On Dawson's advice, Joey attempts to heal the wounds of her new romance with Jack left shattered by rumor and innuendo, but when Jack confronts his innermost secrets, their lives and everyone's close to them will never be the same again. Meanwhile, for the first time in his life, Pacey stands up for what he believes in when he takes on an abusive teacher, but the consequences of his convictions are more than he could have imagined.

In a compelling two-part episode, the Capeside High School gossip mill kicks into overdrive after Jack bears his soul in a English assignment and is forced to expose his innermost secrets while reading the poem aloud in class, leaving Dawson, Joey, and Andie shaken by the implications of what it all means. Meanwhile, Pacey tries to defend Jack in the face of an adversarial teacher, and Jen finds her latest suitor Ty is full of surprises.

As the WB commercial says... "Children must pay for the sins of their fathers." Dawson sees Mr. Potter dealing drugs and he is unsure whether or not to tell Joey or leave things looking good. Mr. Witter has to stake out the Ice House because the Capeside police department believes that Mr. Potter is back to his usual tricks. When the gang is studying in the Ice House, one of Mr. Potter's customers lights it on fire, making Mr. Witter more suspicious and Dawson's conflict greater. Gail tells Mitch about her new job offer in Chicago and her discussion to go for it. Pacey becomes depressed and his achievement level decreases, now that Andie is gone, which his father teases him for. Finally Mr. Witter does realize her importance and that he has been a bad father. Jack becomes worried that Jen is suicidal when she doesn't immediately leave the burning Ice House. But later, Grams and Jen reconcile, causing Jen to move back in taking Jack also.

Facing the scariest English test of their lives the gang has an all night study session at wealthy, horny Chris Wolfe's house. At this all-nighter secrets are revealed and friendships are altered.

Abby and Chris find an anonymous note at school. Abby realizes the author and intended recipient had sex the night before and in true Abby fashion, she sets to expose the affair. Working from clues about Joey's night of nude sketching with Jack, Dawson's steamy stop over at Jen's and Pacey's bed and breakfast trip with Andie. Abby calls together her list of suspects and reveals the dirty secrets of Capeside.

On the eve of Dawson's sixteenth birthday, Pacey and Andie follow her therapist's advice and throw themselves into an unabashed night of recklessness and the blues. Meanwhile, back 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; Jen and Ty face up to the their potentially irreconcilable differences; and Gale and Mitch come to decisions about how to raise their son in light of their separation.

Dawson and Joey are reunited for a while, so Dawson decides to take Joey out to dinner, also eating out tonight are Mitch and Nicole Kennedy. The restaurant, not realizing there are two Leery parties, only has one table available, forcing all four to sit together. Mrs. Kennedy, Dawson and Joey fight causing Nicole to leave. Also there are Jen, now living with Gale and Dawson, and Gale. Dawson, Joey and Jen attempt to reunite Gale and Mitch. Also reunited are Andie and her deaceased brother. Pacey and Jack catch on and realize she thinks he is with her, but is just a figment of her imagination as is Abby, who Andie also thought she saw at the end of the last episode.

All of the gang's lives go through changes. After Andie begins seeing her dead brother Tim in the last episode, Jack and Pacey agree to call Mr. McPhee not realizing that he'll want them to be treated in Providence, not Capeside. All are stunned at the new changes and Andie and Pacey must decide if Andie's mental wellness is more important than being together. Jack also must decide whether or not to go with Andie or stay. Dawson while helping Mr. Potter extend the Ice House interviews him for a film project about his changed life, but has it changed? Jen decides to make a change so she calls her mother and inquires about returning home or visiting and is told it is inconvenient right now.

After their kiss, Dawson and Joey have doubts about the future of their relationship as Joey plans to go to France. Meanwhile, Pacey plays a trick on a new girl. But finds himself in the same situation.

Parental problems cast a pall over Dawson and Joey's new romance. Pacey is troubled when he sees the McPhee's homelife.

