Where Do We Go From Here?, Pacey gets fired

[Pacey Witter]

Pacey slammed his car door shut with his foot, a troubled look on his face with his eyes narrowed. He almost looked scary or out of his mind. His tie was loosened and messy looking. He was carrying a dusty brown box of basic office supplies against his chest with both arms hugged around it. He only had one hour to pack up his things or they would report him. Ridneli, his boss, said there was no way they would believe Pacey's side of the story. He was certain he would never see another stockbroker job like the one he had. If he looked for another job, Ridneli would find out and expose him. He never went to college and just walked into that company as an intern, they immediatly saw his wit and charm and gave him a stunning promotion that most employees had been waiting for all of their career. It was all a lie, everything he thought it was wasn't anymore.

The truth was just now starting to surface as he walked through the crisp summer air to the cute little dock house he shared with Joey. He was able to afford it with the above average salery they paid him, but now his pay check was to zero. He had been set up. Rayner gave him an assignment that turned out to be fraud and the best way to cover up Rayner's own mistake was to fire Pacey, so they wouldn't see a track record. Just as Rayner planned, he was now a rich man and Pacey was gone. They used him to cheat, they would have never given him the light of day without a college degree, but they only did so they could use him for 2 years and get rid of him.

He walked through the door and dropped the box in the entry way. It made a startling noise as it hit the hardwood floor and tipped over. A stapler and some documents poured out like a mudslide. Joey didn't know about this and he wasn't in the mood to tell her, he was too ashamed of himself. He knew he needed her to help him move on and find something else to do with his life. He couldn't go back into the business field without being accused of fraud and sent to white collar prison. That was the price he paid for being ignorant. He just stood in the entry way, box tipped over at his feet, back against the door, and he was looking up at the ceiling trying not to lose it. He was upset and stressed beyond measure, to the point of breaking. The emotions running through him told him he was a failure despite being betrayed in all actuallity. He felt like he hadn't only failed himself, but Joey too. He wanted to marry her, but he couldn't see that far ahead, not when he knew he couldn't finacially support her.

[Josephine Potter]

Joey had just finished chatting with Dawson a few minutes ago and had begun to watch some television, when she heard the car door slam. Pacey had been pretty stressed lately but he refused to talk about it, and it made her feel helpless, like she couldn't do anything about it. She loved Pacey and hated seeing him like the way he had been for the past week or so, that he had changed from the class clown to some stressed lunatic.

The brunette let a soft sigh escape from her lips as she tucked some stray pieces of hair behind her ear as she heard the door open and close and then something fall to the ground. She bounced up off the couch and turned off the television quicklky, heading into the kitchen.

Joey saw the box tipped over on the floor, and Pacey looking, well he looked like he had just gotten into a fight with some guy in an alley. Or, slept with another girl in a car, but she wasn't going to go as far as to say that one. She knew he loved her, and she had grown to trust Pacey.

"What's wrong?" Joey asked, feeling like she had been repeating the same question over and over again for the past couple of days. And all she'd get was an 'I'm fine' or 'I don't want to talk about it', and it annoyed her. But more than that, it killed her. If the two couldn't be open with each other about something that happened at his job, then how were they supposed to get further in their relationship?

[Pacey Witter]

Pacey sighed and looked at Joey. He was about to give her an explaination of how 'ok' he was, but he saw her eyes pleading for the truth and he caved in. "Everything's fine" he said sarcastically. "I'm fine, because Mr. Ridneli said I'd be fine...if I started looking for a new job..." he said in a harsh tone, leaving the rest up to her to figure out.

He hadn't yet told her that he was sat up, because being played as a fool was hard to admit. He un-did the knot on his tie and let it sit on his neck like a stethescope. He dragged himself over to the kitchen table and sat on in one of the chairs with his head in his hands and his elbows on the table, nearly hyperventilating with beads of sweat forming in his brows.

His hair was messed up and he was a little unshaven. He had been anxious the whole week, because he suspected something wasn't right. The way he never remembered signing that document, the way everyone was treating him like he was about to walk the plank.

