[shaving Pacey] There. Hello, chin. You're back.
Pacey[Chuckles] Well...I was never really gone.
Pacey
Mm-hmm.
[Pacey kisses Joey]
Pacey
I don't know. But...you remember how you said you were willing to be surprised by the future?
Pacey
Surprise.
How come you don't seemed surprised?
Pacey
Well...maybe because I've... wanted to kiss you ever since I saw you in that outfit.
[She looks down at the pajamas she is wearing]
Pacey
No. Um... not that outfit. The one... uh...the prev-- well, I mean, not—
Wait, wait, wait. You were wanting to kiss me all night?
Pacey
Yes.
Even when you were yelling at me.
Pacey
Especially when I was yelling at you.
Even when you were flirting with that other girl?
Pacey
Yeah. Then, too.
So... is this... some sort of... recent new development in your life?
Pacey
Wanting to kiss you? No. It's sort of always there... like...white noise, or... the secret service or the threat of nuclear war, for that matter. Just somethin' you get used to.
Pacey
I got it. Seems a small price to pay for a dream come true.
CClerk
I certainly hope you found everything you were looking for today.
Pacey
Well...not everything, but we found what we needed, which, as I'm sure you know, is sometimes just as important. In a spiritual sense. 'Cause, you know, if you found everything that you needed today, what would be the point of waking up tomorrow and doing it all over again? It just wouldn't seem worth it.
Don't worry. He's on a one-day pass from the asylum. But...in all fairness, I should let you know that I will be writing a letter to the home office about this.
Yeah. Because this store... is perfect just the way it is. Don't change a thing.
Pacey
Jo, how can you expect me to concentrate if you're around all day?
Am I really that much of a distraction, Pacey? I mean, my desk is outside of your office. You can't even see me.
Pacey
But I know you're there. And I would not have come as far as I have if you were 5 feet away from me all the time. I just wouldn’t. Trust me.
Pacey
Ok, now you're just milkin' this for all it's worth, aren't you? Fine. [Sighs] I wouldn't have been able to concentrate because every time you're 5 feet away from me or 25 feet away from me, for that matter... there's really only one thing that I want to do.
[Pacey kisses her]
Pacey
Look, you like Harley, right?
She has her strong points. Ok. I mean, as long as we're talking man to man, yeah, I like her. A lot.
Pacey
Well, good. Congratulations, man. 'Cause true feelings for a woman, that's about the best experience you're ever gonna have. I mean, it'll make you strong, it'll make you stupid, and it will definitely take you closer to being the man you want to be.
Pacey
Yeah, I know. Kids today, huh?
Pacey
And those baggy pants. Even with the damage to my unsuspecting eardrum, I did think that tonight was quite nice. Quite nice.
Yes. Quite. Perfect. It was... it's been a perfect night....Pace? I can't do this.
Pacey
You can't do what?
Even when everything is perfect, being with you doesn't feel right, and I'm sorry. Look, everything tonight-- I mean, tonight was lovely and fun and... you've become this... I mean, this amazing man, but it doesn’t... I'm sorry. I don’t... I don't feel it. And I can't do this with you.
Pacey
Ok, Joey, just slow down for a second.
No, Pace, it’s... it's true and... I'm sorry.
Pacey
So what, you're scared. Right? You're scared. And so am I, believe me. And I'm scared because I don't know where this thing is going, Jo. As in, I think it could go anywhere. This could be it.
Pacey
How could you possibly know that? I mean, really. Last week, you're onboard, and now you're just psychically telling me that this could never be something great. You can't possibly know that, because we don't know that, Joey.
And I'm sorry. I know that this is such a horrible thing to say.
Pacey
But how? How could you know? And when did you make this decision, tonight? I mean, I thought tonight was going great.
Pacey
So then when? And don't tell me that you're not scared, because I know that you are. I mean, I've known you too long and seen you push away too many good things to let you push me away right now. My whole life, Joey, my whole life you have been the most beautiful thing in my orbit. And my feelings for you were what proved to me that I could be great. And those feelings were stronger and were wiser and more persistent and more resilient than anything else about me.
Pacey
Jo—
Pacey
When I was afraid of everything, I was never afraid to love you and I could love you again. I could. I’m telling you, this could...
Pacey, no. Pacey, stop! Eddie came back. I'm sorry. He came back last night. He came to the bar—
Pacey
Oh. Okay.
Look, I'm sorry— [Pacey walks away]
Pacey
I just-- I want to ask you one thing before you go.
