Disclaimer: Sorry to disapoint you, we do not own the characters of this story, we never have, and we never will. Those rights belong to Columbia Tristar Television, and various others.
Author's Note:This is the sequel to Untouched. The third book of the four book series. This takes place FOUR years after Untouched. Everything else pretty much ends up explained. Pacey and Joey haven't communicated at all.

Jack stepped over a few fallen beer bottles as he crossed through his kitchen towards the coffee maker. He rubbed his eyes as poured the grounds into the filter and turned the on switch. He glaced at the clock, 1:43 AM.

"You sure, you want coffee, Jo?" He asked, turning back to his slightly incapacitated friend as she slumped into a chair at his kitchen table later that night.

She nodded her head tiredly and propped her elbows on the tabletop, using her hands to cup her face. "Yeah. I need some if I ever want to get home tonight."

"You're more than welcome to stay here for the night." He offered, joining her at the table.

She bit the inside of her cheek and smiled at him. "Can we share the bed?"

He shrugged, "Yeah, sure. Not like there's anyone else to keep it warm."

Joey laughed lightly. "Bitter much?"

"Like you're one to talk," He said, "You moped through you're entire birthday party."

"My life is pathetic." She sighed dropping her hands to her side and letting her head hit the table. She winced and picked her head up, rubbing at it.

Jack laughed, "It is not, you're running a sucessful business of your own, and you were able to get out if a bad relationship before it turned really ugly, and you're independant. So if you ask me, your future is looking pretty bright."

She glared at him. "I blame you. I was quite happy with my life until you go and remind of how young I'm not getting."

Jack rolled his eyes, "I had nothing to do with the fact that you grew another year older. Besides, you're twenty-nine. That's hardly old. Look at the people on Friends, they were thirty-five and still had roommates."

Joey scowled. "You're comparing my life to Must See TV?"

"Yep," he smiled.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed exasperated and dropped her head back to the table.

He patted her head, "Are you sure you want coffee? I think you need sleep more than anything."

Joey sighed and turned her head to face him, not bothering to lift it from the table. "Jack, promise me that if you're not seeing anyone by next year, you'll marry me."

"No," He shook his head as he stood up to poor them both some coffee. "Thirty is far to young for you to have a mid-life crisis."

She pouted. "Some friend you are."

"Yeah, I know. I suck." He poured extra sugar into her mug.

"Yeah, you do," Joey mumbled sitting up. "If you really loved me you'd be straight."

He chuckled and handed her a mug, "If I couldn't do it for Jen, I can't do it for you."

Joey frowned accepting it from him and wrapped her hands around the warm mug. "I hate you."

He sighed and sat back down, his own coffee mug warming his hands. "I hate you too," he replied affectionatly.

She brought the mug to her lips and blew softly across the top before taking a sip. She set it down already starting to feel warmed and alert from the strong beverage. She glanced across the table dejectedly. "I need to shake this funk."

"How long have you been in this 'funk'?" Jack asked, sitting back in his chair.

She ignored him and studied her fingernails. "Maybe some shopping will help."

"Maybe figuring out what triggered it would help."

"I don't know. Spending money always makes me feel better�" She brought the cup of coffee back to her lips.

"Jo..."

She gazed at him sheepishly. "What?"

"Answer my question, when did you start to feel this way?"

She scratched the side of her head as she searched for an answer. "It's so hard to pinpoint an exact moment."

"Guess," He said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I don't know I guess the whole party thing just made me think about stuff, reevaluate some things."

"It seems to me like you're making a mountain out of a mole hill. There's absolutly nothing wrong with you."

She sighed softly and her eyes saddened and tears began to form. "I guess I'm just lonely."

Jack stood and walked around the table, he opened his arms for her, "We all get that way sometimes, Jo." He said softly.

She sniffled settling into his arms. "See, what did I tell you? Pathetic."

"Not pathetic." He corrected, "It's normal."

She smiled sadly and pulled away wiping her eyes. "I got your shirt all wet."

"It's alright," he replied, "It's not like there's anyone here to see me."

She giggled. "Guess not."

"So, are you ready for bed? I think I'm just going to leave clean up for tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'll stay and help you tomorrow."