It was only today that he was sure his suspicions were accurate. He didn't want to see Joey's reaction and he didn't want to be an A-hole about the whole thing, but he wasn't himself now. He didn't know who he was without that job, little did he know all he had to do was look at Joey to see who he was.

[Josephine Potter]

"I'm fine, because Mr. Rayner said I'd be fine...if I started looking for a new job..."

Joey let out a sigh as she watched Pacey sit down on the chair at the kitchen table and bury his head in his hands. Yes, he was fired, but they would be okay. Right? Well, Joey had her job (What do you think Joey should do? Haha) and it's not like Pacey couldn't find another. He was good at whatever he put his mind to, as long as he didn't get frustrated and give up. That's what Joey was there for, motivation.

The brunette walked over to the table and pulled a chair over towards Pacey before sitting down on it and wrapping an arm around him. "I'm sorry you lost your job." she said honestly, glancing at him seriously. "But, you'll find another one." she encouraged him.

[Pacey Witter]

OCC: I always saw Joey as a nurse or a doctor of some sort. I think in reality she was a newspaper reporter.

"But, you'll find another one."

Pacey took his head out of his hands and looked at Joey when he felt her warm arm over him. "Joey you don't get it" he said in distress. "I was set up" he explained. "They forged my signature on an illegal document" he said still not wanting to believe it happened. "I'll never find a job like that one...the only reason I had that job was so they could use me as a scape goat to carry out illegal actions to make money" he said reaching a conclusion.

He rubbed his temples as he looked on with tired eyes. He had the worst tension headach from the week of events. He knew that Joey was just trying to support him and encourage him, but there wasn't much anyone could do for him. "I don't know what I'm gonna do Joey" he said in a sensitive way, letting his gaurd down. His eyes were asking her for help. He thought he was set for life in that job. He went to two years of community college to study economics and dropped out when they offered him an internship and from there the stocks just kept rising. Now it was over, it was gone. The charts had taken a downfall and he was left with nothing.

[Josephine Potter]

(Okay, thanks!)

"I don't know whay I'm gonna do Joey"

Honestly, Joey couldn't believe it. He had been set up? Well, leave it to those guys at his stupid job to ruin a person's career, was that what was going on that whole week? Joey had thought Pacey was just pushing her away, not knowing why, she let it go and simply just left him to kick things around the house the whole time. He just never talked to her.

"You could go back to cooking." Joey suggested, not knowing what else to say. What could she say? "I don't know what you want me to say." she said honestly with a soft sigh and looked at Pacey seriously.

"You'll find another job, maybe not in the same field and maybe not in one that comes so easily, but you'll find one that you love." she told him honestly. Joey, at least, hoped he would. She didn't want this 'new' Pacey sticking around, she wanted the old one back. The class clown, the one that would always know when something was wrong with her, and always knew how to cheer her up. The one that sprung surprises on her when she least expected it. Joey wanted her Pacey Witter back. Not some guy who was too stressed about work to eat dinner with her, not some guy who couldn't even talk to her about something that he did wrong.

"Pacey, you did a great job for them, and it's their loss." she added softly, shortly after a few moments of silence had passed.

[Pacey Witter]

OOC: You're welcome. Actually she ended up being a book editor. I'm gonna have Pacey end up reopening the Icehouse or something and being the head chef. Maybe Joey can be a part-time waitress or something. I just can't see Pacey as a cop LOL.

"You'll find another job, maybe not in the same field and maybe not in one that comes so easily, but you'll find one that you love."

Pacey listened to her as she was talking, feeling like he was going to be sick. His shoulders were slouched from all the tension. He felt like he couldn't hold himself up anymore. Her words were helping him get through this, but her soft look was what made him feel like everything would be like it was before.

He realised he hadn't been fair to her, he had been to stressed to pay attention to her. He was mediating on that during the silence. He needed some time to figure things out, not that he wanted to leave her, he just needed to go somewhere, see a lawyer, job search, do something.

"I haven't been fair to you" he started. "Coming home late, working weekends, not communicating with you..." he admitted thinking this was for the best to be done with it after he named that list and was aware of it himself. As a stockbroker he was never himself, when he was cooking, he felt like he always had. He was chasing the American Dream as a broker and it turned out to be a nightmare.

