Author's Notes: Thanks to: The main person knows who they are. Thanks also go to my friends Susannah, Emily and Kate for helping me choose titles for each episode. Even if you guys all hate Joey now and think Andie and Pacey are a much cuter couple than Dawson and Joey. There's no accounting for taste!

Need to Know: Read the other parts first. But hey, what kind of weirdo reads part three first?

Pacey let himself into his house, and flopped on the couch. He was exhausted. He was a teacher at the High School, and it was now seven o'clock. The staff meeting had taken an age, and he was meant to pick up Laura soon for their date. He decided to phone her and cancel it.

Another night in front of the television after marking the essays from his junior Economics class. He'd only been teaching for a year, and he was already a fast favourite among his pupils. He'd left Capeside long enough to gain a degree in Economics. He then returned to his hometown to do his teacher training, and then gained a post at his old school.

Despite his relative success, he still missed his two true friends. He had been trying to find them, even contacting universities to see if they had enrolled. Still, it was seven years now. He doubted he'd ever see them again. He switched on the TV just in time to see the news. He watched through half opened eyes. A story came on about a film that was being shot in Capeside. Apparently, some guy had written it about the town, and he was producing it in its original surroundings. Pacey fell asleep...

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Gail watched the sleeping form of her husband. It was late, but she couldn't sleep. She was thinking about Dawson, a subject that frequently came to mind. About 20 hours every day. Mitch's sister had lost contact with them soon after they left her house. Despite Dawson's plans to take up his place in college, the administrative body didn't have any records of Dawson Leery. That was what she was most afraid of - that the pair would waste all their potential in order to try and prove a point. She knew how stubborn her son was. Together with Pacey, she had tried to track her son down, but it was impossible. Obviously, he didn't want to be found. They had tried to move on with their lives.

Mitch had opened his restaurant, and that kept him busy. But Gail increasingly found herself thinking and wondering about what had become of them. She had even thought the story on the local news featured a picture a bit like him. Some new producer. It was silly, but he had looked like Dawson did in her mind...

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Kate frowned slightly as she rendered the sky blue. Over the years, she had done many pictures, but this one was proving to be difficult. She was sat on a bench overlooking the dock, trying to do justice to the early morning perfection that was cast over the creek. She was in a busy part of the town, yet no one seemed to recognise her. That was probably because sometimes, she didn't recognise herself. Her long brown hair was gone, and replaced by a layered, ruffled 'do' with blond highlights. She had stopped wearing the shorts and short skirts that she had worn in high school. Still, despite all the changes, she was worried someone would see her and recognise her as Joey Potter, the convict's daughter who got knocked up and left town. She paused for a moment, and sighed as she saw the beauty before her. She had never realised how beautiful Capeside was until she left.

"Wow!" a voice said. Startled, she spun around.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to see what you were doing," a young man apologised.

"And may I say that you certainly have a talent." Kate froze. If she squinted, this man before her could almost be...

"My name's Pacey Witter. I'm a teacher at the high school. Are you new in town? 'Cause I know pretty much everyone, who lives here," he introduced himself. Kate regained some of her composure.

"Hi, Pacey Witter. My name's Kate Corrmick. And I'm not new here. I lived here many years ago."

"Ah, so you escaped the boredom of Capeside, eh?" Pacey asked, grinning.

"Something like that," she acknowledged.

"So where are you staying?"

"I rented out a house on Castle Drive," Kate said.

"My husband had to come here for work, and we figured it would be more stable for our daughter if we didn't stay in a Bed and Breakfast."

"Woah. Tact isn't your strong point, is it?" Pacey said. Kate smiled at him.

"I guess not," she replied, looking back at her painting.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Kate. I'd better go to work. But I'll see you round, okay?" Pacey asked. He got no reaction - the woman was back at work. He walked away, shaking his head. There was something familiar and comfortable about her...

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Pacey took a deep breath before yelling at his noisy freshman eonomics class.

"Will you please take your seats and turn to page 91," he bellowed. The class obeyed, and only two people remained talking.

"Are you joking? There's no way that would happen here!" One girl said to her friend.

"I'm telling you, it's true. Look, I picked up a leaflet," her friend said.

"What's going on?" Pacey asked.

"Melissa says that some director's in town, and wants some teens for small parts on a movie he's directing, but that's so not true," Alison whined.

"Well, it certainly sounds interesting," Pacey admitted. He reached for the leaflet on Melissa's table. He began to read aloud.

'Movie Auditions. Are you aged between 13 and 20? Would you like to star in a movie? James Corrmick is searching for actors to star in his movie Small Minds', based on a teenage couple's problems when they find out they're going to have a baby. Anyone interested should call 555-7829 for more information. Auditions will take place at the Towers Theater this Saturday, starting at 9 am. All welcome.

"So how many of you are trying out?" Pacey asked. One by one, most of the class put up their hands. "Good luck then. Now back to Corporations and Enterprises..."

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James slid his arms around his wife's waist, making her jump. They were in the kitchen, and she had been washing up whilst looking out of the window.

"Sorry," he apologised.

"I didn't mean to make you jump!"

"That's twice someone's said that to me today," Kate said.

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"I saw Pacey this morning," Kate announced. She looked at her husband, whose mouth had dropped open.

"In fact, he tried to hit on me," she added, smiling ruefully.

"Did he recognise you?" James asked nervously.

"No. But I don't want it to be like that. I don't want one of them just turning up out of the blue and seeing us. We need to see them. To tell them we're back."

"So when?" James asked, agreeing whole heartedly.

"Tomorrow. We need to do it soon."

"Okay then. Kate, are you feeling all right, honey? 'Cause you look really pale," James told her.

"I'm just tired and a bit stressed," Kate said in an off-hand tone. "I'll be okay."

"Good, 'cause I'll need your help with the auditions at the weekend," James told his wife. She smiled.

"I saw one of your fliers today. A kid had one. I bet you're gonna have the entire high school turn up." Kate smiled.

"And I bet it'll be just as bad as it was nine years ago..." James sighed.

"Oh well. It has to be done."

"It's gonna be fine," Kate said, hugging him.

"Mummy! Daddy! I can't find Molly!" Diana called, as she ran towards her parents. Molly was her favourite doll.

"Oh, Di!" Kate said. "How many times a day do you lose that toy?"

"But I can't find her anywhere. I think the removal men got her!" Diana protested.

"Come on, honey. I'll come and help you find it," James offered, following his daughter upstairs.

Kate continued to wash up, and resumed her staring. She was going to see her sister for the first time in seven years tomorrow. She was so nervous. She'd known that what had happened was wrong, but at the time, there had been no alternative. But over the years, she'd missed her big sister. She didn't even know what had happened to her. If she even lived in Capeside still. Had she married Bodie? Alex was what, ten now? What did he look like? There were too many unanswered questions. Hopefully, she'd get some answers tomorrow. Kate didn't think she'd get much sleep that night.

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What did you think? In the next part, they'll find out about the families they left behind. Please enter my contest. E-mail me with any comments - I've been doing my ten GCSEs, and I need to be cheered up. Of course, I've got a tub of Cookies and Cream ice cream in the freezer... I'll get the next part out as soon as I can.

17th June 1999

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