Cut to later that night, at the Leery house.
There’s a sudden knock at the door. Jen walks over to it and answers.
Much to her surprise, she sees a familiar face.
CHRIS: Jen? What a pleasant surprise.
Jen stares at him.
JEN: (coldly) Hello, Chris.
Chris smiles nervously, just as Audrey squeezes past him.
AUDREY: No way! When did you get back?
Audrey hugs her enthusiastically.
JEN: Please tell me you’re not seeing him and this is all a blatant lie.
Audrey sighs.
AUDREY: Oh please…not this again. I’ve already heard the ‘Chris is devil incarnate’ speech from three other people. He’s not that bad.
Jen looks at Chris, and sighs in frustration.
JEN: You might as well come in.
Chris enters, along with Dina, who was standing behind them.
As the four of them wander into the living room, they see a large jumble of people. Gale is there with Hetson, talking with Bessie and Bodie. Aunt Gwen is talking to Jack, with Harley listening in. Finally, Dawson and Joey are in front of the television with Alex and Lily, watching ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’.
AUDREY: Wow! A rager!
CHRIS: Are we crashing?
JEN: Well, you are. Audrey was invited.
AUDREY: Provided I don’t hurt the house again, right? By the way, Chris here’s my date, so he’s allowed.
DINA: Which makes me the third wheel.
Jen looks down at her.
JEN: You look familiar, do I know you?
DINA: All-night study session. You spent most of it in the hot tub.
Jen blushes.
JEN: Dina, right?
DINA: That’s right. Hey, is that Dawson?
She looks over at Dawson and Joey.
JEN: That’s him.
DINA: He turned into a hottie in college, didn’t he?
Chris groans.
CHRIS: La la la…I didn’t hear that…
Jen laughs.
A moment later, Dawson and Joey notice them. They walk over.
DAWSON: Glad you guys could make it.
AUDREY: No sweat, Leery. Like I’d miss this for the world. And look…completely sober.
DAWSON: For that, my mom will be very relieved.
Joey looks at Dina.
JOEY: Is that who I think it is?
JEN: It is.
DINA: Hey Joey.
She looks at Dawson and smiles.
DINA: (sweetly) Hey, Dawson.
DAWSON: Hey. You look great.
She smirks.
DINA: You don’t look so bad yourself.
Joey rolls her eyes.
DAWSON: Mom’s put out some snacks if anyone’s hungry.
Dina nods and runs towards the kitchen.
JOEY: Well, somebody obviously hasn’t gotten over her crush of you.
DAWSON: Kids tend to like me…I can’t help it.
JOEY: Yeah, well, when they hit high school it’s a problem.
AUDREY: (singing) Jealous…
Joey gives her a look.
AUDREY: Come on…let’s get this show on the road.
She grabs Chris’ arm and leads him into the kitchen.
*****
Cut to the Witter house. Andie and Pacey enter the house, greeting everyone.
After introductions are made, Pacey’s father walks up to them.
JOHN: Well, we meet at last.
He gives her a warm smile. Something that seems out of place on the old man’s features.
They shake hands.
JOHN: It’s good to finally meet your in person, Andie.
She blushes.
ANDIE: Thank you, sheriff.
JOHN: Don’t be so formal.
As they walk towards the dinner table, they pass a group of children. The ‘no-neck’ monsters Pacey always refers to.
ANDIE: This doesn’t seem so bad.
PACEY: Yeah, well you’re not related to them.
They sit down finally. Pacey’s mother looks at them.
MRS. WITTER: So this must be Audrey, right?
Pacey sighs.
PACEY: No…Andie.
MRS. WITTER: Oh…the crazy girl?
Andie’s eyes go wide, while Pacey groans.
MRS. WITTER: It’s so nice to see you doing better. Although, you kind of have be a little nuts to date my boy here. You know, he accidentally threw up on the first girl he ever liked?
Now Pacey turns bright red.
PACEY: Can we talk about something else?
MRS. WITTER: Oh, that reminds me…what happened to that last girl you brought home?
DOUG: Dumped him.
Pacey give his brother a look.
PACEY: Actually, I was the one who…
Doug cuts him off.
DOUG: On a related note, I think there’s something we should all discuss as a family.
John sighs.
JOHN: Please, can we not get into this again?
Doug looks at Pacey.
DOUG: Come on…tell him!
Andie looks at the two of them specifically.
ANDIE: Tell him what?
PACEY: Umm…
Just then there’s a knock on the door.
MRS. WITTER: I’ll get it.
