Kate blames Claudia for setting Steve up. Ann runs into Benny Appleman, who owes her money. He lets her stay with him, and they try to think up some scams. Linda secretly meets with Brian Johnston. Gary meets Joseph Barringer, a professor who is experimenting with how to capture ocean waves to make energy. Gary is excited by the idea, and wants to back him. While in Toronto for business, Paige meets Pierce Lawton, and is smitten. She waits by the phone for him to call, but he shows up at her apartment. Jason, in the hospital, tells Karen the other teens were the gang members who stabbed their friend. Karen tells one of the boy's mothers off, and then he dies. People make Karen into a hero for standing up to gang violence.

Greg asks police to pull out the stops in finding Brian, and hires his own detective to find him. Brian is following Greg.Pierce breaks up with his old girlfriend Victoria, and tells Paige about her. Lynette wants Val to help her with her IRS problems, but Val declines, saying she's only helping her to read.Anne decides to do a call-in radio talk show. Frank and Debbie continue dating. Claudia has nightmares of someone needing medication. Kate thinks she faked the suicide, but Karen convinces her to talk to Claudia. Kate makes up with her, but says she still can't live with her.

Mac and Karen decide to let Greg be in Meg's life, but to wait awhile before telling her she's adopted. Victoria tells Mac that Pierce killed his last girlfriend and gives Gary numbers to Pierce's former business partners. Gary calls and only gets bad reports. Val is worried that the stress will cause Gary to drink, and he considers it, but goes to an AA meeting. Claudia has Greg get Joseph a job in Massachusetts. Joseph discovers a major flaw in his design, and realizes he'll have to start over from scratch. He refuses to tell Gary, and Kate is angry. Joseph gets the job offer, but doesn't tell Kate. Alex, Rosa's nephew, shows up at Claudia's. He says he knows her secret and will be staying with her for awhile. He comes on to her. Pierce becomes enraged that Joseph spent Christmas at Greg's and accuses him of giving Greg information. Pierce tries to choke Joseph, but Paige interrupts and stops Pierce.

Pierce makes charts about Greg, and decides that his first ""line"" to him will be Claudia. Greg offers Paige her job back. Greg and Anne go on a date. Karen's boss wants her to do a show about Gary losing his money, so she quits. Alex throws a party for Claudia where he gives her a portrait of her mother, Ruth Sumner Galveston. After the party Alex tells Claudia that he was there when Ruth tried to reach for her medication, but the bottle broke, and instead of helping her, Claudia just stood there and let her die. He says he has the cancelled checks that Claudia sent Rosa every month to keep her quiet. Gary is really hurting as the ranch is auctioned off. The Ewings move back to the cul-de-sac.