Dawson's Creek (1998–2003): Season 4, Episode 15 - Four Stories - full transcript
Unusual episode about four separate plots told in chronological order rather than concurrently as in previous episodes. "About Last Night": Left behind at the ski lodge, Pacey and Joey are forced to go home by bus where they talk about their sordid night before where he is insecure about his performance and she brings up her own insecurity. "The Big Picture": In Capeside, Dawson is forced to face Mr. Brooks' death by going through his belongings with Gretchen. But soon, Dawson gets surprised to find out that he is Mr. Brooks' will and finds himself with a lot of money in his hands, and no idea of what to do with it. "Excess Baggage": As punishment for breaking into her hotel mini-bar and getting drunk during the class ski trip, Jen is forced to see a psychologist where she can discuss her "inner teen issues." But Jen finds the psychologist, Dr. Tom Frost, to know more about Jen than she does about herself. "Seems Like Old Times": Joey's path with Dawson's collide when they spend an evening catching up on the past weekend and its many happenings. Dawson thinks Joey is different in some way. Here, he asks her the big question: did she or did she not have sex with Pacey during the ski trip? Torn between hurting her best friend by being honest, or lying to him, Joey outright lies and says she didn't sleep with Pacey.
So we're okay with everything?
-Totally and completely.
-Awesome.
But what if we had
gone through with it?
What if l hadn't stopped
our ill-conceived fumblings?
What if l had gotten pregnant,
we had to drop out of school...
...senior year to raise
our illegitimate love child?
Well, then there would come a day...
...where we'd have to sit down
and explain to our said love child...
...that Mom and Dad
can't have sex...
...unless Daddy's thinking about
Ryan Phillippe.
Hey. l mean, don't think l wouldn't be
thinking about him too.
Are there any other delinquent acts
you care to commit...
...before we embark
on our journey home?
No, sir. No.
So, what's it gonna be?
My punishment.
'' Punishment'' is the wrong word,
Miss Lindley.
What l have in mind for you
may just be the chicken soup...
...your soul has been
so obviously crying out for.
But, sir, l mean, they were only,
like, airplane bottle-- What?!
Kudos are in order,
Mr. Valentine.
Your tardy arrival has now put us
off schedule entirely.
What part of ''we leave at 6:30 a.m.
sharp'' were you not listening to?
That's great. But before we continue
this discussion...
-...could we stop at a Starbucks?
-Get on the bus, punk.
Where are Joey Potter
and Pacey Witter?
-Probably off sucking face.
-Tell me about it.
Now l have to look for them,
which is not on the schedule.
-Mr. Kasdan.
-Yes?
Looks like you were right.
lt's disgusting, isn't it?
l was thinking more along the lines
of something that required silverware.
Hey, bus tickets cost money, woman.
And you had me pay
for that call to Gretchen.
So how's coffee and crackers sound?
Lovely.
So....
You tell Bessie?
Tell Bessie what?
Does the word ''duh''
mean anything to you?
About last night.
What exactly was l
supposed to say, Pace?
lf you say that l'm a woman now,
l will vomit on you.
Okay, fine.
Well, what about Gretchen?
Yeah. '' Hey, Gretchen, sorry
we missed the bus back.
By the way, your brother
deflowered me last night. Gotta go.''
Do l strike you as the type of person
who enjoys...
...discussing my boyfriend's
sexual prowess with his siblings?
Okay, point taken.
But let me just pose this hypothetical.
Let's say you enjoyed discussing
your boyfriend's sexual prowess.
What do you think you might say?
About what? About the prowess?
Yeah. About the prowess.
Just when l think you're the antithesis
of the typical male, there you are...
...dragging your knuckles
with the rest of the primates.
Never underestimate
a primate's desire...
...to hear about his abilities
in the sack. Pop-Tart?
Come on.
Pick one.
Pick the other one.
l know it's not the most equal
of exchanges, virginity for chocolate.
l thought l should get you something
to commemorate the event.
lf l had known there were prizes,
l would've asked for a car.
Nothing too expensive. Just, you
know, something to tool around in.
-How about the Witter Wagoneer?
-The Witter Wagoneer?
Do l look like some two-bit floozy
to you?
-No, you don't.
-No?
No. To tell you the truth, l don't think
you've ever looked more beautiful.
You're easy. Because l didn't even
get a chance to shower this morning.
Apparently you didn't
brush your teeth either.
This from the morning-breath monster
himself?
Oh, man, l could do this.
-What?
-This.
The back and forth,
the sweetness and the sarcasm.
l could do this for the rest
of my life, you know?
With you as my partner
in irreverence.
Have you stopped to think that maybe
you're just the first of many, Pace?
Then l guess l have
to be satisfied...
...with being the Neil Armstrong
of the bunch.
Typically when couples
engage in the sort of activity...
...we engaged in last night...
...there's some sort of
morning-after discussion.
-About what?
-Well, it's a bit like...
...a post-game wrap-up.
l see.
You want to know
if you were any good.
Well, l'd really rather know
if it was good for you.
Of course.
You being Pacey Witter...
...friend to woman and all.
Precisely.
lt was very nice.
lt was nice?
Yes.
Just '' nice,'' huh?
What's wrong with nice?
There's nothing wrong
with nice.
There's nothing wrong
with ''great.''
There's nothing offensive about
''mind-blowing'' or ''transcendent.''
Sorry, Pace, l left my thesaurus
at home.
l didn't know l would get
yelled at for my vocabulary.
l'm not too worried
about your vocabulary.
Maybe nice means
everything to me, Pacey.
Maybe nice is all a girl can manage
the morning after her first time...
...because it's not something
l've experienced before...
...so l can't sit here and say
that something is great...
...or mind-blowing
if l have nothing to compare to.
Because there are certain benchmarks
in the sexual experience.
What do you mean?
Certain things happen or don't happen
over the course of the evening--
-Are you asking me if l--?
