THE ROAD BACK

Part VII

Written By: LeeryAndPotter at LeeryAndPotter@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jen, Andie, and Jack property of Kevin Williamson and the WB network. I don’t own them, so please don’t sue. Angel is owned by Joss Whedon.

Category: D/J, with a little bit of P/A.

Rating: PG-13, basically, if you can watch the show, you can read this.

Spoilers: Dawson and Joey are stuck looking after Leery’s Fresh Fish by themselves, until a mysterious stranger arrives, saying he wants to help them. Meanwhile, Pacey’s and Andie’s families clash, leading to a big change in Pacey’s life. Plus, why is Jen so upset.

Editors Note: You know what, Katie Holmes’ co-stars seem to become superheroes at one time or another. John Westly Shipp(Mitch from Dawson’s Creek) was the Flash. James Marsden from ‘Disturbing Behavior’ was Cyclops in the ‘X-Men’ movie. And Toby Maguire(‘The Ice Storm’ and ‘Wonder Boys’) has just been casted as ‘Spider-Man’. Katie Homes hangs with superheroes. I know, I have too much free time.   Episode # 407 The Perfect Storm

Cut to Dawson’s room. Joey and Dawson are watching ‘Twister’ on the television.

JOEY: Tell me, why are we watching this?

DAWSON: Because there’s nothing else on.

JOEY: Dawson, if your video collection were any bigger, you could put Screenplay out of business. Besides, I hate storms.

Dawson shuts it off. DAWSON: Yeah, me too to tell you the truth. Joey looks at him, confused. JOEY: Since when did you become afraid of the weather? DAWSON: I’m not afraid of them, I just hate them.

JOEY: Why?

DAWSON: Remember Hurricane Chris, as a matter of fact it was the last time we saw this movie.

Joey looks solemn.

JOEY: Yeah, the whole thing with your parents. Geez, that sure seems like it was a long time ago.

DAWSON: Yeah, so much has happened since then. I mean, my parents got divorced, then got back together. Jen’s now one of your best friends. We met Andie and Jack. And I’m not even going to start on all the identity crisis’s that our little group’s been through.

Joey chuckles.

JOEY: You’ve got to admit, Dawson. Weird stuff seems to happen to us when the weather changes.

THEME SONG STARTS

DAWSON: I thought you said that was the full moon?

JOEY: What’s with the whole ‘reliving the past’ thing you’ve got going here. Next thing you know, you’re going to want us to go into your closet and play ‘Jaws’ again.

DAWSON: Joey, are you trying to lure me into the closet with you?

Joey looks shocked, then pretends to choke Dawson.

DAWSON: It was a joke! It was a joke!

CREDITS BEGIN

Cut to Capeside High. Andie is at her locker, putting books away, when a pair of hands go over her eyes. PACEY: Guess who?

ANDIE: Don’t worry, Dawson. I finished my part of the assignment.

Pacey sighs.

PACEY: Nope, guess again.

ANDIE: Ahh, now I recognize that voice. Come on, Jack. I know it’s you.

PACEY: Guess again, McPhee.

ANDIE: Wait, now I know. Only one person can call me ‘McPhee’ and get away with it. It’s my on-again, off-again boyfriend, Pacey Witter.

Pacey lets go and she turns around. They kiss.

PACEY: I can’t be considered off-again, on-again after one time, you know.

ANDIE: Says who? Besides it was two times. Three if you count the Anti-Prom.

PACEY: That’s no fair. You know that I can’t win an argument with you.

They kiss again. Suddenly Jen and Jack show up behind them.

ANDIE: Umm…Pacey. I think we’ve got an audience.

PACEY: Oh great. Capeside’s head quarterback is going to pound me for making out with his little sister.

They turn around.

JACK: Don’t worry, Pacey. I’ll let it go this time.

JEN: (sadly)Well, I’d better get to class.

Jen walks away.

ANDIE: What’s wrong with her, Jack?

JACK: You didn’t hear?

PACEY: What?

Jack leans in closer.

JACK: Henry moved away.

Pacey and Andie look shocked.

ANDIE: What? Why?

JACK: Apparently, his parents got scared after Drew tried to kill him. I guess Mark’s rampage last week was the final straw.