He held out a hand to help her up, "Thanks Jo."

"Least I can do," she said falling against him tiredly.

He led her down the hallway to his room, he paused, seeing the mess scattered around his livingroom. "I can't." he burst out. "I cannot just leave it like this."

Joey sighed pulling away from him and disappearing back into the kitchen. "I'll get the trash bags."

"Don't bother. You go to bed, I'll just tidy up a little. We can leave the rest for tomorrow." He frowned as he surveyed the damage.

"No, I'll just stay awake and help you," Joey said reappearing with the two big hefty bags. She began to set in on the clutter of garbage on the coffee table.

"Thanks, Jo." He smiled softly at her as he took the other bag and began picking up the wrapping paper from the floor. "Sometimes it really sucks being anal retentive."

Joey laughed as she turned to the couch. "Ah, well you're too perfect. You needed a flaw."

"A flaw?" He laughed, "I've got about a million."

"That's fine. Just don't, uh, throw me anymore birthday parties," Joey said turning head to get a look at him over her shoulder.

"Sure thing," He agreed, crumpling up more wrapping paper that somehow had drifted under the coffee table. He came across a small box as he reached under, and he pulled it out. "Hey, Jo. I think you missed one."

"Hmm�what?" she asked casting a glance over to him.

"A present." He handed her the small retangular box. "There's no label on it."

She sat down on the couch and examined it in her hands critically. "Should I open it?"

"Yeah, why not?" He shrugged, continuing to clean. "It's not like it's going to explode or anything."

Her long, lithe fingers worked expertly on removing the wrapping revealing a long, rectangular shaped box. She pulled off the lid and let out a small gasp when she saw its contents. Resting on a bed of cotton was the most beautiful, gold, heart shaped locket she had ever seen. She cautiously lifted it out examining it delicately and slowly opened the locket. Inside was a small picture of her mother and on the other side was an empty frame. She felt the tears beginning to fill her eyes and looked up at Jack amazed at the sincerity and thoughtfulness that went to this gift.

"Wow, Jack. You really shouldn't have," she said in awe extending her hand and letting it dangle so she could get a better look at it.

Jack looked up from where he was on the floor, "Whatever it is, It's not from me." He ducked his head behind the couch. "Remember, you already opened my present."

Joey frowned and tilted her head slightly. "Are you sure? Come here you have to see this. It's beautiful."

He straightened up from behind the couch, "Wow," He moved around to sit beside her. He held out his hand and cupped the locket to get a better look. "No, this is defiantly not from me." He met her eyes with his, "Is it gold?"

Her eyes widened expressively. "I don't know. You think? Who'd buy me a gold locket if it wasn't you?"

He took it from her delicatly and squinted his eyes so he could read the markings on the clasp. "Who'd have access to a picture of your mother?" He asked rhetorically, already sure who the gift came from. "Yep, 14 karat." He handed it back to her.

She held it carefully and gazed down at it in amazement before raising her eyes back to Jack's. "Are you sure it wasn't you?"

He nodded with finality. "It's not from me."

Joey raised an eyebrow in bewilderment. "Then who could it have been?"

Jack rolled his eyes and stood up, "How many people know you that well, Joey?" He gave her a pointed look, "Regardless of how long they've been in your life recently." He stooped to pick up the garbage bag and began to pick up stray beer bottles.

"Pacey?" she questioned softly in uncertainty.

"Bingo." Jack replied. He turned to her, "I don't know why're you're so surprised. It's exactly the kind of thing he'd do."

"But this is so�"

"So....what?" He asked, looking over his shoulder. She was still staring at the necklace.

"Thoughtful," she answered honestly. She reached for the box and began to place the necklace back in. "I can't accept this. It's too much."

"Why not?" Jack asked, confusion coloring his features.

"It's just�wow, I don't know. It doesn't seem right."

"Why? He's your friend...and he gave you a present." He turned back to his work. "I don't see the problem." He paused, "And trust me, Jo. He makes enough stripping to afford it."

She gazed down at the box thoughtfully. "You think it's too late to call him?"

Jack smiled, "I doubt it, and even if it is." He shrugged, "Who cares?"

