Dawson's Creek s04e21 Episode Script

Separation Anxiety

Okay, please, just give me something, anything.
A juicy little morsel to tide me over so l can keep living vicariously through you.
First of all, when discussing my love life don't use the word ''juicy'' or ''morsel.
'' -Okay? lt cheapens me.
-Fine.
Fine.
But you and Tobey are going out again, right? Yes, we are going out again.
-And? -And that's all you're getting.
Might l remind you, that it was me that got the two of you together.
Don't make me beg, because it won't be pretty.
Actually, begging happens to be a great look for you.
Especially when you stick out that pouty lower lip.
lt's sexy.
l must be off my game, Drue.
Normally l can smell you coming a mile away.
Be nice or you won't get your yearbooks.
-lt's-- -Nice.
That's uncharacteristically nice.
What's going on? How many prom drownings do l have to rescue you from -before you accept the new me? -Maybe one.
Or two.
lf we can all turn to page 53 in our prayer books l think we should bow our heads in a moment of silence.
-l wonder if they've seen this.
-l wonder if they're talking.
They haven't said so much as a hello since the prom debacle.
-Same for Dawson and Gretchen.
-That confuses me.
l was sure they'd get back together.
-They're good for each other.
-Long distance can be tough.
He's gonna be in L.
A.
lf anybody's getting back together Joey and Pacey.
Blah, blah, blah.
All you guys do is talk.
You know, l say it's time we take some action.
Who will live to suck face another day? Joey and Pacey, Gretchen and Dawson both or neither? lt's disgusting.
Yeah, it's really inappropriate, Drue.
-Spot me two bucks.
-l can do that.
-Right here.
-l have 20.
Take it all the way.
Hey, guys.
What's up? Dawson, Joey.
You guys eating? Cute, huh? -Busy? -Yeah.
l'm just doing some last looks on this Brooks film before l send it off to USC.
lf l've got any chance of getting in their summer program, it has to be out tomorrow.
-Have you talked to Gretchen yet? -There's not much to talk about.
But are you okay with the way things were left between the two of you? Well, l'm not doing cartwheels.
But, you know, what do you expect? l'm sure we'll eventually find a way to restore our friendship.
l don't see how you can restore your friendship if you're not speaking.
lt's my friendship, so l'll handle it.
Gretchen's leaving town.
When? How do you know? She gave notice a couple days ago.
Today's her last day at the restaurant.
So it must be soon then.
l just thought you'd want to know to say goodbye.
Well, she didn't tell me she was leaving.
Obviously, she doesn't want me to know.
No, the truth is, you don't know what Gretchen's thinking right now.
So why don't you go over there and find out.
You could ask her to sign your yearbook.
That's always a good way to start a conversation.
Mom, l appreciate the effort.
That's such a thinly veiled attempt at a reconciliation l'm not even sure there's a veil there.
Then l'm sure you'll think of something better.
But if you want to keep Gretchen in your life, honey you're gonna have to talk to her.
And you're gonna have to do it soon.
Hey.
How's it going? This baby should run for another two, 3000 miles easy.
Though it wouldn't kill you to change the oil every millennium.
l'll try and remember that.
Oh, l talked to the landlord.
We're officially paid up till the end of next month.
And after that the lease is up.
-Thanks for doing that.
-No problem.
Consider it payment for the work you've done on my car.
Want this? Thanks.
So how are you? To tell you the truth, l've had better days.
Why, you decide to talk to Dawson lately? No.
l don't know if l'm avoiding him or he's avoiding me.
Yeah.
l know what you mean.
-Joey? -Same thing.
l'm really sorry, Pace.
You think you and l might actually feel better if we were to deal with our ex's instead of just holing up -in this cosy, little beach house? -Probably.
But that doesn't mean l'm actually ready to go out there and cope.
Me neither.
Maybe it's genetic.
The house just went on the market a few days ago.
And l'm sure it's not gonna be on the market very long.
lf we tore apart that upstairs room, it would make a great gym.
l was thinking the same thing.
-Lots of steel, mirrored doors.
