Episode 401
Coming Home

In this episode: Joey and Pacey returned from a summer traveling the east coast aboard Pacey's boat, "True Love." They had to confront their friends and the one question that was on everyone's minds… Did they or didn't they? Regardless, a lot had changed and the lovers wondered if Capeside was better off without them. Dawson had every intention of avoiding the happy couple forever, but Jen, herself struggling with the fact that Henry has been sent away to school, orchestrated an encounter between them at an end of summer party. Pacey's siter Gretchen returned to Capeside and Andie met a French exchange student.

Dawson: James Van Der Beek
Joey: Katie Holmes
Pacey: Joshua Jackson
Jen: Michelle Williams
Andie: Meredith Monroe
Jack: Kerr Smith

Grams: Mary Beth Peil
Bessie: Nina Repeta
Mitch: John Wesely Shipp
Gail: Mary-Margaret Humes
Gretchen: Sasha Alexander

Original Airdate: October 4, 2000

[Pacey and Joey on the boat heading home]

Pacey: hey! Found us some dinner.

Joey: Ah, seafood. Great change of pace, pace.

Pacey: Was that a note of disgust I detected at our sustenance of the ocean born?

Joey: After this trip, if I never eat another thing that breathes through gills again, it'll be too soon. [Joey kisses him on the neck]

Pacey: So there she blows, huh? Capeside, Mass. Our first and last port of call.

Joey: Doesn't look much different than when we left it, does it?

Pacey: That's 'cause it isn't, Fraulein.

Joey: I'm in no more of a race than you are to get back there, but it's not like we have another choice in the matter.

Pacey: We don't have to go home. We survived for 3 months taking odd jobs. We can survive for as long as we want. As long as we're happy.

Joey: Pacey, if you're so serious about this, then why bring this up now... 2 hours from home?

Pacey: 12 hours from home. See, I think we should probably drop anchor here, have a bite to eat, and then we can debate whether or not to scrap this whole mission home.

Joey: No. I don't believe you Pacey Witter. As truant as your natural instincts may be, you'd never really suggest us skipping our senior year entirely.

Pacey: Just what would we be missing from the land of poorly scripted melodramas, huh? Recycled plot lines, tiresome self-realizations? [He's kissing her while he says this next part] You throw in the occasional downward spiral of a dear friend and maybe a baby here and a death there, and all you've really got is a recipe for some soul-sucking, mind-numbing ennui. And I, for one, can skip it.

Joey: You know what continues to amaze me?

Pacey: And what is that?

Joey: How long you've lasted without being thrown off this boat.

Pacey: Well, finally. That's something we can both agree upon.

[Camera pulls out and it shows Pacey and Joey jump off the side of the boat into the water at the same time]

[Cut to the beach with Jen, Jack, Dawson and Andie]

Jen: I'll kick out jack.

Jack: [Laughs] you'd kick me off the island before you'd kick off Andie?

Jen: Andie's very resourceful.

Andie: All right. Give it up for girl power.

Jack: Yeah. Ruthless alliance.

Jen: Oh, come on, Jack. It's not like we kicked you off first or anything. I mean, we already kicked off Grams.

Jack: Yeah. Well, that comparison just bathes me in relief.

[Dawson walks up from swimming]

Dawson: You guys should go in. The water's warm.

Andie: Yeah, right. And reapply the 20 minutes of lotion I just put on. No, thanks.

Jack: We gotta go. We gotta paint Mrs. Hammacott at 2:00.

Jen: Mm, sounds kinky.

Dawson: He means her house. It's our last one this season. And we still have an hour before we have to be there.

Jack: Yeah, but we gotta stop by the hardware store. We gotta get paint.

We gotta get some rollers.

Dawson: All right, well, hold on. It's our last beach day of the season. I want to get this on record.

Jen: Dawson, please. No pictures. I look awful.

Dawson: Well, now you'll look awful for posterity. Ready? 1...2...3.

Jen: Oh! Nice. Well, see you guys at the dive-in tonight.

Dawson: Yep.

Andie: Dawson, I hear they're playing jaws.

Dawson: Oh! Good. Never seen that one yet.

Andie: see you guys later.

Dawson: See ya. Bye.

Andie: Ooh! Cute boys, 2 o'clock.

Jen: Like it even matters.

Andie: Come on. One of us is single.

Jen: In theory. But in practice, Andie, let's face it. Your sex life this summer has been an episode of abstinence in the city.

Andie: Well, is it my fault if this one-horse hamlet hasn't offered a suitable summer fling?

