As Dawson's Creek couple Joey and Pacey they were inseparable, with an onscreen love that spilled over into real life.

But while Katie Holmes now lives an A list lifestyle with superstar husband Tom Cruise in Los Angeles her first love Joshua Jackson has a quieter time with his actress girlfriend Diane Kruger in New York.

The two had lost touch, until Jackson popped in to see the actress with a big bunch of flowers, as she rehearsed for her Broadway debut All My Sons this week.

Katie Holmes received a surprise visit from ex-flame Joshua Jackson this week

According to reports in Grazia magazine he had become concerned after seeing recent photographs of the working mother looking gaunt and tired, with black circles under her eyes.

'Katie has been looking skinny and depressed and, like any concerned friend, rather than do nothing Joshua wanted to check everything was OK,' the source told the magazine. 'They haven't spoken in a while and, naturally, he was worried.

'So he just decided to drop by. It was really sweet, he just turned up unexpectedly with a bunch of flowers and said: 'Hello stranger.' Katie was shocked, but so happy to see him. It was a wonderful surprise. She gave him such a big hug.'

Breakthrough role: Katie Holmes as Joey and Joshua Jackson as Pacey

The source added that Jackson wanted to reassure the 29-year-old that she still had friends of her own age and outside of Scientology, the religion that she joined after falling in love with Cruise.

The source continued: 'Joshua made it clear she wasn't alone. He's not out to cause trouble. Her life is truly bizarre now, but having some friends supporting her who have nothing to do with her LA set-up could make all the difference.

'Josh would love to see Katie as the carefree and relaxed woman he once knew.'

Because of her acting commitments Katie and daughter Suri have been living in New York while Tom has continued to live in Los Angeles. The family have made a huge effort to keep in close contact, frequently flying across country to spend time together.

Katie dated Jackson for just over a year before splitting in 1998.

She later told Rolling Stone magazine: 'I fell in love, I had my first love, and it was something so incredible and indescribable that I will treasure it always.'

But the two had barely been in touch since they worked on the show five years ago.

In an interview with USweekly.com Jackson recently confessed it was hard keeping in touch with his old friends.

He said: 'I mean I talk to Michelle Williams every once in a while. I talk to Busy Philipps every once in a while.'

Then, when quizzed over whether he was going to see Katie on stage ,Jackson, who is currently appearing in Lost creator JJ Abram's new project Fringe, said: 'Of course, of course.'

Now it appears the two could start seeing more of each other. Jackson has apparently extended a dinner invitation to Katie and her 46-year-old husband.