrugs her shoulders and exits the place. After a couple of seconds, Alex follows her with an annoyed expression. Now that the kids are out of sight, Bessie sighs.

“She’s right,” Bessie says. “He’s been impossible since we brought Amy to the house. Maybe you guys can talk to him or something? I’ve tried everything, but it's just not working. He even got mad when he found out that Bodie and I were going out tonight for dinner.”

“Oh… still in the honeymoon?” Joey teases her sister, who blushes lightly and smiles at her.

“More or less.”

“What about Dad? Can’t he baby-sit them?” Joey asks, curious.

“He is working until late at the Icehouse tonight. He is so into it, and so totally happy with it. Well, you just saw him. I swear I have never seen him like that. Maybe when I was a kid, and everything was still… good, you know?” Bessie says.

“I know, and I’m happy for him. For all of us,” Joey says, looking at Dawson, who smiles at her warmly, knowing how much truth these words hold.

“Well, it's fine with me to baby-sit the kids,” Dawson says, looking at Bessie and then back at Joey for approval. She nods her head.

“Yeah, sure. We can do that,” Joey agrees, wrapping her arms around Dawson’s waist and poking out her tongue at Amy, who laughs. .

“Perfect then,” Bessie smiles.

CREDITS

Pacey´s apartment, New Orleans.

Pacey puts his duffel bag down in the doorway and turns off a lamp on his end table. Quickly he makes sure that everything is unplugged and shut off before he leaves.

Before Pacey leaves, he gives his apartment one last look. This was supposed to be his fresh start, a new beginning. But now - now he's found himself stuck in another uncomfortable situation. Between being inadvertently caught in Brecher's adulterous relationship and being so far away from everyone he loves, Pacey has found himself increasingly disillusioned with the life he is living. This wasn't what he had in mind when he accepted Danny's offer.

“Maybe things will improve in the few days I’m gone. Maybe while I’m at Capeside, Brecher will rethink the situation and won’t try to pull me into something I don’t want to do anymore,” he says out loud to the empty room.

Although deep down, he doubts it.

After a moment of hesitation, Pacey pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and dials quickly. Before it can even ring Pacey presses the 'end call' button and dials again, this time a different number.

"Andie?" he says as he walks out of his apartment and shuts the door behind him.

"I'm not bothering you at work, am I?"

"Cool. Good to know."

"I was going to call Jack and tell him I was on my way but for some reason I thought I would call you instead."

"No, I couldn't tell you why, my mind works in mysterious ways. Or maybe it's just your lucky day."

"Cute, McPhee. Real cute,” he says at Andie’s retort at the other side of the line.

Pacey smiles as he takes the steps leading outside two at a time.

"I know. You'll have to come visit me someday soon. Assuming you could get the time off. I'll take you to Cafe DuMond."

"Yeah, that's the place I was telling you about, the one with the beignets. They know me by name now. They also have some innovative ideas over there that I would like to try someday."

As Pacey readjusts his duffel bag, he sees that the cab has just pulled up.

"Well, it looks like my ride is here, so I guess I'll see ya later."

“Yeah, right where we said last week. I got your address.”

"Right, later McPhee."

And the last thing we see is Pacey getting in the cab.

Later that day, outside Jack’s House, Capeside.

Andie drives up to Jack’s house, but this time doesn’t honk the horn announcing her arrival. She sits and stares at the house for a moment, thinking of all that has happened in such a short period of time. Her mind is not only on Amy these days but also Jen, of course. She always comes back to her mind whenever she visits the place.

The day before Jen’s death, she and Jen had a long talk. They talked about Jen’s wishes for Amy and about Jack adopting her. Jen said Andie would make a great aunt, and since she heard her saying those words, she couldn’t wait to become one even though in some way she already was. She also remembers Jen’s words, ‘He’s going to need all of you to help him with Amy’ . Andie stares off space as she thinks about how true these words were, more than even Jen would ever get to know. ‘Since I don’t think that Jen was referring to what is happening now’, she thinks.

Andie takes a deep breath, then gets out of the car and couldn’t help but to feel better when she thought of how she and Jack had come to this town in rather dismal circumstances, and how out of that came some of her most cherished memories and friendships that would last a lifetime. Or she hopes so, at least.

“Hey! Anyone home?” Andie asks loudly coming in through the front door.

Jack smiles at Grams, hearing Andie in the foyer. As they both come out of the kitchen to greet Andie, she puts her luggage down as they both go to hug her at the same time, Grams finally letting Jack have the first hug. As Jack pulls back from hugging Andie, she can see the prints that the tension has left in his face.

“Everything is going to be okay,” she states softly then goes to hug Grams.

“Well, at least I feel better now that you’re here,” he smiles at her. “Here, let me have your bags,” Jack reaches for her luggage, only to have Andie stop him.

“I can do that,” she says as Jack stands back up for a minute.

“No problem. It’ll give me something to do,” Jack smiles at her once more, and Andie nods.

“Okay, just don’t drop the big one. It has a present in it for Amy. Among other things,” she adds with a tinkle in her eyes.

Jack stares at Andie as a grin spreads over his face as she knew it would hearing these words. “Don’t worry. I won’t,” he says as he walks away, carrying Andie’s luggage.

“So, how is he?” Andie whispers to Grams once Jack is out of sight.

“He’s holding up pretty well, and I’m sure that having everybody around this weekend will help him even more. It means a lot to him. To us,” she softly smiles at Andie. “So, how was your trip?” Grams asks, hoping to change the subject if only for a moment.

“It was good. Just wishing that it had been for a happier reason,” she answers. “Pacey came with me, but we parted ways as he had to stop by the Icehouse and by the Witter’s first. He will be here for lunch, though. No doubt about that.” She laughs affectionately thinking about Pacey, and so does Grams. Truth is, she is happy to have him back in her life on a regular basis, their friendship growing stronger everyday, even if just through endless conversations over the phone on alternative days.

“Well, you know this may sound odd, but this is a happy occasion in some way. All of you children getting together again like you used to,” Andie watches Grams expression and can’t help but to nod her head and agree.

“So what’s this?” Jack asks, returning to where Grams and Andie are standing.

“What are you doing with that?” Andie looks at Jack with one hand on her hip, although she knows perfectly well what he is doing, but thinks that she will just play the old game until the end.

“Uh...well,” Jack smiles widely, looking from Andie to Grams, until the two siblings finally burst out laughing.

“He used to always do this,” she explains to Grams. “He’d always go through our parent’s luggage when they got home from trips that they would take when we were younger. Mom or Dad would ask us to carry their bags and be careful because they had important items in them.”

“Among other things,” they both say in unison as they laugh again.

“It’s kind of odd to think that I’m the one trying to keep a family together now.”
Then he looks at Andie, silently asking if he can open it, and she nods. Jack rips into the package that is wrapped to find a keychain that says Boston on it, with Amy’s picture placed inside a heart. He smiles and a moment of silence follows.

“Are you hungry?” Grams asks.

“Actually, I’m starved. I haven’t eaten much today.”

“How is everything at the hospital?” Jacks asks as they all begin to walk into the kitchen.

“Oh, where do I start from?” Andie laughs as the three of them go into the kitchen.

In a street of New York.

Audrey’s face is contorted as she tries to understand the person’s thinking that she is talking to.

“No, I don’t understand,” she yells into the phone, waving it in to the air for a moment and then bringing it back to hear ear, making odd faces at the phone as the people pass her by. “You told me that it would be today, and now you’re delaying it with stupid excuses again. Who do you think I am?”

She tries to interrupt several more times to state her opinion but alas she is unsuccessful, which frustrates her more than anything in the world, when someone won’t let her express her opinion. So before hanging up, she loudly states into the phone.

“Let’s see how you like this,” she closes her cell phone, ending the call.

(“Unwell” by Matchbox 20 starts playing in the background)

All day staring at the ceiling
Making friends with shadows on my wall
All night hearing voices telling me
That I should get some sleep
Because tomorrow might be good for something

She paces back and forth, mumbling various words, none of which are audible to the people around her. Looking down at her cell phone, she opens it and begins to push buttons to go through her saved phone numbers. She comes across the most recent phone number that has called and begins to mumble once again. Continuing to scroll rather aimlessly through the numbers to take her mind off of things, she sees a phone number and begins to dial. Then she changes her mind, not wanting to burst Joey’s bubble of happiness now that she is in Dawsonland once and for all. She then sees another telephone number in her list, smiles, then begins to dial.

“Hello?” The voice on the other end of the phone says.

Hold on
Feeling like I'm headed for a breakdown
And I don't know why

“Andie, it's Audrey,” she states rather simply, which is not exactly Audrey’s normal greeting and Andie senses it.

“Audrey, are you okay?” Andie listens to Audrey breath rather heavily and she can hear her shoes click against the pavement as she continues to pace.

But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be...me

“Well you see...well, it's just…” Audrey shakes her head then closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Can you meet me somewhere?” Audrey asks.

“Oh, Audrey, I’m in Capeside helping out Jack with Amy. I’d help you out in second if I was where I could. Can we talk about it on the phone?” Audrey ponders this for a moment.

“I can’t really think straight right now. Let me call you back,” Audrey begins to take the phone away from her ear but then hears Andie yell rather loudly.

“Audrey! Audrey!”

She puts the phone back up to her ear.

“Can you stop yelling now,” she says rather annoyingly, causing Andie to become quiet. Audrey closes her eyes and curses under her breath, “I’m sorry. I’m just rather annoyed right now and you don’t deserve to get yelled at.”

Andie’s face softens as she hears her apology.

“Audrey, there’s no need to apologize. You're upset, angry, annoyed or whatever and I’m sure that if we talk about it, I can help you.”

I'm talking to myself in public
Dodging glances on the train
And I know, I know they've all been talking about me
I can hear them whisper
And it makes me think there must be something wrong with me
Out of all the hours thinking
Somehow I've lost my mind

Audrey listens, remembering a time when she found out that Pacey had dated Jack’s sister and was curious to know what Pacey would say about her. One characteristic that Pacey said was that she had a big heart always willing to help people, and maybe that was the reason she had called Andie at this moment.

“Audrey, did you hear me?” She realizes that Andie has continued to talk as she was in her own world of thoughts.

I've been talking in my sleep
Pretty soon they'll come to get me
Yeah, they're taking me away

“Andie, I’m coming to Capeside,” she states clearly. “It’ll be interesting to see everyone. A reunion of the Capesiders,” she creates an echoing effect with her voice which causes Andie to laugh.

“The Capesiders? Now that is an interesting term. Although I guess that is what we are. Or were... minus one,” her voice trails off rather quickly causing a lull in the conversation.
“Well, I didn’t mean to…” she stops abruptly in mid sentence.

