Joey yawned and leaned back in her seat with a stretch, her brown hair falling over her shoulders. She pushed her glasses up on top of her head and rubbed at her eyes tiredly. She felt like she’d been typing away on the computer for hours. She sighed and raised the can of soda she had bought earlier to her lips and then winced as she set it down. It was warm and flat.

A light knock rapped on her office door. Before she could acknowledge it, the door pushed open and Jen’s blond curls poked inside. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Joey managed a cordial smile and arranged some of the papers on her desk.

“You’re lingering late.” Jen commented, her three-inch heels clicking on the floor as she sat in the chair opposite Joey’s desk.

Joey shrugged grabbing an old post-it note off the corner of her silver picture frame. “I have a lot of work to get in order before I leave.” She grimaced slightly.

“Ahh, yes,” Jen nodded, as though she were just remembering. “The Witter project. How is that going?”

“You should be the one doing this. What do I know about baseball?”

“Does it make you feel any better to know I agree?” She sighed, “To spend that much time with Pacey Witter...”

“The man’s absolutely annoying,” Joey interjected with a shake of her head.

“Really?” Jen tilted her head, “From what I heard, he was fairly laid back.”

“And he’s so damn cocky,” Joey announced taking another sip of her warm soda.

Jen shrugged. “Most good athletes are.”

“Yeah, well forgive me for not fawning over that sad excuse for charm,” she added setting the can down.

“So you’re not attracted to him in the least?

“He’s really not my type,” Joey stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Not your type?” Jen rolled her eyes. “Please, the man is my *grandmother’s* type.”

“No, really. He’s a little too, I don’t know the polite way to say this, but...He’s kind of stupid.”

Jen chuckled. “No one who plays in the major leagues is stupid, Joey. Isn’t that a little hypocritical? Couldn’t he consider you stupid because you don’t understand even the basics of baseball?”

Joey rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, because it seems so complicated. How strenuous it must be on the brain cells to hit a ball with a bat? Or how about having the coordination that most primates do to catch a ball in a glove?”

“Exactly. Joey, you’re stupid.”

She resisted the basic urge to glare. “I am not stupid. I just don’t find baseball interesting. Forgive me.”

“And he doesn’t find journalism, or whatever it is that made you think he’s stupid, interesting.” The blond shook her head, “It’s not like you to be so judgmental. Especially as a journalist.”

“I’m just stating the facts.”

“Right...cause he really is so despicable. I really want to meet this man.”

“None of this would’ve happened if you had just bothered to stay healthy.”

“Don’t you think I wanted this story? Especially now, when you’ve got a guaranteed two month column.” She sighed, obviously put out at how the whole thing had turned out.

Joey frowned sympathetically. “I’m sorry. I know it really should be you handling this. I feel like such an imposter.”

“You know, I’d feel much better about this if you weren’t so...”

She raised an eyebrow. “So what?”

“Nice about it.” Jen finished, “And if you actually did quality work.”

“I’m doing the best I can with what I have.”

“Joey, I read the first article you wrote...that was good.” She lifted the previous day’s newspaper from the corner of Joey’s desk. “This isn’t.”

“Really?” Joey asked in disbelief. “I really thought I hit gold with that whole ‘intelligence and decorum of an ape’.” She shrugged. “I guess you can’t please everyone.”

Jen refolded the paper, “I’m surprised he hasn’t sued you for libel.”

“He doesn’t have the brains.”

“I’m sure at the very least his agent does.” Jen tilted her head thoughtfully, “Wonder if he’s contacted Kyle, yet? Fair warning, Jo: Pacey may not care what you write about him, but I can guarantee his PR guy will.”

“Good. Maybe then someone will talk some sense into Kyle and remind him how bad I am for the job.”

“Yeah right, like Kyle will listen.” She frowned. “Despite what I know about baseball, this isn’t a story I should work on. I’m not human interest...you are. And isn’t that what this column is supposed to be?”

“Yeah well, what human would this interest?” She sighed. “It’s ridiculous work.”

“Don’t you get that thousands of people are reading this?” She asked incredulously. “Joey, I know you haven’t been in the office much, but if this first week goes well, they’re talking about making your column Associated Press. *Nation wide*. People aren’t going to want to read about the life of a baseball player if all you have to say is negative things.”

Joey feigned disinterest. “I guess I can try.”

“Better do more than try,” Jen stood up, “I hear Kyle’s calling you into his office in the morning.”

“Oh.”

“I’m outta here.” She sauntered to the door with a smile on her face. “I have a date tonight.”

She smiled. “Sounds nice.”

“Maybe that’s what you need,” Jen paused, “A good lay would do you some good.”

“Sex is overrated.”

“Then, honey, you haven’t been having good sex.” With that and a wicked smile, Jen slid out the door.

~*~

Kyle frowned at the array of newspapers on his desk, all turned to the same page. He lifted the receiver of his phone and punched in the four numbers of the extension he wanted. His foot jiggled impatiently as he waited for the woman on the other end of the call to answer the phone.