He didn't want to spend his life on the go, if anything he wanted more time with Joey. He could start over and maybe go back to cooking, open up a resturant. "I wanna make it up to you, I really do, I just need some time to sort things out..." he said as he cupped his hand over hers. He gave her hand a squeeze and forced a weak smile to clarify that he was still his old self and that he wasn't breaking up with her by any means.

[Josephine Potter]

"I wanna make it up to you, I really do, I just need some time to sort things out..."

"Okay." Joey said hesitantly and forced a soft smile on her face as she felt him squeeze her hand lightly. "Just, don't go running away on a boat on me." she joked softly, trying to lighten up the tension. She was never good in a tension filled room, she always felt like something really bad would happen, or was about to. She just hoped when Pacey left, he'd come back.

Joey would never have imagined her life turning out the way it did, especially living with Pacey. If you asked her ten years ago where she'd be, she would've said in Paris with Dawson, and she'd be an artist. But, now Joey was back at home, where she grew up, living with Pacey Witter. Dawson's best friend. Yes, things were different, and it was quite a surprise, but she wouldn't trade her life for anything. She loved Pacey, and there was nothing else to say.

[Pacey Witter]

"Just, don't go running away on a boat on me."

"If there's a boat involved I'll take you with me" Pacey said with a soft smile. "I just have to go sale some stocks before things get worse and maybe find a lawyer" he said and got up from the table, ready to move on. He retied his tie and straightened out his hair. He knealt down and kissed Joey on the cheek. "Make me a plate will ya'?" he said before kissing her again on the lips. He was promising her that he would be home for dinner. Just being home made him feel better, he wasn't sure if he wanted to leave.

Once he arrived at the stock office he went back to have a conference with the main guy of the firm. This wasn't the firm he worked for, it was one they shared a prior partnership with, but then this firm broke off and he knew why now. The man he was meeting with wasn't much older than himself, he had actually gone to high school with him. He was more on the nerdy side, but he was a boss at the age of 24, like all nerds. His name was Peter Donavan.

"Mr. Witter what can I do for you?" Peter asked as he stood up and they shook hands. He was just getting ready to leave for the day. "I wanna sale all my stocks" Pacey simply said. "All of them? Wait why?" Peter asked confused as he started to log into Pacey's account on the flat screen computer. "Something's wrong here" he said. "You said you wanted to sale stocks, but they're already sold" he explained.

"What?!" Pacey asked upset, and leaned in to see for himself. Sure enough the monitor displayed the information he was just told. "You're account has been cleared, the money's gone, there's no record of the stock income being deposited in your account" he explained. "How much is gone?" Pacey asked with a hopeless tone.

"Someone must have hacked into your account...you know anyone who had your password?" Peter asked. "How much Peter?" Pacey asked again. "Nearly $30,000" Peter answered quietly. Pacey almost fall back in his chair. He slammed his fist against the table and put his head down on the cold surface. This was worse then he origionally thought, this was personal.

[Josephine Potter]

"Make me a plate will ya'?"

Joey nodded her head before kissing him back and then watching him exit the house, once more. With a soft sigh escaping her lips, she ran her fingers through her brown chocolate hair and blew a few stray strands out of her face, before getting up and putting most of the food into the fridge.

She made a plate for Pacey and put saran wrap around it, before placing it into the fridge also, not knowing how long he would be. He usually said he'd be back for dinner, but he'd end up not coming back until midnight or even later than that. Joey grabbed her own plate and put the rest of the food that she had left out onto her own plate and grabbed a glass of wine before entering the living room and flopping down on the couch, turning the television set back on.

[Pacey Witter]

Pacey's head was swimming. He didn't know what he was supposed to do, being $30,000 in the hole wasn't a joke. He had been driving around Capeside for about an hour. He was going at a high speed to work off the stress. He let it all go and pulled into his old office's parking lot. He saw that the light in one of the offices was still on. It was Ridneli's light. He had to confront him.

He didn't even knock or let him know he was there, he just simply pushed open the cracked open door and found a sight he had never expected and gasped. All he noticed at first was red everywhere, blood everywhere. He saw Ridneli sitting in his chair with his head limp and tipped back over the back of his chair like a skeleton. Pacey was horrified at the scene.

