Dawson's Creek (1998–2003): Season 1, Episode 13 - Decisions - full transcript

Dawson's Creek - Season 01 - Episode 12
"Breaking Away"

Hey.

- Hey.
- You're here.

I thought we were watching
movies tonight, Dawson.

Yeah. I'm glad you're here.
I just... I didn't think...

I didn't even get any
movies from the store.

Well, actually I just came by to tell
you that I couldn't make it, so...

You dropped by to tell me
you couldn't drop by?

- Yeah. See you, Dawson.
- Joey, stay. We can...

We can watch reruns and throw
sarcastic remarks at the TV.

For the record, I'm getting
pretty tired of the television.

I mean, the metaphor alone
is making me nauseous.

- What are you talking about?
- Every night it's the same.

We hang out in your
Spielberg-ized bedroom...

...and watch obscure movies
and TV reruns. It's so predictable.

This is a great show. It's a huge
two-parter with a big cliffhanger.

Cliffhanger? Come on, Dawson.
You of all people should know...

...that a cliffhanger is a TV standard
designed to improve ratings.

A cliffhanger's purpose
is to keep people interested...

...keep them guessing what's gonna
happen in future episodes.

Yeah, but just like in our own lives,
they are so predictable.

The producers put the characters
in some contrived situation...

...hoping the audience will think
something's gonna change.

But you know what? It never does.
It's back to the way it was before.

- It's boring, Dawson.
- Well, what if this time it's different?

What if this time in the cliffhanger
something changes?

You wouldn't want
to miss that, would you?

It still sounds like one big
tease to me, Dawson.

And what else?

Arthur Elders missed the deacons'
meeting. Third week in a row.

He says his meeting ran late,
but Marissa Partridge says...

...she saw him leaving the Happy Hour
which doesn't surprise me one bit.

And in addition, your granddaughter
and I seem to be coexisting lately.

She broke it off
with Dawson Leery, though.

Heaven help us,
between you and me...

...I think she's starting to miss him.

How's he doing this morning?

Peaceful. No real change.

Same sleep he's been
in for the last three months.

Well, I'll see you after school.

Don't forget your sweater.
It's gonna turn cool this afternoon.

I know.

Bye, Gramps.

Goodbye, Jen.

Jennifer. Jennifer!

He's awake.

I just feel like this big cloud has been
lifted off my shoulders, you know?

They took him to the hospital
to run more tests...

...so I can't see him till tomorrow...

...but for the first time
in a long time I just...

I feel like letting loose
and having some fun.

I mean, I know it's a school night
and everything...

...but what do you say,
you and me?

Tonight, actually,
I have plans with Joey.

I guess I could ask
if I could bag, but...

No, no. Whatever.

Speak of the devil.

Joey.

- Hey, guys.
- Is everything okay?

Yeah, I think so. How do you go
about getting a passport?

- Why? Where you going?
- Mrs. Tringle informed me that...

...Grace Elkins turned down a
scholarship to spend next semester...

...in France because she won't
leave her boyfriend.

So the faculty had to pick
a replacement...

- And they picked you?
- Yeah.

- Dawson, isn't that amazing?
- Wait, slow down.

- You're going to France?
- I don't know yet.

I mean, I have two days to decide.

But if you did go,
when would you leave?

Two weeks.

I'll see you guys later.

I definitely think she should go,
don't you?

Yeah. Why not?

France is so far away. I won't know
anybody. I don't speak the language.

I don't know if I could spend a year in
a country that worships Mickey Rourke.

Well, whatever you decide to do,
I think it's an honor just to be asked.

Really, kid. I'm proud of you.

Dad will be too, when you
tell him all about it.

Question: Why would I tell Dad?

Don't tell me you've forgotten
what tomorrow is.

- Apparently I have.
- It's his birthday, Joey.

- You're on your own. Enjoy yourself.
- I'm not going, Joey. You are.

Wake up, Bessie,
I am not going anywhere.

Joey, we made a deal.
I know you remember.

Alternating visits
for as long as he's in there.

Now, I went last year, so according
to my calculations, it's your turn.

