Cut to where we left off. Pacey barges through the front door, with Dawson and Joey close behind him.
BODIE: Hey, guys! When did you get…?
PACEY: (growling) Where is he?
Dawson and Joey give each other worried looks.
DAWSON: Grab him!
Immediately, the couple tackles Pacey, pulling him to the ground.
PACEY: Hey!
Eventually, Gretchen and Mike run into the living room. They are greeted by a tangled mess of human bodies, struggling on the floor.
JOEY: Uh…hey, dad!
DAWSON: Hi, Gretchen.
PACEY: You are so dead!
Mike sighs.
GRETCHEN: He knows?
Pacey manages to pull free of his friends and climb to his feet.
PACEY: Damn right I know! Now, you and I sir are gonna have words.
Dawson and Joey climb to their feet, wanting to avoid being in a ‘compromising position’ much longer.
Gretchen places herself between Mike and Pacey.
GRETCHEN: Hold on, little brother!
PACEY: Get out of the way, Gretch!
GRETCHEN: Not until you cool down!
Dawson and Joey, realizing there’s nothing they can do at this point, look towards the sides. Bodie, Bessie, and Alex are watching the exchange same as them.
DAWSON: Congratulations on your engagement.
Bessie smiles.
BESSIE: Thanks. I hear your studio project’s going good.
DAWSON: Yeah, it is.
Pacey and Gretchen continue to argue.
PACEY: Just what are you thinking? The man is old enough to be your father!
GRETCHEN: I don’t see how my love life is any of your business!
Pacey laughs.
PACEY: Love life? Do you have any idea how mad Doug is?
GRETCHEN: Doug’s insane, and since when do you listen to anything he says?
PACEY: Since you’ve gone bonkers!
Gretchen scoffs.
PACEY: Granted, I’ve done things to piss dad off in the past, but this takes the cake. I’d have never gone this far.
GRETCHEN: Really? Two words for you,
PACEY: Tamara Jacobs!
Behind him, Dawson groans and buries his face in his hands.
DAWSON: (mumbling) This is not going to be pretty.
Pacey gives his sister a cold stare.
PACEY: That was different?
GRETCHEN: Why? Because what I’m doing isn’t punishable by a court of law?
Pacey’s at a loss for words. Eventually.
PACEY: Fine. You know what…I don’t care! I’ll show myself out! Happy Holidays, folks!
Pacey storms out. Joey tries to go after him, but Dawson puts his hand on her shoulder.
DAWSON: Wait! Let me!
She nods, and Dawson races out after Pacey.
Joey turns towards her family(plus Gretchen) and smiles.
JOEY: Well, if there was any doubt I was back in Capeside…
Gretchen and Alex laugh. The others don’t get the joke.
*****
Cut to outside. Pacey heads towards the car, with Dawson close behind him.
DAWSON: Pacey? Pacey, wait!
Pacey laughs.
PACEY: I know what you’re trying to do, Dawson. Why don’t you do us all a favour and save the speech this time, ok?
Dawson sighs.
DAWSON: No speech this time. Promise.
Pacey turns around and faces him, still looking angry.
PACEY: I don’t get how you can be so calm about this. You’re the one who dated her.
DAWSON: Yes. I did, then I moved on. But that’s not what this is about, Pacey. Look, maybe I’ve just got a clearer head because of what I went through with my mom and Hetson, but you can’t just stay mad at her about this.
PACEY: Watch me!
DAWSON: It’s Christmas, Pace. Call me old fashioned, but I’ve always believed that this was the one time of year where forgiveness in mandatory.
Pacey’s face softens a bit.
DAWSON: She’s your family. One of the few members of it, may I remind you, that you get along with on a regular basis. If Doug’s as upset as I’ve heard, something tells me she’d prefer you to stand by her instead of playing the overprotective brother.
Pacey sighs.
PACEY: How do you do that? You’ve ruined a perfectly good anger kick!
Dawson shrugs, then smiles.
DAWSON: It’s a curse. You coming back in?
PACEY: Not right now. I’m gonna go talk to somebody first. Cool off a bit.
DAWSON: Sounds reasonable. Here…
Dawson tosses him the keys.
DAWSON: Don’t scratch it, ok?
Pacey grins.
PACEY: Or drive it through any walls?
DAWSON: That, too.
Pacey drives off, while Dawson waves goodbye. Then he heads back into the house.
*****
Cut to Chris’ house. He’s sitting at the kitchen table with Audrey, as they both drink coffee.
AUDREY: I just can’t believe anyone would leave their kids behind on Christmas. It’s just so…
CHRIS: So what?
AUDREY: Un-Christmassy.
He chuckles.
CHRIS: Well, it wouldn’t be the first time. I could count on one hand how many birthday parties or football games they actually made it to. It was business most of the time. Those were the easy ones. The harder ones were when dad either completely forgot, or mom absolutely needed to make it to some party that night.
AUDREY: That’s horrible.
CHRIS: Yeah, I know. What am I even doing here? Coming home to an empty house?
AUDREY: Not completely empty.