RRich
As long as it doesn't involve me holding you while you cry.
Pacey
I promise.
Pacey
Well, I was just wondering if maybe you could cover me? Loan me a little money?
RRich
You're kidding, right?
Pacey
No. I wish I was, but... you have no idea how hard it is for me to ask you for this, Rich, but a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago, he came to me and he wanted to double his money really fast. So I just put it all into Stepatech.
RRich
That was a stupid move, Pacey.
Pacey
But he wanted to pull out, and I told him not to, I told him to just trust me and ride the thing out, and this guy is my oldest and closest childhood friend. I cannot screw him like this, Rich.
RRich
It's already done, Pacey.
Pacey
No, I'm serious. All I want to do is give him back his initial investment. And then I'll pay you back with whatever interest you want.
RRich
What about you? What happened to your disposable income?
Pacey
I got nothing left. Everything I had was in Stepatech. I'm worth like, I don't know, 300 bucks right now.
RRich
You know, it's funny. You're so good at your job, you're so confident, I sometimes forget how young and stupid you are.
Pacey
Please, Rich, I need your help, not the speech right now, ok?
RRich
Oh, I think you do, actually. And I'm gonna say to you what you should have told your little friend in the first place. No.
Pacey
That's it? That's all you have to say to me? I come to you, embarrass myself, and you're just gonna say no?
Pacey
You know, Rich, sometimes you're so good at your job I forget what an unfeeling prick you are.
RRich
You work for me. I'm your boss. You watch your tone.
Pacey
Ok, Rich, I'm just asking you for this one favor! Just one time!
RRich
I...don’t...do... favors, Witter.
Pacey
Why not? 'Cause god forbid you have to drop the Gordon Gecko routine for a second? I mean, this would be so easy for you, man. Just help me out here!
RRich
Help you out?! I gave you a job, Witter! I gave you a chance to escape some bottom feeder existence, and every step of the way, you have been a holier-than-thou pain in the ass. So you tell me, why should I help you out? Take this pen. Take this pen, Witter, and write down today's date. Because from this day forward, you're going to amount to nothing. You are a failure and a loser, and you deserve everything that can-- uhh!
[Pacey hits him and they begin fighting]
RRich
It's all over, Pace. Don't worry... you're fired. That's what you wanted all along, anyway. Loser.
I got 3 credit cards in the mail last week, maxed them out in, like, a day. Got lights, cameras, this awesome sound equipment. I'm going completely overboard, but I don't care. I'm talking a mile a minute. I haven't even asked you what brought you to Capeside.
Pacey
Man. Ha! Being in this room, it just takes me back to a whole other era. When the future was a clean slate for all of us, you know?
Well, the room may have gone back in time, but I think you and I have moved ahead rather nicely. It's about all the obstacles we went through when we were kids. We both ended up doing exactly what we wanted to do.
Pacey
Well, there was that brief period of time I toyed with the idea of being a rodeo clown, but I guess this'll do. Heh heh.
But you made something of yourself, Pace, and now you're making something out of me.
Pacey
So they told me you went away for a while.
Let's not be awkward exes, Pacey. I was drying out in Malibu.
Pacey
Ok. Well, you look great, anyhow.
Clean living, my friend. So, what happened to your job? I know you're not just taking a long lunch break. You're a little too hard-core for that.
Pacey
Well, I've been reassessing how I allocate my time.
Pacey
I'm thinking about it.
You're thinking about taking a tasty downward spiral? Oh, you'd better quit while you're ahead. You're not cut out for this.
Pacey
What are you talking about? I could spiral with the best of them. Speaking of... shouldn't you really avoid places like this?
I, um, can't hide from my problems forever. It's kind of how I ended up in rehab in the first place, right?
Pacey
Well, that's brave of you. But you were always good like that.
Yeah, well, I'll be your personal superhero, ok?
Pacey
Ok.
Unless of course you want to spend the rest of your days hiding out in dives like this. What are you hiding from, Pacey?
Pacey
I'm hiding from the suit, because it's evil. Bad things happen when it's on. I allowed people to believe in me for a second, which was foolish, and now it's really coming back to bite them in the ass.
You know what? This isn't you talking. This is your former self rearing its ugly head. Come on, Pacey. I know moments like these. One path is the harsh reality, and one path is the comfortably numb. But guess what? In the morning, when you're all sobered up, the problem's still gonna be there. Only, now it'll be like a big festering wound, and you'll just be the jerk who sat back and let it get worse.
Pacey
Well, thanks for not walking on eggshells around me.
