Author’s Note: So how was the prologue? I promise it’ll get better! Thanks to Kristine and Amy for helping me out with all my questions, and Brandi and Hannah for being my editors. And thanks to Ashley for helping me with my many writers blocks and constant questions.

Feedback is very much wanted and needed! PLEASE send me feedback, this is my first Dawson’s Creek fanfic. You can send me feedback at Naskt8@aol.com.

Spoilers: The Series Finale, and a few references of some episodes from the earlier seasons.

Chapter One

A knock on her office door caused Joey to look up from the newest book she was in the middle of editing. "It’s open," she called out.

"Good. I was hoping to catch you in here," Elise, her boss, said as she walked into Joey’s new office. She had just recently gotten the office and loved it. She had more privacy in there, and had even gotten her own secretary a month or so after returning from Capeside and Jen’s funeral.

"Why? What’s up?" she asked.

"Jo, I wanted to talk to you about something," she said as she sat down in one the spare chairs in Joey’s office. "I want you to attend this years Editors Convention," Elise said.

"I don’t--?" Joey began, not understanding why Elise wanted her to go.

"You’re a Junior partner here. I just want you to get a step up on the rest of them," she told her.

"Elise, even if I wanted to go, I can’t afford it right now--"

"The company’s paying for it," Elise told her.

"Well, what about my work?"

"It’ll be taken care of. Besides, you’ll only be gone for two days," Elise assured her. Joey paused for a moment to think about it. If the company’s paying for it, and my work will be covered for me; there’s no real reason why I can’t….

"I guess. I mean, if everything’s going to be taken care of here." Joey said. Elise smiled.

"Great." Elise dug into her front pocket and pulled out a plane ticket. "Here’s your ticket; you’re flight leaves Wednesday morning."

"Wednesday morning!? That’s the day after tomorrow!" Joey said, shocked.

"Yeah. The Convention’s Thursday," she told her. Then Joey remembered…The party at the Ice House!

"It’s just…." Joey began.

"Is there a problem, Jo?" Elise asked. Joey looked at her boss’ face, and knew she couldn’t back out.

"…No. Never mind Elise, I‘ll go," she said as she looked back down at her desk.

"Okay. Have fun in L.A.," Elise said before walking out of Joey’s office. Joey sighed as she leaned back into her chair. Pacey’s not going to be too happy.

"Are you going to stop in and see Dawson?" Bessie had asked her. That question had made Joey think about it again for the millionth time since Elise had convinced her to go.

"Honey, I’m home!" Pacey announced as he entered their apartment. Joey snapped out of her thoughts and walked over to him.

"Hey, Pace. How was work?" she asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

"It was okay. Crazy more than anything else, but…" he trailed off. He looked down at her and kissed her forehead. "At least you’ll be there on the big night at the Ice House." Joey looked up and took a step back.

"Actually, Pace, there’s something I have to tell you," she began.

"Uh oh. I have a feeling it isn’t good."

"Um, Elise wants me to go to an Editors Convention," she explained.

"When?"

"The day after tomorrow. Um, it’s in L.A.," she explained.

Pacey chuckled, but Joey knew it wasn’t a humorous laugh. "Yeah, it figures it’d be there," he said. Dawson and Pacey had finally become friends, but Joey knew that there would always be some tension between the two. It may have lessened over the years, but it was still there and it always would be.

"Pacey, he‘s our friend, and your best friend I may add," she told him.

"Who it just so happens is still just as in love with you as he was back in high school, if not more so," he shot back.

"Pace, I have to go, Elise said I had to go," she reminded him. "Besides, he‘s been so busy lately with the show, I doubt I‘ll even see him." She waited for a response, but Pacey just walked into the kitchen and rubbed his face with his hand.

"You know what, Jo, it’s been a long day, and I really don’t want to argue about this," he told her. The famous Potter temper kicked in.

"You know what, fine. I’m going to bed. I don‘t care what you do," she said before angrily retreating to her bedroom. Pacey just sighed in frustration as she slammed the door shut. He knew this was going to happen sooner or later. Joey had assured him time and time again that she was his, but he couldn’t seem to get past the feeling that she wasn’t.

Sitting on her bed, Joey thought back to before Jen passed away. The two girls had talked in her hospital room as Joey got Jen ready to record her goodbyes to her daughter, Aimee.

"Okay, just for the record, ‘cause I really feel out of the loop on this, who did you know you were meant to be with?" Jen had asked. It was true, Joey had known all along. It was Dawson. But the timing between the two had never been good, and she was afraid of having a real relationship with Dawson. She was afraid that she would end up breaking his heart once more.

"Oh boy," she muttered to herself. She and Pacey had been arguing more and more lately. She couldn’t help but wonder if they were going to work out, or if it was just going to be another repeat of what happened the last time they decided to get back together. But that time, Eddie had come back, which forced her to realize that she just didn’t love Pacey the same way she did before.

Not wanting to think about her current troubles, she changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed.

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