Disclaimer: Ok, as much as I'd like to brag and say that I owned Dawson's Creek and all the characters, I don't. So let's all kneel down and give credit to the people who really deserve it. Author's note: This starts up after the season 3 finale. I must apologise to anyone who thinks what I'm doing to their little 'clique' is cruel. It probably is, but the point I'm trying to get across is that in real-life, people aren't that forgiving. Out of all the fights and break-ups with friends that I've had in the past year (five), I've only made up with one of those friends. Maybe I'm just stubborn, but the harsh reality is that not everyone would be happy to just forgive and forget about what someone did if that thing was estrange themselves from you for the past two summers. I just thought I'd clear up my reasons for what happens to them throughout my story. Feedback: I love feedback! Please tell me what you think of my writing abilities. But I must say... as Nikki said - "Constructive critism only, please." Well... that and suggestions for what you believe should happen. Send all email to [email protected]
Part One: Homecoming
Joey stepped off the boat, followed by Pacey. He carried a large sports bag, which he handed to Joey. He stepped back onto the boat, went inside, then emerged a minute later carrying a similar bag. They placed the bags on their shoulders and walked away from the boat, hand in hand. Joey leaned against Pacey and put her head on his shoulder. The appropriate question to ask now seemed to be 'what's wrong?' - but he didn't need to ask - he already knew. In the past three months, Dawson hadn't showed any signs of trying to make contact with either of them. He hadn't once replied to any of their letters or their emails. To be honest, they had stopped sending letters after the first two. It was too weird. Thanking Dawson for letting him borrow his ex-girlfriend slash best friend (or not so best friend anymore) for the summer? How could he do it?
They had phoned a few times, but they never got to actually speak to anyone. Most of the time they got no answer. Occasionally, they got an engaged tone. They got the answering machine a couples of times, if they were extremely lucky. They hadn't left any messages. They wanted to get to speak to him in person, not for him to hear one or the other of them pleading for forgivness, not being able to leave a number and say, 'get back to us soon, buddy?' No, it was far too weird. They couldn't do it. To be perfectly honest - they were scared. Scared of returning to their lives back in Capeside. It seemed ridiculous - Pacey and Joey being afraid of Capeside? Never! But they were. They were. And now there was only one person that they had left to turn to - the same person that they had spent the whole summer turning to. The one who was holding their hand right now. That was reassuring - but for some reason it just wasn't reassuring enough.
"Honey, I'm really worried about Dawson," Gale said to Mitch as she sat down to eat dinner. "I know," Mitch replied. "Since we came home he's said about eight words to us. Those eight words being 'I'm fine', 'like I'd care' and 'leave me alone'. And it's not just us who he rejects. Andie, Jack and Jen also come around numerous times a day, but he usually ends up storming away after two minutes." Gale swallowed her mouthful of potato and put down her fork. "It's like, well, no one can reach him anymore. Everyone wants to help, but he won't let anyone in. I - I feel so helpless! He's our son, Mitch. He's our son and he won't talk to us! He refuses to eat dinner with us, and to be perfectly honest - I don't think he's eating at all." "We have to help him. I mean, he lost the most important thing in the world to him, and gave up on the only other important thing. He's spending twenty-four hours a day locked up in his room doing god-knows-what. We need to help!" Mitch told her, struggling to find the right words. They walked up to his room together and knocked twice. They waited for two long minutes, but when they got no answer they eventually just entered. Gale reached for the lightswitch and flicked it on as Mitch entered the dark room. The lightbulb flickered twice before it burnt out and the room become dark once again. It didn't take long for their eyes to adjust to the blackness of the room. Nor did it take long for them to realize that Dawson wasn't there.
