The sleek black phone wrang shrilly through the kitchen, and Pacey licked a bit of mayonaise off his thumb before answering it. "Hello?"

"What? No, Pacey's House of Burning Love?"

Pacey's face split into a small smile, "Hey, D. How's it going?"

"Pretty damn well." The blond's voice echoed through the phone, his smile evident in his words.

"And how's the missus?" He cradled the phone to his ear.

"Jen's fine," Dawson said wryly. "She says hi."

"Give her a hug for me," he went back to preparing his dinner, putting the two slices of bread together, completing his turkey sandwich.

"Will do. So the reason I'm calling..."

"I knew there had to be a catch." Pacey smirked.

"We were wondering if you and Joey want to go see a play with us Thursday night. Something Jen's friend is in, she got us four tickets, I thought we could go out to dinner first."

"Actually, D..." Pacey's smile faded. "I'd love to, but I don't think I'm up for it."

"You have plans?"

"Not exactly, but I'm sure Joey'd love to go."

Sighing, Dawson nodded, "Okay, could I talk to her?"

"Yeah, sure." Dawson frowned, hearing the tension in Pacey's voice.

Taking his sandwich, he carried the portable phone to Joey's room, knocked once on the door and pushed it open. He didn't spare her a second glance as he tossed the phone onto her bed spread, "Dawson." The next second, he was gone, closing the door behind him.

Joey marked the page of the book she was reading and set it down on the nightstand before reaching for the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Jo." Dawson again smiled, hearing his friend's familiar voice."

The corner of her mouth turned up slightly and she sat up on her bed. "Hey, Dawson."

"What're you up to these days?"

She shrugged. "Nothing too interesting. You?"

"Well, Jen and I have two extra tickets to a play on Thursday night, you interested?"

"I don't believe I have any plans...What time?"

"Well, I was thinking the four of us could get together for dinner first, but since Pacey declined, I thought maybe I'd cook something for us before hand. Say around 5:30-ish?"

Joey's eyes slid over to her door before she smiled. "Sounds wonderful."

"With that out of the way," he smiled, "How are things in the Potter-Witter household?"

"They're fine," she said dismissively.

"I don't suppose you know what's up with Pacey, do you? This is like the third time he's flaked on me in the last two days. It's not like him. Has he got a new girl of the moment, or what?"

She bit her lip contemplatively before letting out a small sigh of resignation. "I'd really rather not talk about it."

"Jo?" The familiar concern was in his voice and he moved out of the noisy kitchen where he had just started a load of dishes.

"It's nothing, Dawson. Really."

"Yeah, and I've known you for almost twenty years, what makes you think you can lie to me now?"

"I have no idea what's wrong with Pacey."

"Okay, then give him the phone and I'll ask him whats wrong with the both of you." Dawson challenged.

She worried her lower lip some more. "Dawson, please don't do that. You'll just make things worse."

"Did something happen between you two?"

"I-I," she tugged at the ends of her hair nervously, "I have to move out."

"He's kicking you out?" Dawson repeated with disbelief.

"It's not that big a deal," she said softly. "I can use my own place."

"That's beside the point, you two have lived together for how many years now?!"

"Dawson, there really is no need to overreact."

"That place is half yours, he can't just decide that it's time for you to leave. If he doesn't want a roommate anymore, than he should be the one to leave. And why on earth would he want to? He loves living with you. This is so unlike him."

She sighed. "It surprised me too but I have no problem with moving out."

Dawson fisted a hand at his side, "What exactly did he say?"

"It's really not important."

"Joey, this is hugely important. Where does he expect you to go?! How can he be so self-centered?"

"Well, you know Pacey." She frowned. "Don't even worry about it. I've already been apartment hunting."

"Yes, I know Pacey," Dawson muttered. He knew Pacey perfectly, better even than Joey did apparently. "Um, Jo, have you ever thought of why Pacey might not want to live with you anymore?"

"Not a clue."

"Well, there's a reason. I'm sure of it." He paused, "I heard he broke it off with Shandra?"

"Oh, did he?" She replied with as much disinterst as she could muster.

"Yeah, he did." Dawson nodded, with a frown. He'd always sucked at being subtle, "She apparently wasn't what he wanted in a woman."

