Synopsis of The Tao of Dawson
Written by Tamara Jaron
Dawson Pacey are fishing on the dock in the early morning.
"Did our first jaunt together in months have to be at sunrise?" asks a cranky Pacey.
"I've got something to tell you that I have a feeling will keep you awake," replies Dawson. He laughs nervously and continues, "I like your sister, Pacey."
Pacey stops fishing. "You like her, or you like her like her?"
"We're talking about Gretchen Witter, not Winnie Cooper," says Dawson.
"Well are we talking about the feelings of fondness and fellowship that naturally follow from an obligatory mistletoe kiss, or am I going to find you outside of my house holding a boom box over your head," jokes Pacey.
"I'm crazy about her."
"Well, you've had a crush on her for years -- I mean, that's all this is right?"
"No," replies Dawson, "this is more than a grade school crush. And even though she won't acknowledge it, I think on some level she feels the same way about me."
"This is a lot to digest before breakfast, Dawson," answers a stiff Pacey.
"Well, last spring if you had come to me and just told me how you felt about Joey, it would have made things a hell of a lot easier, so...that's all I'm trying to do."
"Dawson," replies Pacey, "you and I are friends. Friends. But sisters -- sisters are..."
"Off limits?" interrupts Dawson.
"Yes. Sisters are off limits. Sisters are like mothers, only pretty."
"I'm not asking for your permission, Pace," says Dawson. "I'm just letting you know."
"So what are your plans?" asks Pacey.
"My plans?"
"Yah, to pursue my sister...what are you going to do?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" asks a relieved Pacey. "What kind of a plan is nothing?"
"Well, I've just decided to let things play out. One thing I learned last spring is that some things can't be forced."
"So your plan would be to not have a plan," says Pacey, smiling.
"Exactly," answers Dawson.
"The Tao of Dawson is to do nothing," jokes Pacey.
"I've done nothing so far and we've already kissed. I figure the best thing I can do is just keep on doing nothing."
Dawson and Gretchen are in the car heading to Gretchen's college to get back her car from her ex-boyfriend Nick. Pacey is happy that she is heading out of town after Dawson's little admission and tries to paint Nick out to be the perfect guy -- even though Pacey only met him for about two hours. Seems they have a lot in common -- laziness, love of sailing, taste in music -- and Pacey will go to any lengths to keep Gretchen away from Dawson.
"Does you sudden proclivity for my ex-boyfriend have anything to do with a certain fair-haired friend of yours?" asks Gretchen.
"Who Dawson?" replies a coy Pacey. "Why should I care about Dawson? You assured me that that kiss meant nothing." Now he's fishing for info. "Even though it really didn't look like nothing. 'Cause it kind of went on a little long to be nothing. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't think it's nothing. But if you says it's nothing -- it's nothing." Now he's playing protective little brother.
"Dawson and I are just friends. That's it. Trust me."
Pacey concedes until he discovers a mix CD that Dawson made for her. Once again he tries to push Nick.
Jack and Dawson are working on the getting the nursery ready for the new Leery baby. Dawson wants to know if Jack felt weird when Pacey was dating Andy. Jack says no, and Dawson explains that Pacey is weirded out by Dawson's interest in Gretchen. Jack explains that it's different. He and Pacey weren't close friends when Andy and Pacey were a couple. But Dawson and Pacey are good friends and that makes it strange. It would be like if Dawson was dating Andy. Jack gets weirded out just thinking about it.
Mr. and Mrs. Leery come in -- they're on their way to get a sonogram and are debating whether they should find out the sex of the baby. They decide to make the decision on the way to the doctor's office.
As Jack and Dawson continue to clean the room, Dawson discovers a love letter written for Gretchen when Dawson was a kid, but never sent. Dawson is embarrassed by his obvious love-sickness. Jack suggests that he revisit those feelings and try some of them on Gretchen now.
He says, "Maybe if you acted like a kid, you might be with her."
Dawson is not convinced. "Last time I acted like a kid with my feelings," he says, "I ended up trying to prove something in a boat race. Remember that?"
"Oh yeah," says Jack.
"Not my finest moment," admits Dawson. "Besides, she knows how I feel about her. If it's meant to be, it'll be, if not -- that's the way it goes."
"Hmm, Zen and the art of dating," jokes Jack.
Joey and Drue are closing up the yacht club for renovations. It seems they have some free time on their hands now. Drue is debating which of his many girls he should spend the night with and Joey is her usual caustic self. When Drue asks how she plans to spend her free time, she says she'll be writing a term paper.
"Let me guess," says Drue, "How to keep your boyfriend and your virginity. Or, the many uses of the human hand."
Joey is not phased. "Finally," she says, "A subject you know all about."
Drue is impressed by her comeback.
Drue's mom arrives and tells Drue that his father is in town and wants to see him. He is more than reluctant and Joey is smiling as she overhears the conversation.