PACEY: Is she alright? JACK: She’s taking it pretty hard. I’d better go make sure she’s alright.

Jack walks after Jen.

ANDIE: Poor Jen.

PACEY: Yeah, I know how she feels. Remember when you had to spend the summer at the hospital and I had no idea if you were ever coming back?

ANDIE: Yeah, well, we spent this summer apart as well, remember? I guess this sort of makes us even.

PACEY: So what say we celebrate our being even?

Andie looks at Pacey, curious.

PACEY: What do you say to a night on the town, McPhee?

ANDIE: Not unless you plan on going for a flight.

Pacey looks confused.

PACEY: Huh?

ANDIE: Didn’t you hear the news, today. There’s a giant storm heading towards Capeside, everyone’s supposed to stay indoors.

Pacey sighs, disappointed.

PACEY: Oh well, there goes that plan.

Andie smiles at him.

ANDIE: Let’s stay at my place.

A huge grin appears on Pacey’s face.

Cut to vice-principal’s office. Dawson is there talking with Mitch.

DAWSON: You want me to what?

MITCH: Stay at Leery’s Fresh Fish tonight.

DAWSON: During the hurricane?

MITCH: Don’t worry, I made sure the building’s solid. You won’t blow away.

DAWSON: Why can’t you or mom?

MITCH: Because we are going to be out of town. Sheriff Witter has been harassing us ever since Mike came to town, so we’re going to try and talk a judge into giving him a court order.

DAWSON: What about Bodie?

MITCH: He asked for the night off so that he could make sure Bessie and Alex are all right.

DAWSON: So that leaves me, Joey, and Jen to handle an entire seafood restaurant by ourselves.

MITCH: Bodie won’t be leaving until late at night, so it’s basically a glorified coffee shop. We stop serving the large meals at 10. I’m sure I can trust the three of you to handle an empty restaurant.

DAWSON: Thanks, I think.

Dawson leaves the office and sees Jen walking down the hallway.

DAWSON: Jen, hold on a second.

He runs up to her.

DAWSON: I heard about Henry. Are you okay?

JEN: I-I think I’ll manage.

DAWSON: Well, I think I’ve got something to get your mind off him for tonight. My parents are out of town, so the responsibility falls to us to make sure that no one tries to break in.

JEN: Actually, Dawson, I really don’t feel up to working tonight. Do you think I could get the night off?

DAWSON: Umm…sure.

JEN: Unless, of course, it’s too much for you to handle…

DAWSON: No, really, I can handle it.

JEN: Thanks.

DAWSON: I just thought it might be therapeutic to talk to someone about it.

JEN: I’m going to talk to Jack about it. After all, you and Joey have enough problems of your own without adding mine to them.

Dawson becomes defensive.

DAWSON: What’s that supposed to mean?

JEN: Well, think about it, Dawson. You and Joey are hardly examples of a successful relationships.

DAWSON: What are you implying? Oh, this is great, I guess that’s your way of saying that the reason me and Joey didn’t work out is because we’re both fowl-ups in the relationship department, huh. That makes me feel so much better.

JEN: Dawson, I didn’t mean to make it sound that way.

DAWSON: Well, you did. It seems that whenever I try to forget something, someone just has to remind me. Thanks, Jen. Thanks a lot.

Dawson storms off.

Cut to cafeteria. Dawson sits down next to Pacey at one of the tables with an angered look still plastered on his face.

PACEY: What are you so mad about?

DAWSON: Got into a argument with Jen, don’t want to talk about it.

PACEY: Whatever it is she said, I’m sure she didn’t mean it, D-Man. She’s pretty shaken up about Henry, so go easy on her.

DAWSON: You’ve got a point.

They pause. DAWSON: So, what have you got planned for the storm. Locking yourself in the basement, hoping your house blows down and takes Doug with it.

PACEY: Only in my dreams. Nope, I get to spend the cold, cold night in the chateau McPhee.

DAWSON: This should be interesting.

PACEY: How about you, Dawson?

DAWSON: I’m going to be taking care of the restaurant, because my parents are out of town, Bodie has the night off, and Jen doesn’t feel up to it.

Pacey smirks.

PACEY: But Joey is going to be there?

DAWSON: Yeah, why?

