No one can make you feel inferior without your consent
It's a beautiful day at Horizon, and the cliffhangers are outside taking a class so they can enjoy the weather and everything nature has to offer. Pacey is sitting on the ground with Joey directly in front of him. Facing him, but she has her arms behind her, so she's leaning back a little.
"Been checking you out lately" Pacey says
"It's about time" Joey replies
"So I was thinking that, uh, you and I could hook up later."
"You mean, um, sex?"
"Yeah, maybe."
"Sounds good to me." Joey smiles at him and leans forward now, closer to him, suddenly Kat yells out "Whoo." Breaking up their performance.
"If she's going to keep doing this, you can count me out of your little experiment Jeff." Pacey says
"You two are done." He tells them "Very nice, uh authenticity Pacey and Joey"
Joey goes and sits next to Dawson, "You can't keep your hormones in check huh? Even for a class project." He jokes as she gives him a smile.
"I can't help it if they have a mind of their own."
Andie just looks down sadly, torn because she's jealous at the chemistry she just witnessed between Pacey and Joey, but also she's jealous that Dawson and Joey were just talking and laughing like friends.
"That wasn't exactly what I was trying to accomplish here, but uh, you get the general idea. Sex is a very powerful thing, but sex also has consequences." Jeff tells them, trying to get back to his lesson.
"Well I for one am in for total abstinence." Andie says out loud
"Abstinence is good, there's already to many hungry children in the world" Jen says
"I'm afraid you're all missing the point."
"I think maybe they should experience it first-hand" Peter says walking up to the group with a cartoon of eggs. "Do you mind?" He asks Jeff before taking over the lesson.
"No not at all"
"Eggs are a little kinky, don't you think Peter?" Joey says
"Not they way you'll be using them Joey. These little guys here, they're going to represent your kids."
"Hello, abstinence girl here, this won't work with my lifestyle." Andie says
"Well, your new lifestyle includes a one-night stand. Now you're a single mother of a 5 year old, struggling on $20,000 a year."
"Eeeww" Andie replies as Peter hands her, her egg. "Only $20,000?"
"Yep" He tells her as he walks over to Pacey and Dawson. "Pacey, you and Dawson are a high powered Gay couple wanting desperately to adopt a child."
"You got to be kidding." Pacey says at the same moment that Dawson complains "Woah woah woah, this is not going to work."
"No, I'm not kidding. We're going to meet in a day or two and you will tell me why you deserve a child. Just think, your grade depends on it. That's usually a good motivator, huh?" He walks over now to Joey who was sitting in the middle, next to Dawson and Jack.
"Ms. Potter"
"Yea?"
"You and Jack are a newly married yuppie couple, parents of, uh newborn twins." He tells them, pulling out two eggs as Joey stares at him in shock. Jack eagerly grabs the eggs out of Peter's hand. "You're both full time career people with approximately combined incomes of $60,000 a year pre-tax."
"That's not enough money to flee the country." Joey says sarcastically
"I'm sure you'll make it work."
"They look just like their mother." Jack says trying to lighten the mood and Joey just gives him one of her famous eye rolls.
"And Jen" he walks over to her and realizes he didn't have a full carton of eggs, and he needs the last one for Pacey and Dawson. He closes the carton and she just sighs.
"You can say it."
"You're childless."
"I'm barren" She corrects him.
"I've very sorry about that. I would like to know your feelings on the subject. Two pages by Friday. The rest of you, these are your children, never leave them more than an arm's reach away, for even a moment. You must keep them warm and safe, and if you crack your child, your grade's going to suffer. Got it? I want these family budgets and child care plans filled out by Friday. Any questions? All right, Good luck!" he tells them as the class gets up to walk away.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Peter walks over to his house and finds Sophie doing a boxing workout with his punching bag.
"I thought we were supposed to meet in my office?" He asks, but pleasantly surprised to see her.
" I wanted to get a workout in."
"How was Africa?"
"I got bored. There's only so many wild animals I can take. Besides, I like dealing with them one at a time, " she says pausing for a moment to smile at him. "You conquer that piece of rock yet?" She asks him.
"Let me get this straight, you left Africa to climb here?"
"There's no better reason than kicking your butt up that hill"
"Is that really it or did you consider my offer to work here?"
"It's been a long time since I worked with kids, Peter."
"You've got to stop running sometime, here's as good a place as any"
"I haven't run from anything for a very long time." She says defensively
"Soph, with your credentials, you could go anywhere."
"Well what can I say? I like the fresh air, and there is a certain rock to conquer."
