* * * * *
"I cannot believe I let you drag me here," Joey grumbled.
"Calm down, Joey. It won't permanently scar you," Jen said. "Besides, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."
"We're in the studio audience for Oprah," Joey said flatly. "Exactly what can be interesting? Some man trying to save relationships? Some woman teaching you how to find inner peace? Some big-headed celebrity pushing her newest book or movie? I don't see how that could be interesting. Besides, Dawson's wedding is in four days. There are so many things we should be doing. We are in the wedding party, after all. And let's not neglect to mention the fact that Jack is taking his sweet time flying in, and Pacey's no where to be found."
"You're just going to spoil the surprise," Jen said, rolling her eyes. "Jack's in tonight. And Pacey . . . well, Pacey's here."
"What?" she asked softly. "Pacey's already here? How come no one told me?"
"Here in this building here, Jo," Jen said impatiently. "He just flew in this morning, and he's on to promote his new book."
"What?" she asked, her voice barely audible. It hit her like a ton of bricks. She wasn't expecting this, not in a million years.
"Don't tell me you're not happy about this," Jen said softly. "I mean, I thought you and Pacey were cool. You hung out a lot the last time he was in town."
"That was seven months ago," Joey said. "So many things could change. I know he's got a new girlfriend now and--"
"It's still hard for you, isn't it?"
"What?"
"Seeing, Pacey," Jen said.
"No." Joey shook her head. "It's not that. I mean . . ."
"It is that," Jen said perceptively. "He's the one that got away, isn't he?"
Joey shook her head passionately. "Hardly, Jen. Pacey was just a fling. He was . . . good for me at the time, but not right for me in the long run. It was bound not to last. It's just hard to see him . . . to see him when he's so far away from the rest of us."
"Jack's hardly here either--"
"But he's in town all the time," Joey said. "He's got the luxury of going where he wants when he wants."
"But you know that Pacey's life is in New York," Jen shrugged. "You act . . . hurt. You know, like he should just leave his life because the rest of us are here."
"He could write novels here," Joey replied.
"You miss him, huh?"
Joey nodded. "It's like nausea. It'll pass eventually."
"I have an advanced copy of the new book," Jen said, raising her eyebrow. "You need to read it."
"I doubt it'll be as good as the last one," Joey shrugged. "I've read it at least seven times. Who knew that Pacey had it in him?"
"Seven times, Joey?" Jen asked skeptically. "You need a life."
"I've got a life," Joey defended. "It was just a good book."
"Well, you haven't seen anything yet, Jo," Jen smiled. "He's done a phenomenal job. I mean look, Pacey's on Oprah. Do you know how big a break this is for him?"
"It's huge," Joey said softly. "He's on to big things, huh?"
"Humongous," Jen said, turning her attention to the stage.
* * * * *
Joey watched him guardedly. He wasn't the gawky Pacey Witter she'd known once upon time. There he was chatting it up with Oprah, of all people; acting as if he'd known her forever. He was smiling as he spoke with the women around them. He was joking with them as he autographed their books.
He was very . . . suave. Joey hadn't really realized it until that moment. He'd grown up, and she wondered just where she'd been.
As he signed the book for the last person in the line, his eyes drifted to Joey and Jen. "Hey guys," he said, striding toward them confidently. "I'm so glad you're here." He kissed Jen on the cheek. "Looking fabulous as ever, Lindley."
"You don't look so bad yourself, Witter," Jen smiled. "Enjoying all the adoring fans, I see."
He chuckled. "I suppose so." He smiled at Joey, as she stood just beyond Jen's shoulder. "Jo," he smiled, out-stretching his hands. "No love for your old friend, Pace?"
"I suppose I can muster up some emotion," she muttered, wrapping her arms around him. She loved the feel of him there and held on to him for dear life.
"You look great, Jo," he said in her ear, still squeezing her tightly. "It's been a while."
"It has," she whispered, pulling away awkwardly. "How have you been?"
"Life has been good to me," he smiled. "I guess you could say the same, Miss hot-shot producer."
"Things with work are going well, yeah," she nodded.
The moment was strange as the both stood there awkwardly, neither sure what to say to the other. "So," Jen began, "where's this new girlfriend of yours we've heard so much about?"
Pacey face broke into a grin, and Joey couldn't help but to look down at her feet sadly. "She's still in New York," he replied. "I've just been here and there for stuff with the book, and she's been staying at home. She's flying in on Friday for the wedding, though."
"Good," Jen said.
"Home? Are you living together?" Joey asked suddenly.
Pacey looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before nodding.
"You didn't say anything in your last e-mail," she said. "We're your best friends, and you move in with this woman and we haven't met her?"
"I knew, actually," Jen admitted reluctantly. "I'm sure it just slipped your mind, right, Pace?"
"Yeah," he said. "It just slipped my mind, Joey. I meant to say something."