She answers the door. Once it’s open, Gretchen walks in and hugs her.
GRETCHEN: Hey, mom.
MRS. WITTER: Sweetheart, you made it!
However, sure enough, her date follows her inside.
Nervously, Mike Potter wanders into the dining room.
MRS. WITTER: Oh…hello, Michael.
Doug stares at him angrily.
ANDIE: Tell me I’m seeing things, and that’s not Joey’s dad!
Pacey groans.
PACEY: This is going to be a long night…
*****
Cut back to the Leery house. Jen, Jack, and Audrey are sitting on the back porch, sipping egg nogg.
JEN: Seriously…what do you see in him?
Audrey shrugs.
AUDREY: He’s a nice guy.
Jen scoffs.
AUDREY: Ok, so maybe he wasn’t when you knew him, but he is now. He’s changed.
JEN: Maybe he’s just changed tactics? Entered the Charley School of subterfuge?
JACK: Chick fight! Chick fight!
The two girls look at Jack, who in turn examines his glass.
JACK: Sorry…must be the nogg.
Jen sighs, then looks back at Audrey.
JEN: So, what…are you in love with him?
Audrey thinks, then smiles.
AUDREY: I think I could be. It has the potential to be something great.
JEN: I just don’t want you to be hurt is all.
AUDREY: Yeah, me neither.
JACK: Me neither.
Audrey smiles at him.
AUDREY: Thanks, Jackers. That means a lot.
JACK: So tell me…did I miss anything interesting in bean town?
Audrey laughs.
AUDREY: Well, Dawson and Pacey played a prank on one of Joey’s ex’s. Then there was a rumour that she and Dawson were sleeping together. Mrs. Leery is dating Joey’s teacher, and Andie hit on Andy Brown.
Jen’s eyes go wide.
JEN: Wait…not THE Andy Brown?
AUDREY: The very same. Oh, and Pacey and Andie are back together.
Jack’s jaw drops.
JACK: Excuse me? And no one thought to tell me this? I just invited her to come to New York.
The girls cringe.
JACK: What?
JEN: Major big brother mistake, Jack. You’re trying to split them up.
JACK: No I’m not…I didn’t even know. Geez.
He sighs.
JACK: Any other secrets I should know about?
AUDREY: Nope.
Jen grins.
AUDREY: What?
JEN: Nothing.
Jack picks his glass back up.
JACK: Well, I say we drink of Chris and Audrey. Yet another rung in our incestuous little group.
They all raise their glasses.
ALL: Cheers.
*****
Cut to the Witter house, in the kitchen.
ANDIE: Oh my god…Gretchen and Mr. Potter are dating?
Pacey nods.
ANDIE: And you didn’t freak out?
PACEY: Oh, I freaked out, make no mistake. Then Joey and Dawson tackled me.
Andie shakes her head in amazement.
ANDIE: This is unbelievable.
PACEY: Think that’s bad? My dad’s ok with it for some reason. Doug isn’t, and wants me to side with him.
ANDIE: Are you?
PACEY: I don’t know. At first I was completely against it, but now…Doug’s just going nutso. I don’t know which side to take.
ANDIE: Look. Maybe there isn’t a ‘side’ at all.
*****
Cut back to the living room.
MRS. WITTER: They’re probably doing it on my counter.
Doug and Gretchen stare at their mother.
DOUG & GRETCHEN: Ew! Mom!
MRS. WITTER: What? You never know.
A moment later, Pacey and Andie come back to the table. Mrs. Witter gives them suspicious looks, searching for any ‘sign’ she can.
They sit down.
MIKE: Thank you for having me over.
DOUG: Oh, by all means…nothing we like better than aiding the less fortunate.
Gretchen gives him a cold look.
GRETCHEN: Oh, that was mature!
DOUG: Excuse me?
GRETCHEN: That cleverly disguised crack you just made.
Mike turns the other way, trying not to get involved.
DOUG: You’re the one who brought him here, not me!
GRETCHEN: Because I wanted to give you a chance to act mature.
DOUG: Oh, I’m immature. That’s great! You’re dating a crook just to get back at dad for something, and I’m the one who’s immature?
John gives Doug an angry look.
JOHN: That’s enough, Douglas.
MIKE: (muttering) Ex-crook.
Doug turns towards Mike.
DOUG: I’m sorry…were you under the impression that your opinion counts here? Or anywhere, for that matter? You’ll slip up eventually, and when that happens I’ll be there to cart you off.
GRETCHEN: Back off, Doug!
