�I heard a rumor that you were around here,� Jen said with a grin as she came up behind Dawson�s familiar form.

Dawson whirled around and smiled at her. "Yeah, I was dragged from my room by Pacey. And it was Jack's brilliant idea to come here." She smiled back as the brunette he'd been dancing with moved away, and he held out a hand of his for Jen to take. "May I have this dance?"

She smiled accepting his hand. �Yes, you may.�

He smiled and twirled her around quickly before settling into a rhythm with her. "Well, how's your evening been?"

�Saying interesting would be the under statement of the year.�

"Yeah?" He pulled away from her slightly to look down at her face. "You meet someone?"

She shook her head. �Not looking for someone right now.�

He smiled softly at her, "You don't have to be looking for someone to find them."

�Well, it seems like you�re in quite the optimistic mood. Is there someone I should hold accountable for this?� she teased.

He shook his head, "No, I'm just having a good time. It's been a while since I've hung out with women I haven't known for at least the last 2 years. It's refreshing."

�Ah yes, the idealistic feeling of meeting someone new, someone who doesn�t know you or anything about you and the sentiment is returned.� She smiled. �It�s been a while since I�ve done that.�

"That's what you're here for isn't it?" He asked above the loud sound of the music pulsing over the dance floor.

�Yeah...more of a distraction though.�

He offered her a sympathetic smile. "Still going through break-up hell?"

She sighed. �Yeah...but now it�s more like purgatory, there�s light at the end of the tunnel.�

He smiled, "I'm glad. You deserve to find someone who treats you right."

"Don't we all."

He shrugged, "Some of us more than others."

�Yeah well right now I�m not riding high on the relationship karma,� she said with a dramatic sigh. She forced a smile. �But it gives me a chance to focus on my friends.�

"And what good friends we all are." He paused, "For some reason, we're all seem to register pretty low on the angst scale these days."

Jen brought a finger to her lips. �Shh! Be thankful for our lack of daytime drama activity. Senior year brings enough stress on its own.�

"Yeah, wouldn't want to jinx it." He replied, bobbing his head in rhythm with the music.

She tried hard not to laugh at Dawson and instead bit the inside of her cheek. �Nope wouldn�t want to do that.�

They fell into a silence as Jen watched Dawson make a fool of himself. He couldn't dance, but he looked cute trying.

Jen�s eyes landed on Pacey who was across the room hitting on some blonde. �Hey any idea what�s up with Pace tonight? He�s acting more obnoxious than usual.�

"You got me," Dawson replied, following the direction of her gaze. "But I've noticed it too. He's acting restless and malcontent in addition to obnoxious."

�Weird,� Jen remarked thoughtfully. She and Pacey were probably not the best of friends at least not on the same level as she and Jack was but she still found herself worrying about him. Jack had her to talk to and Dawson had either Pacey or Joey to run to when he needed to talk but Pacey kept more to himself. There were only a few times when he�d actually opened up to her and even then, they�d only danced around the subject. She frowned her eyes still on him; maybe she�d try to talk to him later and see what was wrong.

"I've known Pacey for years...a lifetime really," Dawson snorted, "And I still don't know what's up with him. I've really only seen him like this once before."

Jen turned her attention back to Dawson with rapt interest. �Really? When?�

"Last Valentines Day," he turned thoughtful. "I guess I forgot you weren't there. He was really...restless." Dawson frowned, "He ended up hanging upside down from a tree after drinking himself into oblivion."

Jen frowned suddenly finding the cuffs to her blue sweater fascinating as she remembered where she spent her last Valentine�s Day; it had been her first real date on that hallowed day. And look how well that turned out, she thought bitterly, remembering how Henry had over sold his blood just so he�d be able to take her out to her favorite restaurant and buy her a ring that ended up not fitting her. They�d spent the rest of the night in the hospital eating Jell-O.

"You're looking a little tired, you okay?" Dawson asked after a few moments, noticing her far away look.