She looped her brown hair behind her ear. "Well, he never talks to me about these things."

"Of course he doesn't." Dawson said knowingly, "I wonder why that is."

"He never talks with me about anything. It's been like living with a stranger lately," she remarked with another sigh.

"It sounds like he's pulling away..."

"I don't know what it is. I just can't deal with it anymore."

"So instead of getting at the root of the problem, you're just going to walk away?"

"There's so much you don't know."

"So tell me," he said softly.

"I can't talk about it now," she whispered quietly. "Maybe we can meet for lunch?"

"Half an hour sound good?"

"That's fine."

"Which restaurant?"

"How about that Italian restuarant by the park?"

"It's perfect." Dawson nodded. "Should I bring Jen, or do you just want it to be the two of us?"

"Just the two of us if you don't mind, that is."

"Not at all. I'm leaving in five minutes."

She smiled faintly. "I'll see you then."

"Bye, Jo." He hung up the phone with a sigh. What had Pacey done now?

Joey set the phone down and slid off the bed, heading for her dresser. She raked a quick hand through her hair and smoothed out her blue top. She grabbed her jacket out of her closet and the phone off her bed before heading out the door.

A head popped up from the couch, "Joey! Hi!" The short red-head grinned, her startling blue eyes glittered as she put a perfectly manicured hand on Pacey's shoulder, "Pacey didn't tell me you were home."

Joey rolled her eyes and headed for the door as she pulled on her jacket. "God Pacey can't you even dump a girl right?"

"Ignore her," he pulled Shandra back across his lap and brushed his lips across her neck. Joey rolled her eyes once again and shut the door behind her.

"So, what's going on?" Dawson asked, as their lunch was delievered.

She took a small sip of soda from her glass and then gestured to their food. "Wouldn't you rather eat first?"

"No."

"It looks really good," she said weakly.

"Take your time."

She gazed at him with watery eyes. "I don't think I can talk about it."

He reached across the table and put his hand over hers, "Try."

She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "I can't believe I'm so stupid."

"He's the one who's stupid." Dawson said quietly.

She swallowed and brushed her hand against her cheek. "I'm the stupid one. I almost slept with him and then he has that bitch over the apartment today. He does these things on purpose, to hurt me." She burst into fresh tears.

"You what...?" Dawson gaped at her as he moved around the table to sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

She buried her face into his sweater. "Oh Dawson, it's horrible. I have to leave."

He smoothed her hair gently, "Shhhh. Tell me from the beginning."

"I almost slept with him the other night." She hiccupped and sniffled some more. "And then today Shandra was there. He lied to you Dawson. They're anything but broken up. Believe me, I would know. Then he told her to ignore me," she sobbed.

"Did he ask you to leave before or after you guys almost...?"

She rubbed her eyes. "Before."

Dawson's eyes narrowed, "I. Am. Going. To. Kill. Him."

"I just want to forget about it."

"Ohhhh no." Dawson shook his head, his hazel eyes a steely gray. "No man, least of all Pacey, is going to be allowed to treat you that way."

"I want to get out of there, Dawson," she whispered.

"Fine, you can." He nodded, "But whether you stay or not, he can't treat you that way."

She sniffed and gave him a tight hug. "Thank you."

Pacey hit his fist against the door of Joey's bedroom angrily, not ceasing until she answered. After his talk with Dawson, and the right hook to his eye, he was plenty mad at his room mate. Or soon to be ex-room mate.

Joey didn't bother to glance up from her book and turned the page. "The door is open."

He turned the handle and threw the door open, slamming it behind him. "What the hell is your problem?!"

She carefully marked her page and set the book down. "What?"

"I went to meet Dawson for coffee, and he proceeded to give me a black eye!"

"I noticed."

"Because you told him I was kicking you out! And that I fooled around with you after! And he's under the impression that I rubbed getting back together with Shandra in your face!" He glared at her, "Now explain to me how I deserved any of this!?"

"Then what exactly was Shandra doing here?"

"She was picking up some of her things, Joey!"

She scoffed in disbelief. "Oh, I'm sure she was."

