"Well, I think darts may be my destiny, Dawson" said Pacey as they were playing in his friends room. "Travel around the world as an internationally renowned master of the darts. I found my calling."

When Dawson didn't answer Pacey towards to see what he was doing. Dawson was lying on his bed studying some papers.

"What are you doing over there?"

"Well, I re-watched a bunch of movies and I think I need to dub in some complicated relationships. Trying to, you know, write some complexities of a character in the movie... layer it a little bit."

Pacey laughed and sat next to Dawson:

"There's the Great Santini."

"Classic dysfunctional father-son relationship."

"It's a father who thinks his son's a screw up, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Yeah, well, you can skip a Blockbuster moment, Dawson. You're going to get plenty of insight into that on our little fishing trip this week-end."

"Come on OK, granted, your father's a little tense but you tend to exaggerate just a little bit. The Great Santini bounces basketballs off his sons head to make a point. At least your father respects you enough not to do that."

Pacey sighed:

"Ah, yes, respect. He paused. Do you respect your father, Dawson?"

"I'd hate to live in a world where I didn't."

"That's not the answer."

"Do you respect your father?"

"Well, I mean, John Witter, the most well-known, well-respected man in Capeside. Fights for safety, fights crime, locks up bad guys, helps little ol' ladies across the street, how could you possibly not have respect for a man like that?"

"That's not an answer, either."

Pacey laughed bitterly.

"Good ol' fashioned father-son fishing trip." Sighed Dawson. "Why do I sense disaster?"

"Tell you what" Pacey got up from the bed. "Why don't we leave the darts to do the talking, huh? If I can hit a bulls-eye with this he said as he took a dart in his hand you and I are in for a week-end of good fun, big fish and good ol' father-son bonding."

He threw the dart, both he and Dawson watching it miss its target. Silence.
"Best two out of three?" Dawson's weak voice suggested a minute afterwards."

"Yeah..."

-

"Joey! Joey! I was actually looking for you!" Jen came running from behind. Joey stopped with a skeptical look on her face. Jen waited a few seconds to catch her breath:

"See I uhm I promised Gail Id give her a hand in this news report that she's doing..."

"Gail? As in, Mrs. Leery?" Joey frowned at the familiarity.

"Yeah... uhm... Yeah... She's just letting me watch her in action, you know, pick up a few tricks on the trade. I've always wanted to know more about television and working on television... Uhm, anyway, we need girls to come by Dawson's house tomorrow to..."

"Spill their guts on local television?"

"No no, just answer questions on what its like being a teenager. We really need girls who are thoughtful and articulate and no one speaks their mind more eloquently and honestly than you do."

"Uhm, I'm flattered but..."

"No buts I mean, whats the big deal?"

"I'm not much into being on TV..."

"Please"

Joey half-smiled awkwardly.

"I suppose..."

"Thanks, I owe you one. See you tomorrow." Jen ran before Joey got the chance to reply.

-

Mitch and Dawson were walking down the dock, heading for the Witter boat.

"Look at this" Mitch said in a meditative voice as he pointed out the fishermen around them. "All these people with profound connections to the sea. I mean, the idea of the ocean, boundless mysterious Life at sea is just about as romantic as love. Kind of makes you want to chuck it all and become a fisherman, you know?"

"Fish is a viable corruption for you now?"

"Ohhh... maybe"

"What's next, Dad? A fireman?"

As they approached the boat, Mitch hesitated a second before shouting out:

"Permission to come aboard, sir."

John and Pacey turned around. Mitch and Pacey locked eyes and Pacey turned a shade of crimson and looked away. It had been a while since they had actually seen each other, a face-to-face meeting had been successfully avoided by both of them. Things had changed drastically ever since Pacey had been caught with his pants off, but the feeling of embarrassment overcame him once again as he faced Dawson's dad.

"Ahoy mate!" John Witter shouted, completely clueless of his son's feelings. "Permission granted"

Dawson and Mitch climbed up and the two fathers shook hands.

"Hiya Mitch."

"How are you doing, John?"