She nodded distractedly; her hazel eyes melancholy. Why�d she have to go and think of Henry? Things so far had been going well. �Yeah�I think I�m just going to sit this one out.�

"I'll join ya. I've been dancing since I got here." He smiled wryly, "If you could call what I do 'dancing'."

�I�m sure it qualifies as a form...somewhere.�

Thanks for the reassurance." He replied wryly, following behind her as they worked their way through the crowd of dancers. He raised an eyebrow at one girl who was getting pretty wild with who he assumed to be her boyfriend.

�I�ve seen worse in New York,� Jen commented noticing Dawson�s look and returning it. �Although this is not a far second.�

Dawson just raised his eyebrows and continued to follow behind Jen.

�Hey guys.� Jen gave a small half wave as she climbed onto the seat between Andie and Jack.

�Heya,� Andie responded scouring the room with her eyes. �You haven�t seen Joey have you? She disappeared with my guy...�

Jen shrugged. �She�s around here somewhere.� She let out a rushed breath and leaned her head on Jack�s shoulder. �Having a good time?� she asked tilting her head so she could get a look at his face.

�The best,� Jack deadpanned. �Can�t you tell?�

She stuck out her tongue at him. "No need to get all snippy."

He smiled at his friend and wrapped an arm around her waist tugging her to him. �And how are you doing Miss Lindley?�

�A little tired. My feet our killing me.� She turned her attention to Andie. �How come none of the guys in our little clique can dance?�

"We were cursed." Andie replied, "It's our responsibility to teach them. Really Jen," she gave her friend a serious look. "We've failed in our duty as friends."

Jen smiled. �Yeah, we suck.�

"It's not that bad," Jack spoke up. "You've trained us well in other areas."

�You know if someone passing by were to hear you they�d get the wrong idea,� Jen said with a smile.

Dawson shrugged, "Who cares. We know he means that we know not to buy butter popcorn for Joey or that Andie only drinks Evian water. And no Adam Sandler or Steven Segal movies under any circumstances." He shook his head. "Pacey's right. We need to branch out more."

Jen and Andie laughed before Andie sat up as the chords to one of her favorite songs began. �Ooh, I love this song.� She gave Dawson her best pleading look. �C�mon dance with me.�

"Must I?" He pouted, reluctantly sliding out of his seat.

�Yes,� she said grabbing his hand and guiding him back onto the dance floor. �You do.�

He groaned and allowed her to drag him away.

Joey laughed as Matthew demonstrated a dance move specifically done by girls. "Nice hiney you got there." She chuckled, slapping his ass teasingly as he straightened.

He rolled his eyes and smiled. Pulling her back into the circle of his arms, her back to his front. She lifted her arms over her head, and curved them back around his neck, her cheek to his as she swung her hips. He drug his hands down her side slowly, his fingers brushing the curve of her breasts lightly as they traveled to the swell of her hips, causing a light shiver to course through her body. He exerted light pressure, pulling her tighter against his crotch.

She froze, wide eyed, feeling the swell of his erection against her ass. Her panic faded though, as she realized that she was responsible for the state of his groin. She'd inspired desire in a perfect stranger. Smiling, she moved tentatively against him again.

She heard his breathing grow a little heavier in her ear and felt his hold on her hips tighten, increasing her confidence. He dropped a line of light kisses on her neck as they ground against each other. She slid her arms fluidly down his arms, her hands coming to rest over his. He slid his fingers over her smooth stomach, sliding them underneath the hem of her skirt, holding her against him and teasing the sensitive skin of her lower stomach at the same time.

Most of her first stirrings of unease began to dissipate as the tempo increased and her movements grew more fluid as she became lost in the music, moving with far more ease than when she had first started. She grew bolder, moving silkily against him, the pressure mounting between them as they ground against one another, pressing and searching. She curled an arm around his neck, raking her short nails over the taught skin there and focused on moving her hips in time with the beat.