"Maybe I should just wait for tomorrow and call him in the morning�"

With an exhasperated sigh, Jack left her and dissapeared down the hall. He returned seconds later, with a portable phone in his hands, "I don't know why you're making such a big deal. It's only Pacey." He put the phone in her hands.

She sighed reluctantly and began to dial. "You know this could have just as easily been done during the light of day."

"No, because I know you. And you'd, for whatever reason, rather forget he gave it to you."

Joey brought the phone to her ear. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, right." Jack turned and tactfully, dissapeared into the kitchen to continue with his cleaning.

She waited patiently for someone to answer the phone. She figured three rings would be fine and then she'd hang up.

"Yeah?" A gravely, voice came through the reciever, "Hello?"

She slipped off her shoes and brought her feet up under her. "Um, hello? Can I speak with Pacey?" she asked trying to mask her nervousness.

"Yeah, what?" He replied groggily. He fell back against his pillows and glaced at the clock. He'd only just gotten to sleep.

"Pacey?" she asked cautiously. "Um, it's Joey. Did I wake you up? I can just call back in the morning."

"Yeah, you did." He sighed, "And since I'm awake now, at least make it worth my while."

She brushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear. "Um, thank you. For the gift," she said sincerely. "It's beautiful. You really shouldn't have."

He smiled into the phone. "It was nothing."

"No, it wasn't nothing, it means a lot. Thanks."

"You're welcome." He paused, "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said shaking her head. "It was my birthday and I was firm member of the bitter club and I took it out on everyone. Even Jack."

He smiled, "It's a good thing he and I know how to take it. I knew those eighteen years growing up with you were good for something."

"Yeah, well�I guess I'll let you get back to sleep now."

"You still at Jack's?" he asked, not quite ready to hang up with her yet.

She nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see her. "Yeah. I think I'm just going to crash here."

"He has room? From what I saw, it seemed pretty small."

"Um, yeah. We'll probably just share the bed."

He chuckled, "Nowhere safer than the bed of a gay man."

"Ain't that the truth."

"Do I detect a tinge of dissapointment?"

"All my problems would be solved if Jack were straight."

"Yeah, it's too bad he'd rather sleep with me than you."

She laughed. "Tragic."

"I full heartedly agree."

"Oh well, the good ones are usually gay or taken, just like parking spaces."

He laughed, "You've seen many gay parking spaces?"

She giggled. "Shut up. It's late. I'm tired and I'm supposed to finish helping Jack clean. You know what I meant."

"Yeah, I just like giving you a hard time." He smiled.

"Always has been a favorite pastime of yours."

"And will continue to be so."

"Unfortunately for me."

"Yep," He agreed. "So, how big a mess did we leave?"

Joey gazed around the living room. "It's pretty bad. Jack couldn't bring himself to go to bed and leave the place a mess."

He chuckled, "Sounds like him. If he can stand to leave some of it, I can be by tomorrow to help clean."

"Yeah, it's so easy for you to say that now that you're not here when you know very well that there's no way Jack is going to bed with this place less than spotless," she teased.

"That's the beauty of it." He smirked, "I get brownie points without having to do any work."

"Uh-huh. Just for that I'm making sure he leaves something really disgusting and messy for you to clean in the morning."

"Gee thanks," He said sarcastically. "I knew I shouldn't have let you in on my evil plan."

She smiled. "I was just trying to be fair to poor Jack."

"Right, and get out of cleaning some of that nasty stuff yourself."

She shrugged. "I can't help it if that's just an added benefit. Besides, it's my birthday. I shouldn't have to clean."

"That's true." He nodded, "but technically, your birthday ended," he checked his bedside table, "an hour and a half ago."

She brushed it off and resituated herself on Jack's couch. "Minor detail."

"Not so minor a detail. How does it feel to be twenty-nine?"

"Ugh, thanks for reminding me. That's it. I'm hanging up on you. I don't like you anymore."

"Empty threat, you never liked me."

She sat back. "Good point."

Pacey settled into the warmth of his blankets. "That didn't answer my question, Potter."

She tapped her finger against her lips thoughtfully. "The same way it feels to be twenty-eight, twenty-seven, twenty-six and twenty-five."