"You can't change your mind at the last minute Sophie,"
"Thanks for having so much faith in me." She says slightly defeated and annoyed.
"I'll run it past Frank, all right?"
"What you mean is, you need time to figure out if this can really work given our history."
"I just want to make sure that history doesn't'repeat itself"
She scuffs and gives him a playful punch in the shoulders.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Kat walks into the girls dorm, after getting in trouble for spending too much time with Hank. The search and rescue ranger that helped find Andie.
"Peter finally catch on to you and Hank?" Andie asks as Kat sits on her bed and puts her head in her hands.
"Come on, you can tell me."
"Yeah." Kat says quickly removing her hands from her face and sits up a little straighter. "How'd you know?"
"Besides being majorly obvious?"
"That much huh?"
"You don't wear subtlety well."
"What up with the yearbooks." Kat asks, ready to change the subject.
"I'm looking for a father for my kid." Andie answers as if it the most natural thing in the world.
"What?!"
"Peter assigned us lives so we'd understand the reality of life with kids, which boils down to sex has consequences"
"And the eggs?"
"My 5 year old." Andie says with a proud smile.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In the Cafeteria Sophie is on the phone as Peter walks in behind her.
"So what you're telling me is I can't see the place tonight." She says. "You don't understand, I have nowhere to go. Well, you know, if anything happens to me it'll be on your head." She says and hears the guy on the other end hanging up the phone.
"Argh, People in this town can be so irritating. Codes, rules, more rules."
"Not everybody's as free as you Sophie. You can stay at my place." Peter tells her as she offeres him a small grateful smile. "Door key's under the rock in the front yard."
"I don't think that's such a good idea."
"Wasn't such a bad idea last time you were here."
"You weren't my potential boss the last time."
"I'm still not, at least not officially."
"Probably won't be, I'm not sure the kids are going to welcome me with open arms."
"It's just going to take time."
"What did Frank say about hiring me?"
"I'm not going to lie you know? He has some reservations knowing our history. And he's not sure the kids can bond with someone who might leave at he drop of a hat."
"Ouch." She says but she know he's not trying to be insensitive. "Peter, are those Franks thoughts or yours?" she asks barely above a whisper.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Ugh" Joey says storming into the girls dorm with Jack hot on her trial. "Look, I told you" she starts, grabbing his arm and pulling him back towards the exit of the girls room. "I'm going through this whole post-mort mommy thing, so unless you want to scramble them right here, I suggest you take them for the night." She tells him and closes the door behind him.
"Honey, we still need to discuss the sleeping arrangements." He playfully calls out behind the closed door.
"Go away Jackers."
"You'll have to learn to spell our last name sooner or later." He says enjoying this cause he knows it's annoying her, but after he hears her say "Go Away" one last time, he leaves.
Joey walks over to sit on her bed, which is right across from Jens.
"At least you know the joy of having kids, try being childless" Jens jokes.
"I am trying."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Later that week the cliffhangers are hanging out in the common room. Pacey and Andie are sitting next to eachother talking.
"I can't believe he made me another statistic." Andie whines.
"He could have just paired us together, but he's always got to make a point. It can never be just about the project." Pacey says.
"You can stop being so obvious, just talk to Dawson in group and deal."
"Excuse me if I have a problem with someone who lip locked with my girl"
"Maybe you should just try to get past it."
"Is that what it'll take for you two to stop being so friendly?"
Dawson, who has been listening the whole time, finally gets annoyed and walks up to them, "Look Witter, I hate this as much as you do, but I need to do well on this project."
"Just don't stand too close to me."
Dawson just shakes his head and walks away, and Andie looks over at him with disappointment.
"What?" Pacey asks
"Guess this wasn't the day to get past it huh?" She says angrily and gets up and walks away.
Meanwhile Jack and Joey are sitting at the table nearby; Joey obviously bored with this project gets up to leave "I can't care for both of them myself!" Jack exclaims, starting to get annoyed now with her attitude.
"I don't know what to tell you Jackers, the probability of us sitting down and hashing this out, well, it's not going to happen. "
"But you have that whole breastfeeding mechanism down." Jack tells her, with such seriousness that she can't even believe they are having this discussion. Joey just shakes her head and walks away, Jack walking out of the lounge right behind her.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Later on that day Pacey is sitting in his bed when Dawson walks in and notices that he's there.
"Alright, so how do you want to do this" Dawson says, walking over to Pacey.
"I don't." Pacey responds quickly and continues working on his school work, never looking up at Dawson, who is still standing right above him.