Joey looked at Jen. "So are we getting lunch?"
Jen nodded absently. "You up for some lunch, Pacey?"
"I think I can handle it," he said playfully. "Can you ladies take a lunch with the world-renowned Pacey Witter?"
Joey rolled her eyes. "I think we can handle it," Jen said, lacing her arm through Pacey's as they walked out.
* * * * *
"So, tell us about this girlfriend of yours, Pacey," Joey said, taking a bite from her breadstick.
"Did I tell you that I loved the new book?" Jen asked Pacey, trying to change the subject.
He nodded. "I'm glad."
"How come you didn't show me?" Joey asked him.
"Jen hasn't given you her copy yet?" he asked, raising an eyebrow toward Jen.
"I haven't for a reason, Pacey," Jen said. "You know it."
"I don't have the slightest idea of what you're talking about."
"Well, your depiction of me was quite creative," she said. "Innocent appearing bad girl and wounded soul? And you named me Missy? Missy? What were you thinking?"
"Missy's just a character, Jen. She wasn't you."
Jen snorted. "Yeah, right."
"It's fiction, Jen," he said. "Do you really believe that I was propositioned by a whole sorority houseful of women? That's what happened in my last book."
"I know myself being characterized when I see it, Pacey," Jen argued. "I was Missy. Andie was Kylie. Dawson was Hayden. Jack was Drew. Joey was Elena. And you . . . you were Michael."
He laughed, although his face paled slightly. "You're crazy, Jen."
"Ran out of stories to tell already, Pacey?" Joey asked.
Pacey shrugged. "So maybe the characters were slightly based on you guys. That's it, though. The thoughts, the feelings, the events--they belonged strictly to my narrator."
"Which is you," Jen said.
He glanced up a Joey for a brief second. "Well sometimes you can write what you can't say," he said, pushing some rice around his plate with his fork.
"That's what I figured," Jen said, glad he finally came around. "Besides, you made me promise not to let anyone else see the book."
"But you never listen," he said. "Anyway, I suppose it'll be out in the open soon enough."
"I loved your last book," Joey said finally. "I've read it a few times."
"Seven so she told me earlier," Jen interrupted.
"Really?" he asked, the corner of his mouth twisting into a smile. "I had no idea."
Joey smiled. "I told you that I loved it. You didn't believe me?"
"I thought you were just being nice."
"How long have you known me, Pacey?" she said playfully. "I never say things just for the sake of being nice."
"Whatever was I thinking?" he replied.
"I need to go to the ladies room, if you'll excuse me," Jen said, leaving the booth. She'd had to go for the last twenty minutes, but was afraid to leave them alone together. After all, they were fooling no one. You could definitely feel the tension.
Joey looked at Pacey. "I liked it," she said, smiling sincerely. "I know it may sound silly, but it was . . . it was a way for you to be close when you weren't. I think I may have gotten too used to having you around to comfort me when things went wrong."
He looked down at his plate awkwardly. "I don't know how to act with you getting all sentimental on me, Jo," he said, laughing nervously.
"You never have been able to take that, have you, Pacey?"
"Take what?"
"When I actually express how I feel." She stopped momentarily, sighing as she awkwardly rubbed the side of her head. "Jesus, Pacey. It's not like I'm offering to be the mother of your babies. I'm just trying to say that I've missed you."
"You never say that when you write," he shrugged. "The few times you do manage to write."
She shook her head. "I'm not like you, Pacey. You're the one who went on to be some famous writer. That's because you're the one who uses you words to vent. I just like to say things. I don't need time to mull them over like you do."
He looked up at her and laughed. "I know we left things really--"
"Weird."
"--weird the last time I was here. I really never wanted us to be in that position. And when you didn't write, I was a little worried that I'd messed up. Well, I know I messed up. I guess I was worried you wouldn't forgive me."
"It's forgotten, Pace," she replied, dismissing it with a simple shrug. "I would've told you if I had a problem with it. You know that I would've."
He smiled. "That's why I was afraid about coming. I figured you'd give me an earful once you saw me face-to-face."
"I wanted to, but seven months is a long time, Pace. We had fun on your last visit. I can't forget that."
"I'm glad, Jo. You're my best friend. I can't stand it when you're angry with me."
She rolled her eyes. "You and those lines of yours. I must've heard that a million times in the past ten years."
"Yeah, well, old habits die hard," he scoffed. "Are we okay?"
"Yeah," she said, grabbing another breadstick from the basket on the table. "I don't know what would've given you the idea we weren't."
"The cold look on your face at the studio. The ambush of questions about Mia. The various points in conversation when you aren't paying attention to what I'm saying."
"What can I say, Pacey? I have the attention span of a gnat. I want to know about this girl you're living with whom you never talk about. And maybe I felt a little apprehensive about how you felt about things between you and me. You didn't even tell me you were coming. All I knew before I sat down in that studio today was the Jen was taking me to see Oprah," she rattled off.