But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be

“Oh, I know. It is just with this situation with Amy it seems to magnify the fact that Jen is gone. Not that it wasn’t already that way but...it does seem like so much more now. And you know what? Compared to that, my problems don’t seem to hold too much weight,” Audrey ponders as she is now thinking about that cute little girl that she can’t wait to see. “Well, you know I was planning on heading your way so, I’ll just get there a lot sooner than I’d planned.”

Andie hears her voice change. It is now upbeat and she begins to sound more like Audrey. She is left wondering what was bothering her so much, but as Audrey changed the subject, so does she.

Yeah, how I used to be
How I used to be
Well, I'm just a little unwell

“Where are you going to stay while you are here?” Andie asks.

"I hadn’t really thought about it. Guess, I’ll let you all fight over me once I get there.”
Audrey and Andie both laugh and some of the tension seems to have dissipated.

“It’ll be great to see you again,” Andie says.

How I used to be
How I used to be

“Yeah. You too,” Audrey echoes the sentiment. “I really like you,” she states simply, in that honest way she has always had of speaking her mind, and Andie laughs.

“Call me when you get here,” Andie hears Jack call for her as does Audrey.

“I’ll do that. See you soon, Andie. And say hi to Jack for me.”

I'm just a little unwell

Andie isn’t able to respond as Audrey has hung up. Audrey stares at her cell phone and then we see her walking, with a new bounce in her step, down the street.

Jack’s house in Capeside

“This is just not right,” Joey states as she gets out of the car, walks a few steps and stops abruptly turning towards the driver’s side of the car. “We’re not supposed to go to my house to see Amy and then come to Jack’s house and she isn’t here.”

Dawson gets out of the car and comes around to the passenger side just standing next to her. He takes her hand and her expression softens as they both lean on the steel of the vehicle.

“You’re right, Jo. This isn’t fair, but we’re here to do what we can which granted isn’t much but…” his voice trails off and she looks at him rather concerned.

“But we are here given the fact that we all live in different places and we are all here helping Jack and Grams get through this,” she finishes the phrase for him and he smiles softly leaning in to kiss her softly. “And,” Joey begins, “there is no way that Amy is going to grow up with any other dad but Jack. I know how it is growing up in a family where you have your father one minute and he is taken away from you the next, and how that can do some serious damage to your psyche, especially when your mother has passed away. And Amy doesn’t even have a big sister.” Dawson looks at her a bit concerned. He hadn’t realized until that very same moment how Amy’s situation was somehow similar to the one Joey had gone through in her own life. Joey sees that he understands what she is saying by the look that he is giving her.
“Yeah, I know. Kinda scary, right? I hadn’t realized how similar the situation was, to some extent, either. I’ve dealt with all of that, but I just don’t want anyone else to have to go through what I did, especially if I can do something...anything to prevent it from happening.”

“Well, then far be it for anyone to stop Joey Potter on her mission,” Dawson nudges her as he reaches out his hand for her and they begin to walk up to the front door of Jack’s house. “I love it when you are determined,” he whispers to her ear as she smiles and lifts his arm to place it around her shoulders, leaning her head on him.

Joey reaches up to ring the doorbell but before she can do so, Andie, who was passing through the living room, looked out the front window just in time to see Dawson and Joey approach the front door. With a big smile, Andie opens the door before either could push the button.

Andie stands in the doorway for a split second, looking from Dawson to Joey and then gives both of them a hug, all of them with smiles on their faces, despite the circumstances.

“I’m so happy to see you here,” Andie says.

Grams, who hears the front door being opened, goes to see who is there. She smiles softly and begins to step back ever so slightly, but not before Dawson notices her presence, so he moves forward, reaching his arms out to hug her gently as well. They all stand there in silence, just enjoying each other’s comforting presence.

The silence is broken by Jack, who appears between Andie and Grams. “You know, they might want to come inside,” he looks at Andie then Grams, and the four disentangle from the embrace, laughing at the unpredictable intense moment, just so Joey can hug Jack tightly.

“Hi there, you,” she says softly as Dawson pats his back.

“Thanks for coming, you guys,” Jack says sincerely as Grams closes the door and hushes them to the kitchen. "Especially now that I’m sure you have better things to do,” Jack teases them as Joey links her arm to Dawson’s. They just look at each other, smiling but saying nothing.

“Oh, yes. We can not let this moment pass without commenting that finally you guys, the proverbial will they, won’t they, finally made it. So how was this road trip that the two of you took?” Andie asks enthusiastically. “Rumor has it that you two had an interesting time in an outdoor jacuzzi.”

“Oh, Andie!” Grams scolds her, half laughing-half scandalized, although it’s been a long time since she got used to comments like this. But still.

“Andie!” Joey exclaims right at the same time Grams does, faking shock and surprise, while Dawson just chuckles. Andie laughs and continues to chat with Joey as they enter the kitchen and Dawson puts his arm around Grams and squeezes Jack’s shoulder in a friendly gesture.

A few minutes later, sitting around the kitchen table drinking coffee, everyone is engaging in various conversations with each other. Dawson watches as Jack gets up from the table and goes from the breakfast nook back into the kitchen.

“Are you alright?” Dawson asks, standing behind Jack.

Jack places his hands on the counter to steady himself, then slowly begins to make another pot of coffee, as if trying to find the right way to express his thoughts.

“It comes and goes. Sometimes I’m full of optimism and other times it just won’t come,” he pauses for a second. “Ever felt like your whole world has just crumbled?”

Jack turns around to see a serious expression on Dawson’s face.

“Actually, yeah. I do believe I’ve felt that emotion more than once in my life.”

He glances over at Joey, who right at that moment as if sensing his eyes on her, looks at him and smiles. Jack watches as Dawson smiles back at her, then he looks back at him, and Jack nods his head.

“Yeah, I guess you have been there. And we were with you, right?” Jack asks and

Dawson smiles gently at his friend.

“In the end, it wasn’t such a bad summer. With you, Andie, and… Jen,” Dawson adds softly the name of their lost friend. It seems like centuries since then, recalling the laughter and her blond hair under the sun in the beach that summer, and how the four of them grew closer than they ever were before.

(“Where are you now?” by Jim Brickman starts playing in the background)

“I’m so angry,” suddenly Jack’s eyes show the pain that he is experiencing, as he is also remembering the past...the happy days, but also, the promise he made.

Dawson leans against the counter.

“What can we do?” Dawson asks, hoping that there is something that he can actually do beyond all the words. “You were there for me, and I wanna be here for you as well. We all do,” he says, motioning to the people sitting at the table.

“Actually, I’m going to New York next week to see my lawyer.”

“Well, that’s great. So if you need a place to stay, help getting around New York, anything you need... Actually, you know what, why don’t you stay with us? With me. With us. Well, I mean, Joey spends a lot of nights there, so…”

Jack watches as Dawson try to make up his mind on what he is trying to say, and can’t help but smile.

“Dawson,” Jack stops him laughing softly, “it’s okay. And thanks,” Jack says and smiles at him.

“No problem. You can stay as long as you want. I’ve got plenty of room in that big loft of mine. Or I used to, before Joey kinda took over,” he laughs.

Jack nods his head understanding as the beep sounds on the coffee pot signals that it is done.

“Just let me know when you get there,” Dawson says, patting his back one last time before he goes back to sit down next to Joey at the table.

Jack stands for a moment just watching the people that are sitting at his kitchen table then glances upwards before joining them once again.

Outside Jack´s house.

Pacey climbs the stairs of the front porch slowly. Lately, coming back to Capeside is becoming kind of a habit, and he is not sure of how he feels about it. On one hand, going back Capeside, the safe place he has always known is becoming so comfortable about it that it frightens him. He smiles weakly and he reflects about it and shakes his head.

“You’re getting old, Pacey” he thinks to himself. “Years ago, this little town never deserved big compliments in your opinion, did it? But now you gotta admit, you owe her a few things.” But on the other hand, every time he comes back, he also feels as if he is missing something out there.

“These days I can’t even make up my mind about Capeside. Go figure.” he mumbles to himself.

As he is about to ring the bell of the door, the sound of a car entering the front path can be heard, the breaks of the car causing a lot of noise. Pacey is starting to turn around and see what’s going on, when a feminine voice he knows way too well can be heard almost yelling.

“Shit!!”

Pacey smiles at the comical scene of a really mad Audrey closing the car door violently and then crossing her arms over her chest, looking at him intensely.

“Hi there, Audrey.”

“So tell me Pacey, am I right or am I not?” she exclaims, fire burning in her eyes “You turn on the engine…”

Pacey nods his head.

“I put the car in gear.”

“Yep” he nods.

“And voilá!. The car moves!” she exclaims as she applauds vigorously in a somehow comic gesture, trying be ironic at the same time.

“Yeah, that seems to be the general rule in these cases, yeah” he can’t help but nod and try to hide his amusement.

“Well, if so, show me the way! Enlighten me!. Why can’t I make this damn car to move so I can park it??”

Pacey walks up to her and sighs.

(“My friend”, by Anouk, starts playing in the background)

“Come on. Get in the car, you nuts,” he says as he opens the co driver’s door and Audrey does as he requested.

What's the matter my friend
Can't you tell me why
You say there's nothing on your mind
Please stop telling lies

Once inside, she takes a deep breath and looks at him with a remorseful face.

“I’m sorry. I have had a really bad day.”

“It’s okay. I have had plenty of those. Remember who you’re talking to: the official loser of town. That’s who I used to be.”

As long as you're lying
I can't ease your mind

And Audrey smiles as she settles herself more comfortably in her seat, feeling a little more less tense now, her hands resting on the steering wheel.

“Come on. Show me what you can do,” he says, a defiant but funny look in his eyes, spreading his legs and leaning on the seat.

“Ha, ha. You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Just shut up and drive” Pacey says, laughing as she makes a face and turns on the engine, lightly pressing the accelerator of the car, but this doesn’t move.

No sense in hiding
It's all in your eyes
No need to hide
Can't tell me lies
No sense in hiding
It's all in your eyes

“Damnit!!” she exclaims, pushing harder not giving Pacey chance to protest, as the car starts to move. “Finally!”

“Audrey, stop!”

And she does, so abruptly that Pacey bumps his head to the back of the seat and rolls his eyes.

“What’s wrong now?” Audrey asks, slightly annoyed.

Cause I ain't happy man
'till I see you smile
'till I see the spark back in your eyes
And I can tell you why

“Can’t you smell it?” Pacey asks.

“Smell what?” and she starts to sniff the air to see what he is talking about.