"Look, we have no choice, so I suggest you play catch up." Dawson says and toss down some brochures on Paceys bed about Gay adoption agencies.
"Ohhhhkay, let me get right on it."
"What's your problem man."
"My problem," Pacey says while getting up "is that this school is never about any normal stuff. Instead of watching bees' pollinating a flower, we've got to be a couple of guys trying to score an egg. Who in their right mind would give a couple of kids to us?"
"That's what we've got to figure out. It's all about choices"
"If it was, I wouldn't be stuck with you, if you're so unhappy, why don't you do us all a big favor and leave!"
"Why, so you can have Andie?"
"That's your fantasy. You're the one stuck on replay" Dawson says walking away to his bed, he realizes that there is no resolution coming out of this conversation, at the time, so it's best for him to just end it. But he hears Pacey talking behind his back
"You keep telling yourself that."
"Your like a broken record, you know that? What's the matter with you? You scared she's going to leave you?" Pacey just huffs at this and walks out of the dorm.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The next day Andie and Jen are both standing in front of the Horizon bulletin board, Jen is watching as Andie places up a sign.
'Attention Father Needed.' It reads.
"You really want to put that up there, you're that desperate?"
"Got to start somewhere."
"Or you could do it alone." Jen says in all seriousness.
"I always knew you had a sense of humor." Andie tells her.
"I could babysit" Jen jokingly calls out as Andie starts walking away.
"Honey, the kids don't even know your name" Jack tell Joey as they walk by Jen.
"Call me honey one more time" Joey warns
"Shhh…not in front of the twins." Jack says as he cover them with his hand as though to prevent them from hearing anything they shouldn't. Joey just rolls her eyes and walks off.
"I could help you rise them." Jen says walking up to Jack
"Thanks, but Joey and I are trying to work things out."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Gentlemen" Sophie says walking over to the table that both Pacey and Dawson are sitting at. She tosses her folder down on the table before taking a seat. "Mr. Scarborrow has asked me to take your case." She tells them, completely into character as an adoption agency. "I guess we should just jump right in" she says opening up her folder. "So you two are gay?"
"What?! No!" Pacey says
"Oh, hey!" Dawson chimes in
"That's what you said here." She says pretending to look at their file.
"Oh yeah, on the paper" Pacey says
"So, why should I give you two a baby? Your not even married"
"Well um…we had a" Dawson starts and Pacey just looks away annoyed. "we had a ceremony."
"Still doesn't make you married in the eyes of the law. What exactly makes you two fit to be adoptive parents?"
"Um, well, we make a lot of money." Pacey finally speaks up.
"It takes more than just money, do you have any experience with kids?"
"Well um, I'm part of a big brothers group and we take a couple of kids out every week or so." Dawson says. Sitting up a little taller in his chair.
"Okay, well who's going to stay home with the baby?"
"Not me" Pacey quickly answers.
"You can't just stick me with it" Dawson jabs back.
"All right, you two need to work out your story some more."
"Peter would have given us the egg by now." Pacey says trying to guilt trip her but it doesn't work.
"Too bad for you, I'm not Peter." She says standing up and gathering her things.
"So hey" Pacey calls out, stopping her in her tracks for a moment. "we don't get the egg?"
"No, you two aren't ready. Next time, show me how responsible you can be and we'll see." She says and walks away.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Outside Jack had tracked down Joey, who was playing basketball with some guys from a different group.
"You agree that Peter was pretty serious about this project?" He asks just as Joey tossed the ball and made it into the hoop.
"Nothing buy net." She says, not answering his question. "You got one minute" She tells him as she pauses her game to listen.
"I said, you agree that Peter was pretty serious about this project?"
"Yea, so what?"
"So, why not take the high road and surprise him."
"By what? Playing family?"
"Yea, this way you score some major brownie points, maybe accumulate enough to get out of this place and get to venture into town every once in a while."
"You mean like Kat? Minus the soap opera drama?"
"That's what I'm saying"
"So, uh, where do you want these kids to go to school?" She says finally grabbing the eggs from him for the first time.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Any luck?" Pacey asks as he walks by Andie who is sitting on top of a picnic table.
"None. There's a lot of commitment phobia at this school. You?"
"We struck out."
"Until you and Dawson sing Kumbayah and hold hands you'll never finish this project."
"Yea like that's going to happen."
"Well lets keep in mind that your grade depends on Dawson, so I'd get over it. And pick a better time to go Jerry Springer." She says and gets up to walk away. She getting tired of constantly asking Pacey to put his difference aside with Dawson.
