Cut to inside the publisher’s office.
Joey stands in front of the desk, while the publisher reads over ‘The Amber Shadow’.
After a moment, he puts it down and looks towards Joey.
PUBLISHER: Well…
He pauses.
JOEY: Yeah?
PUBLISHER: It has potential.
Joey smiles.
PUBLISHER: How long will it be until it’s completed?
JOEY: Two months, tops.
He nods.
PUBLISHER: First time writer?
JOEY: Yes. I mean, no…there was this magazine thing about a year and a half ago. But this is my first book.
PUBLISHER: It shows.
Joey’s face falls, as she starts to get worried.
PUBLISHER: There’s a bunch of typos in this, but nothing you can’t fix by proofreading it. Hand in a finished copy, and we’ll publish it for you.
Joey grins from ear to ear.
JOEY: Thank you…thank you so much.
She takes the pages back, and shakes his hand.
PUBLISHER: I have to warn you, though…there’s no guarantee how well it will sell. A lot of it you have to leave to chance.
JOEY: I understand.
*****
Cut to outside the office.
Joey picks up her cell phone and dials a number.
JOEY: I did it!
*****
Cut to the house…
DAWSON: (into phone) Knew you would. So, what’d he think? Liked it? Loved it? Couldn’t put it down.
Dawson laughs.
DAWSON: Yeah, you sound on the verge of a breakdown here, Jo. Congratulations. Yeah. Ok. I’ll see you tonight. Love you, too.
He hangs up.
DAWSON: YES!
Dawson does a little dance all the way downstairs, where Audrey and Chris are busy decorating. Jack is sitting in a corner, moping.
When Audrey sees Dawson, she immediately goes over to him.
AUDREY: Hey. Could you inform Jackers that this is supposed to be a, you know, party?
Dawson sighs.
DAWSON: He’s still in a bad mood?
AUDREY: I’ve never seen him this depressed before. Usually he’s ‘Mr. Fun’.
DAWSON: That’s because you didn’t know him back in Capeside. I think he opened up a lot after graduation. Compensating for Andie not being here, I guess.
Dawson turns to look at Jack, who is staring at the window.
DAWSON: It’s strange…he brought up something earlier.
AUDREY: What?
DAWSON: How I wouldn’t even give Pacey the time of day when the whole Joey thing first started. Looking back on it, it felt like I had every right to be as upset as I was. Is Jack in the right, and I just can’t see it because we’re friends again?
Audrey sighs.
AUDREY: I think we all have had times when Pacey wasn’t our favourite person. Lord knows I have. He’s made his share of mistakes.
Dawson raises an eyebrow.
DAWSON: His share?
AUDREY: Ok…MORE than his share. But he is a really great guy. You know that, and I know that…and Jack knows that deep down, too. He’s just really freaked out, and looking for someone to blame. He can’t blame Rich, because he’s street pizza.
DAWSON: I hope you’re right. I’m getting real tired of everyone fighting over stupid reasons.
AUDREY: Is there ever a good reason to fight?
Dawson smirks.
DAWSON: Good point.
*****
Cut to downtown.
Pacey and Andie walk through the street, smiling and laughing. They’re obviously having a good time.
PACEY: You know what I liked? The Walrus. That guy ruled.
Andie giggles.
ANDIE: I just love Adam Sandler movies.
PACEY: So I’ve noticed. You think I should go back to the Caesar look?
She smirks at him.
ANDIE: I needed this. I really needed this.
PACEY: And I am only too happy to provide, Miss McPhee.
She kisses him.
ANDIE: So, Mr. Witter…where to next?
PACEY: I was thinking we stop back at the house and invite Dawson and Joey to come along to the bar.
She raises an eyebrow.
ANDIE: You mean like a double date?
Pacey scoffs.
PACEY: God no! Ok, we’ll invite Chris and Audrey then, too…which would make it a triple date, wouldn’t it? Any chance we can invite one without inviting the other?
Andie laughs.
ANDIE: Come on…
She grabs him by the arm and leads him ahead.
*****
Cut to the house.
Pacey and Andie enter to find all the lights are out. Andie seems perplexed.
ANDIE: Where is everyone?
Pacey shrugs.
PACEY: Who knows? Dawson said he had to head over to the print shop.
ANDIE: And Joey has that book thing, right?
She smiles suggestively.
ANDIE: Guess we have the place to ourselves then, huh?
Pacey starts to get worried. A slight problem with his plan.
PACEY: Personally, I’m starved.
ANDIE: We just ate.
PACEY: My metabolism is like a bullet train, McPhee. Let’s just grab a snack first, ok?
They head towards the kitchen. However, before they can get far…
ALL: SURPRISE!!!!!
Joey leaps up from behind the couch, Chris and Audrey slide in from the kitchen, with Jack and Dawson arriving from upstairs.
Andie’s mouth hangs open.
ANDIE: Oh my god…
Jack approaches her, smiling.
JACK: Happy birthday, sis.
They hug.
ANDIE: Jack! When did you…?
JACK: Just today. I wanted to surprise you.
She grins from ear-to-ear.
ANDIE: You succeeded. I missed you.
He hugs her tighter.
JACK: (quietly) I missed you, too.
PACEY: How you doing, Jack?
Jack looks at Pacey, pensively. Dawson gives Pacey a warning look, hinting to him to watch what he says.
Reluctantly, Jack shakes his hand.
JACK: Fine, thanks.
PACEY: Jen doing ok?
JACK: Yeah.
He turns to Andie.
JACK: She wanted to come, but there was this thing with Grams she couldn’t miss. Told me to give you the card she picked out, though.
He hands Andie an envelope, which she takes.
ANDIE: She’s going to make spring break though, right?
Jack smiles.
JACK: Wouldn’t miss it for the world.
*****
The party goes on, as Jack and Andie exchange stories.
JACK: A train?
ANDIE: (laughing) Yeah, the car broke down, and Mr. ‘ineffective with tools’ here couldn’t fix it.
Jack laughs.
JACK: A pair of rebels, aren’t you?
Over in the corner, Dawson is oblivious to their conversation. Instead, he keeps his eye on Pacey.
JOEY: Dawson?
DAWSON: Yeah?
JOEY: Is it just me, or are you picking up some weird vibe from Jack around Pacey?
DAWSON: It’s not just you. Pacey isn’t Jack’s favourite person right now.
JOEY: Didn’t they room together for an entire year?
DAWSON: That was before what happened with Rich.
Joey’s eyes go wide.
JOEY: That’s not fair. It wasn’t even his fault.
DAWSON: I know that. That’s what I told Jack, but he’s not listening.
Joey sighs.
JOEY: (sarcastically) This should be fun.
DAWSON: Heh.
They see Andie talking to Pacey now.
PACEY: So…having fun?
Andie smirks at him.
ANDIE: You know it.
They kiss.
Jack appears very uncomfortable with this, and gets up from his seat.
JACK: I’m gonna go get some fresh air.
ANDIE: Jack?
Jack takes off. Andie looks at Pacey, confused.
ANDIE: What was that about?
PACEY: I’ll go talk to him.
Sensing a potentially bad situation, Dawson spring forward and follows Pacey out the door.