"Except at twenty-five, you were engaged to a Mr. Dawson Leery and chained to a job you hated."

"Now I'm twenty-nine. I love my job but I'm a workaholic, sans Dawson and lonely as hell but at least I have Jack."

"You have me too. Granted, I'm no Jack. But I'm your friend, and I can offer a certain amount of...physical comfort."

She laughed. "Oh, is that what you call it?"

"Why? What would you call it?" He asked carefully.

She shrugged pulling her knees up to her chest. "Just call it what it is. I guess."

"Sex?"

She nodded. "Yes, that's what it is. Isn't it?"

"Well, yeah. But-"

"But?" she questioned curiously.

"It's not as...simple as that. Not with us."

She bit down on her lower lip pensively. "Nothing ever is with us."

Jack walked quietly back to the livingroom and stopped up short when he heard the low murmur of Joey's voice. He took a few more steps and found her curled up on his couch, a pillow clutched tightly in her arms, the phone cradled against her cheek.

He smiled gently to himself and backed down the hallway, heading to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Joey Potter wasn't so alone as she thought.

"I donno, what's a good place in town for breakfast?" Pacey asked, yawning into the phone, "I'm usually not awake in time for breakfast."

She smiled and shrugged, gazing up at the ceiling of Jack's living room from her place on the couch. "I don't know. Usually, I just grab a coffee from Starbucks and pick-up a toasted bagel."

"Should we just meet downtown and see what we come across?" he suggested, glancing out the window to see the dim early morning light cast on the neighboring windows.

She brought a hand to her mouth to mask a faint yawn. "Hmm�as long as there's caffeine involved."

"Oh yes, definatly." He sighed and sat up. "I haven't pulled an all nighter since college."

"A long, long time ago. In a galaxy far, far away," she laughed. "Maybe twenty-nine is a bit too old to be pulling an all-nighter."

"Twenty-nine isn't to old for anything." He threw the covers off of himself. "You gonna wake Jack for our little rendevous? I can probably drag Shane out of bed to join us."

Joey's eyes widened and she sat up. "Oh my god, Jack! I stayed on his phone all night. I didn't even help him clean anything. He's going to kill me."

"Jack couldn't hurt a fly," Pacey reassured her. "Offer to take him to breakfast with us, gay or not, the way to any man's heart is through his stomach."

She yawned and ran a hand through her hair. "Okay I will. I can't believe I was talking on the phone for so long."

"You and me both, Potter. But it was... nice." He admitted.

"Surprisingly so."

"Okay, I'm going to go throw some ice water on Shane, I think he'd like to see Jack again. Judging from last night." He said with a laugh in his voice. "Maybe it wont take much for Jack to get over me."

"Oh yeah, because we all know how crushed he is." She rolled her eyes.

"There goes that Potter wit. What does a guy need an ego for anyway?" He asked rhetorically.

"Exactly," Joey responded with a small smile. "Let me go wake up, Jack and beg him for forgiveness. I'll see you later."

"Meet you on the corner of Dupont and LeMure in, say, half an hour?"

"Yeah, sure that'd be fine. But um, let's make it an hour just to be safe."

"Okay, I'll see you then."

"Sounds like a plan. Bye."

"Bye, Jo."

"Jo, there's a call on line one." Lucy's voice carried through the intercom clearly.

Joey tapped her pen against her desktop distracted from her thoughts and bit down on her lip. "Um, okay." She sighed and pressed the flashing red button before lifting the phone to her ear. "Hello, Joey Potter speaking."

"Yeah, um, hi." A deep male voice spoke clearly into the receiver.

"Um, hello?"

"Yeah, sorry. This is Kris." The man clairfied, suddenly feeling insanely stupid.

Joey tried to stifle a laugh and leaned back in her seat. "Kris? Does that come with a last name?"

"Kris Kringle."

She laughed. "Let me guess, you're making a list and you're checking it twice?"

"Ya got me," he chuckled, "It's Madden."

"That sounds more believable," Joey said twirling the phone cord around her finger absentmindedly. "But I must admit that I have no idea who you are."

