Drifting Back
It's time for a new adventure. This is more of a group fic than P/Jo, but just sit back with an iced tea (or, if you prefer getting sloshed, a Long Island Iced Tea) and enjoy.
Need to Know: Everything has happened up to the fourth season finale. Dawson stayed in California - so he won't be too important to the story. Audrey ended up Joey's roommate at Worthington. It's the gang's junior year. Everything else, you'll have to read on.
Feedback: Good or bad, send it to milburncreek@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Characters of Dawson's Creek don't belong to me.
Prologue - Dramatic Entrances
“Joey, honey, you’re seeing the situation all wrong,” Audrey insisted as she led her friend up the path to their new residence. The sheer fabric of the white shirt leading Joey toward the door.
Joey complained, “We had a great room in the dorm. Why are we moving off-campus?”
“Because this loft is absolutely irresistible.”
“Please tell me we’re not doing this for a cute guy.” Joey cut in front of Audrey, staring sternly at her flighty friend.
She sized up the tight pink camisole, beige capris, and strappy sandals Audrey wore. An outfit meant to illustrate her assets, not to unload the car - it had been packed before Audrey picked Joey up, which left her wondering who she flirted with to pack up in the first place. Just because Joey chose to dress sensibly in a green sweater, brown corduroy jeans and sneakers shouldn’t mean she should have to do all the work.
“Joey! I’m a little better than that! Granted, I found this place because of a cute guy, but I’m telling you, this is one amazing place and an equally amazing deal.”
Joey mocked, “Your parents will pay regardless. Why would you care about the deal?”
“I don’t. But I needed something to sell you to this place.”
“Uh huh,” Joey replied doubtfully. “Tell me again how hot you find Keith.”
Audrey stuck out her tongue as she struggled to defend herself. “As soon as you see this place, you will agree with my choice. Keith or no Keith, it’s the deal of the year.”
Joey rolled her eyes, yet knowing she would go along with whatever Audrey said. She had put up with many of Audrey’s screwball ideas in the past two years. As much as she hated to admit, the price was right. Even if it meant being stuck with two guys neither knew very well.
Keith Stafford was one of those guys who, from what Audrey found out in their lone meeting, has coasted through life on charm. The place in question was a loft with four bedrooms that he’d won in a poker game. Definitely a smooth talker, Joey gathered, so she was determined not to let his so-called abilities overwhelm her as it had Audrey.
Audrey was about to open the door when it swung open, revealing a tall blonde guy wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, perfectly showcasing his physique. Definitely the way she pictured Keith. He said, “Welcome home, ladies.” A hint of a Southern accent, from being raised in Georgia, crept into his voice, clearly another draw for the ladies.
Audrey smiled widely as she replied, “Nice to see you haven’t tried to pull a scam on us, Keith.”
“I could say the same thing,” glancing in Joey’s direction. “When you said your friend could rival you in the looks department, I had to think you were lying.” He held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Joey Potter.”
As Joey shook Keith’s hand, Audrey admitted, “I may have been overselling her just a liiiittle bit.” She held her forefinger and thumb a centimeter apart.
Keith offered a slight grin. “You’re just trying to raise your value.”
“Maybe,” Audrey replied coyly. “So, did you come out here to tease or are you actually trying to be the gentleman and help us move in?”
“A little of both, actually.” Audrey turned in the direction of the van, soon having Keith by her side as she began rambling off details.
Joey tuned her out, standing in the doorway, muttering to herself, “Why don’t they just head to a bedroom? It would save them the energy from unnecessary flirting.” She then raced to catch up, throwing an arm around Audrey in an attempt to ground her back to reality. “What about when you told her we’d have a equal amount of eye candy?”
“If Audrey can claim she exaggerated, then so can I. Brendan’s at work so he couldn’t properly greet you ladies. He doesn’t have a clue what he’s missing.” He turned back to Audrey, who had just reached the car containing all their belongings. Keith slid past Audrey as he grabbed the first box.
While Audrey leaned against the car, watching Keith remove boxes, Joey took two suitcases off the ground. She waited for Keith, then followed him into the building, to be greeted immediately with a wooden door. Keith slid the door to the right and entered the elevator, waiting for Joey to come in then pressed the button for the fourth floor. When the elevator reached its destination, the doors opened. Keith dumped the boxes on the tiled floor as he fished out the key to the lone residential room on that level.
