Dawson's Creek s04e01 Episode Script
Coming Home
Hey! -Just caught us some dinner.
-Ah, seafood.
Great change of pace, Pacey.
Was that a note of disgust l detected at our sustenance of the ocean born? After this trip, if l never eat another thing that breathes through gills again, it'll be too soon.
So there she blows, huh? Capeside, Mass.
Our first and last port of call.
Doesn't look different than when we left it, does it? Well, that's because it ain't, fräulein.
l'm in no more of a race than you are to get back there, but it's not like we have a choice.
We don't have to go home.
We survived for three months taking odd jobs.
We can survive as long as we want.
Just as long as we're happy.
Pacey, if you're so serious about this, then why bring it up now two hours from home? Twelve hours from home.
See, l think we should probably drop anchor here have a bite to eat, then debate whether or not to scrap this whole mission home.
No.
l don't believe you, Pacey Witter.
As truant as your natural instinct may be you'd never really suggest us skipping our senior year entirely.
What would we miss from the land of poorly scripted melodramas? Recycled plot lines, tiresome self-realizations.
Throw in the occasional downward spiral of a dear friend and a baby here and a death there and all you've got is some soul-sucking mind-numbing ennui.
And l, for one, could skip it.
You know what continually amazes me, Pace? What's that? How long you've lasted without being thrown off this boat.
Well, finally.
That's something we can both agree upon.
l'd kick off Jack.
You'd kick me off the island before you'd kick off Andie? -Andie's very resourceful.
-All right, give it up for girl power.
Yeah, ruthless alliance.
Come on.
lt's not like we kicked you off first or anything.
-l mean, we already kicked off Grams.
-Yeah.
Yeah, that comparison just bathes me in relief.
You guys should go in.
The water's warm.
Yeah, right.
And reapply the 20 minutes of lotion l just put on? No thanks.
We gotta go.
We gotta paint Mrs.
Hammacott at 2:00.
-Sounds kinky.
-He means her house.
Last one of the season.
We have an hour before we need to be there.
But we gotta go to the hardware store.
We gotta get paint.
We gotta get some rollers.
lt's our last beach day of the season.
l want to get this on record.
Dawson, please.
No pictures.
l look awful.
Well, now you'll look awful for posterity.
Ready? One, two, three.
Okay, nice.
-See you guys at the dive-in tonight.
-Yep.
Dawson, l hear they're playing Jaws.
Oh, good.
Haven't seen that one yet.
See you guys later.
-See you.
-Bye.
Cute boys, two o'clock.
-Like it even matters.
-Oh, come on.
One of us is single.
Yeah, in theory.
But in practice, Andie, let's face it your sex life this summer has been an episode of Abstinence in the City.
ls it my fault if this one-horse hamlet hasn't offered a suitable summer fling? Oh, Andie, there are plenty of guys.
Face it.
You're not bold enough to talk to them.
-lf you were in my shoes, you would? -Yes.
l mean, come on, l think my résumé speaks for itself.
-Fine.
l'm gonna go talk to them.
-Okay.
-l am.
-You go.
-l am.
-Well? Well, l am just negotiating the proper approach.
Well, excuse me while l negotiate the proper approach to the snack bar.
-Scaredy-cat.
-l am not.
-Are so.
-Am not.
Are so.
That's a little on the heavy side.
-Who's that one for? -My sister, l think.
ls that everything? Yeah, for now l figured we'd just leave the rest -on the boat and pick it up tomorrow.
-Okay.
Before we leave, though, there is one other thing we should cover.
What's that? Well, they're gonna ask.
Who's gonna ask what? The masses.
They're gonna ask what happened on the boat.
This summer, between you and l.
You know, sexually speaking.
No one cares, Pacey.
Okay, maybe they care, but they're not gonna ask.
-lt's too crass.
-We live in a crass age.
Okay, so what are you gonna say? -That really depends.
-On? On what you're gonna say.
Well, l guess l'm going to say nothing because it's no one's business.
That's good.
'' Nothing'' sounds perfect.
-Besides, they're not gonna ask.
-Oh, they'll ask.
Well this is it.
Last of our summer.
l go left, you go right, and we spend a full 24 hours away from each other.
lf you're curious as to why l'm not currently awash in sadness it's only because, to be perfectly honest you were starting to get on my nerves, Jo.
Good.
Well, because, you know, l-- l'd hate to think after all of our intimate talks you were actually covering up your aching heart with false bravado.
Well, put your mind at ease.
l guess l'll call you tomorrow, maybe? Oh, if you think about it, sure.
-Okay.
-Good luck out there.
Thanks.
Excuse me.
Do you know where the light bulbs are? Usually up.
-l meant which aisle.
-l'm sorry.
l don't work here.
Lucky for management.
lf it helps, l think they're on aisle four-- -Gretchen? -Dawson? -Wow.
-Hi.
-Hi.
How are you? -l-- l'm damp, at the moment.
And in the grander scheme of things? l sort of heard through the family about last spring.
That.
l'm fine.
l'm fine.
What about you? Still home from college for the summer? A little bit longer than that.
lt's no biggie.
l'm just taking some time off.
Okay.
At the risk of sounding trite, it's-- lt's nice to see you again.
At the risk of sounding redundant, it's nice to see you too.
Damp and all.
Okay.
l got the paint, you got the rollers.
-Who's the girl? -What girl? The girl you're gonna pretend to have no knowledge of until l annoy you with the question over and over and over again.
-That girl.
Long story.
-Good because we got the whole north side of Mrs.
Hammacott's to paint.
-l can't believe you.
-l'm your sister.
l'm entitled to know.
-No, you're not.
-l'll rephrase.
l'm your sister whom you ditched high and dry last June.
l'm entitled to know.
Open your gift.
-A plant.
-lt's a Carolina jasmine.
At night, if the wind hit right, we could smell them two miles out on the water.
-At night while you and Pacey were.
-Quit it.
l haven't even unpacked yet.
Oh.
Hey, Joey, wait.
Hey.
Why is there an underwear-clad stranger in my bedroom? -That's where he lives.
-You rented out my room? Until Tuesday.
Come over here.
lt's my turn to give you a gift.
Our accounting book.
You're so kind.
Look at that number.
Bessie, l'm sorry.
l didn't realize how difficult it would be-- Joey, it has a plus next to it, not a minus.
Welcome to one of the most successful bed-and-breakfasts in the state, Joey.
We've doubled our rates, and we're still booked well through the fall.