"Dawson" John enthusiastically greeted the blonde.

Dawson smiled and sat next to Pacey:

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I just gotta shake this whole embarrassment thing."

"Don't worry, my dads cool with the whole thing."

"Yeah it's just weird"

"Hey guys! I'm sorry I'm late!" Jacks voice shouted from near the boat.

"Jack!" Pacey shouted out in surprise.

"Did I forget to tell you?" Dawson smiled. "I must have forgotten. You OK with Jack coming along?"

"Of course I'm OK, but you should've told me! Hey Jack! Come on up!" Pacey and Jack shook hands.

-

Joey bumped into Andie at Dawson's gate.

"Hey Andie" she greeted.

"Uh... Hi Joey" Andie smiled embarrassed.

"Are you OK?"

"Yes... I just wanted to say again how sorry I am" at Joey's confused look she continued: "about me... and Dawson you know... kissing" Joey's silence made Andie uncomfortable.

"Don't worry about it! Me and Dawson are over, he's allowed to kiss whoever he wants" Joey smiled in a friendly and unaffected manner that confused Andie.

"Wow... I mean... I thought... I don't know... I just..."

"Andie. It's OK."

"Uh... OK"

"Hey guys! Thanks for coming! I'm really glad you could make it!" Jen greeted them from Dawson's porch.

"Couldn't resist the hot new producer in action."

Just then, Abby Morgan came out of the house:

"Oh wow, I like that camera guy's angle if you know what I mean" She winked at Jen.

"Oh God, not you" Andie mumbled.

"Rude. Wheres the love?"

"We're going to get started in a minute." Gail said coming out. "This was a great idea, Jen. This is going to be fun, don't you think?"

Joey and Andie stared at each other and sighed.

-

Dawson and Pacey stared at Jack who was trying to set up a fishing pole but failing miserably. He looked back at them and sighed:

"Guess my little secret's out."

Dawson and Pacey frowned. Jack began to babble:

"You wouldnt exactly call me Ishmal... you know Ishmal... Moby Dick"

"Yeah I read it" Pacey said.

"So why the numb looks?"

"You really suck at this, man" Pacey chuckled and went off to help him. "Had anyone mentioned you were going to be here, maybe I would have given you a prior lesson or two."

"Well, Dawson invited me last night, I didn't know either till then."

"Dawson, heh?" Pacey threw an amused look at his friend who was himself trying to set up a fishing pole.

-

Joey and Andie were staring at Abby flirting with the cameraman.

"That camera equipment looks really heavy. You must be built ram-tough."

"Naw, its really not that heavy" he said with an embarrassed look.

"OK, everybody, listen up" Gail said. "Jen had this great idea. Instead of doing this interview right out of the gage, why don't we spend a little time bonding? You know, make it a Ladies' night."

"Ladies' night? How long are we gonna be here?" Abby asked raising a brow.

"Yeah, Abby's got to make the rounds on her broom", Andie said sarcastically.

"And Andie's mom might start roaming the city, foaming at the mouth."

"Hey hey hey!" Gail stopped them. "Let's just get to know one another a little better. Connect with one another, OK?"

"Oh God, I'm going to need a drink" Abby sighed.

"No alcohol, but I do have enough junk food in that kitchen to fulfill anyones cravings. And it's all yours if you bare with me."

-

"Gentlemen, this is not a pleasure trip." John Witter started his solemn speech. "You are not on a carnival cruise, we've got a job to do. We need to work together like a well-oiled machine. Somewhere out there is a fish. A very big fish thats gonna hitch a ride with us back to Capeside. Mitch, you and Dawson work at the fort rigs..."

"Aye-aye Skipper" Mitch said with a smile.

"Jackie Onassis here can handle the starboard poles with me." John said, pointing to Jack.

"That makes me the odd man out", Pacey pointed out bitterly.

"Yeah" his father replied.

"You know, Dad, I may not be a charter member of the National Brain Trumps but I think I know how to handle a fishing rod."