Pacey and Gretchen arrive at college and Pacey immediately falls in love with the scenery: many kegs and party animals. Gretchen wants to just get her car and leave, but Pacey points out what appears to be her car, sitting on the residence lawn with two missing wheels and a popped hood. She is angry, to say the least. Pacey tries to convince her to give the guy a chance, until they seem him coming out of the dorm with a pretty girl. Gretchen looks hurt.
Gretchen jumps out of the car and swears at Nick. He is happy to see her and says he can explain. She just wants to get her car and go, but he explains that he car needs a little work and that he was just looking out for her. Pacey thanks him for his concern. Nick explains that the girl was merely another resident of the dorm and that she was giving up her room so that Gretchen could spend the night and hang out with her friends. Pacey encourages her and she agrees. Pacey is in heaven as Nick puts his arm around his shoulder and escorts him towards the beer.
Back in Capeside, Dawson is making a delivery to Grams. Mr. Brooks is there saying goodbye to Grams -- apparently they have a date. Dawson asks Grams if they are "dating" and Grams is defensive. Grams accuses him of being protective and admits that she does feel something for Mr. Brooks and she appreciates Dawson's concern.
Drue and Joey are loading boxes into a storage room at the club. Drue "accidentally" locks them in the room. Joey insists there is another way out, but Drue says they will have to wait until the cleaning crew discovers them on Monday morning. They are trapped together alone for the entire weekend.
Back in the storage room, Joey is trying anything she can think of to get out of the storage room.
"You're going to hurt yourself if you don't stop doing that," says Drue as Joey pounds on the door.
"I'm going to hurt you if you don't shut up," she snaps.
"Going to freshen your face?" he asks as she reaches for her purse.
"No," she says, "I'm going to pick the lock.
"What, with an eyebrow pencil?"
"Do you have a better idea?"
"Do I look like Macgyver?" he asks.
"No, he was smart enough not to move a box which was propping open a door."
Drue starts rifling through her purse. "Well, you know what, if you would have just accepted my help, we wouldn't be here in the first place. Now I know why you're still a virgin," he says. "You have serious trust issues with men. And rather dubious grooming habits," he says, pulling out her hairbrush.
"What do you think you're doing?" snaps Joey.
"Taking inventory of our rations," he replies. "We have my Slim Jim, you're two Altoids -- we can have a snack and fresh breath."
"If you go through my stuff one more time, I swear to God, I'm going to take this eyebrow pencil and put it through your heart. Am I being clear?"
"Crystal."
Pacey and Nick are relaxing in the house hot tub and commiserating about the rigidity of high school. Nick calls college a "fresh start" and Pacey is starting to like what he sees.
Gretchen sees them together and calls them "two slackers in a tub." Nick invites them in, but she declines the offer. As she walks off, Nick checks her out. Pacey begins his campaign to hook the two of them up in order to stave off Dawson's advances. He encourages Nick to "go for it."
Back at the Leery house, Jack and Dawson are continuing the nursery project. Jack is marveling at the age difference between Dawson and his new sibling, but Dawson is distracted and doesn't hear a word. He's thinking about Mr. Brooks and Grams.
He's afraid that Grams is going to get her heart broken by Mr. Brooks and Jack is surprised to hear of the affair. He had no idea. Jack thinks it's good for her, but Dawson tells Jack that Brooks is dying. Dawson thinks that Grams doesn't know and is afraid of what will happen to Grams when she finds out. Jack too is worried. He insists that Dawson should tell her about Brooks' illness. Dawson is hesitant because she is so happy. He doesn't want to ruin it. Jack compares the situation to Dawson being in the dark about Joey and Pacey's relationship. Would Dawson rather have known about Joey and Pacey in the beginning?
In the storage room, things are cooling down -- literally. Drue is cold and wants Joey to share her sweater. She refuses.
"Okay," says Drue. "I want you to know. If something happens to me, you have my permission to pursue whatever indelicate though life-sustaining tastes-just-like-chicken measures you see fit." Ewww, gross.
Joey gets up and heads over to some shelves. "There's some cans up there," she says, climbing up to the top shelf, "maybe we can find something to eat."
"You're going to fall and break your neck," says Drue, "at which point I am taking your sweater. I wonder who they'll get to play you on the TV version of our ordeal. It'll probably be some former teen idol who's trying to break into features."
"Would you just shut up?" she snaps.
Her search for food is unsuccessful and as she puts back the can, she falls from the shelf. Drue leaps to his feet and catches the dazed Joey in his arms. She is stunned for a moment, and he kisses her. She pushes him away and punches him in the eye.
"You could have just said thanks," he says, holding his face in his hand. She storms off.