PACEY: Okay, let me get this straight. You and Joey are going to spend the entire night at the restaurant, alone. And I doubt there’s going to be any customers that late at night, in the middle of a storm. And you’re both single, correct. Trust me, Dawson, your night is going to be a lot more interesting than mine.

DAWSON: PACEY!

Dawson realizes how loud he just spoke, he then quiets down.

DAWSON: Can you please get your mind out of the gutter for once in your life. Nothing like that is going to happen.

Pacey laughs.

PACEY: Here we go again.

DAWSON: What?

PACEY: I thought the whole ‘me and Joey’ thing had snapped you to your senses. Guess I was wrong.

DAWSON: What are you talking about, Pace?

PACEY: The whole thing’s started all over again. The whole ‘will they, won’t they’ drama that you two have been living in for the past 2 years. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, decide already. AWSON: (quietly) Listen, Pacey. I wish I could, but I don’t know if I can. If Joey came up to me and said she wanted to get back together, I would do it in a heartbeat. But that’s the problem, she doesn’t. All she wants from me is friendship, nothing else. I shouldn’t torture myself hoping for anything more.

PACEY: That’s funny.

DAWSON: What is? PACEY: That’s the exact same thing Andie said to me last week.

Dawson looks at him, surprised.

DAWSON: Well, I’ve got to get to class.

PACEY: See ya, dude.

Dawson walks away.

PACEY: (whispering) And good luck.

Cut to front of the school. Dawson and Joey are leaving, heading towards the restaurant.

DAWSON: So, we’re stuck holding the fort ourselves.

JOEY: Trust me, Dawson. It’s easier than it sounds. Back when I worked at the Icehouse, I had to stay there by myself sometimes.

DAWSON: During storms?

JOEY: Nope. During storms I went over to your house and cowered, remember.

DAWSON: Too true. But you will be helping me out tonight, right. I mean, you don’t want me to go all ‘Jack Torrance’, do you?

JOEY: I’ll be there.

Jack is on the other side of the street, and decides to take a shortcut home through an alley. It is very dark in there, and he does not notice that there is someone else there. Until he bumps into him.

JACK: Whoops.

MAN: Sorry, my fault.

Jack looks up at him. The stranger seems to be very tall, but has a extremely pale complexion. He has dark eyes, and brown, spiked hair. He is also wearing a long, black trenchcoat.

MAN: Excuse me? Do you know who those two kids?

JACK: Yeah, they’re friends of mine.

MAN: They wouldn’t happen to be Dawson and Joey, would they.

JACK: Yes, do you know them.

MAN: Not yet.

The mysterious stranger walks away from Jack, back into the alley. He then disappears into the darkness.

JACK: Weird.

Jack decides to go home the normal route, instead.

Cut to a warehouse. Pacey and Andie are there, putting a tarp over Pacey’s boat.

ANDIE: Pacey, I didn’t know you owned a warehouse.

PACEY: It isn’t mine, McPhee. It’s Mr. Leery’s. He uses it for storage, a few things for the restaurant…

Walks over to a movie camera on wheels.

PACEY: Some of Dawson’s leftover filmmaking equipment. Hey, here’s my old ‘sea monster’ getup.

ANDIE: You were in one of Dawson’s movies?

PACEY: Yeah. ‘Sea Creatures From The Deep’, remind me to show you one day.

Pacey goes behind Andie and hugs her.

ANDIE: Maybe I can arrange for you to have a part in the movie that he’s letting me produce.

Pacey starts kissing her neck.

PACEY: Just as long as I get to have a few love scenes with a certain blonde-haired producer.

Suddenly, thunder comes from outside. They jump.

ANDIE: Maybe we’d better get back to my place. It sounds as if it’s going to be bad.

They run out, locking the door to the warehouse.

Cut to outside the restaurant. The mysterious stranger that talked to Jack earlier is standing outside, facing the restaurant, the weather not seeming to bother him at all. Lightning flashes

Cut to inside the restaurant. Joey hears the thunder and jumps.

DAWSON: (chuckling) You are such a scardy-cat.

JOEY: Sorry, I just don’t like this. I mean, why do they have to keep this open, anyway. It’s not as if anyone’s going to come here in this weather.

DAWSON: Except people who figure the best way to get some money would be to break in here and take it from the register.

JOEY: Who in their right mind would want to risk being killed just to come here, Dawson.

