Lying in a coma after his race car accident, Nathan dreams of what life would have been like if Dan had stayed with Karen and Lucas instead of marrying Deb. In this imaginary world, Lucas would have had the wealth and stature and Nathan would have been the one growing up on the wrong side of the tracks. After waking up, Nathan phones Haley and tells her he doesn't want her to come home.

A class assignment reveals the deepest secrets and desires of Lucas and the students at Tree Hill High. Worried about college prospects, Skills turns to Haley, while Nathan wrestles with Deb's suicide attempt. Chase learns that Brooke cheated on her calculus exam, while nudity and drugs run rampant in the halls of the school.

On Lucas and Lindsey's wedding day, Peyton must choose between intervening and losing Lucas forever. Nathan uses the event to try to mend his marriage to Haley. All are shocked when Dan, who is out of prison on parole, shows up at the event.

Lucas and Julian have a difficult time finding the right director for their movie. Meanwhile, a present from Lucas confuses Peyton and Brooke battles with romantic complications.

While recording her new album, Haley must work to save Red Bedroom Records and enlists Mia's help to do so. Meanwhile, Brooke, with Millicent's help, searches for the new face of her clothing line; Clay defends Nathan as the scandal continues to grow; Julian and Brooke decide to move in together; and Dan returns to Tree Hill with a new bride in tow.

In the chaos surrounding an 80's alumni dance at the high school, Haley's birthday is forgotten, Jamie is left home alone, and Nathan and Clay are stranded 200 miles from Tree Hill. Meanwhile, Brooke's appearance at the dance with Alexander forces Julian to relive his dorky adolescence in an episode dedicated to the memory of John Hughes.

As the wedding approaches, Brooke tries to connect with Sylvia, while Julian looks for his best man at a guys' poker night. Meanwhile, Nathan struggles in his new job, while Haley's counseling abilities are challenged, and Skills returns to town with a new friend.

As Haley’s due date approaches, she takes steps to ensure that all her friends and family will be ready when the time comes. Brooke and Julian also prepare to begin a family, while Chuck turns to Chase for help with a problem.

As Julian deals with his guilt, Brooke helps Haley confront a new rival cafe, and its difficult owner. Meanwhile, Chase's new girl has a complicated secret, and Quinn takes extreme measures that help Clay realize he's worse off than he thought.