Cut to the highway, just outside of Capeside. A truck speeds down the road, heading towards town.
Behind the wheel, Joey has the radio turned up loud. Not so loud, however, that she doesn’t hear the sound of a police siren behind her.
She sighs.
JOEY: (muttering) Great! Just perfect!
She turns off the radio and pulls over to the side of the curb. A police car parks behind her, as the officer walks over to her window.
DOUG: Miss Potter? Are you aware that you were speeding?
JOEY: Give me a break, Doug! I was going, like, five over!
DOUG: The law is the law, Joey. And could you please address me as ‘Officer Witter’? I’d like to keep things professional, if you don’t mind.
Joey forces herself to smile.
JOEY: Could you give me a pass this time, ‘officer’? I’m kind of in a hurry.
Doug writes her a ticket.
DOUG: Remember…safety first!
Joey groans.
JOEY: Fine! Whatever!
DOUG: So…what brings you back to Capeside so soon?
JOEY: Whatever happened to ‘strictly professional’?
DOUG: Think of it as professional curiosity.
She rolls her eyes.
JOEY: You know, it’s times like these I realize just how related to Pacey you actually are!
Doug laughs.
DOUG: Insults will get you nowhere.
JOEY: I’m here to visit with Bessie and my dad, ok?
Doug’s face goes cold.
JOEY: What?
DOUG: Nothing. Just surprised, is all. I thought you and your father weren’t talking much?
She smiles.
JOEY: We weren’t. But then we talked it through and, well…you know?
DOUG: Too bad.
Joey looks confused at Doug’s demeanour.
DOUG: Have a nice visit.
He gets back in his squad car and drives off, leaving a very confused Joey behind.
*****
Cut to Worthington University, on the outside lawn. One of the students punches his friend, who falls down on the ground.
DAWSON: Cut! Ok, that’ll do it for today.
GUY: But it’s the middle of the fight!
Pacey waves the script in the air.
PACEY: Scene switches to the classroom…we don’t see the entire fight, remember?
The guy scoffs.
GUY: Where’s the fun in that?
Dawson chuckles, as the cast disperses.
DAWSON: This is going perfectly. At this rate, it’ll be all wrapped up before Christmas. Oliver’s ecstatic, and frankly I don’t blame him.
PACEY: Still nervous?
DAWSON: A little.
They pause.
DAWSON: Ok, now comes the inevitable question…what’s up with you and Andie?
Pacey sighs.
PACEY: You don’t need to hear about my lonely heart troubles.
DAWSON: Humour me.
They pack up the film, and start to walk away.
PACEY: We were watching ‘Benny & Joon’ last night? Ever seen it?
DAWSON: Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson…1993 film directed by Jeremiah Chechik. Produced by Metro Goldwyn Mayer and best known for…
PACEY: Yeah, yeah, yeah…serves me write for asking the walking, talking Internet movie database. Anyway, she talked me into watching it with her. I only agreed because, you know, I was thinking it’d be the perfect opportunity for us to talk.
DAWSON: And?
PACEY: And, I was giving out all these signals, but it didn’t take. All she could think about was the stupid movie, while I’m trying to give enough hits to…oh god!
Pacey groans.
DAWSON: What? What is it?
PACEY: I’m turning into Joey!
Dawson laughs.
PACEY: It’s not funny. This is like my worst nightmare come true. First I’m staring daggers and Oliver and Dr. Brown, now I’m making fun of movies she likes…next thing you know I’ll be making out with a lesbian or painting murals.
DAWSON: You’re overreacting, Pace. Give her time. She’s come around.
PACEY: Speaking of your ‘Girl Friday’, where is she?
DAWSON: You mean Joey? She’s in Capeside.
Pacey raises an eyebrow.
PACEY: And you’re not with her?
DAWSON: Come on…we’re not joined at the hip, you know?
PACEY: Guess the surgery took, huh?
Dawson smirks.
DAWSON: She sort of had a breakthrough last week. I thought it would be best if she followed up on it herself.
PACEY: Well, good for her.
Dawson nods.
DAWSON: So, wanna do anything tonight? Hit Hell’s Kitchen or something?
PACEY: As much as it would thrill me to burn up the pool tables with you, Dawson, I’m gonna have to pass. I promised Chris and Audrey I’d come to their rehearsal.
Dawson raises an eyebrow.
DAWSON: You and him getting along?
PACEY: Not so much. It’s more of a wanting to make sure he keeps his paws off my ex. Take a rain check?
DAWSON: Yeah, sure.
Pacey takes off.
*****
Cut to Leery’s Fresh Fish. Joey enters the building, greeted by a worn-out waitress, forcing herself to smile.
WAITRESS: Hello! Welcome to Leery’s Fresh Fish. Can I get you a table?
JOEY: Nah, I’m a friend of the owner’s…just here to visit.
WAITRESS: Oh. Well, I’ll let Mrs. Leery know you’re here.
She takes off. Joey smiles, remembering when she’d once been in that position. She wanders over to the bar and pulls up one of the stools. The bartender turns to face her.
