The Way You Make Me Feel

Challenge - Use an 80s song and at a barbecue.

Feedback: Please! Send to milburncreek@yahoo.com
Author's Notes: Sorry it took me so long to find this fic. Just a couple of scenes I had discarded in the past that I thought could be worked into this concept. I'm not sure how successful I was in doing this.

Need To Know: General knowledge of the show, I suppose. I wrote this before Season 5 started.



"BBQs are so lame." Pacey proclaimed as soon as he entered the Islander Experience store. "Remind me again why we're agreeing to attend this?"

"Good morning to you too," Jen smiled, "You want to prove to the people in Capeside that you've made something of your life. That you're now a success. I say I'm a success since I am co-owner of a business that's so successful that I can start a chain of them."

Pacey smiled, "I never thought the world needed another used CD and DVD store."

"Well, I guess there's still a great demand for Michael Jackson music. To remember the times when he was considered talented."

"Remember the Time?" He smiled, then started singing, "Do you remember the time, when we fell in love, do you remember the time, when we first met, girl."

"No, no, no," Jen insisted, "The guy was already crazy then. You have to go farther back than that."

"Okay, Jen, how far back do we have to go?"

Jen smirked, "You just want me to sing, damn it. Fine, if you want to be tortured, I'll do just that." Then she began to sing, "I'm starting with the man in the mirror. I'm asking him to chaaaa-ange his ways. And no message could've been any clearer."

Pacey joined her for the next part, "If you're gonna make the world a bet-ter place, take a look at yourself and then make a..."

"Change." They got interrupted by Dawson, who was trying hard not to laugh at the free show. "We need change."

Jen muttered under her breath as she opened the register and took out a couple of rolls of dimes and quarters for her employee. She handed them to Dawson, who returned to his position behind the cash register in the back of the store.

"Does Dawson know about the BBQ?" Pacey asked, once realizing he couldn't hear him.

"Yeah, and you'd better believe that he wants to attend to talk about his last film. Of course, he'd conveniently leave out the part that he maxed out his credit cards and the film was a flop, thereby forcing him to grovel at your feet for a job here."

A customer came at that moment, interrupting Jen. Once that customer left, Pacey asked, "Are you sure you want to see the rest of the gang again?"

"I do. But it's obvious what you really don't want to face is a certain Joey Potter."

"I can't help it. Come on, even you have to admit you're surprised that she hasn't even bothered to contact us. Not even when you invited her to your wedding. I know Drue has his faults but it's not enough to not bother to reply, dammit."

"I learned from both Andie and Jack that she ignores their phone calls as well. I know that was the correct information. Bessie was the one who gave it to me."

"Yeah, and I remember right after that, she refused to speak to her sister again." Jen began sorting our most recent arrivals, when she picked one out of the pile, "Don't tell me there's still somebody that finally parted with their Whitesnake music after all these years."

Pacey laughed, "I can't explain why people can't let go of this garbage." He sifts through the pile, "I have a better question. Didn't our generation have better taste in music than this?"

Jen raised an eyebrow, "You call Spice Girls 'higher quality'?"

He throws his hands up in defeat, "Fair enough. Though I still think that Ginger Spice was hot."

They were interrupted by a thud of DVDs hitting the table. "I'd like to sell these."

Pacey looked up, shocked to see the woman before him. The one who closely resembled Joey Potter. He then shook his head and realized it wasn't her, again. She just happened to have similar brown hair and blue eyes. He had been seeing that woman throughout the city and it took all his might not to make a fool of himself in front of her.

"Sure, not a problem." He looked through the pile, "Well, Saving Private Ryan doesn't have a high value right now."

Dawson shouted, "It's priceless."

Pacey rolled his eyes, "Please ignore him. He hasn't fully recovered from the news about Speilberg's death."

"It's NOT TRUE." Dawson pouted.

The woman replied, "Of course not. That tombstone is just for show. Anyway," reading the nametag, "Pacey. I am just going to look through your new releases." She headed down the aisle, Pacey gazing at her.

"Pacey." Jen exclaimed, waving a hand in front of his face, "Pacey. Earth to Pacey. You realize you have to go to the BBQ. Just so you stop believing that lady is actually Joey. She's been living in this city for months and you know it isn't her. It's just that actress Katie Holmes and she'll think you're stalking her if you don't cut this out."

* * * * *


Pacey muttered, "I couldn't believe that Jen had convinced me to actually be here. In Capeside." He downed the can of beer in his hand.

Jack snuck up from behind, "Nobody actually forced you at gunpoint to be at this BBQ."

"You have just made it abundantly clear how little time you spend with Jen Valentine anymore."

Jack cringed slightly, "You know just how evil those words are."

"Look, just because she's the only one in this group that's actually married at the moment doesn't mean we should be bitter about it."

"I'm not bitter!" he insisted, "It's just that she married Drue. Isn't that inhumane? Are there any words that sound worse together?"

Pacey thought about it for a second before answering, "I've got it! Mrs. Andie Leery."

Jack conceded, "Fair enough. You win the game of gross-out."

"I always do." He took another sip from the beer. "So, who's making the burgers?"

"Drue. It was his way of avoiding Dawson telling that damn story about the making of that movie. What the hell did he call it? Texas Rangers?"

"No, Jack, that was the name of the movie he supposedly starred in during college. Though it still hasn't seen a theatre or a video store near me."

"Yeah, you would know better than me." Jack agreed. He then nudged me, "Is that who I think it is."

Pacey looked in the direction Jack was looking. He then shook his head, "No, that's probably just that Holmes lady again."

The woman was standing on the sidewalk, checking out what was happening from afar.

"Is it weird that I can't stop seeing Joey? Ever since this lady moved into town, I've been haunted with memories of when Joey and I were dating. I have to stop this. We all know that Joey won't really show up."

Jack corrected, "I have no idea what you're talking about but that's actually Joey Potter standing not a hundred feet away."

Andie then approached us, squealing, "I can't believe she actually made it. Joey!" She raced up to her.

"This can't be." Pacey was determined not to be optimistic since he'd been let down before.

Andie was talking to the woman. They both looked over at Pacey before she took out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Andie. She looked at it, disappointed, before trudging back to Pacey and Jack.

"She told me to give you this." She handed Pacey the paper before walking away.

He unfolded the paper and began to read

Dear everyone,

I know it seems selfish but I looked in the mirror and didn't like the person I'd become. If I want to make the world a better place, I have to look at myself and make a change.

Those sweet memories will always be dear to me. No matter what was said, I will never forget what we had.

Did you have to go and make my world so cold? You are not alone, for I am here with you. Though we're far apart, you're always in my heart.

Love always,
Joey

The others had gathered around Pacey while he was reading the note. Andie asked, "Pacey, what's it say?"

Pacey looked back at the sidewalk to find the woman was gone. He ripped up the piece of paper, "She couldn't think of anything to say so she threw a couple of song lyrics together and thought we'd understand. She isn't worth it."

* * * * *


"Man in the Mirror" (the 80s song), "Remember the Time", and "You Are Not Alone" belong to Michael Jackson. All three were used in the letter at the end.

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