"Right. Um, about a month and a half ago? In the park, I beaned you with a frisbee?"

"Oh. Yes, I remember," she said scooting forward in her chair.

"I know it's been awhile, but the guilt finally got to me. I had to hunt you down and ask about the lens."

"Well, to tell you the truth, I completely forgot about it," Joey answered honestly.

"So, then it still needs replacing?" He hinted.

"I'm sure I'll get around to replacing soon enough."

"Like I said, I still feel insanely guilty about that. Is there anyway I can talk you into letting me pay for it?"

She smiled. "It was an accident and it can easily be replaced. It's no big deal."

"It is to me. I don't like to feel indebted to someone."

"Don't worry. I'm not going to take you to court or anything. It's just a lens."

"Let me do something, at least?" He asked, a plaintive tone to his voice.

"That really won't be necessary," Joey began.

"Please, let me take you out or something." He paused, "I promise, I'm not a stalker and this wasn't all a guise to lure you out on a date with me."

Her laugh rang through the phone with amusement. "You don't have to do that."

"Damn, okay, so I lied. It was all a guise to lure you on a date with me. Now, can you really turn down a guy who'd try that hard to get you to spend a few hours with him?"

The corners of her mouth turned up in a lopsided grin. "I guess not."

Kris smiled into the phone, "Great. So tell me, Joey Potter when exactly would be a good time for you?"

"Let me check." She reached for her day planner and began to flip through it. "Will lunch be okay?"

"What day are you thinking?" He asked.

"Well, my week is kind of filled. Will tomorrow be okay, if not we can try next week?" she said already skipping ahead in her book.

"No," he shook his head vehemently, forgetting she couldn't see him. "Tomorrow works great for me."

She smiled penciling him in. "Okay, tomorrow at one it is." She shut her planner and placed it back on her desk. "Now since you've found my number can I trust you to find my place of employment?"

He chuckled, "Right here in the phone book. You're too easy to track down, Miss. Potter. Whatever are you going to do when you have a real stalker?"

"I guess I'll just have to cross that bridge when it comes," she responded lightly.

"Good," he smiled. "I'm certainly glad I worked up the nerve to call you. Who knew I could be that nervous about calling a beautiful woman?"

She laughed flirtatiously. "Well you certainly are a flatterer."

"I try."

"Flattery will get you everywhere." She grinned. "Well, Kris Madden it was nice talking to you but I do have a job to return to."

"Oh yeah, sorry." She could hear the shame in his voice. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

She nodded. "I'll be looking forward to it."

"Me too. Bye."

"Bye," she said softly and hung up the phone with a smug grin. This was just what she needed a real date, just like Jack had said. He seemed nice; he was cute and best of all this was definitely a step in the right direction if she was planning to look for a good and steady relationship. She had to at least try; nothing was going to come to her while she sat on her ass. She couldn't help but smile as she thought about her upcoming date.

There was a knock on her door, followed by Pacey's head poking around the corner. "Hey, Potter. You busy?"

She smiled widely and shook her head. "I was just about to call Jack."

He entered her office and shut the door, quietly behind him. "You look to be in a good mood." He smiled.

Her cheeks flushed and she ducked her head. "Yeah, well it's been known to happen."

"Well, I'm not going to complain." He walked around her desk and offered her his hand. "You feel like going out for lunch?" He paused, feeling the electricity jump between then as she took his hand. "Or, we could just stay in." He added.

She dropped her hand to the side and looked away guiltily. "Actually, I really do have to call Jack now."

"Okay," He took a step away from her. "I'll just go then." He gestured to the door. "You want me to bring you something?"

She shook her head. "No, that's okay. I'll manage."

"Alright," he shrugged, "I'm working every night this week, so I wont be...around much." He said with his hand on the door handle.

"Oh�Well I guess I'll see you next week then?"

"Yeah, most likely." He shrugged, "Or call me if you want to do lunch."

Her gazed dropped to the planner on her desk. "My week's kind of full too."

"Okay," There was a pause, "I guess I'll see you sometime next week."

"Yeah, I guess�" her voice trailed off wistfully.

He gave her a crooked smile. "Later, Potter." He opened the door and turned away from her.

