Teaser:

It’s very early in the morning at the loft shared by Dawson Leery and Joey Potter. There’s a feeling of nostalgia in the air, as the two lay side-by-side on the bed, totally dressed up to go to work.

Dawson begins to cough, as Joey puts her hand against his forehead.

“I don’t get it!” she complains. “This came out of nowhere! You work way too much Dawson. The Spielberg show, and whatever you say you’ve left; you’re still involved in ‘The Creek’. Not to mention I know you have something else going on in your head.”

Dawson looks at her surprised, although only a little, that she actually knows that. Joey just nods her head knowingly with a ‘if you think you can fool me at this stage of the game, you’re the only fool here’ look.

“How did you know that?” Dawson asks.

“Because I know you way too well. And working so much can be no good.”

Dawson manages a small smile, amused at her preoccupation.

“Nah, it’s not about work. Actually I think it must be all those times we spent out in the pouring rain,” he jokes, sniffling slightly.

Joey half-smiles at him.

“Probably a 24-hour bug or something,” she suggests. “I’m sure it’ll pass, but in the meantime you’re gonna take some aspirins,” she says as she stands up and heads out the room. Sighing, Dawson takes a hand to his forehead and knows that she is probably right and he needs some aspirin.

He sits up on the bed just as Joey walks back into the room and sits by his side, handing him the pills and a glass of water.

“Just don’t give it to me,” she jokes as he stands up and swallows the drugs with some water.

“Or you’ll do what?” Dawson challenges, leaving the glass of water on his nightstand and walking back to the bed, a smirk on his face that is mirrored by Joey’s.

With a quick movement, Dawson pulls her down on the bed. Giggling, Joey squeals and looks at him in the eyes, smiling mischievously.

“What?” he inquires playfully, and Joey kisses him. Dawson kisses her back, cupping her face and they end the kiss smiling against each other’s lips.

“Ok, I got it.” Dawson says, Joey’s eyes still closed as Dawson opens them and looks at her lovingly. Then they rest foreheads and stay like that for a brief moment before Joey speaks again.

“Isn’t strange how we’re taking the term ‘living in the past’ to the extreme?” Joey asks him. “I mean, me going back to school and everything.”

Dawson shrugs.

“I prefer to think of it as ‘righting wrongs’,” he suggests.

“Lord,” Joey complains. “The way you said it makes us sound like the three amigos.”

“Who’s the third?” Dawson jokes.

In response, he receives a shove from her.

“Hey, careful!” he warns her chuckling. “I’m a sick man, remember?”

“And it’s dangerous to tease me!” Joey reminds him, half-smiling, half-threatening him, but the only thing that she gets is that he embraces her even tighter, to what she happily obliges.

“In all seriousness, Dawson…” she continues, playing with the hem of his shirt. “You’re sure we’re not just having a mid-mid-life crisis?”

He shakes his head and laughs, kissing the tip of his nose.

”Joey, we can’t be going through a mid-life crisis yet, when we don’t even are 30. I think we can have over…” he makes a mental math, “14 years more of stability”

Joey pretends to punch him in the stomach and he laughs, “All I know is that it’ll be so cool dating a college girl,” Dawson jokes, taking her fist in his hand, Joey interlacing her fingers with his. “You know…since I sorta spent a grand total of six months actually taking college courses?”

Joey laughs.

“And who’s fault was that, Mr. Leery?”

(Music of the credits starts playing in the background)

Dawson just smiles and gets closer to her, staring at her lips. A lazy smile curves Joey’s lips as she sees Dawson approach her. They start to kiss again, slowly first, playfully and deeper then, when Joey throws her arms around his neck. After a moment, Dawson stops and places a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Um…Jo?” he asks as Joey nuzzles his neck, so all he gets as a reply is a muffled ‘Hmmm?’ Dawson looks over the clock with a smile pasted in his face because Joey’s lips feel so good that for a moment he forgets what he was going to say. “You remember we’re supposed to be leaving for work, right?”

“I told you, you work way too much. I’m sure no one is gonna notice you’re ten minutes late.” she states clearly as she moves to the other side of his neck.

Dawson can’t help but chuckle as he closes his eyes, knowing that he is losing this battle. And damn if he cares.

“And you do remember that I’m sick, right?”

“Pft!” she scoffs, muttering the last words into his mouth. “Ask me if I care.”

A low chuckle escapes Dawson’s throat as they continued to make out.

CREDITS.

Later in the morning, but still early, a New York Street.

Jack is walking with Audrey with her arm linked with his. We see them walking from afar, talking and sorting people but we don’t get to hear what they’re saying until they get closer.

“So how was our fave couple this morning?“ Audrey asks, referring to Dawson and Joey, since she knows Jack is staying with them as he always does every time he comes to the big apple. Dawson gets offended if he doesn’t. “I talked to Dawson on the phone yesterday and his voice sounded odd. I told him I thought he was getting a spring cold.”

“I don’t know, I haven’t even talked to them this morning. I left before they woke up. I wanted to go and take a walk and just… take some time for myself. Get lost in this big city, Jen’s city,” he says, looking around him with a smile lingering in his lips. “That is something I can’t do in a place like Capeside, a town so small that I know way too well.”

“I know what you mean, although my feelings are sometimes the opposite,” Audrey is saying, pouting her lips lightly as she looks straight ahead and Jack looks down, listening to her. “Sometimes I feel as if this town engulfed me, as if I couldn’t breath in it, you know? I am trying to find myself and I can’t do it with all the people, the noise, the buzz around me. Sometimes I feel as if getting out of here, but as if I had nowhere to go.”

Jack looks at her inquiringly.

“Are you ok Audrey? I mean, everybody is concerned about me, but sometimes I wonder if everybody is ok, or not, and you all are just avoiding to tell me because you think I have too much going on in my mind already.”

Audrey shrugs her shoulders and flips some hair over her shoulder.

“I am still thinking about it. It’s been a rough week and I don’t really know what’s wrong. I just know that there is something wrong, and I… I need to find out what it is and fix it, if it can be fixed.”

“I don’t think there is nothing in you that needs to be fixed Audrey. I just think you need an objective to focus in. Something that motivates you.”

“And so said the teacher,” Audrey laughs, getting a laughter from Jack as well.

“I think I have…” she continues, “I think I have found it. It is music. I love music. It makes me feel alive. But maybe I am looking at it from the wrong perspective,” she says, but the thoughts still not taking from in her head, the thoughts that have been there for a while now, but are still as evasive as the first day. “I mean, I keep fighting for it, because you just have to fight when you want something, you know? You have to fight and try or you’ll never know what it could have been and that just sucks,” she says vehemently, in true Audrey’s style, making Jack chuckle quietly even though he knows she is being serious and he agrees with her. But Audrey always makes him smile. “With time, you will regret that”.

“You are right,” he says, looking in front of them as they walk quietly for a moment.

“A penny for your thoughts?” Audrey asks tentatively.

“What you said before. About not trying, no fighting and about regretting it later.”

“Nothing is lost with Amy, and you are fighting like a lion Jack,” Audrey says, trying to encourage him. Jack smiles at her, and then shakes his head.

“It’s not that?”

“Oh,” is all she says about it. “So… have you seen him lately?”

“Yeah, a few times. Sometimes I see him as he pass driving the police car in some of the daily tours/shifts? He likes to make to make sure everything is ok. Sometimes we have even met at the B&B, because he likes to visit Amy as well. And each time, I keep thinking if maybe… if maybe I was wrong asking him for time.”

They come to a stop and Jack looks at the impressive building in front of them. Audrey looks up at it as well, to the building that seems to reach for the sky.

“If I was wrong to push him out of this, out of my life,” he says, and Audrey looks at him with a serious expression. “And I miss him.”

“Have you told him?”

Jack looks at her as if she was crazy.

“Tell him I miss him? That maybe I was wrong?”

Audrey nods her head silently, her arm still linked to his. Jack seems to ponder the right answer to her question.

“Do I have the right to do so?” Jack replies with another question. “I mean, how can I go to him and tell him that I am reconsidering all the things I said? To disturb his life like that again.”

“And what if that is what he is waiting for you to do? To go back to him,” she shoves him gently, and Jack smiles.

“I don’t know. So maybe… maybe you’re right.”

“And, not to break the moment, but what about this other guy? The one you have been kinda dating here in New York.”

“Dating? I wouldn’t call that dating. We have been out for dinner a couple of times whenever I have been here. He’s been a good friend, helping me go through this experience that he has experimented as well in some form. But that’s… that’s basically it. I thought that maybe it could be more. That maybe since he understood me, since he knew what I was going through and since he has been out of the closet for long time just like me, things would just… happen if they had to. But they didn’t.”

“Love sucks,” Audrey states firmly and passionately. Once again, Jack laughs.

“Yes, it does.”

They both look at the building again and Audrey finally squeezes his arm lovingly.

“Go there and fight them tiger!” she says. “Get your little baby back.”

Jack smiles at her and places his hand over hers.

“Thanks for coming Audrey,” he says.

