AMY´S CREEK - S01E05 - OLD AQUIANTANCES PART 1

Disclaimer: I don´t own Dawson´s Creek or the characters from it.

1. Int. Airport. Evening.

Joey and Amy are waiting by the arrival area. Amy has a sign that says "Audrey".

Amy (voice over):

My "extended family" is just as interesting as my real one. There´s Dawson, who´s been friends with Joey and Pacey, since they were kids. Him and my mom tried dating a few times, but for whatever reason, it didn´t work out for them. He´s very nice and really smart, but he´s not as easy to talk to as Audrey.

They spot Audrey coming out with the other passengers.

Amy (voice over):

I´ve always loved it, when she comes to visit. If Pacey is my fun uncle, then she´s definitely my fun aunt, not counting Joey, who´s more like a mom to me. Her and Pacey dated too and I can only imagine, that they would have been a fun couple to know. He´s better off with Joey, though.

Audrey finally spots them and half way runs over to them.

Audrey:

I can´t believe, that I´m finally here!

Audrey hugs the both of them and looks happy.

Joey:

How was the flight?

Audrey:

Boring! I sat next to this woman, who didn´t feel like talking at all! She probably tried to "Shush me" ten times.

Amy:

But that didn´t stop you from talking, right?

Audrey:

No, it just gave me the urge to tell her about my latest yeast infection! I´m not sure, I´ll be welcome on that airline again!

Joey:

It only matters, that you got here safely.

Audrey:

I have been looking forward to this for months.

Audrey smiles.

OPENING CREDITS

2. Int. Dawson´s Room. Evening.

Dawson´s old room is now a guest room. He´s looking through some old pictures of him and the gang from back in the day.

Dawson (voice over):

Sometimes I wish, I could go back and start over. If only, we had the wisdom of age in our youth.

He smiles at a picture of the gang, just before they went to their Sophomore Prom.

Dawson (voice over):

I was so sure, that I would be the next Spielberg. In my young mind, that was the only way life could turn out. I would marry Joey, have a family with her and be celebrated the world over. Now I have to take any work I can get, just to put food on the table and pay the rent. If the young me had known what kind of stinkers, he would have to put his name on, he would have quit making movies altogether. Sure, even the great filmmakers had their stinkers. Spielberg himself did "1941". It made a healthy profit, but is a legitimately terrible movie. The best thing I´ve done, was a Young Adult series on the old WB, that lasted six seasons.

He finds another picture, this time of him and Audrey together in their younger days.

Dawson (voice over):

The first seasons were pretty good, but it was a mercy kill by the end. I wasn´t even the show runner any more by that point, but I still liked the money, that it brought in. Why did I lose control of it? Her name is Audrey. Todd warned me, that we weren´t good for one another, but I was too in love with her to listen to him. She was my muse in the best of times and the reason why I couldn´t function in the the worst of them. Before her, I always thought, that Joey was the love of my life. Being with Audrey made me realize, that Joey was only the first.

Gail comes in.

Gail:

I thought, you might want to rummage through it, before I threw it out.

Dawson:

I´m glad, you did. There´s some great pictures here.

Gail:

Are you sad, that I´m selling the house?

Dawson:

No, it´s your choice. With Lilly in college now, I can see how it would be too big for one person.

Gail:

It´s weird to have it so quiet here all the time. It feels un-natural, like this is supposed to be a house, where a family lives and raises their children.

Dawson smiles to himself.

Dawson:

It was rarely quiet in the old days.

Gail:

You sound like, you miss them.

Dawson:

How can I not? I had a fantastic childhood here, for the most part anyway.

Gail:

I´m glad, you feel that way. But we have to live in the present.

Dawson:

What if my present isn´t anything to write home about?

Gail:

Life is full of peaks and valleys, Dawson. Do you think, I imagined, that I would be twice divorced and once widowed?

Dawson:

Probably not.