“You burnt it.”

“I what?” she asks, her eyes open wide.

“You burnt it. That’s what happens when you try to drive with the handbrake on.

Audrey covers her mouth with her hand as she throws her head back, closing her eyes tight.

As long as you're smiling
I'll hit a high

Pacey starts to laugh, teasing her.

“These stupid car makers. They have no idea of what they’re doing,” he says, waiting for her witty comeback.

But it doesn’t come, Audrey just sighs and twists her mouth in a tight smile.

What's the matter baby
What's the matter baby
What's the matter now
Cause I ain't happy
Unless I see you smile

“Audrey, are you okay?" Pacey asks concerned, leaning to her side and placing a hand on her back.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she says, straightening up and exiting the car. “Let’s just leave the stupid car here and go inside. They may be wondering where we are,” she finishes the phrase as she closes the door.

Unless I see you smile

Pacey looks at her, still concerned, but exits the car in silence.

Jack’s kitchen.

We see Dawson, Joey, Andie and Jack sitting around the kitchen table with some snacks on it as they chat animatedly, but their conversation is soon interrupted.

"Hey everybody!" Audrey calls as she and Pacey make their way into the kitchen. "We're here!"

"As if there was any doubt," Jack smiles as he stands up and gives Audrey a big hug.

"You love me and you know it," Audrey says with a smile as she hugs him back, both swinging lightly from one side to the other, rocking each other.

"No argument there." Jack laughs.

"Pace," Jack shakes his hand and they hug briefly. "You sure came a long way. Thanks, man."

"Well, this is where I need to be," Pacey shrugs at Jack's comment. He doesn't want to get into a discussion about his situation in New Orleans, especially when Jack might not even know about it. Not from him at least. And not when more important things are happening with Amy. He has also caught Dawson and Joey holding hands under the table right before his eyes drifted to Andie. Not that it surprised him, though.

"Witter," Andie comes up and gives Pacey a hug, even though they drove all the way down to Capeside together in her car. "You must be racking up the air miles. You'll have to let me use them when I come up and see you. I'm thinking Mardi Gras."

"Mardi Gras?" Pacey says as he finally lets go of Andie. "No way, McPhee. I've seen you intoxicated. There is no way I can condone you and I celebrating a holiday together that requires you flashing your goods to all of New Orleans. Not gonna happen."

"I'm not planning on flashing anything," Andie says with a slight blush as she elbows him. "The last time you saw me drink, I was sixteen. And that whole episode senior year doesn't count. I can totally handle my liquor now. Dawson made an ass of himself the night of his birthday too, and I bet that he doesn't do stupid things every time he gets drunk."

"Actually," Dawson says as he stands up and approaches them. "I still do. Which is why I usually try to avoid drinking too much. Right, Joey?" he can hardly let out the last words as Audrey is enveloping him in a bear hug.

"True," Joey laughs as she sees Dawson practically being squeezed into Audrey’s arms. “Okay, Audrey, stop it. You’re gonna hurt my boyfriend!” she exclaims, then she sends a quick glance to Pacey, realizing she just said that out loud and hoping he is okay with it and with finding about it this way. So…in public.

For a moment the silence, an expecting and tense silence, fills the room. All of them had been expecting Dawson and Joey to go back to each other as they always did since the moment they both were free. But knowing and seeing the facts are two different things, and as everyone involved in the proverbial triangle is faced with one another in yet another round of resolution, everyone holds their breath.

"Dawson," Pacey says, walking to him and shaking his hand. "How have you been?"

"Good," Dawson smiles. "Busy with work, but good. How 'bout you?"

"I'm doing alright. Working a lot, as we all seem to do. But that’s a good thing, I think. What are you up to these days?" he asks as Dawson steps aside making room for Joey, who had just been released from another one of Audrey’s wild embraces.

"Nothing too interesting," Joey can't help but smile as she gives Pacey a quick hug. "The same story...working a lot."

"Well. Now that the brief moment of tension is gone, for which I am really proud of you guys, I think Andie has a great idea," Audrey breaks in as several rolling of eyes and shakes of heads happen when she says that. Same old Audrey. "Mardi Gras would be a blast."

"Oh no," Pacey protests. "Absolutely not. There is no way I can handle the two of you down there." He says as he realizes that Audrey just invited herself, but glad, on the other hand, to see that her mood has improved since they left the car.

"Oh, I think you could handle us," Audrey says with a wicked smile as they all settle down around the table once again.

"I'm only one man,” Pacey matches Audrey's smile and slightly shakes his head.

"You're probably right," Andie says with a frown. "I don't even think I could get away for Mardi Gras. I don't exactly have a lot of leeway with my schedule or a lot of vacation days. As it is, I've had to beg, borrow and steal the time off I've gotten so far."

"Begged, borrowed and stole," Pacey says with a slight raise of his eyebrow, lightly pushing her shoulder with his.

"Well begged anyway," Andie says with a shrug. "But it's been good for me to get out of the hospital. After a while, that place becomes my whole world. But don't you think I've forgotten about Café DuMond."

"Like I would let you."

As Andie and Pacey continue their conversation, Joey can't help but look back and forth between Andie and Pacey, mentally scrutinizing the situation. An action not lost on Dawson, who is also curious. The two of them seem awfully… friendly and… flirtatious. But then again, Audrey is in the mix of things right along with them.

"You know," Pacey continues, "if you two really want to visit New Orleans there are a lot of other things we could do."

"Like?" Audrey asks with a smirk.

"Plantation tours, the aquarium, mass at St. Peter's…"

"Are you going to put us up in a convent, too?"

"Don't temp me."

"I don't want to see churches. I want to see the Big Easy!"

"There's a joke there," Jack interrupts. "But it's way too obvious."

Still at Jack’s House

Some time has passed, and Andie, who is sitting to the right of Joey at the kitchen table, listens to Joey as she recounts some of the road trip that she and Dawson had taken.

“So, that’s when we almost got lost,” she continues on as Andie catches Pacey out of the corner of her eye getting up from the table. Andie nods her head at Joey as if she is listening but Joey realizes that Andie’s attention span has just been broken by Pacey´s exit from the room. Joey stops talking for a moment, “Is he okay?” Joey asks concerned about Pacey, who in the last ten minutes seems to have become really quiet.

“He seems to have a lot on his mind these days. He’s quiet...a bit too quiet. I asked him about it on our way here, but he seemed to just brush it off, saying there that we could talk about it later,” Andie turns her head towards the doorway of the kitchen as she says that to Joey. ”I know that there is something he wanted to tell me, but he still hasn’t yet.” There is a pause before she continues. “I’m going to go talk to him.”

Joey nods her head, watching Andie get up and disappear through the door, going to find Pacey. Then she turns to the rest of the group, who are engaged in some conversation, to find Dawson’s eyes. She smiles at him and he smiles back as the scene fades to the hall, then to the living room…

“There you are.”

Pacey looks up from fishing through the pockets of his coat to see Andie standing in the doorway.

“Yeah. I’m trying to find what I brought for Amy,” he says as he goes back to once again looking through his pockets.

Andie moves closer so that she is now standing next to him looking down as he continues to find what he is looking for. She notices that his hands are shaking a bit and wonders why.

“I can’t find it!” He states rather loudly, the frustration evident in his voice as he picks up the bag and rather forcefully places it on the ground. Andie calmly takes his hand.

(“Climb on” by Shawn Colvin starts playing in the background)

”Let’s sit,” she says as she sits down on the couch waiting for him to join her. Pacey stares down at her and knows that out of anyone in the world, she is the only one he would talk to about this, but he still hesitates slightly.

Oh, my soul
Sometimes we don’t know what to do
We work so hard
Being tough on our own
But now it’s me and you
Let’s give it up
Sad bones
’cause we all fall on hard times
But you don’t have to stand up all alone
Just put your hand in mine

“Come on. You told me over the phone that you wanted to talk about something but you have been pushing it away, and I think this is the moment,” Andie says.

He sits down next to her, running his hand through his hair, then rests it against the back of his neck as he looks down, then sideways at Andie, who takes his hand in hers.

“Your hands are shaking,” she hardly whispers, and Pacey nods his head.

“I just don’t want to disappoint you, and maybe after what I’m about to say, after what I might be forced to do... you will. Just Pacey Witter dropping the ball once more...I mean, I’ve been looking at the people in that kitchen for a while now, and you all know what you’re doing. You all are right in the place where you want to be, while my life seems to be crumbling down once again”.

“Pacey, no,” Andie states firmly. “You really need to stop seizing yourself for the measures of the rest of the people around you. Plus, I’m sure that if you scratched a little below the surface, you would be surprised at what you would find. There are always these little thing than no one else but ourselves can know about. So, despite how it seems, I don’t think that all of us really are where we want to be. And it has to be that way, because if we really had everything figured out at 25...well, where’s the fun in that?”

Pacey seems to be pondering her words, as well as the fact that all the anxiety of the teenage Andie seems to have vanished, leaving a confident woman in its place.

“And no, I won’t be disappointed by whatever it is that you have to do. If there is something I am certain of, is that you could never disappoint me. You never did,” she smiles sweetly at him and he thinks that she is wrong. She is so wrong. However, maybe this is not the moment to talk about it.

Climb on
A back that’s strong
Hey hey
You can git’ what you want
Climb on
A back that’s strong

“So let’s start again. What is the problem?”

“I feel like I’m watching the person I used to be and it isn’t a very pretty picture,” he speaks softly, not tearing his eyes from hers, determined to face the situation.

“So you can see that now. I mean, see the person that you used to be, but you aren’t that person anymore and you know it, right?” Andie speaks firmly and Pacey nods his head. “You know that realizing what you are doing is half the battle. The other part is taking steps to change, and you’ve done that as far as I know, haven’t you?.”

“I have. I think I have, but… You know I’ve been working with Danny Brecher in New Orleans and it gets really hard at times watching the person that you admire professionally but is a creep when it comes to women. He must not think very highly of himself if he has to do those kinds of things to them,” Pacey shakes his head.

“Well then you’ve changed. You aren’t like Danny anymore. Do you think it had something to do with you not being very confident when it came to women?. And if so, that is in the past. Look at you now, though. You have been successful with your business and have carved out a nice life for yourself, and don’t tell me it was because of Joey. You did it, Pacey. You and only you.” Andie uses her pointer finger to poke him in the chest playfully, causing him to laugh lightly, then smile.

“There’s the smile of the boy that I fell in love with and the man that I will always have as my friend,” she squeezes his hand, which she has continued to hold as they’ve talked.