Jen: Oh, Andie, there are plenty of guys. Face it. You're just not bold enough to go up and talk to them.

Andie: And if you were in my shoes, you would.

Jen: Yes! I mean, come on, I think that my resume speaks for itself.

Andie: Fine. I'm gonna go talk to them. Ok. I am.

Jen: You go!

Andie: I am!

Jen: Well?

Andie: Well, I am just negotiating the proper approach.

Jen: Well, excuse me while I negotiate the proper approach to the snack bar. Scaredy-cat.

Andie: I am not.

Jen: Are so.

Andie: Am not!

Jen: Are so!

[Cuts to Pacey and Joey at the dock in Capeside unloading their stuff to head home]

Pacey: Boy. That's a little on the heavy side. Who's that one for?

Joey: Uh, my sister, I think. Is that everything?

Pacey: Yeah, for right now. I figured we'd just leave the rest on the boat and pick it up tomorrow.

Joey: Ok.

Pacey: Oh... Uh, before we leave, though, there is one other thing we should cover.

Joey: What's that?

Pacey: Well, they're gonna ask.

Joey: Who's gonna ask what?

Pacey: The masses. They're gonna ask what happened on the boat. This summer... Between you and I... You know... Sexually speaking.

Joey: No one cares, Pacey. Ok, maybe they care, but they're not gonna ask.

It's too crass.

Pacey: We live in a crass age.

Joey: Ok, so what are you gonna say?

Pacey: That really depends.

Joey: On?

Pacey: On what you're gonna say.

Joey: Well, I guess I'm going to say nothing because it's no one's business.

Pacey: That's good. "Nothing" sounds perfect.

Joey: Besides, they're not gonna ask.

Pacey: Oh, they'll ask.

[They reach the end of the dock and prepare to depart]

Pacey: Well... This is it. Last of our summer, and... I go left, you go right, and we spend the next whole 24 hours away from each other. If you're curious as to why I'm not currently in sadness, it's only because, to be perfectly honest, you were startin' to get on my nerves, Jo.

Joey: Oh. Good. Well, 'cause...You know, I... I'd hate to think that after all of our intimate talks, you were actually covering up your aching heart with false bravado.

Pacey: Well, put your mind at ease. Well, I guess I'll call you tomorrow, maybe?

Joey: Oh...If you think about it, sure.

Pacey: Ok.

[They begin to walk awa from each other then quickly turn back for an intimate kiss]

[Cut to Dawson in the hardware store looking at the paint rollers]

Gretchen: Excuse me. Do you know where the light bulbs are?

Dawson: Uh, usually up.

Gretchen: I meant which aisle.

Dawson: I'm sorry. I don't work here.

Gretchen: Lucky for management.

Dawson: Um...If it helps, I think they're on aisle 4-- Gretchen?

Gretchen: Dawson? Wow. Hi. How are you?

Dawson: I...I'M... Damp...At the moment.

Gretchen: And in the grander scheme of things? I sort of heard through the family about last spring. That. Uh

Dawson: ...I'm fine. I'm fine. And, uh, what about you? Still home from college for the summer?

Gretchen: A little bit longer than that. It's no biggie. I'm just, uh... Takin' time off.

Dawson: Ok. Well...At the risk of sounding trite, it's...It's nice to see you again.

Gretchen: At the risk of sounding redundant, it's nice to see you, too.

Damp and all.

[Both chuckle, Gretchen leaves and Jack approaches]

Jack: ok. I got the paint, you got the rollers. Who's the girl?

Dawson: Uh, what girl?

Jack: The...Girl you're gonna pretend to have no knowledge of until I annoy you with the question over and over again.

Dawson: That girl. Uh... Long story.

Jack: Good, 'cause we got the whole north side of Mrs.. Hancock's to paint.

[Cut to the B&B, Bessie and Joey are at the kitchen table talking]

Bessie: Joey: I can't believe you! I'm your sister. I'm entitled to know.

Joey: No. You're not.

Bessie: I'll rephrase. I'm your sister whom you ditched high and dry last June. I'm entitled to know.

Joey: Open your gift.

Bessie: A plant.

Joey: It's a Carolina jasmine. At night, if the wind hit right, we could smell them 2 miles out on the water.

Bessie: At night while you and Pacey were--

Joey: quit it. I haven't even unpacked yet.

[Joey picks up her back and heads to her room. She opens the door and shuts it real quick]

Bessie: Oh. Hey, Joey, wait.

Joey: Why is there an underwear-clad stranger in my bedroom?