Gail:

The great thing about life, is that tomorrow can always be better and you never know what it throws at you. Lilly was an accident, but the years since you moved away, wouldn´t have been the same without her.

Dawson:

It´s that simple, huh?

Gail:

It can be, if you want it to.

She leaves him to continue sorting through his old stuff.

3. Int. Joey´s House. Evening.

Audrey is hanging out with Amy and Joey and looks to be enjoying herself.

Audrey:

It´s weird how much has happened, since I was last here. Gail was still married, you were depressed because you and Pacey had just split up for the 98th time and you, young lady, were straight!

Amy:

I didn´t see it coming either. but then I met Vicki and what do you know?

Audrey:

I have to meet her! What´s she like?

Amy:

She´s ... it´s hard to explain.

Audrey:

Try.

Amy smiles to herself.

Amy:

When I´m with her, it just feels right, you know? Every time we kiss, it´s still a little exciting, even if we´ve kissed hundreds of times already.

Audrey:

Aww, that´s so cute!

Amy:

It´s still new, so I´m just enjoying it right now.

Audrey:

I never got to kiss the first guy, I fell in love with, so you´re already ahead of me.

Joey:

I dumped mine for a guy, who turned out to be gay!

Amy:

At least, I knew going in!

They laugh.

Audrey:

It´s nice, that I can live my love life vicariously through you guys.

Amy:

It can´t be that hard to find someone in a big city like L.A.

Audrey:

It´s not about the quantity of guys, it´s about the quality.

Amy:

Is it because you´re still hung up on Dawson?

Joey looks worried for a second, but Audrey smiles at Amy´s innocent bluntness.

Audrey:

Maybe, just a little bit.

Joey:

You should know, that he´ll be there tomorrow.

Audrey:

Why wouldn´t he be? It´s his mom´s birthday!

Joey:

It´s just that I know, things are complicated between you.

Audrey:

I came here to see my friends and to celebrate the best mother in law, any girl could have asked for. That Dawson happens to be here at the same time, is irrelevant.

Audrey tries to hide, that Dawson is a touchy subject for her, but it´s not completely working.

Amy (voice over):

I feel bad for Audrey and Dawson, for that matter. I remember me, Pacey and Joey spending two weeks living with them in Los Angeles, when I was around eight or nine. They were so in love and I had a vacation, that will always stand among my favorites. I hope that they at least can find joy with other people, if they can´t be together.

4. Ext. Garden. Morning.

Preparations are getting started for the party in the evening and it´s a beautiful sunny day. Pacey and Dawson are helping Doug and Jack set up tables, while Gail tries to follow the plans.

Gail:

I think, we´re starting to get there.

Dawson:

I have to pick up Lilly at the train station, anyway.

Pacey:

And leave us here to slave away?

Dawson:

Would you rather listen to Lilly griping about school?

Pacey:

On second thought, it´s a fair deal!

Gail:

You won´t completely get away without doing work. We forgot to buy napkins.

Pacey:

And we all know, you can´t have a party without them!

Dawson:

Okay, we´ll pick some up. Anything else, you want be to buy?

Gail:

Nothing, that comes to mind.

Dawson:

I´ll be back in an hour.

Pacey:

Have fun.

Pacey smiles cheekily at him and he leaves.

5. Int. Amy´s Room. Morning.

Amy and Vicki are making out.

Amy (voice over):

Vicki and me decided to get some girlfriend time in before the party.

After a long kiss, they come up for air.

Amy:

Wow! Did you try a new technique or something?

Vicki:

I read an on-line article, that inspired me. Did you like it?

Amy:

Yeah! A lot!

They hold each other.

Amy:

Part of me would rather spend the day in here with you.

Vicki:

We can always do that. Parties like big birthdays, don´t come along every day.

Amy:

I´m sure it would be okay, if I invited you, but you don´t know Gail and ...

Vicki:

It´s fine with me. It would have been a little uncomfortable anyway, with me only knowing a few people there. On the plus side, I get some one on one, gal pal time with Ash.

