Cut back to the office.
Chris looks out at Boston from the large picture window. He’s amazed at the sight before him.
CHRIS: It looks so small from up here.
Behind him, Rich smirks.
RICH: It is, really. Small people, whose lives succeed or fail depending on how well we do up here. Chris, wasn’t it?
Chris turns around and shakes his hand.
CHRIS: Yeah, that’s it. Chris Wolfe.
RICH: Wolfe? Any relation to…?
CHRIS: You’re probably thinking of my father.
RICH: I don’t recall receiving any recommendation from him.
CHRIS: We’re not exactly on speaking terms right now. I believe the word he would choose would be ‘embarrassment’.
An amused smile crosses Rich’s face.
RICH: Let me guess: you want to prove him wrong?
CHRIS: You catch on fast.
RICH: Hopefully you do to. We’ve had some setbacks here, and could use new blood. Lost an account because some shmuck couldn’t play ball. Since the shareholders only wanted him to handle it…well, you get the picture.
CHRIS: That wouldn’t have been Pacey Witter by any chance, would it?
Rich froze.
RICH: You know him?
CHRIS: Unfortunately.
Rich smiles, pleased.
CHRIS: A pain-in-the-neck from my hometown. Guy hates my guts. Heard him harping on this place, so I thought ‘anyplace he can’t stand has gotta be decent’.
RICH: You’ve got that right, Mr. Wolfe.
CHRIS: Now, excuse me for a moment…
Rich exits, leaving Chris alone in his office.
The second Rich is gone, Chris’ attitude shifts. He no longer looks smug, but instead cautious. He eyes the security camera above his head.
Slowly, he shifts his head towards the window, but not looking out of it. His back to the camera, his gaze lands on the desk.
Specifically, a notepad with something scribbled on it.
Satisfied, Chris turns around and leaves the office.
*****
Cut back to the Witter house.
Pacey faces his brother and father, having just finished telling his story.
PACEY: And that’s the situation, gentlemen.
Doug rolls his eyes.
JOHN: Are you ok?
PACEY: Shaken up, but otherwise fine.
Doug sighs.
DOUG: Come on, dad! Don’t tell me you buy this line?
Pacey gives Doug a cold look.
PACEY: Should have expected this.
DOUG: Yeah…sure. Someone wants to kill you? A respectable businessman wants to kill you?
PACEY: Weren’t you the one who said he was scum?
DOUG: Slimy doesn’t equal psychotic. So would you just quit being paranoid and relax?
PACEY: I’m asking for your help…
DOUG: I’m not going to make a fool of myself trying to arrest a man just on your say-so, little brother.
Pacey stares at Doug coldly for a moment. Then he turns around.
PACEY: So that’s how it is, then? Fine. I’ll do it my own way.
Pacey turns around and slams the door behind him.
Doug shakes his head is disapproval.
DOUG: Can you believe that guy?
In response, John Witter picks a magazine up off the side table and whacks his eldest sun upside the head with it.
DOUG: HEY!
JOHN: What is wrong with you?
Doug looks at him wide-eyed.
DOUG: Come on, dad! He’s just being paranoid.
JOHN: Maybe so, but he’s still your brother. You owe him, at the very least, the benefit of the doubt.
Doug sighs.
DOUG: I have spent the better part of my life sticking up for that kid, and how does he repay me…by stabbing me in the back. That whole thing with Potter…
JOHN: Oh, don’t start that again, Douglas!
DOUG: What would you have me do, dad? Drive down to Boston and hold a gun to this guy’s head until he confesses? Even if I though for a moment Pacey was right, it’s out of my power! I can’t help him.
John sighs, and slumps down in his chair.
JOHN: Then who can?
*****
Cut back to Dawson’s old room. Pacey is slumped over on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Suddenly, he hears a noise outside.
Quickly, he grabs the plaster Joey-head from the desk and hides near the window. He’s completely prepared to strike the intruder.
Until ‘the intruder’ climbs through the window, and turns out to be Andie.
ANDIE: Ahhh!
Pacey stops in mid-swing, and then backs away.
ANDIE: Geez…you scared me half to death, Pacey.
Pacey sighs.
PACEY: Sorry, sorry…just not used to the whole window thing yet. I’m a bit jumpy, too.
He lies back down on the bed.
PACEY: I asked Doug for help.
She lied next to her.
ANDIE: And?
PACEY: He thinks I’m nuts. Heck, I’m almost convinced I’m nuts.
Andie looks at him.
ANDIE: I believe you.
He smiles.
PACEY: Really?
She nods.
ANDIE: Wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.
They kiss.
PACEY: Andie?
ANDIE: Yeah?
PACEY: I love you.
She smiles.
ANDIE: I love you, too.
PACEY: Let’s go home.