If you could save me
A place in heaven
With a clean well-lighted room
I’ll muscle up to armageddon
And I’ll wave to you darlin’
Be home soon

“You’re right. I guess I was like that. I was insecure when it came to women and sex, and maybe that is what pushed me to have one affair after another, always wondering if I had been good enough. And even… even with my girlfriends I was like that,” he remembers now with shame the way he questioned Joey after their first night together on their morning after. But he also remembers how he never had to do that with Andie. “Except you,” he says then, turning to her and realizing how close their faces really are.

For a moment, Andie is taken aback by him not only remembering that, but also mentioning it out loud. It seems so… weird to talk to him about that time. That time where in the few weeks they had been together after taking such a big step for her, his hands were so familiar to her skin. It is something that seemed to have happened so long ago. And it did, actually. As in another lifetime.

And if you could show me
The story of love
I would write it
Again and again
And then you could be
The woman you need
If you just let me be
The man that I am

She smiles back at him, leaning her temple on the back of the sofa as he is doing, their foreheads almost touching.

Pacey looks at her with warmth in his eyes and for a moment, neither of them speak.

“You always know exactly what to say to me, McPhee. So thank you.”

Pacey watches Andie’s expression as her eyes return the same warmth that his have gleaming in them.

‘I guess the reason I know what to say to you is because I’ve always known the person that you have become. It just took awhile for you to get to know that person too,” Andie assures him.

“I think I always knew the person you could become, too. And I think I haven’t told you this just yet, but I’m also proud of you, McPhee. I mean, look at you. Almost a doctor. And a damn good one. I’m sure of that,” he states firmly smiling at her.

Climb on
A back that’s strong
Hey hey
You can git’ what you want
Climb on
A back that’s strong

“Thanks” she says, her eyes bright. “It´s been a long journey.”

“And I would like to hear everything about it.”

“Maybe someday.”

“Yeah...someday.”

They hear chairs being moved around in the kitchen, causing them both to break the gaze that they have shared for the last few seconds.

“I need to find what I brought for Amy,” he says as he coughs, once again grabbing on to his bag, finally pulling out something wrapped in pretty pink foil from one of his inside pockets. “I suppose she’ll be more interested in the pink foil than what it is,” he chuckles causing Andie to as well, “but anyway.”

Oh, I don’t know
Sometimes we try too hard to see
But we got one down now
One more to go
That’s when you say
To me

He stands up and so does Andie, but before he can move away from him she leans in and places a soft kiss on his cheek, then pulls back.

“I’m proud of you, Pacey. I want you to know that.”

He smiles and closes his eyes for a brief minute then opens them to look once again at Andie.

“We were wondering what happened to the two of you,” a voice says from behind Andie.

“We were just talking,” she smiles at Pacey, who smiles back and nods is head. Then she turns around to face Dawson, who is standing not too far away. “But I should get back,” Andie motions towards the kitchen.

“Yeah. Jack and Audrey just left to pay a visit to Amy before lunch, and Joey said that she hadn’t finishing telling you about something and she wanted to finish talking to you, so you know...” Dawson jokes.

Climb on
A back that’s strong
Hey hey
You can git’ what you want
Climb on
A back that’s strong

Andie smiles and begins to leave the room, but not before she stops and turns around to smile at Pacey one last time and he does the same. Dawson just stands there, feeling as if he should be anywhere else but here.

Still the living room at Jack’s house, now from a different angle.

“So how are things going?” Dawson asks Pacey after Andie leaves the room.

“I’ve got a lot on my mind lately,” Pacey answers.

“Actually, I was wondering how things are going with Andie?” and he laughs. “Remember when we used to talk about girls for hours?. Well, you more than me”, he jokes, and Pacey smiles weakly.

Then Dawson watches Pacey as his expression changes from looking worried and tired to a brighter one.

“It's great to see her again. To have her here. I’ve missed her,” he smiles thinking about his conversation with Andie earlier.

“It seemed like the two of you where having an intense conversation when I walked in. Sorry about that...that I walked in, that is.“ Dawson apologizes as Pacey puts his hand up.

“Don’t worry about it,” he says glancing over at Dawson, then away. It seems as if they don’t really have much to say to each other.

“I’m going to go back in to the kitchen. I’m guessing you’d like some time alone,” Dawson says as he begins to walk to the door. Pacey makes a sound as if he is going to speak but then refrains from doing so. This does not go unnoticed by Dawson.

“Pacey did you say something,” Dawson turns around with a questioning look on his face.

“No...no, I didn’t.”

Dawson’s face seems to fall somehow as he takes a couple of steps to leave the room.

“Wait a minute,” he says, causing Dawson to stop moving. “Actually, do you have a couple of minutes?”

Pacey asks, looking at Dawson. Then stands up and goes over to the fireplace, leaning against the mantle.

“Okay, so you really wanna know what is on my mind?”.

“Yeah sure,” Dawson goes to sit down on the couch and nods silently. Pacey nods as well, as if encouraging himself to confide in the one person that, long ago, used to be his best friend.

“When we were in high school, I never had any dreams like you or Joey did. I was always a bit perplexed about how you had this larger than life dream but, I understand better now. When I went to work at Civilization and met Danny Brecher, my life really changed. I seemed to gain a dream and I held on to that dream. A dream I didn’t even know I had, even thought it wasn’t my first experience in restaurants and catering,” Pacey laughs lightly thinking back about the time that he and Andie helped the Potters at the wedding that the IceHouse catered and the wedding cake Andie ruined. Dawson furrows his brow a bit not to sure what the laugh is all about, “The wedding cake,” is all that Pacey needs to say, causing Dawson to chuckle, too.

“What made you think of that,” Dawson asks, watching Pacey continuing to grin.

“I don’t know. I just did,” he states as he walks over to the couch to sit down next to Dawson. “Anyway, I saw Danny as this larger than life role model and I wanted to be like him, but then I saw what he did and how wrong it was. Still, it didn’t prevent me from turning into someone like him, someone I had despised because of his lack of principles, you know?”

Dawson looks at him a bit puzzled.

“Actually, I don’t. You lost me, Pace.”

Pacey nods his head. “Ok, let me try to explain. Danny was married back then and he was having affairs behind his wife’s back. She kind of dumped his ass, but then it seems she came back to him anyway. And for what?. For him to keep doing the same thing. He hasn’t changed at all, or evolved, or anything. And either have I, for that matter. I mean, I was beaten up by the husband of my lover. How sad is that?. And of course, my actions had consequences, as I was paying for it with The IceHouse,” Dawson looks at Pacey concerned with what his friend has just told him.

“What’s wrong with the IceHouse?”

“Nothing now. For once, I did what I had to do. So it’s okay now. But it wasn't before. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I thought for a moment that I was having trouble with my “dream”, Dawson. But what I was really having trouble with was me. That maybe I am once again screwing things up with my whole attitude, trying to be the savior again with this whole Brecher situation. I mean, should I just ignore it or go along with it just so it won’t interfere with my objective?” He continues to explain, causing Dawson to nod his head.

Dawson opens his mouth to speak then closes it. All the while, Pacey is watching him with baited breath.

“Are you asking me for advice?” Dawson asks, somehow surprised since it has been a long time, years to be exact, since the last time Pacey ever did that.

Pacey shrugs his shoulders and smiles.

“Once upon a time, you used to give me the best advice. Now, whether or not I listened to it is a totally different thing,” he laughs and for a moment they remain silent, Dawson pondering what to say and Pacey waiting patiently.

“Dreams are a great thing to have, but so many times they get shifted slightly and you have to be willing to adapt to change when it comes.” Dawson thinks about his own situation before beginning to speak again. “USC was my dream. LA was my dream. I left both of them, but that doesn’t mean that my dreams left. I moved to Boston and some of the things that happened afterwards, I wouldn’t really call it living a specific dream but my main dream in life was still there. It just got put on a different path. And now, it appears that my dream has shifted once again and it is somewhere else,” Dawson stops talking for a moment, not too sure if Pacey is understanding any of this. “Pacey, you’ve done this. Your core dream has stayed the same, but you’ve shifted it.”

Pacey nods briefly, “Yeah, but the IceHouse…” he says, but Dawson doesn’t allow him to finish.

“Whatever is going on, you’ll be fine. Just remember that no one can ever take away the dream that you hold. More importantly, no one can ever take away who you’ve become. We all need some time to find ourselves, to know who we really are out there. And some people never do entirely. We all make mistakes , and we learn from them. Some of those mistakes are big...some not so much. But I believe that there is a part of us, the real part, that never changes. It’s like our essence, and that is the part we need to watch out for and not to lose sight of, because that is what leads us to wherever we need to go,” Dawson pats Pacey on the back. “Your dreams will always follow you, Pace, no matter where you go.”

Pacey smiles creep slowly to his lips.

“I had forgotten how you have such a way with words, man.” And the both laugh

“Thanks.”

“No problem. It was Joey who sent me in here, anyway.” he chuckles and Pacey smiles

“She is worried about you and thought that we could ‘use some time alone’, as she put it. I’m glad I followed her advice, though.”

“Yeah, at least she didn’t have to trick us with a note this time.”

And to their laughter follows another moment of silence.

“How long has been since we were friends?. And I mean, real friends. Not just polite conversations and all that crap... but friends,” Pacey inquires.

“I think we never passed that line since that infamous year in high school. We tried, but we never did.”

“No, we didn’t. You think we’ll ever will?”

Dawson shrugs his shoulders.

“Stranger things have happened,” They smile at each other “And ten years are way too many years to hold something against someone.”

“Mostly when that someone ultimately never got what he thought he had.” Pacey looks at Dawson and he thinks that he has the right to know the truth. “She never loved me the way she loved you. I mean, she did love me, but just not… that way. The way you love your first love...your soulmate.”

The two men sit in silence for a moment, then Pacey stands up and begins to walk out of the living room.

“Pacey wait,” Dawson says, standing up as well. “Whether or not we'll ever be the friends we used to be....if you need anything, I just want you to know that you can call me, okay?”

Pacey nods his head, pondering the offer and knowing that Dawson is being sincere.

“I’ll remember that,” he says, smiling at his friend and waiting for him to join him.

“Great,” Dawson smiles back as the two of them exit the room together.

Before that, for a brief moment, we see the two teenage boys they used to be and how those teenagers have become men. Men who are willing to leave their old ghosts and demons behind. It may take time, and it may or may not happen, but at least they’re gonna try.

The Potter B&B.

"Thanks so much for letting me come by," Jack says to Bessie as he, Bessie, and Amy have settled in the sitting room at the Potter B&B.