Well, when l called -you never mentioned-- -l wanted it to be a surprise.
Most of the summer hanging out with friends and helping my brother with his problems.
-Hello.
-Oh, why, there you are, Jennifer.
l was just chatting with the guys.
l'd like you to meet Jean and Jean-Jean.
Hello, Jeans.
-They're French.
-Get out of Dodge.
And they're backpacking through the East Coast for the summer.
Just stopped in Capeside yesterday.
Tell me they are not adorable plus 1 0 times 1 0 to the 1 0th power.
-They can hear you.
-Doesn't matter.
One barely speaks English.
The other knows '' hello,'' ''goodbye,'' and lyrics to an *NSYNC song.
We would like very much for you to tour us the city.
We'd love to.
Sorry, l'm gonna have to catch up with you on the Riviera.
Okay, Frenchies, let's go tour Capeside.
And any other terrain you're interested in covering.
lt's a Florida snowman.
Get it? Notice my fits of laughter.
So-- Oh, yeah.
How's my favourite couch been? You been keeping it warm for me? Well, you know, it's funny you should bring that up.
Oh, come on.
You're not gonna cast me out to the wolves, are you? lt seems l have to.
Somebody's already moved in.
Sorry.
You and Rupert finally decide to tie the knot? l see three months on the water has done nothing to improve your sense of humour.
Don't tell me this is a girl.
-Well, yes, as a matter of fact, it is.
-Oh, well, that's just fantastic.
When l need a place to sleep, you decide to get all hetero.
As much as l would love to put an end to your inaccurate comments regarding my sexuality, l assure you that this relationship is purely platonic.
Good.
Then l'm sure whoever Miss Mystery Guest is couldn't be as important as your baby bro, bro.
That's where you're wrong, because she's equally important and equally related.
Sorry l'm late, Doug.
l stopped at the hardware store to get some light bulbs.
-Gretchen? -Nice hair, loser.
Come give your big sis a hug.
-Hi.
-Hey.
Hello? Hello.
Mrs.
Leery? Mr.
Leery? Dawson? She was my first crush.
l was 1 0, 1 1 , so she must have been all of 1 3.
l was spending the evening at the Witters' and Gretchen and two of her friends were in the back yard.
Pacey had the brilliant idea of water-ballooning them.
We went to work for about two hours, filling water balloons.
By the time we got outside, Gretchen and her friends were already in bathing suits.
They must have heard the plot through an open bathroom window.
And, of course, Pacey decided to balloon them anyway.
-But l remember just staring.
-At Gretchen.
You'd think l'd never seen a girl in a bathing suit before.
lt just.
lt hit me.
Without warning, right then and there.
And from then on any money that would have formerly gone to baseball cards or action figures was now being spent on chocolates and $5 tulips l would leave anonymously on Gretchen Witter's stoop.
lt wasn't till years later l realized my crush had been a running family joke.
Yeah, right.
So what happened? Same thing that happens with all adolescent crushes.
Absolutely nothing.
l will simply not be replaced.
lt's too damaging to my fragile ego.
-Oh, get over yourself.
-Why don't you get over yourself? Okay? Aren't you a college student or something? -lt's called taking time off.
-Sure it is.
l'm the Witter that euphemism won't fool.
-Mind your own business.
-Let go of my living quarters and maybe l won't dig up the mess that landed you -in this corner of the world.
-All right that's enough, you two.
Now, Pacey you currently have other living options.
Gretchen does not.
-Thank you.
-Really? And what are those options? Well, for starters, there's your boat.
Are you joking? l spent the last 1 00 days living on that dinghy.
Okay, fine.
Kerry and the no-neck monsters are at Mom and Dad's, but they have a couch.
-Am l wrong? -You're not wrong.
l'd just as soon take a cot on death row.
Hey, there's always the zoo.
-Down, Gretchzilla.
-Your level of maturity astounds.
l know.
Why don't you stay with Joey? -What's that supposed to mean? -You have a girlfriend now.
l'm sure she would be happy to give you a bed or share hers.
You know, honestly, l don't appreciate that suggestion or the tone that accompanies it.
Gretchen's got a point.
l mean, if any place has extra rooms, it's a B & B.
l'm not gonna impose upon that family.
Why should you when you have your own to impose on.
Ah, Gretchen.
So good to have you home.
Oh, no.
Whoops.
Silly me.
l don't have a home anymore.
Hey, it pains me to see you this way.
lt really does.
Pass the iced tea.
Thanks.
So football camp led to an unexpected scholarship at Hanover Academy, and Henry and his parents decided that attending would double his college options.
So next thing l know, l'm dating a guy going to boarding school hours away.
They're doing what Jennifer terms ''the long-distance thing.
'' Which, ironically, Grams disapproves of.
Youth is a time to be spent in the now not pining away for a solitary weekend every other month or so.
lsn't there a pair of knitting needles calling your name somewhere? l suppose they are.
Goodbye, Josephine.
Nice to have you back safe and sound.
Okay.
Enough me.
You're the one fresh from the world excursion.
So? We had the time of our lives.
l honestly wouldn't even know where to begin talking about it.
Well, l'll help you out.
Cut to the sordid stuff.
-Jen.
-Come on.
l wouldn't be human if l didn't want to know.
You and Pacey, on a boat for three months.
-Everybody's gonna ask.
-We're not talking about it.
With my experience with that particular yes-or-no question '' no'' means no, and ''we're not talking about it'' means you did it.
You got me.
We did it.
All day, all night, 24/7.
Are you aware that there are at least And 42 if you're flexible enough.
Okay, it's none of my business.
Jen, how is everyone else doing? Good.
Yeah, everybody's good.
l should probably be going.
l promised Bessie l'd help with dinner.
What--? What are you doing tonight? You and Pacey just laying low? Not doing anything.
We're taking our first night off from each other.
Well, we are going to the dive-in.
Why don't you join us? l don't know if that's a good idea.
Eight o'clock, Stupmuck Cove, and l'll tell everybody that you'll be there.
Bye.
And, on your right, we have a very historic building where many historic events occurred.
Sorry.
Hope l'm not boring you with all the specifics.
Oh, no, no.
You're beautiful when you speak.
Well, stop.
No, l didn't really mean stop.
l am sorry.
l don't understand.
Never mind.
So does he ever speak? When he want.
So, anyway, what's your town like? l come from Paris.
Have you been? Oh, no, but l want to go desperately.