Just then, the dark stranger comes in, lightning flashing behind him.

DAWSON: Him, for starters.

Joey walks up to the new arrival.

JOEY: Hi, can I help you?

MAN: Umm…can I just have a cup of coffee.

Cut to Andie’s room. Pacey and Andie are sitting on the bed, watching the TV.

Pacey leans over and starts kissing Andie.

ANDIE: Umm…Pacey? Don’t you want to watch the movie?

PACEY: Uh-uh. If we watch too much TV, Dawson and Joey will probably sue us for copyright infringement. A

ndie laughs. She leans up to kiss Pacey again, but stops when her door swings open suddenly. J

ACK: Hey, Andie? Did you make it home o….ooooh. Um, sorry.

Jack slams the door. Pacey and Andie sigh.

Cut to Leery’s Fresh Fish. The mysterious stranger is siting at the table, alone, drinking his coffee.

JOEY: I don’t like this, Dawson. This is creepy.

DAWSON: Relax, Jo. It’s just one customer who, for some reason, decided he wants a late cup of coffee. Maybe he’s a night watchman at one of the stores nearby.

JOEY: Dawson, the last time this happened, I ended the night being kissed by a gay guy.

Dawson starts to laugh, but then realizes what she’s talking about. He become depressed, then turns away from Joey.

DAWSON: (quietly) You just had to bring that up, didn’t you?

Dawson begins to walk away, towards the tables. Joey follows him.

JOEY: Huh.

DAWSON: You just have to rub it in, don’t you?

JOEY: Dawson, you’re not making sense.

DAWSON: Ha. This is rich. I’m not making sense? Explain to me exactly what you’ve done in the past 2 years that has made any logical sense whatsoever.

JOEY: You’re the one who’s acting out of wack, Dawson. You realize that, since the school year started, you’ve picked fights with two homicidal maniacs, planned road trips out of the blue, and basically doing the ‘good Samaritan’ routine to the extreme.

DAWSON: So I’m trying to help people, big deal. You seem to be doing just the opposite. You expect people to forgive you for everything, but if they make one simple mistake, you never let them forget about it, and then you just leave them in the dust. Ever since the ‘kissing Jack’ thing, you’ve just been bouncing from guy to guy. First Jack, then me again, then A.J., then Pacey. I give you 3 months before a new guy comes to Capeside and you do the exact same thing to him.

JOEY: I do not believe this. You’re still sore about the Pacey thing? It’s your own fault, you know. If you hadn’t rejected me that night, none of that would have happened.

DAWSON: (sarcastically) Gee, I’m sooo sorry for not taking advantage of you during a moment of weakness.

JOEY: So you’re saying it’s my fault?

MAN: (behind them) If you ask me, it sounds as if it’s both of your fault.

Dawson and Joey turn around to face him.

JOEY: Are you eavesdropping on us? This is a private conversation, and I don’t think we asked for your opinion.

MAN: I was just trying to help.

JOEY: Well, we don’t need your help Mr….Mr…. What exactly is your name, anyway?

MAN: Seems to me like you do need help…lots of it.

Joey hangs her head.

MAN: …and my name’s Angel.

DAWSON: What kind of a name is Angel?

ANGEL: What kind of a name’s Dawson?

DAWSON: Point well taken.

Cut to the McPhee’s house, Andie’s room. Pacey and Andie are on the bed, kissing again. Just then, the door swings open, and Jen runs in.

JEN: Hey, Jack.

Pacey and Andie jump apart.

JEN: Whoops, sorry guys. I thought this was Jack’s room.

ANDIE: (embarrassed) It’s down the hall.

JEN: Thanks, well, carry on.

PACEY: We intend to.

Jen shuts the door and leaves.

PACEY: Can we get a padlock for that thing?

ANDIE: Don’t worry, Pacey. I don’t think it will happen again.

PACEY: Good.

They start kissing again, but once again, the door swings open.

GRAMS: Jennifer, are you in here.

Andie and Pacey jump apart again.

GRAMS: Oh, dear me.

Grams slams the door.

ANDIE: Let’s just go downstairs before someone else barges in here.

Lightning flashes right near the window.

PACEY: Good idea.

They head downstairs, where they hear Mr. McPhee arguing with somebody.