Bessie: That's where he lives.

Joey: You rented out my room?

Bessie: Until Tuesday. Come over here. It's my turn to give you a gift. Our accounting book.

Joey: You're so kind.

Bessie: look at that number.

[The number in the book reads $17,240]

Joey: Bessie, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how difficult it would be.

Bessie: Joey, it has a plus next to it, not a minus. Welcome to one of the most successful bed-and-breakfasts in the state, Joey. We've doubled our rates, and we're still booked well through the fall.

Joey: Well, when I called, y-you never mentioned--

Bessie: I wanted it to be a surprise.

[Cuts to Andie talking to the two guys on the beach]

Andie: ..Hang out with my friends and help my brother with his numerous problems.

Jen: Hello.

Andie: Oh. Why, there you are, Jennifer. I was just chatting with the guys. I'd like you to meet jean and jean-jean.

Jen: Hmm. Hello...Jeans'.

Andie: They're French.

Jen: Get out of dodge.

Andie: And they're, uh, backpacking through the east coast for the summer.

Just stopped in Capeside yesterday.

Andie: Ohh! Tell me they are not adorable plus 10 times 10 to the 10th power.

Jen: Andie, they can hear you.

Andie: Doesn't matter. One of 'em barely speaks any English. The other one knows "hello," "good-bye," and the lyrics to an 'n sync song.

Jean: We would like very much for you to tour us the city.

Andie: We'd love to!

Jen: Um...Sorry, boys. I'm gonna have to catch up with you on the Riviera.

[Jen walks away]

Andie: Ok, Frenchies, let's go tour Capeside and any other terrain you're interested in covering.

[Cut to Pacey at Doug's apartment]

Pacey: It's a Florida snowman. Get it?

Doug: Notice my fits of laughter.

Pacey: So...Oh, yeah. How's my favorite couch been? You been keepin' it warm for me?

Doug: Well, you know, it's funny you should bring that up.

Pacey: Oh, come on, now. You're not gonna cast me out to the wolves, are you?

Doug: Ah, seems I have to. Somebody's already moved in. Sorry.

Pacey: Ah. You and Rupert finally decide to tie the knot?

Doug: I see 3 months on the water's done absolutely nothing to improve your sense of humor.

Pacey: Don't tell me this is a girl or something.

Doug: Well, yes. As a matter of fact, it is.

Pacey: Oh, well, that's just fantastic. Just as I need a place to sleep, you decide to get all hetero on me.

Doug: As much as I would love an end to your inaccurate comments regarding my sexuality, I assure you that this relationship is purely platonic.

Pacey: Good. Then I'm sure whoever miss mystery guest is couldn't possibly be as important as your baby bro, bro.

Doug: That's where you're wrong, 'cause she's equally important and...Equally related.

[Gretchen walks through the door, unaware Pacey is back]

Gretchen: Sorry I'm late, Doug. I stopped at the hardware store to get some light bulbs.

Pacey: Gretchen?

Gretchen: Ha ha! Welcome home loser. Come give your big sis a hug.

[Cuts to Joey walking up to Dawson's house. She slowly opens the front door and walks in. Nobody is home]

Joey: Hey. Hi. Hello? Hello. Mrs. Leery. Mr. Leery. Dawson?

[She heads up to Dawsons room. She looks around with a sad face. the room has changed drastically. All the movie posters are down and photographs of Jen, Andie and Jack are up]

[Jack and Dawson are painting the house]

Dawson: Gretchen was my first crush. I was, uh...10, 11, so she must've been, what, all of 13? I was spending the evening at the Witters' house, and Gretchen and 2 of her friends were out in the backyard. Pacey had the brilliant idea of water ballooning the whole lot of 'em. We went to work for about 2 hours, filling water balloons. By the time we'd gotten outside, Gretchen and her friends were already in their bathing suits.

They must've heard the plot through an open bathroom window. And, uh...Of course, Pacey decided to balloon 'em anyway. But I remember just...Staring. At Gretchen. Mm-hmm. You'd think I'd never seen a girl in a bathing suit before. It just... Hit me... Without warning, right then and there. And from then on, any money that would've formerly gone to... Baseball cards or action figures was now being spent on chocolates and $5.00 tulips that i would leave anonymously on Gretchen Witter's stoop. It wasn't till years later that I realized that my crush had been a running family joke.

Jack: Yeah, right. So what happened?

Dawson: Same thing that happens with all adolescent crushes. Absolutely nothing.

[Cut back to Pacey at Doug's apartment]

Pacey: I will simply not be replaced. It's too damaging to my fragile ego.

