Brenda decides to stay in London for the entire year. Valerie Malone, the daughter of the Walshes' good friends, comes to live with them. Her father has just committed suicide. Steve reveals that Celeste dumped him during their Hawaiian vacation when she ran into her high school boyfriend. He settles on Kelly as his true love, and is shocked to learn that she is with Brandon. Steve gets over his broken heart by spending time with Valerie. Valerie seems to be a nice girl, but smokes pot and insults everyone during a phone conversation with a friend. Dylan returns to Los Angeles after a two-month-long drinking binge in Mexico. David fills Kelly in on his summer, which found him receiving--then losing--a chance to tour with Babyface, and getting a venereal disease from Ariel. Donna tries to avoid David. Andrea and Jesse finally bring Hannah home from the hospital, after a nearly tragic mishap.

Music: ""Back & Forth"" by Aaliyah (#5, 19

Donna plans to take a semester off to become a debutante in Houston. Kelly realizes that Donna is hiding behind her mother to shield herself from David. Brandon tries to tell the drunken Dylan about Kelly and him, but chickens out. Nat inadvertently reveals the truth to Dylan. He shows up at an affair organized by Felice and gets into a scuffle with Brandon. Kelly goes to Dylan's house to talk with him; she finds him with a bimbo. Donna reconsiders becoming a debutante after her mother makes a big deal about her dancing with D'Shawn. Dylan apologizes to her and agrees to join her at registration, but never shows up. Andrea balks at entrusting Hannah to the campus day care center. Clare enrolls at California University (as a sophomore because of AP credit). Josh talks Brandon into being his running mate in the student body elections.

Music: ""Faded Love,"" performed by band; ""Make It Right"" by Lisa Stansfield (from the 90210: The College Years soundtrack)

Brandon must make a speech at the campus debates when Josh fails to show because of car trouble. He is such a success that the duo's campaign takes off. Alex Diaz, a student senator and manager of another campaign, tries to force them out of the race by threatening to expose an unpublished article in which Josh accused Brandon of taking tests for D'Shawn. Andrea fears that Brandon no longer values her opinion, but her advice proves crucial. D'Shawn defends Brandon's character at a senate meeting. As they await the results from the Peach Pit, a nervous Josh decides to go for a ride. He crashes his car into a delivery truck and dies, as Brandon looks on in horror. Kelly tells Brandon that they won the election. Valerie digs for info on Dylan and begins hanging around the pool hall. After sleeping with Val, Dylan is stunned to learn that she lives at the Walsh house.

Music: ""Low Rider"" by War (#7, 1975); ""Celebr

Brandon has difficulty coming to grips with Josh's death. Kelly tries to support him, but fears that they are drifting apart. Alex tells Brandon that he is contesting his presidency. Brandon doesn't even want the job, but decides to fight for it after Josh's sister shows him a letter in which Josh spoke highly of Brandon and his ideals. Brandon gets Steve out of a jam when the cops break up a party at the KEG house. Clare takes a liking to David, unaware of his history with Donna. Donna objects when Felice sets her up with a friend's son, until he turns out to be the handsome and charming guy she had just met at a party. Donna declares that she is over David and agrees to help Clare and him with a video project. Valerie continues to spend her days with Steve and her nights with Dylan.

Music: ""All I Wanna Do"" by Sheryl Crow (#2, 1994)

Kelly smells marijuana in Valerie's room, but Brandon asks her to give Val the benefit of the doubt. Steve convinces Nat and Dylan to let him organize a two-night rave at the Peach Pit. Valerie catches Dylan pocketing some of the evening's proceeds. Kelly finds Valerie making out with Dylan in a back room. When she tries to tell Steve, Valerie claims that Dylan came on to her. Dylan confesses to Val that his money was stolen. Donna meets Ray Pruit, a construction worker with musical aspirations, while making a video with Clare. She invites him to the Peach Pit and dances with him, much to Griffin's chagrin. The Walshes babysit Hannah so that Andrea can attend the rave. She tries to surprise Jesse at work, and finds him flirting with female bar patrons.

Music: ""Pretend We're Dead"" by L7; ""All I Have to Do Is Dream"" by the Everly Brothers (#1, 1958); ""What Can You Do for Me?"" by Utah Saints; ""Hold On,"" performed by Jamie Walters (#16, 1995)

Ferdinand Quintero, the president of Selanesia and a close friend of Clare's family, visits the campus to receive treatment for cancer. A student human rights group objects to his presence, and tells Brandon that Quintero has ordered the murders of thousands of citizens. After meeting a gardener who was tortured by the regime, Brandon agrees to serve Quintero with a subpeona. Steve, Kelly, Donna, Valerie, Griffin and Muntz plan to steal the mascot of rival Southern California University before the homecoming game. Donna does not show up, as she instead spends the day with Ray at his family pumpkin patch. Dylan fears that he and Valerie are becoming too close, so he cheats on her. Andrea meets a UCLA medical student at the laundromat. He believes that she is babysitting Hannah, and she doesn't tell him that she is married.

Music: ""I Want Candy"" by the Strangeloves (#11, 1965); ""My Light"" by Big Mountain (from the 90210: The College Years soundtrack)

The fire marshal shuts down the Peach Pit After Dark for violating capacity. Steve tries to talk Dylan and Nat into buying out the carpet store next door and converting it into a club. Valerie tells the Walshes about Dylan's financial problems, but he angrily refuses Jim's assistance. Steve and David go to Dylan's house in the morning to discuss business, and find a half-naked Valerie. Steve punches Dylan in the face. Kelly objects when Jackie signs up Erin and herself for a mother-daughter photo shoot. Cindy reminds Kelly that her mother is much more responsible than she was during her modeling days. Kelly admits that she is hurt that she wasn't asked to join them, and Jackie confesses that she feared being mistaken for a grandmother. David handcuffs himself to Clare's bed, unaware that she does not have the key. They must think fast when Clare's father pays a surprise visit. Griffin surprises Donna by whisking her away to Catalina, but she is offended when he assumes she will stay th

Val wants to move back to Buffalo, but her mother has checked into a mental facility and cannot care for her. Brandon explains Valerie's situation to Steve and asks him to give her another chance. A pool hall acquaintance supplies Dylan with drugs. Brandon behaves coldly toward Valerie after she skips a party to go to Dylan's house. She reveals the gravity of Dylan's situation and pleads with Brandon for help. Dylan finds his gun and points it at brats who vandalize his house on Halloween. He shoots up his living room. Brandon confiscates Dylan's gun, ignoring his threats of legal action. After Dylan passes out, he stays to watch over him. Ray reacts angrily after seeing Griffin kiss Donna at a Halloween party. Donna finally tells Griffin about Ray; he responds rudely and gets slapped. Ray agrees to respect Donna's decision to remain a virgin. Andrea hestitates to take Hannah to a Día de los Muertos ceremony. She enjoys the experience, but expresses reservations when J

Cindy convinces Dylan to come over to the Walsh house, where he is confronted by an intervention. Valerie and Clare run into each other during a shopping excursion and discuss their exclusion from the event. Dylan reluctantly checks into a rehab clinic. He checks out during his first day and forces Valerie to drive him home. She walks out after he gets blitzed and contacts his dealer. Dylan begins shooting heroin. He rolls his car while trying to elude the police. Ray endures an uncomfortable dinner with Donna and her parents. Ray's mother, LuAnn, encourages him to capitalize on Donna's wealth. David and Clare make an X-rated video of themselves. The tape accidentally ends up in the hands of Dr. and Mrs. Martin.

Music: ""Every Day of the Week"" by Jade (#20, 1995; from the 90210: The College Years soundtrack); ""Walk Like a Man"" by the Four Seasons (#1, 1963); ""It Keeps You Runnin'"" by the Doobie Brothers

Dylan experiences a number of bizarre dreams as he fights for his life. He has recurring nightmares about trying to save Erica from a speeding train as Suzanne, Kevin and his dealer attempt to kill him. A medical student takes a special interest in Dylan's condition; she describes the nightmares as a battle for his soul. Dylan takes a turn for the worse, but recovers following an inspiring conversation with his father. He awakes with his mother at his bedside. Steve and Brandon lead the KEG house team in a flag football tournament. They are distracted by news of Dylan's accident, and Steve bristles when his father appoints himself the unofficial coach. Steve makes a bid to take over the Peach Pit After Dark.

