Dawson's Creek s03e20 Episode Script

The Longest Day

Ever have one of those days you wish you could live all over again? Oh, hey, look.
There's Dawson and his dad.
- Got the champagne? - Right here.
That was almost a disaster.
Hey, guys.
- Buzz.
- Hey, Dawson.
Where's Joey? I thought she was coming.
She wanted to stop by the library and plough through that Watergate history assignment.
Come on.
Let's go, Pacey.
It's your boat we're planning on christening.
I own a boat? No, we have to stop doing this.
It's wrong.
Yes.
Dead wrong.
Pacey.
Look, we've been in denial all week.
Around people, we pretend like nothing's changed and then the minute we're alone, it turns into this.
- This what? - Well, this embarrassing grope fest.
I guess this is kind of embarrassing.
Especially for you, given how much you protested.
- I did not protest.
- You did too.
Wait, wait, wait.
- What? - I gotta tell him, Jo.
We do.
We gotta tell him as soon as possible.
The longer we wait, the worse it gets.
No, Pacey.
- I've tried.
I've tried plenty of times.
- Every time I see the guy now, I feel- You don't have to bother filling in the expletive, okay? This isn't exactly the easiest thing I've ever had to do, Pacey.
Telling Dawson that while he wasn't looking I developed this bizarre gravitational pull towards his best friend and I can't stop thinking about him or being near him or wanting to kiss him all the time.
I'll do it.
- What? - I'll tell him.
No, I can't let you do that.
It's- - This is my responsibility.
- It's not your responsibility.
I'm the one that started this.
I'm the one that got you into this situation.
The only way I'm gonna save my friendship with Dawson is to be honest with him, so I gotta do this.
All I need is one day.
Just one day.
- One day.
- Yes.
One day.
No, she's not late.
She's an hour late.
When people are late - they're 15 minutes late.
- All right, here's the deal.
There's an apologetic yet somewhat incoherent message on the machine from someone named Nora.
She thought you had him for the day.
She's stuck at work and can't get free until this evening.
Speaking of work - you're not on duty today, are you? - No, no.
Little brother this juvenile is your responsibility.
I got one thing I gotta do and it ranks high up there on the importance list.
So I'll just do this one thing.
I'll come right back.
Have you ever noticed how your "one little things" tend to multiply? Doug, one thing.
I'll be right back.
I swear.
It shouldn't take- - Pacey.
- Dougie.
I know he's a very respectable young man and we certainly have no reason to suspect him of ill intentions.
But with no one here to chaperone You never know what sort of high jinks might ensue.
This is no laughing matter, Jennifer.
I established these rules not because I don't trust you but because the sexual impulses of a teenage boy- You're going out on a limb here for nothing.
I assure you, whatever sexual impulses Henry Parker may throw at me I am perfectly capable of handling.
Hey, Pace.
Hey.
Nobody home? I don't know, actually.
Could knock and find out.
I could just walk right in, you know.
They never lock it.
I've come here since I was 5, through the front door making myself at home.
She wants to be with you, Pace.
She does.
- And you know this how? - Told me so this morning.
Why am I not happy to hear that right now? Because right now you've gotta walk through that front door and tell your best friend that the only girl in the universe he can't live without- Is the same one that I can't live without.
I've had this conversation with him in my head a thousand times.
- Yeah? How's it go? - Oh, you know Dawson saying something along the lines of: " Vaya con Dios, Pace.
I had my shot at making her happy.
Now why don't you give it a try.
" It could happen.
- Just minus the Spanish part.
- Yeah.
Hey, guys.
If you're looking for Dawson, you just missed him.
- Did he say where he was going? - He said something about the library.
- Pacey.
- Hi.
Hey.
You're looking happy.
Is this just your usual library glow? Yeah, well, you know, free books make me giddy.
Krudski.
Studying on a Saturday, Witter.
That's most unlike you.
So I'll see you tonight, Andie? Yeah.
See you later, man.
Tonight, huh? Yeah.
We were thinking about getting dinner.
No, hey, look, look.