“Absolutely no problem Jackers,” she smiles back and watches him go, an idea forming in her head.

At the same moment, in Capeside.

Pacey runs his hand along the bar top at the Ice House. He stops to look above the middle of the bar at the poster of The Creek that hangs there. He remembers the day that the Ice House had been reopened. He often wondered after the opening if he had chosen to reopen the restaurant that Joey’s family had once owned because he wanted her back in his life in some way or was it just the right opportunity for him at the time. Deep inside he had known the answer then just as he did now.

Back in his office now, he glances around at all of the things that are on the wall. He glances at one it reads, “Capeside´s Restaurant of the Year” while another one reads, “Capeside´s Best New Restaurant”. While renovating the Ice House had been a difficult task, Pacey had embraced the challenge and now as he peered at the walls of his office at the time the awards that he had received had fed his self-esteem but now, he knew how to do that on his own. He smiled remembering a recent time when he and Andie had been in Capeside to see Jack, Amy and Doug. They had chosen to go to the Ice House late that evening before returning to Boston. The restaurant had closed early that evening and they were all alone. Andie had helped him cook dinner and as they were finishing their meal she had reached out her hand covering his and had looked him in the eye then softly said, “I always knew you could do whatever you put your mind to you just needed to figure that out for yourself,” was all that she had said. She had been right, you have to do things for yourself and not for anyone else and that is where true happiness lies.

(‘100 years’ by Five For Fighting starts playing in the background)

Walking out of his office back in to the restaurant area, his eyes catch someone sitting on the patio area of the Ice House. Pacey smiles and goes to join him. Mike notices him and smiles, shaking the papers in his hands.

I'm 15 for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are

“The order to Boston. The new oven will be here in a couple of days. The bills are already paid but the 40% that will be paid once the oven is installed, as you said” Mike says triumphantly.

Pacey just smiles and nods his head in approbation. Mike notices that there is something in the young man’s mind and putting the papers aside, he stares at Pacey. Pacey notices and taking a deep breath, he takes a step that he knows he has to take, and that there’ll be no turning back.

I'm 22 for a moment
She feels better than ever
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars

“I’m gonna sell this place,” Pacey says confidently.

For a moment Mike just keeps staring at him.

“How come? You’ve done so much with this place. It is like I had always imagined it could be. It is like I was trying to make it be before…,” his voice trails off.

15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live

“I know. I like the place. I love this place, and it was great being here, and it helped me to find myself somehow and it helped again now. When it all started this was all that I needed, all I wanted. This, and what this… represented. Now I don’t. Now I wanna start a new phase in my life. A new chapter. And I can’t do it here” he says as he looks around appreciatively, but knowing that each and every one of his words are holding the truth.

“I’ve always been curious, what made you buy this place?”

Mike’s question takes Pacey a bit by surprise.

I'm 33 for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a they
A kid on the way
A family on my mind

“I know what you’re thinking Mike and… yes, in part it had to do with Joey. But it wasn’t only that. Maybe it had to see with all of us. This place always had great potential. I could even see it when we were all younger and used to hang out here. But I think that was part of the reason as well: I had memories, I had a story here. It somehow represented everything I thought I had lost or all the times I could never get back and that… that was a part of why I liked it so much.”

“That’s not a bad reason, as long as it doesn’t stop you from moving forward.”

I'm 45 for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life
15 there's still time for you

“I know. And that is why I am leaving. I can’t move forward here. I am still here, but already feeling as if this is a part of my past, even though I haven’t left just yet.” A beat. As Pacey tries to explain once again his feelings and thoughts, not only to Mike but also to himself. “I guess you could say that I’ve learned what I can from an old friend,” the look on Mike’s face is one of confusion causing Pacey to continue. “This place,” he motions around the restaurant, “is like an old friend and it is has taught me so much and now I’m ready to move on and let it go, “ Pacey states flatly.

Time to buy, Time to lose yourself
Within a morning star
15 I'm all right with you
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live

“So… who is gonna buy it?” Mike asks, trying to disguise the light anxiety in his voice, going through some papers that are on the table.

“Who else? You.” Pacey states calmly, looking him in the eye when Mike looks up at him surprised.

“I’d really be interested in buying the place from you,” Mike quickly states. “There’s a problem though with me buying this place.”

“And what’s that?”

Half time goes by
Suddenly you’re wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
The sun is getting high
We're moving on...

“Money,” they both lightly chuckle. “Money…the root of all evil or so they say,” Mike continues as they both nod their heads.

“Just think about it ok?” Pacey says as he stands up, ready to open the door to the early clients that he knows will arrive soon. His brother Doug among them. “I’m sure there is a way,” he adds, patting Mike’s back as he walks away.

I'm 99 for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are

As we see Pacey´s back as he walks back inside the restaurant, Mike looks at the papers he is holding in his hands and then leaves them softly on the table. With a pensive face, he leans on the chair and stares to the sight in front of him, thinking about Pacey´s proposal.

Every day's a new day...
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose

Back to New York City.

It’s another lovely day of Spring. People are walking quickly down the street as if they are in a hurry to get to their destination. Many are talking on cell phones or listening to music, oblivious to everything around them. In the midst of the crowd we see Dawson and Joey walking together down the street, talking intimately, Joey laughing as Dawson kisses her cheek with their arms around each other. Compared to everyone else on the street, they are taking their time, enjoying the weather and each other’s company. They finally stop in front of an office building and Joey jumps in Dawson’s arms, kissing him passionately for a few minutes while people continue to move around them.

“Well that’s some goodbye,” Dawson says, pulling away breathlessly as Joey looks at him mischievously.

“I don’t want to go to work today, how about you pretend to still be sick so we can go home and play doctor,” she says, raising her eyebrow seductively at him. He laughs nervously, but considers her proposal for a minute.

“As much fun as that sounds, if you plan on taking me out for a ‘glad your better’ dinner, you need to go to work today,” he says, leaning in for another kiss, chuckling as she wraps her arms around his waist, pulling him closer.

“You, Dawson Leery, are no fun, losing your edge at your old age?” she laughs.

“Old age? Please little girl, once I’m back in tip-top shape I’ll show you that this man in front of you still a young man at heart,” he says, faking an all macho posture.

“Okay I think I can handle that,” she says, hugging him tightly.

“Hey I almost forgot, did you call about art classes yet?” he asks, holding her hands, playing gently with her fingertips.

“Yeah I did and apparently all of the studio painting and drawing classes are full so my only option outside of basket weaving is sculpture,” she frowns, trying to hide her disappointment.

“Sculpture eh?” he asks, pondering her statement. “Well even I know the importance and artistic expression of basket weaving but I think sculpture is a great alternative.”

“Really?” she asks, surprised.

“Oh yeah,” he says, moving back a bit. “In high school you were mostly focusing on canvas and painting so maybe the change of pace will really get you back into this, expand your horizons and expose you to other artistic endeavours.”

“Well you might have a point there, I guess I could give it a try,” she says, pondering his statement.

“Plus I am dying to get some new vases and statutes for our living room, I know the mantle is just crying out for a flower vase,” he says with a smile, feeling her swat him on the shoulder.

“Well maybe I’ll be able to produce you something along those lines,” she laughs. “But it won’t go on the mantle, it would have to be the bookshelf near the kitchen.”

“Negotiable, we can discuss more later,” he laughs, wrapping his arms around her, growling gently as he kisses her neck, moving closer to her lips.

“Okay mister, if you want this dinner then I should get going,” she says softly, trying to wiggle out of his arms.

“I may be changing my mind Miss Potter,” he says. “Maybe we could just dine in toight so we could go home now.”

“No, no, you need to get all of your strength back and I have to go to work before Ethan and everyone begins picking through my desk,” she says firmly, kissing his lips a few quick times.

“Alright, go, call me later?” he asks hopefully, giving her puppy-dog eyes.

“Later yes, but for sure not in the next ten minutes,” she laughs, hearing him sigh.

“If you say so,” he says, giving her another quick kiss before she disappears in the building, giving him one last wave. After she’s gone, he smiles and turns around, ready to mix in with the rest of the crowd on the streets.

Jack’s lawyer building.

After talking to his attorney, Jack goes out of the office building to call Grams with his cell phone. Being inside there for too long sometimes makes him nervous, and he feels as if he needs to breath some fresh air.

“Hello?” A shaky voice says on the other end of the line.

“Grams?” He questions, although he knows that he has called the right number it.

“Yes, Jack,” she says as she clears her throat.

“Are you okay?”

“Jack I’m fine. I’ve just been drinking some tea waiting for your call and almost fall asleep,” she laughs softly, making Jack smile.

“I have good news. The lawyer said that having you on my side is probably the only way that we have some chance of winning.”

In the other side of the line, Grams lightly sighs but Jack doesn’t notice as he keeps on speaking. She knows that she is doing the right thing, but this is just one more thing that has come between her and her daughter.

Jack shuffles his feet for a moment before asking the next question.

“Have you heard anything from Helen?” he asks not to sure if he wants to know the answer.

“No,” she states rather quickly. “And I doubt I will. Until the moment she is informed I’m fighting for Amy’s custody I guess.”