-Why? -Because it's the city of romance.
lt's-- lt's the city of love lost and found.
lt's Degas, and Cézanne, and Monet and van Gogh.
Although l've never been there, it's like l know it better than my own home.
-What did he say? -He said you know it so well because it's in your heart.
So how'd she look? Dawson.
lt's a question.
-She looked great.
-Great.
Great.
You sure the light wasn't in your eyes? She didn't grow a hump or some hideous skin disorder or something? Does this mean that you don't want to see her? l didn't say that.
Good, because l invited her to come with us to the dive-in tonight.
You.
-How very thoughtful of you.
-Come on.
You have to dispense with the awkward intros sooner or later, so why not? What happened to the natural progression of things? Joey naturally came over, and l naturally invited her.
l don't know.
So, is what's-his-name gonna be there? No.
No, they're taking the night off.
Which makes this the perfect opportunity for you two to have a conference deciding to be friends forever, no matter what happens.
Why are you so resolute about this? l don't know.
l guess l've just been thinking back to the way everything went down last year.
How you found out and all, and l.
-What, you feel responsible? -Yes, l do.
Wouldn't you? Look, the only thing you're responsible for is helping me have, arguably, the best summer of my life.
-Dawson.
-Jen.
-Dawson and Jen.
-Welcome to the Leery house where it's déjà screw all over again.
No, no.
We were just going over the possible renovations for the home.
You're dying on the vine, dear.
Later, Mrs.
Leery, Mr.
Leery.
-You said you checked the rooms.
-l did.
-Well, you didn't check the darkroom.
-l didn't count the darkroom.
From now on, the darkroom counts.
Guess who.
Well, let's see.
lt can't possibly be my boyfriend.
We're not supposed to see each other till tomorrow.
He was growing sick of me.
That was before he found out he was homeless and needed to bum a couch for the night.
Please.
Try again.
B & B's booked.
l'm on the couch myself until Tuesday.
ls it just me or are you starting to get the distinct feeling that this town really didn't miss us all that much? lt's the reverse of It's a Wonderful Life.
Everyone's better off without us.
Except for each other.
What about tonight? Some pizza, hang out on the boat? Or maybe we could catch a bad summer movie at the $1 .
50 theatre.
Well, actually, Jen invited me to the dive-in.
The dive-in.
Everybody from school's gonna be at the dive-in.
To be perfectly honest, l don't think l'm prepared for that quite yet.
Were you gonna go without me? We can just go together.
l think it'd be fun and healthy.
-You know, to see everyone.
-To see Dawson.
Yes, to see Dawson, which we've talked about, Pacey.
lt's no secret l'm anxious to square things away with him.
No, it's no secret.
And to be perfectly honest, look l don't care where we go, or what we do, as long as we do it together.
Thank you.
Okay.
Start that chum line again will you.
-Let Hooper tak e a turn.
-Hooper drives the boat, chief.
Slow ahead.
I can go slow ahead come on down and chum some of this.
Hey.
You guys go on in.
l'll be in in a second.
Looks like somebody found some new friends.
Don't forget.
lt was the French who coined the term ''ménage à trois.
'' Ménage à l-don't-think-so.
Besides, l only like the one who speaks English.
The other one just stands there like a dolt.
-So do you know if he's single yet? -l'm working on it.
Give me an hour.
Unbelievable.
l thought you said he wasn't gonna be here, Jen.
-He wasn't, Dawson.
-So why is he here, Jen? Good question, Dawson.
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
Well, it wasn't my idea in the first place.
Do you think that? That l should go and get us something to drink while you go and say hi? -Sure.
-l mean, l just think it'll be easier.
Yeah.
No problem.
l'll be back in a couple minutes.
Okay.
Okay, where you going? -To get a better seat.
-Dawson-- l'm not going out of my way to talk to her.
Can't you go out of my way to talk to her? -You work him.
-You work her.
You got it.
-Joey, hey.
-Hey.
-What's up? How are you? -l'm good.
You? -l'm good.
Come on in.
-Thanks.
-lt's good to see you.
-Good to see you.
Oh, someone's been lifting this summer.
Yeah.
Well, what else is there to do in this town, right? So where did everyone go? lt's one thing to usurp the couch but another to come back here and best my social standing.
Do you want to take a walk? Yeah.
-Do you hate me for taking your spot? -Spot? Try bed.
-You hate me.
-Marginally, yeah.
Well, retribution is yours.
Doug wakes me up every morning at 7 dust-bustering the kitchen.
lt's like living with Felix Ungar on crack.
Well, you're hardly an innocent.
Last we roomed together, you were known to blare rock music so loud small nations were kept up.
Not rock, Pacey, soul.
There's a difference.
Yeah, there is a difference.
Fans listen to rock music.
Pretentious fans listen to soul music.
ls it possible you've actually grown more obnoxious over time? Well, it is the Witter way.
And somehow you still got the girl.
Yes, l did.
Who would have ever thunk me and Joey would end up together, huh? -Me.
-You did not.
lt didn't take Nostradamus to call it.
l mean, look at your similarities.
You're both classic scrappy underdogs.
She's sassy, and you're a legendary annoyance.
She's beautiful, and you're lucky.
There is a compliment in there somewhere, right? You're both lucky.
Thank you.
And what about you, Gretchen? Honestly, why would you come back here? l'm just taking a break.
That's all.
All right.
Well, as they say in non-dysfunctional families welcome home, Gretchen.
Speaking of home, l have a suggestion -that you might find appealing.
-Yeah? Ask me a question.
l get it.
lt's the old '' let's make small talk until he comes over,'' right? Precisely.
Just ask me a question.
Actually, l do have a question.
-Not that question.
-Come on.
-Jack.
-l won't tell.
l swear.
Look, she's doing the official ''wait for Dawson to come over'' thing.
lt looks more like the official ''wait in vain for Dawson to come over'' thing.
One more joke like that and l am really gonna know how hard this is for you.
lt's not hard.
-Come on.
-lt's not.
lt's not easy -but it's not hard.
-Whatever it is why don't you go get it over with? l'll do it, but it's just a highly predictable moment.
l'll walk over, Joey and l are gonna engage in semi-casual conversation until the awkwardness overwhelms us both and then we're just gonna part.
Each of us surprised at how surprisingly painless the whole encounter surprisingly was.
Well, then, surprise me and go on over there.
Too bad.
lt's better than nothing.
Hey.
Hey.
Yeah.
l'm gonna go find Jen.
