Rumors
Part 5
Written By: LeeryAndPotter at LeeryAndPotter@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jen, Andie, and Jack are the property of Kevin Williamson and the WB network. I don’t own them, so please don’t sue.
Category: Season 1 D/J
Rating: PG-13, basically, if you can watch the show, you can read this.
Spoilers: Dawson, Pacey, Jack, and Cliff fight the entire football team. But when Joey finds out about it, she gets in a big fight with Dawson.
Cut to football field.
Grant Bodine punches Dawson in the stomach, causing him to fall to his knees.
WARREN: That was…a mistake…
Warren kicks Dawson in the face. Dawson then falls onto his back. His lip starts to bleed.
WARREN: Now we’re gonna have to teach you a lesson.
Warren’s friends start closing in. Just then, someone rams Grant from behind.
JACK: Okay…lay off, guys.
GRANT: Butt out, McPhee. This isn’t any of your business.
PACEY: (from behind) Yeah, but 10 to 1 odds just don’t seem fair ta me.
They turn around and see Pacey and Cliff show up.
CLIFF: (whispering) Yeah…and ten to four is so much better?
PACEY: I’m trying to be intimidating. Work with me here.
Just then, one of Warren’s friends punches Pacey, and receives a kick in the stomach from Cliff in return.
Dawson gets up and tackles Warren, while Jack grabs Grant in a vice grip.
Three of the other football players start closing in on Pacey, who starts to taunt them.
PACEY: Who wants some? Come on, take your best shot.
One of them throws a punch. Pacey ducks, and the punch hits one of the other football players instead. He falls to the ground.
PACEY: (shaking his head in disapproval) You’re not gonna keep friends that way.
Pacey hits him, and he falls to the ground.
PACEY: Damn, I’m good at this.
Warren pushes Dawson away, and he falls to the ground.
WARREN: You call that a punch?
Warren hits Dawson across the face.
WARREN: Wimp.
Dawson tries to fight back, but another of the football players elbows him in the back.
Dawson falls to the ground. Pacey notices this, and runs towards Warren.
PACEY: DAWSON! Okay, that’s it. Say your prayers, you steroid-laden creeps.
Pacey tackles Warren, and is about to punch him when they hear a whistle blow.
COACH: JUST WHAT THE #@&% IS GOING ON HERE.
Everyone looks in his direction, except Dawson, who is still picking himself off the ground.
WARREN: It was Leery, sir. He started it.
PACEY: THAT’S A LOAD OF…
COACH: SHUT UP!
Pacey quiets down. The coach walks over to where Dawson is. Dawson has his face turned towards the ground.
COACH: Is that true, Dawson?
Dawson doesn’t answer. The coach roughly grabs his shoulder.
COACH: Look at me when I’m talking to…
The coach freezes when he sees Dawson’s face. Dawson’s lip is swollen and bleeding. The side of his face is bruised. And his left eye, while not black, is swollen and half-shut. He looks as if he might collapse at any moment.
COACH: (quietly) Oh god.
Pacey gets a look at Dawson’s face. Suddenly, he grits his teeth.
PACEY: Your gonna pay for this, fellas.
GRANT: (mockingly) Ohhhh, we’re shaking Witter.
COACH: Shut up…all of you. Practice is over. And the next person I see fighting is off the team, is that clear?
The football players all leave, except for Jack and Cliff.
DAWSON: (quietly) Jack…and…and Cliff. They tried to…tried to help.
COACH: Let’s just get you to the nurses office…then to the principal’s office.
Cut to later, inside the school. Joey is talking with Andie.
ANDIE: So…why did you get called down?
JOEY: I don’t know. I hope it’s not for another "you know what" class. Look…Andie…don’t take this the wrong way…but…
Before she can finish, they arrive at the Principal’s Office.
JOEY: I’ll see you later.
She enters.
PRINCIPAL: Welcome, Josephine. Sit down.
Joey notices two people are already in there. Dawson and Pacey. She also notices Dawson’s face.
JOEY: Oh my god. Dawson!
She runs over to him, then looks over at Pacey.
JOEY: (accusingly)What on Earth did you get him into this time?
PACEY: Me?
PRINCIPAL: Actually, Miss Potter, it was Dawson who picked a fight…with the entire football team.
Joey jaw drops, not believing what she’s hearing.
PRINCIPAL: We have eye witnesses that say Warren Gerry instigated a confrontation, so we’ve decided not to suspend either him or Pacey…
PACEY: Thank you sweet Jesus.
