Pacey chuckled, running his fingers through his already messy hair. He checked his watch. The blank computer screen had been staring back at him for hours. "You could say that."

David came into the office and stood beside his desk. "What time did you get in?"

Pacey sighed and shook his head. "I don't know; seven, maybe." He glanced out the window. "Jen back yet?"

"Not 'til tonight. She stopped by her grandmother's for a visit."

"Really? She went to Capeside?"

"That she did." David nodded, smiling. He straightened and headed back to the door. "Listen, Pace, I need a break from the Anderson page. Lemme work on that a while for a change of scenery, huh?" He gestured toward Pacey's G4.

Pacey nodded. "Sure." He stood up after David left and stretched, raising his arms above his head and bending his torso sideward. He sat back down and looked at the empty screen in front of him, shaking his head in disgust.

He hadn't gotten any sleep at all in the last couple of days. He'd gotten out of Anne's apartment at five that morning to go for a jog, trying to clear his mind. He left for work before she woke up, determined to at least accomplish some work. But he hadn't been able to come up with a single thing.

"To hell with it," he muttered, grabbing his jacket from its hook and walking out of the office.

***

He found himself outside their - Joey's - door, a paper bag with two Gray's Papaya hotdogs in one hand. He'd been walking around aimlessly when he saw the restaurant and remembered how they used to go there whenever they craved hotdogs, even when it was late at night. He'd decided to surprise her with an impromptu lunch.

Pacey gave the door three sharp knocks and waited. He actually didn't have to, since he still had his keys. He dug them out of his pocket and stared at them, attached to a keychain together with his keys to Anne's apartment. He looked at the door, already with half a mind to turn around and leave. What was he doing?

He stepped back and turned to start walking away. She's not home anyway, he thought to himself.

He'd taken several steps away before he went back and used his keys to open the door. "Jo?" He called, just in case. He closed it gently behind him and walked in, stopping in the middle of the room. The blinds on the windows were closed, casting a gloomy shadow over the apartment.

No one was home. It felt different, lonely. He stood there for a long time, just taking in everything. His heart felt heavy in his chest, and he realized that he'd been taking shallow breaths the entire time that he was there.

He shoved the keys back into his pocket and walked out of the apartment, locking it behind him.

"Pacey?"

He stopped. "Jen? I thought you weren't gonna be back 'til tonight."

"Thought I'd surprise David." She smiled brightly and gave him a quick hug. "Gray's?" She glanced at the bag.

"Yeah, I was going to - wait, what are you doing on this floor?" Pacey gave her a mock-condescending look.

"Well, I - um, I was going to say hi to Joey."

"You're out of luck. She's out." He hooked his arm with hers and led the way to the elevator. "So, how was your trip?"

***

"Here."

Joey looked up at her sister, who was holding a glass of lemonade toward her. "Thanks," she replied, taking it.

It was Monday afternoon. She and Jen had talked all the way to the train station, still trying to dissect what was going on between her and Pacey. She'd made Jen swear not to tell him where she was, told her not to even mention Joey around him. She was determined to get him out of her head.

If only she didn't find herself thinking about him all the time.

"You're welcome." Bessie took a seat beside her. "Easy to miss, isn't it?" She commented, looking at the creek.

Joey smiled. "Especially in New York City. Washington Square Park doesn't exactly compare."

Bessie looked at her. "You've certainly been looking at it a lot lately."

"Keeps my mind off… other things."

"It'll be okay, Jo." Bessie assured her softly.

"I don't even know if…" Joey looked helplessly at her. "I don't even know what I feel anymore, Bessie."

"You'll know." She squeezed Joey's hand briefly before standing up. "You'll know when you see him, Jo."

Joey's eyes stayed on the creek as Bessie walked back to the house. She took a deep breath, hoping the fresh air would clear her head.

"Sounds serious."

The deep voice startled her, making her head turn quickly toward where it had come from. "Oh, my God," she exclaimed in surprise. "Dawson?" She went to hug him tightly. "It's been so long!"

"Yes it has." He smiled, sitting beside her. "How's New York?"

Joey rolled her eyes heavenward. "Right now, I just want to forget I ever left Capeside! What are you doing here? How's California? Met any tall, tanned blondes lately?" She grinned.

He laughed. "More than I care to remember. I'm here for the summer - just arrived this morning. Of course, my mother already informed me that I just missed Jen, so I thought I'd come over before you suddenly disappear as well."

"No, I think I'm going to stay a while."

Dawson looked at her thoughtfully. "And how are you?"

"Oh, you know, just enjoying the creek, wishing I was a kid again." She sighed, unconsciously revealing her melancholy.

"You sounded like you had something pretty heavy on your mind."

Her smile was ironic. "I was actually trying to clear my mind."

His eyes searched her face. "Wanna talk about it?"

Joey looked back at him, considering the invitation. Could she? With all the history sitting between them? "Let me think about that."

Dawson nodded, and they sat for a while in comfortable silence.