A girl's gotta eat, huh? So, what are you doing here? Are you studying? No.
Looking for Dawson.
Have you seen him? - Nope.
Haven't seen him.
- Well, I'll let you get back to - I'll see you later.
- Yeah.
No, no, no, Buzz! Listen to me.
This is not a toy.
All right? It's an answering machine.
This was my answering machine.
Do you understand? What-? Buzz, where's the tape? - Dougie, I'm home! - Stop bouncing! Stop- Yeah! And I thought you were boring.
See that? Game Boy.
It's " Pokémon Blue," man.
Go to it.
Yeah, that's really great.
Where the hell have you been? Look at this.
It's ruined.
Doug, I'm sorry.
Look, me and Joey came to a really important decision.
Since when are you and Joey deciding anything? You're gonna like this one, because it turns out you're right.
She's into me, man.
That's why she got so freaked out when I kissed her.
- Really? - Yeah.
So then you told Dawson? No, not exactly.
That's what I was trying to do all morning.
Remember the little errand that I had to run but it just turned into this wild-goose chase.
I really didn't think it would take that long.
Look, telling Dawson you kissed Joey in a moment of weakness is different than sneaking around behind his back, don't you think? At the end of the day, Joey and Dawson will stay friends, or whatever they are and you'll end up alone.
All right? No girlfriend no friend, just completely and utterly alone.
Think about it.
I was right before, wasn't I? Hey, Jo, what's wrong? What's wrong? Look, Pacey - we can't do this, okay? - Can't do what? I have to be the one to tell him, okay? Things are really complicated between me and Dawson and it has nothing to do with you.
It's just- Look it has to come from me, or else it's going to ruin everything.
Okay.
That's okay.
That's okay.
Just calm down, Jo.
It's all right.
We'll do whatever you want to do, okay? I mean- If you want to know the God's honest truth I've been in the process of chickening out the whole way here.
Maybe it's a sign, Pacey.
A sign of what? It's just that for so long he's been everything to me, Pacey.
This guy has been my family when I haven't had one and he's the one person in my life that I can always depend on, and this? This is gonna kill him.
You never had any intention of telling him, did you? You didn't come over here tonight to tell him.
You came here to stop me.
No.
I went up there, and I tried.
Of course you did.
Let me guess.
You failed, right? I thought I heard something out here.
Dawson - We were just- - Having an argument.
Obviously.
What about? Us, Dawson.
We were arguing about us.
Me and Joey.
There's an " us" here now.
Ever have one of those days you wish you could live all over again? Oh, hey, look.
There's Dawson and his dad.
- Got the champagne? - Right here.
That was almost a disaster.
- Hey, guys.
- Hey.
- Buzz.
- Hey, Dawson.
Where's Joey? I thought she was coming.
She wanted to stop by the library and plough through that Watergate history assignment.
Speaking of which, I finally got through All the President's Men.
- If you'd like it back, I can return it.
- Okay.
What did you think? Incredible movie.
But Henry didn't feel as though there were enough cute teenage girls.
Don't look now, but that's the captain of this vessel.
- Well, I guess we can get started.
- Not without this, we can't.
As promised.
Champagne.
Thank you.
Nice, but sparkling apple cider would have worked just as well.
Not for this occasion.
This is a monumental accomplishment.
You took something that was destined for the scrap heap and turned it into not only a thing of beauty No, I- Henry, if you come by around 2:00, my grams will be gone, all right? No- No, no.
I'm taking Joey to the library, giving Grams her car back and I will see you later.
Okay, bye.
- Thanks again for the ride.
- Don't worry about it.
I was supposed to go by this morning, and I got busy You know you don't have to explain.
Unless, of course, there's something that you want to explain.
Recently, you and I spoke about unrequited feelings - that a certain someone- - Namely Pacey? Namely Pacey may have had for me.
And how those unrequited feelings expressed themselves in the form of a kiss.
They're not.
Unrequited, that is.
They are actually They're very much requited.
Okay, so you've kissed back a certain someone, namely Pacey and you'd like for that to continue? I think so.