Amy:

I´m glad, you´re becoming friends. I´ll get you invited to the next one, if you want it.

Vicki:

You don´t have to, if you don´t want to. I get how it could be weird for you, showing off your new girlfriend to your family. I have no idea, how mine will react.

Amy:

The only ones I care about, have already accepted us.

They go back to making out.

Amy (voice over):

It´s sort of true! I´m up to six people in my family, who know and I´ll get there eventually. As for today, I´ve asked people not to bring it up. Not because I´m ashamed or anything, but this is Gail´s day and it should be about celebrating her.

6. Ext. Train Station. Morning.

Dawson is waiting for Lilly to come out of the train.

Dawson:

My sister and me are sort of a paradox. In some ways, we couldn´t be more different. In High School, I was the quiet one with a few friends, I really cared about. To most of the kids there, I might as well have been a ghost. She had tons of friends and was always the life of the party. It´s hard not to like someone as friendly and outgoing as her. Even when she was little, she would walk up to strangers in the street and start conversations with them out of the blue. Whether they were old or young or how they looked didn´t seem to matter to her. That part of her has thankfully never changed.

Lilly, who´s now 18 and has turned into a pretty and slightly edgy looking girl, comes out of the train and smiles widely, when she sees Dawson. She runs over to him and gives him a big hug.

Lilly:

It´s been far too long!

She won´t let go and some people stare at them, making Dawson a little uncomfortable. Lilly looks very pleased though.

Dawson:

People could get the wrong idea.

Lilly:

Since when have I cared, what people thought of me? You´re my brother and if I want to show you, that I love you, they´ll just have to live with it!

Dawson smiles to himself and hugs her tightly.

7. Int. Car. Morning.

Dawson is driving, while Lilly is looking around at the scenery outside in wonder.

Lilly:

It´s strange, that it´s only been 2 months, since I left. It feels like enough has happened, to last me four years already.

Dawson:

Are you enjoying it so far?

Lilly smiles widely.

Lilly:

Yeah! Are you kidding! I had no idea, that school could be that much fun!

Dawson:

And you´re not partying too much?

Lilly:

Define too much, in you book.

Dawson:

More than once a week?

Lilly:

I stick to that ... some weeks. You know me. I´ve never been much for sitting at home and doing nothing.

Dawson (voice over):

Yet another way, that we´re different. I spent more than half of my teenage nights in my room, watching movies with Joey, Pacey or my other friends. Where as I was living through the characters on the screen, she went out and lived it. Still, despite our differences and me not being there for most of her life, there´s still a bond between us, that can´t be explained.

8. Int. Grocery Store. Morning.

Dawson and Lilly come walking into the grocery store and are surprised to meet Audrey and Joey, who are coming out at the same time. Lilly and Audrey are excited to see each other again and spontaneously hug.

Lilly:

I didn´t know, you were coming!

Audrey:

How could I miss and opportunity to see you again?

Lilly:

Are you doing good?

Audrey:

Yeah, I´m okay. You?

Lilly:

College is a blast! I had no idea, that I would love it so much!

Joey:

Is it college itself or just the boys and the parties, you love?

Lilly:

Both.

Joey gets a hug too. Audrey and Dawson make eye contact and it´s a bit awkward between them.

Dawson:

I´m glad to hear, that you´re doing okay.

Audrey:

Yeah, well ... things could always be better, but I get by. How are you?

Dawson:

Working hard to get by.

Lilly:

Did you see his last movie? There´s a girl, who´s a complete mirror image of you!

Audrey:

Let me guess, she gets eaten by a CGI monster?

Lilly:

Yeah, but to be fair, that´s what happens to nearly all of his characters!

Joey can´t help smiling to herself.

Dawson:

I wish, I didn´t have to make those movies, but whatever puts food on the table, right?

Audrey:

The old Dawson never would have said that.