- Forget it.
- You're not getting out of this one.

If you don't go, I swear to God,
I'll make you regret it.

I know you're still angry at him...

...for what he did to Mom
and to us. I am too.

But you know what, Joey?
He's still our father.

Yeah. Our father who art in prison.

What do you want, man?
I gotta go to work.

Dad's looking for you
and he's pissed.

I wonder what it is I did this time.

It's more like what you didn't do...

...like pass any of your midterms
this semester.

Principal Eiger called to issue
the failure watch...

...and frankly, Dad's worried.

You tell him that the concern
is appreciated...

...but he should save it
for the closet case with the gun.

Tell me something, Pacey,
does being the leading contender...

...for the "official joke of Capeside"
bother you even a little bit?

Because it's a distinction the rest of
the Witter family could live without.

Why don't you go and grab
a cat out of a tree or something?

And tell Dad that if he wants to talk
to me, he should do it himself.

One day you'll get tired
of being a joke...

...and it's gonna be too late.

You'll realize that you're
just a bad punch line...

...that nobody's laughing at.

You have a good day now,
little brother.

You know, thanks a lot
for coming with me, Dawson.

I could kill Bessie
for making me do this.

Not a problem.

When was the last time
you saw your dad, anyway?

Two years ago.

The same time I discovered
he was trafficking marijuana...

...while cheating on my dying mother
with a blond cocktail waitress.

Well, it's only for today.

- You'll get through it. I promise.
- Thanks.

By the way, any decision
on the whole European thing?

- I'm weighing it for fantasy elements.
- It's an incredible opportunity.

What would you do if I left?

Suicide.

Something painless, you know.
Pills. Car fumes, maybe.

No, really, Dawson.

What would you do?

If Paris made you happy...

...then I'd be happy for you.

So you ready?

- No.
- Well, tough.

You're kidding me.
We missed visiting hours?

I'm sorry. These are the rules.

Inmate visitation
ends promptly at 5:00.

But we spent
four hours on a bus.

I mean, what are we
supposed to do now?

I know you think
your problem's very important...

...and I'm sure to you it is,
but here in a prison housing...

...over 800 felons, it's not even
a blip on the radar.

Now, can I ask you,
are we done here yet?

This is becoming a far bigger
nightmare than I'd ever anticipated.

I know you want
to get this over with...

...but if you ask me really nicely,
I'll come back with you tomorrow.

Thanks for the offer, but...

...there's gotta be a better solution
than spending another day on the bus.

Maybe there is.

My mom said she would tell Bessie
we had to stay overnight.

Feel like watching some TV?

No, thanks. I'm pretty tired.
I think I'm just gonna hit the sack.

Okay.

So are we sleeping left-to-right?

Yeah, as usual is fine with me.

Okay. It's the first time we've ever
slept together in a foreign bed.

Is that a problem, Dawson?

No. It's just different.

You know?

A little weird.

And lumpy.

I should just sleep on the floor.

You can't sleep
on the floor, it's freezing.

Besides, what's
the big deal, Dawson?

I mean, we've been sleeping
in the same bed for years.

Never mind.

Jo?

Yeah?

I don't want this to affect
your decision about France...

...but I would really
miss you if you left.

I'd miss you too, Dawson.

I've been thinking
about us a lot lately.

- You have?
- Yeah, I have.

And?

And...

...I wanna figure out
where we are.

What's going on between us.

And how do we
do that, Dawson?

God.

I'm sorry, Jo, I'm not...

I'm just not all there.

I can analyze somebody else
till the cows wander home...

...but as soon as I turn all that
indulgent perception on myself...

...I completely lose connection
between my heart and my head.

The two are incompatible,
I can't get it together.

I wish I could
because I'm scared of...

...what might happen if I don't.
I...

Does this make any
sense to you at all?

What are you so
scared of, Dawson?

I don't know.

I don't know.

- How is he?
- His tests seem to be going well.

They tell me he was lucky,
but luck has nothing to do with it.

I know it's because of our
daily prayer and our faith in the Lord.

That's what got him through it.

Grams, no one is happier
about his recovery than me...