"Jen! Thanks for coming over," Andie exclaimed as she opened the door. "I'm really worried about Dawson. Come in." Andie lead Jen into's Jack's bedroom. It was practically her second home now. Jack was lying on the bed with his face (and mind) buried in a magazine. He looked up. "Hey, Jen!" he said happily. "I'm glad you made it." She sat down beside him on the bed. Andie flopped backwards onto the couch. "Hi, Jack," Jen replied. They all sat in silence for a while, not sure how to actually express what was on their minds. Andie sighed. They were getting nowhere. "Anyway..." she said, probing them to say something. She sure wasn't going to be the one to start this conversation. "What're we going to do, Andie?" Jen asked, distressed. She ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't know! God, Jen. I wish I knew of some way to reach him and fix all of this, but I don't. I really have no idea! I can't turn back the hands of time!" Andie blurted out, frustrated. "If only we'd stopped him from... being how he is now. If we hadn't let him slip so far away from us. If I hadn't let him..." she trailed off. "Remember the start of the summer?" Jen asked calmly. "Yeah. We all said that we'd be there for each other all the time - we failed," Jack replied. "We failed miserably," Jen muttered. "No, you guys," Andie said. "We didn't fail." "Yes we did! How can you think for a minute that we didn't fail?" Jack asked. "But it's true," Andie said. The others just looked at her, confused and curious. "Explain," Jen said as she unwrapped a lollipop. "Ok, maybe we couldn't help Dawson - but we helped each other," Andie began to explain. "Remember at the start of the summer that Jack was depressed about Ethan, Jen was... well... you know her situation with Henry, whatever it was." Jack smiled. "And I was torn up about Pacey." Jen and Jack nodded. "We were pathetic," Jen muttered as she twirled her lollipop around in her mouth. "Well... we're not like that anymore!" Andie finished happily. Jen smiled. "Yeah. Now we're like Dawson, Pacey and Joey," she said. They both starred at her as though she had majorly insulted them. "Uh, when I first met them, I mean." Jack smiled. "I know. Jen and Henry are still together, and are living proof that absense makes the heart grow stronger." "Jen and I are both guaranteed to win scholarships - fairly this time, thanks to that SAT prep course," Andie chirped. Jen rolled her eyes. Andie had somehow talked her into spending her holidays studying. But once she had confessed the truth about last year's PSAT's she had fully understood her reasons. "And that cute guy working at Leery's Fresh Fish has a crush on Jack," Jen said casually - forgetting that Jack was currently unaware of this fact. "He does!?" Jack screamed excitedly. Jen just smiled. "Yes! Yes! Woo hoo! Oh Jen I could kiss you!" Jack yelled as he hugged Jen and jumped up and down. Andie smiled, glad to know that they could turn what was meant to be a very depressing topic into something to laugh and scream about. After Jack and Jen's little dance around the room died down, Jen felt that it was about time to bring up what she had come around to talk about. "Ok, ok. Back to the subject," she said. "I know, I know. The return of Pacey and Joey," Jack said, disappointed that they had to move on from their previous subject. Suddenly, an awkward silence hung over the group like a black, foggy cloud, and Andie suddenly took an intense interest in her shoelaces. "Promise me you won't tell them about...," she trailed off, ashamed. Jack looked over at Jen, who shook her head. "We can't promise you that, Andie," Jen told her. "These two people are the ones who have known Dawson all his life, better than anyone else. And despite what's happened between them this summer, I think they have a right to know the truth. And if they decide to rebuild their friendship with him, they need to know what they're getting into. What this guy is really like now." "But you can't! They'll hate---" "They won't hate you Andie. And they have a right to know." Andie sighed. "Ok, I guess," she muttered, as she let the tears which were welling up in her eyes fall freely down her cheeks.
Joey squeezed Pacey's hand then knocked on the door three times. The door creaked open and the person on the other side of it looked delighted to see them. "Joey!" Bessie exclaimed, grabbing her into a big hug. She turned to Pacey. "Pacey! I'm so glad you're back!" she yelled as she hugged him too. "Have you been taking care of Joey for me?" Joey eyed Pacey who had a wicked glint in his eye. She returned it, as though they were having a silent conversation. Eventually, she returned to the conversation in which sound was involved. "Oh yeah, he's most definitely been taking care of me," she said with a smile. Bessie eyed her suspiciously before inviting them in. While they walked towards the lounge, Pacey lent over and whispered into Joey's ear, "Well, reunion number one didn't go too badly. Now we only have five to go." Joey rolled her eyes. "Thanks. That really helps," she muttered sarcastically. "That really helps."
What do you think?
I NEED OPINIONS!!!
What is Andie so ashamed about?
Is Bessie as happy to see Joey as she acted?
How will reunion number two go? Here's a little teaser/spoiler for you guys: He WHAT?!?!" Joey gasped in horror.
Jen nodded, avoiding their eyes. "I'm sorry. We promised to all be there for each other, but it didn't work. It didn't help him at all. Infact, it just made things worse - obviously."
"Oh my god," Pacey muttered, finding it hard to take this all in. "I - I always thought that he was one of the good guys. I - I never thought that he would stoop this low!"
