Synopsis of Be Careful What You Wish For

Summary by Tanya

Ever contemplative, Dawson Leery on the eve of his sixteenth birthday begins to evaluate the past year of his life. Number One Priority will be to get Joey back.

The next morning, Mitch comes home to cook Dawson his birthday breakfast but then ends up fighting with Gale about the fact that she didn't consult him before buying Dawson a new car for his birthday. (It's a Ford Explorer — how much do you think the Ford Motor Company paid for that product placement?) Over at the Ice House, Joey and Pacey go over plans for Dawson's surprise party later that night. Pacey and Andie will take Dawson out for dinner and then back to the Leery house where the party will be waiting. Jack skulks by and Pacey asks Joey how she's doing with that whole thing and she assures him she's fine. Outside, Abby Morgan and her two friends start talking to Jack about his being gay and how it is so great (I guess tact does not exist when it comes to Abby).

Andie meets with her therapist, who prescribes her not medicine but an evening of imperfection. At Jen's house, Jen and Ty kiss but he breaks it off, confusing her (what, does he not WANT to kiss her?). At the Ice House, Dawson tells Joey he wants her back. You know, D, it just ain't that easy. He stalks off.

Later that night, as Joey prepares for the party, Jack shows up and is immediately accosted by Abby, who tells him that bisexuality is normal. She chats away, and finally Jack sort of warms up to her. Jen and Ty kiss again, and again he breaks it off, not wanting the kiss to go further.

In the meantime, Andie has talked the guys into going to a club on the way to the party. She tricks the waitress into bringing them rounds of rum and coke (yuck) and proceeds to get both Dawson and herself trashed. As it is open mike night, apparently, she and Dawson take to the stage and proceed sing the blues. (Damn, they can sing!) After the song, Pacey realizes that they are drunk and pulls them out of the bar before the waitress can card them and get them into trouble.

Back at the party, Jen and Ty are making out in Dawson's new car. He stops her abruptly, telling her that he doesn't believe in having premarital sex. "Who the hell mentioned anything about sex, you moron?" she basically says and stalks away. Dawson, Andie and Pacey arrive at the party. Not wanting Dawson's parents to see them drunk, Joey and Pacey drag the unhappy twosome up to Dawson's room where they find Jack making out with Abby! Dawson breaks out into laughter. Joey turns and heads downstairs and Jack follows her.

Downstairs it is time for Dawson to blow out his birthday candles. He makes a mockery of a birthday speech, individually denouncing his mother, his father, Pacey, Jack and Joey. He tries to kiss Joey and she pushes him away, sending him face first into the cake.

After the party ends, Dawson and Andie share a bonding/puking moment in the bathroom and swear never to drink again. Gale and Mitch decide to return the new car. Jack and Joey discuss what happened with Abby, and Jack assures her that the experience has only made him more certain that is, in fact, gay. Joey reassures him of her support. At Jen's house, Ty tries to apologize, but Jen will have none of it.

Dawson apologizes to Joey for his behavior, and Joey forgives him. He asks her why she ever broke up with him (ed. note: dead horse) and she tells him again that she needs to find herself and be her own person separate from him. He tells her to hurry up because he loves her. Too bad he's passed out when she tells him she loves him too.