Meanwhile, in the living room…
"Hey, Doug." Jack approaches Doug. "Can I?" Jack gestures to the open chair next to Doug.
"Of course."
("Hold On" by Sarah Mc Lachlan starts playing in the background)
"I've been thinking about us this past week."
Hold on
Hold on to yourself
For this is gonna hurt like hell
"That's good to know," Doug is clearly upset. "At least you've been thinking of us, considering that every time I've wanted to go out on a date, or even spend some time with you, I've faced excuses about you being too busy."
Hold on
Hold on to yourself
You know that only time can tell
"I'm sorry," Jack sighs. "I know we've had some unfinished business since Thanksgiving. The truth is, I really wanted to take my time before I did what I'm about to do."
What is it in me that refuses to believe
This isn't easier than the real thing
Doug looks at Jack. He doesn't know what Jack is hinting at, but he knows it can't be good.
"I wanted to tell you this the other day,' Jack continues. "But then again, I didn't. Maybe...maybe we should take a break from each other."
"What?" Doug is confused and hurt. "What the hell does that even mean?"
My love
You know that you're my best friend
You know that I'd do anything for you
"Well, I know that your life and your job is complicated. And my life...well, my life is beyond complicated. The circumstances are against us here."
"I made a decision," Doug almost pleads. "I made a commitment. I want to be there for you through it all. I want to be with you."
And my love
Let nothing come between us
My love for you is strong and true
"I know you do." Jack says sadly. "And I know that you meant what you said at the time and I know that you mean what you're saying now. It isn't you and it isn't me. It's just the timing of everything. Maybe someday… Well, maybe things will work out for us in the future. This just isn't our time."
"Isn't our time?" Doug repeats. "Then we'll make it our time. Things are getting better. The governor of Massachusetts is trying to revoke the laws to make gay marriage legal. But people are fighting against it. They won’t let him."
Am I in heaven here or am I
At the crossroads I am standing
"And isn’t it sad that five years later, we still have the need to keep fighting for something that is our right? You've seen the uproar over it. Now suddenly every gay issue is being brought to the forefront again. There's a huge backlash from that. I'm being watched now more than ever. I just have so many things in my life right now."
So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
That you'll be strong tomorrow
"And I'm the expendable thing?"
"I'm sorry." Jack slumps his shoulders and walks away, believing that he did the only thing he could do. Doug shakes his head, his mouth hanging open and an infuriated, incredulous sigh coming out his mouth. He just can’t believe what Jack just did.
And will see another day
And we will praise it
And love the light that brings a smile
Across your face
"Trouble in paradise?" Mr. Witter offhandedly remarks as he sees Jack leave.
Doug looks up at him, his face a storm of emotions.
Oh, God
If you're out there, won't you hear me
I know we've never talked before
"Uh… sorry, son." Mr. Witter awkwardly apologises. "I know I may be the last person that you would want to confide in, but if you want to talk about it, I'm here."
Doug looks at his father. The look of surprise clearly shows on his face. For a moment, Doug seriously considers talking to his father.
And, oh God
The man I love is leaving
Won't you take him when he comes to your door
"Not right now," Doug walks by him, still clearly upset.
Mr. Witter sighs as he sits down.
Hold on
Hold on to yourself
For this is gonna hurt like hell
Just a few moments later
"Hey everyone," Dawson says as he joins Pacey, Gretchen, Andie, and Audrey in the living room and he is immediately greeted back by huge smiles. "Starting the party without me?" he jokes.
"God no! We could never start a party without you, D. Because you know, you were always the king of parties, weren’t you?" Pacey pretends to be excited at the memories of the wild parties Dawson was famous for. The rest of the group laughs.
"Well, for your information, I was. When I was drunk," Dawson concedes at him when Pacey throws him an inquiring glance.
"Oh, yes. I remember that," Pacey chuckles as he remembers Dawson’s infamous sixteeth birthday party, or the one Pacey had on his boat in the college years, shortly after Mitch died.
"Let’s just forget about it," Dawson chuckles.