-That's my room.
-All this wallpaper would have to go.
-Well, there's tons of possibilities.
Why don't you take another look around.
You must be Jennifer.
l've heard so much about you.
Congratulations on Boston Bay College, by the way.
l'm sorry.
But who are you? l'm Dana Borkow.
l'm the realtor.
Didn't you know? Your grandmother's selling her house.
Joey Potter, l was hoping to run into you.
Nice to see you, Mr.
Kubelik.
You're coming to my party tomorrow night? -l wouldn't miss it.
-l hope you're bringing that charming boyfriend of yours.
Pacey, was it? He certainly did liven up the last party.
Well, actually, certain things have kind of changed since the last party.
Pacey and l.
We.
Well, we kind of broke up.
-Yeah.
-Well, l'm sorry to hear that.
Well, l take it you're still on good terms, huh? -Yeah, sure.
We talk all the time.
-l'm glad to hear that.
Dean Newman and l were hoping to chat with him tomorrow night about a pressing matter.
-The dean of admissions? -Yeah.
We have an offer we want to discuss with him.
Yeah, sure.
l'm sure that Pacey would love to talk to you.
Okay.
Well, then l'll see you both tomorrow night then.
-Okay.
-Have a good day.
You too.
Forgive me, Jennifer.
l didn't realize l needed permission to sell my own house.
Well, it's not about permission.
But since you're doing this for me, why shouldn't l have a say? What makes you think l'm doing this for you? l want you to look me in the eyes and tell me this is not about sending me to college.
l admit, the money from the house will primarily go towards your tuition.
But that is not the only reason for my decision.
All right.
Well, then, by all means, enlighten me.
Look, you are moving on to the next phase in your life and l need to do the same.
Which is why l've decided to move to La Brea Park.
Okay, run that by me one more time because when you say La Brea Park, l think a retirement community with bunnies and lawn bowling.
Aside from your habitual knitting, and penchant for Metamucil you're too young and too hip to live in a place like that.
Jennifer.
Just because a community has the word '' retirement'' in front of it doesn't automatically mean it's a bad place.
Oh, honestly, l didn't realize you were such an ageist.
l'm not an ageist.
l'm not an age-- '' lst'' anything.
l wanna go see this fabulous park of yours.
Hey, you.
Hey.
l thought you might want to sign that before you leave town.
Well, you're nothing if not direct.
Were you gonna just slip out without saying goodbye? l was thinking about it, yeah.
Okay, in that case, let's pretend l never stopped by.
Or maybe l was thinking about how to say goodbye to you all week.
So where you going? Back to school.
l signed up for some summer classes to make up some of the units l missed this year.
How soon do classes start? Not for over a month.
But l'm gonna take a little road trip before that.
Do some travelling while l have the time.
That sounds like fun.
l leave the day after tomorrow.
That's soon.
-l know.
-That's.
That's really soon.
l feel ill-prepared.
Well, you still have a whole day and a half to come up with some fantastic going-away speech for me.
All right.
But l would like to sign that.
Can l? Can l have some time with it? Sure.
Yeah.
As long as you realize that the longer you have it the less acceptable '' Have a bitchen summer'' is gonna be.
Okay.
Okay.
Hey.
Beginning to wonder if you were ever gonna knock.
You saw me standing out here? No.
Okay here's the thing.
l ran into Mr.
Kubelik today.
Remember him? He's the Worthington guy and he remembered you.
He asked me to bring you to this party tomorrow night for all the new freshmen.
He thought we were still together, and l said things were weird but he said he had this offer, mentioning the dean of admissions.
What could he be talking about but Worthington and you? Maybe there's some loophole or there's some special program.
-And l don't know-- -l miss you, Jo.
l miss you too.
l've been replaying everything that happened at that stupid prom.
lt wasn't supposed to end like that.
And we're not supposed to end like that, right? Would you come to the party with me? Yeah, of course.
And.
l'll see you tomorrow.
Okay, so riddle me this.
How many Funyuns can a tiny, little woman like you possibly consume on one little road trip? -Don't change the subject.