Music: ""Doctor My Eyes"" by Jackson Browne (#8, 1972); ""Spirits in the Material World"" by The Police (#11, 1982)

Controversy erupts when the university's Black Student Union arranges a speaking engagement for Roland Turner, a respected leader who has made anti-Semitic remarks. Jewish student leaders do not want to allow him to speak, as they believe this will encourage hatred and intolerance. Student senator Janice Williams insists that Turner's message actually centers on unity. Brandon endures criticism when he postpones the vote on the issue. Andrea joins the protest and accuses Brandon of selling out to salvage his political career. Jesse tells Andrea that he respects her passion for the cause, but accuses her of being narrow-minded. A bomb threat is called in to the school, and someone paints swastikas on the outside of the Jewish student union. Andrea's grandmother encourages her to listen to what Turner has to say, and they sit with Janice at the speech. A conversation with Andrea prompts David to reflect on his faith. He attends the candlelight protest outside the auditorium. Ke

Jim gets Brandon tickets to the Rolling Stones' Rose Bowl concert, but a hearing to determine the legality of his presidency is moved to the night of the concert. Jesse argues that Brandon is already the legitimate president, as he has been calling senate meetings to order; the challenge to the presidency is denied. Brandon takes Andrea to the concert. Kelly gets backstage access through the magazine, while braggart Steve has trouble getting in at all after a hippie steals his wallet. Ray and Donna work as vendors and see the show free of charge. David and Clare go to the concert even though they claim to hate the group, but have to turn to a scalper when Mel lets them down. Steve and his father force Dylan out of the Peach Pit After Dark. He agrees to sell his shares when Steve, Nat and Willie (the cook) visit him in rehab. Dylan and Valerie agree to stop seeing each other, as he doesn't want to involve her in his problems. During group therapy, Dylan has a confrontation with Charley,

Emily flies back from Paris to attend a seminar at La Jolla. She asks Brandon to meet her at the airport, claiming to have just a four-hour layover. She actually has a week until the beginning of her seminar, but Brandon breaks her heart by revealing that he is dating Kelly. When he sees her back to her hotel room, they share a passionate kiss. Steve and Griffin organize a holiday rave at an abandoned house. Valerie helps them out in the hopes of getting back in Steve's good graces. David and Clare accidentally post the notice about the event on a computer bulletin board for lesbians, who constitute most of the guests. The house has very poor wiring and continually blows fuses. Griffin uses too much electricity, and the house catches on fire. Ray rescues Steve and Valerie, who were fooling around in one of the bedrooms. Kelly and a girl named Allison are trapped in a downstairs bathroom with no means of escape. The fire fighters try to reach them as they are engulfed by flames.

Music:

Kelly suffers burns on her wrist, ear, and the side of her neck. Allison's injuries are much more severe, but she maintains a positive attitude. Brandon is wracked with guilt because of his feelings for Emily. Kelly does not react well when she learns that Emily is still in town. She calls Dylan to discuss her insecurities, and Brandon visits him in search of advice. Kelly believes that Brandon is only staying with her out of guilt, but Emily eases her mind when she reveals that he expressed his love for Kelly before the fire. Griffin's father hires an accomplished attorney to keep Steve and Griffin out of jail. They receive probation and community service, and are forbidden from operating dance clubs or parties for two years. Steve is furious to learn of this provision, especially after he discovers that Griffin stole the keys to the house, rather than obtaining permission to use it for the rave. He physically attacks Griffin and orders him to leave the fraternity. Ray's perpetual bad

Jim and Cindy fly to London to spend Christmas with Brenda. Brandon stays in town with Kelly, who is reluctant to reveal her scars to him. Felice offers Ray $10,000 to stay away from Donna forever. Donna is mortified when Felice reveals that he accepted the check, but he had only taken it as evidence of her mother's actions. Ray and Donna use the money to send LuAnn on a cruise, as this has always been her dream. Dylan seeks the FBI's help in tracking down Kevin and Suzanne in Brazil. Christine tells him that the agency is too busy to assist him. She puts him in touch with a strange man named Jonesy, who will help him out in exchange for half of the money. Andrea and Jesse quarrel when Hannah does not enjoy her first Christmas. He claims that Andrea is to blame for her crying, ignoring the fact that Hannah is six months old and teething. The gang saves the day when it arrives dressed as Santas and elves, and Dylan meets Hannah for the first time. David feels slighted when Clare fails t

Steve succeeds in eluding his community service assignment at a retirement home; but reconsiders after encountering Saul Howard, a famous actor who worked on Samantha's sitcom. Saul is a vibrant and funny man who suffers from Alzheimer's Disease. Steve's friendship with Saul causes him to appreciate what he has and stop whining about his legal difficulties. Saul also encourages Steve to let go of his anger against Rush, as he relates his rocky relationship with the daughter he lost tragically. Dylan does not wish to contest the drunken driving charge against him, but Jesse urges him to plea bargain. He receives probation and a suspended license. Andrea has another meeting with Peter at the laundromat. They learn each other's marital status when Peter is on-call during Hannah's medical emergency, yet still seem attracted to one another. David and Clare take over as organizers of the Peach Pit After Dark. Ray balks at an opening night gig; he confesses to Donna that he has stage fright.

Dylan asks Brandon to join him on a motorcycle road trip before he begins his probation and loses his driver's license. They constantly argue about Kelly and nearly call off the trip. They are caught going to the bathroom on a Native American burial ground, and must make amends by digging a hole for a special ceremony. The Native American sheriff invites Brandon and Dylan to join him in a sweat lodge, where they learn valuable lessons. Jonesy calls Dylan and tells him that he has found Kevin and Suzanne. Kelly and Valerie attend a psychology seminar conducted by Professor Patrick Finley. Val laughs off the philosophies and decides to leave. Kelly takes the professor's words to heart because of her experience with the fire. Steve is still bitter about being cut out of the Peach Pit After Dark. Rush apologizes for being insensitive to his feelings.

Music: ""I Wonder Wh

Dylan flies to Mexico, where Kevin and Suzanne have recently re-located their smuggling business. Jonesy's female partner has abandoned him, so Dylan enlists Valerie's help. She flirts with Kevin and tricks him into revealing the location of the couple's bank account. Jonesy wires the money into an FBI account. He wants to leave, and is furious when Dylan insists on rescuing Erica. He and Val are caught in the act, but Jonesy returns with the cops and saves them. The university denies tenure to Professor Finley, sending his followers into an uproar. Brandon tries to defuse the situation, and learns from Dean Whitmore that parents have accused Finley of trying to ""convert"" students. Finley lashes out at Brandon, creating a rift between Kelly and him.

Music: ""Sherry"" by the Four Seasons (#1, 1962); ""I Know the Game"" by Jamie Walters

Kelly alienates her friends as she becomes more deeply involved with Finley's cause. Brandon writes an editorial supporting Finley in the hopes of getting back into Kelly's good graces. The university elects to oust Finley, who vows to continue his teachings elsewhere. He urges Kelly to break it off with Brandon, as he feels that Brandon distracts her from the ""evolution."" A record company pursues Ray, and Ariel is the A&R representative who must seal the deal. Donna and David warn Ray to stay away from Ariel, but he insists that their relationship will remain strictly business. Ray rejects the contract because it would require him to surrender his publishing rights. After a visit to Hawaii to ensure that the two get along, Dylan decides to leave Erica with Iris. Valerie demands compensation for her role in retrieving Erica and the money, and finds Dylan's $10,000 offer unsatisfactory. Jonesy agrees to a much larger payoff if she promises to work with him again.