By now the two of them had drawn quite a crowd of onlookers, her eyes widened self-consciously, but she relaxed as everyone began to laugh, and clap and cheer them on. She smiled turning in his arms and slid a leg between his thighs, straddling his leg continuing to dance lasciviously to the catcalls of the crowd.

Andie stopped dancing glancing over at the crowd that had gathered at the center of the dance floor. She tilted her head in the direction of the crowd. �What�s going on over there?� she asked curiously already walking over to see if she could get a peek at what had the crowd so riveted.

Dawson turned to catch a look at whatever Andie was talking about. The crowd was cheering on a dark haired couple, from what he could tell. He turned his eyes to meet Andie's. "Wanna go check it out?"

She nodded. �Yeah,� she pushed her way through the crowd and her eyes grew wide. �Oh. My. God.�

Pacey was quite sure someone had slipped something into his drink because there was no way in hell Joey Potter would be dancing so salaciously with a complete stranger. He blinked a few times in disbelief sure that his jaw was on the floor somewhere as he watched her. She was grinding away with complete abandon and the crowd around her that would�ve normally dissuaded her only served to entice her further. His blue eyes clouded over darkly and he turned away pushing his way back into the crowd.

Joey was turned away from her approaching friends as she shot Mathew a seductive smile as he held her possessively. The hand on her arm came as a surprise; she stumbled as she was yanked away from her dance partner. She gave Dawson an angry look. "What are you doing?"

�I think the correct question is, what are you doing?� Dawson said pointedly.

"Dancing, Dawson." She replied as though it were obvious. She looked over his shoulder, "It was just dancing. Right Andie?"

Andie couldn�t mask the slight hurt in her green eyes at Joey�s action and she thought she might cry. Once again Joey Potter had managed to steal someone away from her. She turned away unable to meet her friend�s eyes and disappeared inside the crowd.

Joey sighed, watching Andie go, suddenly feeling like a bitch. She turned her eyes to Dawson who was getting ready to open his mouth, "Save the lecture."

He drew his lips into a tight line folding his arms over her chest. �Fine.�

She looked over at Matthew and smiled helplessly at him before turning back to Dawson. "I should go find Andie."

Dawson nodded and moved aside. �Yeah, she looked upset.� She smiled halfheartedly and took off in the direction Andie had disappeared in.

�Something wrong, McPhee?� Pacey asked upon spotting Andie hunched over the table she was sitting at a frown marring her lips.

"No, Just Joey taking over yet again." She scowled, and then lifted her eyes to Pacey's. "No, I didn't mean that. I love her, it's just...She was getting so friendly with that guy and, you know, I saw him first."

He brought his lips together in a grim line. �I noticed.�

Andie continued, ignoring what he'd said. "You know, I thought for once, I'd found a guy who was into me. That I could have fun with." She waved her hand, "I know, he's here, and we're in Capeside, but you never know, they're not that far apart. Something could have come from it...and she just...threw herself at him. That's not even like her. She's so conservative and calm. But no, the one night I meet a guy I like, she goes wild and starts humping him."

Pacey smiled faintly at Andie�s ramble. �I don�t know what�s wrong with Joey but that Matt guy didn�t seem like your type.�

She shrugged, "Maybe, but I didn't even get the chance to find out for myself." She paused, "I mean, I guess it's not that big of a deal, at the end of the night, we're all going back to Capeside together and Matthew is still going to be here. I just..." she trailed off.

He grabbed her hand pulling her onto her feet. �C�mon, no way am I going to let a pretty girl like you spend the night sitting in a chair.� He smiled. �You can dance and laugh at me as I try.�

"Actually," Joey came up from behind them. "I was hoping I could talk to Andie." She gave Andie a pleading smile, picking at her nails nervously.

She smiled half-heartedly. �Just save it because-it�s not a big deal right? He lives here. I live in Capeside.� She shrugged. �It was just a one-night thing. Just for fun. No hard feelings.�

"You sure?" She asked, her eyes narrowing as she searched Andie's face for any sign of falsehood.

Andie nodded and gave her another smile. �Yeah.�

Joey smiled relieved, "Good, because I just wanted to let loose tonight. And I really don't want one night to ruin three years of friendship."