Pacey walks over to the boys dorm and catches Dawson cleaning up.
"Dawson"
"Yea?"
"I went over the research and I think we approached it all wrong. The focus should be showing that there's no difference between us, you know, being gay and all, and everyone else. What do you think?"
"We show them as long as the kid's in a loving environment, that it doesn't matter."
"Exactly"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"So uh" Joey says taking a seat next to Jack "What's wrong with sending the kids to boarding school?"
"We can't afford it, anyway that's like sending them to camp. You remember how miserable camp was."
"Come on, me camp?"
"Yea, your right, well trust me. The kids are better off at home listening to us argue all day."
"I still vote for boarding school."
"Why are you so ready to get rid of them?" Jack asks with a seriousness in his voice, yeah he spent the entire project joking with her, as if this was a real scenario, but suddenly he notices a change in her. She really doesn't want to be a mother and it has nothing to do with him. Something else is going on behind those eyes.
"Because I won't win any 'Mother of the year' awards" she says looking down at the ground.
"There you go again…selling yourself short. I pray that you kids have just an ounce of your strength" Jack tells her, as Jen looks over at them, listening to their conversation.
"Yeah well, don't waste your prayers, it'll save us a lot of money on therapy sessions." She says, looking down at the eggs in her hands.
"That's it." Jack announces loudly as he grabs the egg box out of her hands "I'm not going to have the kids around your negative attitude. This just isn't going to work." He says standing up and pointing at her before slowly walking away.
"You can't just take them and go." Joey calls out behind him, shocked at the power switch that just took place. "Jack?"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It's finally Friday and the cliffhangers are back outside, sitting by a gazebo as Peter begins the lesson.
"Okay guys, lets here those reports."
Pacey and Dawson stand up first and go to the front of the group and turn around to face everyone.
"All right, no one gets a handbook on raising kids, be it straight or gay, so what makes them better than us? Well I can't think of anything" Dawson starts off
"The only guarantee is that there will always be unwanted children who desperately need homes. Now if we're willing to provide them with a stable loving environment, we don't see a problem." Pacey says, finishing up their statement.
"Congratulation's gentlemen, you've just adopted your first child." Peter tells them. "Andrea" Peter calls out for her to go up next. She walks to the front of the group and begins.
"Well the bad news is, I didn't find a father for my b. aby, but the good news is, I realized I didn't need one. At least, in the sense of taking care of my , I've had a lot of 'fathers' so I guess I'll just look for a second job, or pray for a trust fund from one of my dads."
"Okay.." Peter says "Oh and I'd appreciate it if you'd take your flyers down now." He tells her.
"Okay" She says laughing.
"Joey" Peter calls out and she gets up alone to give her presentation. "You seem to be minus a family"
She gets to the front and tucks her hair behind her ear, while fidgeting with her foot.
"Uh, well, um I"
"Honey I'm home." Jack walks up late "car trouble" he tells Peter as he walks over to join Joey at the front.
"I was beginning to think you were having problems." Peter says as he watches Joey put her arm around Jack's shoulders.
"Problems, no?" Jack says as Joey smiles tightly "The kids were a little cranky this morning, so I had to change their diaper, twice."
"So how'd you do?" Peter asks
"Well, since we're a two career family we decided to budget for a nanny." Jack says and playfully pats Joey on the side, causing her to let out a skeptical laugh.
"This way we will be able to spend more quality time with the kids and we won't have to send them to boarding school." Joey finishes up for him.
"Good work guys." Peter says and starts to stand up as Joey playfully pushes Jack away from her and they both go to sit down.
"I think a few good points were made, some things were learned. The kids can be returned…" he interrupted by Jen who walks up and hands him her paper.
"Here" she says "My observations while being childless."
"Jen, these pages are empty."
"So am I"
"Jen," Jeff calls out from behind her. "We got a second opinion"
"I'm not barren?" Jen asks with small excitement in her voice.
"As many as you want" Jeff tells her as he hands her a new, unopened carton of eggs.
She smiles over at Peter and takes them all, before returning to the group and sitting down.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Later that afternoon Peter finds Sophie walking out of a room, after she just finished talking to Kat and her parents.
"How'd it go?" He asks her, walking up next to her.
"First steps were made"
"I'm impressed."
"No don't be." She shrugs nonchalantly.
"Hey" he says causing her to finally stop walking and look over at him. "Frank's on board with you staying here. Now it's just up to you." She looks at him with a bright smile, and looks around. "What?" he asks.
"Well we've got a few hours of light left. Wanna climb a rock?" she asks smiling mischeiviously.