I mean Yes.
But my feelings have been clouded by my fear of what Dawson will do or say once he knows.
Joey, if you're asking me whether or not you should tell Dawson the answer's a big, fat "yes.
" I know.
We're going to tell him.
Pacey's going to do it today, and- He wanted to.
I tried.
I did.
I tried plenty of times.
It's- It's just that When we tell him, Dawson gets hurt.
- And if I tell Pacey not to tell him- - Then Pacey's gonna get hurt.
Yeah.
So whatever I do, I'm the villain.
The girl's always the villain, right? In stories like these, she's always some wicked, conniving whore who manipulates her way between two best friends.
Keep in mind that most of those stories have been written by men.
- I really wish I was more like you.
- Oh, yeah.
You feel things, and you act on them.
Pacey does the same thing.
He's fearless.
I'll let you in on a little secret about the so-called fearless.
We're not as tough as you think we are.
And Pacey's heart can break just as easily as the next guy.
Maybe even more so, considering it was broken when you got there.
Hey, lady, 20-minute time limit on these things, right? I was just finishing up the Watergate assignment.
- How about you? - Nowhere near done.
But I'm taking off anyway.
I have a date tonight.
- Will? - Yeah.
I like him.
I do.
And he's smart, way smart.
And he has no idea how cute he is, which is key because God save us from the ones who do.
So, what's the problem? He's He's not Pacey.
Pathetic.
I know.
I know.
And I thought I was over him.
I really, really did.
But then I bumped into him a little while ago, and I mean, technically we're friends, right? And that's how I played it.
But when I saw him every irritating-slash-adorable thing he ever did flashed before my eyes, and I mean, that's the true test, right? When you just bump into somebody and if you're not over him, then boom.
Floodgates.
- Hey.
- Dawson.
- You hurried much? - Yeah.
I just I lost track of time.
I was supposed to meet Bessie at home by now.
I was gonna call you.
Want to do a movie night tonight? I've got to help my mom, but I could pick up a movie.
I really don't think I'll be able to.
Maybe some other time, okay? - Okay.
Are you all right? - Oh, yeah, I'm fine.
I have to I have to - Go? - Yes.
I gotta go.
- Bye.
- All right.
I'll see you.
Bye.
Pacey? Doug? Okay, you're not there.
Look, Pacey, don't do what you said you were going to do today, okay? Dawson's not even home.
I just kind of ran into him and I think you should wait until you talk to me.
I really think that I should be the one to tell him.
Okay.
She is my girl.
- You don't even live here anymore.
- I've always lived here.
I'm getting her back.
I'm telling you, she's gonna marry me one day.
- She won't marry you.
- Sure she will.
You changed your mind.
Kind of.
I wanted to talk to you, Dawson.
Pacey hasn't been here, has he? No.
Is he supposed to be? No, actually.
No.
What are you watching? Last Picture Show.
- Isn't that the movie we saw when-? - On our first date.
Yep.
Yes, it is.
Wasn't exactly a successful evening, was it? At least not movie-wise.
- What do you mean? - Well, we never got to see the end.
So how does it end, Dawson? It's three friends who grew up with each other.
Jeff Bridges is in love with Cybill Shepherd and she dumps him and breaks his heart, and he's devastated.
And she's not.
She just kind of moves on to the other guy and it destroys their friendship.
And that's pretty much how it ends.
Everyone alone.
Everyone hating each other.
It's really depressing, actually.
I don't know why I'm watching it.
What did you want to talk about? You know, I just remembered that I promised Bessie that I would help watch Alexander tonight, and she's probably waiting for me, so Bye.
Hey, Jo, what's wrong? What's wrong? Look, Pacey - we can't do this, okay? - Can't do what? I have to be the one to tell him, okay? Things are really complicated between me and Dawson and it has nothing to do with you.
It's just- Look it has to come from me, or else it's going to ruin everything.
Okay.
Okay.
Just calm down.
We'll do whatever you want, all right? Do whatever you want.
Do you wanna know the God's honest truth? No, that's not true, Pacey.