-She's right over there.
-Okay.
Thanks.
-So how's it going? -Great.
Great.
lt's going great.
-How was your summer? -lt was brief but good.
Yours? Brief but good.
-Well, you look great.
-Hey, you too.
-Thanks.
-You too.
Thanks.
-School's Monday-- -School's in-- Yeah.
Well it's good to see you.
lt's good to see you too.
Oh, hold on a minute, guys.
There's someone that l'm not quite ready to see yet.
How do you say? Ex-boyfriend? l understand.
So do you happen to be in a? -Her name is Nicole.
-And l bet you're crazy about her? To borrow your words, she's Monet, Degas, Cézanne-- Okay, l get the point.
Of course he has a girlfriend.
He's cute.
He has an accent.
He tells me l'm beautiful, so of course he has a girlfriend.
Guys are all the same.
Doesn't matter if you're French, American, English, German, Russian, Dutch, French.
-What are you looking at? -A very rude girl.
Okay, you don't even know me, so-- -You don't speak English.
-l have it on good authority that l do.
-Okay, but you guys told me-- -lt was a joke.
The name's J.
J.
Short for John-John, not Jean-Jean.
-So that means that all day you-- -Understood every word you said.
Pardonne-moi.
Just gonna go drown myself.
-There you are.
-And here we go.
-What are you doing? -Both of us a favor.
Taking us home.
-You don't even ask me if l want to go? -Do l have to? -Maybe l'm having fun.
-lf this is how you look when you're enjoying yourself then you weren't having fun on the boat because you didn't look like this.
And you never once behaved like this.
-And just how am l behaving? -l don't know yet.
l'm deciding between asinine, immature child and arrogant, infantile boyfriend.
l didn't want to come here in the-- Well, then you shouldn't have come.
Yeah.
l guess you would have loved that, huh? Would have given you time to ''square things away'' with Dawson.
Those were your words, right? Pacey, dealing with Dawson is a reality for me.
lt's a reality for the both of us.
The guy hates me.
l can't fix that.
-Well, you could try.
-l don't want to.
l do, and l'm sorry if you have a problem with that.
You're right l have a problem with that.
Not even unpacked and the first thing-- l can't help it if he's on my mind.
-lt doesn't mean what you think.
-l don't know what it means.
l don't care.
l've seen you grow more preoccupied every day this week and l'm tired of it.
And it better stop.
You watch who you're ordering around, Pacey.
We're not on a boat, and we haven't been for a day.
Who are you kidding, Jo? Come on, you got off that boat long before the two of us did.
What is that supposed to mean? You're a smart girl, Jo.
You'll figure it out.
Still here, huh? Yeah.
l was just thinking.
A highly overrated activity, if you ask me.
-So are you heading home? -Yeah.
Do you need a ride? l would like that, Dawson.
Andie, you were a wonderful host.
lf you come to Paris, you must look me up.
Okay.
You have a deal, Jean.
Excusez-moi.
That goes for me too, you know.
l can't believe after everything you heard me say that you'd still want to hang out with me.
-Me either.
-Okay, l think l liked you better before you spoke English.
There's a question in French.
lt's very popular.
The English translation, if l remember correctly, goes something like this: Can l kiss you? Oui.
So tell me about this new love of photography that seems to have sprung up in my absence.
l picked it up over the summer.
l didn't think l'd like it nearly as much as l have but l guess that's the way it always is, huh? What's that? You don't choose what you love, it chooses you.
Dawson.
l'm very sorry.
l'm sorry for everything that happened last year and for doing what l had to do.
lt.
l know how difficult it was and probably still must be.
lt wasn't easy.
Thinking about the two of you together every day, every night.
You're actually the only person who hasn't dared ask the big question.
l'm the only person the answer could potentially kill.
Wait here.
lt's for you.
Okay.
Well, it's my very own brick.
lt's not just a brick.
lt's from Hemingway's home in the Keys.
-Ernest? -No.
Frank.
Of course Ernest.
-You know the guy shot himself, Jo.
-Aside from that -l would like to offer it to you as a-- -Please don't say ''symbol.
'' As an emblematic artefact representing the foundation of of a new friendship.
Well, l feel like l'm at the ribbon-cutting of a new strip mall.
Quit joking.
Truth is, Joey it will take more than symbols for us to get back what we had.
And now l'm not even sure that l want to.
Okay.
We're just gonna have to take it one day at a time.
l know.
Hey, Dawson.
For what it's worth.
The answer to that question everyone's been asking? lt wouldn't kill you.
Well, l've decided something and it is perhaps the most important thing that l've realized in the last 45 minutes, so l must share it with you.
This town has too many stoplights for somebody not good at driving stick.
l stalled seven times coming over here.
Too bad it wasn't eight.
l stalled seven times and six out of the seven times do you know what l thought about? You.
lt's this secret thing l do whenever l get really pissed off or confused or angry or upset or sad.
l.
l think of you and l immediately feel good inside.
l guess it's kind of like taking a good-mood pill or something.
l swore that l would never tell you that l did this because it is so girly and stupid, and l just told you because l needed to score major points for not explaining what went down tonight.
Or where l've been the last week when l haven't been on this boat.
Keep going.
Pacey l wanted to see Dawson tonight not because for four months of my life he was my boyfriend because for the better part of my life he was my friend.
And, as my friend, l hurt him deeply.
And living with that fact has caused me no small amount of guilt over the past three months.
So, yes, l have been preoccupied and it has made my mind wander.
But my heart that's a fixed point.
Three months riding the open waters couldn't shake it.
l'll be damned if l let your insecurities shake it.
My heart never left this boat.
lt's never left you.
As far as l can see, it's not going to any time soon.
Okay, you got me.
l do want to know one thing, though.
What's that? l wanna know what exactly it was you thought of the seventh time you stalled.
That l was never gonna drive stick again.
How very practical.
Hey, Pace? Do you think we could do that thing that we do sometimes? You wanna do that thing? Yeah.
''The little mermaid could not take her eyes from the ship or from the beautiful prince.
The lanterns were extinguished.
No more rockets rose in the air and the cannon had ceased firing.
But the sea became restless and a grumbling could be heard beneath the waves.
'' ''After a while, the sails were quickly unfurled and the noble ship continued her passage but soon the waves rose higher.
Heavy clouds darkened the sky and lightning appeared in the distance.
A dreadful storm was approaching.
Once more the sails were reefed and the great ship pursued her course over the raging sea to the little mermaid.
