Viewers may not want the six-season-old "Dawson's Creek" to end Wednesday night, but from the sound of things, the cast does.

As Joshua Jackson, 24, who played Pacey Witter, tells the Associated Press: "The stories have been told -- that's why it's time for the show to end. The reason all these people participated in each other's lives was high school. It's a bit of a contrivance to get them to try to be a part of each other's lives now."

Adds Michelle Williams (aka Jen Lindley), 22: "Our contracts were up, that's a good reason. It was time -- I don't know. It's been leaning that way for quite some time. It wasn't really my decision, but it's fitting."

And James Van Der Beek (Dawson Leery), 26:"Honestly? I celebrated (when I learned the show had been canceled). It just seemed perfect -- I'm getting married, I'm getting older. It just kind of seemed right."

Series creator Kevin Williamson, 38, returned to handle the two-hour finale, and told AP he had a lot of suggestions from "Dawson's" faithful on how to say goodbye.

"I can't walk into Starbucks without hearing someone's opinion" on how things should end, he said. "Most people are like, 'What's it going to be? I want Dawson! I want Pacey!'"

As for why the show became such a hit in the first place, Van Der Beek said: "It was about kids speaking eloquently and honestly about things most teenagers go through but are either too afraid to talk about or just can't quite grasp enough to put into words. Because it didn't shy away from anything, I think it struck a chord."