She raised her eyebrows, her hand still lingering in Pacey�s. �It�s okay, really it is.�

She nodded, smiling again. "Okay, good." She looked down at their intertwined hands, "I'm, um, feeling a little hot. I'm just going to, uh, go get something to drink." She backed away and headed towards the juice bar.

Pacey cocked an eyebrow at Andie and smiled charmingly. �Are we still going to share that dance?�

"Yeah, Pace." She smiled up at him, squeezing his hand.

Pacey leaned forward in his seat and switched on the radio, anything to kill the silence only broken by the soft sound of the running car. They were sitting at a gas station, Jack had to make sure the tank was full before he returned the car and Pacey could barely make out the half naked cardboard cut-out of a girl enticing him to buy beer through the windshield. He hummed along with the song as he waited for Jack to come back from paying for the gas. Joey was in the back seat staying unusually silent.

She perked up suddenly, the music pulling her from the reverie she'd been in since they'd left. "Well, I had fun tonight." She spoke up, "What about you, Pace?"

�Tons,� Pacey said dryly.

"I didn't get a chance to dance with you, though." She smiled faintly.

He frowned why the hell did she have to go and say a thing like that. He tried to catch her reflection in the rearview mirror to see if she was serious or not but it was too dark. He shrugged and leaned back in his seat. �Can�t dance anyway, remember?�

"Neither can Jack and Dawson." She paused, "Especially not Dawson." She added with a wry smile, picturing his weak attempt at dancing her in mind. "Whenever I looked for you, you'd disappeared."

�Probably didn�t look hard enough.�

She frowned and tried another topic of conversation. "Why'd you lie to me?�

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because, Pacey," she burst out. "You made me feel like..."

�Like what?� he asked slightly put off. �I made you feel like what, Potter?�

She closed her eyes, "Like I wasn't good enough."

He exhaled loudly not expecting her to say that and not knowing what to say no himself. There was a long pause and he knew he should apologize. �Look, I�m sorry. I didn�t think you�d take it so seriously but then again I forgot who I was dealing with.�

"Right," She sucked in her lower lip. "The girl who doesn't have a life beyond school and work. Exactly. Who'd want to spend time with me? I don't even know the meaning of the word fun."

�Well, I wouldn�t worry about that after tonight. I think your point came across loud and clear on the dance floor.�

She smiled thoughtfully, "Yeah, that was an experience.�

"For us all."

She shrugged. "It was nice to be someone else for the night--to be wanted by someone." She said softly, and then realized whom she was talking to. "I just hope Andie's not going to be mad at me."

�McPhee�s over it already. She�s not one to hold a grudge,� he said praying to God that Jack would hurry up and come back so it wouldn�t be so awkward and they wouldn�t be forced to talk.

"That's good." She settled into the back seat yawning.

�Yeah...You�re tired?� he stated more than asked for lack of anything else to say.

"Uh huh," She nodded. "Dancing is draining."

He just raised an eyebrow and said nothing drumming his fingers along the dashboard.

"You're unusually quiet."

"Not much to say."

She sighed and crossed her arms. "That's a first."

He smiled wryly. �I figured you�d enjoy the silence.�

"You've been avoiding me all night, I figured I might get an explanation."

�I haven�t-I haven�t been avoiding you,� he said the music drifting out of the speakers just a low murmur now.

"Right," she said disbelievingly. "What's the problem, Pace?"

�I think I should be asking you that question Miss Lush-life.�

"Hey, you were the one who encouraged me to go out and do something. Sorry if my taking action offended you."

�I wasn�t offended...just surprised.�

"Of course you were. Joey Potter couldn't possibly--" She cut herself off. "You know what, never mind. I don't want to argue with you."

He shrugged it off. �Fine.�

She yawned again, and gazed out the window wishing Jack would return. Not seeing him, she unbuckled her seatbelt and curled up across the back seats, her hand pillowing her cheek.

