Savage Garden
Cut to Grams’ house. A key jingles in the door for a moment, before it swings open. Dawson and Pacey step inside, observing their surroundings.
DAWSON: Well? What do you think?
PACEY: Sure beats the dump I was living in. I call Jen’s room!
Dawson laughs.
DAWSON: It’s a bit more suburban than I’d like for an office, but with a little work…
PACEY: Say no more, pal! First thing tomorrow I’ll give Dougie a call. Though it is kinda a shame. This place would make the ideal Capeside frat house.
DAWSON: Frat house?
Pacey grins.
PACEY: Yeah.
DAWSON: You’re ignoring the fact that neither of us really attended college.
PACEY: Your point?
Before Dawson can reply, however, his cell phone begins to ring.
DAWSON: It’s two in the morning. Who’d be calling this late?
Pacey shrugs. Dawson quickly answers it.
DAWSON: Hello? Joey!
He smiles.
DAWSON: Yeah, we just got back. You’ll never guess what…
Joey cuts him off.
JOEY: (on phone) Later. We have a problem. It’s Andie!
Dawson raises an eyebrow in surprise.
DAWSON: Andie?
That gets Pacey’s attention.
PACEY: Huh? What about Andie? She’s here? In Boston?
Dawson raises his hand, motioning for Pacey to quiet down.
Pacey doesn’t listen, and walks up to him. He moves in close so he can hear the conversation.
JOEY: We went to a club, and she…she’s drunk. We had to carry her out, and she’s in really bad shape.
DAWSON: Bring her here!
JOEY: Where’s ‘here’?
DAWSON: Jen’s. The old house…she gave it to me and Pacey. Can you make it here?
JOEY: Yeah, I think so. See you soon.
She hangs up. Dawson looks towards Pacey, who glances at him surprised.
*****
Awhile later, Joey and Audrey arrive at the front door. They drag Andie inside, where the two guys are waiting.
PACEY: Oh man…is she ok? What happened?
AUDREY: What do you think happened, Pacey? Girl goes to a club. Girl parties. Girl drinks. Girl gets drunk. Guy tries to get fresh…
A panicked look comes over Pacey’s face.
PACEY: Did she…?
Joey shakes her head.
JOEY: We got to her in time. Or rather someone else did?
Dawson smiles.
DAWSON: Miss McPhee has a guardian angel?
JOEY: I wouldn’t go that far.
Pacey lifts the still-unconscious Andie up in his arms and brings her up the stairs.
PACEY: I’m gonna see if she’ll come to.
DAWSON: Need any help?
PACEY: Nah. I can manage.
Once he’s gone, Dawson turns to the other two girls.
DAWSON: Wow. Déjà vu.
AUDREY: Tell me about it.
Dawson looks at her, confused. It takes him a moment to realize what she’s talking about.
DAWSON: No…no, I meant that it’s a lot like one of the last times we saw Andie. She left Capeside after something like this. It’s kind of ironic.
AUDREY: Oh. Well, lord knows I know what she’s going through myself. That would have been me up there a year ago.
DAWSON: Yeah, I remember. ‘Pinky’!
AUDREY: Oh, shut up!
She pushes him playfully. Joey can’t help but feel a little left out.
JOEY: I’m going to go check on Andie, if that’s all right with you two.
Before either of them can protest, Joey heads up the stairs. Dawson sighs, and turns to Audrey.
AUDREY: And here we go again.
DAWSON: I deserved that.
AUDREY: Will you stop being so down on yourself? There are enough depressing people in this group as it is. Besides, she probably did want to go check on Andie.
DAWSON: Probably.
They pause.
AUDREY: She likes you.
DAWSON: Who? Andie?
Audrey laughs.
AUDREY: You know who I mean.
He sighs.
DAWSON: I know. But is it as a friend, or as more than a friend?
AUDREY: That’s the question, isn’t it? Alas, I can’t help you out with that one. See you later, cutie!
Audrey heads out the door, leaving Dawson there, alone.
*****
Outside, Audrey wanders towards the road. Before she goes too far, she sees Chris standing by a lamppost.
