DISCLAIMER: I own Kate and Mike, and that's it. All the rest are property of Kevin Williamson and the WB.
SPOILER: Read my first five installments.
[OPEN: Dawson, laying on his bed, looking distraught. He has one hand behind his head, and with the other, he flips the channels on his TV, and sighs loudly. He hears a noise and looks up. The camera cuts to Joey, climbing in the window.]
DAWSON (sitting up): Joey? What are you doing here?
JOEY (crooked smile, as she climbs in the window): It's movie night, Dawson.
D: Yeah, but, are you feeling okay?
J (walking over to him, sitting on the bed, and shrugging): I’m fine.
D: Well, you weren't at the service this morning, so I thought . . .
J (looking uncomfortable): Oh, well, I just, I mean, I *could* be contagious or something, so . . .
D: But you feel okay now?
J (unconvincingly): Yeah.
D: Are you sure? Because if you want to bag, I don't mind.
J: *Dawson*, I’m fine.
D: You, know, that’s become your theme song. (pauses, smiling, then becomes serious) Jo, you threw up yesterday morning. *Twice*. Forgive me if I don’t exactly consider that *fine.*
J (smirks): ‘Scream 2,’ 1997. (pauses) I really *do* feel fine, though, Dawson. Bessie thinks it was probably some 24 hour bug. But in case it wasn’t, I didn’t want to infect half of Capeside at the memorial service.
D: So you’re *really* okay?
J (annoyed): *Yes*, Dawson!
D: So, your lack of presence at the service this morning came solely out of the kindness of your heart, and didn’t have *anything* to do with your mom?
[Joey turns sharply at this, and looks at him. She doesn’t speak, and she looks away quickly. Dawson puts a hand on her shoulder.]
D (softly): Joey, I know it’s been a few years, but it’s still okay to be upset. I mean, if my mom . . . (pauses) Well, no one expects you to be agog about going to your first funeral since. (pauses, as if thinking to himself) Then again, no one’s *ever* agog about going to a funeral. (sighs) Sorry, I’m not such a great comforter.
J (who cracked a smile when he realized his mistake): It’s okay, Dawson. I’ll go over to Jen’s tomorrow, and explain. (pauses, changing the subject about her mom) So, what were Jen’s parents like?
D: Actually, I don’t really know. Jen introduced them to me, and they just kinda nodded and walked away.
J: I wouldn’t take it personally.
D: Oh, I know. They all seemed pretty upset. I thought I’d go over there tomorrow with some flowers or something.
J (nodding in agreement): Maybe I could help you pick them out.
D (turns to look at her): Yeah?
J (smiling): Yeah, as long as I can deliver them with you, too. (pauses, turning back to the TV) Now, what is this crap, Dawson? Please find us something better to watch.
D (fake shock): You don’t like Pauly Shore?
J: No, I just think he’s an unamusing imbecile who couldn’t act his way out of a closet. (shrugs) Other than that, I don’t mind the guy.
D (smiling, gets up to look through his video collection as the theme song starts): Glad to see you’re feeling better, Jo.
[OPENING THEME, COMMERCIAL BREAK]
[OPEN: Exterior shot of Capeside High. "Small Town Bringdown" by The Tragically Hip is playing and starts to drown out slowly when we cut to Pacey, at his locker, digging through a pile of junk. He picks up piece of paper and scans it over. When he realizes it isn’t what he wants, he puts it back in his locker and keeps searching. Dawson walks up behind him]
DAWSON: Hey, Pacey, whatcha looking for?
PACEY (still rummaging through his things): Stupid teachers. They give you stuff before the break, and expect you to still have it *afterwards*?
D (smiles): Maybe if you were a little more organized . . .
P: Don’t start with me, Dawson.
D: Listen, Pacey, have you seen Joey today?
P: Nope.
D (frowning): So, uh, talk to Kate yet?
P: Nope, I’ve been avoiding her.
D (nods): That’s one way to approach it. The childish way, but a way, nonetheless.