"Um, or you know, I can always call Jack later," Joey said as if that were the more obvious choice.

He turned back, "Then you're up for lunch?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

He let the door slip closed behind him, "I'm up for just about anything." He murmured.

"Good," she said walking around to the front of her desk. Her hands firmly gripped the edged and she easily slid onto the top "Because," she crooked her finger at him beckoning him toward her, "I'm feeling particularly hedonistic."

"And who am I to deny you?" He asked, flipping the lock on her door before crossing the distance between them. He cupped her cheek and pulled her lips to his.

She groaned and touched her tongue to his lips seeking entrance to the warm recesses of his mouth.

"Hmm," he sighed against her lips. "We gotta stop doing this in your office." his lips brushed over the sensitive skin of her ear and began to trail down her neck.

She shivered and arched her back in response. "Mmm�but I thought you liked the desk?" She smirked.

"Oh, I do," he breathed against the supple skin of her neck. "I just don't know how you can possibly get any work done in here afterwords."

She laughed lightly slightly breathless. "Easy. It's just sex."

"Hmmm," he tugged at her silk shirt, pulling it from the rim of her skirt. His large hands slid up underneath, "If it were just sex, I wouldn't keep coming back." He mumbled, his cool fingers traced the curves of her breasts.

"Granted, it's good sex," she bit down on her lip; the hard tips of her nipples aching to be touched, "but that's all it is because in the end, after we're done. You're going to leave and I'm going to go back to work."

"That's generally how we've been doing things." He agreed, his thumbs brushing over her nipples through the material of her bra, feeling them harden to his touch.

She nodded licking her lips. "Mm-hmm."

He paused, his hands stilling. He pulled away from her, watching her face. "Is that a problem?" he asked, suddenly wondering if she was bothered by their 'relationship'.

"No." She shook her head. "Because that's what we agreed. We owe each other nothing. The situation works just fine with me."

He eyed her carefully to see if she was sincere. Her eyes were clouded by lust, and her lips were moist and parted. He wasn't sure she was, and that kind of bothered him. "Ya sure?"

She nodded shifting impatiently and a bit wearily. "Pacey, you're really killing the mood here."

"Who needs mood when, as you put it, it's just sex?"

"Is there a problem here?" Joey asked in genuine confusion.

"No," he shook his head, looking down. "No problem." He sighed, curing a hand around her neck. He kissed her lips lightly. "I just don't want this to get messy, thats all."

"Why would it?"

"That's what I was asking you."

She pulled away unsurely. "Am I giving you the wrong impression?"

"I don't know what impression I was getting."

She slid off the desk. "Maybe you should go."

"Yeah, I think maybe that's a good idea."

She nodded resituating her shirt, walking back around her desk, and began to shuffle her papers not bothering to raise her gaze.

"Bye, Potter." He said, readjusting his collar. He looked back once, a frown on his face as he closed the door behind him.

Pacey gave Lucy a curt smile as he passed her desk, which faded the moment he passed. He pushed through the main doors of the gallery violently and stepped out onto the sidewalk. What the hell had that been?! She wasn't supposed to get to him. Not like that. He was being careful. She was sex, just sex. Not feelings, no emotions, no trust. He'd already gone down that road with her, twice in fact. And both times he'd been burnt. He shook his head, he should have known better than to play with fire again.

He scowled, Joey Potter wasn't supposed to get under his skin like this. He wasn't going to allow her get to his heart, as damaged as it was. Not again. He kicked a pebbled down the sidewalk fiercly. Had he no spine at all? No self-worth?

He was not going to fall in love with her, not again. It was just sex. Sex. Sex. Sex. Nothing more than that. It couldn't be. He couldn't handle it being anything more. He stalked down the sidewalk with new resolve. It wasn't like she'd be likely to have him again anyhow.

Joey collapsed in her chair and buried her head in her hands. She let out a breath of frustration running her hands through her hair before glancing around her empty office distraught and wiping her eyes.

Oh God, she had screwed up so badly, she rubbed at her temples tiredly. What the fuck was wrong with her? How could she ever think sex with Pacey would just stay that? What the hell was she thinking? She had completely set herself up for the worst possible fall.