JASON: (off-screen) You’ve got some nerve, you know that. You can’t just barge in here, trying to intimidate me.

ANDIE: Who are you talking to, daddy.

Pacey and Andie walk in. They see that Mr. McPhee is talking to Sheriff Witter and Doug. Pacey is upset upon seeing them.

PACEY: Dad

Cut to the restaurant.

JOEY: Look, it’s not that I appreciate your trying to help, but I think we’d rather handle it ourselves. Besides, what do you know about it?

ANGEL: I have a wealth of experience when dealing with complex relationships.

JOEY: You don’t look that much older than us.

ANGEL: I’m older than I look.

Lightning flashes and thunder cracks. Joey turns to Dawson.

JOEY: I’m going to make sure the back door is locked and secure.

She leaves.

DAWSON: I’m sure she didn’t mean anything personal. It’s just that, well, Joey’s very independent.

ANGEL: I know the type.

Dawson sits down.

DAWSON: I shouldn’t have blown up at her like that. I mean, you’re not supposed to talk that way to your best friend.

ANGEL: Maybe because you wish she was still more than that.

Dawson looks at him, surprised.

DAWSON: What makes you so sure of that?

ANGEL: I can tell.

DAWSON: Yeah. I mean, half the time I’m miserable because we’re not together, but I never let her know the reason for it. Everybody else knows, Pacey even knows. But it seems that whenever I get the chance to talk to her about it, I either end up yelling at her or chickening out.

ANGEL: Why is that?

DAWSON: I guess I’m afraid. Heh, when I’m fighting sociopaths with guns, I’m not scared in the least. But when it comes to opening my heart up, I’m a complete coward.

ANGEL: I can relate.

Dawson looks confused.

DAWSON: Huh?

ANGEL: Tell me something, Dawson. How many people have you dated?

DAWSON: Four.

ANGEL: How did your feelings for them compare with your feelings for Joey.

Dawson looks down.

DAWSON: Practically insignificant. I mean, Joey and me, it seemed to be perfect. I mean, we had our problems, but they didn’t seem that bad. I always believed that we could get through it. No matter what happened. I mean, I was at the point where I didn’t care what happened to me, as long as she was okay. You can’t possibly know what it’s like to feel this way about someone.

ANGEL: Actually, I can. I had someone like that, too.

DAWSON: What happened?

ANGEL: Lets just say that our problems were a lot worse than your problems.

DAWSON: Do you still care about her?

ANGEL: I don’t think I know how not to.

DAWSON: I know what you mean. Maybe you should try and talk to her, take your own advice.

ANGEL: I don’t know…I think it’s too late.

DAWSON: Is it too late for me and Joey?

ANGEL: No.

DAWSON: Then it’s not too late for you, either.

Angel gets up to leave.

ANGEL: I’ll make you a deal. I’ll try to fix things if you try to fix things.

DAWSON: Deal.

Angel starts to leave.

DAWSON: You’re going to leave in this weather? Why not stay until it stops.

ANGEL: I have to get home before the sun comes up.

DAWSON: Oh, so that explains your pale complexion. You’re some kind of Vampire.

Angel looks scared.

ANGEL: W-what? What makes you say that?

DAWSON: It’s a joke. Sorry, my movie-addled mind sometimes gets the better of me. But superstitious, I am not.

ANGEL: Oh…ummm…good. Well, I’ve got to get going.

Angel leaves, breathing a sigh of relief as soon as he is out of Dawson’s sight.

Cut to the McPhee’s house.

JOHN: What are you doing here, Pacey? P

ACEY: I’m visiting my girlfriend, not that it’s any of your business.

JOHN: Should have expected it. The McPhee’s seem to have a soft spot for worthless pieces of trash.

JASON: Would your please leave, officer. Especially since you’re so determined to undermine my efforts.

JOHN: And let you release a dangerous felon in our town, I don’t think so.

PACEY: You mean, former felon, don’t you, pop. J

ohn turns to Pacey.

JOHN: Once a screw up, Pacey, always a screw up. You’re a prime example.

JASON: Excuse me? JOHN: Come on, McPhee. Look at the kid, talk about an embarrassment.

JASON: He’s your son.

JOHN: Don’t remind me. But I guess compared to your kids, he practically a model citizen.