"Like I said before, Jack, you are more than welcome to come by whenever you like, whether or not you call first. Amy is your child," Bessie insists one more time, as much for him as for herself.

"That's right," Jack says firmly, watching Amy going around the room, walking precariously over her two legs. Audrey chasing her around and making her giggle every now and then. "She is. But I can't begin to thank you enough for what you and Bodie are doing."

"It's my pleasure, really," Bessie smiles at Amy. "Having Amy here has been absolutely wonderful. I was so young and inexperienced when I had Alex that I never really stopped to enjoy the whole baby and toddler phase. I was just so worried about doing everything perfect and making sure that Alex was on track developmentally and emotionally, and that he was eating alright… And of course I was always worried about Joey, or the Ice House, or bills… Now I just wish that I had sat back and enjoyed it more, because I'll never have him so captivated by me again. Now he wants to go and play with his friends more than he wants to hang around with me."

"How much longer do I have before Amy wants to spend more time with her friends than with me?"

"A couple more years," Bessie smiles. "But your little girl has taken a special liking to Alex. She just has trouble keeping up with him and Lilly running around. So she mostly sticks pretty close to me during the day."

"How is she eating?" Jacks eagerly asks Bessie as he opens his arms as Amy toddles over to him.

"Good. Like a horse, really. Bodie made vegetable lasagna last night and I put a little in the food processor for her and Amy just ate it right up. Didn't you?" Bessie coos the last part at a smiling Amy. "And she kept asking for more every time she finished."

"She asked for more?" Jack asks in surprise.

"Oh yes. Only it sort of sounds like 'moo'. But we all know what she's talking about."

"And 'all gone' sounds like 'ahhh gooo', " Jack adds proudly.

"Bodie figured that one out," Bessie continues. "I think he likes having Amy here more than he even lets on."

"Why is that?"

"Because, like me, he missed so much with Alex. He had to spend so much time away working. I think we're both having a lot of fun. So even though this is against your will, and of course it would be better if it wasn’t happening… thank you for giving us a second chance at truly enjoying this stage."

"I always loved it," Jack confesses. "Even the late nights and diaper changes. And now she's developing so rapidly. It's like she's becoming her own little person with preferences and feelings. It's amazing. I just hope that I get to be there for what's to come."

“I hope so as well,” Bessie adds and then quickly turns away, so Jack cannot see her somber expression. Audrey does, though, but she doesn’t know what to do about it.

“Bessie,” Boddie shows up at the living room door. “Hi, guys,” he smiles and waves at them. Jack nods his way and Audrey waves back animatedly. “Bessie, could you come to the kitchen for a moment? I need help with something.”

“Sure. Be right back,” she says to them as she exits the room.

Audrey follows her exit with a pensive expression, then turns to Jack and smiles at the picture of him and the baby. He really seems to glow when he's around her.

“Is just me or does she really look like her mother more and more every day?” she says, touching Amy's cheecks gingerly.

“Oh, yes. She does,” Jack smiles affectionately.

Audrey chuckles and Jack looks at her curiously.

“What?” he laughs along as Amy stands tentatively on her feet and leans on him, trying to reach for something behind him.

“Nothing. I was just… remembering,” she smiles and a distant look appears in her eyes. Then she realizes Jack is looking at her expectantly and she goes on. “Remembering when we met, that night that we were heading to a party, the first day of college.”

“Oh yes! That day,” Jack recalls as well and laughs. “We liked you the moment we saw you. It was love at first sight. Although the same can’t be said of Joey, though. She was horrified when she found out you were joining us,” he laughs.

“Yeah, well, that girl has always been a handful,” Audrey says, and the two of them laugh. “I remember looking at Jen and thinking that she was so tiny, and pretty, and sweet. And then there was you, the fantasy of any girl..the gay’s best friend,” Jack laughs when she says that and Audrey nods her head vigorously. “I’m serious! It’s perfect. No tension, no angst...just confidence and friendship, since you know nothing is gonna happen anyway.”

“Well, actually… we almost did it once.”

Audrey’s jaw drops at this revelation and Jack shrugs his shoulders.

“I loved her, she loved me, we were drunk, alone and feeling sorry for ourselves… but we didn’t. But I look at Amy and I think… If she had asked me to, if she had asked me to be the father of her daughter because she couldn’t find one and she wanted a baby, I would have said yes.”

Audrey places her hand on his knee.

“Well, seems like she found a guy, but not a very good one, so the result is the same. You are the father, Jack. You are.”

Jack smiles softly at her as he lifts Amy in his arms.

A boat in the creek.

Dawson and Joey are in her old rowboat as they make their way across the creek. Dawson is rowing and Joey is sitting across from him, leaning back slightly as she looks at the water.

"This is a lot harder than I remember it being," Dawson says as he rows.

"I offered to help," Joey says with a smile as Dawson continues to row. "But noooo... You let your male pride get in the way."

"My male pride?" Dawson answers somewhat amused. "My male pride?" he questions again as he stops rowing.

"Yes," Joey gives him a slight eye roll. "Your male pride. That or your sense of sentiment. I tried telling you it was too late to row to your house, but you wouldn't listen. We could have been there by now. Plus, I'm starving. Your mom was nice enough to have us over for lunch and now we’re going to be late."

(“Doing fine” by Jewel starts playing in the background)

We are what everyone wants to be
We are young
And carefree
Life's a breeze for people like you and me

"Well, with an attitude like that, we'll never get there."

"Why is that?"

"Because I'm on strike." Dawson lets go of the oars and leans back a little.

"On strike?" Joey repeats skeptically. "It was your idea to take the boat instead of the car ‘for old times sake’ and now you want to leave us stranded in the middle of the creek?" she asks, her eyes open wide.

If you look
Life lays out just like a road
It's for us to grab ahold
There's no one that can tell us no

"I refuse to be verbally assaulted by my own girlfriend during the middle of a romantic gesture." Dawson tries to sound put out but he can’t hide the smile that invades his lips.

"Verbally assaulted?" Joey laughs. "You’re so gonna get it now."

"I sure hope so." He says as she jumps on him and the boat moves dangerously.

So come on, baby
Let's just have fun
Let's breathe stardust into our lungs
Let's drive too fast
Let's go too far
When our hearts bleed it lets us know we are-alive
And that we are-doin' fine

“Oh, wait. You better not,” she exclaims, trying to steady herself as Dawson steadies the boat in the middle of his laughter.

Joey laughs as well and kisses him before going back to her spot.

"Okay, I’m ignoring that for now," Joey says as she carefully leans over and picks up the oars. “But don’t you think I will let it pass.”

We lay down
Look at the sky
From upside down
There's nobody we have 2 be
Let's live fast and see where it leads

Dawson smiles and leans on the boat as Joey begins to row, but she stops after a few moments.

"That is harder than I remember," Joey exhales deeply. "Maybe I should start using that rowing machine at the gym."

"I think I like our newest work out better." He says with a smirk and Joey smirks back.

“You dirty thing,” she says and Dawson laughs.

"Well, guess what? I’m on strike too," Joey says after a while as she puts the oars down and carefully makes her way to Dawson. “At least for a while,” she says as she nestles herself comfortably between Dawson legs, leaning on his chest, his arms going around her.

Let's get lost
In love like wine
Let kisses quench
This thirst of mine
Let me feel the weight of your skin
Pressing in

The two of them sit in comfortable silence, looking out at the creek for a few moments until Dawson finds the courage to mention something that has been on his mind since earlier that day.

"So, uh, Pacey and Andie seem to be getting pretty close again. She's even planning on maybe going to see him."

"Uh, yeah?" Joey keeps her eyes on the creek as her fingers play with Dawson’s. "I guess they are pretty close."

"And that… It doesn’t bother you, does it?"

Joey looks up at him furrowing her brows.

"No, it doesn’t. I’m a little surprised I guess. Curious, not bothered.” She looks over the creek again. “Not like when I found out about you and Gretchen. Or you and Jen… It was always weird to see you with someone else. I never had that feeling with Pacey, though. Don’t know why. But I just never did. And about him and Andie… if anything ever happens between them, I’ll be happy for him. Just like I was happy for him and Audrey back in college,” she remarks, shrugging her shoulders.

"Okay." The relief is evident in both Dawson’s face and voice. "I guess I knew that. I just wanted to hear it."

"You know," Joey looks up at him with a mixture of a half-smirk, half-smile. "If you ask me something like that again, I’ll have to kill you."

So come on, baby
Let's just have fun
Let's breathe stardust into our lungs
Let's drive too fast
Let's go too far
When our hearts bleed it lets us know we are-alive
And that we are-doin' fine

"First verbal assaults and now threats of violence." He jokes “This just keeps getting better, doesn’t it?”

Joey turns in his embrace and leans forward to kiss him, her hand caressing his cheek before going down his neck, Dawson cupping her face.

"And now… would you just shut up and row?" She asks, moving away and sitting down in front of him like she was before.

Dawson fakes a dramatic sigh as he does what she asks. Joey smiles as she looks over the water, to the serene surface of the creek she used to know so well. She reflects on how things have changed, but how it all has been for the best.

Jack’s house.

We see the door of the house being opened from the inside, revealing Jack and behind him, Audrey, just arriving.

“Grams, we’re back!” Audrey shouts as they walk to the living room, where they find Pacey and Andie engaged in an animated conversation.

“I’m gonna see if I can help Grams in the kitchen,” Jack says.

“She just kicked us out” Andie says and Pacey laughs, “but sure, go ahead bro” Andie smiles and Jack waves as he exits.

Audrey settles herself on the sofa in front of Pacey and Andie and they both look at her with interrogative faces, but without saying a word.

Audrey realizes this and makes a weird face, wondering what is going on. She turns around, as if looking for something behind her. Then she turns to Pacey and Andie again and she sighs relieved, smiling with her hand over her heart.

“Wow, for a moment I thought I was going to be abducted by an alien or something, going by the faces you two had while looking at me.”

Pacey just crosses his arms and Andie arcs her brow, neither of them tearing their gaze apart from Audrey. This kind of annoys her.

“Hello!” she exclaims, waving her hand in front of her. “Is anyone in there?”

“Have I ever told you that you’re crazy?” Andie laughs at her comic faces

“Well, thank God there’s still life left in this room.”

“Yeah, and now that you’re here, there’s a lot more things I don’t even have the time and energy to explain and try to understand.” He teases her, thinking that maybe if the ambience is a friendly one, they will be able to make her talk. He is even more worried than he was before, now that Andie has also told him about Audrey’s phone call to her earlier that day.

“Aw. You hurt me, Pace. I bring a little fun to your battered existence and that’s the way you pay me back. Too bad. Ungrateful.”