'' SDl Media Group
-Ah, seafood.
Great change of pace, Pacey.
Was that a note of disgust l detected at our sustenance of the ocean born? After this trip, if l never eat another thing that breathes through gills again, it'll be too soon.
So there she blows, huh? Capeside, Mass.
Our first and last port of call.
Doesn't look different than when we left it, does it? Well, that's because it ain't, fräulein.
l'm in no more of a race than you are to get back there, but it's not like we have a choice.
We don't have to go home.
We survived for three months taking odd jobs.
We can survive as long as we want.
Just as long as we're happy.
Pacey, if you're so serious about this, then why bring it up now two hours from home? Twelve hours from home.
See, l think we should probably drop anchor here have a bite to eat, then debate whether or not to scrap this whole mission home.
No.
l don't believe you, Pacey Witter.
As truant as your natural instinct may be you'd never really suggest us skipping our senior year entirely.
What would we miss from the land of poorly scripted melodramas? Recycled plot lines, tiresome self-realizations.
Throw in the occasional downward spiral of a dear friend and a baby here and a death there and all you've got is some soul-sucking mind-numbing ennui.
And l, for one, could skip it.
You know what continually amazes me, Pace? What's that? How long you've lasted without being thrown off this boat.
Well, finally.
That's something we can both agree upon.
l'd kick off Jack.
You'd kick me off the island before you'd kick off Andie? -Andie's very resourceful.
-All right, give it up for girl power.
Yeah, ruthless alliance.
Come on.
lt's not like we kicked you off first or anything.
-l mean, we already kicked off Grams.
-Yeah.
Yeah, that comparison just bathes me in relief.
You guys should go in.
The water's warm.
Yeah, right.
And reapply the 20 minutes of lotion l just put on? No thanks.
We gotta go.
We gotta paint Mrs.
Hammacott at 2:00.
-Sounds kinky.
-He means her house.
Last one of the season.
We have an hour before we need to be there.
But we gotta go to the hardware store.
We gotta get paint.
We gotta get some rollers.
lt's our last beach day of the season.
l want to get this on record.
Dawson, please.
No pictures.
l look awful.
Well, now you'll look awful for posterity.
Ready? One, two, three.
Okay, nice.
-See you guys at the dive-in tonight.
-Yep.
Dawson, l hear they're playing Jaws.
Oh, good.
Haven't seen that one yet.
See you guys later.
-See you.
-Bye.
Cute boys, two o'clock.
-Like it even matters.
-Oh, come on.
One of us is single.
Yeah, in theory.
But in practice, Andie, let's face it your sex life this summer has been an episode of Abstinence in the City.
ls it my fault if this one-horse hamlet hasn't offered a suitable summer fling? Oh, Andie, there are plenty of guys.
Face it.
You're not bold enough to talk to them.
-lf you were in my shoes, you would? -Yes.
l mean, come on, l think my résumé speaks for itself.
-Fine.
l'm gonna go talk to them.
-Okay.
-l am.
-You go.
-l am.
-Well? Well, l am just negotiating the proper approach.
Well, excuse me while l negotiate the proper approach to the snack bar.
-Scaredy-cat.
-l am not.
-Are so.
-Am not.
Are so.
That's a little on the heavy side.
-Who's that one for? -My sister, l think.
ls that everything? Yeah, for now l figured we'd just leave the rest -on the boat and pick it up tomorrow.
-Okay.
Before we leave, though, there is one other thing we should cover.
What's that? Well, they're gonna ask.
Who's gonna ask what? The masses.
They're gonna ask what happened on the boat.
This summer, between you and l.
You know, sexually speaking.
No one cares, Pacey.
Okay, maybe they care, but they're not gonna ask.
-lt's too crass.
-We live in a crass age.
Okay, so what are you gonna say? -That really depends.
-On? On what you're gonna say.
Well, l guess l'm going to say nothing because it's no one's business.
That's good.
'' Nothing'' sounds perfect.
-Besides, they're not gonna ask.
-Oh, they'll ask.
Well this is it.
Last of our summer.
l go left, you go right, and we spend a full 24 hours away from each other.
lf you're curious as to why l'm not currently awash in sadness it's only because, to be perfectly honest you were starting to get on my nerves, Jo.
Good.
Well, because, you know, l-- l'd hate to think after all of our intimate talks you were actually covering up your aching heart with false bravado.
Well, put your mind at ease.
l guess l'll call you tomorrow, maybe? Oh, if you think about it, sure.
-Okay.
-Good luck out there.
Thanks.
Excuse me.
Do you know where the light bulbs are? Usually up.
-l meant which aisle.
-l'm sorry.
l don't work here.
Lucky for management.
lf it helps, l think they're on aisle four-- -Gretchen? -Dawson? -Wow.
-Hi.
-Hi.
How are you? -l-- l'm damp, at the moment.
And in the grander scheme of things? l sort of heard through the family about last spring.
That.
l'm fine.
l'm fine.
What about you? Still home from college for the summer? A little bit longer than that.
lt's no biggie.
l'm just taking some time off.
Okay.
At the risk of sounding trite, it's-- lt's nice to see you again.
At the risk of sounding redundant, it's nice to see you too.
Damp and all.
Okay.
l got the paint, you got the rollers.
-Who's the girl? -What girl? The girl you're gonna pretend to have no knowledge of until l annoy you with the question over and over and over again.
-That girl.
Long story.
-Good because we got the whole north side of Mrs.
Hammacott's to paint.
-l can't believe you.
-l'm your sister.
l'm entitled to know.
-No, you're not.
-l'll rephrase.
l'm your sister whom you ditched high and dry last June.
l'm entitled to know.
Open your gift.
-A plant.
-lt's a Carolina jasmine.
At night, if the wind hit right, we could smell them two miles out on the water.
-At night while you and Pacey were.
-Quit it.
l haven't even unpacked yet.
Oh.
Hey, Joey, wait.
Hey.
Why is there an underwear-clad stranger in my bedroom? -That's where he lives.
-You rented out my room? Until Tuesday.
Come over here.
lt's my turn to give you a gift.
Our accounting book.
You're so kind.
Look at that number.
Bessie, l'm sorry.
l didn't realize how difficult it would be-- Joey, it has a plus next to it, not a minus.
Welcome to one of the most successful bed-and-breakfasts in the state, Joey.
We've doubled our rates, and we're still booked well through the fall.
