RadioStation

Forget everything you know about Dawson's Creek. Just using the characters.

Disclaimer: The characters of Dawson's Creek don't belong to me, although I can dream that Pacey does. I apologize in advance for swiping storylines from NewsRadio (for those who watch that show).

Also, I should add this is sort of based on another fanfic cuz I don't want my reputation to go to hell for this. Here's the link to the original

* * * * *

Pacey Witter walked into his office to find his staff hard at work. There was an eerie silence in the air, which Pacey had noticed more often in the months since his former employees have left.

He’s always known his boss was an eccentric. The guy was lonely ever since his wife passed away ten years ago and really only had his millions of dollars to make him happy. Pacey wouldn't be surprised if the staff at WNYX also provided him with some solace. Correction, everyone except his incompetent son.

So when his boss decided he wanted to move away from the chaotic New York lifestyle, he didn't just simply look for a beach house or buy a farm. No, Mitch Leery opted to set up a radio station in the sleepy town of Capeside, Massachusetts.

Pacey was looking at an old photo of his staff, hanging on the wall by the entrance to the radio booth. The five of them appeared to be a well-oiled business. Sure, they got on his nerves nearly everyday but these were the people that meant the most to him.

Promise Andie McPhee enough money and you could convince her to do anything. Then again, the only thing she was good for was getting the hourly coffee fix. Someday, she would continue her graduate school studies but for now, she liked slumming in the office. I'm told she can be quite the workaholic when she wants to be but I'm skeptical.

She actually grew up in Capeside, a fact which she didn't want to admit to anyone as the real reason she may have agreed to go. When the rest of the staff found out, she shrugged it off as 'a return to dysfunction'. As opposed to her life before?

Jen Lindley liked the idea that she didn't have to compete with anyone else for a job as the on-air personality. She'd lived in New York City her whole life and was pretty sick of it.

Mitch promised Joey Potter the opportunity to run the local newspaper, which he easily bought over. The overachiever that Joey was, she jumped at the opportunity. That was a shame since Pacey loved the idea of Joey being by his side, whether they were dating or not.

Yes, Josephine Potter. When he had first arrived to WNYX, Joey was the highest hurdle. She had believed that she would finally have the opportunity to be in charge, unaware that was exactly what he had been hired to do. They had an adversarial relationship at first, which soon turned into romance.

Gradually, the two had grown apart. He sort of pinned that on the staff finding out that they were together. Mitch Leery had a strict policy on inter-office relationships, which was the reason they’d hiding it from everyone else in the first place. It was just too messy. He wasn't even that sure if Joey was serious about their relationship.

Then Joey had to get married to a powerful slimeball competitor named Drue Valentine. Pacey didn't think that money was the sole reason why she married him.

What else was there to him? The guy was pure evil. But of course, nobody would listen to him, since it sort of sounded like he was a jealous ex.

Well, yes, that was partially it. But he was pure evil, dammit!

Pacey looked down at the coffee cup in his hand. Empty. He went over to the coffeemaker and filled up his mug. He breathed in the wonderful aroma, which immediately woke him up.

He walked into his office. Dawson Leery jumped out from behind the door.

Dawson screamed out, "Arrgggh."

This would be pretty scary if he didn't try this same stunt every single day. Even so, the coffee cup was shaking a little in his hand. Pacey steadied the cup, momentarily forgetting who was in the room. Then, of course, he was forced to remember.

Why the hell did Mitch leave his stupid son behind? He reconsidered that, Mitch knew exactly when to run away.

Pacey glared at him, "Why do you do that every single day?"

"Well, duh, I'm trying to scare you. Geez!" Dawson looked around for a chair and sat down, "Ever since most of the staff left for Capeside, it's been dead around here. The thrill is gone."

Pacey sat down at his desk, scattering papers around until he found a clear spot large enough to drop his coffee. "You know, as I recall, you had the opportunity to leave with them."

Dawson smiled then ran around the desk to give Pacey a hug, "I could never leave you, Pace. How could I leave you with," pointing towards the door, "those people? They are absolutely creeeeeepy." He waved his hands around wildly as though he was on a roller coaster.

Pacey muttered, "Right now the question is how everyone could be so cruel to leave me here with you."

Dawson swung back around to the front of the desk, "You simply can't admit that you miss them."

Pacey exclaimed, "Of course I can admit that I miss them. I just wish I could have the chance to find out if I'd miss you.”

Dawson turned around, appearing that he's exiting the office, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." He spun back around, "You are at least admitting the possibility that you'd miss me. That's what we call progress. Very good, Mr. Witter."