It's party time at Gretchen's college and Gretchen and nick are talking over a beer. Nick asks her if she misses school, and she insists she doesn't. He says she is lying and that he can always tell when she lies. It's apparent that Gretchen still has feelings for Nick, and he knows it. He's going to milk her affection for all it is worth. She is slowly being taken in by his sensitivity.
A slightly soused Pacey arrives to play matchmaker, but Gretchen uses his arrival as her cue to exit. Pacey and Nick are hanging out and Nick spots a girl making eyes at Pacey. He encourages him to take her for a spin, but Pacey remains faithful to Joey (good boy!) -- although he is tempted. Nick asks if Pacey's girlfriend is at the party and then tosses Pacey the key to his room and tells him the location of his condoms. All of a sudden, Pacey is not so impressed with Nick.
Dawson comes to Grams house to break the news about Mr. Brooks. Grams is all dressed up for her date and she looks about ten years younger than usual. Grams is definitely in love and Dawson doesn't have the heart to tell her the truth. As he turns to leave, Grams says,
"I know he's sick."
"You do," says a surprised Dawson.
"Isn't that what you were trying to tell me?"
"So he told you?"
"Of course not," she answers, "Arthur Brooks wouldn't just come right out and tell someone that."
"Well then how did you know?" asks Dawson.
"I've been a nurse for 47 years and a woman a few years longer than that," she says.
"But if you know, then how can you start something with him?"
"It's very simple. We laugh together, we share the same interests, we look at life the same way. Do you know how hard it is to find a friend like that Dawson?"
"Yeah, I think I do," says Dawson, "I also know how hard it can be when that doesn't last."
"A moment, a single moment of true joy is more powerful than a lifetime of sorrow."
Pacey is dragging Gretchen out of the party.
"Let me tell you," he says, "Your ex put the A in hole. That man is just a world-class jerk."
"I know that Pacey, I tried to tell you."
"Well, I guess we both had enough of him for tonight," says Pacey.
"You don't need to protect me," says Gretchen.
"He's the reason you left school, isn't he?" asks Pacey.
"I'm the reason that I left school," admits Gretchen.
"So what happened," asks Pacey, "what did he do to you?"
"Nothing I didn't allow to happen. It's my fault too, you know. I can't blame him and neither should you." Pacey is curious now. Obviously there's something that Gretchen wants to tell him.
"For what?"
"I got pregnant," she admits, "I had a miscarriage."
Pacey proves once again that he is a good person. He is horrified to learn of his sister's troubles. "I'm sorry," he says, "I would not have been trying to force the two of you back together. I am sorry. So how did he react when he found out?"
"He doesn't know," says Gretchen. "I didn't want to interrupt his plans to sleep with half the Theta house."
"What a dick," says Pacey. "What a dick! I can't believe that I was hanging out with that guy thinking how cool he was. I am a prick."
"No you are not," insists Gretchen. She then goes on to tell him that Dawson is the only other person who knows. He is hurt that she would tell Dawson before telling him.
"He's my friend," she says.
"I'm your brother," replies Pacey.
"With a very specific idea of how a sister is supposed to behave. I left school to work on who I want to be."
"Fair enough," says Pacey. "At least you now know who Nick really is."
"Pacey," says Gretchen. "Everything you liked about Nick, I still like about him too."
Nick walks up with a beer for Gretchen and pulls her back into the party, leaving a dumbfounded Pacey behind.
Dawson is working on his filmography of A.I. Brooks. Brooks is getting ready for his date with Grams, and asks Dawson for his advice on a gift he bought for her -- a pair of earrings.
Dawson won't give advice, and Brooks asks if Dawson has a problem with him dating her. Dawson admits his trepidation about her getting involved with a dying man, but Brooks explains that they can't hide their feelings just because he is sick. He can't deny his love just because he doesn't want to hurt or be hurt. It doesn't work that way.
Nick is coming on to Gretchen. They are reminiscing about the good times they shared, and he invites her up to his room. He's a little drunk, but not too drunk to realize that she came back to see him -- not just to pick up her car. Perhaps she wants to see if she still has feelings for him before moving along with Dawson. She accepts his invitation upstairs, leaving behind a distressed Pacey.
Back in the Yacht club storage room, the wounded Drue is tending to his black eye. Joey feels slightly guilty about what she did and tries to help him.
"Back off," says Drue.
"I was just trying to help," she says.
"Well if I get any more help from you, I'll be spending my freshman year of college in traction."
"You know if anyone should be upset, it should be me," says Joey.
"What you tried to kill me!"
"You tried to kiss me!"
"I saved your life, okay. I was just acting on the moment."
"Yeah, well so was I."
"How did a pretty girl like you get so damn mean?"
"I'm not mean."
"Are you kidding? The busboys are terrified of you. They call you el toro."
"Really? Well, you know, when you're used to living on your own, you learn how to take care of yourself and I guess you develop a thick outer shell."