“I’m sorry Grams. It was never my intention…” he starts to half explain half apologize what they both know already, but he can’t help it. It hurts him that Grams, at her old age, finds herself in such an uncomfortable situation.

Just then something catches Jack’s eye: a father with his little girl. The little girl is dressed in yellow, her hair a medium blonde blows slightly in the wind. Jack continues to watch as he shifts her from one side to the other talking to her and playfully jostling her up and down slightly. The little girl giggles and so does the father.

And Jack knows that he doesn’t regret it. That yes, he wishes that things could have been different, easier. For him and for Grams. But he wouldn’t do it any other way. He wants to be that father. He wants to have Amy back and…

“Jack?” He hears a voice call.

“Uh yeah,” he says, finally snapping out of his thoughts and watching as father and daughter walk away.

“Thought I lost you.” Grams says, worried.

“No, still here sorry,” he answers, “sorry”.

“Are you feeling ok? You stayed at Dawson and Joey’s, right? Is any of them with you now?”

Jack can’t help but laugh.

“No Grams, they both are working. And too immersed in their little happy world forever and ever after, so I didn’t want to bother them with this. Audrey came with me though.”

“God blesses her here,” Grams smiles, because even though Audrey is a nutty case sometimes, she likes the young woman.

“She seems to be a little troubled lately, so we gave each other some company this morning. Gotta call her later…” he murmurs, more to himself than to Grams. “Anyway we’ve got a court date, a definite one.”

Grams stops what she is doing realizing that it is finally going to happen. In one way she is glad, in another she knows that this could be when they lose Amy.

“Yeah I know. Scary, isn’t it?” Jack says, knowing exactly what is going through Grams’ mind just like it went through his when he was given the date.

“Yes it is, but we have nothing to be afraid of. The end is near, but it can only mean good things for us and that little angel,” Grams says, convinced.

Jack smiles remembering all of the times that Grams had been the voice of reason, the voice of compassion and the voice of faith.

“Thanks. It saddens me though that no one is really a winner here, not really. If we win, Amy could lose the chance to get to know her grandmother. If she wins, my promise to Jen will mean nothing and you won’t be in her life,” Jack’s voice catches in his throat.

“Now Jack I won’t have that kind of talk! Think positive thoughts. I know that I am, and that is what we both need to do. Haven’t you ever heard the idea of when you send out positive thoughts they are returned to you? So this is what we are going to do.”

Jack laughs, “Yes, Sir!” He can’t help but to smile. “I’ve got to get going, have some things I need to do before I head home. I’d like to do some more researching in the library of this place about any other gay’s parent’s trials.”

“Ok then, just go. I’ll see you when you get home.” She says, and is about to hang up when Jack calls for her.

“Grams?”

“Yes Jack?”

“Thanks,” he smiles and so does Grams.

Jack pushes the end button on his cell phone and is still glancing down at it as he walks through the front door of the building and looks up just in time not to run in to someone.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t see… you” he says, the last word hanging in the air as his eyes focuses in the tall, dark haired man standing in front of him.

“Jack?”

Jack’s mouth hangs in surprise when finally, recognition hits him.

“Drue?”

New York street, near Joey’s publishing firm.

“Dawson!” A voice says behind him as he is leaving Joey’s office building. He turns around, surprised to see Ethan walking towards him.

“Hey. Seems like everybody is getting late today,” he smiles at him as they shake hands.

“I only hope Joey’s reason was as good as mine,” Ethan smiles and Dawson laughs out loud, male complicity passing between them.

“I hope so. But I guess that means Samantha will be late as well?”

All the reply he gets is Ethan shrugging his shoulder, and he shakes his head, amused.

“Anyway, just the man that I want to see. I was actually going to call you sometime today if I didn’t catch you here.”

“Why is that?” Dawson asks.

“Do you have a second?”

Dawson can see that something is going on but not to sure what it is, he is guessing though that it might have something to do with Samantha.

“Something tells me that you need more than a second from me,” Ethan lightly laughs and Dawson smiles.

“Actually, you’re right.”

Dawson takes a look at his watch, “I’ve got about 10 minutes.”

“Great,” and Ethan begins to ramble a bit, “Its about Samantha. She’s amazing and I have these feelings for her and I’d like to give her a surprise and I need your help,” a pause “I really like her Dawson,” he adds with a big grin on his face.

Dawson half laughs, “Yes, I get that impression.”

They both laugh

“So how can I help you?”

“I do know one definite way of making Sam happy is taking her to some sort of sporting event, so I was thinking to take her to this big event the Yankees are preparing for next week, but I have no way to get a couple of tickets. So I was thinking that maybe…”

“That maybe I could get you a couple of tickets?”

Ethan nods his head, hopeful.

“I can always try” Dawson smiles at him and Ethan smiles back, happy. “I’ll even let her off early if you two want to go to a game,” Dawson adds playfully, pretending to be all bossy.

“We can even go together, the four of us, what do you think?”

“I think it sounds great, let me ask Joey and I’ll get back to you…” he states, raising his eyebrows as his cell phone rings.

“Dawson Leery,” a pause, “I’m on my way,” he hangs up the phone.

“Seems like you gotta go.”

“Yes, I better.” Dawson replies.

“Dawson thanks,” Ethan says, shaking hands once again.

“No problem. I’m glad that she’s found a guy that cares about her.” Dawson smiles at him sincerely.

“You can be sure of that,” Ethan says honestly. “Tell her I said hi, ok?”

“Will do,” Dawson says, quickly walking to the road to stop a taxi when his cell phone rings again. He smiles big when seeing the ID in the screen, and pushing the answer button, he puts it to his ear without saying a word.

“Ok, so I lied. It’s been like nine minutes, but I almost did it this time!” Joey’s voice says happily as Dawson chuckles and gets on the cab.

Still in the lawyer’s building, outside.

Jack and Drue are still standing face to face, as people pass them by.

“Wow,” Drue exclaims, a big grin in his face. “Look who we got here.”

“Drue Valentine,” Jack says softly, not tearing his eyes from Drue’s, still trying to process that he had to meet him, of all people, in such a big town like New York.

“Oh come on Jack, don’t look at me like that,” Drue winks at him. “It’s always nice to meet someone from the good old Capeside´s days,” Drue says, although is clear he is being sarcastic. “Let me invite you to a coffee.” Drue suggest happily once the initial shock wears off.

Jack isn’t crazy about the idea. Drue Valentine had never been one of his favourite people, but manners tend to hold priority over old grudges.

Then again, this was the snot-nosed punk who gave his sister drugs.

Eventually Jack’s better nature wins. High school had been a lifetime ago. It is possible the guy has matured. So he finally agrees to join the guy for a cup of coffee.

“Imagine my surprise to find Jack McPhee in the Big Apple,” Drue remarks once they are comfortably sitting in a little cafeteria near the place where they met. “Came a long way, haven’t you? Me, I never thought they’d let me leave Capeside. That place was like a prison.”

Jack sighs.

“Well, I still live there,” he explains. “It’s a long story. I’m just in town for a bit.”

Drue nods, understanding.

“Staying at the Ritz, are we?” he jokes.

“Actually, I’ve stayed with Dawson and Joey,” Jack corrects him. “It pays to have friends in the city.”

Drue’s eyes go wide and then his face transforms to a mischievous smile.

“Wait, back up!” he says. “Did you say you were staying with Dawson AND Joey? As in, they’re living together? When’d they get hitched?”

Jack laughs at the assumption.

“They didn’t,” he informs Drue. “Yet. But they are living together. It’s kinda complicated.”

“Oh please!” Drue scoffs, taking another sip of his latte. “When isn’t it with those two? Pacey must be freaking out. Admit it… they’re getting the third degree from Grams for ‘living in sin’ aren’t they? I can picture it now: ‘Jennifer, could you please tell your friends…’”

(‘Play crack the sky’ by Brand New starts plating in the background)

We sent out the SOS call
It was a quarter past four in the morning
When the storm broke our second anchor line

Suddenly, Jack’s face acquires a somber look. He knew this moment would come. Drue stopped in mid-sentence, realizing something’s wrong.

“So, how’s Jen doing anyway?” Drue says, changing the subject. “I can imagine her surprise when her favourite n’er do will shows up on her doorstep again.”

Four months at sea
Four months of calm seas only
To be pounded in the shallows off the tip of Montauk point

“She died last year,” Jack whispers.

At this moment, Drue’s face falls. Jack could have sworn he was shocked by the news. Almost…heartbroken.

They call them rogues
They travel fast and alone
One hundred foot faces of god's good ocean gone wrong

“Oh my god…” Drue whispers, struggling to find words. “I’m – I didn’t know. I mean, no one told me. How…? I mean…I never even had the chance to say goodbye.”

Despite himself, Jack feels pity for him. The guy seems to be truly shocked and… something more he can’t decipher.

“I’m sorry,” Jack admits, with a sigh. “Giving this kind of news is not easy, not even giving them to someone like you”

Drue looks at him clearly hurt and Jack regrets his words, so he tries to drift the direction of the conversation.