Andie laughs and says, “I’ll go along with that.”

Pacey looks at the two women with an amused look in his eyes and shakes his head.

” I’m starting to get fed up with this habit of yours.” He says, pretending to be offended. “If I had known you were going to get along this well and, even worse, that you two would always team up against me, I think I would have skipped the introductions.”

“What do you mean?” Audrey asks, looking at him with an innocent look, then looking at Andie, who has a mischievous smile on his face as she looks at Pacey daring him to continue.

“‘This’ I mean. And let me tell you that this is quite funny given the fact you both have pined for me one moment or another. So I guess I should feel flattered or something, shouldn’t I?”

“Give up, Pacey. If you’re suggesting I’m having a thing for you, and I can only speak for myself,“ she says while looking at Andie who just puts a “uh-huh” face, “NO is the answer. No, no, never again. I swear. Pleaseeeee!” Audrey finishes, rolling her eyes.

Andie observes the exchange between the two friends, who don’t even allow her to participate, as if she was in a tennis match. She surprises herself, wondering what kind of couple these two might have been in their past and an amused smile creeps across her face.

“Okay, okay. But that’s not the point of this conversation, anyway.” He looks over at Andie, who nods her head. “What we want is for you to spill.”

“Oh, man!” Audrey fumes. “I told you there’s nothing going on with me. I’m okay. I’m more than okay, actually. I was just having a bad day. Okay, a couple of bad days, but it'll pass.”

“Come on, Audrey. I already poured my heart out to this girl here about how I’m feeling about my job back in New Orleans. This will be like a group therapy.”

“What’s wrong with your job in New Orleans?” Audrey asks, concerned, and forgetting about her own problems for a moment.

“It’s not the job, but my boss. I just don’t think I can work with him much longer if he keeps trying to drag me into situations that I am not willing to be in.”

“Aw, that sucks,” Audrey says, feeling really sorry that things for Pacey aren’t going that great. “And what about you?” she questions Andie, who shrugs her shoulders.

“Nothing really. Despite the lack of free time, I love my job.”

“Can we sue her or something?” Audrey asks to Pacey, dead serious.

“Sadly, I don’t think so,” Pacey says, passing his hand over Andie’s face playfully, Andie pulling the hand away laughing

(‘At your side’ by The Corrs starts playing in the background)

When the daylight's gone and you're on your own
And you need a friend just to be around
Audrey rolls her eyes y sighs with resignation.

“So what am I supposed to do to convince you, suspicious people of Capeside, nothing’s happening to me?”

“I guess you should give me another pair of eyes because what I see is that you’re having problems. Mostly after that little show you put on when I was out there in the car with you this morning. Believe me, Audrey, I wish I could believe that. But I don’t buy it. You’re not here just because. Why did you come back from Europe? And if you wanted to come back, why are you here on the east coast and not in Los Angeles?”

I will comfort you, I will take your hand
And I'll pull you through, I will understand
And you know that

When hearing Pacey´s words, Audrey’s face falls, and the sadness she has been trying to hide is evident in her eyes. Even though there was several feet of distance between them, she could feel his words as if a friendly hand were taking hers. She closes her eyes and thinks that this may be what she really needs, the warm words of a friend who could make her feel well. Pacey and Andie exchange a look as Audrey opens her eyes and looks down at her hands.

I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry
Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side
If you feel like you're alone, and you've nowhere to turn
I'll be at your side

Andie stands up and sits on the arm of the armchair where Audrey is sitting. She puts her arm around the girl’s shoulders in a friendly and comforting gesture as her hand plays with the tips of her hair. Audrey looks up at her and smiles weakly, but then her smiles go wide as she realizes that it's not only Pacey, but that there is someone else out there worrying about her.

If life's standing still and your soul's confused
And you cannot find what road to choose
If you make mistakes (make mistakes)
You can't let me down (let me down)
I will still believe (still believe)
I will turn around
And you know that

“I know that we haven’t known each other for a long time, but you’re a part of this group as much as I am. We’re together in this, so I just want you to know that I’ll be there whenever you need someone to talk to. Maybe I can’t help, but I can sure listen. That’s something I can promise.”

“I agree with that statement.” Pacey says as he stands up and walk to the girls. “Give her a little time and she’ll convince you to run for President. God help you.”

Andie glares at him as he laughs, and Audrey smiles at them, shaking her head.

I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry
Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side
If you feel like you're alone, and you've nowhere to turn
I'll be at your side

“You asked me before why I came back, Pacey. I guess I was just fed up with playing the perfect girlfriend without getting anything in return. I was with Robert, and I kept telling myself that it was perfect, but it wasn’t.”

“Oh, I know that feeling" Pacey sighs.

“Me too,” Andie intercedes, looking at Audrey and nodding her head, which causes Pacey to look at her, curious to know what, or even better, who, is she talking about. “I guess we all start a relationship with such high expectations. When it starts to crumble down, we just want to keep it going and save it, so we try to convince ourselves that it's going to work. That it was perfect once, and it will be again.”

Andie realizes that Pacey is looking at her and she smiles at him, then turns her attention back to Audrey. Reluctantly, Pacey does the same.

“Yes, something like that. While I was in London, I had, you know, some kind of spiritual revelation straight from the universe out there or something, that made me realize that I couldn’t expect anyone to fill my emptiness. That’s something I had to do on my own. So I decided to leave it all behind and try to have some fun with the original Audrey until that happened. Until I find myself, I mean.”

“Well, it seems like we all are in the same boat when it comes to that,” Pacey mumbles to himself as Audrey keeps on going.

“I remembered how much I loved being on stage, and I thought that maybe I could use some of my parents’ money to pursue my singing career. Because well, after all, that’s what normal people usually do, don’t they? Chase after their dreams?”

I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry
Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side
If you feel like you're alone, you've got somewhere to go,
'Cos I'm right there

“Sounds good to me, the part about chasing your dreams. So what’s wrong with that?”

“It’s not what I’m doing, but the way I am doing it. I’m afraid I’m making the same mistakes I always did all over again.”

Both Pacey and Andie look at her with inquiring faces, although Pacey is channelling with her more and more with each passing word she says.

“I’m afraid I have gotten myself into trouble again, and I’m trying to figure out how to solve it.”

“If there is something we can do…” Pacey says, but Audrey stops him with a wave of her hand.

“No, this is something I want to do by myself. Plus, I need to make up my mind before I make any decision.”

“Yeah, sounds familiar to me.” Pacey mumbles once more.

“And then, the other reason why I am here and not in L.A…. it's this whole Jack and Amy situation. I may be wild and everything, but I have a heart. So the answer to your question of why I came to the east coast...it wasn’t only because of my crazy dreams, but also because I decided to stay around my friends for as long as I’m needed.”

I'll be at your side, I'll be right there for you
(Together we'll survive) through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side
If you feel like you're alone, you've got somewhere to go,
'Cos I'm at your side

“That’s great, Audrey,” Andie says, squeezing her shoulder lightly.

“Just remember that we’re happy to have you here.” Pacey says. “So if you’re having problems, wherever you are and whatever they are, just let us know. I mean, come on! You’re annoying, but we love you, anyway.” Pacey smiles at her.

“Hey!” Audrey protests, but then she smiles. “That was corny, but thanks anyway. If we were in an episode of 'The Creek', we could hear the music playing in the background,” Audrey laughs.

“Yeah, too bad that doesn't happen in real life, so you never know when you’re in a poignant moment of your life,” Pacey jokes.

“Wouldn’t that be great? As soon as you say something significant, or do something that will turn your world upside down, the music plays, so you at least know what you just did,” Andie laughs.

I'll be right there for you
I'll be right there for you, yeah
I'm right at your side

“Somehow I think we do, with or without the music, just the same.” Audrey states.

The three of them look at each other and smile, knowing they are fortunate to have each other’s friendship. Friendships that were born just a few months ago, like Andie and Audrey’s, or friendships that survived the test of time and distance.

“Well kids, lunch is ready,” Grams announces from the door.

The three of them stand up and walk to the door. Grams passes her arm around Audrey’s shoulders and Pacey and Andie follow them, their arms linked, as Audrey starts one of her monologues. Pacey shakes his head and Andie smiles.

The old Leery´s house.

Dawson stands up and places some of the dishes in the dishwasher as Joey, John and Gale take care of the rest. Joey stands next to him and silently rubs the bottom of his back, a gesture that Dawson welcomes. He’s been kind of on edge since they arrived to his old house, and he knows that Joey has noticed.

“Why don’t you guys move to the living room now? I’ll bring the coffee out there,” Gale proposes. “Joey honey, will you help me with that?”

“Sure, Gale,” she replies and she throws a look at Dawson as he is ushered gently out of the kitchen by his stepfather.

“So how are things going in New York? I heard the TV show with Spielberg is about to start filming, right?” John asks as they both arrive to the living room.

“Yeah, in about two weeks, if everything goes as predicted...and I think it will.”

Once again, Dawson is taken aback by the changes that have been made in the living room. The old coffee table is gone, and so is the big picture of the family as it used to be: Gale, new born Lily, him and Mitch taken in the backyard. The furniture has been moved around and there are new frame arts hanging on the wall.

“Sounds great. I bet it's very interesting. Much more interesting than my financial work at the bank.” John tries to joke, but Dawson only gives him a weak smile. He is about to excuse himself to go and help in the kitchen, when he sees the two women enter with the coffee.

“Let me help you,” he says to Joey, whose gaze goes around the room as his did a minute before, and she sends him a knowing look of ‘I noticed too’.

“Joey, I hope that Lily is not causing too much trouble at the B&B, now that your sister and Bodie are taking care of Amy. I really tried to convince her to stay here today, but she refused.”

“Don’t worry Gale. Didn’t I spend the greater part of my life here when I was kid anyway? It’s about time that we returned the favor,” she says, sitting by Dawson’s side and smiling at him for all of the memories.

Gale watches them as her son leans down to place a soft kiss on Joey’s lips.

“By the way, I’m so happy to see you two together. Did I mention that already?”
“Yes, Mom. Like a thousand times while we were having lunch,” Dawson sighs and Joey leans on him, laughing.

“Well, I must say that even though I wasn’t here and I missed all of the drama, Gale updated me and I gotta say, I’m glad you guys finally made up your minds and found your way to each other. I think is great to have someone by your side who truly loves you and inspires you,” he says, throwing a glance at Gale, who smiles at him brightly.

“Yes, it is” Dawson agrees, but his face is pensive, and once again, his gaze diverts to the changes in the room as he feels Joey’s hand squeezing his lightly.

“Okay, so who wants some coffee?” Gale asks brightly.