"Pacey, I need you to do everything else. Rig the begs, raise and lower the anchor, back up the anguish. Your job is most important. Who do you think raised the flag in Hiroshima? General McCarther? No, it was the grunts!"

"Dad, we're fishing. Not storming the beaches of Normandy." Pacey noticed. His father laughed.

"This sucks." Pacey mumbled under his breath.

"A lot of things in life suck, son. Its my job to prepare you for that inevitability."

-

"Im bored." Abby puffed. "Its time for a field trip upstairs. Cruise the contents of Dawson's room... don't even try to pretend you're not interested."

"It's up to Abby to come up with the most obnoxious pastime imaginable."

"Fine! I don't mind flying solo!"

Abby headed upstairs and the rest of the girls followed her lead. They entered Dawson's room and Abby headed straight for the closet.

"I think I'm on the verge of uncovering scandalous comfort wear" She kept on looking. "Yep, Ive hit payday!"
Joey and Jen came slowly from behind and shut the closet doors behind Abby then started laughing.

"Hey!" Abby started banging the door

.
"Hey, guys!" Andie said from next to the VCR. "Guess what I found tucked behind Jaws? Good Will Humping!"

Jen and Joey's eyes turned wide as Abby came out of the closet.

-

"Wo! Wo! Guys! Ive got one!" Jack yelled victoriously. Everyone rushes over to him.

"Where's the new pole?" asked John.

"On the other side." Pacey replied. At his father's look he continued: "What? It doesn't matter what side the pole's on!"

"This is what I mean, Pacey. Its the same thing with you over and over again. The simplest instructions in the world and you find excuse not to follow them. How do you expect me to give you more responsibility if you can't even adhere to the most rudimentary directions? When I speak, you listen. Don't think, just do! Please! I'm not asking that much!"

John Witter walked off as Pacey sighed. Dawson came next to him:

"That was a great fish Jack caught! I should have known he was good, I would have prepared a little for the competition."

"Competition?"

"Yeah for best fisherman on the boat well, competition is just a way of putting things"

"Well you invited him... why did you invite him?"

"Andie asked me, I thought it would be nice."

"Andie, heh? I mean, wow... Didn't know you two were that close"

Dawson blushed as he looked at Pacey:

"I'm sorry, Pace, I don't know what happened. I mean, I suddenly discovered I love spending time with her and she's such a great person! I know you two had something going..."

"...me and Andie had nothing going, man, don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, man. Its OK." Pacey sighed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll try to go through my other chores without breaking anything."

Dawson looked at him weirdly but shook it off and went back to his fishing pole.

-

"You are aware, girls that as this tape begins, Dawson ends", Abby said giggling.

"Finished what?" Andie asked.

"Shaking hands with the other boy." Jen said.

"Waxing the bold-headed bishop." Joey continued.

"Test-firing the missile." Abby laughed.

"OK, I got your point, guys."

"How does she do that?" Joey asked with a disgusted look on her face.

"I'm not that limber"

"Where do these women come from?"

"What sort of career is this?"

"Hey, getting paid for something you're good at" Abby started "something they love. Hey, Jen, in a couple of years, that could be you!"

Joey couldn't help giggle.

"You know what, thats really not funny" Jen said.

Gail entered the room and the girls quickly turned off the TV.

"Hey ladies! What are you watching?"

"Um, nothing", Andie said with a blush "Um we're watching an educational video for school, its uhm... we're studying human anatomy."

"No, its a porno borrowed from Dawson's video collection!" Abby said. The girls turned to her horrified. "Mrs. Leery you have to face the music. Your son is a pervert! What? I'm not going to lie! She said to the girls. Unlike some people, I do have morals."

"I think we should leave poor Dawson's room, don't you?" Gail said.

"Joey" Jen said as everyone else was leaving. "I've played armchair psychologist for so many hours, trying to analyze why you're so consistently hostile to me in your actions and your attitudes. And the only theory I could come up with is you somehow feel threatened by my relationship with Dawson, but that theory just doesn't stand up anymore. I mean you won in that rivalry, Joey. Hands down. I just want to know why you're still treating me like I'm this vixen that came into town and stole away your one true love."