Dawson:

The old Dawson has been replaced by the realist Dawson.

Audrey:

I know and that´s what makes me sad.

Joey sees that things are becoming a little too intense.

Joey:

We´d better get going. See you at the party!

Lilly:

You too!

Joey and Audrey leave them. Dawson has to take a moment to compose himself.

Lilly:

Come on, it can´t have been that bad to see her again!

Dawson:

She´s right. I´ve become a sell out, who makes cheap, crappy movies, so I won´t have to get a day job.

Lilly:

Get your head out of your butt and ask her, if you can get back together! You´re miserable without her!

Dawson:

It´s not as simple as that. Maybe it was, when we were your age, but we´re adults and ...

Lilly:

And, and, and! All I´m hearing is excuses! Face it, Bro. She´s the one for you. Now, let´s find those napkins.

Dawson is left to ponder it, as Lilly looks for the napkins. She runs into an old lady, who´s happy to see her.

Lilly:

Mrs. Mitchell! How is the family?

Mrs. Mitchell:

They´re doing fine, dear. Are you studying hard in college?

Lilly:

You know me, busy as a bee!

Mrs. Mitchell:

Have a lovely day.

Lilly:

You too and give that sweet dog of yours, a good scratch behind the ears from me!

:

I will.

She finds the napkins and walks back to Dawson, who´s still thinking to himself.

Lilly:

Stop worrying and cheer up! We have a party to go to!

She pads him on the cheek and goes over to the counter, where the clerk, a man in his 40´s recognizes her.

Lilly:

Hi, Mr. Andrews. How is Mary doing in school?

Mr. Andrews:

She´s doing great, Lilly. If she continues this way, she´ll be valedictorian.

Lilly:

I´m so happy for her. Tell her, I said hi.

Mr. Andrews:

I will.

He starts ringing them in.

Dawson (voice over):

If only, I could be her for a day. Not a care in the world and everybody likes you, where ever you go. I hope, that she never changes!

9. Int. Joey´s House. Day.

Joey let´s Amy in.

Amy:

Are you ready to go?

Joey:

Sort of. Audrey is having a meltdown.

Amy:

She was fine last night!

Joey:

Yeah, but then we ran into Dawson at the grocery store. See, if you can talk her into going. I´m not having any luck.

Amy heads into the living room.

10. Int. Living Room. Day.

Audrey is crying her eyes out, when Amy comes in.

Amy (voice over):

She´s a mess! If someone wanted a good advertisement for staying single, they should take a picture of her right now!

Amy:

Hi, Audrey. I heard that you ran into Dawson.

Audrey:

I was dumb to think, that I could just ignore him! As you can see, I´m clearly still in love with him.

Amy:

Why aren´t you together, then?

Audrey:

We had very good reasons to break up, both times.

Amy:

You don´t believe, that three times is a charm?

Audrey:

Even if I did, I don´t think, he´d want to get back together. I mean, look at me! What would he want with a washed up soap actress, who isn´t even considered good enough to be in one of his crappy movies? I don´t know, if you´ve seen any of them, but the acting standard is very low!

Amy:

He would want you, because who would want to be with you? You´re fun, you have a big heart, that deserves to be loved and despite the occasional outbursts, you´re pretty damn lovable!

She got a small smile out of Audrey.

Audrey:

Thanks and right back at ya!

Amy:

Are you coming or not?

Audrey:

I´m afraid, I´ll make an ass of myself, when I see him again and ruin Gail´s birthday. It would be very me of me, to do so!

Amy:

It also means that they would be more forgiving, if they expected it. Or at least, that´s how I see it. What do I know? I´m just a kid, right?

Audrey:

You´re more mature, than a lot of the adults, I know.

Amy:

If you feel the need to talk, just grab me and I´ll listen. I´m pretty good at that.

Audrey:

I´m sure, you are. Tell them to give me five minutes, so I can touch up my make up.