Finley pushes Kelly to end her relationship with Brandon, but she cannot go through with it. She later dumps him during a confrontation at Finley's new headquarters, and Brandon reluctantly turns to Dylan for help. Valerie uses her new windfall to move out of the Walsh house and into a luxurious hotel. She ignores Dylan's warnings about the loneliness associated with life at a hotel. Donna goes to bed with Ray but then cuts things off, leaving him very frustrated. Val pops the lighter in Ray's truck, draining the battery so that he has to seek a ride. She lures him back to her hotel room. Andrea becomes uncomfortable when she and Jesse run into Peter and his wife at the movies. Everyone pitches in as the After Dark hosts a telethon for pediatric heart patients.

Music: ""You Gotta Have Heart,"" performed by barbershop quartet; ""Hold On,"" performed by Jamie Walters; ""You Never Get Enough"" and ""Every Day of the

Dylan feigns an interest in Professor Finley's teachings in order to infiltrate the operation. He and Kelly get carried away and kiss after attending a wedding. Dylan discovers that Finley arranges romantic pairings to secure wealthy benefactors. He promises to donate all of his money if Finley can convince Kelly to take him back. Kelly tries to seduce Dylan, but refuses to believe his allegations about Finley. Brandon brings in one of Finley's former lieutenants to convince Kelly that the evolution is a fraud. Kelly leaves the group and reunites with Brandon, leaving Dylan heartbroken. Ray ends his fling with Valerie, although she doesn't seem to get the message. Andrea takes a researcher position at the hospital and spends most of her time fooling around with Peter.

Music: ""Hold On"" by Wilson Phillips (#1, 1990); ""House of Love"" by Amy Grant and Vince Gill (#37, 1995)

Valerie buys the Peach Pit After Dark from Rush. She threatens to fire Ray unless he resumes their relationship. Ray refuses to give in and decides to go on tour. Donna is furious with David for failing to defend Ray. Peter rents a motel room so that he and Andrea can have some privacy for their liaisons. Dylan rebuffs Valerie's advances; she tempts him by leaving a joint at his house. He tries to smoke it, but cannot light it due to heavy wind. The incident prompts Dylan to visit his friend Charley from rehab, who is now managing his family's motel. The student body demands action from Brandon following a rash of thefts on campus. Panic sweeps across the university after a woman is raped in broad daylight. David's roommate Lenny, a loner in his late twenties, is questioned about the crime.

Music: ""Why"" and ""Hold On,"" performed by Jamie Walters

Lenny is released, as he has an alibi and the victim (an acquaintance) clears him. He confesses to David that he served time for sexual assault; he may have taken part in a rape while wandering the streets in a drunken stupor during his tour in the gulf. The outraged students try to run Lenny off campus, and Brandon agrees to help him transfer to another school. Valerie convinces Donna that David is to blame for Ray's departure. David and Donna get into a screaming match. Lenny reveals that Garrett Slan, a CU cafeteria worker, also spent time in a military prison. Brandon warns Clare that Garrett may be fixated on her, but he has moved on to Donna. Garrett breaks into the beach apartment, holds Donna at knifepoint, and tries to rape her. David interrupts as he comes over to apologize to Donna. She lets him know that something is amiss by calling him ""Dave,"" and he bursts in and hits Garrett in the head with a baseball bat.

As a class project, David and Clare plan to film a documentary about an eclectic group of roommates. When the subjects back out, David and Clare decide to impersonate them, with help from Steve, Donna, Kelly and Brandon. A number of incidents cause the group to break character. Steve becomes depressed after learning that Celeste is engaged (not to the high school sweetheart she chose over Steve, but to an airman she just met). David consoles Donna, who is still traumatized by the rape attempt, and they end up kissing. Clare witnesses this on a monitor and responds by making a pass at Steve. Kelly gets drunk from spiked watermelon. She finds out that Jackie and Mel are moving in together and launches into a tirade about cheating men. This prompts the group to conduct a discussion about lost loves, in which David admits that he still loves Donna. David and Clare get into a spat while editing the video and decide to break up. Andrea and Jesse briefly share bliss. She tries to confess her

Jesse moves in with a reluctant Dylan and gets on his nerves. Valerie, unaware of Jesse's presence, drops by Dylan's house while babysitting Hannah. Jesse jumps to conclusions and assumes that Andrea is with Peter. Brandon and Clare become very competitive as they vie for a spot on College Jeopardy! Kelly invites Andrea to crash the duo's grudge match, and she wins easily. Andrea is shaken when Val tells her that Jesse was discussing the possibility of divorce. Brandon and Clare convince her to take her mind off things by trying out for Jeopardy! Dylan urges Jesse to stop being so defensive, and Jesse goes to the television studio with Hannah to ask Andrea for another chance. Andrea appears on the show and wins, and she and Jesse get back together. Donna has trouble getting in touch with Ray while he is on the road. Mel's reconciliation with Jackie gives David new hope of winning back Donna. When he learns that Donna is going to spend spring break in Portland with Ray, he decides to ta

Ray is unhappy that David has come to Portland. David panics when he discovers that his mother was fired, no longer lives at her last known address, and hasn't cashed her alimony checks for months. He turns to Donna for help, and Ray behaves like a total jerk. David and Donna cannot find Sheila at any of her favorite hangouts and learn that she was recently arrested. Donna misses Ray's concert; he explodes and shoves her against a wall in their hotel room. He later feels guilty and loans David his truck. Mel flies in from Los Angeles and tells David that Sheila has a long history of mental illness. They receive a tip that she is living on the streets and take her to the hospital. David realizes that Donna is happy with Ray and decides to back off. Dylan explores hypnotherapy in the hopes of understanding the main character in Charley's script. Valerie gets a tattoo.

Music: ""Fever"" by Peggy Lee (#8, 1958); ""Why"" and ""The Comfort of Strangers,"" performed by Jamie Walters

Steve and David organize a hip-hop night at the club to boost the sagging gate receipts. David asks Willie's nephew Juwan, a talented DJ, to join him onstage. Steve backs out of the event because he is nervous about Juwan's criminal record (as if he should be one to pass judgment). Valerie tries to dodge a grimy Australian metal band that claims to have been booked. Although his tour is ending, Ray is unsure about returning to Los Angeles. Valerie goes to Reno to re-hire him, and claims to have changed her ways. While Val is gone, the Aussies crash the hip-hop night and trash the After Dark. Juwan and his friends are prepared to fight them, but decide to keep their cool. David and Clare get back together. Dylan allows Molly to hypnotize him and regresses to a past life as a hobo.

Music: ""It's Your Thing"" by the Isley Brothers (#2, 1969); ""Here and Now"" by Letters to Cleo; ""1-2-Threz,"" per

Kelly becomes depressed after making the cover of Seventeen, as she fears that she will never regain her past looks. Steve and Jackie try to convince her to continue her modeling career. Kelly has a chance meeting with Allison's girlfriend Dana, who gives her the brush-off. Kelly tries to visit Allison at the burn center, but she refuses to see her. Kelly talks to Dana's new girlfriend, who reveals that Allison dumped Dana because she is in love with Kelly. Allison calls Kelly and asks to see her after she is released from the hospital. Ray returns to town, and LuAnn gets drunk before his first performance. David and Clare take her home, and she babbles about Ray's affair with Valerie. David and Clare confront them, but decide not to tell Donna. Charley grows tired of seeing Dylan moon over Kelly; he encourages him to make a move. Jesse is offered a clerkship in Boise. Andrea offers her support, although she is less than thrilled by the move. Jesse turns down the offer because he doesn

While under hyponsis, Dylan recalls a past life as a gunslinger in the Wild West. He recognizes Kelly as the woman who convinced him to change his ways and become a family man. He later helped rescue a past love from hanging and was gunned down by the son of one of his victims. Dylan concludes that Kelly is his soulmate. He shows up on her doorstep when she returns from a trip to New York, and they share a passionate kiss. Brandon seeks re-election and is virtually unopposed. When the board of education mandates a tuition hike, Brandon is criticized for failing to look out for the students' interests. Alex Diaz runs for president as a write-in candidate and wins easily. Valerie concludes that Brandon is her perfect guy. Jim fears that his job is in jeopardy when his bosses hold meetings behind his back. Jesse is offered a teaching job at the Yale School of Law, but will only accept if Andrea's scholarship is reinstated.