Gretchen: Oh, get over yourself.

Pacey: Why don't you get over yourself? Ok? Aren't you a college student or something?

Gretchen: It's called taking time off. Sure, it is.

Pacey: I'm the only other Witter that euphemism won't fool.

Gretchen: Mind your own business, little brother.

Pacey: Let go of my living quarters, and maybe I won't dig up whatever sordid mess that landed you in this remote corner of the world.

Doug: All right, all right. That's enough, you two. Now, Pacey, you currently have other living options. Gretchen does not.

Pacey: Thank you. Really. And what might those living options be, Dougie?

Doug: Well, for starters, there's your boat.

Pacey: Are you jokin'? I spent the last hundred days livin' on that thing.

Doug: Ok, fine. Kerry and the no-neck monsters are still at mom and dad's, but I believe there is a couch there. Am I wrong? Oh, no, you're not wrong. I'd just as soon take a cot on death row.

Gretchen: Hey, there's always the zoo.

Pacey: Down, Gretchzilla.

Doug: As usual, your level of maturity astounds. I know. Why don't you stay with Joey?

Pacey: What's that supposed to mean?

Doug: Well, you have a girlfriend now. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to set you up with a little bed... Or share hers.

Pacey: You know, honestly, I don't appreciate that suggestion or the tone that accompanies it.

Doug: You know, Gretchen's got a point. I mean, uh, if any place has extra rooms, it's a b&b.

Pacey: I'm not gonna impose upon that family.

Gretchen: Yeah. Why should you when you have your own to impose on?

Pacey: Ah, Gretchen. So good to have you home. Oh, no. Whoops. Silly me. I don't have a home anymore.

Gretchen: Hey, it pains me to see you this way. It really does. Pass the iced tea. Thanks.

[Cut to Jen's house. Joey and Jen are sitting at the kitchen table talking, Grams is at the sink doing dishes]

Jen: So football camp led to an unexpected scholarship at Hanover academy, and Henry and his parents decided that attending would double his college options, so next thing you know, I'm dating a guy who goes to boarding school 4 hours away.

Grams: They're doing what Jennifer terms "the long distance thing."

Jen: Which, ironically, grams disapproves of.

Grams: Youth is a time to be spent in the now, not pining away for a solitary weekend every other month or so.

Jen: Isn't there a pair of knitting needles calling your name somewhere?

Grams: I suppose they are. Good-bye, Josephine. Nice to have you back safe and sound.

Jen: Ok. Enough me. You're the one fresh from the world excursion. So?

Joey: We had the time of our lives. I honestly wouldn't even know where to begin talking about it.

Jen: Well, I'll help you out. Cut to the sordid stuff.

Joey: Jen.

Jen: Come on, Jo. I wouldn't be human if I didn't want to know. You and Pacey, alone on a boat for 3 months. Everybody's gonna ask.

Joey: We're not talking about it.

Jen: With my experience with that particular yes-or-no question, "no" means "no," and "we're not talking about it" means "we did it."

Joey: You got me. We did it... All day, all night, 24-7. Are you aware that there are at least 38 known differing sexual positions? And 42 if you're flexible enough.

Jen: Ok, it's none of my business.

Joey: Jen, how is everyone else doing?

Jen: Good. Yeah, everybody's good.

Joey: I should probably be going. I promised Bessie I'd help with dinner.

Jen: What--what are you doin' tonight? You and Pacey just layin' low?

Joey: No, we're not doing anything. We're taking our first official night off from each other.

Jen: Well, we are going to the dive-in. Why don't you join us?

Joey: I don't know that that's such a good idea.

Jen: 8:00, stupmuck cove, and I'll tell everybody that you'll be there.

Joey: Bye.

[Cut to Andie giving the French guys tours of Capeside]

Andie: And on your right we have a very historic building where many historic events occurred. Sorry. Hope i'm not boring you with all the specifics.

Jean: Oh, no, no. You're beautiful when you speak.

Andie: Well, stop! Ha ha! Uh, no, I didn't really mean "stop."

Jean: I am sorry. I don't understand.

Andie: Never mind. So, uh... he ever speak?

Jean: Eh, tu ne veux pas parler un petit--

Jean-Jean: non, je ne peux parler.

Jean: When he wants.

Andie: So...Anyway, uh, what's your town like?

Jean: I come from Paris. Have you been?

Andie: Oh...No, but i want to go desperately.

Jean: Why?