The two of them look over at the window, where Dina is sitting, looking very lonely. She sighs.
Chris looks at Audrey.
CHRIS: We don’t really get along. Never have.
AUDREY: She’s your family.
CHRIS: Don’t really get along with them, either.
Audrey sighs.
AUDREY: Maybe you should start trying?
CHRIS: I don’t see you spending the holidays with your folks!
Immediately, Chris regrets his harsh tone.
CHRIS: Look, I didn’t mean…
AUDREY: It’s ok.
They pause for a moment. Finally, Chris gets up out of his chair.
CHRIS: Here goes nothing…
He walks towards where Dina is sitting. Audrey watches him, smiling.
*****
Cut back to the Leery house. Jack falls backwards onto Dawson’s bed.
JACK: It’s like a time capsule!
Andie smirks.
ANDIE: I wish I could have been there. It must have been some movie.
JACK: I only saw the start, but it was pretty impressive. Well, at least it was more impressive than ‘Creek Daze’.
ANDIE: That’s only because Dawson made you the bad guy in that one, silly.
JACK: From what I hear, I’m not even in this one.
Andie laughs.
JACK: I can’t believe he’s actually putting that thing in Sundance! Sundance! If anything gives that man a swelled head, it’ll be that.”
He gets up, and walks over to her.
JACK: I really missed you. Why couldn’t you have moved to Boston when I was there, huh?
ANDIE: From what I hear, your early college days weren’t exactly pleasant.
He nods in agreement.
JACK: To tell you the truth, New York isn’t much different. I just happen to live in a very, very big house. Just me, Jen, her mom and Grams.
ANDIE: It sounds nice.
JACK: Come back with me.
Andie’s eyes go wide.
ANDIE: Excuse me?
JACK: I want you to come back to New York with me. You know…go to school there. Live there with me and Jen.
ANDIE: Jack I…I have to think about this.
He nods.
JACK: Ok.
Andie wanders out of the room, lost in thought.
*****
Cut to the highway outside of Capeside. A car speeds down the road.
Inside…
HETSON: You want to talk about it?
Harley looks up at him.
HARLEY: Not really, no.
Her father sighs.
HETSON: Hey, you never know. Maybe this little vacation will cheer you up.
She scoffs.
HARLEY: Oh, you mean going to visit your new girlfriend? Yeah, dad…that’s really going to cheer me up!
HETSON: Okay…bad example.
Suddenly, they hear police sirens from behind.
HETSON: (mumbling) You’re kidding me? They actually have cops in this place?
They pull over. A moment later, Doug walks over to Hetson’s window.
DOUG: Do you know how fast you were going, sir?
HETSON: Too fast?
Doug nods.
DOUG: May I see your license and registration?
PACEY: (off-camera) Hey, Dougie?
Doug sighs, becoming embarrassed.
DOUG: Will you excuse me a moment?
He marches off, past his car, and over to Pacey’s. Pacey’s car was pulled over to the side of the road, with Pacey himself standing next to it.
DOUG: Do you mind? I happen to be working right now. How’d you find me anyway?
Pacey smirks.
PACEY: You always watch the same road. Joey said you pull her over each and every time she drives here.
DOUG: Well, maybe if she drove within the speed limit, I wouldn’t…
PACEY: I know about Gretchen!
Doug freezes.
DOUG: You saw them?
PACEY: Yep. I tried to intervene, but Dawson tackled me.
Doug shakes his head.
DOUG: Could somebody please tell me how such a bright kid can be so stupid at times? Ok…forget Dawson! Did you at least try to talk some sense into her?
PACEY: Yep. No go. She’s stubborn. Almost as stubborn as you, if that’s even possible.
Doug groans.
DOUG: I can’t believe she’d do this. Bad enough he’s almost as old as dad, but he’s a crook.
Pacey pauses.
PACEY: You mean ex-crook, right?
DOUG: Past, and most likely future, Pacey.
PACEY: You don’t know that.
Doug shakes his head.
DOUG: I’ll forgive your ignorance, little brother, since you’re not in the family business. But if someone breaks parole once, odds are pretty good they’ll do it again.
Pacey examines his brother’s features carefully. Suddenly, he starts to see a different side to the argument.
DOUG: Say, can you do me this huge favour?
PACEY: You wanna get to know Jack better, you do it on your own time.
Doug gives him a cold look.
DOUG: I’m going to just ignore that. No, I want you to talk some sense into dad. Now, I know you two have never seen eye to eye, but if both of us push the issue, he’s going to have to put a stop to this whole thing with Gretchen and Potter.
PACEY: What is this, Law & Order little leagues? You’re acting like it’s a courtroom battle instead of Gretch acting all rebellious.
DOUG: In a way, Pacey, it is. Dad’s the judge. You’re the jury. I’m the executioner. Excuse me, I’ve got a ticket to pass on.
Doug goes back towards Hetson’s car. Pacey, meanwhile, is thinking about what side he’s going to take in this particular conflict.
*****
Cut to outside Dawson’s house. Jen is sitting out on the docks, looking at the creek.