-Yes!
-Can we please not talk about that?
-Why?
Because it's not important.
lt might not be to you,
but it's really important to me.
This isn't all about you, you know.
You feel insecure?
Do you have any idea what it's like
to be me this morning?
No, l don't understand.
Of course you don't.
Well, maybe you'd like
to enlighten me, then.
Did you ever stop and think
that maybe l might be wondering...
...how l measure up?
How l fit into the picture
that includes...
...not only one but two
prior sexual relationships...
...both of which meant
a great deal to you?
l didn't know girls thought like that.
Does the word ''duh''
mean anything?
Jo, you were great.
-Great?
-Yes, great.
-Which is a lot better than nice.
-But completely beside the point.
Jo, you were great.
You were fantastic.
You were every glowing adjective
under the sun.
l want to tell the world what l did
last night and who l did it with.
You're not planning
on doing that, are you?
-No, but....
-Good.
Why is that good?
Because it's private.
And l really want to keep it that way.
l don't want the whole world
to know about our sex life.
l think l get it.
By ''the whole world,''
what you mean is Dawson.
Why does it have to be about that?
l don't want to hurt him...
-...more than l already have.
-l don't want to hurt him, either. l don't.
But l want to be able to have
sex with my girlfriend whom l adore...
...without having to worry about
the repercussions of him finding out.
Let me ask you one question, Jo:
What would you say to him?
lf he were here right now
and asked, what would you tell him?
Well, l would have to tell him
the truth.
And you'd do that?
Yes, absolutely.
You wanna know something funny?
You haven't touched me.
What?
You haven't touched me
all morning.
And here l was thinking that sex
brought people closer together.
You wanna know why
it was so nice, Pacey?
You probably don't even remember...
...but there was this thing.
There you were, above me,
and you....
You brushed my hair
over my forehead.
lt felt really nice.
Made me feel safe.
Like no matter what,
you were gonna be there...
...and you were gonna
protect me.
Years from now,
when l look back...
...l'm really not gonna remember
the clumsy positioning...
...or the morning-after
awkwardness...
...or whether or not
the experience itself...
...met the textbook definition
of great sex.
l'm gonna remember
how sweet you were.
How you took me
to this brand-new place.
Pace, l'm glad l had sex.
And l'm really glad that
l had sex with you.
But now l really just
kind of wanna go home.
So we can do it again.
lt's gonna get better, l promise.
So, what does Grams want, anyway?
l don't know. She told me
to meet her here.
She said she'd be in the garage.
Prop from one of Arthur's pictures.
Maybe l could use this to keep
my granddaughter in line.
l had no idea he kept
all this stuff.
Oh, he collected all this
over the years.
Sought it out, piece by piece.
No matter what he might have said,
Arthur was fiercely proud...
...of what he accomplished
in his career.
lt was a lovely service, wasn't it?
Yeah, quite a turnout too.
lt was a lovely service, Mrs. Ryan.
How can we help?
Arthur mentioned he didn't want
this stuff collecting dust.
l thought we might
donate it somewhere.
lf you have any suggestions,
Dawson.
What's the point?
Nobody knows he existed.
Maybe there's something you would
like, something to remember him by.
No, let me.
l'm sorry, Dawson.
l know this can't be easy for you.
lt's not. That doesn't give me any right
to be rude. l'm sorry. l apologize.
Oh, there's no need.
Everyone deals with death
in his own way.
Some cry, some pray,
some get angry at the world.
There is no right or wrong.
Why would you want
to be here today?
lt's completely morbid.
Why would anybody...
...want to subject themselves
to this?
Dawson, you and l have lost
a very dear friend...
...and the pain of that loss
isn't going to disappear any time soon.
lt will pass, slowly,
at its own pace...
...and there's precious little
you or l can do about it.
lf there's anything l've learned
at my somewhat-advanced age...
...it's the importance of closure
in the grieving process.
l don't think it's lack of closure
that's bothering me.
What is it, then?
l don't know.
Maybe you should
spend some time with him...
...with his space, with his things...
...find a way to say goodbye.
Maybe that will help you
figure things out.
Look what l found.
''Delia and George by Arthur Brooks.''
This looks like a screenplay.
No, it's not. lt's a play, actually.
lt says 1 949.
He was my age when he wrote this.
'' l'm hopping mad at you,
George.''
Come on. lt'll be fun.
Whatever for, dear?
Because l find you
to be a rather irritating fellow.
Well, is there anything
l can do to make it better?
You might go jump in that lake
over there.
-But that would ruin my suit.
-Which would be a fitting punishment.
For loving a skirt like you?
Funny, l thought l was a dame.
No, my dear, you're a skirt.
Most definitely a skirt.
Sorry, it was in the script.
Damn. l thought you
were improvising.
That was sweet.
Brooks was sweet.
Yeah.
Yeah, he was. Once upon a time,
before he gave up.
Five people showed up
for his funeral.
Five. You, me, my parents
and Grams.
Which means three of the people
barely knew him.
lf l hadn't crashed his boat...
...nobody would have showed up.
l'm sorry, l find that pathetic.
l don't think Mr. Brooks
needs your pity, Dawson.
This is a guy who saw
his wildest dreams come true.
That's a lot more
than most of us get.
Yeah, and this is what
he has to show for it?
-What do you mean?
-Look around you. This is it.
This-- l mean,
this is an entire life.
lt all comes down to this.
Stuff. A garage full of stuff.
Now you sound like him.
Which is exactly what scares me.
Because at some point he decided
it was easier to stop caring.
By the time he woke up,
it was too late.
What's to prevent us
from ending up like that?
That's not you, Dawson.
-That would never be you.
-You don't know that.
l mean, how can you be sure?
l lost the girl, just like he did.
Yeah, and you picked yourself up,
you dusted yourself off...
...and you took a chance.