The door opened and Joey was surprised by what she saw. Audrey may have been somewhat skewed by Keith’s approach but she was serious when she said the place was a dream. Joey scanned the apartment, taking in its spaciousness.
The living area consisted of a large-screen TV, emerald plush covering the furniture, and several black throw rugs covering the wooden floors. A counter with a set of bar stools separated the living room from the kitchen. On one side were a series of doors, where the bedrooms must have been located.
She finally caught sight of the most intriguing aspect: the view. Joey dropped her bags and walked over to one window, seeing the street and the dock on the other side. Rows of boats were tied there; cruises of Boston waters, as well as trips encompassing farther places, left that dock all the time. It had the feel of Capeside, except this time she didn’t have to deal with serving tourists’ needs.
“Unbelievable,” Joey muttered under her breath.
She thought she hadn’t been too loud but Keith had approached her from behind. “Sometimes, it’s better just to go along with good fortune. No need to question it.”
“I have to learn that. I’ve gotten better but I still have this tendency to look over my shoulder. Think about why things are so good.”
“Damn, not another one of those types. Oh well, at least there’s Audrey to have fun with.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re all ready to ‘have fun’ with her.”
Keith shrugged. “Do you blame me? Audrey is hot. She’s the type of girl who can leave her problems at the doorstep and let loose. You’re more like the type to drag them inside and have them mess up the furniture.”
Joey huffed out, “That is so not true.”
“Oh yeah? Let me take a guess. Guys like me disgust you because you used to date one, who probably ended up hurting you.”
She should have figured he would somehow turn it around that way. “Ugh. Do you really think every girl is just waiting to get in your pants?”
“I didn’t ask that. I don’t get that vibe from you anyway. You’re just someone who’s always on the defensive.”
“Pardon me for seeing you for the snake you are.”
Keith shook his head. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m just interested in impressing Audrey, that is all.”
“Well, she is inexplicably amazed. However, if we’re going to live here, there must be some boundaries. Otherwise, Audrey will be a bit disappointed when you two are in bed and you’re no longer able to get it up because her roommate did irreversible damage.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Fine. I will no longer flirt with you. Is that what you meant?”
Joey offered a slight smile at his stance. At least she had one way to fend him off. She sauntered past him, toward the door. She turned back around, waiting for Keith to follow. When he reached her, she rubbed her hands together, victoriously. “I think I’m going to like it here.”
* * * * *
Jack drove down the block while Jen marveled at the buildings passed. Audrey had called them over for a housewarming as soon as the car was unloaded.
“I am so jealous of those two. Lucky bitches,” Jen snapped.
Jack conceded, “Considering we have to keep in check due to Grams, anything would be an improvement. But this…”
“I wish I met Keith first,” Jen finished. “Why do Joey and Audrey have all the luck when it comes to the hot guys?”
“Aw, Jen.” Jack let one hand off the steering wheel and nudged his elbow into her hip. “You miss having a guy of your own so you must begrudge anyone who’s happy.”
“Yes, Jack, that’s right. I do hate you.” Jen grinned, offsetting the seriousness of her tone.
Jack had been dating Scott for the past four months. It was also no secret that, while he loved Grams, Jack was equally anxious to find a place of his own. The fact that Audrey used her looks to get this apartment so easily was the only irritating part of the situation to him.
At the next red light, Jack looked over at the ships on the other side of the street. A cruise ship was letting off passengers.
A familiar face among the deckhands caught his attention. No, it couldn’t be who he thought it was. His normally dark hair had some blond in it and he was more tan but… he couldn’t be suddenly appearing in their lives again. After all, he left at graduation, over two years ago, without another word.
“Jack?” Jen interrupted his thoughts. “Are we staying at this intersection all day?”
He muttered a apology as he resumed driving, keeping in the back of his mind to return to this location another day.
Jen looked at the numbers on the buildings, counting off, “Four oh six, four twenty, four thirty-two. There it is, four forty-eight.”
Keith was working under his car when he heard the car pull up in the lot beside the building. He looked in their direction, keenly aware of the beautiful blonde exiting the passenger’s side. The joy turned bittersweet as he saw the guy come into view. He crawled out from under the car enough to properly greet them. “Can I help you?” he drawled out, letting a hint of smile escape.
Jen could feel her face get a bit flushed as she tried not to be taken in by him. She could definitely see Audrey appreciating the view if he was one of the other residents in the building. “Visiting the new people.”
“You’re friends with Joey and Audrey?” He slid the rest of the way out and stood up.
