After Dawson gets a $2,500 grant from the Boston Filmmaking Association following his win with his horror film, he asks Joey to help him work on his next film. But she refuses for she wants to have a life of her own. That evening, Joey's 'semi-date' with Jack for a moonlight picnic prompts a resentful Dawson to join Jen at a bash house party, thrown by Chris Wolfe, where she gets drunk once again and he ends up saving her from doing some things she'll regret. Meanwhile, Pacey proves his worth when Andie's mother has another psychotic breakdown during a study session at her house. Also, Mitch cannot understand Dawson's views on their divorce.

On Dawson's 16th birthday, he, Pacey and Andie follow her therapist's advice and throw themselves into an unabashed night of recklessness where both Dawson and Andie get drunk at the jazz club and end up on stage singing the blues. Meanwhile at the Leery house, Joey is organizing a surprise party for Dawson. But the longer the guest of honor is a no-show, the more she is subject to surprises of her own. Abby and two of her girlfriends crash the party and taunt Jack over his recent 'coming-out.' Jen and Ty finally face up to their potentially irreconcilable differences in which they break up for good. Also, Gayle and Mitch come to decisions about how to raise their son in light of their divorce.