. Summary: Set just before season one, it is an altered version of the series in which three friends, Joey, Pacey, and Dawson are actually friends instead of just “friends.” Warning contains cheese.  Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 More coming soon...

Pacey climbed through Dawson's window freezing on the sill as he spotted his friend in the darkness shielding the faint moonlight with his hands. "What's wrong with you?" He asked. 

Dawson flinched, "Please not so loud," he groaned. 

"What happened?" 

"I'm beginning to understand the hangover woes," he cringed. 

"Has Saint Dawson of a Creekside finally been tempted by the evil apple?" Pacey shook his head, "You little juvenile delinquent you." 

Stepping next to him Pacey clapped his hands loudly. "What the hell?" Dawson flinched again. 

"I'm sorry man, I just promised myself when I ever found you in an inebriated state that I would take full advantage. I mean I thought I'd have to wait until we were at least 19 so I'm not exactly prepared." 

"Trust me tonight has already been enough of a total nightmare to prevent me from engaging in any such activities any time soon," he grumbled. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Pacey asked narrowing his eyes. 

"I don't even know," he sighed, "women problems I guess." 

"Women problems with who?" He cocked a brow. 

"Jen." 

"I didn't know there were any encounters prior to said drunken fling that would foreshadow said events," Pacey scratched his chin. 

"Well no drunken fling took place in the first place," he countered. 

"There was something," he pressed. 

"Maybe, but it was too minute to register on the gossip worthy scale." 

"Oh come on Dawson in this town someone with a cavity is gossip worthy." 

Taking a deep breath Dawson said, "We kissed." 

"Now we're talking," Pacey smirked. 

"A lot, and things got sort of heated and then…" he trailed off. 

His eyes widened, "Did you sleep with her?" 

"What?" He shook his head frantically, "no," he scoffed, "not even close, she flipped out and just left." 

"The usual feminine reaction," Pacey quipped receiving a punch in the arm. "Ow, okay so what happened?" 

Dawson shut his eyes lightly the night replaying in his head, "Things were getting rather heated and she left." 

"Perhaps you don't remember it quite as vividly, you know being tainted by the alcohol and all," Pacey offered. 

"Trust me," he pressed, "I remember." 

"See I can't exactly relate," Pacey shrugged, "me and women problems don't exactly go hand in hand." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"Joey threw herself at me, had her begging on her hands and knees," he stretched back arrogantly, "so you know I figured I'd give her a shot." 

"You're dating Joey?" Dawson's eyes snapped open. 

"I think so," he scrunched his nose in contemplation. 

"Are you sure you aren't the drunk one?" 

"Hey just because the ladies dig me," Pacey defended, "doesn't mean you have the right to take out your unrequited frustrations on Me." 

Dawson shook his head, "I'm just a little confused that's all, I mean my two best friends… kissing," he narrowed his eyes, "how weird is that?" 

"Not quite as weird when you're on the other end of it," Pacey said with a smirk. 

Dawson fell back against his mattress, "Wow my head hurts." 

~*~

"So it turns out that night time isn't so bad after all," Pacey began heading down the hall. 

"No more painful dreams?" Jen questioned. 

"Oh they're still pretty painful, but nothing a little one on one time can't fix," he cleared his throat, "But still, reality is so much better then fantasy." 

"I don't need details," she cringed. 

"Well who else am I supposed to tell?" 

"I'm sorry that being on the dumping end of your uncharacteristic girl talk isn't even minutely appealing, but there are more suitable candidates you know like Dawson, your best friend. I know the matching hair color may throw you off a bit but past that we're remarkably different people." 

"See I would," Pacey began, "but the problem is he's still sulking over a torrid night of al— you know what never mind, keeping intimacy private in a relationship makes it all the more while." 

"Intimacy," Jen cocked a brow. 

"Okay, so maybe that's pushing it but when your pushing 24 hours in a relationship there shouldn't really be any—," he cut himself off again, "never mind." 