-l'm not changing the subject.
l'm steering it in a different direction on purpose.
Look, l just don't think you should go to the party tonight.
Even if you are supposed to be together you need to take some time apart to figure out what went wrong.
Otherwise, you're gonna make the same mistakes all over again.
Trust me.
l know from whence l speak.
Trust you? Ms.
Pack-Up-and-Leave-Town? Forgive me if you're not my relationship role model right now.
l'm just trying to help, Pace.
l don't want to see you get hurt.
Well, it's too late for that.
l'm already hurt.
And that's exactly the situation l'm trying to rectify.
l gotta go to this party to see what the gods have in store for me.
You mean Kubelik and his mysterious offer? Yeah.
Look, l know that this is a long shot, but what other choice do l have? l need a sign.
l need someone or something to tell me what to do to show me what's right, because l don't know anymore.
lf this guy offers me a chance to go to Worthington then l have my answer.
And l'll know for sure.
What will you know? Well, that l'm supposed to be with her.
Look, Gretch, if it's all right with you, l think l'm gonna walk home.
Yeah.
So then this is it.
You're really gonna leave tomorrow morning.
Well, long before you're up, snoozer.
Hey, what's this? -l'm glad you came home this year.
-Sure you are.
-You got a sweet beach house.
-Yeah, l did.
lt would have not have been the same if it wasn't for you.
So look, l just want you to know that, you know, your little brother.
- Well, you know.
-l love you too, Pace.
Yeah.
And even better than that, l mean, all familial obligations aside l actually like you.
-Well, you're not so bad yourself.
-Yeah, l know.
Goodbye, Gretchen.
-Bye.
-Bye.
-Last name.
-Hello.
-l was here a few days ago.
-Last name.
Ryan.
Evelyn Ryan.
She's a crusty old broad.
What would she do if we gunned it? How would she catch us? ln one of those golf carts, you think? -l seriously think we could take her.
-Jennifer, please.
Just making a joke.
Here you go.
Next time, go to Gate Three first to get your pass.
-Oh, l'm sorry.
l didn't realize-- -Everyone needs a pass.
Residents get a permanent pass.
lf they have visitors, they're supposed to call in advance to get a pass.
Nobody gets in without a pass.
l don't know how you did it.
You managed to make Mr.
Brooks seem like Harrison Ford.
-So it's okay then? -Well, l am prone to subjectivity.
But when USC calls and begs you to join their program remember, you heard it here first: lt is great.
But l can see that your mind's on other things right now.
Want to talk about it? Not really.
But thank you for watching this.
l really needed an opinion from somebody other than Brooks.
You know, l mean, how can a man with an ego that big not love a movie that's all about him? That man was a real wild card, huh? l can't get over how much he reminded me -of you.
-l remind you of him? That part where he talks about that girl.
How she jumped over the counter, they went off to California together.
They didn't even know each other.
Who does that? -Hitchhikers.
-Risk-takers.
Dreamers.
The people who understand that every once in a while an opportunity presents itself.
And whatever they decide to do in that moment .
will change the rest of their lives forever.
Brooks could have told that girl to get lost.
He could have gone to California alone.
But he didn't.
-No, he didn't.
-Because he knew.
Very few men are lucky enough to actually see those moments, Dawson.
He was really an inspiration.
Yeah.
l guess he is.
Hey.
You didn't have to wait outside for me.
l'd have rung the doorbell like a proper gentleman.
l've been ready for an hour.
lt's given me far too much time to look in the mirror.
-Never a good thing.
-Right.
-We should go.
-Yeah.
Good idea.
You're not moving there.
l looked at other places.
They are simply not affordable.
l'm sure, with time, l'll be able to acclimate to La Brea Park quite nicely.
You're not listening to me.
l'm not gonna allow you to make such an enormous sacrifice.
This is not a sacrifice.
-This is my gift to you.
-Well, l don't want it.
-You won't want to go to college? -No, no.
Not like this.
The fact is, l should have applied for a student loan.
Just because l wouldn't take money from my parents doesn't mean that l need to burden you with my entire college tuition.
