Dawson and Pacey are sitting together in Dawson's room. The two are reading a scene from Dawson's new script. Pacey is playing the girl, and the two are talking about how much they love each other. The awkward moment is lost as Pacey skips a line. "You write in too many syllables," Pacey tells him, "I mean what's with all this psychobabble insight? How many teenagers do you know who talk like that?" He continues: "You did make Joey a little on the angry side, even for her." Dawson gets annoyed, insisting that the girl in the script isn't Joey, the guy isn't him, it's not about their relationship. "It's dark," Pacey replies, "It's obtuse. It's very un-Dawson Leery." This answer pleases Dawson, who's trying to take risks with his writing. Pacey suggests that the two characters should have sex, and Dawson tells him that the risky choice is to have them not do it, as every other film features horny teenagers jumping each other.
Dawson and Jen are handing out audition flyers for Dawson's movie outside of school, and Dawson complements her on her producing talents. They argue about who should play the lead and Jen tells him that sexy always wins out over nice; people want to see mysterious and dangerous, not sweet. "Everyone casts Tom Hanks," she says, "I'm trying to make the less obvious choice."
Pacey finds Andie at her locker and hands her a piece of paper. It's his HIV test: he's negative. Andie is a little surprised that he actually did something responsible for her. "Just don't think that now that you got tested we're going to…. You know," she tells him. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he lies. "Okay," Andie explains, "Um…I'm not opposed to us becoming more… intimate, but I just want you to know that everything has got its perfect place and time." Pacey smiles and assures her he didn't get tested just so he could sleep with her. "You don't want to?" she asks. "I'd like to scrump with you any day of the week," he replies, "But we have all the time in the world. There's no need to rush into anything." Andie agrees. "But if it were the right time and place you would want to, right?" she asks. "Oh," Pacey responds, "Hell yeah."
Dawson runs into Joey as he's passing out flyers. She's drawing a male nude from her class. Dawson asks her if she ever gets uncomfortable while the model is posing and she says no. "And little Joey Potter doesn't blush?" Dawson asks. "No," Joey responds. "Not even a little?" he asks. "Maybe a little," she admits. "Just a little?" Dawson continues. "Okay," Joey finally admits, "I've broken twelve pencils. But you'd be surprised Dawson, I'm changing. I'm not little Joey Potter any more." "No ," Dawson replies, "You're certainly not." They share an awkward moment.
Chris and Abby are walking together. Chris is trying to convince Abby to audition for Dawson's movie with her, but she refuses. Chris tells her this is their chance to break into the nonstop party world of Hollywood, but she's just not interested.
Jack sits down beside Joey and complements her drawing. He also manages to spill his drink all over it, totally ruining all her work. She leaves, upset.
Dawson and Jen are holding their auditions and it's not going well. No one in the school, it seems, can act at all.
Jack meets Joey at her locker, apologizing to her for ruining her drawing. She tells him it can't be salvaged, and she won't be able to turn anything in for class now. "This is a nude man Jack, I can't just recall it from memory." After a brief moment, Jack speaks up. "Let me pose for you," he volunteers. Joey says no, but Jack manages to convince her it's the only way for her to finish the assignment and for him to get over his massive guilt.
Andie picks up a prescription at the drug store and then runs into Pacey, who grabs the bag from her and looks inside to find Zanex, a Prozac-like drug for depression. Andie convinces him it's for her mom and he believes her, apologizing. Andie asks what he's doing in the condom section of the store and he feigns surprise. They agree that perhaps they should have some on hand just in case the mood strikes them.
Chris and Abby are the last two left to audition, much to Abby's dismay. Chris kisses her in the middle of the scene, making her run off, and tries to convince Dawson that the two characters in the script should have sex. Dawson and Jen just stare at him.
Walking home from the pharmacy, Andie describes her perfect evening to Pacey. "Dinner at a French restaurant, a romantic after dinner stroll by the dock, and then on to a nice historic bed and breakfast." "A bed and breakfast?" Pacey asks. "It's my fantasy," she replies, "Go with it. Lavender candles, and Sinatra… or something equally old style and romantic." She tells him she hasn't held on to her virginity all these years just to lose it in the back seat of some car. "I know how important the first time is," Pacey tells her, "Believe me, of all people, I know. And when you do decide it's the right time for you, I'd really like to be the one that helps you make it a memorable evening."