Look, so what if he screwed up,
you know?
So what if he was a coward
for more years than he was a hero?
ln the end, he got it right.
Do you know when l realized
my feelings for you...
...were more than platonic?
lt was that stupid movie.
-What movie?
-The one we watched in your room.
Turn Away My Sweet.
Watching you watch that movie...
...seeing you come alive in a way
l've never seen you before.
ln that moment l knew l wanted
to be part of your life...
...in this bigger and better way.
l mean, in some weird way, Dawson,
Mr. Brooks brought us together.
l like you.
-Oh, God. Why?
-Because you're smart, you're funny...
...and you always know what to say
to make me feel better.
You're beautiful. Beautiful
in a way that makes me remember...
...old-time movie stars
like the ones in Brooks' movies.
All style and grace.
Plus, you smell good.
-l do?
-Yeah, not in a perfume-y way...
...but in a really
'' pretty girl'' kind of way.
You have no idea what
you're doing, do you?
-No.
-Good, keep it that way.
The second you become aware
of how charming you are...
...you're gonna use your powers
for evil.
-Gretchen, would you mind...?
-You wanna be alone.
-How'd you know?
-Because l'm an awesome girlfriend.
-Make that an awesome skirt.
-l like that.
-l'll be outside.
-Okay.
-Just do me a favour.
-What?
When you remember Brooks...
...remember that great big
thumping heart of his.
Remember how sweet
he was to Grams.
Remember when he saw
us under the mistletoe, he told you to:
''Quit flirting and kiss her already.''
Remember that guy, Dawson.
Dawson? Dawson Leery?
-Can l help you?
-Oh, l'm sorry to bother you.
The young lady outside
told me l could find you in here.
l'm Patrick Felker.
l'm handling the Arthur Brooks estate.
-Nice to meet you.
-My pleasure.
l was hoping that you'd
come by my office this afternoon.
-What for?
-lt's regarding Mr. Brooks' will.
-What does that have to do with me?
-Well, why don't you drop by...
...and we'll talk.
Okay.
So who was this guy anyway?
-What do you mean?
-l don't know....
-Was he a movie star or something?
-No, he was a....
He was a pain in the ass.
To be honest with you, he was a....
A grumpy, misanthropic,
smarter-than-thou pain in the ass.
Barely a kind word for anybody
who ever crossed his path.
But he was a....
He was a friend of mine...
...and l'm gonna miss him.
Yeah, well, this afternoon then.
Okay.
-Hi.
-Jennifer?
Yes, Jen.
-Tom Frost.
-Nice to meet you.
Oh, yeah.
l apologize for the mess.
Yeah, you might want
to work on it.
Have a seat.
l take it you've never been
in therapy.
You take it right.
Which is actually surprising,
given my sordid history.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Oh, this is weird.
-So how are you today?
-Fine.
Anything else you'd like to know?
Why don't we talk
about why you're here.
Do we have to?
Why do you think
you need to be here?
Actually l don't think
l need to be here.
-Then why are you?
-l'm sure they told you.
Well, from what l understand, there
have been some disciplinary issues.
All right. See,
l was on this ski trip...
...and a teacher caught me
throwing away empty liquor bottles.
-So you were drinking?
-Yeah.
-ls that bad?
-Depends why you were doing it.
l had just been through this really
big ordeal with my best friend, Jack.
We'd almost slept together...
...but l had put the kibosh on it,
which is good...
...because he's a homosexual,
which is....
lt's not healthy.
Not him being a homosexual...
...but sleeping with a homosexual.
l keep saying '' homosexual.''
l sound like my grandmother. Gay.
Gay. Gay.
You could be gay. Are you gay?
ls that important to you?
Just making conversation.
-Why do you think you drink?
-Well, l don't usually.
-But you do sometimes?
-Yeah, sure.
Sometimes. Not like l'm an alcoholic.
-But you like to drink?
-Yeah, who doesn't?
Okay, what are you writing?
l'm taking notes.
-Do l get a copy?
-No.
-How long do these things go for?
-Fifty minutes.
-Give or take?
-Precisely.
What happens if we dig up
some real juicy stuff?
-That's what next week is for.
-Excuse me, that seems kind of cold.
-What do you do with the 1 0 minutes?
-l rest up for the next patient.
Wait a minute. You rest?
Well, excuse me...
...but you don't seem to be
exerting yourself that much.
-Where'd you go to school?
-Why is that important to you?
Well, it's not, really. Actually,
it's not really important to me at all.
l'm just curious.
High school senior.
College on the brain.
You don't want to answer...
...it's fine with me.
Oh, Boston.
l think that's kind of crooked.
Why don't l fix it for you?
l don't want you breaking out
in a rash.
Oh, my God! Oh, shoot!
Oh, my God, l'm so sorry.
lt's okay. lt's okay, Jennifer.
-l'll take care of it later. Leave it.
-l really apologize.
Leave it.
You know, you're a lot younger
than l thought you would be.
How old are you?
l know. ''Why is it important to me?''
Forget l asked.
-Why don't we talk about your parents.
-Oh, yeah.
l was a bit of a wild child...
...so my parents, they shipped me off
to live with my grandmother.
-How's that been for you?
-Fine. Fine...
...but crappy.
But l'm over it, honestly.
l've dealt with this stuff and....
So my parents are less than perfect.
What am l gonna do?
l've got my grandmother,
my friends.
They help me through
all the rough spots.
l'm gonna be honest with you.
l don't think l'm a person
that benefits from therapy.
l feel as though
l'm relatively self-aware.
Yes, well, teenagers often confuse
knowledge with wisdom.
-What's that mean?
-What do you think?
You think l'm stupid.
-ls that what you heard me say?
-Yeah.
Well, l'm sorry if you feel like
l've offended you.
Whatever.
-Busted.
-Excuse me?
l saw you look at the clock.
Am l boring you?
-Of course not.