“Amy’s the lucky one, I think. She’s too young to know she lost her mother. Too young to even remember her.”

What they call love is a risk
Cause you will always get hit out of nowhere
By some wave and end up on your own

“Amy?” Drue asks, in his face disconcert, quite not believing what he thinks he has heard.

“Her baby daughter,” Jack explains. “Before Jen died, she left Amy to me. Now Jen’s mother is trying to take her away and we’re in a fight for the custody. Me and Grams, that’s why I am here today.”

Drue’s eyes go wide and he seems to be more confused and shocked than ever.

The hole in the hull defied the crews attempts
To bail us out
And flooded the engines and radio
And half buried bow

“Daughter?” he asks, seeming as if he hasn’t even heard the rest of Jack’s words. “Wow…that’s just…” and then slowly, almost magically, Drue’s expression changes from one of shock and sadness to one of panic.

“How old is she?” he asks, matter-of-factly.

“Huh?” Jack asks. “Amy?”

Drue nods his head, impatient. Jack furrows his eyebrows, weird out by the question.

“Why do you…?”

Your tongue is a rudder
It steers the whole ship
Sends your words past your lips
Or keeps them safe behind your teeth

“Dammit Jack, how old is she?!?”

Jack is taken aback by the intensity of the question. He assumes Drue is shaken up by the news of Jen’s death so he doesn’t take it personally, but finds it strange though. All that intensity.

“Just over a year,” he answers. “Why?”

Drue takes a deep breath, collecting himself.

But the wrong words will strand you
Come off course while you sleep
Sweep your boat out to see
Or dashed to bits on the reef

“Do you know who the father is?” he asks after a moment.

“No,” Jack replies, shaking his head. “She never introduced him to us, you know Jen.”

It is now that Jack notices Drue’s face has gone a pale white. He looks like he has seen a ghost.

”Didn’t she talk to you about some guy named Greg? Or something like that?” he asks, urgently.

“Why?” Jack inquires. “You know him? Did you met him or know where to find him?” jack asks as something very similar to panic starts to rise and spread through his body.

This story's old but it goes on and on until we disappear
Calm me and let me taste
The salt you breathed
While you were we are underneath.

“I gotta go” is all that Drue replies, his voice practically a whisper.

I am the one who haunts your
Dreams of mountains sunk below the sea
I spoke the words but never
Gave a thought to what they all could mean

Before Jack can even begin to protest, Drue leaves some money on the table and quickly makes a beeline to the exit.

I know that this is what you want
A funeral keeps both of us apart
You know that you are not alone
Need you like water in my lungs

“Drue, wait! Wait a minute!” Jack says, standing from his chair, making the people around him look at him with curiosity.

But it is too late. Drue is already gone. Now alone, Jack looks down at his own cup, trying to think of what could have spooked him so badly. And what it is more important, if maybe Drue knows something that could help him with Amy. Sighing, he leans back on his chair and closes his eyes for a moment, tired.

This is the end

Lunch time, New York.

"So where to Miss?" The cab driver asks Joey as she settles herself in the backseat of the cab placing her portfolio next to her.

"28th Street and 42nd Road," she tells the cab driver who nods his head and proceeds to force his way back in to the traffic causing a couple of people to honk at him.

Joey looks down; her hands rolled and unrolled the catalogue in her hands. She isn’t exactly nervous, just a bit apprehensive. She had called several weeks prior to inquire about their program and they had offered to send her a catalogue and make an appointment for her. At the time, she had just been exploring the possibility of taking art classes but now she feels that the tide had shifted a bit. For a fleeting moment, she wonders why things had changed. Was it because she had shown Dawson the painting that she had done of his house and the creek? Or was it something that she had always yearned for, knowing someday it would find her once again? She knows it was a combination of both.

The cab comes to a quick stop; Joey pays the driver and gets out of the cab to stand in front of the building. Not hesitating, she opens the door and walks in to the building. Her high heels clank against the tile floor causing an echoing of her footsteps to be heard in the building. The air smells of paint and paper, something that always makes Joey smile, probably because it reminds her so much of her mother. After her mother died, she would curl up in her mother's painting smock because the smell seemed to ease her pain and then of course, there was Dawson who would put his arm around her and just sit quietly with her while she cried.

"Miss Potter," she hears a voice behind her causing her to turn around.

"Yes," she answers.

"I'm Anna --- we spoke on the phone?"

Joey nods her head, "Yes, I remember." She says as Anna outstretches her hand to shake Joey's.

"I see that you brought your portfolio with you," Anna look down at the attaché' that Joey is holding in her right hand.

"Yes...yes, I did."

"Well, how about if we go put that in my office and I take you on a tour of our facility.”

Joey nods her head in agreement and follows Anna down the remainder of the hallway going inside an office and placing her portfolio on the floor.

As they walk around, Anna tells Joey about the school's history and what classes that she thought she might be interested in. Joey feels exhilarated as she walks around the school.

"And last," Anna points towards the long wall next to her office, “these are some of the drawings and paintings that our students have done. We've found that people not only come here to hone their artistic skills but to find out more about themselves and who they are."

"I see," Joey states as Anna walks ahead of her in to her office with Joey following behind. Once inside, they take a seat and Anna smiles politely to Joey.

"Would you mind?" she asks, pointing to Joey's portfolio.

Joey grasps it and lifts it up her hands and she watches as Anna takes her time to look at each piece.

"Why is this one last?" She asks, Joey knowing which is she was referring to.

"This is the last one that I've done," she answers while Anna watches her eyes soften and a simple smile plays across her lips.

"This one should be first, the use of coloring and shadowing is impressive. This must have taken some time," Anna looks down at the painting once again.

"Actually, it was fairly easy," Joey states.

"Joey you have real talent, it isn't pushed upon you and it is something that you can just learn it comes from deep inside you. You are born with it and given the right nurturing it can flourish and grow."

Joey smiles softly as memories fill her mind.

"My mother...," Joey begins as Anna listens attentively, "my mother used to draw pictures for my favorite books. She was amazing."

Anna nods her head, not wanting to ask further than that.

"Joey I think you would love it here. We have wonderful, patient instructors, some of the best. And, we both know that you have the talent," Anna says, smiling brightly at Joey. Joey smiles her back, one of trademark all teeth showing up.

"This feels like a good place to be."

"Well then, lets take a look at the classes that you want to take and see what we have available," Anna turns in her chair to face the computer and pull up the class schedule.

Joey watches her as she scrolls down the screen, "A lot of the classes are already full, I know I told you that you could only be able to attend some sculpture classes, but…" Anna scrolls down a bit more and puts her finger to the screen then she prints something out. "Let’s see what we can do about that” she winks an eye to her and Joey smiles. “Why don't you take a look at these while I go and get some paperwork that I need you to fill out."

"Okay," she hands Joey what she had printed from the computer and leaves her alone in the room. Joey looks at the paper and realizes that are the classes Anna chose for her are all advanced classes. 'Do I really belong in these classes?' She thinks to herself, slightly freaking out. But then she remembers her promise to Dawson about making some vases and painting a mural on their loft, and she smiles as she reads the list all over again, more confidently this time.

Capeside, later that day.

Being a sunny day in Capeside, Pacey pulls up in front of the Potter B&B and gets out with an extra spring in his step, anxious for his daily fix of Amy. Knocking on the door as he walks in, he hears noises in the kitchen and enters in.

“Hello? Bessie?” he calls, stopping short when he sees a blonde woman turn around. “Audrey?”

“That’s right, dreamboat, it’s me,” she says with a smile, hugging him tightly. “Bessie went to the store for some shopping and so Amy could have some sun.”

“Good. So what brings you here?” he asks happily.

“Well I needed to get away for a bit and this was the place that popped into my mind out of nowhere” she shrugs her shoulders and smile at him. “So it seems like the Potter B&B will be my home away from home for a few days at least,” she says, sitting down at the table with him.

“I see” Pacey says, still surprised to find her there.

“It’s nice isn’t it?” Audrey asks after a moment of silence.

“What?” he asks, slightly confused.

“That you have a place like this to go to, seek refuge and collect yourself,” she says dreamily. “Capeside is such a dreamy place. I hope you guys don’t mind me borrowing it from time to time.” she smiles at him.

“Not that I don’t love your poetic thoughts, but I’m wondering if you feel like sharing what’s going on with you,” Pacey finally says, concerned, seeing her withdraw a bit.

“Nothing,” she says.

“Come on Audrey, I know you, we dated remember? You can tell me,” he says, reaching out to hold her hand.

(‘Hand me down’ by Matchbox 20 starts playing in the background)

Audrey’s eyes start tearing as she says. “Tell me, Pace. How do I always end up taking the wrong decision?”

Someday they'll find your small town world on a big town avenue
Gonna make you like the way they talk when they're talking to you
Gonna make you break out of the shell cause they tell you to

“Maybe it is because people insists on you to follow your heart, but what about your soul?. Maybe no matter how much you love a dream, a fantasy, you gotta realize when it is real or when it is just that: a fantasy. The heart can change its mind, but the soul will always remain. It’s forever. And you can’t underestimate that” says Pacey.