Jack’s kitchen.

“Tell them what Amy did today, Jack,” Audrey gets up to get herself some more ice tea while Jack begins to tell the group that has gathered around his kitchen table the latest cute thing that Amy has done.

“Audrey, I don’t think they want to know every little thing that Amy does,” he says, but after that last comment, everybody at the table chime in asking what happened.

Audrey waits for Jack to begin but, in true Audrey fashion, she can’t wait for him.

“She said 'dad' clear and loud,” Audrey exclaims. “Geez Jack, why aren’t you excited about that?”

Audrey asks, going to sit down once again at the table next to Andie. Grams, who is sitting next to Jack, places her hand over his.

“Well, that’s one thing to be grateful for. She knows who you are.”

“She didn’t say it to me,” he softly mumbles causing everyone to stop eating and look at him perplexed.

“What’d you say Jack?” Pacey, asks placing his glass back down on the table.

“I said she didn’t say it to me,” he says rather frustrated and there is a moment of silence at the table.

“You’re imagining it, Jack,” Andie says encouragingly to her brother.

“Your sister’s right, Jack. She’s tried other times and right when you were holding her,”

Grams nods her head then picks up her sandwich, continuing to eat lunch.

“Oh, come on, Jack! Just because Boddie entered the room at that moment you think she was telling to him? Please. She wasn’t even looking his way. You’re being paranoid,” But Jack remains somber. “I thought this was a good thing. I didn’t mean to ruin lunch,” Audrey states looking at everyone at the table as she sits down again.

“Audrey, it's okay,” Jack interjects trying to ease the tension in the air. “And you’re right. Maybe I am just being paranoid,” he says, placing his hand on hers, letting her know that everything is okay and he is not upset.

“Jack what’s really bugging you?” Pacey asks in a concerned tone, and Jack sighs.

“She just seemed so happy today.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” Pacey watches Jack’s reaction as he continues.

“Well, normally no, but it's just... it's just that I’m afraid she is starting to forget me,” he blurts out rather quickly, surprising everyone at the table.

They all look at each other, knowing what he means, but thinking that he is wrong.Finally, Grams is the one who speaks.

“Now you listen to me, young man,” Grams states firmly patting his hand for a brief moment. “Babies are amazing creatures. They know who their parents are and that little girl, my great granddaughter, knows who her dad is. No doubt about it.”

“Jack, Grams is right. I’ve seen how she grabs for you as soon as you walk through the front door to see her,” Audrey calmly states winking at Jack.

“She just seems so relaxed and playful when I go visit her. It's like it doesn’t matter to her that she isn’t with me,” Jack laments.

“You know why that is?” Grams chimes in. “You go see her everyday,” she continues to add.

Jack softly smiles not to sure what to think right now.

“Well, the way that I see this whole thing,” Pacey gets up to go in to the kitchen to rinse of his plate having finished lunch, “is that the little girl isn’t going to forget you, and you know why? Because we aren’t going to let her forget you or any of us. That’s a promise,” he states as a matter of fact, finally seeing a wider smile begin to form on Jack’s mouth.

“You know, Jack, Jennifer and I didn’t see eye to eye when it came to Him...or as you refer to him as “The man up there”. But He and I have had some good talks lately, and don’t forget that He’s on our side,” Grams smiles at the young people sitting around the table knowing how wonderful it is to still have them all in her life since she lost Jen. “When I go visit that little angel and we talk about you, and I show her pictures of you, she touches your picture and has said 'da, da' a few times at them,” Grams looks sideways at Jack who is sitting next to her. “So what about that, huh?”

“See! Everything is fine, Jack,” Andie says cheerfully.

“Yeah don’t worry so much, Jackers,” Audrey laughs.

Jack laughs hearing Audrey call him Jackers, a name that Jen, and now Grams, called him all the time.

“Face it, Jack. You are unforgettable,” Pacey adds and begins to sing the song Unforgettable. Jack throws a napkin at him as Andie and Audrey begins to sing along, making Jack laugh, Grams shaking her head with a smile in her face.

Outside the Potter B&B.

Dawson and Joey stand facing one another, holding hands on the front porch of the B&B before going into the house for the evening.

“Doesn’t this feel like a bit of deja vu?” Joey gives him a questioning look. He leans in closer to her and whispers in her ear, “I still don’t know everything about you...and it's been how many years?” he gives her a quick kiss on her neck before taking her in to his arms to hug her tightly.

Her smile becomes wider, “Well maybe, just maybe, we won’t be interrupted like the last time that we babysat,” he surprises her and tickles her lightly and she giggles and begins to pull away from him, but his arms go around her waist once again and continue to hold her close to him. “The sooner we get in there the sooner they’ll leave, which means we’ll be all alone.”

“Now, that’s what I call a good argument,” he jokes and drops his arms instantly.

“Just promise me that you’re not gonna spend a lot of time glued to that laptop of yours”.
Dawson groans as he throws his head back lightly.

“Yeah, I saw you putting it in the car”, she accuses him as she shoves him gently with her shoulder.

“I just need to check some emails and stuff like that. Nothing big, I promise.”

“You better” she says as she makes a face and he takes her hand, opening the door and letting Joey step inside first as he places a light kiss in her cheek.

“Bessie!. We’re here!” Joey announces, but it's Lily who receives them.

“Hey! We’re in the living room,” she says as she is carrying some clean towels.

“Where are you going with that? Dawson asks, curious.

“Hey there!” Bessie says as she pokes her head into the hall at the sound of voices.

“They’re for Amy,” she laughs as they all enter the room.

“She’s still learning how to make the spoon connect with her mouth,” Bessie explains, but the fact is obvious to everyone when they see her.

Lily hands the towels to Bodie, who is being flanked by Alex. As Dawson moves closer to the table to greet Amy, Joey does the same but Bessie puts her hand over her arm, clearly asking her not to. Joey looks at her, slightly taken aback, but Bessie just motions for Joey to follow her.

“Let the men take care of it,” she smiles, causing Joey to do the same. “There is something I want to talk to you about, anyway.”

Bessie and Joey sit on the sofa as Dawson and Bodie are cleaning Amy, who apparently managed to get food everywhere but in her mouth. Joey watches with a smile on her face.

“You know, Joey, having Amy here has kind of ignited those feelings of wanting another baby,” she states, interested in her sister’s reaction. Joey looks at her a bit surprised.

“Bess, you never told me that you wanted another baby,” She watches her sister’s eyes as she glances over at Amy once again. “Remember the feedings and not getting a good night's sleep until they're what.... 5?” Joey shakes her head, remembering the nights that she spent over at Dawson’s after Alex was born.

“I don’t know, Joey… Jack was here earlier and I spoke to him about Amy. When he expressed his hope of having her back soon, I realized that I wasn’t sure I wanted that to happen.”

Joey looks at her with a stunned expression on her face.

“What do you mean? You don’t want Jack to get Amy back?” she asks as if that was the most inconceiveble thing ever, in her voice a light tone of accusation.

“No, no, I’m not saying that. I’m just saying… while talking with him, I expressed out loud some things I hadn’t really thought about until then. The things I missed with Alex, because I was so young and busy, and same with Bodie. Having Amy here at home kind of reminded me of all that I missed and that if I ever want to experience that again, this may be the perfect moment. I mean, when have things been better than now?. You’re out there, making your own life. Dad is back, and is being a great help. The business is doing amazing, Bodie and I are finally stabilized, economically speaking, and I’m the right age. I don’t wanna be near 40 when I realize that I want a baby again. I know that nowadays that is not such a problem, but still.”

Joey nods her head, understanding a bit of what Bessie is saying.

“Alex would be so much older than a brother or sister that he would have. Don’t you worry about that? I mean, I know you told us this morning he had been acting weird since Amy was here,” she says to Bessie.

“I think he might be a little jealous of her. I mean, he hardly had any time to get used to the idea. But watching the whole development of the pregnancy and all… it would take longer and it would be easier. I guess. I hope,” Bessie smiles as she looks over at Dawson, “And Dawson was what, 17 or 18 when Gail had Lily and look how all that turned out. So I don’t think that Alex being much older is a problem, but quite the opposite.” Bessie concludes.

Joey smiles as she remembers the first time that she saw Dawson’s little sister and found out that she would be named after her mother. She then turns around to look at Dawson,
who is tickling Amy’s tummy, making her giggle. He’s also making funny faces at her, which seem to entertain her, as he continues to help Bodie clean her up.

“And what has Bodie to say about all this?”

“Actually… I will mention it to him today over dinner. So I’ll tell you tomorrow,” Bessie laughs softly. “I think everything is gonna be okay, though,” she says, a secure expression on her face.

“I hope so. I’m glad that it is you and not me considering this,” Joey states, taking a sip of her ice tea.

Bessie looks over at Joey, a little surprised by her comment.

“You haven’t? Come on, Joey. Don’t tell me that you haven’t thought about. You’ve finally reunited with the love of your life, the man that has been in your dreams and mind since you were 15, and the one that you know was destined for you. You haven’t thought about it?” Bessie ask wondering what her sister will say.

“Well, yes. I guess I’ve thought about it. But it's a little soon to go over that already, don’t you think?” and Bessie notes a hint of hesitation in her voice.

“Joey, are you…”

“Am I what?” She asks, not too sure where her sister is headed.

“Are you scared of having a child and maybe have something happen like what happened before? I mean, not that you or Dawson are Dad and Mom, but....are you scared that you and him...well....that something would happen like it always has?”

Joey now knew what she was talking about...about the possibility of her and Dawson losing their way again. She answers calmly.

“I’ve dealt with so much of this in my therapy that the answer is...” she pauses then continue, “No. No. I’m not scared at all.” She says smiling. “Not about Dawson and me. I stopped being scared the moment I took that plane to L.A a few weeks ago. And I know that what we have, come what may, is forever. But it's the whole maternity thing that seems to be something so big and important and hard to do. What mother or father wouldn’t be scared a little bit of bringing a child into the world? But yeah, despite it all, I can say that.... yes, I’ve considered it.” She blushes lightly, staring at the ice tea in her hands. “Kind of.”

“So then you have thought about? I knew it,” Bessie states with a big grin.

“Yes, I’ve consider it,” she says rather loudly and just at the moment that Bodie lifts the cleaned up Amy in a victorious gesture to hand her to Dawson so that he can take the towels to the bathroom.

“You’ve considered what?” Dawson asks as he walks over to the sofa and looks down at Joey, who sticks out her tongue to him.

“Just girls talk,” she tells him, reaching out her arms to take the baby, which Dawson hands to her with a half suspicious, half funny face.

Doug Witter’s house.