Under the table, Andie grabs Pacey’s hand. She knows it’s taking a lot of will power to prevent himself from getting involved.
DOUG: Tell me…are you proud of dating the town looser? The one person in Capeside who has never amounted to anything, and…
PACEY: ‘…and probably never will? Face it, Pacey…you’re a looser, and you always will be!’
The entire room goes dead silent, as Doug turns to Pacey.
DOUG: Don’t tell me you’re taking his side.
Pacey snickers.
PACEY: Side? And here I was thinking the only person in this entire room with a problem was you, Dougie? I become successful, so you need a replacement to unload on?
DOUG: You don’t know what you’re talking about!
PACEY: Don’t I? Ok, I’ll admit, this entire thing is a bit icky. I went to high school with his kid, for heaven’s sake. But that doesn’t give you the right to judge him the way your are…anymore than it gave you the right to do it to me!
Doug stares at him angrily.
DOUG: Pacey, why don’t you…?
JOHN: Cork it, kid!
Doug’s eyes go wide, as he turns to his father.
DOUG: Excuse me?
JOHN: You heard me! You’re brother’s right. Why don’t you sit down and relax…the rest of us would like to enjoy Christmas dinner.
DOUG: (muttering) I’m not hearing this…
Now it’s Gretchen’s turn.
GRETCHEN: I understand your own problems are difficult enough, but that doesn’t mean you should take it out on us.
He raises an eyebrow.
DOUG: What problems?
GRETCHEN: Well…with you being gay and all.
Doug’s mouth falls open in shock, as he turns to Pacey.
JOHN: (muttering) I knew it!
Doug points an accusatory finger at Pacey.
DOUG: Did you tell her I was gay?
Pacey raises his hands in the air innocently.
PACEY: She said it, bro, not me!
DOUG: I am not gay!
GRETCHEN: Pacey didn’t tell about it!
Doug spins around towards her again.
DOUG: I am NOT gay!
Pacey’s other sisters, along with their kids, start to giggle in amusement.
PACEY: The guy was in prison for a few years. He probably has really good gaydar.
DOUG: Shut up, Pacey!
Mike shrugs.
MIKE: I have ‘gaydar’!
DOUG: You too, cradle-robber!
ANDIE: It’s ok…
Doug’s eyes grow bloodshot, as he looks at Andie.
DOUG: Don’t say it, you psycho…
ANDIE: You even make one ‘crazy’ comment, and I’ll deck you right here!
PACEY: She’ll do it, too!
Doug sighs in exhaustion, and falls back in his chair.
MRS. WITTER: Don’t worry, Douglas. We still love you.
DOUG: (deadpan) Thanks, mom!
*****
Cut back to the Leery house, in the back porch. Jen is standing there, alone, until Joey comes out to join her.
JOEY: Are you ok?
Jen looks at her.
JEN: Dawson told you, didn’t he?
She nods.
JOEY: There’s very little he doesn’t. Considering he told you about us, I thought it was only fair. Look, Jen…I know we’ve never exactly been what you’d call ‘friends’.
Jen chuckles.
JEN: That’s an understatement. I’ve only taken the ‘love of your life’ away from you. Twice. Then there was the Charley thing…
JOEY: For the record, I wasn’t trying to get back at you or anything. With a few small exceptions, I suck when it comes to relationships.
She nods.
JEN: The one thing we have in common.
JOEY: There’s one other thing.
Jen bites her lip.
JEN: Ever since I first moved here, Grams has been more of a mother to me that my mom ever was. We didn’t always see eye to eye, but she loved me. Unconditionally. I just can’t imagine loosing her. Not like this.
Jen now has tears in her eyes.
JEN: How do you handle it?
JOEY: You don’t. You just stay strong, and hope for the best.
JEN: Figures. Give me the same advice Dawson did.
JOEY: Actually, no. Dawson is an idealist, I’m a realist. I know better than anybody what cancer can do to a person. But I also know that there’s a chance. Maybe it’s just a small chance, but it’s still a chance. The worse possible thing you can do is give up.
With that, Joey leaves. Once she’s gone, Jen stares up at the stars and does something she never thought she would.
JEN: (whispering) Ok, I don’t like you and I know you don’t like me. But this isn’t really for me, it’s for my Grams. You know…the woman who dedicates her entire life to you? I know it’s supposedly your birthday and all, but maybe if you can find the time, do you think you could…you know…help us out? Not that I’d start going to church all the time or anything. I’d just be really really grateful.
She closes her eyes.
JEN: Please.
The camera pans up towards the stars.