-lf l'm boring you, let me know.
You know what?
-This is not gonna work out.
-What do you mean?
l mean that we're not
a very good match for each other.
You're not a warm person.
ls that the relationship
you expect from your therapist?
What we're trying
to do is based around talking.
-You're not very easy to talk to.
-That's something we need to work on.
No, that's something
that you should work on.
Perhaps.
-Wow, a victory.
-ls that important to you?
-To win?
-l knew that was coming.
You didn't answer my question.
There's just another more irritating
one looming on the horizon.
You should go.
And l'd like to, but l can't.
Of course you can. l'll tell your school
that you fulfilled the requirement.
-Really, you're gonna do that?
-Absolutely.
All right then.
lt was good to meet you, Jennifer.
Nice meeting you too.
Okay, l'm just gonna ask.
Am l totally screwed up?
lt's probably too early
for me to guess.
-Take care.
-But were l to hazard one, l'd say...
...the smart, sarcastic exterior masks
a scared, lonely young woman...
...whose relationship with her parents
has scarred her in many ways.
She has a hard time trusting people,
men, especially. Who can blame her?
When parental ties are severed
it can send a person searching...
...for love and acceptance
in destructive ways...
...which may explain your relationship
with drugs, alcohol and a best friend...
...whose sexuality prevents him from
ever fully returning your affections.
But all that is really
just dime-store psychobabble.
Truth is, we don't really
know why you're here yet.
But l would love
to help you find out.
You got me for the hour.
l'm not promising anything.
And don't think l didn't catch that
reverse psychology you just pulled.
Why don't we start with your friends.
Okay. Friends.
Well, l guess it really just started
about two years ago.
lt was the day before my first day
of my sophomore year...
...and l'd just moved
from New York City and....
l don't know, l got out of the cab
and there they were.
They were right in the middle
of making this movie....
Dawson?
-Joey.
-What are you doing here?
l just kind of felt like getting lost
in a crowd, l guess.
What about you?
l guess l had
the same impulse.
Look, l'm so sorry
about everything.
Yeah, thanks.
These past few days
have sucked...
...in ways l didn't know
were possible.
-But, hey, how was the ski trip?
-Oh, you know, it was fine.
Did l miss anything exciting?
Jen bruised her foot.
Well, as Brooks was fond of saying,
'' l'll alert the media.''
You and Pacey have fun?
Yeah. Like l said, you know...
-...everything was fine.
-Good. Good.
Shall we?
-Dawson--
-Yeah, what?
-Never mind.
-No, what were you gonna say?
Would you rather maybe
go someplace and talk?
Yeah, l would like that.
Me too.
Can l tell you something?
lt's not a secret...
...but l haven't told anybody else yet.
Of course.
Mr. Brooks put me in his will.
Really?
-Does that mean--?
-That he left me money?
-Yeah.
-You're kidding me.
-l couldn't be kidding you less.
-What are you gonna do with it?
Well, apparently, l have to do
something great with it.
The proviso in his will reads,
and l quote:
'' Mr. Leery, this is the money
with which one achieves greatness...
...so don't go blowing it
on women and booze.
But should that be your choice, make
sure it's great women and booze.''
Well, no pressure there.
l mean, l guess l could...
...pay my entire college tuition.
You could make a movie.
Yeah, l could.
lt feels weird thinking about
how l'd spend it, though.
-lt'd be one thing if l'd won the lottery.
-l understand.
What?
You seem different.
-l do?
-Yeah.
You look different too.
ls it your hair or something?
-No. No.
-lt's not bad different...
...it's good different, it's just....
l don't know.
You wanna get out of here?
Sure.
-The last time we were here....
-Was a very different time.
And to think we thought things
were complicated then.
Oh, boy.
Little did we know, huh?
-Dawson, l'm really sorry.
-Jo....
lt's okay.
-l've dealt with it from every angle.
-No, not about that.
l should've been there
for you this weekend.
lt's okay. Please,
don't worry about it, really.
Dawson.
You've been in hell
the last three days...
...and l should have
been there...
...giving you everything
that you've given me.
Where was l?
lt's just....
l've made some big choices...
...and some big decisions...
...and sometimes l feel like l'm gonna
wake up one day and realize that...
...all there ever really was
was friendship.
And if l wasn't any good at that...
...then where does that leave me?
Jo, you're not a bad friend.
l don't get to say it much anymore...
...but you're my best friend.
You always were.
No matter where you are...
...no matter where life may take you,
and no matter who you're with....
You'll always have
a piece of my heart.
Something like that.
Yeah.
-Doesn't have to be a huge piece.
-No.
-Not a huge piece.
-Just, you know.
-Just enough.
-A tiny piece.
Yeah, you're funny.
Joey, this is your coffee.
More sugar with a little bit
of coffee mixed in.
Well, l....
l guess this is good night.
lt may sound silly,
but thank you for a lovely night.
-Yeah, we'll have to do it again.
-Yeah.
-Good night.
-Good night, Jo.
-Dawson--
-Joey--
-You first.
-No. You first.
Did something happen
on the ski trip?
-What do you mean?
-Well, l have this feeling...
...this kind of unshakable feeling
that something happened.
lt's just a feeling and you don't have
to answer if you don't want to, but....
What are you asking me?
l'm asking you if you slept
with Pacey.
-lt's kind of personal, don't you think?
-lt's really personal.
What if l was to stand here and ask
you if you've slept with Gretchen?
The answer would be no.
But you're right, it's very personal...
...and it's none of my business,
and l apologize.
-l'm sorry.
-Okay.
You know, Jo, l guess l just....
l want you to know that
l'm not holding in anything...
...that we might have said
in the past.
Okay? l mean....
l want you to live your life
and be happy...
...and enjoy everything that
goes along with that.
And sometimes you make a promise
and you mean it at the time...
...but then life gets in the way...
...and it makes it impossible to keep.