GRETCHEN: Hey, what can I get…?
Her eyes go wide.
GRETCHEN: Joey? Well, this is a surprise.
JOEY: Hey! When’d you get back in Capeside?
GRETCHEN: A few months ago. Don’t worry; I’m not a dropout again. I actually just graduated. Moving out east in the spring, so I thought I’d help Gale out until then. Her old bartender was stealing drinks.
JOEY: That goes to show you…never hire an alcoholic!
The two of them laugh.
GRETCHEN: So, how’s my little brother? And Dawson?
Joey half-smiles.
JOEY: Any reason you sounded apprehensive about that last question?
Gretchen sighs.
GRETCHEN: Well, the last few boyfriends I ran out on didn’t really handle it all that well.
JOEY: He’s good. They both are. Actually, Pacey’s working for him. With him. You get the picture?
GRETCHEN: Pacey the producer? Will wonders never cease? What is this, career number four?
JOEY: Well, he’s good at this job. Really good. You’d be impressed. Speaking of brothers, what’s up with Doug? He was going a bit far on the ‘serve and protect’ scale today.
Gretchen shrugs.
GRETCHEN: He’s been like that lately. Family problems. Nothing you should worry about. Hey, I’m going to get some more peanuts from the kitchen. Be right back.
JOEY: No problem. If you see Gale back there, could you tell her I’m waiting for her?
Gretchen nods, then heads into the kitchen.
Joey sits there for a moment, waiting. After awhile, she goes into the kitchen.
However, once she’s there, she receives a surprise. Mike is inside, talking to Gretchen. Joey hangs back, not wanting him to see her. She’s obviously spooked that he’s working there.
But a second later, she receives another shock. Gretchen leans in and kisses Mike. They wrap their arms around each other.
Her mouth hanging open, Joey hurries out the door. She runs back over to the bar just in time for Gale to arrive.
GALE: Hey, Joey! You been waiting long?
Joey shakes her head.
JOEY: Not long. Gretchen just went to get more peanuts.
Gale nods.
GALE: Just wait until I talk to a few more workers, then we’ll head home? Ok?
JOEY: Sounds like a plan.
Gale takes off, leaving Joey with a worried look on her face.
*****
Cut to the Mad Cat Playhouse. On the stage, Audrey and Chris are practicing a scene. Audrey sneaks up on him, while playing piano, and removes the mask from his face.
She gasps, recoiling at the ‘horror’ she sees underneath. Chris stares at her angrily, stalking towards her. She faints, and he catches her. Then the scene ends.
In the corner, Pacey has been watching the entire performance. He gives Audrey the ‘thumbs up’, to which she responds by winking at him.
The cast disperses, and Pacey walks up onstage.
CHRIS: Well? What’d you think?
PACEY: You make a great monster, Wolfe. Wes Craven doesn’t know what he’s missing.
Chris chuckles.
CHRIS: Well, it helps that I have a stunning co-star, right?
Audrey smirks.
AUDREY: Stop…I’m blushing.
Chris smiles at her.
AUDREY: Hey, you wanna go get a coffee or something? I wanna talk to Pacey.
Chris’ face falls.
CHRIS: Oh…well, I guess.
Chris gives Pacey a disappointed look, and then takes off.
CHRIS: Have fun.
Once he’s gone, Pacey turns to Audrey.
PACEY: That man is crushing on you, big time!
Audrey sighs.
AUDREY: I know. It’s cute, it a way. I just don’t…he’s a good friend, is all.
PACEY: Woah, careful the way you throw around that term. Where I come from it’s only platonic if you’re both guys or girls.
Audrey laughs.
AUDREY: Yeah, I just don’t get that. Can’t a girl ever have a guy friend without sex being involved? Are we that much of prisoners to our genetics?
PACEY: You’re asking the wrong guy, Audrey. So, do you like him?
She thinks.
AUDREY: I don’t know. Not like I liked you.
Pacey’s face softens.
AUDREY: Not like I still do.
PACEY: Yeah…I know. That whole dare thing back in the library clued me in.
AUDREY: You’re not mad?
Pacey scoffs.
PACEY: A beautiful woman thinks she needs to impress me? How could I possibly be mad?
She giggles.
AUDREY: Of course, you got jealous over the wrong girl.
Pacey shakes his head.
PACEY: I wasn’t jealous. Especially not of Dawson, who practically has ‘property of Joey Potter’ stitched on his forehead! It was just a phantom pain. Trust me, that ship has sailed.
She smiles.
AUDREY: Good.
Audrey leans over and kisses him. Once she breaks it off, he stares at her, surprised.
PACEY: What was that for?
She grins.
AUDREY: A promise of things to come. Walk me home?
Pacey smirks.
PACEY: Miss Liddell, it would be my pleasure.
They exit the theatre, arm-in-arm. Once they’re gone, the curtains part slightly. Chris steps out of them, having heard the entire conversation.
He hangs his head and sulks away.