Amy:

I will. Anyway, you didn´t come all this way for nothing, did you?

Audrey:

I guess not.

Amy leaves her to get herself sorted.

11. Int. Dawson´s Room. Day.

Dawson has got into his party clothes, but is fumbling with his tie. He makes annoyed grunt, as he undoes it and tries over again. Joey sticks her head in.

Joey:

You still haven´t learned?

He sees her and smiles. He doesn´t even have to say anything, to let her know to do it for him.

Dawson (voice over):

It takes me and Joey around three seconds to get back in sync, no matter how long, we´ve been apart. I doubt, if that will ever change. Sleeping with each other again, was a huge mistake, though. We both thought, that it would make us feel better, but in stead, it made us feel guilty. She probably wishes as much as me, that we could erase it from history.

She finishes tying in and he checks himself in the mirror.

Dawson:

At least, I look the part now.

Joey:

Which part?

Dawson:

The son, she doesn´t have to be ashamed of.

Joey:

She would proud of you, if you were a garbage man. As long, as you´re happy, that´s all that matters to her.

Dawson:

Are you?

Joey smiles to herself.

Joey:

I´d say, that I am. The business is steadily growing and the days fly by.

Dawson:

What about you and Pacey?

Joey:

We´re slowly getting there. We´ve decided to have a weekly date night, so that´s a start.

Dawson:

A little at a time, huh?

Joey:

It´s worked for us so far. The first time we got together, took us a year, remember?

Dawson:

When Audrey and me talked, was the first time, since I moved out.

Joey:

I know. She told me all about it. The tears, the yelling ...

Dawson:

Her telling me, that she never wanted to see me again.

Joey:

You can´t tell me, that you took her seriously! As much as we both love her, we also know, that she´s a big time drama queen!

Dawson:

She was very convincing.

Joey:

She misses you, you know?

Dawson:

She does?

Joey:

Yep and I really think, you should make it a point to talk to her today. Who knows, when you´ll get the chance again?

She leaves him to consider it. He gives himself one last look in the mirror.

Dawson (voice over):

Here goes nothing, Dawson!

He winks at his reflection and heads downstairs.

12. Ext. Garden. Day.

Dawson walks out to the garden, looking nervous.

We cut to Amy, who´s chatting with Audrey and Jack.

Audrey:

You can´t tell me, that a proud gay man is happy in a boring town like this!

Jack:

I´m flying the flag in my own way. My partying days are long behind me.

Audrey:

Me too. I prefer a night at home with my book friends these days.

Amy:

You?

Audrey:

Yes, little Grasshopper! Believe it or not, partying does get old after a while!

Jack:

Thankfully, Amy isn´t a big partier.

Audrey:

Yet. I was a good girl too, when I was her age.

Jack:

And we all saw how that changed!

Amy:

Were you a wild girl?

Audrey:

About as wild as they got, but don´t aspire to be, like I were.

Amy:

I won´t. I´m happy with, who I am.

Jack:

It´s statements like that one, that couldn´t make me prouder.

We cut back to Dawson, who can´t take his eyes off her. Pacey comes over to him.

Pacey:

She´s still pretty damn gorgeous, isn´t she?

Dawson:

You won´t get any arguments from me.

Pacey:

Are you planning on standing here and staring at her all day?

Dawson:

What am I gonna say to her? We´ve talked once, since I moved out and it was "Stranger Things" levels of weird!

Pacey:

"Hello" has worked for people in years past, or so I´m told.

Dawson:

Okay. What after that?

Pacey:

You´re a script writer and you need me to tell you? Have some pride, man!

Dawson smiles to himself.

Dawson:

Why am I so nervous to talk to her?

Pacey:

Because you care about her. That can never be a bad thing.

Dawson:

I guess not.

Pacey:

Are you ready?

Dawson:

Probably as ready, as I´ll ever be.

They walk down to Audrey and Jack.

CLOSING CREDITS