A couple years ago,
if someone were to tell me...
...that we'd be standing here
having this conversation...
...l would have referred them
to the nearest asylum.
But things aren't turning out the way
that l necessarily thought they would.
A couple years ago, if you would've
asked me who the first person...
...l was going to have sex with was...
...l would've answered
unequivocally:
'' Dawson Leery, that's who.''
The possibility of sleeping
with anybody else...
...never even occurred to me.
Especially not Pacey.
So, what are you saying, Jo?
No.
l have not slept with Pacey.
You....
l'm sorry, that was a sigh of relief
you just heard.
Well, good night.
Good night, Jo.
-Totally and completely.
-Awesome.
But what if we had
gone through with it?
What if l hadn't stopped
our ill-conceived fumblings?
What if l had gotten pregnant,
we had to drop out of school...
...senior year to raise
our illegitimate love child?
Well, then there would come a day...
...where we'd have to sit down
and explain to our said love child...
...that Mom and Dad
can't have sex...
...unless Daddy's thinking about
Ryan Phillippe.
Hey. l mean, don't think l wouldn't be
thinking about him too.
Are there any other delinquent acts
you care to commit...
...before we embark
on our journey home?
No, sir. No.
So, what's it gonna be?
My punishment.
'' Punishment'' is the wrong word,
Miss Lindley.
What l have in mind for you
may just be the chicken soup...
...your soul has been
so obviously crying out for.
But, sir, l mean, they were only,
like, airplane bottle-- What?!
Kudos are in order,
Mr. Valentine.
Your tardy arrival has now put us
off schedule entirely.
What part of ''we leave at 6:30 a.m.
sharp'' were you not listening to?
That's great. But before we continue
this discussion...
-...could we stop at a Starbucks?
-Get on the bus, punk.
Where are Joey Potter
and Pacey Witter?
-Probably off sucking face.
-Tell me about it.
Now l have to look for them,
which is not on the schedule.
-Mr. Kasdan.
-Yes?
Looks like you were right.
lt's disgusting, isn't it?
l was thinking more along the lines
of something that required silverware.
Hey, bus tickets cost money, woman.
And you had me pay
for that call to Gretchen.
So how's coffee and crackers sound?
Lovely.
So....
You tell Bessie?
Tell Bessie what?
Does the word ''duh''
mean anything to you?
About last night.
What exactly was l
supposed to say, Pace?
lf you say that l'm a woman now,
l will vomit on you.
Okay, fine.
Well, what about Gretchen?
Yeah. '' Hey, Gretchen, sorry
we missed the bus back.
By the way, your brother
deflowered me last night. Gotta go.''
Do l strike you as the type of person
who enjoys...
...discussing my boyfriend's
sexual prowess with his siblings?
Okay, point taken.
But let me just pose this hypothetical.
Let's say you enjoyed discussing
your boyfriend's sexual prowess.
What do you think you might say?
About what? About the prowess?
Yeah. About the prowess.
Just when l think you're the antithesis
of the typical male, there you are...
...dragging your knuckles
with the rest of the primates.
Never underestimate
a primate's desire...
...to hear about his abilities
in the sack. Pop-Tart?
Come on.
Pick one.
Pick the other one.
l know it's not the most equal
of exchanges, virginity for chocolate.
l thought l should get you something
to commemorate the event.
lf l had known there were prizes,
l would've asked for a car.
Nothing too expensive. Just, you
know, something to tool around in.
-How about the Witter Wagoneer?
-The Witter Wagoneer?
Do l look like some two-bit floozy
to you?
-No, you don't.
-No?
No. To tell you the truth, l don't think
you've ever looked more beautiful.
You're easy. Because l didn't even
get a chance to shower this morning.
Apparently you didn't
brush your teeth either.
This from the morning-breath monster
himself?
Oh, man, l could do this.
-What?
-This.
The back and forth,
the sweetness and the sarcasm.
l could do this for the rest
of my life, you know?
With you as my partner
in irreverence.
Have you stopped to think that maybe
you're just the first of many, Pace?
Then l guess l have
to be satisfied...
...with being the Neil Armstrong
of the bunch.
Typically when couples
engage in the sort of activity...
...we engaged in last night...
...there's some sort of
morning-after discussion.
-About what?
-Well, it's a bit like...
...a post-game wrap-up.
l see.
You want to know
if you were any good.
Well, l'd really rather know
if it was good for you.
Of course.
You being Pacey Witter...
...friend to woman and all.
Precisely.
lt was very nice.
lt was nice?
Yes.
Just '' nice,'' huh?
What's wrong with nice?
There's nothing wrong
with nice.
There's nothing wrong
with ''great.''
There's nothing offensive about
''mind-blowing'' or ''transcendent.''
Sorry, Pace, l left my thesaurus
at home.
l didn't know l would get
yelled at for my vocabulary.
l'm not too worried
about your vocabulary.
Maybe nice means
everything to me, Pacey.
Maybe nice is all a girl can manage
the morning after her first time...
...because it's not something
l've experienced before...
...so l can't sit here and say
that something is great...
...or mind-blowing
if l have nothing to compare to.
Because there are certain benchmarks
in the sexual experience.
What do you mean?
Certain things happen or don't happen
over the course of the evening--
-Are you asking me if l--?
-Yes!
-Can we please not talk about that?
-Why?
Because it's not important.
lt might not be to you,
but it's really important to me.
This isn't all about you, you know.
You feel insecure?
Do you have any idea what it's like
to be me this morning?
No, l don't understand.
Of course you don't.
Well, maybe you'd like
to enlighten me, then.
Did you ever stop and think
that maybe l might be wondering...
...how l measure up?
How l fit into the picture
that includes...
...not only one but two
prior sexual relationships...
...both of which meant
a great deal to you?
l didn't know girls thought like that.
Does the word ''duh''
mean anything?
Jo, you were great.
