Jaime Bee

I don't think KH would have that much say so in who Joey ended up with on the show. The writer's and network I am sure had alot to do with that; Also the fan reaction to P/J in the first place in many ways saved DC. Ratings for Season 3 in the beginning were down and even the writer's admitted they had made some mistakes early on like with bringing Eve on.

I don't know if KW had written the triangle which I think their would have been one eventually. The show may have turned out different.
DC turned into a completely different show after he left. In Season 3 P/J and the conflict with Dawson was the only interesting aspect.

The show is called Dawson's Creek but that doesn't mean he should definetely get the girl. I hated the writing of D/J after KW left. The relationship completely changed. They weren't as close and just kept hurting each other over and over again.

Like many I figured since KW was writing the finale they would finally get together but the truth is P/J are the ones that had a long lasting relationship and the way things were written after KW left; I think it was fitting for them to get together in the end.

To me the magic of D/J was not after Season 2.
KH and JJ had chemistry and the writer's and fans went with it. While not really resolving D/J because they wanted to keep viewer's watching.
So they gave little moments like the Season 4 and 5 finales. Along with the Season 6 premiere. The writer's wanted to keep the shipper wars going as long as they could.
I just think if you look at the show overall the odds always seemed against D/J after Season 2. Looking back I think it is rather obvious the writer's had planned ending the show with P/J a long time ago.