Pacey
You don't have to do this.
Pacey
Sit out here with me. I know you'd rather be in the house with Dawson, so why don't you just go and help him lick his wounds?
Things never change here, do they?
Pacey
No... because these are the roles we were destined to play.
No, Pace, these are the roles we chose to play. I mean, look at us, sitting out here on this dock in front of the same house we've been haunting for years. We're practically ghosts of our former selves, and honestly, I don't think anyone really remembers what they're mad about anymore.
Pacey
Mm, I wouldn't be so sure about that.
Pacey, if I wanted to go back into that house, I would've gone a long time ago. Don't you know me at all by now?
Pacey
Well, I don't want you sitting here feeling sorry for me.
I don't feel sorry for you. I feel for you, Pacey. God, can't you ever tell the difference?
Pacey
I don't know. [Sighs] I don't know, because you and I have had a very confusing run of things. Especially lately.
Ok. You know, and no matter how much I love you or how long I stay with you, you're only gonna remember the moments when I leave.
Pacey
Well, you gotta give me that much, because those are pretty much the most painful moments in my life.
That's because you ask for them, Pacey. I'm sorry. You do. Your whole life, you spend so much time expecting the worst that you don't even notice the moments when people are loving you, and, Pacey, people spend a lot of time loving you.
Pacey
Well... with all due respect, Jo, my best friend just walked away from me, but that's not even the worst of it. The worst thing is he hasn't even really known me for the last 3 years, so please, clarify that for me. How does that qualify me as a man with a support network?
Well, you have a person sitting right here, don't you? But of course, that's not enough. Not until you let it.
Pacey
In what world do I have you?
Look, just because I don't fit into that... place you want me to doesn't mean there's not a place for me, Pacey. Does it?
Pacey
Joey, this isn't your fight, anyway.
You're right. You're right. It's not my fight because it's been over for a really long time, Pacey. And it is up to you to make it right.
Pacey
I don't know how to make it right.
Well, you're gonna have to figure it out. You know, that's the thing about ghosts. They say that... they don't leave until they're at peace with what they left undone.
Pacey
Hey. Jo, come in. I'm finally starting to understand these soap operas. They're pretty good.
All right, dirt merchant. Put some pants on. You're coming with.
Pacey
Yeah. I don't think I'm going to be able to do that. The Young and the Restless is just about to come on. I gotta see how J.T. talks his way out of this one 'cause Colleen was about to kill him. I wouldn't miss that for all the pizza in Capeside. But, please, feel free. Pull up a seat. We got chips.
Pacey
Well, yeah. Kind of comes with the territory. Now I'm not sure what you want me to do about it.
I want you to come with me. I want you to help me figure out how to get Dawson’s movie made on $10 and a dream.
Pacey
I'd just end up ruining the whole thing, and Dawson knows that, I know that, and in your heart of hearts you know that. I'm a dangerous man, a lethal weapon, so we're all better off if I just lay here on my couch, watching my stories.
Pacey
You're off the hook. I never really put much faith in all that "if you love someone set them free" crap, as evidenced by everything I've done in my life up to this very moment... but I am determined to be happy, Joey. Happy in this life... And I love you, I mean, I always, I have always, always loved you. But our timing has just never been right... and the way I figure it, time is no man's friend. So I have to get right with that and be happy, now. Because this is it, I mean, this is all that we get. If there is one thing I've learned from losing Jen, that's what I've learned.
Pacey
Actually, um, hold on. I'm not done yet. Because I also want for you to be happy. It's really important for me that you be happy. So I want you to be with someone, whether it be Dawson or New York guy or some man that you haven't even met yet. But I want you to be with someone who can be a part of the life that you want for yourself. I want you to be with someone who makes you feel like I feel when I'm with you. So, I guess the point to this long run-on sentence that's been the last 10 years of our lives... is just that the simple act of being in love with you is enough for me. So you're off the hook.
You know, for the record I, I don't wanna be let off the hook. Cause everything in my life that I've done has led me here, right now. And the last thing I want, need or deserve is to be let off somebody's hook.
Pacey
Please don't miss my point here...
And don't miss mine. Pacey, I love you, you know that. And it's very real. It's so real that it's kept me moving, mostly running from it, never ready for it… and I love Dawson, he's my soul mate. He's tied to my childhood... and it's a love that is pure and eternally innocent. I can't be let off the hook because I just might get the notion that it's ok to keep running.
Pacey
So then what exactly are you saying here?
Dawson's Creek · 557 quotes