"And a pretty decent right cross. You know at least your father's in prison. Spending time with my dad is like being in prison."
"I thought your dad was this wealthy business man who..."
"Who seemed like the coolest guy in the world until the day I discovered him fervently studying the kama sutra on my mother's new Mexican tile kitchen floor with someone who was most definitely NOT my mother."
Drue starts shivering and Joey takes off her sweater to share with him.
"Bless you," he says sarcastically.
"Just keep your hands where I can see them," responds Joey.
Drue asks Joey how she can stay with Pacey, and she explains Pacey's strengths. He is not buying it and she offers to give him a broken nose to match the black eye.
When Gretchen arrives in Nick's room, it's apparent that he was expecting her -- or someone else. There are candles everywhere and the room is clean. Not usual in a guy's dorm room.
They climb onto the bed and Nick tries to seduce her. They start to kiss and Gretchen pushes him away. It's not enough for her to be physically attracted to him. She needs more. She needs Dawson. He tries again, but she realizes that she has changed. She looks over at him and he has passed out. She kisses him goodbye and thanks him for changing her.
The next morning, Pacey has fixed her car and they are ready to leave. He is upset about last night and wants to know why she ever fell for Nick. He thinks it's his fault that she fell for Nick and he blames himself for pushing her towards him.
"You deserve someone who's going to listen to you and commit to you. You deserve someone who's gonna make you the absolute center of their universe. You deserve somebody..."
"Someone like Dawson?" she interrupts.
"Oh, that's not what I said," says Pacey.
"But it's what you meant. Nothing happened last night, Pacey. It almost did, until I realized why I came here."
"Didn't you come to see Nick?"
"No I came to say goodbye to Nick. And more importantly, goodbye to a part of myself that I've always struggled with. And do you know where I got the strength to say goodbye? From you. Starting when they're little girls, sisters look to their brothers for cues on how they should be treated. And you're right. I deserve so much better than Nick. And my heart knows that because I have a brother who treats me so well."
They hug and Pacey seems okay with the fact that she likes Dawson.
The nursery is almost done and Jack and Dawson are continuing their deep conversations. Dawson wants to know if Jack believes in fate. Jack does, but he doesn't want to think about it. Dawson still doesn't understand why Grams and Brooks are pursuing a relationship. Jack accuses Dawson of being afraid in his own life. That maybe it's his fate to be where he is at this moment. Maybe he was meant to be with Gretchen and not Joey and all his mistakes have been leading up to this one moment and are not really mistakes at all. Wasn't Gretchen the first girl that Dawson ever had a crush on -- long before Joey Potter?
Dawson considers that.
Joey has fallen asleep on Drue's shoulder and it is now morning. They both wake up grouchy. Joey hears a buzzing and discovers that Drue has had his cell phone on him the entire time. She accuses him of orchestrating the lock in so that he could get some action with her. He denies it and then admits to peeking down her shirt while she was sleeping. Joey is furious and decides she's got him pretty much figured out. Until she learns from his mother that he was supposed to spend the weekend with his father. It appears as though Drue did have a motive for being locked inside the storage closet -- but the motive was not Joey.
Gretchen arrives at home and discovers Dawson's note posted on the porch. It reads:
Dear Gretchen,
I really enjoyed talking to you in your room today. Try not to be nervous about starting high school. I know you're going to find people who understand you. There's something that I didn't get a chance to tell you. There's someone truly special in my life that I can't stop thinking about. She's unlike anyone I've ever met. Smart and funny and beautiful, and just knowing that she's in my life has given me this constant fluttering that keeps me awake at night. When I think about who I can talk to about this, who will understand, the only person who comes to mind is you. And that's a problem -- because you are the one that I feel this way about. I think about you constantly. Every little thing you do. The Elvis Costello sticker you put on your spiral notebooks. The way your bangs have grown out every day now for six months until Monday when you were finally able to put it in a ponytail. And today, when you invited me to stay and talk to you after Pacey left, it occurred to me that you must think of me too. If I try to tell anyone else they would say that you and I are impossible. That our lives are too different, that we could never be right for each other. But we understand each other and we care about each other, and years from now, I believe that we still will.
Your friend forever.
Love,
Dawson
While Dawson is reading this letter in a voiceover, we see shots of Mr. Brooks giving Grams the earrings and her happy reaction. Mr. and Mrs. Leery have gotten their sonogram and are snuggling on their couch. Gretchen is in her car, driving and crying while thinking about the letter. Pacey and Joey are cuddling on the docks.
Dawson is working outdoors and he hears a car approach. Gretchen gets out carrying his letter.
"What took you so long?" he asks.
"I had a few things to do first," she answers. They kiss and the viewers rejoice. Dawson has finally moved on with his life and we can enjoy the Joey/Pacey romance for at least a little longer. At least until next week's episode...
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