Pacey pointed to the door. Dawson chuckled then exited the room. As soon as he left, Pacey slouched back in his chair and looked up to the sky, muttering, "Why me? Of all the bastards on this planet, what did I do that was so wrong?"

* * * * *

Around lunchtime, Pacey walked into the staff lounge to find one of his employees, Beth, eating her lunch. Beth was one of the people hired to replace the departed staff. She was supposedly handling Andie's former job but he'd be damned if he ever saw her working. Plus, the girl kind of scared him.

Pacey leaned against the wall, trying to be nonchalant, "Hello, Beth. What are you up to?"

Beth gave him an isn't-it-obvious look and held up the container.

"Of course, of course. I was just thinking you could get the gang together and we could meet after work."

She rolled her eyes, "Why, are we falling behind in our work?"

"No..no.. not that. I just thought that what this place needs is more of a community setting. You know, more like a friendship setting where you can actually, I don't know, talk to each other. We could gather for a couple of beers at the bar on the next block.."

Beth cut him off, "Oh, so I see your little game. You get us ladies drunk so you can take advantage of us helpless creatures. Then afterwards, you're able to force me to relent to your every demand?"

Mental note: the girl isn't slightly crazy. She's all ready for the straight jacket. He backed away from her slowly and exited the room. As soon as he closed the door, he retreated to the safety of his office.
* * * * *

A couple of days later, Dawson barged into the office to see Pacey sitting behind his desk staring into space. He stared up at the ceiling, wondering what Pacey was looking at. He shook his head back down and found a place on the desk to place a floppy disk.

"I finished that President Bush piece for you to approve."

Pacey didn't react. Dawson leaned over the desk and yelled out, "Helloooo, did you hear me?! I said I actually did some work and I'd like you to sign off on it."

Pacey muttered, "I'm not so sure I should stay in New York. These people are just too weird. Completely unfriendly."

Dawson pulled up a chair and sat down, " You think that? At least they talk to you. Do you know you're the only person in this office who has exchanged more than two-word sentences with me in the last four months?"

Pacey shook himself out of the daze and glanced at Dawson out of the corner of his eye, "Considering some of the things I say to you, that's pretty sad."

Dawson was completely confused, pushing hair back from his face, "Why, what's so bad about what you say to me?"

Pacey stared at his moronic employee, then shook his head, "Ask me again when you've overcome Peter Pan syndrome."

Dawson whined, "Tell me nooow. I don't think I could wait that long."

Pacey tried to hold back a snicker, "Tough luck. Actually, I was thinking of trekking down to Capeside this weekend. Maybe I can convince Andie to bring me some coffee. Beth has been refusing ever since she thinks I started harrassing her."

Dawson jumped up and down in excitement, "Woo-hoo, we're going to Capeside Mass." He danced out of the room, Pacey could still hear him outside, "I've gotta get my soundtracks together. I have an audio recording of E.T. we can listen to.." Pacey slammed the door shut before he can hear any more.

When he was certain that Dawson was too wrapped up in planning the trip, Pacey muttered, "At least I have a chance to unload Dawson on them. Though it would be nice to see the gang again."

He scrounged through his desk looking for progress reports when his eyes wandered to a drawing.

Joey had started indulging her artistic side and took a drawing class. As an assignment, she was required to do a self-portrait. He remembered that when she was finished, she absolutely hated it and discarded it immediately.

He fished it out of the garbage and brought it home. There, he was able to see her beauty. Her blue eyes which grew wide at the prospect of having more responsibility in the office. Her little trademark move of biting her bottom lip when she was nervous about something. Her radiant glow when they were dating at the fact she'd found her one true love.

Or so she thought. Or so they thought. What really drove them apart? Sure, he could blame the staff for interfering. That was the easy way out. But there was a deeper reason.

She didn't want to marry me. It wasn't exactly a proposal and she rejected me type of problem. It's just that she didn't see me as the person in her future. She said that she didn't see herself being tied down to anyone at this time.

So why the hell did she marry that egomaniac Drue? There isn't the same passion in her eyes anymore. But there's this quality that women love. Even Jen, the person who was normally the voice of reason, fell under his charms. This quality - an incredibly vague phrase which absolutely drives me nuts.

When the gang had first left, Jen and Andie kept contact with New York. Neither one wanted to tell him exactly what was happening with Joey and Drue's marriage, which only infuriated him more. He tried on several occasions to talk to her, but somebody else answered each time.

Pacey rose from his chair and exited his office. He took a look at his staff, muttering, "It's just not the same."
* * * * * Part 2 - Sleepy Town
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