"That is not so, Jen"

"What is not so? You're not acting like a bitch to me? You're not constantly being mean and distrustful? Didn't you just laugh at a bad joke pointed at me?"

"Look, I'm sorry, I just found it funny"

"That was not funny! That was really not funny! It was insulting! I mean, I thought we were reaching an understanding here, but you seem to be in disagreement with me! Well you know what? I've had it! I've had it trying to be nice to you! You want us to get along, *you* make all the efforts!"

Jen left, leaving Joey dumbfounded.

-

As they docked in a town by the coast, grown-ups went to play darts as the boys turned to pool.

"I hope my dad doesn't have too much fun, otherwise by tomorrow he'll be throwing up plans to open a seedy, dockside tavern." Dawson said.

"How could you possibly find justification to criticize a man like your father?" Pacey said with angered voice.

"I'm afraid his mid-life crisis isn't going to end. He's going to end up a homeless street mime. What the hell is your problem?"

"You don't see what's going on, Dawson?"

Dawson just stared at him.

"Come on, no-one's that oblivious. Not even you."

"Alright, then why don't you tell me whatever it is you have up your ass 'cause you're about to rip the felt. If you're mad at your dad, tell him. If you're mad at me, let me have it."

"It's just that simple for you, is it, Dawson? You can just go up to your dad and say 'Gee whiz, pop, I have a problem. Let's talk about this. Heart-to-heart, man-to-man.' That's your wonderful life, not mine. You've gotten a glimpse into the hell that is my life."

"So then why is my mere presence suddenly a detriment to your happiness?"

Jack couldn't help but interfere:

"So that Mr. Witter has put you up on such a towering pedestal that you're what? A mere presence, Dawson? C'mon, it's an icon Pacey couldn't possibly live up to!"

Dawson looked at him in surprise.

"Come on, its your shot" said Pacey.

-

"Adults idealize their childhood, and that leads to censorship" Abby said.

"Thank you, Abby. So, Andie, why do you think girls are such trend setters?"

"Well" Andie started.

"Well, it's not because they're so cutting edge. It's because they're insecure. And popular culture capitalizes on that. I mean, girls think, "If I go out and buy this lipstick...," or, "If I watch that TV show.." or listen to this music, I'll be popular. I mean, look around this room. Every one of these girls is incredibly insecure. I mean, I can't even speak my mind anymore without stomping on somebody's feelings. I make a cancer joke, and Joey gets upset. Or I make a crazy joke and Andie gets upset. Or you make a crack about ho bags and Jen starts humping the couch." Abby ranted.

"Oh screw you!" Jen shouted.

"See what I mean?" Abby turned to Gail innocently.

"OK, stop rolling Perry. Abby, I think we've heard enough of your opinions, so thank you for coming."

"You're asking me to leave? Uh, you cant be kicking me out because what about sisterhood and all that junk about female-bonding!"

"Goodnight, Abby."

"What kind of journalist are you? Oh, yeah, I know. A trashy one who sleeps around."

"I think Abby was right" Jen said. "About the fact that, I mean, the reason teenage girls are such consumers is from the fact, I mean, from insecurity."

"I, um, have this need to look and be perfect. My home life is in total chaos and I feel like if I get straight 'A's or if I'm involved in every activity, then...you know, people won't know that I'm this fraud and that I have no idea what I'm doing or where I'm going." Andie continued.

"I mean, when I first came here from New York, I felt relief. Trying to compete in that hyper-accelerated world, I mean, I was in the fast lane to self-annihilation. And then, when I got here, I figured maybe I didn't have anything to prove and that I could finally slow down. But having all that experience just came back to haunt me. I mean, in New York I was the precocious ingénue and in Capeside, all I'll ever be known as is the New York wild child, town slut, bad girl..."

"Look, Jen, I'm sorry about earlier" Joey said.