- I went up there, and I tried.
- Of course you did.
Let me guess.
You failed, right? I thought I heard something out here.
- Dawson, we were just- - Having an argument.
Obviously.
What about? Us.
We were having an argument about us.
There's an " us" here now.
I'm sorry.
We didn't wanna tell you this way.
You didn't tell me.
- You know, don't you? - Yeah, I know.
Ever have one of those days you wish you could live all over again? Oh, hey, look.
There's Dawson and his dad.
- Got the champagne? - Right here.
That was almost a disaster.
- Hey, guys.
- Hey.
- Buzz.
- Hey, Dawson.
Where's Joey? I thought she was coming.
She wanted to stop by the library and plough through that Watergate history assignment.
So we're agreed? - Agreed.
- Okay.
Pacey.
- Right.
- You go first.
I'll catch up with you later.
Don't look now, but that's the captain of this vessel.
- Well, I guess we can get started.
- Not without this, we can't.
As promised.
Champagne.
Sparkling apple cider would have worked just as well.
Not for this occasion.
This is a monumental accomplishment.
You took something that was destined for the scrap heap and turned it not only into a thing of beauty but also a viable mode of transportation.
Witter, come on, man.
Let's get the show on the road.
Be right there, man.
- You gonna be home after all this? - For a little bit.
I've got to work later.
Cool.
All right, well, look.
I know you are all on tight schedules, so I'm gonna keep this thing short.
It's a beautiful day and all.
First and foremost, I should probably thank Hurricane Chris for enabling a poor schlub like me to afford a boat like this.
But secondly and more importantly I thank everybody who pitched in.
Everybody who scraped and sanded and polished and painted and otherwise helped out to get this boat back in the water.
Some, of course, did that more willingly than others.
So without further ado I christen for you True Love.
- Yeah! - All right! - All right! - Way to go! All right.
Way to go, Pace.
- Will? - Hey.
Dawson, hey.
I was wondering if you could help me out.
I'm looking for some secret room Andie says is, like, ideal for studying.
She means the genealogy room.
It's pretty dead in there.
- Guess I'll try that.
- All right.
Good luck.
Hey, Dawson.
What did you and Joey do on your first date? - Excuse me? - You know, if you don't want to tell me- No, it's fine.
It's just- I'm kind of surprised.
- It's a left-field question.
- Yeah, but not if you just asked someone out.
- Andie? - Yeah.
So, what should I do? Well, Joey and I went to the movies, which is a really terrible idea.
You can't talk to the person.
You can't even look at them.
So, what would you suggest? There's always the creek.
With the night sky overhead moonlight reflected in the water.
It's achieved cliché status, because it actually is that romantic.
Where would I get a boat? My house.
- You sure? - Absolutely.
You know where it is.
- Just come by and get it.
- Great.
So, what are you up to tonight? I think I might try and hook up with an old friend.
So I'm really not allowed in the house? Sorry.
According to Grams, you're public enemy number one.
What if I have to use the bathroom? Or the phone? What if you start to choke, and I need to call 911? Well, then we'll just have to consult an etiquette book from 1955.
- What are you doing? - I don't know.
Stuff.
You know what, Henry? Why don't you go inside.
- You just told me I couldn't.
- Well, I changed my mind.
No, I know.
It's okay.
I'm sorry.
I can come back.
Oh, God, no, no.
I was expecting that you'd come by anyway.
- How you doing? You all right? - I'm fine.
If you wanna just come inside and hang out with Henry and I we could use a chaperone.
As tempting as that sounds, I think I'm just gonna go watch a movie - relive better days.
- God I know this must seem like the hardest thing in the world right now but you know what? In the long run, it's better that Pacey told you.
Told me what? Told me what? That- Nothing.
If it's nothing, then why were you so concerned? - I wasn't concerned.
- You were.
You assumed Pacey told me something.
Told me what, Jen? Okay, the fact that you're unwilling to answer my question speaks volumes.
It has to do with Joey, doesn't it? It does, doesn't it? God, I'm so sorry.
You've known about this? Dawson, it wasn't my place to say anything.