“You already know them?” Jen asked, already figuring he was one of their roommates. Either she was screwed by it being Keith or she lucked out by having the other roommate to herself.
“Yeah.” He held out his hand. “Keith.”
Naturally, he had to be Keith. Jen’s luck was never that great, seeming to always find the good ones second to someone else. She shook his hand. “I’m Jen and this is Jack.” Jack offered a quick wave.
“Nice to meet you. So, exactly how close are you with those two?” He leaned against the car, sizing Jen up in her yellow and blue floral summer dress, denim jacket and sandals.
“We’ve known Joey since high school and Audrey for a couple years.”
“You’ll be visiting often?”
“I hope so.” Jen flashed a smile as her hazel eyes met Keith’s blue eyes.
Jack wrapped an arm around Jen, breaking the moment. “Come on, Jen.” Jen nodded absently as he led her in the direction of the entrance. Keith resumed work on his car.
Trying to get Jen out of her daze, Jack reminded her, “This is the same guy Audrey described as the ideal guy and Joey referred to the second coming of Drue Valentine when she just spoke to us on the phone.”
“I know,” Jen said indignantly.
“He’s an ass who will cause nothing but trouble between you ladies.”
Jen muttered, “He’s probably got a nice ass.”
Jack sighed, knowing he’d eventually be consoling someone regarding Keith. “Maybe so but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t just admire that from a distance.”
* * * * *
It was late that night and Joey was cuddled under a quilt on the couch, enjoying her reading material. She had endured Audrey’s teasing regarding studying before classes even started. Even though she had loosened up somewhat in the last two years, there was still the part that preferred the company of books to parties.
That was where Audrey, Keith, Jen and Jack were right now - at some club, enjoying their last weekend before classes started. Joey had to admit it had been strange when her friends stopped by earlier. There was a connection between Jen and Keith, most evident as he tried to figure out whether Jack was Jen’s boyfriend. Jack wasn’t exactly trying to dissuade Keith from that opinion just yet, which Joey was silently thankful for at this time.
While it could have been amusing to watch the quartet play game, Joey preferred this: reading Little Women for the eighteenth time. It would have shocked Audrey that it wasn’t study material at all.
She must have dozed off because she was startled by the door opening. When nobody breezed by, as the hell on wheels known as Audrey Liddell normally did, Joey guessed Keith was standing there, either watching her or making out with someone.
Joey called out over her shoulder, “Couldn’t you do that in your own room?”
“But this is where the jackets are hung up,” an unfamiliar voice replied in a puzzled tone. That caused Joey to turn around to see a guy wearing a black denim jacket and faded jeans with a backpack hanging on his shoulder. His curly light brown hair was kept back by a pair of tinted glasses perched on his head.
In the midst of the drama surrounding Keith and her friends, including the realization that Jen was another member of the fan club, Joey had forgotten about the second guy living here. Keith had made one offhand reference to him and that was all. “Sorry about that. I assumed it was Keith or Audrey. Or both.”
“Oh, so you’re the other roommate. Josie, right?”
“It’s Joey, actually. Joey Potter.” She would have said more but she was having trouble remembering his name, thereby not able to be irked by his error.
“Sorry about that. Brendan Meyers.” He approached the couch, intending to shake her hand, but his backpack slid down his arm and dangled in the crook. He quickly swung the backpack back on his shoulder. “I work in Worthington’s computer lab until eleven, so coming in at this hour will probably be the norm.”
“The lab is open already?”
“You’d be surprised how quickly students need to feed their internet cravings,” Brendan pointed out as he dropped the backpack on the rug, then took off his jacket and hung it on a hook. “Either that or it’s a fine excuse to avoid whatever party Keith’s trying to start up.” Brendan turned back around, seeing a grin escape Joey’s lips. He groaned, “Don’t give me that look.”
“What look?” Joey replied, trying not to laugh as she took in the Speed Racer shirt he wore.
“The one where you try to figure out what scientific experiment caused Keith and I to become friends. Blame it on registrar draw, because we were roommates in the dorms.”
“It’s kind of obvious there’s something strange. Because…” She struggled to figure out the right way to phrase it, without angering Brendan or insulting his friend.
“I know.” He settled at the opposite end of the couch. “I’m not blind. On the subject of opposites attracting, given the way Keith described Audrey, you hardly seem the type to hang around her.”
Joey conceded, “You may be right.”
Brendan pointed in the direction of the bedroom doors. “Which one did you choose?”