Music: ""I Know"" by Dionne Farris

Dylan asks Kelly to join him on a trip around the world. Valerie sees the tickets in Kelly's room and tells Brandon. Brandon counters with a marriage proposal, and Kelly asks for time to think things over. She eventually rejects both men and proclaims, ""I choose me."" Andrea and Jesse prepare for their move to Connecticut. The gang surprises her by organizing a picnic lunch at West Beverly High (although Brandon and Dylan, still waiting for Kelly's decision, opt not to attend). Everyone meets Andrea and Jesse at the Peach Pit one last time to say goodbye. Ray lashes out at Donna for devoting time to her friends and studying for finals. He drags her away from Andrea's picnic and verbally berates her. Jim considers a possible move to Hong Kong as his company offers a promotion and substantial raise. He and Cindy decide to go through with the move.

Music: ""I'll Stand by You"" by the Pretenders (#16, 1994); ""Remember"" by Harry Nilsson

Jim and Cindy leave for Hong Kong. Kelly wants to continue her relationship with Brandon, but he cannot get over the rejected marriage proposal. Steve and Donna head to Palm Springs for an Alpha/KEG convention. A contrite Ray agrees to accompany Donna, who is making a speech at the event. He quickly becomes angry and possessive. Rush tries to set up Steve with a business associate's daughter. Steve is more interested in the Cadillac-driving ""goddess"" he keeps encountering. Brandon and Valerie decide to head to Palm Springs to avoid the caravan of potential buyers who have overrun the house. Brandon goes on a drinking binge and finds himself tempted by Valerie. He has a hallucination in which his parents appear and express their disappointment. Kelly postpones her trip to the convention to spend the day with Allison, but is very secretive. David and Clare see them together and get the wrong idea. Allison admits her love for Kelly, who is not interested.

Kelly returns from a modeling stint in New York. She brings home an artist boyfriend named Colin, who rents a loft in Los Angeles. Brandon comes home from a summer job at the Boston Herald to discover that Val's obnoxious friend Ginger is staying at the house. Val and Brandon agree that they should not get involved, so Ginger comes on to him. Steve, Brandon and David consider renting a penthouse apartment together. David reveals that he and Clare have broken up. The real estate agent tells Brandon that the buyers plan to tear his house down, so the gang throws a party and trashes the place. She then informs Brandon that the house has fallen out of escrow, meaning that his parents still own it. Donna enjoys her summer with Ray, who has made an effort to make up for his past mistakes. A woman's valuable ring disappears during a party on the Martins' boat, and Felice believes that Ray stole it. Dylan tells Kelly about his obsession with tracking down his father's killer. She helps him sor

The house is fixed up, and Steve decides to move in with Brandon. Donna finds Mrs. Korman's ring in Ray's jacket pocket. Everyone believes that he stole it (although he points out that he would have to be an idiot to leave the ring in his pocket for days, then let Donna discover it). The house's petty cash and Steve's gold watch turn up missing, and Steve blames Ray. Steve and Ray nearly get into a fight, and Donna decides to give up on Ray. Valerie exposes Ginger as the actual thief and orders her to leave town. Val pays off Ginger at the airport; they actually staged the entire incident so that Valerie could prove herself to the rest of the gang. Brandon tries to bring Kelly flowers for her birthday, only to find Colin in her bedroom. Colin angers Kelly by refusing to show for her birthday party; he later reveals that he spent the time creating a special painting for her. Donna gets drunk at the party and tries to throw herself at Ray. Brandon gives Dylan information about businessma

Dylan heads for the C.U. campus in the hopes of striking up a friendship with Marchette's son. Marchette actually has a beautiful daughter, Toni; she agrees to go out with Dylan. Brandon notices that Toni really likes Dylan, and disapproves of his friend's actions. Brandon expresses an interest in a columnist job with the school paper. Editor Susan Keats turns him down and seems to loathe him. Brandon writes a sexist column about women as a counterpoint to Susan's similar column about men. They go to the After Dark to ""research"" behavior of the opposite sex, and Susan decides to hire him. Steve's advisor finally realizes that he cheated on his math placement test as a freshman. He ruins Steve's cushy schedule by forcing him to enroll in remedial math. Steve cannot find a suitable tutor, so he reluctantly accepts an offer from Clare. Kelly feels uncomfortable when she learns that Colin and Valerie once toured Europe together as part of a teen group.

Donna, Kelly, Clare and Valerie try out for the Tournament of Roses Court. The other girls only wish to secure invitations to a ball, but Donna elects to proceed with the tryouts. Felice does not approve of this decision, leaving Donna confused. Colin opts out of the party to work on his mural, but later shows up with Valerie. Kelly throws a hissy fit before Colin explains that nothing is going on. Brandon and Susan cover the Rose Court tryouts for the newspaper, and attend the party together. When they return to the newsroom, Susan grabs Brandon and kisses him. Steve pretends to be sensitive as he woos a woman in a chat room. Clare asks Steve to escort her to the ball. He cuts the date short to meet with his on-line sweetheart, only to find out that it is Clare! Donna and Ray miss the ball because he has to perform at Jessica's birthday party. Toni surprises Dylan when they go motorcycle riding. Dylan admits to Brandon that he is falling for her.

Valerie is haunted by nightmares about her father's suicide. David learns that his mother requires shock therapy to improve her chances of recovery. He does not support this course of action, and falls into a deep funk. Valerie tells him about her father and offers to help him. She takes David to a cliff overlooking the city and tests his will to live. David convinces his mother to undergo treatment, and Valerie overcomes her nightmares. Toni throws a dinner party while her father is out of town. Bruno catches Dylan snooping around in Marchette's study. He tells Dylan that Marchette is aware that he is Jack's son. Steve and Clare decide to attend the party together, and share a good-night kiss. Brandon convinces Susan to go out with him.

Music: ""The Lion Sleeps Tonight"" by Robert John (#3, 1972)

Valerie gets herself invited on a road trip with Kelly, Donna and Clare. David thanks Val for helping him through his hard times, and gives her a kiss. During the trip, Donna goads Val into admitting that she slept with Ray. The roommates resolve to stop talking to Valerie. The car breaks down, and the girls spend the night at a convent while awaiting repairs. They cannot speak after sundown. Donna forgives Valerie, who urges her not to forget about Ray's abusive behavior. Donna dumps Ray. Steve convinces Brandon to let a director film a movie at the Walsh house, without revealing that it is a porno. Susan is offended by the fiasco, but sleeps with Brandon anyway. Marchette doesn't show for a dinner engagement with Toni and Dylan. He arrives after Toni leaves the table and warns Dylan to stay away. Dylan and Marchette's bodyguard pull guns on each other. Marchette tells Toni that Dylan is using her. She refuses to believe Dylan's claim that her father killed Jack. Kelly meets Colin's a

Valerie accepts her marketing professor's invitation to a seminar. They have a drink afterwards, and the man tries to come on to her. He gives her a D on a midterm essay that he had seemed to like earlier, and Val suspects that he is punishing her. David and Susan encourage Valerie to file a complaint. Val backs down because she fears that the investigation will expose embarrassing information about her personal life. Meanwhile, Susan works on an exposé for the Condor. Several of Professor Haywood's past victims come forward, and he is forced to resign. Bruno delivers a letter from Dylan to Toni, and the couple eventually reunites. Marchette sees Toni and Dylan on campus together and becomes furious. Toni ignores her father's ultimatum and decides to move in with Dylan. Kelly cuts Colin loose after learning that he acts as Claudia's concubine in exchange for financial backing.