When you offered to help me out l assumed that you had some sort of savings.
-l didn't think l'd put you into hock.
-Jennifer, this is not your problem.
Can we please not have this conversation? l'm not going to Boston and l'm not letting you sell this house.
-Hey.
-Hey.
lt's 7:00 and the party's swinging.
-l'm impressed.
-l take no credit.
Promise of free food always draws a crowd.
You look lovely, Joey.
And l see you brought your friend.
Good to see you, Mr.
Kubelik.
Thanks for inviting me tonight.
-Absolutely.
l'm glad you're here.
-Oh, well, that's Pacey.
He never misses an opportunity to show himself off in a suit.
We've gathered everyone by the fireplace, sir.
Wonderful.
Joey, why don't you join Brad? We're taking photographs of next year's freshmen.
-l'll lead the way.
-l'll be right back.
So, what do you say you and l go find that dean of yours? All right.
Hey, l thought you weren't leaving till tomorrow.
Hey.
No.
l was just pre-packing the car.
What's up? l want to go with you.
What? Why? Because if you leave now, l'm always going to wonder ''what if?'' What if there were no pending college departures? What if there were no job offers in Boston? What if there was no Joey? What if it was you and me on the road with nothing but our hearts to guide us? Would we have worked? You said the reason we broke up was because you don't belong here.
Well, fine.
Let's get out of here and just see what happens.
Dawson, this is crazy.
l mean, come on.
-You can't just pick up and leave.
-Why not? Give me one good reason.
Okay.
Graduation.
Your ceremony is a week away.
The ceremony where l sit and listen to other people talk for three hours? Before l walk across a field in a cap and gown to pick up a piece of paper, which isn't a real diploma? That experience is not rich enough to warrant me lying awake at night regretting that l did not have the guts to take this trip with you.
Okay, forget graduation.
-l'm gonna stick with my first reason.
-Which was? -This is crazy.
-Yeah.
lt is.
lt's nuts.
lt's completely ludicrous.
And you can't think of one reason why l shouldn't come with you.
Something in my gut is telling me that this is our moment.
We can't let this slip by.
Dawson.
Just say yes.
Yes.
Dawson? Hey there, beautiful.
l have got a crisis at the restaurant.
-Could you watch her for a few hours? -l would love to.
She is so good with you.
l swear, she knows you already.
Oh, did you get a chance to talk to Gretchen yet? Yeah.
She's coming over tonight.
Oh, good, honey.
l'm glad you two are working things out.
Goodbye, sweetheart.
Don't look at me like that.
That was technically not a lie.
That was a lie by omission.
lt's not the same thing at all.
You know, l really don't feel guilty about Mom and Dad.
Yeah, it's a big deal to watch their son graduate.
At the same time, l'm saving them from an excruciatingly long ceremony.
lt's a gift right there.
All right, so it's not a gift.
But you know what? l feel l've earned the right to disappoint them.
l've spent the last 1 8 years making everybody around me happy.
l think it's high time l pursued a little happiness of my own.
But if it's not guilt, why am l having such a hard time writing this letter? Pacey, you've met the dean of the college this is our dean of admissions, Andrew Hill Newman.
Pleasure to meet you, Mr.
Newman.
Or Dean Newman.
Nice to meet you, Pacey.
Mr.
Kubelik's told me all sorts of wonderful things about you.
Andrew here is chartering my boat for the summer.
-ls that right? -Yes.
l've decided to take a trip around the Caribbean islands.
l've heard that you spent last summer sailing.
-l did, indeed.
-Feel pretty comfortable spending long periods of time at sea? Well, l feel about as comfortable as a kid in a candy store.
-This could work.
-l thought so.
What could work? Pacey how would you like to work on my yacht for the summer as one of the deckhands? ls that what you wanted to talk to me about? A summer job? Yeah, if you haven't got one already.
The pay isn't the greatest but you'll have plenty of time to explore the islands.
lt should be an experience that you'll never forget.
Well, this is a little unexpected.
But l'm really-- l'm truly flattered, gentlemen.
-Take some time to think about it.