PRINCIPAL: …however, considering his injuries, we thought it best if you brought him home.
JOEY: Why me? Why not Caesar over there?
PRINCIPAL: Well, because of your, shall we say, involvement with Dawson. Also, considering your condition, I believed you would prefer to make sure nothing had happened to him.
Joey eyes narrow, realizing what the Principal meant by "her condition". She sighs, and helps Dawson up.
DAWSON: Joey…I’m…
JOEY: Nevermind, let’s just get you home.
They leave. Pacey turns to the Principal.
PACEY: It’s not true, you know.
PRINCIPAL: Pardon?
PACEY: Their "involvement", as you put it. It isn’t true. It’s a rumor…most likely started by Warren himself.
PRINCIPAL: So, Mr. Witter, you are saying that this whole story about them is only a complete fabrication?
PACEY: I didn’t say that.
PRINCIPAL: You’ve lost me.
Pacey stands up.
PACEY: Okay sir, here’s the thing. About a dozen rumors go through this school every day, and they end within 24 hours. That is, unless there’s something to back it up.
PRINCIPAL: Such as?
PACEY: You know how there’s legends? Robin Hood, Camelot, the Greek Gods? Well, each and every one of them is based on a small amount of truth. The Greeks used their gods to explain natural disasters, for example.
PRINCIPAL: I’m impressed, Pacey. I had thought you slept through most of your classes.
PACEY: Only the boring ones. Anyway, the point is, that for any rumor to exist for more than a day, there has to be some truth to it.
PRINCIPAL: So, you’re saying that, even though those 2 students are not involved with one another, they might have some element that would make it possible to?
PACEY: How else would you explain Dawson picking a fight?
Cut to Dawson’s house. Joey enters the front door, with Dawson leaning on his shoulder.
JOEY: Mr. Leery? Mrs. Leery? Great. They’re not home.
Dawson sits down on the couch.
JOEY: Can you explain to me what happened today?
DAWSON: What do you mean?
JOEY: You. Picking a fight?
DAWSON: What’s wrong with it?
JOEY: It’s just…it’s not you. Why on earth did you do it, anyway.
Dawson doesn’t answer.
JOEY: (yelling) Well!
Still no answer.
JOEY: Fine.
Joey starts to leave when Dawson speaks up.
DAWSON: He was threatening you. Ok?
Joey turns around.
JOEY: What?
DAWSON: He threatened to hurt you. That’s why I hit him.
Joey can not believe what she’s hearing.
JOEY: Excuse me? Who appointed you my personal bodyguard?
DAWSON: …I just wanted to help…
JOEY: It wasn’t your fight.
DAWSON: (yelling)Yes it was. He threatened you because of the rumor, the rumor would be done with by now if I hadn’t tried to use it to get Jen back. It’s my fault, and I have to take responsibility for it.
Joey calms down.
JOEY: I can take care of myself.
DAWSON: I know you can. It’s just that…well…I got so mad when he was saying those things about you.
Joey looks confused.
JOEY: What things?
DAWSON: He was saying that he was going to try and take advantage of you. I don’t know…I just got mad.
Joey half-smiles, then brushes it off.
JOEY: I’d better get back to school. I’ll see you later.
DAWSON: Yeah…see ya.
Joey leaves. Dawson sits down for a moment. Suddenly, he reaches into his bag and pulls out the movie that Pacey gave him.
DAWSON: "Some Kind Of Wonderful". Hmm…let’s just see exactly where Pacey’s theory came from in the first place.
Cut to later, in Dawson’s room. Dawson is watching the movie when he hears a knock at the door.
DAWSON: Come in.
The door opens, and Jen comes in.
DAWSON: Jen?
He gets up off the bed, though it’s obvious his back is still hurt.
DAWSON: Hey.
JEN: You look horrible.
DAWSON: (bitterly) Thank you.
JEN: I didn’t mean it like that…it’s just that…are you okay? I heard about the fight.
Dawson looks surprised.
DAWSON: You did? I thought they were going to keep it a secret?
JEN: Jack told me.
Dawson looks confused.
DAWSON: You know Jack?
JEN: Yeah. We bumped into each other the other day…literally. He’s nice, not at all what I expected. It’s a pretty brave thing he did. Helping you out. And he didn’t even brag about it…he gave Pacey and Cliff all the credit.
DAWSON: You almost sound like you admire him.
Jen thinks for a moment.
JEN: I guess I do. I don’t know if anybody couldn’t.
DAWSON: (insistently)Are you interested in him?
Jen looks surprised.