-Great?
-Yes, great.
-Which is a lot better than nice.
-But completely beside the point.
Jo, you were great.
You were fantastic.
You were every glowing adjective
under the sun.
l want to tell the world what l did
last night and who l did it with.
You're not planning
on doing that, are you?
-No, but....
-Good.
Why is that good?
Because it's private.
And l really want to keep it that way.
l don't want the whole world
to know about our sex life.
l think l get it.
By ''the whole world,''
what you mean is Dawson.
Why does it have to be about that?
l don't want to hurt him...
-...more than l already have.
-l don't want to hurt him, either. l don't.
But l want to be able to have
sex with my girlfriend whom l adore...
...without having to worry about
the repercussions of him finding out.
Let me ask you one question, Jo:
What would you say to him?
lf he were here right now
and asked, what would you tell him?
Well, l would have to tell him
the truth.
And you'd do that?
Yes, absolutely.
You wanna know something funny?
You haven't touched me.
What?
You haven't touched me
all morning.
And here l was thinking that sex
brought people closer together.
You wanna know why
it was so nice, Pacey?
You probably don't even remember...
...but there was this thing.
There you were, above me,
and you....
You brushed my hair
over my forehead.
lt felt really nice.
Made me feel safe.
Like no matter what,
you were gonna be there...
...and you were gonna
protect me.
Years from now,
when l look back...
...l'm really not gonna remember
the clumsy positioning...
...or the morning-after
awkwardness...
...or whether or not
the experience itself...
...met the textbook definition
of great sex.
l'm gonna remember
how sweet you were.
How you took me
to this brand-new place.
Pace, l'm glad l had sex.
And l'm really glad that
l had sex with you.
But now l really just
kind of wanna go home.
So we can do it again.
lt's gonna get better, l promise.
So, what does Grams want, anyway?
l don't know. She told me
to meet her here.
She said she'd be in the garage.
Prop from one of Arthur's pictures.
Maybe l could use this to keep
my granddaughter in line.
l had no idea he kept
all this stuff.
Oh, he collected all this
over the years.
Sought it out, piece by piece.
No matter what he might have said,
Arthur was fiercely proud...
...of what he accomplished
in his career.
lt was a lovely service, wasn't it?
Yeah, quite a turnout too.
lt was a lovely service, Mrs. Ryan.
How can we help?
Arthur mentioned he didn't want
this stuff collecting dust.
l thought we might
donate it somewhere.
lf you have any suggestions,
Dawson.
What's the point?
Nobody knows he existed.
Maybe there's something you would
like, something to remember him by.
No, let me.
l'm sorry, Dawson.
l know this can't be easy for you.
lt's not. That doesn't give me any right
to be rude. l'm sorry. l apologize.
Oh, there's no need.
Everyone deals with death
in his own way.
Some cry, some pray,
some get angry at the world.
There is no right or wrong.
Why would you want
to be here today?
lt's completely morbid.
Why would anybody...
...want to subject themselves
to this?
Dawson, you and l have lost
a very dear friend...
...and the pain of that loss
isn't going to disappear any time soon.
lt will pass, slowly,
at its own pace...
...and there's precious little
you or l can do about it.
lf there's anything l've learned
at my somewhat-advanced age...
...it's the importance of closure
in the grieving process.
l don't think it's lack of closure
that's bothering me.
What is it, then?
l don't know.
Maybe you should
spend some time with him...
...with his space, with his things...
...find a way to say goodbye.
Maybe that will help you
figure things out.
Look what l found.
''Delia and George by Arthur Brooks.''
This looks like a screenplay.
No, it's not. lt's a play, actually.
lt says 1 949.
He was my age when he wrote this.
'' l'm hopping mad at you,
George.''
Come on. lt'll be fun.
Whatever for, dear?
Because l find you
to be a rather irritating fellow.
Well, is there anything
l can do to make it better?
You might go jump in that lake
over there.
-But that would ruin my suit.
-Which would be a fitting punishment.
For loving a skirt like you?
Funny, l thought l was a dame.
No, my dear, you're a skirt.
Most definitely a skirt.
Sorry, it was in the script.
Damn. l thought you
were improvising.
That was sweet.
Brooks was sweet.
Yeah.
Yeah, he was. Once upon a time,
before he gave up.
Five people showed up
for his funeral.
Five. You, me, my parents
and Grams.
Which means three of the people
barely knew him.
lf l hadn't crashed his boat...
...nobody would have showed up.
l'm sorry, l find that pathetic.
l don't think Mr. Brooks
needs your pity, Dawson.
This is a guy who saw
his wildest dreams come true.
That's a lot more
than most of us get.
Yeah, and this is what
he has to show for it?
-What do you mean?
-Look around you. This is it.
This-- l mean,
this is an entire life.
lt all comes down to this.
Stuff. A garage full of stuff.
Now you sound like him.
Which is exactly what scares me.
Because at some point he decided
it was easier to stop caring.
By the time he woke up,
it was too late.
What's to prevent us
from ending up like that?
That's not you, Dawson.
-That would never be you.
-You don't know that.
l mean, how can you be sure?
l lost the girl, just like he did.
Yeah, and you picked yourself up,
you dusted yourself off...
...and you took a chance.
Look, so what if he screwed up,
you know?
So what if he was a coward
for more years than he was a hero?
ln the end, he got it right.
Do you know when l realized
my feelings for you...
...were more than platonic?
lt was that stupid movie.
-What movie?
-The one we watched in your room.
Turn Away My Sweet.
Watching you watch that movie...
...seeing you come alive in a way
l've never seen you before.
ln that moment l knew l wanted
to be part of your life...
...in this bigger and better way.
l mean, in some weird way, Dawson,
Mr. Brooks brought us together.
l like you.
-Oh, God. Why?
-Because you're smart, you're funny...
...and you always know what to say
to make me feel better.