Pacey agrees, raising his glass. "I'll toast to that. So how's the new job?"
"Working with Spielberg?" Dawson grins. "Amazing. How's the restaurant business treating you?"
"Can't complain," Pacey smiles. "The kitchen life agrees with me."
Andie looks from Dawson to Pacey and can't help but smile. It’s been a while since she had seen them bantering like that.
"Have you been to Spielberg’s house in the Hamptons yet?" Audrey asks. "My friend, Rita, was there for a party two years ago and she said the place is amazing."
"Yeah, been there a couple of times, actually. And yes, I agree...it’s amazing. It's more than amazing, if you ask me."
"Why do you look like the cat who swallowed the canary?" Pacey asks Andie when he finally notices her looks and the big grin plastered on her face.
"It's just that, when I left, you two could barely tolerate each other. And now," Andie gushes. "It just seems like all the bad feelings are gone and it's like when I first came to Capeside."
"Hmm hmm," Audrey clears her throat loudly.
"I have to agree," Gretchen pipes up. "This is a lot better than when I was living here and dating the 'Golden Boy'. Andie is right. You two would barely speak to each other."
"Well, that is in the past, my friend," Pacey says, raising his glass and taking a sip of it.
"Yes it is," Dawson agrees with him. "Because it is, right??" he asks, looking at Pacey and pretending to be concerned.
Pacey laughs "Sure, Golden Boy. Trust me."
'Golden Boy'," Dawson groans. "Did you have to use the term 'Golden Boy'?" he asks, turning to Gretchen. "Now he won’t let me live it down."
"What would you prefer?" Gretchen laughs. "Prodigy? Wonderkid?"
"'Kid' would be about right," Dawson agrees.
"I'm going to see if they need help in the kitchen," Andie stands up. "Since one of us here is a chef by profession, perhaps they should probably come and help, too."
"You're such a slave driver, McPhee," Pacey complains, but stands up nonetheless.
"I just want to see what kind of skills a man who brought canned cranberry sauce to a Thanksgiving meal so many years ago has in the kitchen."
"Oh, I've got skills."
"Well, if there's slave driving involved, I'm coming, too." Audrey stands up to follow Andie and Pacey to the kitchen.
"So, I hear you almost got arrested…" Andie's voice trails off.
Gretchen and Dawson can only share an amused look as Pacey and ‘his’ blondes leave.
Still soon in the evening, everybody still waiting for Christmas dinner.
Grams is sitting in the living room, with Amy comfortably nestled in her lap. It has been less than ten minutes ago when Bessie and Gale had to usher her out of the kitchen, alleging that she was taking all the hard work upon her and that they wouldn’t allow her to do that. So they gently scolded her and asked her to go and join the fun in the other room, where the young people were busy playing some cards.
And so they were. But Grams, instead of joining them, just sat there with Amy in her arms when Gale enters the room. She immediately spots her and goes to sit with her.
"Well, things are under control in the kitchen," she says, pulling some hair off of her face. Grams just gives her a weak smile and Gale looks at her pensively. She can tell that there is something bothering her but Evelyn has always been so reserved about her problems, always keeping them to herself.
Just then, Alex and Lily enter the room, covered in snow and their cheeks are red as apples. They are laughing and they immediately catch Amy’s attention. She claps her hands and giggles, bouncing excitedly in Gram’s lap. Both women laugh softly as Lily walks over to the baby and extends her arms to her. Amy throws herself gladly at them. Their not foreign to her.
"Watch her carefully, Lily. You hear me?"
"No prob, Mom. We will," she says as she guides Amy’s insecure steps to Alex, who is kneeling down and waiting for the baby to arrive to the spot where he is standing, his arms open to receive her.
Gale's attention goes back to Grams, though.
"Mind to share your thoughts with an old neighbor?" she asks sweetly to the old woman. Grams turns to her with a tired look in her eyes and sighs.
"I was just thinking about how time flies," she simply says.
"Oh, yes. Nothing better than younger generations to remind you of that, right?" Gale laughs softly.