Colin appeases Kelly by ending his affiliation with Claudia and taking a teaching job. A fortune teller sets up shop at the Peach Pit for Halloween. In spite of her questionable credibility, her presence has an impact on many couples. She forces Susan to come clean with Brandon about a past relationship. David buys a love potion to use on Valerie, and the two become closer. Steve and Clare accidentally drink the potion and have a rendezvous in the club's dressing room. Donna spends time at the Halloween party with Joe Bradley, the university's star quarterback. A jealous Ray accosts her, prompting Joe to back off. Ray lurks at Donna's apartment and becomes physical when she refuses to talk to him. Joe returns and comes to Donna's defense; he had reconsidered his decision and wants to date her. Dylan and Toni take in a stray kitten. Toni finds Dylan's gun in the first aid kit and insists that he get rid of it. Toni's father meets her at the Peach Pit in the hopes of ending their rift. H

Dylan asks Toni to marry him. Kelly is shaken by the news, and angers Dylan with her selfish reaction. She also bristles at David's new relationship with Valerie. Clare comes on strong to Steve. An earthquake rocks the major Los Angeles area, spooking Colin. Brandon and Susan, in Palm Springs for a newspaper conference, get trapped in an elevator with a pregnant woman. They must deliver her child. Donna advances to the finals of the Rose Court selections. She sees her mother in a photograph of the 1969 contestants, but Felice refuses to explain herself. Ray begins seeing a therapist and convinces Donna to come to one of his sessions. The doctor warns Donna to stay away from Ray. Marchette pretends to give Dylan and Toni his blessing, then takes out a hit on Dylan.

Music: ""Shakin' All Over"" by The Who

The hit on Dylan fails when Brandon, David and Steve ""kidnap"" him for a rather sedate bachelor party. The girls throw a much livelier affair for Toni. Marchette shows up at the beach apartment and tries to talk Toni out of the marriage. He refuses to attend the wedding, so Bruno gives her away. (Only Bruno and Brandon are allowed at the ceremony, but everyone comes to the reception.) The next day, Marchette asks Dylan to come over to accept a gift for Toni. Bruno finds out that Dylan is to be ambushed and killed, but can't reach him because the phone is off the hook. He turns to Brandon for help. Toni is upset when their cat, Trouble, turns up missing during a driving rainstorm. Dylan agrees to stay home and look for her while Toni meets her father. Because of the rain, the hit men cannot tell that Toni is driving Dylan's car.

Ray files battery charges against Joe, who is suspended from the homecoming game when the coach discovers that he missed curfew on Halloween. The football team shuns Donna until she explains that Joe was protecting her. She agrees to testify on Joe's behalf, even though it will publicly expose her abusive relationship with Ray. Donna makes the Rose Court. Felice reveals that she tried out for the court, and had to drop out when she became pregnant. She got married, then suffered a miscarriage. Jonesy recruits Valerie to pose as a prostitute to trap a client's philandering husband. David disapproves of Val's secretive behavior, but bails her out when she is arrested. Val goes to bed with David. Brandon becomes depressed about Dylan's departure as he ties up his affairs. Kelly manages to cheer him up, sparking jealousy in Susan. Steve is assigned to protect the school mascot during homecoming week. Colin helps him pull a prank on rival S.C.U.

Colin and Susan leave for New York to spend Thanksgiving with their families. The gang decides to spend the holiday together, and David invites his mother to join them. She annoys Valerie with her constant advice about food preparation, but saves the day when Val accidentally sleeps in. Clare takes Steve to a faculty mixer, where he proves to be a big hit because of his ""people skills."" Donna gives a deposition that does not reflect favorably on Joe. As a birthday surprise, she arranges a visit from Steve Young. She also plans to sleep with Joe, but he reveals that he is a virgin and does not believe in pre-marital sex. Kelly hangs out at Brandon's house to watch videos, and spends the night in Steve's vacant room. Valerie jumps to conclusions when she comes home the next morning and sees Brandon and Kelly in an embrace.

Music: ""Someone to Love"" by Jon B. featuring Babyface (#10, 1995)

Joe rejects a plea bargain and decides to go to trial. Donna testifies that Ray was physically harming her, and Valerie corroborates this with her eyewitness account of the Palm Springs incident. The Associated Press picks up Brandon's story about the trial for nationwide syndication. Brandon tries to convince Ray to stop hurting Donna and reveal the truth about his fight with Joe. The prosecutor portrays Donna as a liar because she covered for Ray on her medical report. Ray feels guilty; he owns up to the abuse and clears Joe during his testimony. Donna agrees not to prosecute Ray if he remains in therapy. Ray thanks Brandon for setting him straight and decides to go out on tour. Donna's friend Lisa is selected as Rose Queen. Colin babysits for Erin while Kelly and David are at the trial, as Mel and Jackie have gone away for the weekend. Valerie tells Colin that Kelly spent the night with Brandon. Colin refuses to believe Kelly's denial, but their argument is interrupted when Erin fal

Donna fills in for Lisa at a convenience store. A young boy is caught stealing a teddy bear for his brother's birthday, but Donna covers for him. Donna and Joe get lost and run out of gas. Isaiah, the boy Donna helped, gets them out of a possibly dangerous confrontation by inviting them to his apartment to call a tow truck. Donna discovers that the eleven year old and his younger siblings are left alone while their mom is at work. She expresses concern, but their mother comes home and tells her to butt out. Donna finds places for the kids in a day care center that works with her sorority. Brandon alienates Nat and Susan as he gets carried away during the After Dark's charity casino night. Valerie infuriates Kelly and David by outbidding Kelly for a portrait sitting with Colin. She explains that the portrait is a Christmas gift for David. Steve's father gets him a job at a talent agency. After Steve's boss is fired, she asks him to use his connections with the agency president to arrang

Cindy surprises Brandon by coming to visit for Christmas. Her relationship with Jim is on the rocks, and she is unsure about returning to Hong Kong. Brandon feels devastated, as he fears that his family is falling apart. A special Christmas present from Jim squashes Cindy's doubts about his love, so she returns home. Colin begins using cocaine. Kelly is livid, as he had promised to give up the habit for good. Steve delivers Christmas presents to his boss's mistress and young niece. He gets fired when they receive the wrong gifts (the little girl gets a negligée), making the man's wife aware of his affair. Although someone else had switched the address labels, Rush blames Steve and lights into him. Steve angrily replies that Rush shouldn't worry about him, as they are not really father and son. When Steve meets Rush to apologize, his father makes a shocking revelation: he is Steve's biological father.

Clare returns after a few days out of town, and the gang fills her in on the events that transpired over New Year's. Susan's ex-boyfriend Jonathan came to town and irritated Brandon with his constant presence. On New Year's Eve, he revealed that he was still in love with Susan and hinted that he shared a mysterious connection with her. Jonathan planted an extra-long good night kiss on Susan, prompting Brandon to challenge him to a fight. Colin convinced Valerie to hold onto his coke supply so that Kelly would not realize that he was still using. Val drove the wasted Colin home on New Year's Eve, leading to a dispute with David. Kelly blamed Valerie for Colin's addiction, so Val turned over the coke to her and washed her hands of the whole thing. The bird that Joe gave to Donna for Christmas escaped from the apartment. David, Donna and Joe spent hours trying to coax the bird out of the tree. Joe snapped at Donna for not showing compassion for the bird, but then showed up at the Rose Par

Kelly is very excited by a visit from her father, who claims to be planning a permanent move to Los Angeles. Jackie and David warn Kelly not to get her hopes up. Bill urges Kelly to give Colin another chance; they stop by Colin's loft, only to find that he is high. Kelly breaks up with him. Bill fails to show for a meeting with Kelly and a realtor, and leaves town without saying goodbye. He leaves Kelly some flowers and a check. Kelly rolls the check and uses it to snort the cocaine stash that Val had confiscated from Colin. Joe has the team doctor check out his injured ankle. The doctor notices something strange in Joe's breathing and recommends that he see a cardiologist. Dr. Martin diagnoses Joe with a congenital heart defect, but the athletic department arranges for a second opinion. The team-sanctioned doctor insists that he is fine, and Joe chooses to believe him. Steve organizes a Roger Corman film festival at the After Dark. The gang finds out that Nat appeared in one of Corman