P (looks up from his locker for the first time): Bite me, Dawson.
D: Man, today is just *not* your day for racking up maturity points. So, what do you plan to do?
P (back in his locker): About Kate?
D (sarcastically): No, about your lacking sophistication score.
P (scowls): I don’t know. I hate confrontations. I guess I’ll just wait for her to end it.
D: What if she doesn’t?
P (looks up again): Look, Dawson, I know you *like* analyzing everything to death, but *I* don’t, okay? I’ll figure it out when I need to. (he pauses, glancing at something over Dawson’s shoulder) Look, man, I gotta go. I’ll see you at lunch.
[He walks away, leaving Dawson looking confused. He furrows his brow, then turns to see what Pacey was looking at. Jen is walking toward him]
JEN (glumly): Hey, Dawson.
D (looking sympathetic): Hey, Jen. How are you?
J (crossing her arms): I’m okay. Listen, I just want to apologize again for the way my father acted yesterday.
[They start walking]
D: Don’t worry about it.
J: I never should have told him you were my ex.
D: No sweat, Jen, really.
[They walk in silence for a second]
J: So, uh, where’d Pacey run off to?
D (shrugging): Uh, I think he has science this period. Pacey's not one to fret about tardiness, though. I wonder what the deal was with the sudden exit?
J (quietly): That would be me.
D: What?
J: Huh? Oh, I’m just, I, (shakes her head) mental reminders of stuff to do.
D: Oh.
D and J (simultaneously): Have you seen Joey today?
[They smile, but look frustrated]
D: I’ll take that as a ‘no.’
J: Same here.
[They start to walk into a classroom together, but Jen stops]
J: Uh, you know what Dawson? I left my book in my locker. I'll, uh, I'll be back in a minute.
[Dawson nods, and continues into the classroom. "I Wish I Felt Nothing" by the Wallflowers starts playing as the scene cuts to Pacey, walking by the front office. Something catches his eye, and he backtracks. He stops, and peers in the window. Tamara is talking to an administrator, and her back is to Pacey. We hear a voice off stage]
VOICE (OS): Don’t mean to interrupt your fantasies, but you’re gonna be late for science.
[Pacey turns to see Abby standing there]
P: Bite me, Abby.
[He walks towards a nearby classroom, leaving Abby looking smug. Just as he goes through the door, he hears another voice]
VOICE (OS): Pacey, wait.
[He turns around, sighing, because he recognizes the voice. Jen is standing with her arms crossed]
P (pointing to his classroom): Jen, I'm gonna be late.
J: Since when do you care?
P (is silent for a few moments, then walks closer to her and speaks quietly): Okay, look. I understand you want to talk about . . . (he sighs) But now is not the time, and (looking around) it's *especially* not the place.
J: You think I don't know that? Look, Pacey, this is serious. And to tell you the truth, I don't care if our romantic involvement ends right here, right now. I just want my friend back. (pauses) I'm really scared, Pacey. The consequences of our actions could be life-altering. Maybe not for you, but for me. (she is near tears) And I can't tell Joey or Dawson about this. They'd never look at me the same again. And Grams . . . well, she'd probably ship me back to New York. (she is crying now) And, maybe I *was* sick of being the good girl, but right now, it's looking pretty good.
P (immediately pulls her into a hug): Shhh. (stroking her hair) It's okay. (pulls away a little and looks at her) Lucky for you, I took the truck today. (she looks up at him questioningly and sniffs. He pulls away and puts his arm around her) C' mon, let's get out of here.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
[OPEN: Exterior of Capeside High. We hear a bell ring. Cut to Dawson, walking out of the same classroom he walked into earlier. He looks worried. He walks down the hallway, looking around. He soon enters the cafeteria, and goes to the table him, Pacey, Joey, and Jen usually sit at. It is empty. He looks around the lunchroom, frustrated, then leaves. Scene cuts to Jen and Pacey, sitting on a picnic bench under a tree in a park by the waterfront. They are sitting very close to one another. Jen seems to have calmed down a bit. The sun is shining, but they have on heavy coats, and we can see their breath when they speak. "The Weight of the World" by Alana Davis is playing softly]
JEN: And you're *positive* you never keep one in your wallet?