"Yeah, and then you wonder what life might have in store for them, and if you will be here for them when whatever that is going to come their way comes," Grams says deep in thought. Gale doesn’t really know what to say. It seems like she is talking more to herself than to her.
"Well, we can only pray that we will," Gale says softly, while watching the kids play on the carpet, and a sweet smile curls her lips.
"Sometimes I think about all the things I’ve gone through in my life, and I think I’ve gone through enough, and that my time might be close. I’ve formed a family, for better or for worse. I raised my daughter, and practically raised my granddaughter when she was given to me. I saw my husband die, and I saw my Jen leave me, too. And no matter how hard I try, it seems like I will never be able to reconnect with my daughter. So I wonder...what is left for me here?" Gale stares at her, tears welling up her eyes, although she tries hard to contain them. Evelyn’s voice sounds so… desperate somehow. "But then I look at that little angel and I know I can’t leave. I have so many things yet to do. But I feel so tired," she sighs and closes her eyes.
Gale places a hand over hers and smiles at her with a sympathetic smile and warm, worried eyes.
"We all do from time to time, Evelyn. And the more people we lose along the way, the more we feel tired, and lost...and ready to give up and to not expect anything else to come our way. But it always comes. It came for me and it will come for you. You should know that better than anyone here."
Grams pats the back of Gale’s hand softly and it seems as if she is about to say something else when a loud laughter interrupts the moment.
"They would never last a single round in Las Vegas," Mike says, pointing to the table where Jack is groaning and Pacey has a wide smile on his face. Mr. Witter is muttering something under his breath and looking kinda annoyed, while Andie and Audrey are having a heated argument with Bodie, who claims that they played by the rules so he and Pacey won. Audrey throws the cards at the both of them, to their amusement, and Andie laughs along with the guys at her outburst. Audrey joins the laughter shortly after.
"Drama queen," Jack says. Doug just watches the scene half amused, leaning on a near wall. Poker was never his strength anyway.
Gale throws a look at Grams, who smiles at her reassuringly before turning to Mr. Potter.
"So have you ever been to Las Vegas, Mike? I was there once, too."
But even though she tries to downplay it, Gale knows that something is bothering Grams and if her instinct is right, she knows what it might be.
At that same moment, also in the living room.
"I'm glad that you decided to come back for the holidays," Dawson says as he and Gretchen walk to the other side of the room, near Alex and Lily, who are playing with Amy. "Even if you won't tell me why."
"Can't a girl just want to come back and see her family?"
Dawson's look says it all.
"Okay. So my family may not be your a-typical television sitcom family, but in the end, we do alright."
"I know," Dawson smiles. "I can see the differences. But that's not why you came here."
"How do you know?"
"Because, you have that same look you first did when you came back my senior year. It's in your eyes."
"I forgot how well you knew me," Gretchen stops walking. "I guess you still know me."
Dawson shrugs. "It's more of a skill that I've picked up over the years."
"An ex-girlfriend skill?"
"No, a people-reading skill. When I'm directing, I have to be able to work with so many different kinds of people and I have to be able to relate to everyone...from assistants to actors. I've just learned to be more in tune with people over the years."
"No," Gretchen shakes her head.
"No?"
"You've always had it," Gretchen smiles. "That's one of the things that attracted me to you. That you were so in tune and open to what I was feeling. You were so honest."
"Nah," Dawson shakes his head. "I was a kid. I didn't know what I was doing. If I was any of those things, it was because of you. You opened me up to a whole other world of possibilities."
"You did the same for me." Gretchen pauses to take a sip of her drink. "I had closed myself off to a lot of possibilities. Then, when I was with you…things became possible again."
"You don't have to tell me. Whatever it is that you're going through, I'm sure you'll be okay."
"My boyfriend, well, we've been dating for three years now."
"Yeah? That's great!"
"Well, the thing is… He asked me to marry him."
"Congratulations!" Dawson beamed. "Does anyone else know?"
"I didn't say yes. But I didn't say no, either. I told him I had to think about it."