*****
A montage of scenes show a bus ride from Capeside to Boston.
In the bus, Andie has fallen fast asleep. She’s leaning on Pacey’s shoulder, whose eyes are opened the entire trip.
*****
Cut to Creek Side Pictures.
The door opens, and Pacey steps inside with Andie.
PACEY: Hey Dawson?
There’s a loud ‘thump’ coming from behind the couch. Suddenly, Dawson stands up, his hair a mess.
DAWSON: Pacey? You’re back.
PACEY: Yeah, figured I’d better face this thing head on by now. Running won’t solve anything, right. You can come out now, Joey.
Andie looks at him, confused. However, Joey quickly appears from behind the couch, adjusting her shirt.
Andie blushes a bright red.
ANDIE: (muttering) Oh god…
Joey smiles nervously.
JOEY: How was Capeside?
ANDIE: I’m going to go upstairs now. We’ll talk later.
Andie kisses Pacey on the cheek, then leaves. Dawson and Joey walk over to Pacey.
PACEY: As much as you two obviously loved having this place to yourself…
JOEY: Don’t say it!
Pacey grins.
JOEY: I’m just glad this thing is over with and we can all get back to our normal lives.
Pacey looks at her, confused.
PACEY: Hate to break it to you, Potter, but it ain’t over. Doug wouldn’t do squat.
JOEY: Wait…you actually asked Doug for help? And you’re surprised he said ‘no’?
Pacey’s face falls.
PACEY: What’s that supposed to mean?
She half-smiles.
JOEY: Come on, Pacey. Be serious. You’re just blowing an accident way out of proportion.
Pacey looks hurt at her comment.
PACEY: (muttering) You think I’m crazy, too…
Realizing her mistake, Joey shakes her head.
JOEY: No, I don’t think you’re…I just think you’re misreading the situation is all.
PACEY: (angrily) Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jo!
He storms upstairs, as Dawson tries to follow him.
DAWSON: Pace, wait!
PACEY: Don’t try to apologize, Dawson…after all, you weren’t the one who said it.
DAWSON: I believe you!
Pacey turns to face Dawson.
PACEY: You do?
Dawson sighs.
DAWSON: You may overreact sometimes, but not about life and death.
Pacey leans up against the wall, exhausted.
PACEY: I just don’t know how to fight this guy. The harder I fight, the more he gets the upper hand.
DAWSON: Fight smarter, not harder.
PACEY: He’s smarter than me.
DAWSON: That’s a load of bull, and you know it!
Pacey gives him a look.
DAWSON: Remember than thing with Derek?
Pacey rolls his eyes.
PACEY: Dawson, this guy isn’t just some preppy private school reject who took advantage of an ex-girlfriend. Rich is dangerous.
DAWSON: Not to mention full-on Patrick Bateman-esque nuts!
Pacey gets a disgusted look on his face.
PACEY: Thanks, Dawson. Now I’m stuck with the disturbing image of Rich chasing after me with a chainsaw.
Dawson crosses his arms.
DAWSON: Nice to know you haven’t lost your sense of humour, despite the situation.
Pacey smiles.
DAWSON: If you need a hand…
PACEY: I appreciate the gesture, Dawson. But I think I need to do this on my own.
*****
Cut to Rich’s office, at the precise moment.
It’s dark out, and the workers have gone home for the day.
Well…almost all of them.
Chris slowly creeps out of the supply closet. Making sure no one is watching, he moves towards Rich’s office and sneaks inside.
Once inside, Chris looks up at the security camera as it sways from side to side.
CHRIS: (whispering) One, two, three…
He continues to time in for a moment. Finally, when the camera sways back towards the opposite end of the office, Chris dives under the desk. He grabs a file folder off the top, and sits underneath.
He pauses for a moment, waiting for an alarm to sound. It never comes.
CHRIS: Can’t believe that worked.
With a sigh of relief, Chris examines the contents of the folder. A smile materializes on his face.
CHRIS: Well…what do you know?
*****
Cut to outside.
Chris walks quickly, making a few gazes behind to make sure no one is following him.
Suddenly, without warning, an arm reaches out and pulls him into an ally.
CHRIS: What the…?
The unseen assailant presses him up against the wall.
CHRIS: You think you can get away with this?
PACEY: You think I care?
Chris’ eyes go wide, as he recognizes Pacey’s face.
CHRIS: Pacey? Lord…I thought you were Rich!
PACEY: Nice outfit, Wolfe!
Pacey looks down at Chris’ suit.
PACEY: It suits you. Wonder what Audrey would think of this?
CHRIS: What? Saving your life?
Pacey looks confused. Then Chris hands him the folder.
CHRIS: You were right. He did it.
Quickly, Pacey flips through the folder.
CHRIS: Well?
Pacey smiles.
PACEY: We got him!