...but I very much doubt that prayer
had a whole lot to do with it.

Jennifer, God has a hand
in all good things.

But he had nothing to do
with war, famine, AIDS, huh?

It isn't always up to us
to understand the Lord's way.

You know what? Let's not
revert back to business as usual.

Gramps is better.
That's all that matters.

I guess we'll enjoy it
in our own ways.

I should probably go now.
I'll be right outside.

No, Dawson, you're not
going anywhere.

Joey, you haven't
seen him forever.

Don't you wanna spend
some time alone with him?

Right. Like I wanna
spend time with the man...

...who's responsible for
the destruction of my family.

If I knew you were coming, I would've
sent for cigars and champagne.

A couple of doughnuts, anyway.

Joey, you're beautiful.

No, I'm not.

Hello, Dawson.
Hello, Mr. Potter.

I thought the other night
you might come.

Then I thought I'd better
not get my hopes up.

Birthdays in prison
are depressing enough.

Well, I'm here, aren't I?

I'm so glad. You have no idea.

You're all grown up. It's amazing.

Well, that's what people do.
They grow up.

How's...

...school?

That's what you wanna talk about?

What do you wanna talk about?

Nothing.

It gets so Ionely here, Joey.

I miss you.

And your sister. I miss my family.

Your family?

Tell me this:

Do you miss Mom?

Yes. Very much.

Joey, talk to me.
Tell me what you're thinking.

You don't wanna know
what I'm thinking. Believe me.

You know, this was a mistake.

I should tell you I'm gonna be
leaving in a few weeks.

I'm going to France,
so I won't be around anymore.

And that family that you miss
doesn't exist anymore.

- It's over.
- It's not over, Joey. It's still a family.

Well, it's over for me.
Have a happy birthday, Dad.

Joey.

I should go with her.
I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. Good luck.

Dawson, wait. Please.

Tell me about her.

Tell me about my daughter.

What do you wanna know?

Anything.

Everything.

She's great.

I mean, she's smart,
she's beautiful.

She's funny.
She's a big old scaredy cat.

If you creep up from behind her,
she'll jump out of her skin.

It's pretty amusing.

She's honest.

She calls them
just like she sees them.

You can count on getting the truth
from Joey, even if the truth hurts.

She's stubborn. We fight a lot.

She can be so
frustrating sometimes.

But she's a really,
really good friend.

And Ioyal to a fault.

She believes in me.

I'm a dreamer, so I mean, it's so
good to have somebody like that.

God, if she goes away, I don't know
what I'm gonna do. I mean, she's...

She's my best friend, you know.

She's more than that.

She's everything.

- Okay. What's your deal?
- What do you mean?

You haven't said one word
the entire bus ride home.

I mean, if anyone should be
brooding, it's me.

Talk to me, Dawson.

What did he say?

He was asking a lot
of questions about you.

He misses you.

He loves you.

You shouldn't have left.

- Don't lecture me.
- I'm not, but...

- But what?
- You've gotta deal with him sometime.

I deal with him every day
of my life, okay, Dawson?

Every single second, I am dealing
with the legacy he left for me.

He wants me
to make him feel better.

He wants me to say,
"I forgive you, Dad," but I can't.

I don't forgive him for anything.
I'm sorry, but I can't.

- Well, tell him that.
- What's the point?

The point is he's your father.
Joey, he's your only father.

I hate him, Dawson.

- Hate's a strong word.
- Well, then it applies.

You're gonna have to deal
with these feelings...

...of anger and resentment
you've got towards him.

Otherwise you're gonna handcuff
yourself to him forever...

...and it's gonna cause you
nothing but pain.

Even in Paris?

You've decided to go?

Yes, Dawson.

I think a geographic change
is exactly what I need.

It'll give me time
to think, you know?

Start over, clear my head.

Running away is
not the answer, Joey.

What is the answer, Dawson?

Why don't you give me one good
reason why I should stay?

Give me one nonanalytical...

...off-the-top-of-your-head
reason why I should stay.

I thought so.

Grams?

- What's wrong?
- It's your grandfather. He's...

