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.

Brian tells Linda that his wife sent a detective after him, and he killed the detective. He needs Linda to pose as his wife to get gold coins out of his gym locker. She does, and he gives her the tape. Then Linda goes to his wife and tells her she knows where Brian is. Anne decides to pose nude for a fashion magazine. Gary and Joseph go to Greg to back their new company. Greg doesn't want to work with Gary again, but Paige is interested. Kate moves to a new apartment, and won't talk to Claudia. The DA wants Karen to plead guilty for reckless endangerment, but Mac says not to.Val meets a waitress, Lynette, from Mule Shoe Texas where Lilimae grew up. Paige and Pierce spend romantic time together, and he tells her he loves her.

Pierce is interested in Tidal Energy, and meets with Gary and Joseph. Greg finds out Paige showed Gary's proposal to Pierce, and fires her. She decides to work at Tidal Energy too.Greg meets with Joseph about funding him, but he says he won't sell Gary out. Joseph asks Kate to lunch. Paige is embarrased by Anne's nude layout.Val tells Lynette she will teach her to read. On ""Open Mike"" Karen's viewers laud her as a vigilante hero. Upset, she says she isn't a hero - she met violence with violence, and someone died. Linda tells Brian's wife where he is for $50,000. Brian follows her and surprises her at her condo. He's furious and tells Linda she spoiled everything. He stabs her and cuts her throat.

Karen's station insist she have Anne on as a guest. Anne admits on the show to being homeless. Karen tells Val she's lost interest in the show. Karen's producer Debbie asks Frank out, but he feels really old compared to her. Police tell Greg of Linda's murder. Val tries to teach Lynette to read, and they both become frusterated. Paige organizes the Tidal Energy office. They all go out for dinner, and are told that Greg has picked up the check. Kate tells Claudia off, and Claudia's really upset. Karen comforts her and invites her to dinner. When Claudia doesn't show, she and Mac go to Claudia's and find her passed out on the floor with an empty bottle of pills beside her.

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.

Karen tells Claudia that she's been saying ""Rosa"" in her sleep. Claudia says she doesn't know a Rosa, but when Karen sees a letter signed Rosa, Claudia says Rosa was her mother's nurse but that she was used to calling her Miss Barth. Victoria has a hard time getting over Pierce. Joseph kisses Kate, and they both feel awkward about it. Brian kills Greg's detective, so Greg asks Mac to make sure the police get him.Tidal Energy needs shore line space for their experiments, and Greg wants to block them, so they both court a new member of the shoreline commission. Tidal Energy gets their permit, and Greg's disappointed.

Anne's show is a success, and she tells Benny that she's getting her own apartment. He's upset because he has fallen in love with her. Joseph quits the University to work full time at Tidal Energy. Joseph and Kate declare their love for one another and sleep together. Debbie breaks up with Frank because she wants a serious relationship. Pierce has nightmares of sailing in a storm with Victoria. Victoria tells Paige that Pierce has a dark side and will turn on her, but Paige doesn't believe her. Victoria tells Pierce she still loves him, and asks if Paige knows about the data list. Pierce tells her to leave him alone. Brian follows Greg to Meg's birthday party. After the party, he pulls a gun on Karen and Meg in the backyard.

Mac advises Gary not to mortgage the ranch, and Val's upset that Gary doesn't know when to cut his losses, and Gary's mad that no one believes in him. Frank misses Debbie. The radio station throws a party for Anne, and she makes them invite Benny. Benny falls down the stairs and pretends he can't move and says he will sue them. Greg tells Paige that 10 years ago Pierce took his pregnant girlfriend sailing and she drowned, but the rumor is that he killed her. Pierce disappears. His car is found at the beach, and Paige is really worried about him. Pierce comes home and tells Paige about the boat accident, and not being able to save his girlfriend. He says Victoria put him back together, but wouldn't let go when he didn't need her anymore, and that he had no reason to live until he met Paige.