“So I guess that you have to find something where you can put both of them: heart and soul, right?” Audrey says, thinking over what he said. “Maybe there is another way to have what you want, but in the way you always thought you would have it, right?” she asks once again, looking at him intensely.

“I guess. But actually, I don’t think I’m the right person to answer your question at all... Because if I knew the answer to that I wouldn’t have done it time after time as well” he laughs.

Audrey shakes her head with amusement. “Come one. How long are you gonna play the underdog role, Pace? Look at you. You are much wiser now that you ever were before. You are exactly where you wanted to be, or heading there anyway. You are not the official loser of Capeside anymore,” she says, remembering how Pacey described himself this way time ago. “And, just in case you never realized it, you never were, as much as you’ve been convinced of that. You never were, believe me. You got a few good things out there, don’t you think?”

Gonna make you like the way they lie better than the truth
They'll tell you everything you wanted someone else to say
They're gonna break your heart, yeah

Pacey remains in silence for a few seconds, like pondering the words she’s just said.

“Maybe you’re right and I just underestimated what I had... or maybe you just give me too much credit,” he says, smiling affectionately to his friend.

“Both correct answers,” replies Audrey with a smile on his face.

From what I've seen
You're just a one more hand me down
Cause no one's tried to give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now

“Then I guess I could be the right person to rely on. What are you hiding from Audrey?” asks Pacey with a worried look in his eyes. Audrey closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “Or should I say who are you hiding from?” asks again while caressing her cheek softly.

Audrey looks Pacey with tears in her eyes.

“The thing is I don’t know,” Audrey says with a trembling voice. “It’s not about something or someone. It’s about everything... about life, I guess. I left London to try to get some fun as the old Audrey... and to chase after my dream of pursuing my idealized singing career. How crazy, naïve and stupid is that? I mean, after all where am I exactly right now? Tell me, Pace, what did I get from all that childish dreams?”

Somebody ought to take you in
Try to make you love again
Try to make you like the way they feel
When they're under your skin
Never once did think they'd lie when they're holding you

“I wish I had all the answers. Sadly, I don’t but somehow I don’t think that knowing all the answers is really important. I mean, maybe that’s in some way how we learn who we are. It’s in the process of trying to get the answers when we found out the most interesting things”, tells Pacey.

“Yes, I think you’re right. Maybe I found out something about the old Audrey and that’s why I’m feeling like this”, says Audrey bitterly.

You wonder why they haven't called
When they said they'd call you
You start to wonder if you're ever gonna make it by
You'll start to think you were born blind

“’Cause you don’t like what you’ve discovered?” asks Pacey.

“Not exactly.” says while she’s trying to order her thoughts. “I guess that I was so eager to leave behind my bitterness that I didn’t realize that it was impossible to recover the old me, the cheerful and careless original one. That maybe I’m not that person anymore,” says Audrey.

“But, this hasn’t to be necessarily bad. That’s something that everyone experiment at some point in their life. People change. We change because we have to, as much as we try to resist sometimes: we change, circumstances change… that’s life”

From what I've seen
You're just a one more hand me down
Cause no one's tried to give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now

Audrey nods bitterly. “The bad thing is not that I’ve changed! The bad thing is that I don’t know who I am now and what the hell I want to do with my life!“ Audrey says out loud and covering her face with her hands while shakes her head. “And... and... I feel like I don’t have family because they’ve spent their frigging whole life thinking about themselves! So I have to depend on friends to ...” Without even being able to end the sentence, she breaks crying again. Pacey hugs her for a while and then he looks in her eyes.

“The way I see it, family is actually the people who care for you, who are there for you,” says Pacey with a sweet smile. “And if so, you have a big family, believe me”

Audrey then smiles and says “Thank God” comically. Nevertheless, her expression soon changes and she starts to play with her glass. Suddenly, she looks Pacey again.

I'm here for the hard times
The straight to your heart times
Whenever it ain't easy

“Why is the truth generally thought to be a good thing? Truth is disappointing and frustrating. But that’s the way life is, isn’t it?”

“I’ll have to disagree with that statement. Life is cruel, hard and heartbreaking, but every now and then it gives us some brushstrokes of greatness, you know, like being here talking to you,” Pacey says with a warm smile.

You can stand up against me
And maybe rely on me
And cry on me, yeah
Oh no, no, no

“You know what, Pace? I’m really happy that, for once in this damn life, the best people aren’t the ones falling down, which is your case.”

“You’re gonna be the next one to stand up,” says Pacey optimistically.

“And when is that supposed to happen? ‘Cause even though I’ve tried to, I only seem to sink lower than before.”

Some day they'll open up your world
Shake it down on a drawing board
Do their best to change you
They still can't erase you

“One of these days, you’ll see. Look Audrey, it’s easy for me to sit here and say those beautiful but superficial words about believing in yourself and blah blah. When you get what you’ve been wishing for a long time and you’re in that kind of optimistic rose-coloured bubble you always think you have the correct answers, which is never true because there are no correct answers. Just because I may be right, that doesn’t mean you are wrong. So, I’m not gonna say anything. I’m just gonna promise I’m gonna be here whenever you need me and you’ll always gonna find in me someone willing to listening to you,” says Pacey. “And I think this is exactly the kind of answer you get from the official loser of Capeside. Not much”, he says, emphasizing the “official loser of Capeside.” part comically, knowing deep inside and finally that he never was that boy anyway.

From what I've seen
You're just a one more hand me down
Cause no one's tried to give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now

“That’s just what I needed to hear. I don’t think I could bear a ‘do what your heart tells you to do’ conversation right now. I’m not exactly in a hopeful mood,” rolling her eyes.

Pacey starts to laugh. ‘How’s that? It’s in human nature to always hope for the best.”

“Nah, that’s not true at all. It’s in Andie’s nature to always hope for the best. You are spending so much time with the girl that you’re even starting to adopt her optimistic treats. I can’t imagine now that you’re gonna live in the same city!”

Lay them down on me
Oh yeah
You're just one more hand me down
And all those nots don't give you what you need

Pacey smiles thinking about how good it felt to hear that. They’re gonna live in the same city and this time he knows for sure it’s gonna be for a while. He loses himself in his thoughts for a brief moment... until Audrey speaks.

“Does Andie have small feet?”

“What?”

“Small feet? You know,” says while gesturing comically with her hands.

“Why are you asking that?”

“Because you told me a long time ago that you were looking for someone with small feet and no soul mate.”

“Oh my god. How can you remember that?”

“Because at the time you told it I thought I could be that person. It turned out that I’m not. But that person may be closer than you think.”

“Wow, Audrey. You moved me. I wonder why you always try to hide your sweet side. It’s charming,” says as he puts his right hand on his chest. But, deep inside, he knows that she might be right, that maybe that person is closer than he ever thought. And that she has already a name.

“One has to keep up appearances,” and she laughs.

“Hey, you’ve laughed. That’s good. You deserve a prize, so the Ice House invites you to drink.”

“Pacey, let me tell you you’re an excellent chef but an awful manager. This is not the way to make your business succeed, inviting people to drink.”

“Well, there’s always the lady in trouble who thanks the gentle gesture,” says Pacey funnily as he points his cheek with his finger to get a kiss.

Audrey kisses him softly in the cheek and they hug. “Thanks Pace.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Oh, and just so you know and this moment doesn’t lead to any kind of confusion, I’m not even remotely attracted to you,” she says with a sly smile. “Because honestly, who do you think I am, one of you guys that can’t move on even if their lives depended on it?”

“Hey I didn’t say a thing, but I thought we were doing pretty good right now didn’t you?” he laughs, sitting back in his chair.

“Whatever you say Pacey, you always did have a somewhat distorted view of reality though,” Audrey laughs, holding her cup of coffee.

So lay all your troubles down...on me

New York, Publishing firm.

Joey is sitting in her office, going through a manuscript, when she hears her cell phone ring. Thinking it’s Dawson, she frantically digs in her purse, a look of surprise but joy on her face when she looks at the caller.

“Hello?” she says, extending the antenna.

“Honey? Can you hear me?” the man asks, a kind tone to his voice.

“Dad? Yeah, I can hear you, what’s up? Everything okay?” she asks nervously, stopping to focus on their conversation.

“Yeah sweetheart everything is fine, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute. Is this a good time?” he asks.

“It’s fine, and you? Is everything ok in there?” she asks, curious why her dad would call at that time. They’re used to talking almost every day, but mostly at night, not in the middle of the day when they both are busy.

“I have a question for you Joey. Something I didn’t expect and I want to know how would you feel about it.”

“About what?” she asks, her curiosity perked.

“How would you feel about getting the Icehouse back?” Mike says quietly, causing Joey’s eyes to widen for a minute.

“Are you serious dad?” she asks, resting her elbow in the table and leaning on it.

“Yep, having the Icehouse owned by the family again?” he replies, waiting patiently for her to digest the question.