Andie: 'Cause it's the city of romance! It's...It's the city of love lost and found. It's degas and cezanne and monet and van gogh. I mean, even though i've never been there, it's like I know it better than my own home.

Jean-Jean: Elle connauT la ville si bien parce que c'est dans son coeur, non?

Andie: What'd he say?

Jean: He said you know it so well because it's in your heart.

Andie: Oh. [Chuckles]

[Cut to Dawson and Jen in Dawson's new dark room developing some pictures]

Dawson: So how'd she look?

Jen: Dawson.

Dawson: It's a question.

Jen: She looked great.

Dawson: Great. Great. You sure the light wasn't in your eyes? She didn't grow a hump or develop some hideous skin disorder or something?

Jen: Does this mean that you don't want to see her?

Dawson: Um...I didn't say that.

Jen: Good, because I invited her to come with us to the dive-in tonight.

Dawson: You... what? how very thoughtful of you.

Jen: Dawson, come on. You're gonna have to dispense with the awkward intros sooner or later, so why not--

Dawson: what happened to the natural progression of things? Hmm?

Jen: Joey naturally came over, and I naturally invited her. I don't know.

Dawson: So, is what's-his-name gonna be there?

Jen: Uh, no. No, they're takin' the night off. Which would make this the perfect opportunity for the two of you to have your inevitable Geneva conference where you decide to remain friends forever no matter what happens.

Dawson: Why are you so resolute about this?

Jen: I don't know. I guess it... Just in thinking back to the way everything went down last year, you know... How you found out and all, I--

Dawson: what, you feel responsible?

Jen: Yes, I do. Wouldn't you?

Dawson: Look, the only thing you're responsible for is helping me have arguably the best summer of my life.

[Dawson and Jen leave the dark room and walk into the living room. They find his parents making out on the couch]

Dawson: Ahem!

Mitch: Dawson.

Gayle: Jen.

Mitch: Dawson and Jen.

Dawson: Welcome to the Leery house where it's deja screw all over again.

Mitch: Well, uh, we were just, uh, goin' over the possible renovations for the home.

Gayle: You're dying on the vine, dear.

Jen: [Chuckling] later, Mrs.. Leery, Mr.. Leery.

[Jen leaves and Dawson stays downstairs. Mitch and Gayle go up the stairs]

Mitch: You, uh...Said you checked the rooms.

Gayle: I did.

Mitch: Mm-hmm. Well, you didn't check the darkroom.

Gayle: I didn't count the darkroom.

Mitch: From now on, the dark room counts.

[Cuts to Joey sitting on the end of her dock shucking corn. Pacey approaches]

Pacey: Guess who.

Joey: Mmm...Well, let's see... It can't possibly be my boyfriend. We're not supposed to see each other till tomorrow. He--he was growing sick of me.

Pacey: Yeah, that was before he found out he was homeless and needed to bum a couch for the night.

Joey: Hmm? Mmm. Try again. B&B's booked. I'm on the couch myself till Tuesday.

Pacey: Is it just me, or are you starting to get the distinct feeling that this town really didn't miss us all that much?

Joey: It's like the reverse of it's a wonderful life. Everyone's better off without us.

Pacey: Except for each other.

Pacey: So what do you want to do tonight? Want to grab some pizza, hang out on the boat? Or I was thinking maybe we could go catch a bad summer movie at the $1.50 theater. What do you say?

Joey: Well, uh... Actually, uh, Jen invited me to the dive-in.

Pacey: The dive-in. Everybody from school's gonna be at the dive-in. To be perfectly honest, I don't think I'm prepared for that quite yet. Were you gonna go without me?

Joey: We can just go together. I think it'd be fun... And...And healthy... You know, to see everyone.

Pacey: To see Dawson.

Joey: Yes...To see Dawson, which we've talked about, Pacey. And it's no secret that I'm anxious to get things squared away with him.

Pacey: No, it's no secret. And to be perfectly honest, look, I don't really care where we go or what we do as long as we do it together.

Joey: [Chuckles] thank you.

[Cuts to the beach at the Dive-In]

Andie: hey! You guys go on in. I'll be in in a second.

Jack: Ah. Looks like somebody found some new friends.

Dawson: Don't forget, Andie. It was the French who coined the term "menage a trois."

Andie: MeNage a I-don't-think-so. Besides, I only like the one who speaks English. The other one just stands there looking like a dolt.

Jen: So do you know if he's single yet?

Andie: I'm working on it. Give me an hour.

Jack: Unbelievable.