She goes up to him, noticing a black eye on the left side of his face.
AUDREY: Owch! You okay?
CHRIS: I’ll manage. Is she okay?
Audrey nods.
CHRIS: Good. I’d hate to have this thing for nothing.
Audrey looks him over for a second, contemplating what she saw earlier.
AUDREY: Why’d you help out back there? From what I hear, there’s no love lost between you and the Capeside crew.
CHRIS: Can you keep a secret?
She nods again.
CHRIS: When I was going to school, well…I saw a lot of things I probably shouldn’t have. A lot of things that made me think. I just don’t want to see anybody hurt. Don’t say anything to the others, ok?
Audrey doesn’t seem to understand.
AUDREY: Why not? Maybe if they knew, they wouldn’t treat you so badly. They would believe you’ve changed.
Chris chuckles.
CHRIS: Leopards don’t change their spots, Audrey. People don’t change. They never change. They just…they reveal what was there the entire time, is all.
He turns to leave.
AUDREY: Hey!
Chris pauses, and turns around.
CHRIS: Yeah?
AUDREY: It’s dark out. Probably a good idea for a girl to have a tough guy to walk her home, right?
Chris smiles.
CHRIS: Well, luckily I happen to be a tough guy.
She smirks at him.
AUDREY: Yeah, right!
With that, the two of them walk off into the night.
*****
The next thing seen is pure darkness.
Then, slowly, a pair of eyelids flutter open. A blurred image is in view, and slowly a familiar face comes into focus.
PACEY: Hey, drunk girl!
Andie smiles.
ANDIE: Pacey?
PACEY: Long time, no see.
She reaches up and hugs him.
ANDIE: I’ve missed you so much.
PACEY: (whispering) The feeling is definitely mutual.
They let go.
PACEY: However, I’m quite suspicious about your infatuation with mind-altering substances. Did I have that bad of an influence on you?
ANDIE: No. Of course not.
PACEY: Then explain.
She lies back down on the bed.
ANDIE: You know where Jack is?
PACEY: In New York.
ANDIE: Yep. And did you know I had no idea until someone else told me? Someone other than Jack. I’m his own sister, and I had no idea where he even lived.
PACEY: Go easy on yourself, McPhee. It wasn’t exactly the most well planned move ever made.
ANDIE: It’s not just that. Joey’s roommate. The rest of you know her really well, but I haven’t even met her until today. All this time I’ve been in Europe, you’ve all moved on with your lives. I just…you know, Pacey. I feel left out.
Pacey sighs.
PACEY: That why you got drunk?
She nods, a scared look in her eyes.
ANDIE: I’m just scared you’ve all outgrown me.
PACEY: Of course not. I mean, if it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I would have ever grown up to begin with, right?
She giggles.
PACEY: She laughs? Guess I still got it.
She looks at him, a smile on her face.
ANDIE: I missed you. This wasn’t how I wanted you to see me. I was going to come back the experienced woman of the world.
PACEY: Well, I’ll make you a deal. Get some sleep, and then tomorrow you can tell me all about your trip.
She smirks.
ANDIE: You won’t fall asleep?
PACEY: Not for the first five minutes. Scout’s honour!
Andie’s eyelids start to get heavy, as she begins to doze off.
ANDIE: (lazily) I am kinda tired. Maybe I’ll just…rest my eyes for a moment…
She falls asleep, as Pacey sits there beside her. He doesn’t notice Joey enter the room behind him, her face falling upon seeing him there.
When you feel alone
And the world has turned its back on you
He starts to gently stroke Andie’s hair back.
Give me a moment, please
to tame your wild wild heart
PACEY: (muttering) It’ll be ok, Andie. Just trust me.
Joey quickly leaves, making sure Pacey wasn’t even aware of her presence.
I know that you feel
like the walls are closing in on you
It's hard to find relief
and people can be so cold
*****
As Joey heads downstairs, she sees a single figure sitting on the bottom step. It’s Dawson.
When darkness is upon your door
and you feel like you can't take anymore
Slowly, she approaches him. She sits down next to him.
JOEY: This step taken?
He turns and smiles at her.