“Well I don’t know, I haven’t really thought about it,” she says honestly, taken aback. “But what about Pacey? The restaurant is his now.”

“For now yes, it is his, but that might be changing soon,” Mike says with a slight smile.

“What? He’s selling it? Why?” Joey asks, surprised. Pacey seemed to be so happy with his business. But once again, things are not always what they seem.

“Well we can talk about it later, I know you’re probably busy at work now, but I wanted to see how you felt about it before I did anything else,” Mike says, looking for Joey’s reaction.

“Wait dad, did Pacey offer to sell you the restaurant or was you who suggested it?” Joey asks, still a little confused.

“He wants to sell it, and he has been trying to get me into it the whole morning while we were working” A pause “Honey it’s just a possibility and I know that place has a lot of good and bad memories for us, even with a new building and coat of paint,” Mike says quietly. “But maybe this could be a new start for us, something to really build on and make our own again. Things are different now than they were before, they won’t ever be like they were again,” Mike says softly.

“I know they aren’t Dad, I know, but maybe it’s good to leave stuff like that in the past and not tempt our fate right now,” Joey whispers again.

“Well I know this is a surprise and a lot to deal with, but I wanted to let you know what was going on so you didn’t hear it from someone else,” Mike says, causing Joey to smile.

“Thanks dad, I appreciate it and I promise I’ll think about what you told me,” Joey smiles, leaning back her chair. “But it is ultimately your decision and if it makes you happy, then I am happy.”

“Thanks honey. What would make me happy though is that we all put our effort in this, you know? To make it a familiar business like it was before. I got a few ideas in my head, but I don’t want to keep you any longer. Give me a call whenever you have a break at work and we can talk, ok?”

“Sure, I’ll call you later on,” she says with a smile.

“Love you honey.” his father says with a warm, firm voice, and Joey’s face lights up. Long, long ago, her main obsession was that her dad didn’t love her, didn’t care for her. And now he’s back in her life, for good this time, and telling her he loves her over the phone.

Slipping the phone back in her bag, Joey smiles and then takes a deep breath when she is faced with the manuscript again. Rubbing her temples slowly, she opens her eyes and takes the manuscript.

At that very same moment, at the TV set of New York.

We see the movement of cameras, a few extras here and there, waiting for some instructions. The catering table, where some of the actors are eating something in between takes, and a couple of make up people applying make up to the main actress of the show.

The camera pans out to make a panoramic of the whole TV set when we see Dawson appear by the far corner, followed by Samantha and a couple more of persons, one of them carrying a camera and taking some pictures as they walk by.

The camera gets closer to the group so we can hear what they are talking about.

“And that is basically what we have been filming here for the last three weeks. Everything that needed to be filmed in external locations was filmed the first. That is the major advantage of working on something that is already written entirely.

“So this is more a mini series than a TV show, right?” the journalist asks as the photographer snaps another pic from one of the actors from afar.

“Yes, you can say it like that,” Dawson says as someone approaches him and hands him a folder with some notes on it. “It’s like a mini series, not a TV show with various seasons. Originally, we were going to make twelve episodes, then we decided to reduce it to ten. Some things of the plot were irrelevant and we decided to cut them off. It would help to focus in the important ones” he replies as he has been revising the notes he was given and gave them back to the PA with some of his own over them.

“So this is very different to your own show, ‘The Creek’, that is still being filmed in Los Angeles, right?” the journalist asks as now the three of them sit down and the photograph goes over the catering table to help himself.

“Definitely. The rhythm of work in my show is totally the opposite to this one. Here as I said, everything was planned and determined since the beginning. In a TV show like mine, you can’t do that. You have to be open to changes here and there. Always being true to the core story of course, or trying at least, but it is really different”

“So speaking of that, and since you have already explained everything about this project with Spielberg that we will be able to watch in just a coupe of weeks, right?” the journalist asks to him.

“Right. The first episode is already in post-production.” Sam intercedes seeing that Dawson is not replying.

“Right, thanks” the journalist smiles at her, “what can you tell us about ‘The Creek’ Mr. Leery?. Will there be a third season?"

Dawson takes his hand to his temple, pretending to be thinking, but actually, he is trying to calm down his headache.

“Well, I think a show only has certain amount of time before it starts going downhill. I’m not sure for how long I’d like to keep that show going. I’m still in negotiations with the network, so we’ll see,” he answers diplomatically.

“Dawson, are you feeling ok?” Sam asks, placing a hand on his arm.

“I’m feeling a little sick. I woke up this morning feeling some sickness but then went away. Seems like is coming back now.”

“Must be the spring cold,” the journalist says sympathetically. “It happened to me last week. Anyway, we are done here. Thanks for your time Mr. Leery. See you soon in the premiere cocktail of the show,” she says, standing up.

“Sure, we’ll be there. Thanks for coming Elyse. It was nice to meet you.” he says politely as they shake hands.

As the journalist walks away, Dawson sits down again, the set spinning around him.

“I’ll call you a taxi,” Sam says, taking her cell phone out her pocket.

Capeside, outside the Potter B&B.

Bessie, Audrey and Pacey, who is holding Amy, are in the porch.

“Are you gonna miss uncle Pacey till tomorrow?” Pacey asks, bouncing Amy lightly in his arms as the baby girl smiles adoringly at him, taking her hand to his cheek.

Bessie shakes her head.

“She will miss how much you spoil her,” she scolds him lightly, rolling her eyes, and Pacey notices.

“Why would be that I always have that effect in the Potter girls?” he asks pretending to be serious, to little Amy. “You know, the whole rolling eyes thing,” causing Audrey to laugh out loud and Bessie to swap his shoulder.

Kissing the top of Amy’s head, Pacey hands it to Bessie but is Audrey who catches her.

“Hand the little princess to me,” she coos to the baby, “we have some talk to do, right honey?” she says as she walks inside the house with her followed by Pacey and Bessie’s stare.

“It makes her good being here,” Pacey says pensively.

“Are you talking about Amy or Audrey?” Bessie asks, amused, and Pacey looks at her, smiling.

“Both” A pause “So… has your dad tell you…?” he asks, curious.

“… about you selling the Ice House?” Bessie inquires.

“Yeah. What do you think about it?”

“Pacey, I know we have never get along especially smoothly, for different reasons. It was never that I didn’t like you, it was just that I knew that you weren’t… the right one for Joey. Sorry.”

“That’s in the past Bessie. I understand though.”

“So I’m gonna be honest and say that at first I was startled at the possibility of us getting back the IceHouse. It pained me greatly to have to sell it, and now it getting back to us feels like… fate, you know? Like that is the way it has to be.”

“I know what you mean.”

“So I told my father to go for it.”

“Great,” Pacey smiles at her. “I can’t imagine it in the hands of anyone else but him. It’s not going to happen right now, or next week. There are things to do before everything is resolved. But this is a go Bessie, there is no turning back. So I really hope he decides to go for it.”

“Me too.” Bessie smiles at him and he waves his hand, walking down the porch’s stairs as Bessie closes the door behind her.

Pacey hasn’t walked out of the property yet when his cell phone rings. Figuring that he may as well answer, Pacey picks it up without checking the I.D.

“Hey, it’s your quarter,” he speaks into it.

“Pacey?”

“Joey?” he greets her, a little surprised that she is calling. “Hey! How are you? Is everything fine?”

“Besides my ‘roomie’ coughing up a lung… yeah, it’s going great,” Joey speaks from the other side of the line. “Listen, I need to talk to you about something.”

“Let me guess,” Pacey chuckles. “You got a call from daddy dearest?”

“You’re actually selling the Icehouse?” she asks, just to make sure one last time. “Why pick us?”

“These things usually go in cycles, right?” he explains. “Mike Potter ran the first Icehouse when it melted. I just thought it was fitting he take over this one. Kinda brings everything full circle.”

Pacey hears her laugh from the other line.

“Are you getting whimsical in your old age, Witter?” she jokes. “You even seem to be wise” she jokes.

“Well, you’re the second person to notice today, so there must be some truth on it” Pacey smiles, “it had to happen at some point I guess,” he replies with a big grin on his face, before his voice takes a serious tone. “Hey, have you spoken to Audrey lately?”

“About what?”

“She’s been having some troubles,” Pacey sighs. “The girl, well…let’s just say she has a bad case of the Pacey Witters.”

Joey pauses for a moment, considering what that means.

“Ok, that means what exactly?” she asks. “She slept with a teacher? She built a boat? She spat in someone’s face?”

“She put her career before herself,” he explains finally. “Kinda like what happened to me back when I was working for Rich.”

“Oh boy…” Joey sighs. “She really wants to be a singer, Pace.”

“So much so that she let herself get used by this creep,” he grumbles. “I just hate the thought of that. I hate even more that I can’t do a single thing about it. Man, I just want to track down this guy and wipe that smirk of his face!”

“Pacey…” she warns him.

“Yeah, I know,” he sighs. “I’m not going to help her by fighting her battles. I just don’t want anyone I care about being hurt. Especially when I’ve been there.”

