Pacey and Joey return from their summer vacation at sea where they have to deal with Dawson's feelings, who has been deeply hurt for the past months while he and Jack made money by painting houses. At first, he doesn't want to talk to either one of them, but at a drive-in theater, Jen convinces him to talk to Joey. Meanwhile, Pacey's other older sister, Gretchen, arrives in Capeside after taking time off from college and moves in with Doug, making Pacey homeless since he does not want to live with Doug or their hostile parents anymore. So, he asks Joey to let him crash at her B&B house for a while. Dawson confides in Jack about Gretchen, for whom he had a secret crush a few years ago. Also, Andie meets two French guys during a beach outing where she becomes attracted to one of them.