Well, when l called -you never mentioned-- -l wanted it to be a surprise.
Most of the summer hanging out with friends and helping my brother with his problems.
-Hello.
-Oh, why, there you are, Jennifer.
l was just chatting with the guys.
l'd like you to meet Jean and Jean-Jean.
Hello, Jeans.
-They're French.
-Get out of Dodge.
And they're backpacking through the East Coast for the summer.
Just stopped in Capeside yesterday.
Tell me they are not adorable plus 1 0 times 1 0 to the 1 0th power.
-They can hear you.
-Doesn't matter.
One barely speaks English.
The other knows '' hello,'' ''goodbye,'' and lyrics to an *NSYNC song.
We would like very much for you to tour us the city.
We'd love to.
Sorry, l'm gonna have to catch up with you on the Riviera.
Okay, Frenchies, let's go tour Capeside.
And any other terrain you're interested in covering.
lt's a Florida snowman.
Get it? Notice my fits of laughter.
So-- Oh, yeah.
How's my favourite couch been? You been keeping it warm for me? Well, you know, it's funny you should bring that up.
Oh, come on.
You're not gonna cast me out to the wolves, are you? lt seems l have to.
Somebody's already moved in.
Sorry.
You and Rupert finally decide to tie the knot? l see three months on the water has done nothing to improve your sense of humour.
Don't tell me this is a girl.
-Well, yes, as a matter of fact, it is.
-Oh, well, that's just fantastic.
When l need a place to sleep, you decide to get all hetero.
As much as l would love to put an end to your inaccurate comments regarding my sexuality, l assure you that this relationship is purely platonic.
Good.
Then l'm sure whoever Miss Mystery Guest is couldn't be as important as your baby bro, bro.
That's where you're wrong, because she's equally important and equally related.
Sorry l'm late, Doug.
l stopped at the hardware store to get some light bulbs.
-Gretchen? -Nice hair, loser.
Come give your big sis a hug.
-Hi.
-Hey.
Hello? Hello.
Mrs.
Leery? Mr.
Leery? Dawson? She was my first crush.
l was 1 0, 1 1 , so she must have been all of 1 3.
l was spending the evening at the Witters' and Gretchen and two of her friends were in the back yard.
Pacey had the brilliant idea of water-ballooning them.
We went to work for about two hours, filling water balloons.
By the time we got outside, Gretchen and her friends were already in bathing suits.
They must have heard the plot through an open bathroom window.
And, of course, Pacey decided to balloon them anyway.
-But l remember just staring.
-At Gretchen.
You'd think l'd never seen a girl in a bathing suit before.
lt just.
lt hit me.
Without warning, right then and there.
And from then on any money that would have formerly gone to baseball cards or action figures was now being spent on chocolates and $5 tulips l would leave anonymously on Gretchen Witter's stoop.
lt wasn't till years later l realized my crush had been a running family joke.
Yeah, right.
So what happened? Same thing that happens with all adolescent crushes.
Absolutely nothing.
l will simply not be replaced.
lt's too damaging to my fragile ego.
-Oh, get over yourself.
-Why don't you get over yourself? Okay? Aren't you a college student or something? -lt's called taking time off.
-Sure it is.
l'm the Witter that euphemism won't fool.
-Mind your own business.
-Let go of my living quarters and maybe l won't dig up the mess that landed you -in this corner of the world.
-All right that's enough, you two.
Now, Pacey you currently have other living options.
Gretchen does not.
-Thank you.
-Really? And what are those options? Well, for starters, there's your boat.
Are you joking? l spent the last 1 00 days living on that dinghy.
Okay, fine.
Kerry and the no-neck monsters are at Mom and Dad's, but they have a couch.
-Am l wrong? -You're not wrong.
l'd just as soon take a cot on death row.
Hey, there's always the zoo.
-Down, Gretchzilla.
-Your level of maturity astounds.
l know.
Why don't you stay with Joey? -What's that supposed to mean? -You have a girlfriend now.
l'm sure she would be happy to give you a bed or share hers.
You know, honestly, l don't appreciate that suggestion or the tone that accompanies it.
Gretchen's got a point.
l mean, if any place has extra rooms, it's a B & B.
l'm not gonna impose upon that family.
Why should you when you have your own to impose on.
Ah, Gretchen.
So good to have you home.
Oh, no.
Whoops.
Silly me.
l don't have a home anymore.
Hey, it pains me to see you this way.
lt really does.
Pass the iced tea.
Thanks.
So football camp led to an unexpected scholarship at Hanover Academy, and Henry and his parents decided that attending would double his college options.
So next thing l know, l'm dating a guy going to boarding school hours away.
They're doing what Jennifer terms ''the long-distance thing.
'' Which, ironically, Grams disapproves of.
Youth is a time to be spent in the now not pining away for a solitary weekend every other month or so.
lsn't there a pair of knitting needles calling your name somewhere? l suppose they are.
Goodbye, Josephine.
Nice to have you back safe and sound.
Okay.
Enough me.
You're the one fresh from the world excursion.
So? We had the time of our lives.
l honestly wouldn't even know where to begin talking about it.
Well, l'll help you out.
Cut to the sordid stuff.
-Jen.
-Come on.
l wouldn't be human if l didn't want to know.
You and Pacey, on a boat for three months.
-Everybody's gonna ask.
-We're not talking about it.
With my experience with that particular yes-or-no question '' no'' means no, and ''we're not talking about it'' means you did it.
You got me.
We did it.
All day, all night, 24/7.
Are you aware that there are at least And 42 if you're flexible enough.
Okay, it's none of my business.
Jen, how is everyone else doing? Good.
Yeah, everybody's good.
l should probably be going.
l promised Bessie l'd help with dinner.
What--? What are you doing tonight? You and Pacey just laying low? Not doing anything.
We're taking our first night off from each other.
Well, we are going to the dive-in.
Why don't you join us? l don't know if that's a good idea.
Eight o'clock, Stupmuck Cove, and l'll tell everybody that you'll be there.
Bye.
And, on your right, we have a very historic building where many historic events occurred.
Sorry.
Hope l'm not boring you with all the specifics.
Oh, no, no.
You're beautiful when you speak.
Well, stop.
No, l didn't really mean stop.
l am sorry.
l don't understand.
Never mind.
So does he ever speak? When he want.
So, anyway, what's your town like? l come from Paris.
Have you been? Oh, no, but l want to go desperately.