"You're a man of unfinished thoughts this morning," Jen commented. 

"You know me," he shrugged, "everything sounds better in my head." 

"Right," she nodded suspiciously. 

"Hey guys," Dawson offered a shy wave. 

"Josephine you look ravishing this morning," Pacey said taking her hand. 

She slapped her hand weakly against his chest, "I told you not to call me that." 

"I can't help it," he kissed her nose, "you just look too damn sexy when you're angry." 

"Is that why you're the bane of my existence?" She cocked a brow. 

"Bane my ass," he chuckled trapping her lower lip between his. 

Dawson rolled his eyes turning his attention to Jen, "Hey," he said shyly. 

She looked up at him, "Um, hi," she said awkwardly wondering how much of the other night he remembered. 

"I guess we'll have to deal with this all the time now," he nodded towards Pacey and Joey. 

Jen blushed slightly looking away, "I just wanted to talk," he continued, "about—." 

"You know what I've got to go," she glanced at her vacant wrist deciding that she should start wearing a wrist watch, "extra help and all that good stuff." 

"Right," he nodded. 

"Maybe later," she threw back quickly heading down the hall. 

Sighing heavily he threw his head back against a locker glancing at his two friends in the corner of his eye, "You know you two are really lacking on your moral support." They didn't budge. "Just wait until I'm 40 and alone, then you'll be sorry," he finished walking away. 

Joey broke away glancing over Pacey's shoulder, "What's wrong with him?" 

~*~ 

The bell rang the flood of students sweeping into the halls as Dawson chased Jen through the crowd. "Jen, Jen," he called out catching her arm. "We need to talk." 

"About what?" She played dumb. 

"You know what," he pressed, "the other night." 

She looked away, "I just, I remembered that I had something else to do." 

He didn't believe her, "But we're okay, right?" 

"Um, yeah," she said distractedly, "but I really need to get to class." 

"Okay," he said barely above a whisper watching her go. 

"What's wrong with you?" Pacey asked stepping beside him. 

"More uncharacteristically strange behavior," he explained. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Jen's avoiding me." 

"Afraid to face you the morning after?" 

"I don't even know, maybe I'm blowing things out of proportion." 

"Not an unlikely choice," he quipped. 

"Have you talked to her, you guys have been awfully friendly lately." 

"My hands have been tied lately," he shrugged. 

"You know boyfriend Pacey is extremely un-supportive," Dawson accused. 

Pacey chuckled, "I'll see what I can do." 

~*~ 

Joey thumbed through the book scanning over the pages, "You guys still haven't finished this?" 

He smirked, "I'm sorry my English class isn't as advanced as yours, we struggle getting past the author's name." 

"I just need new fodder, that's all," she sighed tossing the book aside. 

"How am I going to learn anything if my tutor has lost all will to study?" 

She shrugged her shoulders leaning back against his chest; "You're simply a bad influence on me." 

He laughed snaking his arms around her waist his chin resting on her shoulder, "You're far too stubborn to fall to my charm." 

She cringed, "You're right," she said bending down to search for the discarded book on the floor. 

"Not so fast," he pulled her back against him, "I needed a break anyway." 

"A break? We didn't even do anything!" 

"I beg to differ," he cut in, "trying to focus on Goulding when in such close proximity to you is a quite strenuous activity." 

She arched a brow, "Excuses, excuses." 

Nuzzling her neck she giggled pushing up her shoulder to block his assault, "What are you doing?" 

He brushed back some of her hair, "Will you stop squirming and tilt your head to the side," he demanded. 

She sat forward glancing back at him curiously, "Are you trying to seduce me?" 

"It all depends on whether it was working," he shrugged. 

She turned around to face him pressing her lips against his. His hands smoothed slowly down her waist pressing against the small of her back until her body was flush against his, his tongue parting her lips sliding briefly over hers. She snaked her arms around his neck her fingers brushing over the soft hairs at the base. 