Two tragedies rock Dawson's world. First he learns the awful truth about his parents marriage. Than at the Homecoming dance, he witnesses a heated moment between Joey and Jack, setting of a chain of events that shatter a lifelong friendship and a new found romance. The big night also gives Jen a chance to use Joey's mistakes to get with Dawson. Pacey tries to open his heart to Andie, but breaks hers.

With Joey's father back in town, Bessie and him decide to expand the Ice House to also cater weddings. Needing help they enlist Andie, who says she hate's weddings but doesn't and Pacey who loves them. Joey who doesn't think her father recently out of jail should be seen in Capeside and Dawson, who is angry when his parents arrive separately. Jack and Dawson battle to help a scared bride, while Andie and Pacey scramble to fix the cake. Making Gail sad, Mitch shows up to the wedding with Mrs. Kennedy. Jen and Abby's sneaking into the wedding leads to tragedy.

Abby is dead, and all of Capeside is attempting to "whitewash" her life. But all the hypocrisy is making Jen crazy, in a spiritual discussion she denounces God and gets Grams angered. When eulogizing Abby she further embarrasses Grams by announcing that Abby taught her the falseness of God. Abby's mom also asks Andie to eulogize her thinking they were friends and memories of Andie's brother are brought up. Andie's actions scare Pacey. Joey is scared to go to the funeral, being that she hasn't been to one since her mother, at the graveyard she and Dawson decide to go visit her mother for the first time.

Tamara Jacobs who left town after her affair with Pacey was almost exposed, shares an awkward reunion with Pacey. The encounter triggers old emotions in Pacey and curiosity in Andie. Meanwhile Jack and Joey enjoy art together.

Andie's run for student council lands her on a campaign trail of tears when Abby and Monica began advertising her family situation. Jen helps Dawson take steps to deal with his powerlessness over his parents divorce. Jack shuts out Joey after a family crisis.

"Horrifically epic" tryouts for his movie prompt a steamy dialogue between Dawson and Jen that could recast her role in his love life. Jack poses nude for Joey, who feels herself drawn towards intimacy. Pacey sets out to fulfill Andie's dream date and his own.

Jack, Andie's brother scores a job at the Ice House, an entry in Joey's diary lands her in hot water with Dawson, who forgets Pacey's 16th Birthday. Meanwhile Abby begins to become a negative influence over lonely Jen.

The filming of Dawson's new movie brings back memories for the filmmaker and for Joey who grows to dislike the actress playing her.

An economics class project pairs Dawson and Jen as a husband and wife and Pacey and Andie as a married couple. Jen tries to use this project to get closer to Dawson and Pacey gets to know more about Andie's background. Joey learns that she has a chance of success while doing this project.

Joey's ""semi-date"" with Jack prompts a resentful Dawson to join Jen at a bash where he saves her from doing some things she'll regret. Pacey proves his worth when Andie's mom has a psychotic break during their study session. Mitch cannot understand Dawson's views on their divorce.

The gang explores uncharted waters when Dawson and Pacey go on a father-son fishing trip with Mitch Leery and Pacey's grumpy, critical, alcoholic father, Sheriff John Witter, whom does not pass up any opportunity to browbeat and put Pacey down every chance he gets. But tensions really begin when Pacey invites Jack along whom tries to make amends to a reluctant Dawson. Meanwhile, Jen, Joey, Andie and Abby spend a day with Gale doing a report on teenage behavior in the world today with Abby naturally not passing up her opportunity to insult and provoke conflicts and tension between Mrs. Leery and all girls involved.

Dawson's confidence as a filmmaker is shaken when his new teacher turns out to be a movie studio executive on sabbatical in Capeside and tells Dawson the painful truth about his amateur movie. The future is unsure for Joey as well, when a fortuneteller advises her to be open to every new opportunity that crosses her path, and she stumbles into Colin, a gorgeous photographer who brings out Joey's free-spirited side during a wild photo shoot.