Dawson is cleaning up after the auditions, and complaining to Jen about how after all this he may not have a chance to even make the movie. "Just like in the script," Jen says, "With Joey. You're in love with her for fifteen years and then when you're just about to have her , you lose her." Dawson once again assures her the script is not about he and Joey. Jen complains that her role has been reduced to the first act. Dawson tells her she was important to him. "More than you know," he says. "I think that Chris and Abby are right about your script," Jen says, "I think that the two young lovers should do it." "I wanted to make the less obvious choice," Dawson assures her. "That's funny," Jen says, "Maybe if you'd gone for the less obvious choice of girl the ending to your script would be a little less obvious."
Joey is setting up her paints when Jack exits, wearing only a towel. Joey doesn't quite know what to do, she's very uncomfortable. Jack tells her he can leave the towel on if she wants and she decides that maybe that's for the best. "this is just like that scene from Titanic," Jack says as he lays down on the couch. "Except that I'm Jack and you're Rose," Joey points out. "Role reversal," Jack replies, "I like it." Joey tells him she would be more comfortable if they didn't talk while she worked. "Imagine how comfortable we'll be around each other after tonight," Jack says. Joey gives up, telling him she can't do this, can't handle seeing him naked. In her rush to clean up, she knocks her easel over. Jack jumps up to help and the towel falls off, Joey catching a glimpse before he covers himself up again. "Might as well stay now," Jack says.
Later, Jack is nude on the couch, Joey sketching him quietly. "This is something that most people would just assume that Joey could not do," Joey says. "Why's that?" Jack asks. "I don't get out much," Joey replies, "I guess my life just seems kind of plain sometimes." Jack asks if that bothers her and she says it does, that's why she likes art so much. She can take risks and do dangerous thing with her art. "Art is about a world of uncertainty," Jack says, "And that makes it scary." "And what scares you?" Joey asks him. "Sex."
Jen sees Dawson walking the pier pensively. He goes and sits down in his back yard. She gets her coat and joins him.
Pacey and Andie are talking and laughing together at a French restaurant.
Joey continues drawing, asking Jack why sex scares him so much. She is a little surprised to learn that he's not a virgin.
Dawson thanks Jen for being there for him during the auditions, he's lucky to have her as a friend. "You heard those lines read so many times you probably have them committed to memory," he jokes. "The good thing is," Jen replies, "If you get really desperate, I could always play your leading lady." "Maybe you should have," Dawson answers after a moment. "Should have what?" Jen asks. "Been my leading lady," Dawson says.
"Was it scary?" Joey asks Jack, her attention now gone from the drawing. Jack says yes. "Don't feel bad, "Joey responds, "I haven't done it at all and it terrifies me from afar." "It's not just that it was scary," Jack continues, "I mean that was part of it, but… you know I'm not very good at discussing these things so… I guess you've found my social flaw." "Could you try?" Joey asks.
"I know that you've got this notion that if you don't let your characters act on their desires that you're making a stronger, riskier choice," Jen says, "But that's not real life." "The story is much stronger if the characters resist their lust," Dawson answers. "But it's not real," Jen says, "True love is always fueled by lust, and people who care that much about each other will sooner or later end up having sex. Sex is always a risky choice. I just don't happen to believe that it's an obvious one. I think that intent and motive is what makes sex so interesting. Why do two people have sex? Okay, so they're in love. That's obvious, who cares. But they're in lust? Slightly more interesting. They're hurting over someone, they're in pain, trying to forget someone, they're in denial, looking for a distraction. All of a sudden sex has just become very interesting, and not the obvious choice at all. Maybe you should think about a rewrite Dawson, while you've still got time."
"Really?" Jack says, "You want to know?" "The feeling of it," Joey says, "Maybe you could describe it as if it were art?" Jack goes on to tell Joey his opinion on sex, as compared to art, as a beautiful and wonderful act filled with meanings and subtle shades. Joey is obviously entranced by his words. The phone rings and Joey snaps out of her daze to answer it. Jack suddenly realizes he's a little more excited than he thought, and rushes to cover himself up. Too late, Joey has noticed.