Joey rubbed at her eyes blearily lifting her head off her desk and she pulled a green post-it note off the side of mouth. Her hand reached out for the phone to the right of her and she slowly raised it to her ear. “Hello?”

“My office. Now.” Without waiting for any kind of acknowledgement, Kyle hung up.

Joey set the phone back down with a reluctant groan and slowly rose to her feet, trying to work the kinks out of her back. She massaged the back of her neck wearily; she’d just make a quick stop at the restroom before seeing Kyle.

Five minutes after Kyle made the call, he heard a knock on his door. In that time, his temper hadn’t cooled any. “Get your ass in here, Potter.”

Joey timidly opened the door and stepped in. “You wanted to see me?” she asked weakly.

“No, actually, I didn’t. I only called you to see if you’d answer,” he growled sarcastically and pointed to the chair across from him. “What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

“Working?” she answered tentatively as she sat down.

He gestured to the newspapers in front of him. “Working on being fired and costing the Globe Millions of dollars in royalties!”

She stiffened. “I tried to do the best with what I had. Mr. Witter has been very uncooperative.”

Kyle shook his head, “You’re a reporter, Potter. With the brains to be a great one...but if you can’t handle writing a single column with grace to match the talent, you’re not getting anywhere.”

“I’ll try my best,” she said honestly.

“Joey, I’ve seen your writing. I thought I was handing this over to someone capable of doing their job! You weren’t put on this to make this guy look like a complete moron to the entire state of Massachusetts. You were supposed to investigate his life...find out what a major league baseball player is really like. Not drag his name through the mud! I got a call from his agent this morning, threatening to break his contract and sell the story to someone else. Someone who’ll do the job.”

Joey bit the inside of her cheek mentally cursing out the day Kyle had suggested she’d stand in for Jen. She inwardly fumed but managed to sound accommodating. “I promise. This won’t happen again.”

“I hope you understand what’s at stake here, Joey. Not just your job and career, but Witter ‘s too.”

“I’ll remember that.”

Kyle frowned, “I know this isn’t your ideal story, Joey. But make the best of it. You can move on to bigger and better things if you handle this right.”

“Don’t worry. From now on I’ll be sure to.”

“See that you do.” He nodded to her, indicating that she should rise. “I like you, Joey. But this is bad for the paper, even worse if McPhee decides to sue.”

“I’ll be sure not to make the mistake again,” she said climbing to her feet. “Trust me.”

He smiled, “I do.”

She returned the smile with one of her own before heading for the door.

~*~

Joey muffled a yawn staring at the cage in front of her with muted interest. She slowly unscrewed the cap to her bottled water and was just able to wet her lips, before she nearly spilled it all on her black shirt when one of the little girls tugged on her arm. Joey stared down at her unamused, and tried to remember the name of the little girl with the blond pig tails who couldn’t have been more than seven. She gave up eventually and shrugged taking a long awaited drink of her water. “Yes, what is it?”

“Joey,” her voice was a timid whisper as she looked up balefully at the tall woman. “W-will the
pretty birds bite me if I get too close?”

Joey nodded solemnly. “Yes, my nephew Alex lost a pinkie that way. He was only six too.”

The little girls blue eyes started to shine and her lower lip trembled.

“Don’t worry, as long as you don’t get too close you have nothing to worry about,” Joey said seriously.

A little tear ran down the small girl’s round cheek. “I don’t wanna get bit.” She tried to be brave
and not cry, but the boys had told her the animals in the zoo liked to eat blond six-year-old girls.

“They won’t bite you unless you try to touch them.”

“B-but Mikey said they’d--they’d *eat me*.” The last two words were a wail as she began to cry.

“Mikey, huh?” Joey raised an eyebrow and kneeled before the small girl so they were eye level. “Which one is Mikey?”

She turned around wiping her eyes as she scanned the small group outside the bathrooms of the zoo. They were waiting for everyone to go to the bathroom before Pacey and Joey took them all inside the bird sanctuary. “He’s over there.” She pointed a short finger to the water fountain where two boys were splashing one another.

“Come with me.” Joey stood up and grabbed her hand heading for the two little boys. “Which one of you is Mikey?”

“Me,” a short boy with midnight black hair stepped forward. His eyes fell to the girl, whose name
was Allegra.

Joey pierced him with her best schoolteacher eyes. “Did you tell her that the birds would eat her?”

“You’re such a tattle-tale, ‘Legra” He scowled at the girl.

“Tell her the truth.” Joey demanded. “Now.”

He crossed his arms. “Do I have to?”

She nodded. “Yes. Tell her the truth or I won’t warn you about what the birds really eat.”

“Fine,” he grumbled. “The birds wont eat you, ‘Legra. Birds eat seeds. I was just teasing.”

Joey knelt down again between the both of them. “Now do you know what the seeds are made of?”