“I think Audrey’s a lot stronger than any of us realize, Pacey,” Joey suggests to him. “Trust me. She’ll bounce back. Just give her time. Otherwise, I’ll wipe that creep’s smirk off myself.” She says and the she sneezes noisily and coughs a little.

Pacey laughs.

“That didn’t sound too good”

All the response he gets is a growl from Joey.

“I think I’m heading home at any moment. I’m feeling sicker by the minute,” she complains as she sniffs into a tissue.

“Say ‘hi’ to Dawson for me,” Pacey says in closing. “See you soon. I still owe you guys a dinner on the house.”

“And don’t think we won’t collect!” Joey reminds him, before hanging up.

A smile on his face, Pacey hangs up the phone and keeps on walking. As he is about to place it back in his pocket, his smile widens. Checking his watch, he presses a button and remains quiet for a while.

“Hi there Andie! This is Pacey. Give me a call when you’re done with your shift. I think I might have some good news for you,” he says as we see him walking out the Potter’s property.

New York city, later in the evening.

Jack is in a cab on his way to the airport after a long day. He had been going over the legal documents for hours, making sure there were no loopholes they had missed. Even with Grams in his corner, the legal battle over Amy was going to be a hard one.

Jack looks out the window and can’t help but his mind going back to his meeting with Drue, and still perplexed at the questions that Drue asked him. Jen had mentioned that she had run in to him once long ago, before she even get pregnant. But she hadn’t mentioned anything else. Or maybe, knowing how he despised the guy after all the ecstasy pills incident, she wouldn’t have told him that something had happened between her and Drue.

‘That’s silly,’ Jack thinks, ‘she would have told me’.

Still thinking about his encounter with Drue, Jack doesn’t at first hear his cell phone ring.

“Sir?” The cab driver says to Jack as he looks in the rear view mirror at him. Jack looks at him, “Your cell phone is ringing,”

Jack feels around in his coat pocket, finds the phone then answers it.

“Hello?”

“Jack, it’s Dawson. You still here?” Dawson asks then sneezes in to the phone, “Sorry about that.”

“You sound sick.”

“That’s because I am.”

“That sucks”

“Tell me about it. So…”

“So, after a long day I’m finally on my way to the airport, not to far away.”

“Was everything ok today?” Dawson asks, concerned.

“Just like I expected it. We have a definitive date for the trial, what only makes everything more real, if possible.”

“Bet you’re anxious to go home,” Dawson shifts in bed reaching for a tissue.

“And speaking of home, I left the keys before I left this morning right where Joey told me last night. Did you get them?”

“Yes, I did. I’m sorry we couldn’t spend more time with you though.”

“No problem, this was just a business trip anyway,” Jack sighs, “and now I can’t wait to see Amy even though I haven’t been gone that long,” Jack smiles as he looks down at his bag knowing that he has a couple of new things for Amy that he had bought while in New York City.

(‘Angeles’ by Josh Kelley starts playing in the background)

“Well, actually that is why I am calling, it’s kind of about Amy.” Jack’s brow furrows wondering where this is headed. Dawson thinks for only a second and then quickly says, “Jack <a pause> I’m thinking about doing a documentary about gay parents. I mean you can’t be the only one that has run in to opposition when wanting to adopt. Granted this is a unique situation but one that I wouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t other people out there that might have the same type of story.”

Sometimes I never know just what to do
Just what to do
Thinkin' about the choices that I'm put through
That I'm put through
So scared for what the future brings for me
It brings for me
It's time to pack my bags and get it right
Let's get it right

Jack is taken a bit by surprise. He thinks for a moment about the time that he had helped Dawson with his movie. It had been late one evening, Jack had been working on the model of the town while Dawson did some revisions on his script. The TV was turned on, the volume rather low neither one of them paying much attention to it until a new program came on, a documentary. Dawson took a moment and glanced over at the TV. They both took a break and sat there, together, watching the documentary. What it was about, he couldn’t remember but he did remember Dawson telling him that if he found the right subject someday that making a documentary would be something he would like to do.

“Jack? Are you listening,” Jack shakes his head for a moment.

“Uh yeah.”

“So what do you think?”

“I didn’t hear all of what you said,” Jack has to admit.

“That’s okay I was just rambling pretty much because of the fever.” Dawson jokingly complains and Jack laughs. “We’ll talk about it later. I know you have other things on your mind. Just think about it. I’m sure it has been done before, but not the way I wanna do it. I still have to go over the details, but before doing anything, I wanted to make sure that you had nothing against it. Mostly because a great part of the documentary would be centred around you, and Amy and… well, the circumstances that lead to the whole situation.”

Going out to Angeles
Keep me restless for the days
Going out to Angeles
Bringin' me to find my way
Going out to Angeles
Keep me restless for the days
Going out to Angeles
Bringin' me to find my way

“It’s a great idea Dawson. It could be interesting, so I’m all for you making a more detailed outline of it and then we can talk about it. Today is just not the day though.” Dawson nods his head and there is a brief pause before Jack speaks again. “Actually something strange happened today. Believe it or not, I ran in to Drue outside the lawyer’s building, literally almost ran in to him.”

“You’re kidding!” Dawson says, sitting up on bed. “I guess that could happen seeing as how he grew up in New York?”

“I guess, but it was still… weird. We went and got some coffee. Dawson, he didn’t even know that Jen is dead. But the weirdest part came when I told him that she had a daughter and that I was raising her. If you could have seen his face. Then he started asking questions. He asked me when Amy’s age and if Jen had a boyfriend when I found out that she was pregnant.”

Dawson eyes furrows suspiciously.

Going out to Angeles
Keep me restless for the days
Going out to Angeles
Bringin' me to find my way
Going out to Angeles
Keep me restless for the days
Going out to Angeles
Bringin' me to find my way

“Jack you don’t think…,” Dawson’s voice trails off.

“Dawson I don’t know,” Jack knows what he wants to ask, he wonders that now too. “I know that Jen was having some trouble with her boyfriend and well, seems like Jen and Drue were in contact with each other at that time? So I don’t know.” Jack runs his hand through his hair.

“Jack, that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Yeah, I know Dawson. Listen I can see the airport terminal. I need to get going.”

“Okay Jack. I’ll get back with you when I know more about the documentary.”

“Okay,” Jack echoes, then hangs up the phone.

Going out to Angeles
Bringin' me to find my way

At that same moment, inside another taxi, in another New York street.

Joey is sitting in the back seat of a cab, putting a hand to her forehead and whining a little, feeling sick. But still, she is holding her cell phone to her ear, waiting for the person in the other side to reply.

“Hey, about time! I was starting to get worried,” Joey laughs.

“Awww thanks mom, I appreciate the concern,” Audrey says sweetly, laughing along with Joey as she is sitting on the floor of the B&B kitchen, rolling a colourful ball to Amy, who is sitting right in front of her, her little legs spread to catch the ball in between them. “So what’s up, you and Dawson detached yourselves from one another for the afternoon and you decided to invest some of your little non-couple time with little old me?”

“First of all, Dawson and I are not joined at the hip, regardless of what you see or hear,” Joey says, rolling her eyes. “And second of all, I always have time for you, no matter what I’m doing.” She sneezes loudly and sends an apologetic look to the driver through the review mirror as Audrey puts on a horrified face in the other side of the phone, looking at the cell in her hand as if it could bite her.

“Yeah okay, I’ll keep that in mind when you and Dawson are sucking face in front of all of us or his hand is mysteriously disappeared under the table,” Audrey says, wanting to bug her friend.

“Ha ha, funny” Joey replies and Audrey laughs.

“Oh it’s okay, it’s actually kind of cute.” Audrey replies, knowing that she succeeded.

“Thanks, but I wanted to talk to you about something in particular, which is part of the reason I called you, outside of the fact that we haven’t hung out a lot lately even though we live in the same city,” Joey says, getting comfortable in the seat.

Audrey looks curious about what she has to say as Bessie takes Amy in her arms, saying that is time to eat something and sleep. Audrey waves at the baby and listens to Joey.

“I know you’ve been through a lot lately and have a lot going on and I wanted to let you know, if you didn’t already, that I don’t want you to leave me out of this or feel like you can’t come to me for help or to talk or anything,” Joey says, her voice firm and hoping that Audrey knows that she is being sincere.

“I know Joey,” Audrey says softly, adopting an Indian position with her legs crossed and still in the floor.

“I know you know but I wanted to tell you again so you don’t forget,” Joey says firmly. “I wasn’t there for you a lot when you were in rehab back in college and I want you to know that I’m really here for you now, no matter what is going on in my life.”

“I know that Joey, I know you’re here for me,” Audrey says, not really knowing what else to say, moved by Joey’s concern.

“Well things aren’t like they were in college, I’m not distracted by school or my brad new last boyfriend or other horribly dramatic and angsty things,” Joey says, laughing a little at the memories of such times. “You’re my best girlfriend and I want you to really know that I would do anything to help you, even if it’s just listen and tell you everything is going to be okay.”