Dawson's brow wrinkled as he thought about the situation. "All this time I thought guys were supposed to be the commitment-phobes. Sometimes I don't think I'll ever understand women. What are you so afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid," Gretchen says defensively. "So I'm afraid," she sighs.
"You already know what you should do."
"I do?"
"Yeah," Dawson keeps his tone solemn. "You should follow your heart."
"Sometimes that's not the smartest thing to do."
"I know it sounds naive, but life is too short to torture yourself with what-ifs. Your heart doesn't lie. It's the only thing that will stay true."
"So, Dawson Leery says follow your heart," Gretchen muses. "Look," she says pointing upwards.
"Mistletoe." Dawson laughs.
"Yeah," Gretchen laughs with him. "For old times sake?"
"Won't your boyfriend be mad?"
"No. Just two old friends sharing a kiss. There’s nothing wrong with that."
"Well then." Dawson leans down and kisses her softly. Joey has been overlooking the whole exchange from the distance and now her eyes narrow and her body stiffens. Gretchen rests her head against Dawson's shoulder and he rubs her shoulder.
"See," she says. "Just two friends." And the smile on her face becomes even wider.
"Dinner's ready." Joey steps out and makes her presence known. She looks pointedly at Dawson before turning and walking away, not waiting for a response from either of them.
Gretchen observes Dawson's puzzled look and just shakes her head. Some things will never change. For a guy who was just talking about how in tune he could be to people, he sure was oblivious sometimes. Maybe he just chose to be.
A montage of images fade into each other...
(Instrumental theme by Jim Bricks, "Little Star" starts playing in the background)
Everybody’s sitting at the table and as the camera pans from one side to the other, we can see: Bessie presiding the table on the right side, with Grams at her right side holding Amy. Bessie leans down to coo at Amy, and the baby leans on Grams with a little smile on her face, staring at Bessie curiously. Mike is next. Alex is talking brightly to him and Mike is nodding his head while listening. Lily is helping herself to some more food, sitting by Dawson, who is chatting animatedly with Gretchen, who laughs at something he says. Doug is sitting next to her, very straight and throwing glances across the table to Jack. By Doug’s side is his father, Mr Witter, making small talk with Bodie, who is presiding the left side of the table. By his side, sitting in front of Mr Witter, is Mrs Witter, who has a half stunned, half shocked expression on her face at something Audrey is saying to her in her usual chatter. By Audrey’s side, Andie tries to contain her laughter and turns to Pacey, who is shaking his head amused and leans over to her to say something in her ear, to which Andie openly laughs. Joey is right next to him, looking at Dawson and Gretchen, who are sitting right in front of her, as they talk. Dawson notices and tries to include her in the conversation, although it's clear to Gretchen that Joey is not really in the mood. Joey smiles weakly as Dawson keeps on going about something Gretchen said and is trying to explain to Joey. By Joey’s side there is Jack, who is chatting with Gale, and John, who is sittiing to the left of his wife.
We see the whole group near the Christmas tree, which is overcome with presents. Gale comes closer to Dawson and they chat a little. Then he turns his head to see Joey happily handing her present to Alex. Lily is unwrapping a gift with her stepfather, and Pacey is handing one to Andie, while Audrey is opening her own and peering over Andie’s shoulder to see what it is that she got. A huge smile spreads across Andie’s face when she opens the present and gives Pacey a big hug. Pacey smiles and hugs her back. Doug is giving Gretchen her present when his eyes meet Jack’s, who is helping Amy along with Grams to unwrap one present. Jack looks away quickly. Doug looks sad. Gretchen looks concerned and rubs his arm. Dawson joins Jack and hands Amy a little present that she takes eagerly. As he watches the baby trying to open it excitedly, he grins and then feels someone’s gaze on him. He looks up and meets Joey’s eyes. He smiles at her. Joey smiles back, but her face turns pensive as soon as he turns his attention back to Amy.
The camera moves once again across the room so we can see what everybody is doing for the last time before if pans out and the music fades.