Kelly reunites with Colin and spends all her time getting high. The couple becomes consumed by its habit, especially when supplies run low. Valerie realizes that Kelly is using drugs, but has difficulty convincing everyone else. During a jog, Susan breaks down in tears after she and Brandon pass the scene of a hit-and-run. She reveals that her older sister was struck by a car and killed while jogging with Susan. Donna's concern for Joe's health grows when he intensifies his training sessions. Brandon has a talk with Joe, and is angry when Susan wants to run a story about his condition. Susan fears that Joe's life could be in danger, while Brandon doesn't want rumors to affect Joe's chances at a pro career. Joe nearly collapses with an irregular heartbeat while running the stadium steps. Clare challenges Steve to a race after he belittles her new sports car. A cop pulls them over, and they must attend traffic school. A fellow student, impressed by their bickering, asks Steve and Clare t

Susan is nominated for a college journalism award for her story about a girl's decision to have an abortion. Brandon does not understand why Jonathan insists on flying in for the awards ceremony. Susan explains that she and Jonathan broke up over a difference of opinion regarding the story; this further confuses Brandon. Susan wins the award and bursts into tears during her speech. She confesses to Brandon that the story was about herself; devastated by her sister's death, she had a drunken encounter with Jonathan and wound up pregnant. Jonathan proposed to her, and was crushed when she chose to terminate the pregnancy. Jonathan offers Susan his forgiveness, although she still has doubts about her decision. Valerie arranges a meeting between Colin and a knowledgeable art buyer in the hopes of encouraging Colin to get clean and focus on his career. Unfortunately, the man purchases two works that Colin had painted while high. Kelly swears off cocaine, but cannot resist temptation for lon

Valerie's really annoying friend Ginger returns to town. She forces Val to put her up at a hotel and pay for room service and new dresses. Ginger blackmails Valerie, threatening to tell everyone about the previous fall's scam unless Val coughs up $50,000. She later changes her mind and demands a night with David instead. Clare and Donna confront Kelly after finding drugs in the apartment. She seeks refuge with Colin, and doesn't show for the girls' rummage sale. Brandon takes Kelly for a ride and refuses to drive her home until she has come to her senses. She steals his car when he pulls over to call Susan, then returns to the apartment and tells Donna that she is moving out. Brandon, Steve and Joe accept Jonathan's invitation to go flying in biplanes. Joe faints after his flight, prompting more concern about his heart. He agrees to another appointment with Dr. Martin.

Kelly and Colin argue because she used their entire coke stash. She goes to see his dealer alone, and a second man nearly rapes her. She hits him in the head with a wine bottle and drives away. Kelly calls Brandon for help; he finds her trembling in her car. Brandon and Jackie get Kelly into a rehab center. She confesses her love for Brandon, who does not reply. David writes Val a special poem for Valentine's Day. Valerie tries to pacifiy Ginger (and help out Susan) by setting her up with Jonathan. They pretend to be a couple in the hopes of making Susan jealous. When Jonathan tries to trick Susan into entering a dance contest with him, she punches him in the face. Valerie tells David about her scam with Ginger, and asks him to save her from humiliation by spending the night with Ginger. Nothing happens between David and Ginger, but he dumps Valerie because he feels betrayed by her request. The football coach kicks Joe off the team and recruits a new quarterback. Donna stops Joe from q

Colin visits Kelly and announces that he has kicked his cocaine habit. Kelly maintains that they are bad for one another and breaks up with him. Kelly gets a roommate, a troubled teenage runaway named Tara. Valerie has the house to herself as Steve and Brandon leave for a ski weekend with Clare, Susan and David. She hooks up with Colin. Susan challenges Brandon to a ski race, and they leave the designated runs. Susan injures her ankle on a jump, and the duo must fight the elements while awaiting a rescue team. Depressed by his split with Valerie, David mopes around the lodge. Everyone keeps introducing him to blonde girls named Mary. Donna hears news of a medical breakthrough that could save Joe's career. She must convince Joe to pursue the treatment (he doesn't want to get his hopes up), and goad her father into using his connections to Joe's benefit.

Brandon and Susan spend the weekend at her parents' house. Susan's mother asks Brandon very intrusive questions during dinner. Mrs. Keats expects Brandon to sleep in the guest room, but Susan sneaks him into her room during the night. Mrs. Keats catches Brandon in bed with Susan the next morning. She expresses her disappointment, and Susan shares her frustration at the expectations placed upon her since her sister's death. Kelly befriends Tara. Colin and Valerie's new relationship upsets David and Kelly. Val orders David to mind his own business. Colin's old dealer, Danny, tempts him with some cocaine. Colin agrees to drive him to a drug house in Torrance. When the police arrive, a panicked Colin drives off and leads them on a high-speed chase. The gang watches the chase unfold on television, and is shocked to see that Colin is the driver. Joe's older brother Hank comes to town and tries to discourage him from undergoing surgery. Donna suspects that Hank is jealous of Joe's potential t

Valerie puts the club up as collateral to bail Colin out of jail. She also offers to spring for a high-priced attorney, as the public defender wants to plea bargain. Colin is terrified by the thought of spending time in prison. Kelly comes home from rehab and receives a surprise call from Colin. Donna is put off by the frequent phone calls from a lonely Tara. Tara runs away from the center. Kelly and Donna pick her up and give her refuge for the night. A medical student asks Kelly on a date. Clare and Susan resolve to reunite Nat and Joan, who have broken up because their relationship lacks its past magic. Clare, Susan, Brandon and Steve organize a romantic evening for the couple. They take them to many of the places that were special to them in 1971 and help them recapture their passion. Joe undergoes successful surgery and plans to return to football.

Music: ""Time of the Season"" by the Zombies (#3, 1969); ""At Last"" by Etta James

Rush dumps Ryan and Austin off on Steve on the same day that he is hosting a fraternity party. He doesn't keep a close eye on the boys, and they drink everything in sight. Ryan becomes very ill and Greg (Kelly's med student date) diagnoses him with alcohol poisoning. He has to be rushed to the hospital, and his father blames Steve. Kelly invites Tara to stay with her after she finishes her stint in rehab. Tara becomes enraged when Kelly dates Greg, as she wants all of Kelly's attention. Colin's lawyer recommends that he plead guilty in exchange for a short sentence at a minimum security facility. Valerie persuades him to take the deal. Val goads Colin into attending Steve's party, but bristles when he shares a tender moment with Kelly. Donna and David videotape the party for a late-night campus program called C.U. Later.

Brandon, Steve and Joe go on a camping trip with Susan, Clare and Donna. The girls become jealous when the guys repeatedly ignore them to help some damsels in distress. Clare, Donna and Susan offer shelter to the tentless girls, and make their boyfriends sleep in the car. Kelly feels guilty about leaving Tara alone to go bowling with Greg; she convinces David to make it a double date. Tara sabotages Kelly's relationship with Greg. Valerie tries to arrange a truce between Colin and his estranged father, an artist who lost his sight in Vietnam. Colin is afraid to reveal his legal problems, but Mr. Robbins already knows the truth and has come to offer his support.

Kelly tries to coax Tara into moving out, as the hospital has found her a place to live. Tara retrieves some belongings, including her photography equipment, from a friend. Kelly does not realize that Tara has a gun in her suitcase. After Kelly speaks of her hatred for Valerie, Tara sneaks out during the night and keys ""Die Val"" on the side of Valerie's car. Val believes that Kelly is responsible, while Colin gets into a fight with David (who had earlier given him a lot of attitude). Tara freaks everyone out by copying Kelly's hair style and color. Donna and David film a music video for an up and coming band. Donna must appear in the video after the female star fails to show. Joe is unhappy to see her dancing around in a revealing outfit. The Boston Globe offers Brandon a summer internship and chance at a great post-college job. He rejects the offer because he and Susan had already planned a cross-country trip for the summer.