[Andie walks off and Dawson looks over and sees Joey and Pacey walking up to them on the beach. Pacey and Joey are holding hands]

Dawson: I thought you said he wasn't gonna be here, Jen.

Jen: He wasn't, Dawson.

Dawson: So why is he here, Jen?

Jen: Good question, Dawson.

[Cuts to Pacey and Joey, they realize Dawson has seen them and is not happy. Joey releases Pacey's hand]

Joey: [Sighs] maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

Pacey: Well, it wasn't my idea in the first place.

Joey: Do you think that... Um...

Pacey: That maybe I should go and get us something to drink while you go and say hi? Sure.

Joey: I mean, I just think it'll be easier.

Pacey: Yeah. No problem. I'll be back in a couple minutes.

Joey: Ok.

[Pacey, not to happy, leaves Joey there. Cuts back to Jen, Dawson and

Jack]

Jen: Ok. Where are you going?

Dawson: To get a better seat. I don't mind seeing her, but I'm not going to go out of my way to talk to her.

Jen: Can't you go out of my way to talk to her?

Jack: You work him.

Jen: You work her.

[Jen goes after Dawson and Jack heads to greet Joey]

Jack: You got it. Joey, hey!

Joey: Hey!

Jack: What's up? How are you?

Joey: I'm good. How are you?

Jack: I'm good. Come on in.

Joey: Thanks.

Jack: It's good to see you.

Joey: Good to see you. Oh, someone's been lifting this summer.

Jack: Ah, yeah. Well, what else is there to do in this town, right?

Joey: So, where'd everyone go?

[Cut to Pacey. Gretchen is on the beach and sees him. She walks over to him]

Pacey: Uh... You know, it's one thing to usurp the couch, but it's quite another to come back here and best my social standing.

Gretchen: Do you want to take a walk?

Pacey: Yeah.

Gretchen: Do you hate me for taking your spot?

Pacey: Spot? Try "bed."

Gretchen: Hmm. You hate me.

Pacey: Marginally, yeah.

Gretchen: Well, retribution is yours. Doug wakes me up every morning at 7:00 dust-bustering the kitchen. It's like living with Felix Unger on crack.

Pacey: Well, you're hardly an innocent. Last we roomed together, you were known to blare rock music so loud small nations were kept up.

Gretchen: Not rock, Pacey. Soul. There's a difference.

Pacey: Yeah, there is a difference. Fans listen to rock music. Pretentious fans listen to soul music.

Gretchen: Is it possible you've actually grown more obnoxious over time?

Pacey: Well, it is the witter way.

Gretchen: Hmm. And somehow you still got the girl.

Pacey: Yes, I did. Who would've ever thunk me and Joey would end up together, huh?

Gretchen: Mmm...Me.

Pacey: You did not.

Gretchen: It didn't take Nostradamus to call it. I mean, look at your similarities. You're both classic underdogs. She's sassy and you're a legendary annoyance. She's beautiful and you're...Lucky.

Pacey: There is a compliment in there somewhere, right?

Gretchen: You're both lucky.

Pacey: Thank you. And what about you, Gretchen? Honestly. Why would you come back here?

Gretchen: I'm just, uh, taking a break. That's all.

Pacey: All right. Well, as they say in non-dysfunctional families, welcome home, Gretchen.

Gretchen: And, uh, speaking of home, I have a suggestion that I think you might find appealing.

Pacey: Yeah?

[Fades off Pacey and shows Jack and Joey sitting on a boat at the Dive-In. Jen and Dawson are off in the distance. Joey looks back at Dawson before talking to Jack]

Joey: Ask me a question.

Jack: I get it. It's the old, "let's make small talk until he comes over," right?

Joey: Precisely. Just ask me a question.

Jack: Actually, I do have a question.

Joey: Not that question.

Jack: Come on!

Joey: Jack!

Jack: I won't tell anybody. I swear.

[Cuts to Dawson and Jen]

Jen: She's doing the official "wait for Dawson to come over" thing.

Dawson: It looks to me more like the official "wait in vain for Dawson to come over" thing.

Jen: One more joke like that and I am really going to know how hard this is for you.

Dawson: It's not hard.

Jen: Come on.

Dawson: It's not. It's not easy, but it's not hard.

Jen: Well, whatever it is, why don't you just go get it over with?

Dawson: I'll do it, but it's just a highly predictable moment. I'm going to walk over there, Joey and I are gonna engage in some semi-casual conversation until the awkwardness overwhelms us both, and then we're just gonna part... Each of us surprised at how surprisingly painless the whole encounter surprisingly was.

Jen: Well then, surprise me and go on over there.