Pacey looks furious, Mr. McPhee looks even worse.

PACEY: Where do you get off…

Mr. McPhee pushes Pacey to the side.

JASON: What…did…you…say?

JOHN: Come on, Jason. I mean…Jack’s choice of lifestyle, talk about a disappointment. Add psycho girl to the mix, and I don’t even see why you bother to stay around.

From behind Pacey and Jason, Andie looks as if she is about to cry. Jack clenches his fists, but Jen grabs his wrist, trying to calm him down. Grams shakes her head in disappointment, while Jason gives John and Doug a cold stare.

Lightning and thunder strike again.

JASON: Leave.

JOHN: Excuse me?

JASON: I said get the **** out of my house, you slime.

Pacey looks shocked by Mr. McPhee’s words.

JOHN: You can’t talk to me that way. I’m the sheriff.

JASON: I DON’T CARE IF YOU’RE THE ******* PRESIDENT. NO ONE TALKS ABOUT MY KIDS THAT WAY!

John staggers backwards at this outburst.

JASON: You know what, Witter. I’m going to make sure Mike Potter never goes back to prison. Not only because he deserves a second chance, not only because he saved my daughter’s life. No, I’m going to do it just to spite you.

Jason moves closer to John, so close that he is staring directly in the sheriff’s eyes. Beads of sweat are falling down John’s face. J

ASON: (quietly) And trust me, I am very, very good at what I do.

They stay completely still for a few moments, then John looks downwards towards his shoes. Some sort of liquid seems to be dripping down his pantleg.

Just then, Pacey holds in a chuckle.

He is followed by Andie, then Jen, then Jack, and finally, even Grams. J

ohn, embarrassed, grabs Doug and heads out the door into the pouring rain. As soon as they’re gone, everyone breaks into uncontrollable laughter.

Cut to the restaurant. Joey is in the kitchen, cleaning dishes, when Dawson approaches her. He begins to help her.

JOEY: Shouldn’t you be watching our sole customer, the shrink.

DAWSON: He left, but not before I had a talk with him.

Joey turns to face him.

JOEY: And?

DAWSON: And, I guess I’ve been a little hard on you.

JOEY: Dawson…

DAWSON: It’s just the storm, it has me one edge. I shouldn’t have said those things.

JOEY: Why not, they were the truth.

DAWSON: Even if they were, I still shouldn’t have said them.

JOEY: Listen Dawson. Maybe I do owe you an explanation. You see, I really don’t know what I want. It seems to me that, well, whenever I get too close to someone, something bad happens to them. I’m like some kind of bad luck charm. So, when people get too close to me, I push them away. It’s like some sort of defense mechanism.

She pauses.

JOEY: But there seems to be someone that just refuses to go away.

Dawson smiles.

DAWSON: That’s me. The proverbial bad penny.

JOEY: Thank you for that, I don’t know what I’d do without you. You never seem to give up on me, no matter what I do to you, you keep coming back.

DAWSON: I don’t think I know how not to.

She smiles again. Dawson then notices something on her neck.

DAWSON: How long have you been wearing that?

Dawson points to a string on Joey’s neck. She then pulls the necklace out from underneath her sweater. It is the necklace Dawson gave her.

JOEY: Ever since I got back from Florida. It’s sort of been…my good luck charm. I don’t know why, it just makes me feel…safe. Almost as if it protects me…gives me strength. I hid it because I thought Pacey would take it personally.

She smiles.

JOEY: I guess the point is moot now, anyway.

DAWSON: It looks good on you.

JOEY: Your just saying that because you’re the one who gave it to me.

They laugh.

Cut to outside the restaurant. The storm is raging, but five men in dark clothing approach the restaurant. They are carrying crowbars and other blunt weapons. Suddenly, they hear an animal-like snarl behind them.

ANGEL: (behind them) I really don’t think what you’re planning to do is a very good idea.

They turn around to see who it is.

Then they scream.

Cut to the McPhee house. Pacey is sitting on the stairway when Mr. McPhee comes and sits beside him.

JASON: Sorry you had to see that, Pacey.

PACEY: Don’t worry, I enjoyed it.

JASON: I really scared him, didn’t I.

PACEY: Yeah. Never thought I’d ever see my dad wet himself in fear.