-Why? -Because it's the city of romance.
lt's-- lt's the city of love lost and found.
lt's Degas, and Cézanne, and Monet and van Gogh.
Although l've never been there, it's like l know it better than my own home.
-What did he say? -He said you know it so well because it's in your heart.
So how'd she look? Dawson.
lt's a question.
-She looked great.
-Great.
Great.
You sure the light wasn't in your eyes? She didn't grow a hump or some hideous skin disorder or something? Does this mean that you don't want to see her? l didn't say that.
Good, because l invited her to come with us to the dive-in tonight.
You.
-How very thoughtful of you.
-Come on.
You have to dispense with the awkward intros sooner or later, so why not? What happened to the natural progression of things? Joey naturally came over, and l naturally invited her.
l don't know.
So, is what's-his-name gonna be there? No.
No, they're taking the night off.
Which makes this the perfect opportunity for you two to have a conference deciding to be friends forever, no matter what happens.
Why are you so resolute about this? l don't know.
l guess l've just been thinking back to the way everything went down last year.
How you found out and all, and l.
-What, you feel responsible? -Yes, l do.
Wouldn't you? Look, the only thing you're responsible for is helping me have, arguably, the best summer of my life.
-Dawson.
-Jen.
-Dawson and Jen.
-Welcome to the Leery house where it's déjà screw all over again.
No, no.
We were just going over the possible renovations for the home.
You're dying on the vine, dear.
Later, Mrs.
Leery, Mr.
Leery.
-You said you checked the rooms.
-l did.
-Well, you didn't check the darkroom.
-l didn't count the darkroom.
From now on, the darkroom counts.
Guess who.
Well, let's see.
lt can't possibly be my boyfriend.
We're not supposed to see each other till tomorrow.
He was growing sick of me.
That was before he found out he was homeless and needed to bum a couch for the night.
Please.
Try again.
B & B's booked.
l'm on the couch myself until Tuesday.
ls it just me or are you starting to get the distinct feeling that this town really didn't miss us all that much? lt's the reverse of It's a Wonderful Life.
Everyone's better off without us.
Except for each other.
What about tonight? Some pizza, hang out on the boat? Or maybe we could catch a bad summer movie at the $1 .
50 theatre.
Well, actually, Jen invited me to the dive-in.
The dive-in.
Everybody from school's gonna be at the dive-in.
To be perfectly honest, l don't think l'm prepared for that quite yet.
Were you gonna go without me? We can just go together.
l think it'd be fun and healthy.
-You know, to see everyone.
-To see Dawson.
Yes, to see Dawson, which we've talked about, Pacey.
lt's no secret l'm anxious to square things away with him.
No, it's no secret.
And to be perfectly honest, look l don't care where we go, or what we do, as long as we do it together.
Thank you.
Okay.
Start that chum line again will you.
-Let Hooper tak e a turn.
-Hooper drives the boat, chief.
Slow ahead.
I can go slow ahead come on down and chum some of this.
Hey.
You guys go on in.
l'll be in in a second.
Looks like somebody found some new friends.
Don't forget.
lt was the French who coined the term ''ménage à trois.
'' Ménage à l-don't-think-so.
Besides, l only like the one who speaks English.
The other one just stands there like a dolt.
-So do you know if he's single yet? -l'm working on it.
Give me an hour.
Unbelievable.
l thought you said he wasn't gonna be here, Jen.
-He wasn't, Dawson.
-So why is he here, Jen? Good question, Dawson.
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
Well, it wasn't my idea in the first place.
Do you think that? That l should go and get us something to drink while you go and say hi? -Sure.
-l mean, l just think it'll be easier.
Yeah.
No problem.
l'll be back in a couple minutes.
Okay.
Okay, where you going? -To get a better seat.
-Dawson-- l'm not going out of my way to talk to her.
Can't you go out of my way to talk to her? -You work him.
-You work her.
You got it.
-Joey, hey.
-Hey.
-What's up? How are you? -l'm good.
You? -l'm good.
Come on in.
-Thanks.
-lt's good to see you.
-Good to see you.
Oh, someone's been lifting this summer.
Yeah.
Well, what else is there to do in this town, right? So where did everyone go? lt's one thing to usurp the couch but another to come back here and best my social standing.
Do you want to take a walk? Yeah.
-Do you hate me for taking your spot? -Spot? Try bed.
-You hate me.
-Marginally, yeah.
Well, retribution is yours.
Doug wakes me up every morning at 7 dust-bustering the kitchen.
lt's like living with Felix Ungar on crack.
Well, you're hardly an innocent.
Last we roomed together, you were known to blare rock music so loud small nations were kept up.
Not rock, Pacey, soul.
There's a difference.
Yeah, there is a difference.
Fans listen to rock music.
Pretentious fans listen to soul music.
ls it possible you've actually grown more obnoxious over time? Well, it is the Witter way.
And somehow you still got the girl.
Yes, l did.
Who would have ever thunk me and Joey would end up together, huh? -Me.
-You did not.
lt didn't take Nostradamus to call it.
l mean, look at your similarities.
You're both classic scrappy underdogs.
She's sassy, and you're a legendary annoyance.
She's beautiful, and you're lucky.
There is a compliment in there somewhere, right? You're both lucky.
Thank you.
And what about you, Gretchen? Honestly, why would you come back here? l'm just taking a break.
That's all.
All right.
Well, as they say in non-dysfunctional families welcome home, Gretchen.
Speaking of home, l have a suggestion -that you might find appealing.
-Yeah? Ask me a question.
l get it.
lt's the old '' let's make small talk until he comes over,'' right? Precisely.
Just ask me a question.
Actually, l do have a question.
-Not that question.
-Come on.
-Jack.
-l won't tell.
l swear.
Look, she's doing the official ''wait for Dawson to come over'' thing.
lt looks more like the official ''wait in vain for Dawson to come over'' thing.
One more joke like that and l am really gonna know how hard this is for you.
lt's not hard.
-Come on.
-lt's not.
lt's not easy -but it's not hard.
-Whatever it is why don't you go get it over with? l'll do it, but it's just a highly predictable moment.
l'll walk over, Joey and l are gonna engage in semi-casual conversation until the awkwardness overwhelms us both and then we're just gonna part.
Each of us surprised at how surprisingly painless the whole encounter surprisingly was.
Well, then, surprise me and go on over there.
Too bad.
lt's better than nothing.
Hey.
Hey.
Yeah.
l'm gonna go find Jen.
-She's right over there.
-Okay.