"No, I'm sorry, Joey. I'm sorry for buzzing you about being friends, I'm sorry about being annoyed... you're right. I have no right to interfere with your life. Its your life. I shouldn't have interfered with you and Dawson"

"Look, there's nothing going on with Dawson anymore. I don't know why I am so threatened by you. I know you've been nothing but nice to me, but I can't help it. I can't help being the way I am. Whenever someone tries to get close to me my defenses go up. The more I like them the higher my defenses go. Dawson was the only exception, because he's safe, because he's been by my side for so long but when someone else tries I can't... I can't get myself involved I mean, look at Pacey, he's been by my side for almost as long as Dawson but he..."

"Pacey?" Andie looked curiously at Joey. "What's Pacey got to do with everything?"

Joey suddenly stopped. "Nothing... I mean... Nothing." She couldn't help but notice Jen's subtle smile and wondered what Jen knew about her and Pacey.

"I think we're way off track here." Jen finally said. "But I'm willing to try some more if you are..."

Joey smiled: "I've never really been friends with a girl before... I don't paint my nails and wear make-up and..."

"It's ok we can still gossip" Jen giggled.

Andie looked at them confused:

"Can I? I mean I've never been friends with a girl before either... I've never ever had much friends except for Jack"

Jen and Joey smiled at her.

-

"I'm sorry, Pacey. I'm sorry, I never knew how hard your father really was on you. All I could concentrate today was catching the greatest fish... I feel so selfish" Dawson sighed as he sat down next to Pacey.

"Dad's drunk, you know."

"I know, I saw him."

"I can only talk to him when he's drunk. Cause then he suddenly likes me. But he never actually says well done son. Not even when drunk."

Dawson looked down.

"It makes you wonder when your own messed up separated family seems less messed up than your friends family which is still a family."

"That's not what matters, Dawson. What matters is what you get from that family. The love you receive."
Dawson sighed as Jack sat down next to them.

"So where's your dad, Jack?"

"Tell you where he's not. He's not here. Of course, if you ask my mother or my sister, they'll tell you he's up in Providence taking care of the business. Truth is, he's up in Providence 'cause he left us."

"I know how that feels." Dawson sighed.

"Dawson, your father moved up the street. My father's gone. Try and put that in perspective."

"Look, guys, I know I seem selfish but my problems cant help but feel problematic to me... I know yours are bigger but that doesn't mean I don't have any problem"

"I never said you don't have a problem, Dawson. I'm sorry if it might have seemed that way to you."

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off as a spoiled brat."

"OK, guys, that's enough sorrys to last me a lifetime" Jack joked.

"I'm sorry I didn't catch a fish bigger than yours." Dawson said.

"I'm sorry I didn't catch any fish." Pacey smiled.

"I'm sorry I interfered and came on a trip in which I didn't belong to."

"Nonsense!" Dawson and Pacey both said at the same time and laughed.

"I'm sorry my parents are getting a divorce."

"I'm sorry my parents aren't."

"I'm sorry my parents are screwed up."

"Ditto" Pacey and Dawson said at the same time again and all three laughed.

"I'm not sorry I kissed Andie" Dawson smiled. "I can't wait to see her again."

"Well, I'm not sorry I kissed Jen" Jack grinned.

"You kissed Jen?"

"Yeah."

"So you guys are, like, dating now?"

"I don't know. It just happened. But she's so great and I don't know."

Dawson smiled.

"Yeah, she's a great person. And I'm sure you'd be great together. You should ask her out."

"I should?"

"Yeah. You should."

"Of course you should" Pacey interfered. "I mean, when you like something you should just say something about it not just sit there and wait... If you wait it might never happen."

Dawson looked at Pacey:

"What if someone likes you and you don't know about it? What if a common friend knows about it? Do you think that common friend should tell you?"

"You mean like you did with Andie?"

"Heh?" Jack said, confused.

"Yeah, something like that."

"I don't know. I mean, if I like her, I'm gonna do something about it anyway. And if I don't, you're just going to make me feel weird about her What? You discovered another of my groupies?" Pacey grinned.

"I." Dawson thought a little. "No... just thinking out loud."