“The one furthest away from Keith.”
“Good choice. It’s also the one closest to the kitchen. That’s not a deterrent?”
Joey scoffed, “I lived in a Bed & Breakfast. If that’s a challenge, this will be fun.”
“No, probably the biggest challenge for someone like you will be having peace and quiet.” He picked up the book Joey had been reading. “Little Women?”
She sat up, poking him in the chest. “Hey, don’t make fun. This is my hot-chocolate, chestnuts-roasting-on-an-open-fire, sitting-by-the-Christmas-tree book.”
“Considering I was the one who used Cliff’s Notes for this stuff, can’t really say anything. I have trouble with the classics.”
Joey challenged, “Favorite story not written in the last hundred years?”
Brendan wracked his brain for an answer. “A Christmas Carol.” At Joey’s raised eyebrow, he added, “Yes, I know, everyone has seen some adaptation of that story thanks to Mickey Mouse, Fred Flintstone, the Star Trek guy and the hundred other versions available. But the actual Dickens story? Much darker and more intriguing than any version television has done.”
She couldn’t help but smile. It was kind of an offbeat answer, but one not meant to astound anyone either. “I was on a college tour and this guy led me to an original copy of Little Women. It held a special place with my mom, which is why I sometimes find comfort in that book.”
“The guy’s an idiot if he’s using a dusty book to impress a woman. I thought I had no game.”
Joey tried to muster a protest but couldn’t get words out from the giggles threatening to seep out. Instead, she grabbed the quilt and the book and headed for her room. She informed him, “You still don’t, sweetie.”
* * * * *
Many people would pass the On the Waterfront diner on the weekend. Not because of the place itself, but because of Berry’s, the retro club at the end of the corner. During the day were the tourists, but at night, the residents would come out and play.
Pacey sat outside the diner, more interested in the people passing. Normally, he would sit in his tiny apartment, trying to get reception on an old TV, but it felt wrong staying indoors when everyone else was out, savoring the last days of summer.
“Got a light?” A deep, Southern voice asked.
He took a lighter from his pocket, expecting the other guy to extend a cigarette. Instead, he held out a small candle then flicked the light. He handed the lighter back, then placed the candle atop a frosted cupcake.
“Thanks, man.” He watched the guy walk away, to where a blonde stood, her back to both of them. Her long hair up in a twist, with tendrils slipping out at the bottom. When the guy reached her, there was a clear height discrepancy between them.
When she turned around, he was surprised to realize it was his old friend Jen Lindley. “How’s that possible? She’s in Boston.” He had memorized Grams’ address. Several towns away from where they were right now.
How could he begrudge Jen happiness? After all, she was probably the least lucky when it came to finding love. She would deserve finally finding the right guy.
He, on the other hand, had love. He just couldn’t keep it. Joey Potter was not the easiest person to deal with.
He continued to take in the scene. Jen and the Southern blond guy were soon joined by another blonde, she having more of a figure than Jen, holding another cupcake with a candle. The guy tilted the candle to touch the other blonde’s. On second thought, maybe Jen’s personal life wasn’t that much different. Still competing with other women.
There was a part of him that wanted to follow the trio. But why should he? He only knew Jen; it wasn’t a given Joey was even around. If Jen found him, it was inevitable word would spread to everyone else.
He could faintly hear them sing a tune, laughing throughout, then blow out the candles and share the two cupcakes among three people. Once finished, Jen waved to someone, then indicated she was leaving. They said their goodbyes, then Jen walked in the opposite direction.
The other two headed straight for the diner. As they came closer, he could make out their conversation better. The guy said, “Will we have to tiptoe into the apartment because your friend wakes up to everything?”
“She’s not that bad, Keith. Once you get to know Joey, you’ll realize she’s not the uptight priss.” He sat upright upon hearing her name.
“How long did it take you to realize that, Audrey?”
“About three months.” Keith groaned in reply to that, to which Audrey walked in front of him and promised, “Believe me, you’ll find out when you least expect it.”
When they were safely past him, he wanted, more than anything to follow them. Now that he was aware of the possibility of seeing her again, he had no idea what to do.
After he finished his summer in the Caribbean, Pacey had gotten a job working cruise ships. Two months ago, he was assigned to work on Boston Harbor Cruises. He realized it was possible he’d have to deal with members of the gang. It didn’t mean he had interest in seeking anyone out right now.
Chapter 1 - Denial Is Easier Than Reality
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