PACEY (sighs): Jen, we've been over this a million times. *Yes.* I've only bought condoms twice. Once in seventh grade, and I kept a couple of those in there for awhile, y' know, to look cool.
J: Well, maybe-
P (cutting her off): That was an entirely different wallet. Then I bought some when I was . . . *with* Tamara, but I know I used all of those. So, unless I found one just lying around, I, well, I'm pretty sure I didn't use one Thursday night.
[Jen sighs, defeated]
P: But, we don't know anything yet, okay? You're not late.
J (interrupting): Yet.
P: Or feeling sick.
J: *Yet*.
P (sarcastically): Way to be optimistic.
J: Pacey, I, uh, I don't mean to scare you, but we have a lot more than pregnancy to worry about.
P: What do you mean?
J (hesitantly): I . . . I'm talking about AIDS, Pacey.
P (almost angrily): You have *AIDS*?
J: No! At least, I don't *think* I do. I've been tested, but it can take six months to show up.
P (standing up, he starts pacing): What? I can't believe this! I-
J: Pacey, stop. I'm worried because you could be infected, too. You could give it to me just as easily.
P: Me?! You're the one who slept with half of New York!
J: (looks very hurt by this. She bites her lip to keep from crying again, and after a few seconds speaks softly): Please, just take me home, Pacey.
[He looks up and sees the look on her face. He immediately feels pangs of guilt]
P: Oh, Jen, I'm sorry.
[He goes to put a hand on her shoulder, but she pulls away]
J (almost whispering, a tear falls down her cheek): Don't touch me.
P: Jen, I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I just- (he sits back down next to her. she turns away. he sighs, putting his face in his hands) You're right, you know. (she turns back to him, and wipes a tear away) I don't know anything about Tamara's past. For all I know . . .
J: She would have told you, Pacey. If she knew. But maybe she's never been tested. Some people don't know they have it until symptoms start. And that could take years. (pauses, sighing) It's a scary world we're living in, Pacey. Look at us. Sophomores in highschool, and already we're worrying about pregnancy and AIDS.
[Pacey shakes his head and closes his eyes in silent agreement. Then he reaches over and places a hand on her knee. She looks up at him]
P: I know that I don't know you very well. And I know that our recent escapades haven't exactly been responsible. Not just New Year's, but before that. Cheating like that. It was wrong, and I know it. Once again, I've screwed up.
J: Pacey, I-
P: I know, I know. You were just as much at fault as I was. But let me finish. I'm used to making mistakes, Jen. Been makin' em my whole life. What I'm not used to is facing up to them. (Jen looks a little upset by this, but doesn't speak) I'm changing that now. What we did was neither mature, nor responsible, but I like you, Jen. I'm not going to deny that. The way I approached it leaves little to be said for, but it doesn't change the facts. And above all, you are my friend. With or without benefits, you're my friend, I don't want to see you get hurt. We did this together. If *you're* pregnant, then *we're* pregnant. What happens to you, happens to me. And maybe I don't know you that well, and maybe I never did. But from what I do know, you *are* a good girl. You've just made some mistakes. We all do. And that's why I like you. Cause you know what it's like to screw up. I suppose the fact that, this time, we screwed up together, and I do mean that literally (she smiles at this), well, it was just poetic justice.
[She nods, and they sit in silence, watching the water. The scene cuts to Dawson, at Joey's house, knocking on her door. After a few seconds, she opens it, looking tired. She sees Dawson, and her expression turns to surprise]
JOEY: Dawson! What are you doing here?
DAWSON (suddenly wondering if this was a bad idea): I- I was worried about you, Jo. Is that such a crime?
J (smiling slightly): No. (motioning) Come on in. But don't get too close, or you'll catch it.