Dawson: All right.

[Dawson approaches Joey]

Dawson: Hey.

Joey: Hey.

Jack: Yeah. I'm gonna go find Jen.

Dawson: She's right over there.

Jack: Ok. Thanks.

Joey: So, how's it going?

Dawson: Uh, great. Great. It's going great.

Joey: How was your summer?

Dawson: Uh, it was brief but good. Yours?

Joey: Brief but good. You look great.

Dawson: Hey, you, too.

Joey: Thanks.

Dawson: You, too. Thanks.

Dawson and Joey at the same time: So, uh... School's Monday-- school's in-- yeah.

Joey: It's good to see you.

Dawson: It's good to see you, too.

[Dawson walks away. Joey has a sad look on her face. Dawson goes and leans against a wall. He doesn't look like it was easy]

Andie: Oh, uh, hold on a minute, guys. There's someone that I'm not quite ready to see yet. Uh... How do you say ex-boyfriend?

Jean: I understand.

Andie: So do you happen to be in a, um...

Jean: Her name is Nicole.

Andie: And I bet you're crazy about her, aren't you?

Jean: To borrow your words, she's monet, degas, ceézanne--

Andie: ok, I get the point. Of course he has a girlfriend. He's cute. He has an accent, and he tells me that I'm beautiful, so of course he has a girlfriend, right? I mean, you guys are all the same. It doesn't matter if you're French, American, English, German, Russian, French. What are you looking at?

Jean-Jean: A very rude girl.

Andie: Ok, you don't even know me, so-- uh... You don't speak English.

Jean-Jean: I have it on good authority that I do.

Andie: Ok, but you guys told me--

Jean-Jean: It was a joke. The name's J.J. Short for John-John, not jean-jean.

Andie: So that means that all day you--

Jean-Jean: understood every word you said.

Andie: Excusé Moi. I'm just gonna go drown myself.

[Cuts to Joey standing on the beach looking for Pacey]

Joey: There you are.

Pacey: And here we go.

Joey: What are you doing?

Pacey: Both of us a favor. Taking us home.

Joey: You don't even ask me if I want to go?

Pacey: Do I have to?

Joey: Maybe I'm having a fun time.

Pacey: If this is how you look when you're enjoying yourself, Jo, then you weren't having a very good time on the boat this summer, you never once looked like this.

Joey: And you never once behaved like this.

Pacey: And just how am I behaving?

Joey: I don't know yet. Currently I'm deciding between asinine, immature child and arrogant, infantile boyfriend.

Pacey: You know, I didn't want to come here in the first place.

Joey: Well, then, you shouldn't have come.

Pacey: Yeah. I guess you would have loved that, huh? Would have given you all the time in the world to square things away with Dawson. Those were your words, right? "Square things away"?

Joey: Pacey, dealing with Dawson is a reality for me. It's a reality for the both of us.

Pacey: The guy hates me, ok? I can't fix that.

Joey: Well, you could try.

Pacey: I don't want to!

Joey: I do, and I'm sorry if you have a problem with that!

Pacey: You're damn right I have a problem with that! You're not even unpacked yet and the first thing you think to do is--

Joey: look I can't help it if he's been on my mind, but it doesn't mean what you think it means.

Pacey: I don't know what it means. I don't care what it means. I've just watched you grow more and more preoccupied every day this week, and I'm tired of it. And it better stop.

Joey: You better watch who you're ordering around, Pacey. We're not on the boat and we haven't been for a day.

Pacey: Who are you kidding, Jo? Come on. You got off that boat long before the two of us did.

Joey: What is that supposed to mean?

Pacey: You're a smart girl, Jo. You can figure it out.

[Pacey walks off mad and leaves Joey standing there. Cuts to next scene. Joey is in the parking lot leaning against a car. Dawson sees her and approaches]

Dawson: Still here, huh?

Joey: Yeah. I was just thinking.

Dawson: A highly overrated activity, if you ask me. So, are you heading home?

Joey: Yeah.

Dawson: Do you need a ride?

Joey: I would like that, Dawson.

[Cut to Andie on the beach with the guys]

Jean: Andie, you were a wonderful host. If you come to Paris, you must look me up.

Andie: Ok. You have a deal, jean.

Jean: Excusem-moi.

Jean-Jean: That, um, goes for me, too, you know.

Andie: [Laughs] I can't believe after everything you heard me say that you'd still want to hang out with me.

Jean-Jean: Me either.

Andie: Ok, I think I liked you better before you spoke English.