She sits there for a moment, before Dawson appears at the window. He climbs down the ladder, and walks towards the dock.
DAWSON: Care for some company?
She smiles.
JEN: If it’s you.
He sits down.
DAWSON: You know, it seems like just yesterday we were first getting acquainted here at this very spot.
JEN: Yeah, you rented ‘Swamp Thing’.
Dawson laughs.
DAWSON: God, I was such a geek. Still am.
JEN: No, you were a godsend. Still are. In a world of people like me, I’m glad there are still people like you.
Dawson smirks at her.
JEN: What? You have that ‘I got something to tell you’ look in your eye. What is it?
DAWSON: I did it, Jen.
JEN: Did what?
Dawson grins from ear-to-ear.
DAWSON: I got her back.
Jen’s eyes go wide. She giggles.
JEN: Wait…by ‘her’ you mean…? You and Joey?
He nods proudly.
Jen hugs him.
JEN: Well congratulations. Wow…I’m surprised Pacey didn’t tell me yet!
DAWSON: He doesn’t know. Nobody knows yet. I wanted you to hear it first.
JEN: So…‘Dawson & Joey: Chapter Four’. Or is it five? I’ve lost track.
DAWSON: Same here.
They laugh again.
JEN: So, what’s it going to be this time? Two months? Four?
DAWSON: Considering my track record, I’ll be lucky if we make it to New Year’s.
Jen laughs again, and looks back out at the water.
After a moment…
DAWSON: Is Grams doing okay? I don’t mean to pry, but she looked kind of…thin?
JEN: Yeah. Chemo will do that to you.
A shocked expression falls over Dawson’s face. His mouth hangs open slightly.
DAWSON: (whispering) Chemo? Grams has cancer?
Jen nods.
DAWSON: My god…I’m so sorry, Jen. I didn’t know. When did you…?
JEN: Find out? Just about a month before we left. That’s the main reason we’re living with mom now. She has a better chance there. The doctors…
Jen sniffs.
Dawson puts his arm over her shoulder.
DAWSON: It’s ok. You can cry.
JEN: I just…I can’t lose her, Dawson. I just can’t.
DAWSON: You won’t.
With that, she laughs.
JEN: Yeah, right Dawson. You’ve got a living example of how fatal this can be waiting to cuddle up next to a warm fire with.
DAWSON: I’m not saying there isn’t a chance that she could…die. But there’s just as much chance she won’t. You just gotta have faith.
Jen gives him a look.
JEN: I don’t do the religion thing, remember?
DAWSON: I’m not talking about religion, I’m talking about faith!
JEN: Isn’t that the same thing?
He shakes his head.
DAWSON: Not really. Religion…it’s based around what your set of beliefs are. Your idea of an afterlife or why we’re here. But it’s specific. It’s defined. Having faith is just the belief in itself. It’s hope. Hope that things will get better. That everything has a reason. A purpose. A meaning. This time of year is when it’s most powerful.
JEN: Faith didn’t stop Mitch from dying, did it?
Dawson bites his lip.
JEN: I’m sorry if it upsets you, Dawson, but it’s the truth. How can you possibly expect me to believe Grams will be ok when every example I look at around me says the exact opposite. How can you believe it yourself?
DAWSON: I don’t know. I just do.
Jen heads back into the house, leaving Dawson there.
*****
Cut back inside Dawson’s room. Jack’s no longer there. Instead, Dawson climbs in through the window. He goes to the closet and throws his coat inside.
JOEY: Hey!
Joey steps out of the closet, with Dawson’s coat draped over her head. She removes it, just as Dawson breaks out laughing.
JOEY: Very funny. You ever thought of actually hanging it up?
DAWSON: What are you doing in there?
JOEY: Living a fantasy. You looked depressed talking to Jen out there…
She grabs him by the shirt collar, and pulls him inside.
JOEY: …so I thought I’d cheer you up.
They giggle, and shut the closet door behind them.
*****
Cut to downstairs, awhile later…
DAWSON: Now, that almost went a little too far.
Dawson adjusts his shirt.
JOEY: Well, next time we stop at the drug store…
They run into Pacey and Andie, all dressed up.
JOEY: Well, somebody’s dressed for a night on the town.
PACEY: A night in hell, actually.
Andie smiles.
ANDIE: We’re going to have dinner at Pacey’s parents’ house.
DAWSON: Yikes.
JOEY: Can’t possibly be as bad as your 18th birthday.
PACEY: Well, I don’t think I’ll be catching Dawson making out with my sister this time…although it could be worse.
DAWSON: Come on…how could it be worse…?
Pacey points at him accusingly.
PACEY: Don’t jinx it, man!
Dawson shuts up.
ANDIE: Come on…they can’t be that bad.
The other tree look at her.
ANDIE: Ok…so maybe I’m in the minority here.
Joey waves.
JOEY: Have fun.
Pacey and Andie leave. Once they’re gone, Dawson looks at Joey.
DAWSON: So…drug store?
Joey half-smiles at him.
JOEY: Dream on, horndog! We’re going to the video store.