You're beautiful. Beautiful
in a way that makes me remember...
...old-time movie stars
like the ones in Brooks' movies.
All style and grace.
Plus, you smell good.
-l do?
-Yeah, not in a perfume-y way...
...but in a really
'' pretty girl'' kind of way.
You have no idea what
you're doing, do you?
-No.
-Good, keep it that way.
The second you become aware
of how charming you are...
...you're gonna use your powers
for evil.
-Gretchen, would you mind...?
-You wanna be alone.
-How'd you know?
-Because l'm an awesome girlfriend.
-Make that an awesome skirt.
-l like that.
-l'll be outside.
-Okay.
-Just do me a favour.
-What?
When you remember Brooks...
...remember that great big
thumping heart of his.
Remember how sweet
he was to Grams.
Remember when he saw
us under the mistletoe, he told you to:
''Quit flirting and kiss her already.''
Remember that guy, Dawson.
Dawson? Dawson Leery?
-Can l help you?
-Oh, l'm sorry to bother you.
The young lady outside
told me l could find you in here.
l'm Patrick Felker.
l'm handling the Arthur Brooks estate.
-Nice to meet you.
-My pleasure.
l was hoping that you'd
come by my office this afternoon.
-What for?
-lt's regarding Mr. Brooks' will.
-What does that have to do with me?
-Well, why don't you drop by...
...and we'll talk.
Okay.
So who was this guy anyway?
-What do you mean?
-l don't know....
-Was he a movie star or something?
-No, he was a....
He was a pain in the ass.
To be honest with you, he was a....
A grumpy, misanthropic,
smarter-than-thou pain in the ass.
Barely a kind word for anybody
who ever crossed his path.
But he was a....
He was a friend of mine...
...and l'm gonna miss him.
Yeah, well, this afternoon then.
Okay.
-Hi.
-Jennifer?
Yes, Jen.
-Tom Frost.
-Nice to meet you.
Oh, yeah.
l apologize for the mess.
Yeah, you might want
to work on it.
Have a seat.
l take it you've never been
in therapy.
You take it right.
Which is actually surprising,
given my sordid history.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Oh, this is weird.
-So how are you today?
-Fine.
Anything else you'd like to know?
Why don't we talk
about why you're here.
Do we have to?
Why do you think
you need to be here?
Actually l don't think
l need to be here.
-Then why are you?
-l'm sure they told you.
Well, from what l understand, there
have been some disciplinary issues.
All right. See,
l was on this ski trip...
...and a teacher caught me
throwing away empty liquor bottles.
-So you were drinking?
-Yeah.
-ls that bad?
-Depends why you were doing it.
l had just been through this really
big ordeal with my best friend, Jack.
We'd almost slept together...
...but l had put the kibosh on it,
which is good...
...because he's a homosexual,
which is....
lt's not healthy.
Not him being a homosexual...
...but sleeping with a homosexual.
l keep saying '' homosexual.''
l sound like my grandmother. Gay.
Gay. Gay.
You could be gay. Are you gay?
ls that important to you?
Just making conversation.
-Why do you think you drink?
-Well, l don't usually.
-But you do sometimes?
-Yeah, sure.
Sometimes. Not like l'm an alcoholic.
-But you like to drink?
-Yeah, who doesn't?
Okay, what are you writing?
l'm taking notes.
-Do l get a copy?
-No.
-How long do these things go for?
-Fifty minutes.
-Give or take?
-Precisely.
What happens if we dig up
some real juicy stuff?
-That's what next week is for.
-Excuse me, that seems kind of cold.
-What do you do with the 1 0 minutes?
-l rest up for the next patient.
Wait a minute. You rest?
Well, excuse me...
...but you don't seem to be
exerting yourself that much.
-Where'd you go to school?
-Why is that important to you?
Well, it's not, really. Actually,
it's not really important to me at all.
l'm just curious.
High school senior.
College on the brain.
You don't want to answer...
...it's fine with me.
Oh, Boston.
l think that's kind of crooked.
Why don't l fix it for you?
l don't want you breaking out
in a rash.
Oh, my God! Oh, shoot!
Oh, my God, l'm so sorry.
lt's okay. lt's okay, Jennifer.
-l'll take care of it later. Leave it.
-l really apologize.
Leave it.
You know, you're a lot younger
than l thought you would be.
How old are you?
l know. ''Why is it important to me?''
Forget l asked.
-Why don't we talk about your parents.
-Oh, yeah.
l was a bit of a wild child...
...so my parents, they shipped me off
to live with my grandmother.
-How's that been for you?
-Fine. Fine...
...but crappy.
But l'm over it, honestly.
l've dealt with this stuff and....
So my parents are less than perfect.
What am l gonna do?
l've got my grandmother,
my friends.
They help me through
all the rough spots.
l'm gonna be honest with you.
l don't think l'm a person
that benefits from therapy.
l feel as though
l'm relatively self-aware.
Yes, well, teenagers often confuse
knowledge with wisdom.
-What's that mean?
-What do you think?
You think l'm stupid.
-ls that what you heard me say?
-Yeah.
Well, l'm sorry if you feel like
l've offended you.
Whatever.
-Busted.
-Excuse me?
l saw you look at the clock.
Am l boring you?
-Of course not.
-lf l'm boring you, let me know.
You know what?
-This is not gonna work out.
-What do you mean?
l mean that we're not
a very good match for each other.
You're not a warm person.
ls that the relationship
you expect from your therapist?
What we're trying
to do is based around talking.
-You're not very easy to talk to.
-That's something we need to work on.
No, that's something
that you should work on.
Perhaps.
-Wow, a victory.
-ls that important to you?
-To win?
-l knew that was coming.
You didn't answer my question.
There's just another more irritating
one looming on the horizon.
You should go.
And l'd like to, but l can't.
Of course you can. l'll tell your school
that you fulfilled the requirement.