- He's had another stroke.
- What?

- How is he?
- He's in intensive care.

But I thought that...
I don't understand.

It was unexpected. His heart isn't
strong enough to keep him awake.

No, everything was just turning
around. It doesn't make sense.

God has a plan for everything.

For your grandfather.
For me. For you.

Now, sometimes we don't
understand it. We can't see it...

...but this is when prayer
is most important.

How can you have
faith in prayer?

Just because you pray
doesn't mean it can change God.

Child, you've got it backwards.

Prayer doesn't change God.
Prayer changes me.

Sorry, Pacey, the kitchen's closed.

Please don't make me eat dinner
with the Stepford family.

Trouble in paradise? I guess
I can scrape something up.

I think I saw some rat droppings
behind the oven.

Great. I'll take them. Just toss them
in the microwave and warm them up.

That was weird.

For a second there, I was overcome
with this wave of sympathy for you.

- It'll pass.
- Tell me something, Joey.

You have a habit of being
annoyingly honest with me.

When was it that I got designated
the town loser?

I know I've done
some stupid things...

...but what pushed me
over the edge to being...

...a walking, talking embarrassment
to my perfect family?

You're not an embarrassment
to your family, Pacey.

According to Deputy Doug, I am.

Well, at least your whole family
isn't an embarrassment.

I just got back
from visiting my dad.

How'd it go?

Fathers are weird creatures,
you know that?

When I was 8 years old,
I used to play peewee baseball.

We had this huge game
at the end of the season.

It was two outs, bottom
of the ninth, and I struck out.

Anyhow, we get home, and my dad
just proceeds to ream me.

Telling me what a loser I am,
and what a disgrace I am...

...to the whole family
and town for losing the game.

The next morning I overhear my dad
relaying the events of...

...the game to my brother.

I heard him say to him,
"At least I have you."

I don't know. I never
told anybody this...

...but I wish I never
heard him say that.

Maybe you should have
a talk with your father.

- Tell him that he hurt you.
- Is that what you did?

No.

- I'm going to.
- Yeah?

No, tonight. I'm gonna go back.
I have to go back and see him.

Sorry, Joey, but the buses
don't run this late.

Can you help? When have
I asked you for a favor?

I mean, can't you steal
your dad's car or something?

I prefer to call it
borrowing, but sure.

Thank you.

I've missed you.

You know, just when I thought
I was gonna get you back...

...you go away from me again.

What am I supposed to do?

What can I do to get you out of this
bed and back into my life?

Because I feel so helpless
sitting here right now...

...because I wanna help you
so badly, and I can't.

Because I want you to help me.

I want you to smile at me...

...and I want you to listen to me...

...and I want you to magically...

...uncomplicate my life
the way you used to.

Like I told the lady before,
visiting hours are over at 5:00.

Do you think maybe I could talk
to you over here for a second?

Yeah?

Okay, miss, follow me.

- What did you say to him?
- I just reasoned with the man.

- How much did you give him?
- Twenty bucks.

Thanks.

Jen?

I know I usually use the door,
but can I come in?

Yeah, of course.

How's your grandfather?

It doesn't really look too good.
I think I'm losing him.

I feel like I'm losing everybody.

God, I'm really sorry, Jen.

I miss you, Dawson.

I really do miss you.

I'm here, Jen.

No, you're not. You're half here.

And part of that's
my fault, Dawson. I blew it.

I'm gonna stop blowing it.

Jen, what are you
talking about?

Can I sleep here tonight?

Dawson, with you,
the way Joey does?

As friends? Can I just
lie here with you tonight?

Yeah.

Sure.

It'll be okay, Jen.

It'll be okay.

Hi.

I don't really know
what I'm doing here.

That's not true.

Look...

...I came here tonight because...

...I wanted to tell you
that you messed up.

You really messed up.

And not because you broke
the law, or you got caught...

...or you left me without a father.

You messed up
because you don't know me.

I'm your daughter,
and you don't know me at all.

So...

...I guess I just came to say that...

...I'm all right.

I turned out pretty good.

And I'm gonna be okay.