DAWSON: Hey!
Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away
with you into the night
JOEY: So? What this ‘good news’ you have for me?
Dawson pauses, not sure what she’s talking about. Then he remembers.
DAWSON: You know that thing I wanted to talk to Todd about?
JOEY: Yeah?
DAWSON: Well…he said yes. Looks like I’m staying in Boston for the time being.
JOEY: I’m glad. Because, frankly Dawson, we need you here.
He laughs.
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash
then crash and burn
You're not alone
DAWSON: So, how is she?
Joey sighs.
JOEY: She’s ok, I guess. I just wish I could have done something to prevent this.
DAWSON: I’m sure you did everything you could.
JOEY: I don't understand it, though. Why would somebody with as much going for them as Andie has, do this to themselves?
DAWSON: Well, we did!
Joey stares at him disbelievingly.
DAWSON: What? Did you think I went out with Natasha because of her personality? I was lonely and stressed out…I needed something to fill in that void. And don’t try to tell me that Charlie Todd wasn’t some misplaced attempt to be daring.
JOEY: Yeah, yeah, yeah…I get your point.
Dawson gives her a smug look.
JOEY: If I could start college all over, I know I’d do things differently. I see now that I made a lot of mistakes. Ones that seem so meaningless now. There are so many people that didn’t deserve how I treated them…
She looks at Dawson, sorrow in her eyes.
JOEY: Not the least of which is you.
When you feel all alone
And a loyal friend is hard to find
Surprised by her remark, Dawson shakes his head.
DAWSON: Jo…
You're caught in a one way street
With the monsters in your head
JOEY: I shouldn’t have made you stay in Boston. I was lonely, maybe a little scared of what would happen to us with you living so far away. But when you add it all together, I was just being selfish. Making you stay here just for me.
Dawson smirks.
JOEY: What?
DAWSON: Whatever gave you the idea that I stayed here just for you?
When hopes and dreams are far away and
You feel you can't face the day
JOEY: You did, didn’t you?
DAWSON: I can’t deny that it wasn’t part of the reason. Ok…a huge part of the reason, but it wasn’t the only reason. Not everything is about you, you know?
Joey crosses her arms, taking it personally.
JOEY: So…why did you stay?
DAWSON: Because I belong here.
Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away
with you into the night
Joey rolls her eyes.
JOEY: What’s that supposed to mean?
DAWSON: LA…it has a different atmosphere, and I don’t mean because of the smog. The people…the buildings…it’s just so different. All the things that made me unique in Capeside didn’t really matter there. I stayed because…I don’t know…because it felt right. That’s all!
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash
then crash and burn
You're not alone
Joey gives him a half-smile.
JOEY: I’m glad you stayed.
DAWSON: I am, too.
Her face falls, as she remembers something else.
DAWSON: What’s wrong?
JOEY: It’s time for apology number two. Back in Capeside…
Dawson shakes his head.
Because there has always been heartache and pain
And when it's over you'll breathe again
DAWSON: You did what you had to.
JOEY: I owed you more than that, Dawson. I should have told you where I was going. I should have said goodbye.
DAWSON: If you had, I probably would have tried to go with you. It’s ok…it’s over now.
You'll breathe again
JOEY: I haven’t really been that good of a friend, have I? That’s all going to change, though. Right here, right now. I just want you to know that, if you ever want to talk…if you ever need anything at all…
Joey smiles, both out of affection, and amusement by what she’s about to say.
JOEY: Well…I’ll be right here!
Gently, Dawson reaches down to touch her hand. They make contact for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes.
When you feel all alone
And the world has turned its back on you
Give me a moment please
To tame your wild wild heart
Then, as soon as it began, the moment passes.
JOEY: I’ve gotta go. Early class. Could you say ‘bye’ to Andie for me?
Dawson nods.
DAWSON: Yeah. Sure.
The two of them get up, as Joey heads towards the door. Dawson watches her leave.
Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Once she’s gone, Dawson puts his hand over his heart.
DAWSON: Owch.
Lift you up and fly away
with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash
then crash and burn
You're not alone
Fade to black
End credits
Savage Garden