“Thanks Bunny, I appreciate it,” Audrey says, “I just didn’t want to interrupt your honeymoon with Dawson. You two are so in your own little world that I felt as if I was only going to bug you” Audrey pouts, realizing how silly that sounds now that she has said it out loud.

“God Audrey! Don’t you ever say that again! What are friends for? Beside, now that we have no more drama in our lives, we are more that willing to live it vicariously through our friends.” Joey laughs and Audrey raises her brows.

“You know, that wasn’t very nice” she jokes back.

“Argh, I know, I know. Must be the fever.” Joey complains, taking a hand to her forehead again.

“Oh bunny, you’re sick?”

“Sick and going home so Dawson can nurse me. He’s already there feeling as sick as I am”

Audrey laughs.

“No surprise there. And just for you to know, you’re such a spoiled girl,” Audrey says as the cab comes to a stop.

“I know,” Joey smiles. “But honestly, jokes aside, feel free to stop by any time at our home. Dawson and I love visitors and you should see what we’ve done with the living room,” Joey says, handing the cab driver the money.

“Oh really? Well I just might have to stop by one night,” Audrey says with a smile.

“Please do, the more the merrier,” Joey smiles, getting out of the cab.

At night, Jack’s house, Capeside.

The night was quiet. Grams had gone to sleep some time ago and Jack is revising some tests for the next day at school. The knock comes on the door so suddenly that Jack almost falls out of the chair.

Groaning at yet another interruption, Jack answers the door.

Much to his surprise, and for the second time in the day, he finds himself face to face with Drue Valentine.

“Hey?” he greets Jack. “Can I come in?”

“Drue?” he asks in surprise. “What are you doing here in Capeside? How did you…?”

“Find you?” he asks. “You’re listed, McPhee. Not hard to do in a place like this.”

”But all the way from New York…” Jack says, still surprised.

“Jack, please, can I come in?” Drue asks again.

With a nod of his head, Jack invites him inside. As he steps through the foyer, Drue makes sure to take in the surroundings.

“Nice place,” he says. “So this is where you and Grams live in? And Amy?” he says, turning to Jack, who just closed the door.

“Grams and me. Amy is under Bessie’s custody now. Remember her? Joey’s sister.”

“Oh, yes, I do remember” Drue replies after a couple of seconds trying to out a face to the name.

Then he notices the picture in the corner. One of Jen and Amy. Leaning down, he gently traces on contours of both their faces.

“She’s beautiful,” he whispers. “They both are.”

His voice is so charged of emotion that behind him, Jack stares at him curiously.

“Drue?” he asks softly. “What are you doing here?”

Drue stands back up, and after one more moment of looking at the picture, turns to face Jack.

“Jen wanted you to take care of her daughter, right?” he asks. “And now her mother’s trying to take her away? Well, I’m going to help you, Jack. I’m going to help you fight her.”

Jack gives him a look, trying to understand.

“Why do you care so much?” he asks.

“Because… Because the last time I saw Jen, something happened between us. That was just over two years ago, Jack.”

Drue gives time for the thought to sink on Jack’s mind, and then continues talking, his eyes never leaving Jack’s.

“So there’s a very good chance that Amy’s my daughter, too.”

Jack’s mouth hangs open. His throat becomes dry, as he goes completely speechless.

The legal battle to come had just gotten a lot more complicated.

Meanwhile, in New York.

“Dawson you are so not a typical guy,” Joey, who is lying in the bed, says as a shirtless Dawson walks back in to their bedroom with crackers and tea.

“You’re just now noticing this?” He questions playfully as he places the tray on the bed and Joey smiles widely.

“Most guys are such babies when they get sick, and here you are getting me tea and crackers. Audrey is right, you spoil me way too much,” she says, a big grin on her face as she places a quick kiss on his lips.

“Is not big deal, I just happened to arrive here sooner than you and is feeling better first,” He says, getting back in to bed. “When’s our next dose of cold medicine anyway?” Dawson asks as he pours tea for both of them.

Joey glances at the clock.

“Actually now.”

With that she goes to the bathroom with only her shorts and a pink shirt under Dawson’s stare, then brings back the bottle of cold medicine.

“You look great in that shirt,” he comments playfully as she pushes her to his lap.

Joey giggles and rests her forehead to his.

“Well, thanks Mr Leery.” she replies, looking at his lips, then smiling up at him.

Still in his lap, she watches as Dawson pours the medicine on to a spoon.

“How can you do that and not get it all over the bed?” She asks, as he doesn’t spill a drop.

“I don’t know…talent,” he jokes.

“Thank God this doesn’t taste that bad,” he says as he takes his doses, then gives her own to Joey. She opens her mouth just in time and a small drop of liquid remains at the corner of her mouth causing Dawson to lightly kiss her right at that spot.

('Smile' by Josh Rouse starts playing in the background)

“Mmm,” she murmurs. “If I recall right, this is how we got sick,” they both lightly laugh, then she cuddles against him. Now that their fever has gone down, at least they can stay close to each other without suffocating.

I know this sounds absurd
let me start this verse
your passion has slowed you down

“I talked to my dad today.” Joey says after a while, Dawson’s fingers playing with her hair. “Pacey is selling the Ice House and he wants him to buy it. Needless to say my dad wants to buy it as well.”

“Wait, Pacey is selling the Ice House?” Dawson asks rather confused, looking down at her, who looks up at him and nods her head.

“Kind of shocking I know, but he told my father that he wants a new challenge and that it is time to move on.”

In the corner you sit on a chair
where's that shirt you wear
it makes you look so soft

“So what do you think of your dad owning it?” Dawson asks curious to know Joey’s response. After all the Ice House is linked to a lot of memories. Good… and bad.

“At first I was unsure. Maybe unsure is not the word, but it felt… weird, you know? Then my dad and I talked again more calmly and I think it’s a great idea. Actually, my dad made me an offer. He made an offer to both, Bessie and I, that we’d all be partners.”

And I won't ask for much
I won't ask for anything
at all

Dawson is quiet for a moment as the events of the night when the Ice House burned down all those years ago flash before his eyes.

“Dawson?” She rubs his leg gently to get his attention. He looks in to her eyes, ”I know what you’re thinking about,” she says as her hand cups his cheek and he leans in to her hand.

And I won't ask for much
I won't ask for anything

He places his hand on hers then closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them, smiling at her.

You could just sit there and smile

“I think it’s great if you want to take your dad up on his offer. If it makes you happy Jo,” she smiles indicating that it does. “And it could be interesting, you and your family with the Ice House, me and my mother with the Leery´s,” he realizes, pondering the possibilities.

Fell into a sleep
fifteen minutes deep
you can't hold a thought there

“I know,” Joey says, even more animated now than before. “Maybe with time our families can join business or something,” she grins at him with her all teeth smile. “There goes an idea”.

“Maybe,” Dawson smiles back. “And speaking of ideas, I called Jack today. I’ve had this idea churning in my head.” and Joey laughs because of their conversation that morning. She knew she was right about Dawson plotting some other project. Dawson just looks at her and smiles, knowing why she is laughing, “It would be a documentary and wanted to get his opinion.”

“Why’d you call Jack?” She questions as she moves to sit now in front of him in the bed.

This apartment's cheap
it's breaking gods heart to see
you look so down and
inspired

“I’ve been thinking about Jack’s situation and how their must be a lot of other people out there in the world going through what Jack is going through. Wouldn’t it be great to make a documentary about gay parents?” he says with a glimmer in his eye.

She looks in to his eyes as they twinkle and glow, she has always known that when Dawson gets that glimmer in his eyes about a project that it is important to him. Joey doesn’t even have to think for a second with what she says next,

“I think it is a great idea!” she grins at him. “And what is even better, we can work together again! Jack is also my friend and I wanna do something for him too. So I can help you with research and contacting people to share their stories,” she says excitedly, putting her hair behind her ears.

I won't ask for much
I won't ask for anything
at all

“I take it you like the idea?” Dawson asks, happy that not only she supports him on this, but that she is also willing to work with him.

“I not only like the idea but I love the idea of working with you again,” she snuggles up to him again and runs her hand over his bare chest.

“Me too. I can’t wait,” Dawson says, tilting his head down and he is about to kiss her when Joey sits back up quickly, taking Dawson by surprise.

“Where should we start, with researching the information or with interviewing people and how are we going to get people?”

And I won't ask for much
I won't ask for anything

She grabs a pen and paper from the drawer of her nightstand and begins to form a plan of action.

“You’re marvellous, has anyone ever told you that?” Dawson says, excited by her enthusiasm.

“Actually yes, a few ones,” she jokes and Dawson rolls his eyes. “Anyway, I think we should start with an outline of who is going to do what?” Joey says, back to business.

You could just sit there and smile

“Okay, I’m sure that Jack will have some ideas too, since a great part of the documentary will be about him and Amy. We’ll need to start a phone list of people to contact and…”

“What about Jack’s lawyer?” Joey asks as she sits next to Dawson and starts writing furiously some notes.

and smile
<on and on and on>

Dawson embraces Joey, who leans on his chest and they continue chatting as the camera pans away…

CREDITS.