They laugh.

JASON: Was he drunk or something?

PACEY: No, when he’s drunk, he’s not afraid of anything. That’s how he is on a normal day. Trust me, I know.

JASON: But you don’t even live with him anymore.

PACEY: Doesn’t make much of a difference. Him and Doug are best pals, it’s just me they don’t like, the black sheep. I’m never going to get rid of them.

JASON: Why don’t you move away, then. Get your own place.

PACEY: Trust me, I can’t afford it. I’m not going to be able to handle them for awhile, they’ll probably blame this on me. Thank god me and Dawson are friends again, I can crash at his place for the next week.

Mr. McPhee gets an idea.

JASON: I don’t think that will be necessary, Pacey. Come with me.

They go upstairs and get Andie, Jack, Jen, and Grams. He then leads them to a closed door. He opens it and tells Pacey to go in.

JACK: Dad…this is…

JASON: I know…(to Pacey) it was Tim’s room.

Pacey turns to face them.

JASON: No one’s lived in here since he died.

PACEY: Why are you showing me this.

JASON: Because, Pacey, after Tim died, I cut myself from my family, tried to forget they even existed. In a sense, I became the exact same kind of person your father is. That’s why I got so mad at him.

Pacey looks towards Andie.

JASON: No one should have to put up with that kind of abuse. So I’m asking you if you would like to stay here.

The others look shocked at this offer.

PACEY: What? With you guys? I’m flattered, but I don’t want to impose.

JASON: You won’t be. As long as Jack and Andie are okay with it, of course.

JACK: I’m okay with it.

Andie runs up and hugs Pacey.

JASON: I’ll take that as a yes.

PACEY: I’m surprised, Mr. McPhee. Most fathers wouldn’t want their daughter’s boyfriend to live down the hall.

JEN: Pacey, after what he just did to the sheriff, I doubt you’re going to want to make him mad.

GRAMS: The next time my granddaughter gets a new boyfriend, I will be sure to give you a call, Mr. McPhee.

JEN: GRAMS!

They all laugh, well, except Jen.

Cut to the restaurant, the next morning. Pacey comes into the restaurant and sees both Dawson and Joey asleep in separate chairs.

PACEY: (to himself) Once again, the cycle continues.

Joey and Dawson wake up.

PACEY: Rise and shine, kids.

JOEY: (yawning) Pacey, you have absolutely no right to be this cheerful in the morning.

PACEY: For your information, Potter, I have every right. For now on, I no longer have to live with any member of the Witter clan.

DAWSON: How’d that happen.

PACEY: Mr. McPhee said I could stay there, for as long as it takes for me to afford my own place. The fact that he made my dad wet himself was an added bonus.

Joey and Dawson look surprised, then start to laugh. C

ut to outside. Joey, Dawson, and Pacey leave the restaurant just as Mitch, Gale, and Mike arrive, but there are police cars gathered across the street.

DAWSON: What’s going on?

MITCH: Apparently somebody tried to break in last night. Looks like some sort of good Samaritan stopped them.

Joey and Dawson look at Pacey.

PACEY: Don’t look at me, I was nowhere near here.

The police start to drag them away.

GANG MEMBER: I-it-it was some sort of m-m-monster.

PACEY: Monster? Hey, what are these guy’s on?

GANG MEMBER: Monster. With fangs, looked like a guy. Had a big black coat.

Dawson and Joey snap to attention.

GANG MEMBER: Spiked hair, strong, fangs…it wasn’t human, man…it wasn’t human.

PACEY: (laughing) Since when did Batman work in Capeside?

‘Angel’ theme starts playing in the background. Joey and Dawson stare each other in the eyes, their eyes reading ‘do you think…?’

Fade To Black

End Credits

THE END OF PART VII

To all people who miss the fun and funny episodes of Dawson’s Creek, part 8 is for you. Dawson finally decides to ask Joey out, but is beaten to the punch by the newly returned Anderson Crawford. Anderson still thinks Joey is ‘Debra’. Pacey decides to try and help Dawson, but ends up making matters worse. The result is a very bad case of mistaken identity, involving people who would rather stay out of it, and proving that some things never change. Stay tuned for part 8, ‘Trading Places’ Send me feedback, please Send it to: LeeryAndPotter@Hotmail.com