Thanks.
-So how's it going? -Great.
Great.
lt's going great.
-How was your summer? -lt was brief but good.
Yours? Brief but good.
-Well, you look great.
-Hey, you too.
-Thanks.
-You too.
Thanks.
-School's Monday-- -School's in-- Yeah.
Well it's good to see you.
lt's good to see you too.
Oh, hold on a minute, guys.
There's someone that l'm not quite ready to see yet.
How do you say? Ex-boyfriend? l understand.
So do you happen to be in a? -Her name is Nicole.
-And l bet you're crazy about her? To borrow your words, she's Monet, Degas, Cézanne-- Okay, l get the point.
Of course he has a girlfriend.
He's cute.
He has an accent.
He tells me l'm beautiful, so of course he has a girlfriend.
Guys are all the same.
Doesn't matter if you're French, American, English, German, Russian, Dutch, French.
-What are you looking at? -A very rude girl.
Okay, you don't even know me, so-- -You don't speak English.
-l have it on good authority that l do.
-Okay, but you guys told me-- -lt was a joke.
The name's J.
J.
Short for John-John, not Jean-Jean.
-So that means that all day you-- -Understood every word you said.
Pardonne-moi.
Just gonna go drown myself.
-There you are.
-And here we go.
-What are you doing? -Both of us a favor.
Taking us home.
-You don't even ask me if l want to go? -Do l have to? -Maybe l'm having fun.
-lf this is how you look when you're enjoying yourself then you weren't having fun on the boat because you didn't look like this.
And you never once behaved like this.
-And just how am l behaving? -l don't know yet.
l'm deciding between asinine, immature child and arrogant, infantile boyfriend.
l didn't want to come here in the-- Well, then you shouldn't have come.
Yeah.
l guess you would have loved that, huh? Would have given you time to ''square things away'' with Dawson.
Those were your words, right? Pacey, dealing with Dawson is a reality for me.
lt's a reality for the both of us.
The guy hates me.
l can't fix that.
-Well, you could try.
-l don't want to.
l do, and l'm sorry if you have a problem with that.
You're right l have a problem with that.
Not even unpacked and the first thing-- l can't help it if he's on my mind.
-lt doesn't mean what you think.
-l don't know what it means.
l don't care.
l've seen you grow more preoccupied every day this week and l'm tired of it.
And it better stop.
You watch who you're ordering around, Pacey.
We're not on a boat, and we haven't been for a day.
Who are you kidding, Jo? Come on, you got off that boat long before the two of us did.
What is that supposed to mean? You're a smart girl, Jo.
You'll figure it out.
Still here, huh? Yeah.
l was just thinking.
A highly overrated activity, if you ask me.
-So are you heading home? -Yeah.
Do you need a ride? l would like that, Dawson.
Andie, you were a wonderful host.
lf you come to Paris, you must look me up.
Okay.
You have a deal, Jean.
Excusez-moi.
That goes for me too, you know.
l can't believe after everything you heard me say that you'd still want to hang out with me.
-Me either.
-Okay, l think l liked you better before you spoke English.
There's a question in French.
lt's very popular.
The English translation, if l remember correctly, goes something like this: Can l kiss you? Oui.
So tell me about this new love of photography that seems to have sprung up in my absence.
l picked it up over the summer.
l didn't think l'd like it nearly as much as l have but l guess that's the way it always is, huh? What's that? You don't choose what you love, it chooses you.
Dawson.
l'm very sorry.
l'm sorry for everything that happened last year and for doing what l had to do.
lt.
l know how difficult it was and probably still must be.
lt wasn't easy.
Thinking about the two of you together every day, every night.
You're actually the only person who hasn't dared ask the big question.
l'm the only person the answer could potentially kill.
Wait here.
lt's for you.
Okay.
Well, it's my very own brick.
lt's not just a brick.
lt's from Hemingway's home in the Keys.
-Ernest? -No.
Frank.
Of course Ernest.
-You know the guy shot himself, Jo.
-Aside from that -l would like to offer it to you as a-- -Please don't say ''symbol.
'' As an emblematic artefact representing the foundation of of a new friendship.
Well, l feel like l'm at the ribbon-cutting of a new strip mall.
Quit joking.
Truth is, Joey it will take more than symbols for us to get back what we had.
And now l'm not even sure that l want to.
Okay.
We're just gonna have to take it one day at a time.
l know.
Hey, Dawson.
For what it's worth.
The answer to that question everyone's been asking? lt wouldn't kill you.
Well, l've decided something and it is perhaps the most important thing that l've realized in the last 45 minutes, so l must share it with you.
This town has too many stoplights for somebody not good at driving stick.
l stalled seven times coming over here.
Too bad it wasn't eight.
l stalled seven times and six out of the seven times do you know what l thought about? You.
lt's this secret thing l do whenever l get really pissed off or confused or angry or upset or sad.
l.
l think of you and l immediately feel good inside.
l guess it's kind of like taking a good-mood pill or something.
l swore that l would never tell you that l did this because it is so girly and stupid, and l just told you because l needed to score major points for not explaining what went down tonight.
Or where l've been the last week when l haven't been on this boat.
Keep going.
Pacey l wanted to see Dawson tonight not because for four months of my life he was my boyfriend because for the better part of my life he was my friend.
And, as my friend, l hurt him deeply.
And living with that fact has caused me no small amount of guilt over the past three months.
So, yes, l have been preoccupied and it has made my mind wander.
But my heart that's a fixed point.
Three months riding the open waters couldn't shake it.
l'll be damned if l let your insecurities shake it.
My heart never left this boat.
lt's never left you.
As far as l can see, it's not going to any time soon.
Okay, you got me.
l do want to know one thing, though.
What's that? l wanna know what exactly it was you thought of the seventh time you stalled.
That l was never gonna drive stick again.
How very practical.
Hey, Pace? Do you think we could do that thing that we do sometimes? You wanna do that thing? Yeah.
''The little mermaid could not take her eyes from the ship or from the beautiful prince.
The lanterns were extinguished.
No more rockets rose in the air and the cannon had ceased firing.
But the sea became restless and a grumbling could be heard beneath the waves.
'' ''After a while, the sails were quickly unfurled and the noble ship continued her passage but soon the waves rose higher.
Heavy clouds darkened the sky and lightning appeared in the distance.
A dreadful storm was approaching.
Once more the sails were reefed and the great ship pursued her course over the raging sea to the little mermaid.
'' SDl Media Group