"Is there something you're not telling me?" he asked softly.
She squirmed uneasily. "Of course not, Pacey."
"You have read the book, haven't you?" he questioned.
"No."
"So why are you acting like this?"
"Like what?" she asked. "Just what the hell is in this damn book?"
"Nothing."
"What's going on with you, Pacey?"
He shook his head. "I'm just under a lot of stress. The book's coming out, and Mia just moved in. I can't handle you not being you right now. At this moment in time things with you just cannot change."
"Is that how you want things to be, Pacey? Things don't stay the same forever. You should know that."
"I know that, Jo. I guess that I was hoping that things with us could stay the same. You know, the one constant in the universe that nothing can change. The fact that we manage to survive no matter what else happens, and a whole hell of a lot has happened."
"You have two options, Pacey. Change or die."
"And what change do you want?" he asked.
"I'm not quite sure. Maybe I want you out of my life so I don't have to put up with this shit anymore. Because if we were really best friends, I'd see you more than once every six months. I would have already read your new book, already met your new girlfriend."
"I'm sorry you feel left out, Jo. That's not what I wanted," he said, hanging his head.
"God, Pacey, you're freaking me out. Don't be so serious. That's my job," she said with a soft smile.
"What's your job?" Jen asked, sliding back into the booth next to Pacey.
"Being crazy," Joey said.
Jen laughed. "She does sort of have a monopoly on that one, Pace."
"Damn," Joey muttered, pulling her pager out of her purse as it beeped. "Duty calls," she said, throwing some cash on the table.
"Hey, before you go," Jen began, "I have to pick up Jack at the airport tonight, you can entertain Pacey?"
"I don't need entertaining," Pacey said. "I can probably get some work done in the hotel room tonight."
"That's silly. Do dinner with Jo, maybe catch a movie, and meet Jack and me for drinks?" Jen said.
"Sure," Joey said. "It'll be nice, Pace. Meet me at my office at six? You remember where it is, right?"
"Yeah, I'll see you then," he said as she rushed out the door.
Jen stood and slid in the seat across from Pacey. She smiled at him knowingly.
"What?"
"What's up with you and Jo?" she asked.
"No. Nothing, I mean," he stammered. "You have to do a favor for me, Jen? Promise?"
"What?"
"Don't let Dawson or Joey see that book until I'm safe and sound back in New York." His voice was shaky.
"Why did you say all those things about Andie in the book, Pacey?" Jen asked curiously.
"So Dawson would kill me?" Pacey said dryly.
Jen sighed. "That's going to kill Jo when she reads it."
He looked up at her seriously. "That's not the reason. Look, Jen. Just please don't ask me a lot of questions."
"I don't get it," Jen said. "Why are you trying to protect Joey?"
"If she reads the book, it'll change things between me and her. And I can't have that happening now. Not with the wedding and everything else that's going on."
"And when Dawson finds out that you slept with Andie since they've been together?"
"I didn't sleep with Andie. That scene was just creative license. It really . . . added a good twist to the story," he said.
"Who the hell are you trying to fool, Pacey? You'd take our lives and make it a book and stick one scene in there just for the hell of it? I'm not an idiot."
"Jen, I promise you that I didn't sleep with Andie. I swear."
"So what is this?" she asked. "What's this all about?"
Pacey rubbed his temple distractedly. "I needed to write that book, Jen. Just to get rid of some stuff that was going on. I didn't know that my agent would publish it. And I had no idea the prelims would go so well."
"Dawson, Joey . . . neither one of them is going to speak to you again after they read it, Pacey."
"That's why I need you to keep it from them until I go home."
"This morning Joey told me, in her own way, I suppose, that she wants you to move here. That's how much she cares about you, Pace. And you're jeopardizing us all. All hell will break loose for you and Jo, for Dawson and Andie. What in the hell would possess you to do this?"
"It will be clear soon enough, Jen. But I can't do this right now," he said, looking down at his hands.
"What are you lying about, Pacey?" she asked.
"I'm not lying," he replied. "Just please don't let Joey see the book."
"And Dawson?"
"And Dawson," he said. "It'll make more sense later. There's no reason to get them all stressed out over this. They deserve to get married, Jen. There's no reason for them not to."
"Except for the fact that you still love Andie," she said.
"It's not as simple as it seems, Jen," he said softly.
"Love never is," she replied.
* * * * *
The Best Man by Kilby
Notes
Author's Note: I started writing this one after I saw The Best Man. While many of the events are inspired from the movie, neither is a spoiler for the either. If you've seen the movie, the fan fic will still surprise, and if you haven't seen the movie, you can still read the fan fic and watch the movie. I gave it my own unique twist.
Feedback: This is the first time I've ever posted all the chapters at once, so please still send me feedback, even though you won't be awaiting the conclusion of the story.