All right? I didn't want to interfere.
I wanted to protect you.
Wait, Dawson.
Wait, stop.
Say something.
Please.
- I'm fine, all right? I'm fine.
- No.
- I'm fine.
- No, you are not fine.
- What can I say? What can I do? - The same favour that you did them.
You can keep this to yourself, all right? Thanks for protecting me.
- thought you'd do me that way.
I thought we were friends.
We are.
What you so mad for? I never done nothing to you.
- Screwing my girl ain't nothing to you.
- I ain't.
The hell you ain't.
- Well, I ain't.
She's not your girl- - She is my girl.
You changed your mind.
Kind of.
I wanted to talk to you, Dawson.
Pacey's not here, is he? No.
- Is he supposed to be? - No.
What are you watching anyway? Last Picture Show.
- Isn't that the movie we saw when-? - On our first date.
Yep.
Yes, it is.
Wasn't exactly a successful evening, was it? At least not movie-wise.
What do you mean? Well, we never got to see the end.
So how does it end, Dawson? It's three friends who grew up with each other.
Jeff Bridges is in love with Cybill Shepherd and she dumps him and breaks his heart.
He's completely devastated and turns out she's not.
She just kind of moves on to the other guy and it destroys their friendship.
It's never the same after that, and that's how the movie ends.
Everyone alone.
Everyone hating each other.
It's pretty depressing, actually.
I don't know why I'm watching it.
So, what was it you wanted to talk about? You know, I just remembered that I promised Bessie that I would help watch Alexander tonight and she's probably waiting for me, so Bye.
You didn't come here to tell him.
You came to stop me.
That's not true, Pacey.
I tried.
I tried to tell him.
- I went up there, and I tried.
- Of course you did.
Let me guess.
You failed, right? - We didn't want to tell you this way.
- You didn't tell me.
- You know, don't you? - Yeah, I know.
Were you planning to tell me? Or was this gonna be a secret? - It's not like that.
- How was it? Jen was short on details.
- She told you? - Well, she thought I knew.
I mean I had to be pretty stupid not to know.
That the two people I trusted most in the world were lying to me? So are you-? Are you bored? Are you confused or just malicious? Hey, look, I started this thing, okay? If you're gonna get angry, get angry at me.
You're not in any position to talk about what's fair.
- You were my best friend.
- I still am.
I'm finding that hard to process right now.
- It's the truth.
- I guess it's safe to assume friendship isn't above sex in your priorities.
- This has nothing to do with sex.
- What are you, in love? Is that what this is? Don't look- Don't look at her, all right? Don't- I- You know what, Pacey? I feel sorry for you.
When this is over, you'll need your friends and you're not gonna have any.
You won't have a single one.
Hey, guys.
What's going on? Why don't you ask Pacey? Ask him how long they have been sneaking around.
Or better yet, ask Joey.
Ask her how long she's been lying to us.
Go ahead, ask them because I can't stand to look at them anymore.
Wait, Dawson.
Wait, stop.
Say something.
Please.
- I'm fine, all right? I'm fine.
I'm fine.
- No, you are not fine.
- What can I say? What can I do? - The same favour that you did them.
You can keep this to yourself, all right? Thanks for protecting me.
So where were we? Henry, I just did the most awful thing.
- It couldn't have been that awful.
- Believe me, it was.
I God, I totally screwed up.
I I accidentally told Dawson something he wasn't supposed to know and really hurt his feelings in the process.
- But you didn't mean to do it.
- Yeah, but it's still my fault.
I'm the one who messed up, who thought that- Hey, no- I'm not sure what you're doing, but it's not helping matters.
It's because you're not giving it a chance.
I mean it.
- I'm trying to make you feel better.
- You're making yourself feel better.
What did I do that was so terrible? Don't you want to know what just happened? Maybe I don't.
Maybe for once I want to put us before whatever mini-drama you and your friends have whipped up this week.
Okay.
You know what? Why don't you leave.
I'm not kidding.
Leave.
- Now you're being irrational.
- No.
No, just irritated.