Pacey brings a blindfolded Andie into their room in one of Capeside's bed and breakfasts. "If I take off this blindfold and we're standing in a bed and breakfast, you're dead," Andie says. "Well," Pacey replies, "Dispose of my remains now." He removes the blindfold and Andie gasps as she looks around the room. "I don't know whether to be touched or terrified," she says. "I wanted to give you your fantasy evening," Pacey says, "We can save doing it for another time. This is a step by step process…. For me too." "Oh Pacey," Andie says, "I really want to do this, but I… I don't think I'm ready for this right now. There's so much going on that you don't know about and…" She continues rambling until Pacey hugs her close. "It's not a big deal," he assures her, "We can wait. Honestly, I think I brought you here tonight as much for me as I did for you. You have no idea what you've done for me just by being in my life. You make me feel like there's some hope in my pathetic existence, and I don't need to sleep with you to feel that. Just holding you in my arms now… god I am so lucky." Andie smiles. "You know what Whitter?" she says, "you make me want to do it." They kiss.
Dawson sits in his room writing, obviously having a hard time figuring out what he's feeling, as well as what the characters in his script are feeling. He looks over at a picture of Joey, deletes a bunch of words, and closes the computer.
Jack is getting dressed while Joey cleans up, he apologizes for what happened. "That stuff happens," Joey says, "Although not usually that kind of stuff and not usually in the Potter living room." "I didn't realize it would be such a big deal for me to pose for you," Jack says. "Is this going to screw things up with us? I don't want you to think because of… all this… here we go again, social flaw." "At the end of the day we're both human," Joey answers, "And there's something between us that's… it's… um… is your social flaw contagious?" Joey tells him it was her fault, she did ask to hear his description of sex as art. "That's true," Jack replies, "I think it was your fault." They laugh, and Joey tells him tonight was a big step in the life of Little Joey Potter. "You were curious," Jack says. "I'm just wrestling with my hormones like everyone else." Joey responds. "Well if you ever want to explore your curiosity," Jack says, "I'm available." "First you're a model and now you're a tour guide?" Joey asks. "No," Jack replies, "I'm just a guy who finds it really hard not to want to hold you and touch you. I hadn't really realized that until tonight when it was completely forbidden." "Now you have your clothes on though," Joey says, slowly walking closer to him. "So it's not forbidden?" Jack asks. "I'm just saying it's not as scary," Joey replies. "Gee," Jack jokes, "Thanks." The two have grown a lot closer together by now. "Tonight was a night of firsts," Jack says, "There's no reason that has to stop." They kiss.
Jen wakes up to find Dawson at her window. "What are you doing here?" she asks. "I've been thinking about what you said," he replies, "About motive and intent. Love versus hurt versus lust versus distraction." "And?" she asks. He leans in and kisses her.
Pacey and Andie are kissing on the bed and Pacey stops himself. "You're not going to believe this," he tells her, "Frankly I don't really believe it but um… I don't want to do this." "You don't want to?" Andie asks, confused. "No," Pacey responds, "I do. God, do I. But for once Pacey Whitter's raging hormones aren't going to do all the talking. For once I'm going to do the right thing and… we're not ready for this Andie." Andie protests. "But I might be ready," she says, "And…" Pacey interrupts her. "Listen," he says, At the risk of sounding like a really cheesy after school special: when you're really ready you'll know. And then we'll do this. I mean, then we'll do this until the cows come home. But this is too important for me to fall back on the old 'do now, think later' Pacey Whitter approach. You want to know what the really risky thing for me to do is? It's to not have sex. Maybe then I'll have some semblance of a real relationship." He kisses her softly. "You take all the time you need, because I'll be here." "There you go again Pacey," Andie says with a smile, "Making me want to do it even more." "Come on," Pacey replies, "I'll drive you home."
Joey and jack are lying on Joey's couch in each other's arms, still clothed, kissing each other passionately.
Dawson is now under the covers with Jen in her bed. They're still kissing.
Pacey and Andie emerge from the bed and breakfast and walk to Pacey's car, hand in hand.
TO BE CONTINUED.....
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