“Flowers?” Mikey guessed.

“No.” She shook her head and bit her lip contemplatively. “Now I’m not sure if I can tell you this
because it’s a big secret and I can get into a lot of trouble if anyone finds out I told you. But, if
you promise to keep it a secret, I can.”

“I promise,” Mikey nodded.

“Me too,” Allegra said in a quiet voice.

She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Well, first there’s a little bit of flowers in it and a little bit of worms, but do you know what the rest is?”

“Uh-uh.” Mikey shook his head his curiosity piqued.

“First, its one part evil baseball players who make reporters waste their time in order to make their over inflated ego look good.” She scowled visibly. “And the rest is bad little boys and girls who like to lie.”

“No.” Mikey shook his head vehemently, not entirely understanding what she said, but enough to get the gist. “You’re lying!”

“Maybe I am.” She smiled faintly. “But you’ll never know until you go visit the birds.”

“I don’t believe you!” Mikey accused and stalked away.

Allegra looked up at Joey with childish adoration. “Thank you.”

“You’re very much welcome.”

The little girl was all smiles again. “I like you.”

The corner of her mouth turned up slightly, kids weren’t so bad. “I kind of like you too.”

The six year old looked shyly down at the ground. “Do you have a kid?” She wondered.

Joey glanced at the little girl suspiciously, unsure of how to respond. “Um, no.”

“Then...then maybe you could be my Mommy?” She looked back up at the woman, her heart in her eyes. “I don’t have a mommy and you don’t have a daughter...”

Joey’s heart nearly broke. “Oh, honey I wish I could but I don’t think anyone else would believe I’m good mommy material. I don’t even think I’d make a good mommy.”

“You would be a good mommy. I know you would.” Allegra said hopefully.

She bit the inside of her cheek. “Wouldn’t you rather have a mommy and a daddy, instead of just a mommy?”

The blond girl was quiet for a long moment, her eyes shining. “No one wants me,” she whispered, looking away from the pretty woman in shame.

Joey pulled the small girl into a hug trying not to cry. “I swear, I’d take you home if I could but I know they wouldn’t let me.” She smoothed out the blond hair. “Do you know when I was little I didn’t have a mommy either?”

She hugged Joey tightly. “You didn’t?” she asked in a small voice.

“No.” She shook her head. “I didn’t. I didn’t even have a daddy. I had a Bessie. She’s my older sister and it’s kind of the same way you have Andie.” She smiled. “Not exactly a mommy but they love you just as much.”

“Did you have a Pacey too?” She wondered, her tears having dried.

“Kind of.” She shrugged. “I had a Bodie, who made the best blueberry pancakes in the world. Come to think of it, I think he was the best cook.”

Pacey cleared his throat from behind them, “I think we’re ready to go see the birds now.” The other five kids, the ones old enough to appreciate the zoo were with him, including Mikey. Andie was back home with the younger ones.

“Okay.” Joey turned away quickly wiping at her eyes as she stood. “Um, ready to see the birds, Allegra?”

“Uh huh,” she nodded holding her hand out for Joey to take, still a little frightened of the birds.

Joey took her small hand in her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Okay, we’re ready.”

“So, the Ice Queen does have a heart,” He said quietly to her as they walked to the Bird Sanctuary.

“You were eavesdropping.” She cast him a dubious look from the corner of her eye.

“I didn’t want to interrupt,” he answered knowing how meaningful that conversation was for Allegra.

“So you eavesdropped instead.”

“I waited.” He corrected.

“You listened in on the conversation,” she hissed.

“Sorry,” he apologized his voice low as they entered the building. “But I needed to be there in case you broke her heart again. Everything you say to these kids means something. You have no idea what they go through living every day believing no one loves them, that no one wants them.” His words, though spoken quietly, were full of passion. “No matter what you tell them, they believe they aren’t wanted, all because those few people that social services believe make suitable parents only want babies.”

“Oh believe me, I know more than you think.” She smiled down at Allegra and pointed to a cage filled with Toucans as she led her away. “Come on let’s look at those birds over there.”

The little girl smiled up at her and nodded happily, “‘Kay.”

“They really have the prettiest colors.”

“Did you really tell them they fed the birds baseball players?” Pacey asked, joining them.

She nodded. “Really annoying ones.”

He chuckled. “If either of them have nightmares of me being pecked alive, I’ll have you to blame.”

“At least you admit that you’re annoying.”

He shook his head in bemusement and walked away from the two girls. Walking over to another exhibit, he turned his attention to the three kids standing in front of it, answering all their questions, teasing and laughing with them.

Joey glanced back at Pacey for a second, looking at ease with the kids in a blue sweater that really brought out his eyes and a pair of nice fitting jeans. She swiftly looked away. “I changed my mind.”

“Huh?” Allegra looked up at Joey.

She sighed resignedly. “Not even birds would touch Pacey Witter.”