-Really, you're gonna do that?
-Absolutely.
All right then.
lt was good to meet you, Jennifer.
Nice meeting you too.
Okay, l'm just gonna ask.
Am l totally screwed up?
lt's probably too early
for me to guess.
-Take care.
-But were l to hazard one, l'd say...
...the smart, sarcastic exterior masks
a scared, lonely young woman...
...whose relationship with her parents
has scarred her in many ways.
She has a hard time trusting people,
men, especially. Who can blame her?
When parental ties are severed
it can send a person searching...
...for love and acceptance
in destructive ways...
...which may explain your relationship
with drugs, alcohol and a best friend...
...whose sexuality prevents him from
ever fully returning your affections.
But all that is really
just dime-store psychobabble.
Truth is, we don't really
know why you're here yet.
But l would love
to help you find out.
You got me for the hour.
l'm not promising anything.
And don't think l didn't catch that
reverse psychology you just pulled.
Why don't we start with your friends.
Okay. Friends.
Well, l guess it really just started
about two years ago.
lt was the day before my first day
of my sophomore year...
...and l'd just moved
from New York City and....
l don't know, l got out of the cab
and there they were.
They were right in the middle
of making this movie....
Dawson?
-Joey.
-What are you doing here?
l just kind of felt like getting lost
in a crowd, l guess.
What about you?
l guess l had
the same impulse.
Look, l'm so sorry
about everything.
Yeah, thanks.
These past few days
have sucked...
...in ways l didn't know
were possible.
-But, hey, how was the ski trip?
-Oh, you know, it was fine.
Did l miss anything exciting?
Jen bruised her foot.
Well, as Brooks was fond of saying,
'' l'll alert the media.''
You and Pacey have fun?
Yeah. Like l said, you know...
-...everything was fine.
-Good. Good.
Shall we?
-Dawson--
-Yeah, what?
-Never mind.
-No, what were you gonna say?
Would you rather maybe
go someplace and talk?
Yeah, l would like that.
Me too.
Can l tell you something?
lt's not a secret...
...but l haven't told anybody else yet.
Of course.
Mr. Brooks put me in his will.
Really?
-Does that mean--?
-That he left me money?
-Yeah.
-You're kidding me.
-l couldn't be kidding you less.
-What are you gonna do with it?
Well, apparently, l have to do
something great with it.
The proviso in his will reads,
and l quote:
'' Mr. Leery, this is the money
with which one achieves greatness...
...so don't go blowing it
on women and booze.
But should that be your choice, make
sure it's great women and booze.''
Well, no pressure there.
l mean, l guess l could...
...pay my entire college tuition.
You could make a movie.
Yeah, l could.
lt feels weird thinking about
how l'd spend it, though.
-lt'd be one thing if l'd won the lottery.
-l understand.
What?
You seem different.
-l do?
-Yeah.
You look different too.
ls it your hair or something?
-No. No.
-lt's not bad different...
...it's good different, it's just....
l don't know.
You wanna get out of here?
Sure.
-The last time we were here....
-Was a very different time.
And to think we thought things
were complicated then.
Oh, boy.
Little did we know, huh?
-Dawson, l'm really sorry.
-Jo....
lt's okay.
-l've dealt with it from every angle.
-No, not about that.
l should've been there
for you this weekend.
lt's okay. Please,
don't worry about it, really.
Dawson.
You've been in hell
the last three days...
...and l should have
been there...
...giving you everything
that you've given me.
Where was l?
lt's just....
l've made some big choices...
...and some big decisions...
...and sometimes l feel like l'm gonna
wake up one day and realize that...
...all there ever really was
was friendship.
And if l wasn't any good at that...
...then where does that leave me?
Jo, you're not a bad friend.
l don't get to say it much anymore...
...but you're my best friend.
You always were.
No matter where you are...
...no matter where life may take you,
and no matter who you're with....
You'll always have
a piece of my heart.
Something like that.
Yeah.
-Doesn't have to be a huge piece.
-No.
-Not a huge piece.
-Just, you know.
-Just enough.
-A tiny piece.
Yeah, you're funny.
Joey, this is your coffee.
More sugar with a little bit
of coffee mixed in.
Well, l....
l guess this is good night.
lt may sound silly,
but thank you for a lovely night.
-Yeah, we'll have to do it again.
-Yeah.
-Good night.
-Good night, Jo.
-Dawson--
-Joey--
-You first.
-No. You first.
Did something happen
on the ski trip?
-What do you mean?
-Well, l have this feeling...
...this kind of unshakable feeling
that something happened.
lt's just a feeling and you don't have
to answer if you don't want to, but....
What are you asking me?
l'm asking you if you slept
with Pacey.
-lt's kind of personal, don't you think?
-lt's really personal.
What if l was to stand here and ask
you if you've slept with Gretchen?
The answer would be no.
But you're right, it's very personal...
...and it's none of my business,
and l apologize.
-l'm sorry.
-Okay.
You know, Jo, l guess l just....
l want you to know that
l'm not holding in anything...
...that we might have said
in the past.
Okay? l mean....
l want you to live your life
and be happy...
...and enjoy everything that
goes along with that.
And sometimes you make a promise
and you mean it at the time...
...but then life gets in the way...
...and it makes it impossible to keep.
A couple years ago,
if someone were to tell me...
...that we'd be standing here
having this conversation...
...l would have referred them
to the nearest asylum.
But things aren't turning out the way
that l necessarily thought they would.
A couple years ago, if you would've
asked me who the first person...
...l was going to have sex with was...
...l would've answered
unequivocally:
'' Dawson Leery, that's who.''
The possibility of sleeping
with anybody else...
...never even occurred to me.
Especially not Pacey.
So, what are you saying, Jo?
No.
l have not slept with Pacey.
You....
l'm sorry, that was a sigh of relief
you just heard.
Well, good night.
Good night, Jo.