We see the stairs that go to the upper part of the house as the door bell rings.

"Coming!" Doug calls out as he quickly jogs to the door and looks through the peephole. He sees Pacey and a smile creeps across Doug's face.

"Little Brother!" Doug exclaims as he opens the door.

"Dougie!" Pacey says as they hug. "How's it going, bro?"

"Been better," Doug admits as the two brothers sit on the living room couch. "You?"

"Been better," Pacey concedes. After a slight silence Pacey admits, "I just came from Jack's."

"Oh?" Doug's face remains expressionless, but there is an interested tone in his voice.

"All things considered, I'd say he's doing pretty good." He says, knowing that Doug was probably going to ask him about it anyway.

"That's a relief." Doug does appear to visually relax a little bit. "It's always so hard to tell how he's really doing when we talk."

"So you are still talking. That's good."

"We're talking, but we're not," Doug sighs in frustration. "Things are getting a little bit better, step by step. I mean, for the past week or so, we have been talking more, and that's something. It's just...we never really say anything. At least, not what needs to be said."

"You mean what you want to hear," Pacey reads between the lines.

"Yeah… well... maybe. I mean, Jack changed my entire life, literally. How am I just supposed to let that go? Am I supposed to silently stand by waiting for that undefined future time when things may be right for us or am I supposed to give up on the whole situation altogether? Because right now, I honestly don't feel like doing either. It's like we never even had a real chance."

"It's not like I don't know what you're talking about," Pacey says as he leans back against the sofa. "Because believe me, I do. And you know what? It sucks. Whether you’re right or wrong in your appreciation of things, it just plain sucks."

"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"You can't let it control your life. Don't wait in vain for another person to magically find their way back to you. Before anyone else can find you, you have to find yourself. Seems like we all are still doing that anyway,” he laughs and Doug just looks at him, not knowing exactly where the joke is. Pacey keeps on going, more seriously now. “What I mean is that there have been so many changes in your life recently that maybe some distance would be the best thing. I mean, you just came out of, and are just coming off of, this intense relationship. Maybe you just need some time and distance to sort things out within yourself."

"Are we talking about me or you here?"

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you leaving everything and going to New Orleans.”

“That has nothing to do with this. I went there in search of an opportunity that I was offered. The way things were going in my life back then, it was the best thing I could do. You know what they say...it all happens for a reason.”

“If you say so,” Doug says, as he stands up from the sofa. “Anyway, want something to drink?”

“No, I don’t. Actually, I was just coming to invite you to something”, and he smiles at Doug’s suspicious gaze.

Later that day, at the Potter B&B, living room.

It’s been a while since Dawson has been watching the kids play around. Lily is sitting with Amy in between her legs, as Alex and Joey are sitting next to them, making a circle and passing a red ball around. Alex doesn’t seem to be enjoying the game that much, though.

“Alex, come here. I wanna show you something,” Dawson says, patting the spot by his side in the sofa, where he has been replying to some emails.

Alex looks up at him with curiosity. Adults hadly ever call to him to show him something. It is more than likely to scold him for something or ask him to bring something or whatever.

“What?” he asks, standing in front of him.

“Come on. Just sit down here,” Dawson insists, and Alex does as Joey, who is being chatted away by Lily in the carpet as they play with Amy, looks at him with curiosity, missing the ball the girls just threw her. Dawson just smiles at her.

“Your aunt told me that you like cars. Is that true?”

Alex shrugs his shoulders and nods his head.

“Come on. Have a look at this,” Dawson says, facing the computer screen to him.

Soon, the expression of the kid changes to a fascinated one.

“Wow! Look at all these cars! Where is that from?”

“Actually, it’s a convention in New York that was held a couple of years ago, and it's more than likely that they will do another one this year or the next one. I thought it would be nice if your aunt and me could take you there. What do you say?”

Alex eyes go wide.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course I am. But I need you to make me a favor first.”

“Sure,” Alex says, nodding his head vigorously.
“It’s about Amy. You know, she is so small, and I think she could use a big brother like you. You know, babies are fun if you give them the chance.” Dawson states as he watches Alex looking at Amy pensive.

“She’s not funny. She can’t even speak. I tried to teach her, but she wouldn’t say a thing.”

“Well, it may take a while, but I’m sure that if you are patient enough, it will come out sooner or later. So what do you say? Do we have a deal?”

Alex shrugs his shoulder and nods his had, now turning to look at Dawson.

“Okay.”

“Okay then,” he smiles and Alex smiles back and walks back to the carpet. This time enjoying the game with a little more enthusiasm.

That is the moment Joey chooses to leave and goes to sit down by Dawson’s side.

“You’ve always been so cute with babies,” she says as she kisses him playfully, and Dawson smiles and mumbles a thank you into her mouth as he kisses her back. “You’re gonna be a great father” she states, and Dawson looks at her funny.

“Do you have something to tell me?” he inquires, raising his brows.

“God no!” she laughs as she nestles herself under his arm. “But what if I did?” she asks, looking at Dawson expectantly.

“Well…” he seems to ponder the question for a moment. “I don’t know if I am ready to be a father just yet, but if there is someone I can picture myself being one with, that someone is you. A little girl with your brown big eyes,” he smiles at her.

“Or a boy with these cute dimples of yours,” she grins, gently poking her finger in his face as one of them shows when his smile grows wider.

“I think we’re gonna have very cute babies,” Dawson states, and Joey agrees. “Someday,”he adds.

“Yeah, someday.”

They sit in silence for a minute before Joey speaks again.

“So... are we gonna talk about it?” she asks.

“I don’t even know what I need to talk about,” Dawson says, his face now more serious.

“Your mother was worried about you and how you might react,” Joey says cautiously.

“I didn’t know I was supposed to react in any particular way.” Dawson says surprised.

“That’s why she requested your help with the coffee?” Joey nods her head, Dawson shrugs his shoulder. “Well, it's her house. Their house now,” he corrects himself, "so they can do with it whatever they want. I just don’t agree with taking away all the old photos, that’s all.”

“You mean your father’s photos,” Joey states softly.

Dawson sighs.

“I understand that she can’t live in the past, holding onto memories of someone when there is no chance them coming back. But I guess it's hard to watch.”

“I know” Joey says, taking his hand. “You’re still this hopelessly romantic kid deep down, aren’t you? The one who believes in never-ending love stories, that goes beyond everything. Just like us.”

“Yeah, I guess it's that,” he smiles at her. “And I guess that it's harder watching it than just knowing that it's happening.”

For a moment, they sit in silence just watching the kids play.

“And how many of them are we gonna have?” Dawson asks all of a sudden. Joey rolls her eyes and laughs.

Outside the Potter B&B.

(“Moments like this” by Alison Krauss starts playing in the background)

The evening is warm and the sky is still blue and clear. We see Alex and Lily coming out of the house and immediately running off together. Joey comes out of the house with a baby stroller, where Amy is happily sitting.

While the dying world re-defines, the reasons we strive to exist
We feign control though we’re bound to learn the meaning of moments like this
Cause in the peaceful hour, the quiet spell
Seduced by the promise of bliss, we soon forget that nothing's happened yet
We're living for moments like this

“Alex, don’t go too far. Wait in there!” she instructs her nephew.

Dawson comes out behind her and closes the door as Joey places the coat tightly around Amy.

Just then, we see a group of people arriving to the spot where Lily and Alex were waiting for Dawson and Joey. They are Jack, Grams, Audrey and Andie. The kids run to Grams and she laughs, patting their heads.

So hold me, whisper gently this is what we live for, how we learn who we are
It defines us, ever reminding us that life never is more precious than this

“Hey, guys,” Dawson greets as he walk near to them, Joey by his side, pushing the stroller.

“Well, here we are,” Jack says, immediately leaning down to catch Amy, who giggles and reaches out her arms for him to get her. Joey unbelts the baby and Jack takes her in his arms, covering her face with sweet kisses.

“How is my baby, huh? How is my baby doing?” he asks softly as Grams reaches out to smooth the baby’s hair.

“We finally decided to stop by the IceHouse to pay a visit to my father.”

From the dim light in the grayness, the aim of the soul tends to miss
When the clouds catch fire and the oceans pitch
We're made for the moments like this

“Sounds good to me,” Jack says as he puts Amy over his shoulders, to the baby’s delight.

“Jack, are you sure that’s okay for her?” Andie asks, concerned.

So hold me, whisper gently that there's nothing to fear
You'll always be near, to remind me, to stand behind me
Although life can be rough we can never give up

“Come on, McPhee, Relax. Your brother knows what he is doing.”

All the heads turn to see Pacey walking towards the group, with Doug following slightly behind.

“Oh shut up, Pacey,” Andie jokes back.

“Hi again” Joey says, smiling at him.

It's in our power to face the storm with all its fury and madness
The flash of thunder roll behind us with a longing and sadness
The clouds will break.

“Hi, everybody,” Pacey laughs,“ planning a party without me?”

“No, Pace. We could never do that” Dawson jokes. “You can smell parties from a thousand miles away,” and everybody laughs.

“Now, those were the days, my friend,” Pacey jokes back.

“So… are we heading to the bar or not? I need some snacks,” Audrey complains.

“No bar, Audrey. No bar,” Pacey lectures her. “A restaurant. And a classy one, mind you.”

“Whatever you say, as long as you have some snacks,” she states, stubborn.

Hold me. Whisper gently this is what we live for, how we learn how we are
It defines us, ever reminding us that life never is more precious than this
Hold me. Whisper gently that there's nothing to fear,
You'll always be near, to remind me, stand behind me

As they all joke, no one but Grams notices the weak smiles Jack and Doug exchange as the sheriff gets closer to his ex-boyfriend to greet Amy, who seems very pleased to see him.

"Hey Doug, I´m glad to see you here" Jack says smiling warmly at him.

"Yeah, me to. Pacey asked me to come" he says, and can´t help a certain tone of acussation in his voice that Jack catches inmediatelly.

"I thought about giving you a call, but I wasn´t sure if you were on duty or not" he says, sounding sincere.

"It´s ok, no problem" he says as he gives a kiss to Amy and retreats to his position by Pacey´s side, leaving Jack´s gaze trail after him..

Soon, they all start walking together, this time Dawson pushing the stroller with Grams on one side, Joey on the other, linking arms with Andie. Audrey is walking by Jack, her attention on the baby, who is making her laugh. Pacey and Doug walk together as well, side by side, as Alex and Lily run ahead, impatient.

They’re just a group of people, enjoying a winter evening in a small east coast town, glad to be around each other in despite of the circumstances that brought them here.

Although life can be rough we can never give up.

CREDITS