Joey is planning a surprise party for Dawson, and Pacey's job is to distract him until about nine, which he will do with Andie's help. The plan is they will go to dinner
and then come back to Dawson's house for the party. Barring any unforseen complications, everything should be excellent. Hear that? That is the sound of the bubble of perfection popping.
Jack, meanwhile, is having his own problems with being the new Ellen of Capeside. Support from Abby and her friends is a little more than he wants to handle. But you know, they are so down with ihs coming out that they want to congratulate him or whatever it is that they are doing.
But Jack is not the only one having problems with his er, love life. Jen and Ty are approaching that stage that is just past kissing, but he is holding back for some reason. He kisses Jen and runs, metaphorically speaking.
Andie is on orders from her therapist to cut loose and enjoy herself for a night. Which she does...and Dawson decides to join in her good time. They get plastered and sing the blues at a bar the three of them end up in. There is something intrinsically wrong with three 16 year olds being allowed in a bar in the first place, but I can't figure out what it is.
At the party, Mitch and Gail have a sort of showdown about their deteriorating marriage, and Ty and Jen are making out in Dawson's birthday present. Of course, as soon as things start getting steamy, Ty pulls away and accuses her of arousing him to the point where he doesn't know what he is doing. You know, he is saving himself for marriage. He brings his hypocritical Christian views into their argument and makes Jen feel like a complete slut. I would think it is over between the two of them.
Jack, who has a snazzy new 'do, is actually starting to think that maybe Abby isn't so bad. (?) She says something about everyone being bi and then the scene is cut to the most hilarious part of the whole episode is when Dawson, Pacey and Andie show up at the party, Dawson and Andie being completely crocked. When we were watching Dawson stumble around, my friends and I thought that maybe he should be drunk more often. I mean, he is funnier and not so darn mopey while intoxicated. Oh, my bad, I forgot about the bad consequences of alcohol. Forgive me and don't drink! Anyway, Joey tries to get Dawson to sober up and takes him into his room, where Jack and Abby are kissing! Oooh....not good.
The time has come for Dawson to make his birthday wish and blow out the candles on his cake. His wish is "I wish that my mom never slept with her co-anchor. I wish that my father would stop talking about actually getting a job and go out and get one! I wish the two of you would stop your petty bickering and at least pretend to be the adults around here! I wish that my friend Pacey would just end this transformation of this A-student, do-gooder, all-around sanctimonious angel and would go back to what he does best; which is make me feel good about my life when his is supposed to be worse. And then there's Jen Lindley with her drunkeness and her revolving boyfriends and her wild, wicked ways. I want to party with you! Ah, and then there's Jack McPhee. Jack McPhee who likes guys but doesn't mind stealing my girlfriend! Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, starring in his very own version of In & Out. He's in, he's out! He's in! He's out! In, out! Nice hair by the way. And then, of course, there's my Joey. My sweet, precious Joey. The only 16-year-old in the world that needed to find herself. But you know what? That's okay. I accept it. You need to find yourself, and I accept it."
So he goes in search of his Joey...looking under the table, behind chairs, and around people. Hey, she said she needed to find herself. He ends it by kissing Joey (can you imagine kissing someone with rum on their breath? I gag just thinking about it) She pushes him away and he falls, face-first into his cake. Hmm. Guess the party's over.
When next we see Dawson, he and Andie are praying to the porcelein god. Ew. See kids, that's what happens. Any questions? They swear to never drink again and resume puking. Mitch and Gail, downstairs have also come to a conclusion. They are taking the Explorer back. (darn!) Joey and Jack begin this Julia Roberts and Rupert Everett thing and Ty and Jen have a small confrontation about the demise of their relationship. But then, the scene cuts to Joey and Dawson, who has finished puking and is now about ready to pass out. They too talk about their relationship and she tells him she still needs time to find herself before she can concentrate on their relationship. to which he replies, "Well, do it quickly, okay? Because....God, I love you." She whispers that she loves him too, but he is asleep. So she goes to the window and, lo and behold, it is snowing. So she closes her eyes and...what do you think she does?