Jean-Jean: There's a question in French. Y popular. The English translation, if I can remember correctly, goes something like this: Can I kiss you?

Andie: Oui.

[Cuts to Joey and Dawson getting out of the car at Joey's house. They walk up to the porch]

Joey: So, tell me about this newly acquired love of photography that seems to have sprung up in my absence.

Dawson: Uh, I picked it up over the summer. Didn't think I'd like it nearly as much as I have, but, you know, I guess that's the way it always is, huh?

Joey: What's that?

Dawson: You don't choose what you love, it chooses you.

Joey: Dawson, uh... I'm very sorry. I'm sorry for everything that happened last year and for doing what I had to do. I know how difficult it was and probably still must be.

Dawson: It wasn't easy... Thinking about the two of you together every day, every night.

Joey: You're actually the only person who hasn't dared ask the big question.

Dawson: I'm the only person the answer could potentially kill.

Joey: Wait here.

[Joey goes in the house and comes out with a box]

Joey: It's for you.

Dawson: Ok. Wow. It's my very own brick.

Joey: It's not just a brick. It's from Hemingway's home in the Keys.

Dawson: Ernest?

Joey: No. Frank. Of course Ernest.

Dawson: You know the guy shot himself, Jo.

Joey: Aside from that, I would like to offer it to you as a--

Dawson: please don't say "symbol."

Joey: As an emblematic artifact representing the foundation of-- of a new friendship.

Dawson: I feel like I'm at the ribbon-cutting of a new strip mall.

Joey: Quit joking.

Dawson: Truth is, Joey... It's gonna take a hell of a lot more than symbols for us to get back what we had, and right now I'm not even sure that I want to. We're just gonna have to take it one day at a time.

Joey: I know. [Joey begins walking into the house and Dawson walks towards his car. Just as she is about to go inside...] Hey, Dawson. For what it's worth, the answer to that question everyone's been asking? It wouldn't kill you.

[Joey goes inside and gets the car keys. She drives out to the boat to talk to Pacey.]

Joey: [Clears throat] Well, I've decided something, and it is perhaps the singularly most important thing that I've realized in the last 45 minutes, so I must share it with you. This town has far too many stoplights for somebody who's not very good at driving stick. I stalled 7 times coming over here.

Pacey: Too bad it wasn't 8.

Joey: I stalled 7 times and 6 out of the 7 times, do you know what I thought about? You. It's this secret thing I do whenever I get really pissed off or confused or angry or sad. I--I think of you, and I immediately feel good inside. I guess it's kind of like taking a good mood pill or something. And I swore to myself that I would never tell you that I did this, because it is so girly and stupid, and I just told you because... I needed to score major points for not explaining what went down tonight or where I've been the last week when I haven't been on this boat.

Pacey: Keep going.

Joey: Pacey... I wanted to see Dawson tonight not because for 4 months of my life he was my boyfriend, but because for the better part of my life he was my friend. And as my friend, I hurt him deeply. Living with that fact has caused me no small amount of guilt over the past 3 months. So, yes, I have been preoccupied, and it has made my mind wander. But... My heart? That's a fixed point. 3 months riding the open waters couldn't shake it, and I'll be damned if I'll let your insecurities shake it. My heart never left this boat. It's never left you. As far as I can see, it's not going to any time soon.

Pacey: Ok, you got me. I do want to know one thing, though.

Joey: What's that?

Pacey: I want to know what exactly it was you thought of the seventh time you stalled.

Joey: That I was never going to drive stick again.

Pacey: How very practical.

[They share a long kiss]

Joey: Hey, pace?

Pacey: Hmm?

Joey: Do you think we could do that thing that we do sometimes?

Pacey: You wanna do that thing?

Joey: Yeah.

[It cuts to the interior of the boat. They are each laying in their own hammock, setup bunk bed style. Pacey in the top one and Joey on the bottom one. They are reading a book to each other]

Joey: "The little mermaid could not take her eyes from the ship or from the beautiful prince. The colored lanterns had been extinguished. No more rockets rose in the air and the cannon had ceased firing. But the sea became restless and a moaning, grumbling sound could be heard beneath the waves." [She hands the book to Pacey to read]

Pacey: "After awhile, the sails were quickly unfurled, "and the noble ship continued her passage, "but soon the waves rose higher. "Heavy clouds darkened the sky "and lightning appeared in the distance. "A dreadful storm approaching. "Once more the sails were reefed "and the great ship pursued her flying course over the raging sea. "To the little mermaid, this appeared pleasant sport. Not so for the sailors."