No help from you.

And...

...I just had one question.

Do you love me?

More than you'll ever know.

And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Do you think about me?

Sweetheart...

...all day long, every day,
every hour, every minute.

Do you really love me, though?

Because I'm 1 5 years old...

...and I go through every day
thinking that nobody loves me.

Well, nothing could be
further from the truth.

I'm not the only one.

Dawson Leery, he loves you, Joey.

He's never told you?

Never.

Well, he does. I know it.

How?

Because he looks at you the same
way your mother used to look at me.

And you love him.

Have you told him?

You have to tell him, Joey.

Don't make my mistake.

Don't wait till someone you love...

...is eaten with cancer
and wasting away...

...while you hold back the one thing
they're waiting to hear.

I love you, Dad.

I love you.

I gotta go.

- Morning.
- Good morning.

Thanks for letting me
crash here, Dawson.

No problem.

Joey.

- Joey, wait.
- Dawson, she'll be okay.

Joey!

God, I can't believe this.

Where are you going?

To stop her. She's got
the wrong idea about us.

- Does she?
- Yeah.

Are you in love with her, Dawson?

I don't know what I am. It's...

I just know I gotta
talk to her. I gotta go.

Bye, Dawson.

Joey!

Joey!

How is he? Any change?

I was at the hospital all night.
There's been no change.

I'm going to church later
if you want to join me.

What's the matter, Jen?
Is something wrong?

- No, I'm fine.
- You wanna talk about it?

No, not right now. But thanks.

Come to church with me, Jen.

Put aside your stubborn beliefs just
this once and open up to something...

...that could provide you with
an enormous amount of comfort.

Grams.

You know, you don't have to be in
God's house for him to hear you.

Joey!

- Is Joey here?
- No. I haven't seen her.

Hello.

No, this is her granddaughter.

He's gone.

He's in the Lord's hands now.

Please, Lord, take unto him
my dearest love.

Please, keep him safe for me.

And me too.

Dear God, I miss him so much.

Joey, God. I've been
looking everywhere...

There's nothing
between Jen and me.

What you saw today
was completely innocent.

- You don't have to explain to me.
- Yes, I do. Joey...

Why do you feel the need to explain?
We're just friends. That's all, Dawson.

Joey.

Come on, you know
that's not true.

So, what are we, Dawson?

You know, I am so tired of the way
we relate to one another.

We spend all of our time analyzing
our sad little adolescent lives.

I know we know too many big words.
It's good to analyze.

But it doesn't get us anywhere.
I mean, it doesn't move us forward.

We're in the same place
we were three months ago.

- It's time to grow up, Dawson.
- I know, Joey.

We can.

- We are growing up.
- No, we're not.

Every day is the same.

We watch a movie,
preferably a Spielberg film...

...find the appropriate life correlation.
Then we pat ourselves on the back.

You know, as much
as our perception is dead-on...

...our honesty
is severely lacking, Dawson.

There is something lacking.

And the reason I came here tonight
is because we need to move on.

Look, we're not kids anymore...

...and I'm not gonna do this anymore.
I just thought you should know.

So are you going to France?

The inevitable cliffhanger:
Am I going to France?

Are you?

Look, I am tired of all the drama
in my life right now, Dawson...

...and leaving town makes
the most sense to me, so...

- No, it doesn't.
- Why should I stay?

Is there some new release at the
video store I don't know about?

It's time to grow up, Dawson.

Well, then we'll do it together.

Joey, I can grow up.
Give me a chance.

Even Spielberg outgrew
his Peter Pan syndrome.

I could have told you that
months ago, Dawson.

You did.

Yeah.

Look, Dawson...

...I am so tired of dancing
around these big words.

You know, I just want
to be honest with you.

Me too.

Jo, more than anything,
I just wanna be honest.

Do you think we're ready
for that honesty?

Yeah.

I do.

Are you sure?

Because honesty
is a big word...

...and it changes things,
and it complicates things. It...

Are you sure you're ready
for everything...

...that goes along
with telling the truth?

I'll see you, Dawson.

Joey. Joey.

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