He frowned staring out the window unseeingly as some soft rock ballad drifted off the radio. He couldn�t even begin to describe his relationship/friendship with Joey. They had gone from mutual dislike, to disinterest, tolerance-friendship?-a failed romance, if you could call it that, and he still couldn�t understand her. He felt like he should say something to fill the silence at the very least they were still friends. �Where the hell did you learn how to dance like that anyway?�

"TV." She mumbled. "And Matt."

�I�d like to know what TV you�re watching.�

She smiled tiredly. "You'd be surprised at what MTV is allowed to air."

�Maybe we should watch it together sometime, so just in case you feel like emulating your favorite pop star again, I can be on hand,� he said with a suggestive smile.

"Nuh-uh, that ship has sailed. You had your chance earlier tonight." She smiled tiredly. "Besides, as good as it felt, I don't think I could do it again."

He hung his head in mock disappointment. �Damn.�

She chuckled and closed her eyes again. "I'm sure if you tried hard enough, you could convince Jen."

�Maybe,� he said with a shrug.

She frowned to herself and snuggled further into the backseat, using her pea coat for a blanket. "You see Jack?"

Pacey glanced out the window trying to make out his friend through the line of people waiting to purchase something. �I�m beginning to think he got lost.�

"Hmmm." She didn't say anything more.

�Ah, there he goes,� Pacey announced as Jack walked back over to the car.

That line was ridiculous." He said as he climbed into the drivers seat, throwing Pacey a bottle of Pepsi. "This woman was fishing through he purse for ten minutes looking for two dimes." He buckled his seatbelt, ready to hit the road again?" He looked in the rearview mirror to see Joey lying across the backseat. "What's with her?"

�Thanks man,� Pacey said as he caught the bottle and unscrewed the cap taking a big drink. He motioned to Joey with the bottle. �I wore her out. She has absolutely no stamina.�

"As if you could." She mumbled from the back, keeping her eyes closed.

Jack chuckled and started the car. "Even in a semi-conscious state Joey Potter has a comeback for you," he said to Pacey.

�What�s not to love?� Pacey retorted sardonically bringing the Pepsi bottle back to his lips.

Jack arched an eyebrow at him. "So, did you find what you were looking for tonight?"

�Who said I was looking for something?�

"It's obvious." He shrugged keeping his eyes on the road as he entered traffic. He kept his voice low to let Joey sleep. "You dragged us outside city limits for no apparent reason. You're restless. You're unhappy. In short, you're not yourself."

Pacey stared out the window in front of him, black asphalt and blurs of trees rushing past him. �Did you have fun tonight?�

He thought for a moment. "Yeah, I did. We should do things as a group more often."

�Okay then, there that�s what I wanted. Capeside�s already boring and dull, why must we add to that.�

"I may have had fun. Joey certainly had fun. So did Andie, Jen and Dawson." He took his eyes off the road to look at his friend's profile, "You, however, certainly didn't seem to enjoy the evening much."

He chuckled. �Oh I enjoyed the evening, enjoyed it even more with the red head in the black dress who had just gotten into a fight with her boyfriend.�

"Dare I assume that's what happened to you for that half an hour Joey was looking for you?" There was a twinkle in his eye.

�Assume all you want but I�ll confirm nothing.� He smiled.

And here, I thought you'd gotten over your womanizing ways." Jack chuckled.

�Who am I to deny the women what they want?�

Jack snorted, and looked in the rearview mirror to see if Joey was hearing any of this. Her face was buried in her hands, and he couldn't really tell. "I hardly think you're what women want, Pace. If I recall, you got burned more than a few times tonight."

�We can�t all be perfect,� Pacey said finishing off his soda.

"If I had known you were that thirsty, I would have bought you two. What are you, a camel?"

�No. Just needed to replenish my resources after tonight.� He winked at Jack through the rearview mirror.

"Ok, eww...way more than I wanted to know. That's disgusting." Pacey laughed in amusement at Jack�s reaction as they headed back to Capeside.