His thumb accidentally brushed below the swell of her breast a blush momentarily flooding his cheeks before he heard her moan softly below his touch. He rolled over trapping her below his weight his kisses becoming fiercer. The heat between their bodies intensified her fingers sweeping below the hem of his tee shirt scratching her nails against the flesh of his chest pushing the material higher up his body. Freeing himself from his shirt his lips quickly found hers again tangling his fingers in her hair feeding his lust for her through contact. 

She allowed her primordial instincts to fuel her dragging her lips down his neck suckling on his collarbone letting her fingers glide along his slick back. 

She broke away to catch her breath, "Does this feel weird to you?" 

He licked his lips, "Just a little," swiping a hand through his hair he sat back on his elbows. "Why is that?" 

"I don't know, are we moving too fast?" 

He chewed on his lower lip, "Well the jump between lifelong friends to lovers is an awfully lengthy distance." 

She covered her eyes, "I mean it's weird enough seeing you without a shirt during the summer and now I'm here licking your chest." 

"So we'll slow down then," he suggested. 

"You sound disappointed," she glanced at him through the corner of her eyes. 

He kissed her forehead, "I just want to be near you like this, that's all." 

She rolled her eyes, "You just want some action." 

He smirked, "What do you take me for?" 

"The jury's still out on that one." 

"You don't want Dawson getting more action do you?" 

She narrowed her eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?" 

"You didn't hear about Dawson's little drunken encounter?" 

"What," she propped her head in her hand, "did he find a hooker or something?" 

"No Jen," he said, "heated make out session gone awry." 

"What exactly happened?" 

"Nothing really, she stopped him before anything could really progress and hasn't talked to him since." 

"I'm not surprised." 

"What?" 

She caught herself, "Nothing I mean they hardly know each other." 

"Why do I sense there was something more?" 

"Jen's got a troubled past, she doesn't need to make it worse." 

"And how is her past troubled?" 

"Can we not talk about this?" 

"Why not?" He pressed, "I'm simply curious with just cause." 

She sighed, "Jen moved to Capeside for more reasons then just her sick grandfather." 

"What was the reason then?" 

She bit her lip, "She was pregnant." 

"What?" 

"She was a party girl in the city and she got pregnant." 

"At 15?" 

"Yeah," she nodded. 

Taking her hand in his he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Maybe we should slow down after all." 

~*~ 

Dawson pushed his bedroom door open spotting Pacey in his director's chair tossing his ET doll in his hands. "Hey what are you doing here?" 

"I thought we were filming today," Pacey explained. 

"Yeah but not for another half an hour." 

"Right," he nodded. 

"What's wrong with you?" 

"Nothing," he shook his head defensively, "I'm just a little distracted that's all." 

"Problems with your dad?" He asked, "Now that he's fully recovered and all." 

"No, he's been rather sullen lately, went all It's a Wonderful Life on us but he's finally broken through that phase." 

"That's a relief," he chuckled. 

"So have you talked to Jen?" He asked unable to avoid the topic. 

"I tried to," Dawson huffed, "I called and she said she was busy, then practically chased her across the lawn before she made a daring escape into the witch's house, why do you know something?" 

"No," he shook his head. 

"I just like her so much, I didn't even realize it until the other night, and now I can't get her off my mind she's everywhere." 

Pacey frowned looking away from his best friend, Jen was nice she was sweet but knowing who she was… Dawson deserved to know too. 

"What's wrong?" Dawson furrowed his heavy brows. 

Pacey brought his gaze to him, "It's Jen," he explained, "the reason why she freaked out when she kissed you, she was pregnant." 

"What?" 

"Back in New York, she got pregnant, she must have lost the baby or something, but that's the reason why she's here now." 

"What?" He repeated. 

"She was a party girl, sex, drugs, I don't know about everything," he trailed off, "I just wanted you to know who you were getting involved with." 