"Why should you care anyway?! You want to leave! Why did you tell him it was my idea?!"

"You go from almost fucking me to having Shandra on your lap today." She narrowed her eyes. "Get the hell out of my room. You disgust me."

"And you go from almost sleeping with me to leaving me without a reason! Excuse me, for wanting to talk to someone who actually wants to spend time with me."

"I don't see why anyone would want to!"

"No," he glared at her, "Of course you wouldn't!"

She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Just get out! I don't want to talk to you!"

"Tough! This isn't fair, Joey. You can't just proclaim that you're moving out without any reason, and then tell Dawson that it was my idea. I don't want you to leave."

"I don't care."

"You are so fucking stubborn."

She shrugged and picked up her book. "Whatever."

He fisted his hands at his side, his fingers trembling at the urge to shake some sense into her. Instead, he took the book and through it out the open window of their third story apartment. "Fight with me."

"You're insane!"

"No, what I am is angry." He towered over her. "Tell me what your god damn problem is so we can fix it and you can stay here!"

She glared up at him. "Maybe I don't want to stay here!"

His eyes narrowed, "Why?"

"Maybe I'm just tired of living with you."

"And maybe you're not."

She rolled her eyes. "What do you know."

"I know you. I know you better than I know myself. I know just by looking at you that you're bored, or when you're tired. I know that you hate rye bread and that thunder scares you but lightning doesn't. I know that you profess hatred of Mariah Carey, but you secretly blast her music when you're cleaning the kitchen. I know the only time you'll eat Ben & Jerry's ice cream is when ER is on or you're PMSing." He paused, "I. Know. You. Josephine Potter. And I know that you don't want to leave anymore than I want you to."

"Bite me."

"After eight years living together, don't you think I deserve a real reason?"

"After eight years, I need a little more from life."

"And you think moving out is suddenly going to give you that?"

"Yes, actually, I do."

"How?"

"I'm tired of living here."

"Why? What is so tiring about sharing a living space with me?"

"I wouldn't know how to explain it without hurting your feelings."

His eyes darkened, "I'm plenty hurt as it is. You might as well complete the job."

"God, Pacey this had to happen sometime. You couldn't honestly believe we'd be living here together forever."

"Maybe I did," he muttered under his breath. Louder, he said, "Or maybe I thought one of us would be moving on to bigger and better things. I don't see anyone in the wings waiting for you with open arms."

Her eyes narrowed. "I hate you."

He snorted and backed away from her, throwing his hands in the air. "Perfect. Ironic how that works out, isn't it?"

"Get out! Just get the hell out of my room!"

"You just don't get it, do you? I'm not going anywhere until we fix this."

"Fine, you don't want to leave?" She climbed off her bed angrily and headed for her door. "Then I will!"

He caught her around the waist, "Damn it, Potter. Talk to me!"

"I don't want to talk to you!"

"Why not?" His other hand moved to her waist. "What has changed so much that you can't talk to me anymore?"

She struggled against him. "Let go of me!"

He released her, "So what? I can't even touch you now?"

"Why can't you just stay out of my life?"

"Why do you want me out of yours?" He asked softly, unable to mask the hurt.

Her eyes flashed angrily. "I can't even fuck a guy in my room without having to deal with how it bothers you!"

A muscle in his jaw jumped. "If that's the only problem, then next time I'll stay out of it."

"Well, you don't have to worry about next time because I won't be here!"

"I love you." He said quietly to the back of her head. "I'm in love with you."

She whirled around angrily. "You are not!"

His eyes widened in surprise, "I'm not?"

"What are you trying to do now? Guilt me into staying?! It's not going to work."

"I'm not trying to do anything." He ran a hand through his hair, "You weren't supposed to find out this way." He frowned, "You weren't supposed to find out at all."

"What? And it's my fault?"

"No, of course not." He said distractedly. "But I meant it, I mean it." He sighed, "Maybe you're right."

"What are you talking about now?"

"Whatever your problem is, knowing how I feel about you is only going to make it worse." He headed for the door, "Forget I said anything."

"Consider it done, then."

"If you need help packing, you know where to find me." He said emotionlessly as he left the room and Joey collapsed back on her bed in exhaustion.