Jake's friends (especially Jo and Amanda) are shocked to learn that the Pretty Lady has exploded. The Coast Guard finds Jake clinging for life to a buoy, and he returns to the building safely. Jo is hurt when Jake completely ignores her to visit Amanda, unaware that he is breaking the news of Palmer's death. When Jo shares her feelings with Jake, they get into a heated argument. He turns his apartment keys over to Matt and takes off on his motorcycle. Alison is disgusted when Billy begins dating their new secretary. Jane and Chris ask Sydney to seek Michael's share of the design firm in the divorce settlement, but Michael tricks her into settling for $5000.

Jo and Amanda argue over who is to blame for Jake's departure. Jake meets his biological father, Vince Connors. After they resolve some of their differences, Vince convinces Jake to return to Melrose. Jake apologizes for abandoning Jo, then learns from the FBI that he is to receive a large reward for assisting with the capture of Brittany. Chris continually makes unwanted advances toward Sydney, but Jane believes her sister is just trying to cause trouble. Alison gets her new secretary fired, and picks up a guy at Shooters. She seeks revenge after he leads her to believe he wants a relationship, when he was actually just looking for a one-night stand. Peter Burns, the hospital's new chief of staff, lays down the law to Michael and Kimberly.