His jaw dropped slightly as he stared off into the distance, "Thanks man," he mumbled, "we should get to filming." 

~*~ 

Jen stepped onto her porch watching Dawson's film shoot from across the yard, hugging her arms against her chest she leaned against the wooden post trying to shake her vulnerable feelings. "Jennifer," Grams said stepping beside her, "why don't you go out a bit, have fun with your friends," she nodded towards the group. 

"I just want to be myself that's all." 

"What's the matter with you, I know you've never been very chipper but this is more detached then usual." 

"I'm just thinking that's all," she said. She sighed deeply, "Grams, can you run away from your past?" 

"Not until it's properly dealt with, why?" 

"I'm just sick of acting, you know, hiding from things that I know are true." 

"Jennifer, I can not say that I am proud of the person you used to be, but the person you are now, the one that you've been for the past few months under my care is a woman that I am extremely proud to call my granddaughter. Jennifer, you have found who you are, don't let that change." 

She looked down a small smile creasing her lips, "Thanks Grams." 

"Now go child," she nudged her shoulder, "Have some fun." 

Stepping across the lawn, Joey's voice was the first to strike her, "Don't get so fresh!" 

"It was a kiss not like we haven't done it before!" Pacey defended. 

"It was a mauling and that wasn't in the script," she refuted. 

"Women are so difficult," Pacey threw his hands up dramatically. 

"I thought they'd stop the bickering after they got over their sexual frustrations." 

"Apparently not," Dawson said distractedly. 

"What's up with you, do you need an assistant, I'd be happy to help," she offered. 

"No, I'm fine, just a little busy that's all." 

"Your slobbering isn't going to fix things," Joey said pushing at Pacey's chest. 

He laughed wrapping his arms around her waist lifting her off her feet, "What about a little dip in the creek, what will that do?" 

"It will get you castrated," she sneered. 

Dawson began to head off after his actors, "Dawson wait," Jen caught his arm, "you wanted to talk, and I'm here to explain things." 

"Look if it's about your wild city days and all your pregnancies I don't need to hear it," Dawson yelled back. 

Joey and Pacey froze looking over at them, Jen met Joey's eyes shaking her head before heading back to her house. 

~*~ 

Rushing up her stairs after her she had barely made it through her bedroom door when she spotted her crying on her bed. "Look I'm sorry okay." 

"I told you that stuff in confidence Joey, not with the expectations that you would go around blabbing it to the entire town!" Jen spat back, "You see I thought we had something in common, this desire to be out of the spotlight of people's own misguided discretion but it turns out you're just like the rest." 

"That's not how it happened," she defended. 

"It doesn't matter," she refuted, "because every single person that matters to me here now think of me as some sort of trash. My grandparents, my fr— my acquaintances, " she corrected, "everything I've tried so hard to run away from has come to bite me in the ass, because of you." 

"I'm sorry," she repeated. 

"You know what Joey, I've tried so hard to be your friend, so hard for you to like me," she laughed bitterly, "I guess that was all a waste of time." 

Joey downcast her eyes unable to respond unable to defend her actions, she deserved this. "Forget it," she spat, "I don't see why I should be pouring my heart out when you really never gave a damn in the first place." The tears flowed freely down Jen's cheeks now, large droplets that made her too vulnerable, "Just leave." 

Turning on her heels Joey backed away, back down the stairs, not a thing to say. 

~*~ 

She sat on her dock kicking her feet over the water the bitter taste of betrayal stinging her mouth. "Hey," Pacey said cautiously sitting beside her. 

She refused to look at him keeping her eyes focused on the creek. He sighed heavily, "I guess I screwed up royally." 

She pursed her lips, "Something like that." 

"Look I'm sorry," he offered, "I never should have told him, knowing how he reacts to the most trivial things." 

"No," she shook her head, "I shouldn't have told you, I should have respected her privacy and…" she trailed off, "I just screwed up, that's all." 