Tara makes a pass at Brandon and purposely overfeeds Kelly's fish. Kelly orders her to move out. Kelly snoops in Tara's suitcase and discovers that she had lied when she claimed not to know her parents' whereabouts. Kelly enrages Tara by calling her parents. Tara holds Kelly at gunpoint and forces her to go for a drive up the coast. Kelly tries to escape when they pull over, but Tara knocks her out. She ties up Kelly, hooks a hose up to the car, and plans to kill Kelly and herself through carbon monoxide poisoning. Kelly tricks Tara into untying her, then gets the gun away. Tara is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and her mother thanks Kelly for saving her life. The judge nixes the deal between Colin's lawyer and the district attorney. Citing the fact that he endangered lives with his hazardous driving, he sentences Colin to two years in prison. Carl, a prince and longtime friend of Clare's family, comes for a visit. He makes friends with Steve and tries to prove that he is not the

Colin tries to remain strong as he prepares to turn himself in and begin his prison term. He panics after catching a glimpse of some fellow inmates, and drives away in Val's car. Valerie must track him down or forfeit her $100,000 bond, which she acquired by cashing in the club's equity. Colin stops by Kelly's apartment in search of help, but she turns him away. When Valerie asks Kelly for information about Colin, Kelly acts really bitchy and denies having seen him. Brandon and Susan lose a five-thousand-dollar lottery ticket, leading to a major argument. They find the ticket, but give the money to charity because they feel guilty about fighting over money. Joe expresses disappointment at his slow progress as he returns to training. He realizes that he has lost his passion for football. Clare feels uneasy about Steve's friendship with Carl. Steve falls down the stairs and suffers a broken jaw.

Music: ""Be My Lover"" by La Bouche (#6

Kelly agrees to help with the search for Colin when Brandon reveals that Nat could fall victim to the bail bondsman through his business ties to Valerie. Kelly gets in touch with Colin after obtaining his beeper number from Danny. She arranges a meeting and contacts the cops, but Colin realizes that something is amiss and sends Danny to the rendezvous. Donna balks when she and David are asked to produce a music video for Ray. Ray asks for a chance to prove that he has changed. Donna accepts the project after meeting Ray's fiancée, Wendy. Joe decides to quit football and take over as coach at his high school in Pennsylvania. He asks Donna to marry him. She turns him down because she fears that she would regret sacrificing her dreams. Clare is drawn toward Carl as they share memories of her mother. Mrs. Arnold believed that Carl would one day marry Clare and make her a princess.

Colin plans to board a ship and sneak out of the country. He convinces Claudia, his former art dealer, to wire him the $10,000 passage fee. Valerie seeks Jonesy's help to track down Colin, and he sends her a handsome FBI agent. Carl throws Steve a huge 21st birthday bash aboard the Queen Mary and invites all his friends. Andrea surprises Steve by flying in for the party. David and Donna put together a video birthday greeting from friends and relatives who couldn't make the party. They send an inquiry to Brenda's address (she is actually on tour in Scotland), but receive a reply from Dylan. David helps Donna fight off the advances of their lecherous boss. She cools him off by revealing that she is a virgin, and he decides to hit on Kelly instead. Susan receives a chance to work on the presidential campaign. Brandon does not want her to go, and reminds her that he turned down his newspaper job in favor of their summer trip. Joan feels under the weather as she and Nat attend Steve's party

Steve attends the Olympics with Brandon, who spent most of the summer travelling alone. Their car breaks down in Hadley City, a small town in Texas. Steve decides to catch a bus to Houston and fly home to surprise Clare. He discovers that Clare has already left for San Antonio to surprise him. He flies back to San Antonio; thanks to a weather delay, they are able to find each other. Brandon meets a young black woman, who quits her job as assistant librarian after her boss hassles her for talking to him. Brandon's friendship with Mariah riles many of the townspeople; they have confrontations with two redneck mechanics, and her ex-boyfriend and a cohort. Mariah decides to move to New York and write a book about angels. She thanks Brandon for encouraging her to change her life. David constantly criticizes Donna as they try to complete a video shoot with a temperamental singer. Their boss is fired, and David panics at the prospect of losing his contract. Donna ends the partnership after le

The Beverly Hills Beach Club holds its annual reunion. Steve reminisces about his relationship with Kelly, as he lost his virginity to her on the beach in 9th grade. Clare is disturbed to learn of the couple's history, and comments on the ""incestuous"" nature of the group. Steve confesses that he spread rumors about Kelly after their break-up, causing her to gain a reputation as a slut. Kelly is hurt, but eventually decides to forgive him. Ryan blows a chance at a date when Austin convinces him to spy on the girl as she undresses. Steve gives the boys a lecture about treating women with respect. David continues to dump all over Donna for quitting the music video business. He harasses her when she talks and dances with another guy, and they decide to break up. Kelly goes to work at an AIDS hospice to complete her summer school credits. Mark Reese, the general manager of the campus television station, recruits Brandon and flirts with Kelly.

Joan's daughter Lily comes to town to serve as maid of honor, and seduces best man Brandon. Nat, Brandon and Steve discover that Lily is an exotic dancer. Nat and Joan's wedding comes to a halt when she goes into labor. She refuses to have the baby until she is a married woman, so they tie the knot in the hospital hallway. Joan gives birth to a son, Frankie. Clare insists that she will never get married, as she couldn't bear to walk down the aisle without her mother. Touched by Joan and Nat's romance, she decides to be more receptive to the idea of marriage. Kelly befriends Jimmy, a hospice resident with an upbeat attitude. David moves into Mark's luxurious home. He tries to get another video contract after being dropped by MZA, and refuses to help Donna film the wedding. Valerie sees Kenny having lunch with his family and suspects that he has lied about his marital status.

Music: ""Wedding Bell Blues"" by The Fifth Dimension

Kelly helps Jimmy treat a bleeding cut, and panics after getting some of the blood on her hand. The doctor assures her that she cannot contract HIV this way, but she decides to take an AIDS test because of her history of unprotected sex. The test is negative, and Kelly apologizes for shunning Jimmy. The gang watches Jimmy perform a magic show; later that evening, he tells Kelly that he has just a few days to live. David refuses to tell his father that he has dropped out of school, so Donna breaks the news to Mel. Mel issues David an ultimatum: he must finish college or lose all financial support. Brandon and Mark hire a confident young woman as their news anchor. She suffers a panic attack just before the first broadcast. Mark and Brandon try to calm her with a drink, and she ends up getting plastered. Kenny declares his love for Valerie.

Kelly and David take Jimmy to church to celebrate the Jewish New Year. Jimmy becomes very ill the next day and thanks Kelly for her friendship before dying. Donna gives a shy basketball player a makeover to help her get into the Alpha house. She is accepted, but decides to pledge a sorority that is not so elitist. Donna resigns as rush chairperson to protest the behavior of Alpha president Ellen. Steve leads a group of KEG pledges in a Spirit Day prank; they run through Chancellor Arnold's speech wearing nothing but shaving cream, only to have the sprinklers come on. The dean becomes furious when the incident is replayed on the CU News, as she considers it sexual harassment. Chancellor Arnold, with Mark's cooperation, orders Brandon to turn over the tape so that he can identify the offenders. He reluctantly gives the chancellor the tape, which is mysteriously blank. Tracy reveals that she erased the video with a magnet out of loyalty to Steve and Brandon. Kenny rents a love nest for hi

David and Mark throw a big party at their house. Clare catches Steve kissing another girl and dumps him; she is tired of constantly fighting and listening to Steve's apologies. A fire sweeps through the hills and threatens the house. Kelly experiences flashbacks about being burned, but decides to stay and help everyone protect the house. The house is spared because of a shift in the winds. David drinks too much and spends the whole day throwing up. Donna slips and injures her knee while trying to save a baby deer. The firefighters--including hunky Cliff Yeager--rescue Donna and the deer. Kelly accepts a date from the persistent Mark. Valerie comes clean with Brandon about her affair with Kenny; he warns her to break things off. Kenny and his wife finally agree to seek a divorce. Kenny tells Val that he cannot see her for the time being because he does not want to give ammunition to his wife's attorney.