-Okay.
lt was a pleasure meeting you.
Yes.
Thank you.
So bottom line is, l'll get to Boston Bay eventually.
l'll just go to State for a few semesters and save the money l would've spent on tuition and dorm and l'll meet you there in, like, a year or two.
Jack, l'm sure that you can understand my situation here.
l mean, l can hardly allow my grandmother to live a destitute existence in some retirement community just so that l can enjoy, you know, frat parties and higher education.
lt's not right and l won't do it.
This is awful foamy.
Okay, listen, Grams needs me.
When l came here three years ago, she took me in, took care of me.
Do you want me to turn my back on her? No, l completely understand.
Yeah? Yeah.
l think what you're doing for your grandmother is beautiful and awfully selfless.
Thanks.
-A little bit convenient.
-l knew there was something else.
All right, how do you come up with ''convenient''? l can't help but notice that although you're clearly swimming in a vat of guilt over leaving your best friend in the lurch like this you also seem to be just a bit relieved.
As if you're happy to have found something so you don't have to go away to college.
And not only do you not have to go you then become Jen of Arc, the martyr saint willing to sacrifice her own happiness for her grandmother's.
Jack, that's ridiculous, all right? Why on earth would l not want to go away to college? Because you're scared.
l mean, think about it.
You're leaving the only town in which you ever felt safe.
The only person who cared enough to devote her entire life to you.
Okay.
l hear what you're saying.
But it's not that easy.
l mean, l can't just leave her alone.
l'm not saying you should.
l know Grams needs you, but you need her just as much.
There's nothing wrong with that.
l'm not ashamed to admit that l'd be scared to go to school without you.
Okay.
l admit it.
l'm an 1 8-year-old woman who's afraid to be away from her grammy.
What am l gonna do? l think you know what to do.
-Hey, there you are.
-Hey.
Been looking all over for you.
What's wrong? Well.
Kubelik wants me to work on his boat this summer.
That's what the offer was.
lt didn't have anything to do with going to Worthington.
Let's go.
You know what? l think l'll go.
But l think that you should stay here, Jo.
l've been watching you in there.
You've been gliding from conversation to conversation with complete confidence and ease this time.
l don't know if you remember the last party that you and l attended but you were kind of a jumble of nerves.
l guess l was kind of hoping that you would need for me to be your saviour again tonight.
But that's no longer the case.
You don't need that now.
Everything is different.
And l think that they're better this way.
The only thing the same is you're still the most beautiful girl in the room.
-Pace.
-Jo, you can't leave.
l mean, this is it now.
This is.
This is your life.
And you should enjoy it.
How can l enjoy it without you? Let's go.
Hey.
l was wondering when you were gonna get here.
-Are you done packing? -Yeah, yeah.
But you know how they say making your own boxes is easy? -Yeah.
-They lied.
She sleeping? Yeah.
She went down about half an hour ago.
How cute.
Okay, can l say that you're the cutest thing in the world right now? -What? -Look at you, all Papa Dawson.
l don't know.
l never thought l'd get so into this stuff.
l mean, l was happy about the idea of a baby sister but l never thought l'd get this attached.
l mean, she's so small and perfect and helpless.
When she smiles, it just.
lt just breaks my heart.
l can't believe what l'm gonna miss when l'm in school.
By the time l get back, she's gonna be this fully walking, talking little person.
That's true.
She and Alexander are gonna be about the same age.
l wonder if they'll end up climbing in and out of each other's windows you know, becoming best friends.
So how did it go with that letter to your parents? l'm still working on it.
lf you think that one's hard, wait until you try to write Joey's.
lt's okay, Dawson.
l expected you to.
Okay.
Well, l should get back.
l may be done packing but the cleaning festivities have only just begun.
-Good luck.
-Thanks.
Goodbye.
Bye.
So.
Good night.
Thanks for coming, Pacey.
Well, thanks for asking.
-l just-- l'm sorry-- -l'm sorry.
You don't have anything to be sorry for, Jo.
lt's me.
-So-- -Pace.