He didn't know how to handle this. What if they thought it was him that did it? His hands were shaking as he fumbled in his pocket for his cell phone. The first person he called was his father. He knew that he and Doug would come down and take care of this without the typical procedure. "Dad...it...it's Pacey" he said as he backed up against the far wall turning away from the scene, but not being able to keep his eyes off of it since it was right there in front of him.

He was scared whoever shot Ridneli was still around. Maybe this had to do with something Pacey was involved with maybe the illiegal actions were to get drug money or something. "I need you to come down here" he was telling his dad. He was about to cry, he was scared to death, covering his hand over his mouth.

When the police had arrived they searched the scene as Pacey sat outside on a curb, waiting to be questioned by none other than his brother Doug. His heart was still racing and he couldn't erase what he had seen. He started to dial Joey to ask her to come down there with him.

He didn't want her home alone after what had just happened and he was in need of support especially when his own brother and father seemed to think he was the one who killed Ridneli. "Joey I'm at the office" he said talking fast. "There's been a murder...I found my boss dead in his office..." he informed her something of unordinary drama.

[Josephine Potter]

Joey had fallen asleep shortly after finishing her dinner and watching her favorite soap on the television. She opened her eyes slightly to look for the object that was making the annoying ringing sound, and figured it was her cell phone. Grabbing her bag from the floor she rummaged through it to find her phone. Seeing it was Pacey calling she picked it up. "Pacey, what is it?" she asked groggily.

"There's been a murder...I found my boss dead in his office..."

Immediately she sat up, those words were enough to wake up anybody. "I'll be right there." she said simply before flipping her phone closed and getting up off the couch. Quickly running a brush through her hair, so she didn't show up looking like she had just woken up, she ran back down the stairs and grabbed her bag, throwing her cell phone back into it she picked out her keys and headed out of the house, locking the door behind her.

Joey couldn't believe it, a murder, in Capeside? There was been some odd things around Capeside, but never a murder. And never in a million years did she think it would be Pacey's boss...err, old boss. Wait. What if they thought it was him? Joey couldn't handle losing another person she loved for a jail cell. Of course it wasn't him, Joey believed that. It couldn't have been. Pacey would never kill someone, no matter how angry he was...right? Right.

She got to Pacey's office as quickly as she could, she had even ran through a couple of red lights that she hoped she wouldn't get charged for later on, but that wasn't a part of what she was worried about right now. Parking the car, she got out, pushing a button and hearing a beep coming from the car to notify that it had been locked.

The brunette found her way to Pacey and Doug, who seemed to be questioning him, as she approached the two, a little slower pace than she had had before. "Hey..." she said softly before brushing past Doug and giving Pacey a quick kiss, obviously glad that it wasn't him in that office.

[Pacey Witter]

Pacey was shaken from all the events of the day. He was in defensive mode as Doug questioned him. "I told you I was driving around" he answered for what seemed like the fifth time. Doug wasn't buying it. "Why were you driving around at 11 o'clock at night? Where exactly were you going?"

Doug was asking in a 'brother' tone, not a respectful police officer, innocent until proven guilty manner. He was jotting things down on his clipboard, Pacey wanted to read what he was writing. He tried to peak at the face of the clipboard a couple of times.

"I went to Peter Donavan's office to sell stocks" he answered truthfully. "Why were you selling stocks so suddenly...at 11 o'clock at night?" Doug asked. Pacey was starting to get frustrated and it was visable. "I told you, I was fired today and I wanted to take my stock out of the company before they embezzled my money, which they already had" he answered in an impatient tone.

Doug looked at him and was starting to think he was on to something. "Doug you have to believe me, that man in there used me to sign illegal documentation so he could gain money off of it" Pacey said with justice as he stood up and pointed at Doug.

That was about the time Joey came up and kissed him. He was happy to see her there. Doug gave Joey a nod. "This isn't over" he said with intimidation. "You know this humilates dad and I do have to question you as a murder suspect" he said before he walked back under the tape to the crime scene. "Your kiddin' right?" Pacey said with a smirk. "You love this, you get to play cop with your little brother" he said to Doug's back.