Irrational is when I get violent, which will happen in two seconds if you don't get your horny, freshman ass out of here.
A little much maybe, for a first date? - No.
No, I mean, it's beautiful.
- Come on, admit it.
- I did kind of go - Overboard? Plan B.
Pretend we're not on a date.
Okay.
You're rowing us across a body of water.
What do you want me to pretend? That this is something from Greek mythology? Orpheus and Eurydice.
Do you know that one? They were a couple of kids, totally in love but then she died.
Snake bite.
He couldn't deal, so being the ancient world's most kick-ass musician he goes to the underworld, located the authorities and played for them all about Eurydice and how he had to have her back.
And? What happens? It worked.
But there was one condition.
He wasn't allowed to look at her until they were back in the real world.
So they set out and as they were about to make it he looked back.
So she died all over again? He went to grab for her and all he got was air.
Hey, guys.
What's going on? Why don't you ask Pacey? Ask him how long they have been sneaking around.
Or better yet, ask Joey.
Ask her how long she's been lying to us.
Go ahead, ask them because I can't even stand to look at them anymore.
So is this true, Pacey? You and Joey? Yes.
I don't know what to say.
Me neither.
You must really You know, to give up your friendship with Dawson, to give up everything.
God, how could you be so stupid, Pacey? You know you're gonna get hurt.
She is never going to love you like she loves him, okay? He is her first love, Pacey.
Her first love.
I didn't intend for this to happen.
What you intended does not provide me any solace.
What-? Do you love him? You just want to sleep with him? - How could you say that? - It's what he's gonna expect.
We're not together, Dawson.
We haven't been for a long time.
Almost a year- Are you punishing me because I didn't wanna get back together? Why would you think that-? Why? Because you keep on saying that you want to go find yourself.
Is this what you've been looking for? - Is Pacey what you're looking for? - No.
Then explain it to me, Joey.
Explain to me how two people who can barely be in the same room end up outside my window arguing about their future.
I can't, okay? I can't explain it.
It happened.
Everything between you and me is so complicated.
If things between us are complicated, it's because you made them that way.
And you think that whatever was wrong when you were with me - is gonna get better with him? - I don't know, Dawson.
I don't know, okay? I just know that I- I need him.
Do you need him like you need me? Joey, it's a simple question.
Do you need him like you need me? Look, you can't do that, Dawson.
You can't.
Those two things have nothing to do with each other.
The way I feel about him is separate from the way that I feel about you and our friendship.
Right now, we don't have a friendship.
- What? - We don't have a friendship.
- As of this moment we don't.
- That is not fair! You can't have him as your boyfriend and me as your consolation prize.
You're gonna have to make a choice.
If you choose him I won't be around to pick up the pieces when it falls apart.
This ruins everything.
There's no going back.
Okay.
What do you want me to say? Tell me what you want me to say.
I don't want you to say anything.
I want you to leave.
Hell of a day, huh? I have no desire to rewind and live it again, if that's what you mean.
You shouldn't be alone right now.
Why not? I am alone.
I might as well get used to it.
You're not alone, Dawson.
Don't ever think that.
Jen, why didn't you tell me? Dawson, if two people are on a crash course for each other and you throw yourself in between it's only gonna bring them all that much closer.
So, what am I supposed to do now? Am I supposed to just accept this? Am I supposed to just wake up tomorrow like nothing's changed? You just have to let things run their course and you have to let her decide what it is that she really wants.
I can't let her go.
What else can you do? You can fight.
You can fight for what you want.
Ever have one of those days you wish you could live all over again? Yeah.
You? Yeah.
So, what would you have done differently? I don't know.
Everything.
Nothing at all.
We'd still end up right back here and I don't think I know where here is.
Here is right where we started.
Well, she looks beautiful in the water.
This morning was really just a formality.
I still don't know if she's seaworthy.
She looks pretty solid.
I don't know.
I think I see some stormy weather ahead.
Pacey It's over, isn't it? It has to be.
Maybe you should be the first one to go this time.

Previous EpisodeNext Episode