JEN: Excuse me? What business is it of yours who I’m interested in?
DAWSON: I just…you’re right. You’re right. I’m sorry.
JEN: No need to apologize…it’s just…
To the side, they hear someone clearing their throat. They both turn around and see Joey at the windowsill. She was glaring at Dawson.
JEN: I’d better get home now. Grams is probably worried, like always.
DAWSON: (quietly) See you, Jen.
Jen leaves. Joey slowly walks towards Dawson, giving him an evil stare.
JOEY: I can not believe you. It’s official, you have gone off the deep end.
DAWSON: (angrily)Excuse me?
JOEY: Don’t give me that whole "who-me-I’m-saint-Dawson-the-innocent-victim" routine. In the past few days, you’ve said you were through being Jen’s boy toy twice. And you’re still going after her like a little lost puppy.
DAWSON: What is wrong with you? You talk about me not being your personal bodyguard, but then you turn around and…and try to prevent me from even looking in Jen’s direction. What is going on?
Joey calms down.
JOEY: I just don’t want her to hurt you again.
DAWSON: No. That’s not it. That’s not it at all. You’ve been doing this for months. One minute you’re friendly…you’re just like you’ve always been. The next minute you put up this wall that not even I can get through. I can’t tell what your motivations or your goals are in this. Ever since Jen…
Suddenly, a light goes on in Dawson’s head. As if he finally realized something. Something that had been right in front of him all the time. Something that he needed to confront right now.
DAWSON: Ever since Jen showed up, you’ve been acting different. You’ve treated her like dirt, even before she dumped me. When the only thing she did to you was try to be your friend.
JOEY: Dawson…
Dawson interrupts her.
DAWSON: Let me finish. It’s not just her, it’s me as well. Ever since we were kids, you supported me on everything I did. When I "borrowed" mom’s camera to film fish, you supported me, even after it fell in the creek. When me and Pacey had that fight in 5th grade, you convinced me to apologize…even though you hated his guts. So, I’ve been wondering, why on earth would you possibly be upset at me trying to have a relationship with Jen? Maybe, just maybe, the two things…your anger towards Jen and your attitude towards me, are related.
JOEY: Dawson…stop trying to analyze the situation. Me and Jen just don’t get along.
DAWSON: Somehow, I don’t believe that’s it.
Joey is taken aback. But she holds her surprise in.
DAWSON: When you got drunk at Cliff’s party…after me and Pacey brought you home, something happened. I dismissed it…but Pacey told me something. Something that I didn’t believe could be true. Something that couldn’t be true.
Joey’s breathing speeds up.
DAWSON: What am I to you?
Joey is surprised at this question.
JOEY: What…?
DAWSON: What am I to you? I see life as a movie, remember? What part do I play in yours?
JOEY: You…you…you’re my best friend, Dawson…you know that…
DAWSON: (sternly)Is that all that I am?
Joey’s eyes start to water.
JOEY: What do you mean?
Dawson takes a deep breath.
DAWSON: If I’m your best friend, then that means you can tell me anything, right?
Joey nods her head "yes".
DAWSON: Then I’m going to ask you a question…and I want you to answer it.
Joey is on the verge of tears, backing up slowly, and then heads towards the window. But before she can leave, Dawson grabs her shoulder and spins her around.
JOEY: You’re hurting me.
Dawson loosens his grip.
DAWSON: All I need is a "yes" or a "no". Are you or aren’t you?
Joey looks at him, with tears in her eyes.
JOEY: Dawson…
DAWSON: Are you in love with me?
At that moment, the room goes into dead silence.
JOEY: (crying) I can’t answer that.
Dawson’s arms go limp, falling to his sides. A shocked expression appears on his face. He looks at Joey.
DAWSON: (quietly) You just did.
Crying, Joey leaves through the window. Leaving Dawson to collapses on his bed with his head in his hands.
Cut to outside. Joey is quickly walking towards the dock when Pacey sees her. Pacey begins to walk up to her.
PACEY: Hey Potter. Is he okay…?
He sees Joey’s tear-stained face, which causes his jaw to drop. Unexpectedly, Joey punches him. Pacey falls to the ground unconscious, leaving Joey to get into her rowboat and leave.
CUT TO COMMERCIAL
Next, the emotional conclusion…
As Dawson is reeling from his newfound discovery, Pacey comes up with a plan to squash the rumor once and for all. But can he come up with a way to save Dawson and Joey’s friendship. A big secret about Warren comes up, as well as a confrontation between him and Dawson.
Don’t miss it.
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