Pacey sunk back down to the curb. His fingers were about to pull out his hair without him noticing. He was looking at the asphalt below him with tired eyes. He was at loss of what to do. At least now he wasn't in harms way. He might be able to get his money back. "He thinks I did it" he complained to Joey. "So does daddy dearest" he added. "You don't think I did...do you?" he asked as he searched her eyes for even a hint of doubt.

[Josephine Potter]

"You don't think I did...do you?"

"No." Joey shook her head to add emphasis, "Of course not." she added shortly after. "Pace, you're not a murderer, far from it." she said simply before intertwining their fingers together. Sure, there was probably a hint of doubt in her head, but she didn't believe he could do something like that. Dawson was more likely to hurt someone then Pacey. He was sweet, and kind when he wasn't stressed out about something. Sure, he had his anger tantrums and he did get pretty angry, but he'd never hurt someone. And Joey knew that. She just didn't understand why his own brother and father wouldn't.

She gazed at him seriously to let him know that she wasn't lying before glancing at the ground and resting her head on his shoulders. When did things get like this? There was a murderer running around Capeside and they were accusing her boyfriend of being that person. The person who killed Pacey's boss could be after Pacey next...No Joey, don't think like that.

As much as Joey tried to shake the thought from her head, she couldn't help but wonder. What if that person was after Pacey? What if he was next on his list? The police would be too busy questioning Pacey to worry about it, and considering Pacey's history with breaking the law, sure, they had a right to suspect him. But Pacey had changed, and Joey believed that. He hadn't been in trouble with the law in a long time, and in all honesty, it bugged her that Doug would even say that he was a suspect. Would Pacey have called it in if he had killed that man? Doubtful. Wouldn't he have blood all over him or something?

[Pacey Witter]

"Of course not."

Pacey looked at Joey and rested his forhead on hers, stroking her cheek. When she rested her head on his he started off into the distance as Joey rested her head on his shoulder. He was starting to relax again, just knowing that the most important person in his life believed him. If she thought he killed a man, he didn't know who he'd turn to. Dawson was in LA, his family; forget about it. Joey was all he had and quite frankly all he needed. He too was worried about the danger he was in. "If I didn't have you..." he said not even having to finish the sentence. He knew she knew what it meant.

When this investigation was over, what were they gonna do just send him home and hope for the best? He never understood that concept. Sure witness protection was a high leap, but it was better than dying or worse, putting the one you love in danger. He was more worried about Joey than himself, that's why he called her down. He just sat there with her as he fidgeted with his fingers. He was anticipating the findings. They seemed to be spending a long time in there.

Finally Sheriff Witter came out and walked in front of Pacey crossing his arms. "You're off the hook son" he said sternly. Pacey was resting his head against Joey's, he now lifted his head up. "Oh so you don't think I'm a murder anymore" Pacey said sarcastically, risking it. He stood up to be face to face with his old man. "I don't need this tonight Pacey, you've caused the family enough trouble" his father said. Pacey was used to low blows like that.

He just smirked and looked at the sky, hoping he wouldn't lift his fist. "What'd you find...I mean, you had to find something" he said. "You can't just take my word..." he added. Sheriff Witter looked at Pacey waiting for him to stop. "We found some betting sheets in your boss's office" he explained. "He owed well over $30,000, that might have been why he embezlled your money" he said calmly. "So do I get my money back? He stole 30 grand from me..." he said gritting his teeth. He had just revealed the loss to Joey. He didn't want to pin more stress on the poor girl. He just couldn't keep track of all the things going wrong.

"We're thinking a bookie got ahold of him and the money" he declared. Pacey nodded, Ridneli was Italian and having mob connections in Capeside seemed uncommon, but it was possible. "So I'm off the hook, I just go home now" he said, actually disapointed they wouldn't arrest him and hold him overnight. He was scared to go home. There was no way he'd sleep. Sheriff Witter didn't have time to answer. He was pulled away by one of the CSI guys. Pacey turned to Joey. "Maybe you should stay with Bessie tonight" he suggested. He didn't want her to be in danger. If she stayed with him, he was certain she would be.