| THIS PLACE by whynot Disclaimer: Characters property of Kevin Williamson & the WB. No copyright infringement intended. A/N: This is a �missing scene� between seasons 4 and 5. It�s the end of the summer. Andie has returned from Italy to attend Harvard. Pacey has come back from the Caribbean. Everything else as established in �Coda�. Huge thanks to Mary, my wonderful beta and to Sus, for her moral support at all times. Special thanks to Estee, who didn�t ask for royalties on the format;) Dedicated to A. What would I do without you? *** (fade in): to an establishing shot of the creek at dusk. (cut to): Pacey and Andie sitting on Dawson�s dock. Everything bathed in golden light, a soft breeze�think pretty much the end scene in �Separation Anxiety�. (dissolve to): a medium long shot of both. Pacey: So�what made you come back? Andie: I knew it was the right time. Pacey: How? She sighs. Andie: I don�t know, I just...felt it. Pacey: And now? Andie: What now? Pacey: (waving his hands dramatically) Off to the wild land of elite higher learning! She chuckles. Andie: I�ll make sure not to forget my Pathfinder rulebook and flashlight. (cut to): The sky, as a flock of seagulls flies by. Its noise is prominently heard. (cut to): Andie looking up to watch the birds. Andie cont�d: Remember that party at the beach, the night right before graduation? He nods. Andie cont�d: (still gazing at the sky) There�s something Dawson said about Gretchen that� that gave me a lot to think about � he hit too close to home, I guess. He nods as if giving her a cue to continue. Andie cont�d: He said�he said Gretchen was a memory he could look back upon and smile. He instantly knows where she�s going with this. Andie turns to look at him anxiously. Andie cont�d: No hard feelings, no regrets, no hurt... He takes her hand. Pacey: You�re so much more than that to me, Andie. She looks down, teary-eyed. Pacey cont�d: To me... He does that nose-snuffling thingy he does a lot. Pacey cont�d: You know I�m not too good with words. You�re a million things to me, nothing will ever change that. And yes, I do smile when I think of you. Of us. But you�re not a memory, Andie, you�re part of my life, keyword here being are... A beat. Pacey cont�d: So don�t you dare disappear on me. You hear that, Lil� Miss Harvard? She half-smiles. Another beat. Andie: There was this time when all I did was wondering when I�d finally get over you... and then one day, back in Italy, when I stopped obsessing about it� it hit me. Never, Pacey. I will never be over you; there won�t ever be a time in my life when I won�t be in love with you. (sad side-smile) I can�t even remember a time when I wasn�t. His silence suddenly makes her feel uncomfortable, so she starts babbling in that unique Andie-way. Andie cont�d: Please, please don�t feel guilty, it wasn�t meant that way. It�s just...I had to tell you, but don�t think I expected anything in return...good Lord, why was I cursed with this irrepressible urge to voice my every thought? I shouldn�t have... Pacey: Andie... She isn�t listening to him at all. Andie: ...I�m sorry�oh God, I totally ruined the moment and now you�ll probably think I came back because of you or something... Pacey: McPhee� Andie: ...that it�s all part of some contrived new plan to get you back...I�m so so sorry, Pace... I really didn�t mean to... He places a hand over her mouth to silence her. Pacey: Would you please stop rambling and listen to me? Will you be able to keep that big mouth of yours well shut for two seconds if I let go of you? Andie nods. Pacey removes his hand. Pacey cont�d: I�m not mad at you, Andie. And I don�t feel guilty or... pressured or anything. I know how you meant it. I really do. We�re somewhere between a couple and friends� and� I think being � He stops, deliberately avoiding the l-word. Pacey cont�d: �feeling those things sort of... naturally belongs to that place. I love you, Andie, and there�s a part of me that will always be in love with you, and as we have established, you feel the same way� but that doesn�t mean we have to jump into bed right after this. She laughs softly. He changes to teasing-Pacey-mode. Pacey cont�d: Which of course isn�t beyond the realm of possibility for a near future. In fact, now that you mention it� Andie playfully shoves his shoulder to make him stop. For the first time since their conversation started, she looks truly at ease. Pacey cont�d: Are you going to say something? Andie: I thought you told me not to speak. Pacey: Since when do you do listen to me? Both laugh. A long beat. Andie: You know, this strange place we apparently find ourselves in? I think I�m liking it here, Pace. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and rests his chin on her head. Pacey: Me too, McPhee, me too... The camera slowly pans around to the water. (fade out) |
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