"You can be mad at me if you want," he suggested, "in fact I insist that you do, give you the opportunity to blow some steam and give me my properly due punishment." 

"I'm not mad at you Pacey," she said. 

"You should be." 

"I know," she sighed, "I'm just mad at myself right now." 

"Why?" He asked. 

"Because she trusted me," she kept her eyes on the water, "and I didn't care." 

"You obviously do now," he offered. 

She felt a hot tear drip down her cheek, wondering why she was crying, "Obviously too late." 

He draped his arm around her shoulder pulling her closer, "Lessons have a funny way of playing themselves out," he said. "The only way we learn from them is if we get hurt in the process." 

She batted away another fallen tear, "Thank you Mister Brady for your words of wisdom." 

"I'm serious Jo," he narrowed his eyes at her, "Don't tell her that you're sorry, show her." 

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "You've been reading your sister's Cosmo's again, haven't you?" 

"Nobody discontinued the subscription, and it would be a waste not to use them." 

"In that case, maybe I should be mad at you?" 

He furrowed his brows, "And why is that?" 

"Well you're never going to learn anything if you aren't hurt in the process," she mocked, "you need to show that you're sorry, not tell." 

He smirked, "Well in that case," he placed a kiss on her temple, "I am very sorry," he continued dragging kisses down her jaw line, "for not accepting your right to privacy." His tongue found her pulse point pressing lightly eliciting a soft moan. "And more importantly the privacy of others. But," he continued, "I have dispensed sagely advice and feel that I've paid my penitence for being bad." 

She tilted her head meeting his parted lips in a soft kiss, "You're lucky I'm a softy." 

His grin widened, "Oh never, you've definitely got an iron will." 

She rolled her eyes kissing him again, "Save your charm Witter, I don't buy it." 

Nuzzling her nose he captured her lips again, "You're weakening Josephine." 

She pressed her forehead against his, "I should go, I've got some apologizing to do." 

He kissed her nose, "Call me when you're done." 

She smiled softly, "You play supportive boyfriend very well." 

"Go get 'em tiger." 

~*~ 

Jen tucked her feet beneath her wrapped snugly in a blanket as she scanned through a book on her porch. "Do you mind if I come in?" Joey asked tapping lightly on the screen door. 

She glanced up at her for a moment quickly looking away. "I come in peace," Joey said, "I promise." 

Marking her page she set her book aside, "What do you want Joey?" 

She pushed through the porch door, "Look I've never had a female friend before, I don't know if it was my tomboy tendencies or my lack of trust in the whole feminine bonding experience but mainly I think it's because I've never tried. And you're right you've been nothing but kind to me and I don't know why I continue to push you away and continue to put you down when you really don't deserve it." She held up a plastic bag, "So I'd like to call a truce." 

Jen narrowed her eyes, "How?" 

"Well 'girlfriends' have stereotypical slumber parties where they paint each others nails and have pillow fights in their underwear right?" 

Jen smirked, "You really never have had a female friend, have you?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"Pillow fights in lingerie is simply a figment of deluded teenaged boys imaginations," she explained. 

Joey dug through her bad, "Do they dish over Cosmo?" 

"Joey Potter buying Cosmo?" 

"It's Pacey's," she defended. 

"Now I'm left with some pressing questions." 

Joey sat on the bench beside her, "I really am sorry, I mean I can tell you really like Dawson." 

"No matter," she dismissed. 

"He'll come around, it's just when his perfect world is shifted he doesn't know how to react." 

Jen smiled sadly, "Don't worry I'm used to it." 

Joey looked away uncomfortably. "It's sort of my fault too," Jen said, "I really shouldn't have his everything in the first place, I don't know what I was trying to prove, I mean these things always find a way of uncovering themselves, no matter what you do." 

"Yeah but I just hate being the reason," Joey explained. 

Jen shook her head, "It's not your fault Jo," extending her hand she said, "Friends?" 

Meeting her gesture Joey smiled, "Friends."