The beach. Dawson is on top of Gretchen. Ew. They make out rather chastely. Phew. There's a pause in the action (ew), and Gretchen whisper-sighs, "I want to make love to you [ew], so much [ew]." Dawson mauls her chin. Ew. "So much," she repeats. Ew. Dawson kisses her neck. Ew. "And I really believe that was why we came here," she says. "But it's not." Dawson takes a break from slobbering on her to stroke her hair and gazed befuddledly into her eyes. Gretchen steels herself and says, "As much as I want you [ew], and I love you [ew], we're not gonna do this." Oh, thank you, Jesus in heaven. "Why not?" Dawson buffoons. When they "go there," she tells him, "it's not gonna be because [he has] something to prove to [himself]. It's gonna be because we love each other [ew], and because we're prepared to show each other what that really means." Okay, despite the cheese factor, that's actually a good rule of thumb -- and I have to give Gretchen a tiny snap for, at the very least, holding up the show until she knows that Dawson won't close his eyes and think of Joey the whole time. Dawson tries to hide his disappointment.

We fade from there into the Cowboy Junkies' "Sweet Jane" montage -- Pacey brooding in the back of the patrol car, and Drue shooting him a sympathetic look.