Do you think maybe l could come and stay with you tonight? We could just sleep.
Yeah.
So? Did you talk to Jack last night? Did he tell you you were making the biggest mistake of your life? What ever happened to ''Good morning, have some java''? l would never refer to coffee as ''java.
'' Now, what did Jack say? You know, stuff.
Could you be a little more specific, please? What's that? l'm sorry, l can't hear you over these beans.
Fine.
You want to play games, that's just fine.
l'm really not that interested anyway.
How would you like to move to Boston? Now what kind of nonsense are you talking? Nothing nonsensical here at all.
Dead serious.
l know what you're doing, Jennifer.
lt's one of the reasons l love you so much.
You have a big, beautiful heart.
But l will not allow you to do this for me.
Well, maybe l'm doing it for me.
Look, moving to Boston, going away to college scares me.
And somehow the idea of having you nearby just to know that you're there, well, you know, it scares me less.
So before you start writing sonnets about my big, beautiful heart you should know that l'm not doing this for you.
l'm doing this because my big, selfish heart wants you to be there.
So will you please go with me? Oh, l don't know.
lt's such an overwhelming concept, l wouldn't know where to begin.
-You start by calling movers-- -lt's not that simple.
l would have to find a place to live.
lt would be difficult to find a place as nice as La Brea Park.
Well, even if l could find a suitable home, what would l do in Boston? -How would l spend my time? -Any way you like.
And maybe a change of scenery would serve to inspire you to try new things, meet new people.
-l'm too old for such things.
-Please.
You, who have seen more action in the romance department than l have this year.
You're the youngest grandma l know.
So will you please just quit it with these pitiful excuses and say yes.
Are you sure l wouldn't cramp your style? l'm sure you will.
Somehow l knew l'd find you here.
l meant to sneak back in before you woke up.
How long have you been out here? l don't know.
A couple hours, maybe.
l watched the sun come up.
l don't think l've done that since we were sailing around together.
Feels like a million years ago, doesn't it? Hey, Pace l'm really sorry about dragging you to that party last night.
Bringing back all of those bad feelings.
lt's not your fault, Jo.
None of this is your fault.
You're not the reason that we broke up.
-l thought that you said-- -l know what l said.
And l know how l said it.
And it makes me sick to my stomach every time l think about it.
Blaming you for my insecurities and making you feel guilty for the things that you've accomplished when you should feel nothing but proud.
You know, l'm so proud of you.
l know you are.
But l didn't show you that.
lnstead, l decided to become the stereotypical guy who can't handle it when his girlfriend gets a better job than he does.
l hate that guy.
Pacey, you're not that guy.
l feel like that guy.
As much as l want not to care and as much as l wish l could let it roll off of my back, l can't.
When we were at that party together last night, Jo, l was jealous.
l wasn't jealous of you.
But l was certainly jealous of the rest of the kids who were going to get to experience you next year.
Because they're gonna get to be with you and l'm not.
You know, l was so certain that Kubelik's offer was gonna be the answer to all of our problems.
-A sign, you know? -Yeah.
l know.
l know.
And l think that it was a sign just not the one that we were hoping for.
But at least we got a better ending this time.
l am grateful for that.
Me too.
Dear Dawson.
: I've been thinking about what to say since I left your house yesterday.
I thought about waiting for you to come, saying this face to face.
But I knew it would be too hard.
I realize that as much as I need to move on, you need to stay here.
Your whole life is about to change in a way that will never be the same.
You're opening a new chapter and you have to give a proper goodbye to the old one.
You don't want to miss these moments, even the sad ones because you'll never get them back.
So enjoy this time.
Let it wash over you so that your memories of it are strong.
Besides, I don't need to spend a month in a car to fall in love with you.
I already am in love with you, even more than you know.
So goodbye, Dawson Leery.
Thank you for changing my life and opening my heart again.
You'll never know how much it meant to me.
Have a bitchen summer.
Love, Gretchen.
l haven't seen you all weekend.
l know.
You do anything good? No.
Not really.
You? No.
Not really.
So, what are you doing this summer, Dawson? This.

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