Music: ""Devil

Kenny orders Valerie to terminate her pregnancy. He agrees to pay her $100,000 to have an abortion. When he skips a meeting where he was to make the payment, she delivers diapers to his befuddled wife. Kenny angrily writes Valerie the check. Firefighter Cliff helps out with the Alphas' haunted house, where he encourages a young boy to overcome his fears. Cliff later has a date with Donna at the After Dark. Steve is miffed when Clare chooses to go to the Halloween concert with egotistical Dick Harrison, a Phi Beta Kappa. He uses an escort service in the hopes of making Clare jealous, but she learns that Steve paid the woman and mistakenly assumes that she is a hooker. Steve turns down Clare's proposal of an open relationship. Brandon and Tracy spend time together at the club, although he does not wish to pursue another workplace romance. He gives her a ride home and kisses her. David refuses to spend the weekend at his grandparents' house in Palm Springs. His father calls him to deliver

Steve overhears Val discussing her pregnancy on the phone. She begs him to keep her secret, but he shares the news with Kelly. Kelly gives Valerie her full support and offers to drive her to the clinic. Val turns her down, claiming that Kenny will be by her side. Kelly runs into Kenny at a restaurant, and Valerie's conflicting stories prompt Kelly and Steve to suspect that she was never pregnant. David's grandfather leaves him $250,000 and a 1961 Thunderbird. Mel believes that David should keep the money in a trust, and threatens to contest the will. He later backs off, although he and his mother express concern about David's drinking. Steve learns that Clare and Dick are participating in crew. He begins rowing with a group of his frat brothers, and responds to Dick's taunts by challenging his squad to a race. Donna and Cliff become closer. During a day of hiking, he reveals that he is leaving for an out-of-state job. An uncomfortable Tracy decides to quit her TV job after Brandon nixe

Kelly takes great delight in telling Brandon about Valerie's pregnancy and abortion, and also shares her doubts about Val's story. Brandon goes to see Kenny, who portrays himself as an innocent victim caught in the web of an evil vixen. He tells Brandon that he paid Valerie $100,000 to stay away. Brandon threatens to throw Val out of the house unless she gives the money back. Valerie plans to move out, but returns the money following a talk with Tracy. She confesses to Brandon that she was never pregnant, and insists that she cannot live up to his moral expectations. Mel, worried by David's newfound wealth, asks Donna to keep an eye on him. David goes on a wild spending spree, and later shows up at Donna's apartment in the middle of the night after swimming in the ocean. David offers to help out the financially strapped Valerie by purchasing half of the club. They celebrate their deal by making out. Steve impresses Clare with his dedication as he trains for the crew race. His team bare

David takes Valerie, Steve and Clare to Las Vegas for the weekend. He frightens them with his reckless driving. They see Ray perform in concert, and he comments on David's frenzied behavior. David gets drunk and suffers heavy gambling losses. He invites some girls on the street to join him at another casino. The women take David to their motel, where they drug him and steal his money, credit cards, jewelry and clothes. Ray calls Donna and advises her to fly in from Los Angeles. She yells at her friends for not babysitting David, then comforts him. Brandon meets a troubled woman at the Peach Pit; she was robbed just after arriving in town, and cannot get in touch with her fiancé. Brandon provides her with refuge, and helps her pick up the pieces when she learns that her fiancé has met someone else. Steve steals a term paper from Brandon and turns it in as an independent study project. Music: ""The Great

During an argument with Donna in the student union, David throws a tantrum and cuts his hand on a glass. He must see a psychiatrist after displaying hostile behavior toward the ER staff. Mel agrees with the doctor's recommendation that David be held 72 hours for observation. David is diagnosed with a mild form of manic depression. His mother comes to see him and advises him to moderate his behavior; he will not require medication if he seeks therapy and stops drinking. David thanks Donna for her support, and they decide to get back together. Steve faces plagiarism charges; Professor Randall, who assumed control of the independent study course after returning to C.U., recognized Brandon's writing. Randall still holds a vendetta against Brandon, and brings collusion charges against him. Kelly and Mark's plans for a romantic weekend getaway are foiled by a lost reservation. They finally secure a motel room, only to come down with food poisoning. The gang helps Willie build a house, which

Steve elects to plead guilty, leaving his punishment to the lenient Chancellor Arnold. Brandon refuses to plead guilty to a crime he did not commit, and faces a hearing and possible expulsion. Randall tries to prove that Brandon knew the contents of Steve's paper by pointing out that he handed it to Muntz for delivery. He also claims that Brandon let Steve cheat off his quizzes in freshman sociology. Steve digs through the fraternity files and proves that he flunked every sociology quiz. Brandon is cleared, and Professor Randall faces charges for forging his grade ledger and lying at the hearing. Kelly throws a surprise birthday party for Mark, although he would rather be left alone. He hates the party even more when everyone ignores him and flocks to Brandon. Felice objects to Donna's renewed relationship with David, which she considers unhealthy. Dr. Martin advises Donna to follow her heart. Music: ""What You Won't D

David seeks his father's help in winning over Felice. Mel and Jackie invite David, Donna and her parents over for dinner. Felice makes snide remarks about the pre-prom incident from four years earlier, the fact that Jackie and Mel are not married, and David's mental problems. A furious Donna refuses to come to her parents' house for Christmas. Felice apologizes to David and asks him to arrange a truce. Kelly's father fails to show for dinner, but a young woman arrives in his place. She stuns Kelly by revealing that she is her half-sister, Joy Taylor. Kelly is angry to learn that her mother hid the truth, and she and Joy become friends as they compare notes about their absentee father. Chancellor Arnold immediately hits it off with Samantha at his Christmas party, making Steve and Clare uncomfortable. The gang picks names from a hat to decide who will exchange gifts. Brandon and Tracy struggle with their gift selections, as neither wants to send the wrong message. While shopping for Kel

Brandon and Mark vie for the prestigious Dryer scholarship. Mark appeases Kelly by providing Brandon with tips, although he believes that he is a shoo-in because of his wealth and connections. Brandon wins one of the two scholarships, while Mark gets nothing. Mark does not handle the news well. He skips a party for Brandon, then confronts Kelly in the Peach Pit parking lot. He orders her to stay away until she is willing to sleep with him, so she dumps him. Clare gets Steve an interview at the C.U. job fair, but his interviewer propositions him. Clare suspects that Steve invented the story to hide the fact that he blew the interview. The woman again comes on to Steve, unaware that her boss and Clare are listening nearby. Donna fills in for her father's ailing receptionist. Dr. Martin criticizes Donna for humoring talkative patients, but her listening skills later head off a potential disaster. Tom Miller, Valerie's old boyfriend from Buffalo, comes to town. Valerie offers him a job man

Donna joins the C.U. News as a weather forecaster, incorporating fashion tips into her reports. She begins receiving anonymous, menacing phone calls. Clare sets up Kelly on a blind date with a guy who turns out to be a pompous windbag. Donna then tries to convince Kelly to go out with Evan Potter, a nice guy who operates the camera for the C.U. News. Kelly reluctantly agrees to a double date. Evan comforts Donna when her stalker leaves a threatening message on a videotape. While working late-night security detail as part of his probation, Steve has a run-in with the ""Phantom of C.U.,"" a homeless man who lives on campus and plays pranks on security guards. Steve catches the guy in the act and learns that he is C.U. senior Larry Lincoln. Larry lives in the basement of a school building and eats from the garbage because he cannot afford food or housing. Steve doesn't turn him in, and gives him money to get an apartment for the rest of the year.

Donna believes she has solved the mystery of her stalker's identity when she sees Garrett Slan, the man who tried to rape her, at the university. Donna's friends insist that she is mistaken, as Slan is in prison. Donna is cheered by a ""girls' night out"" with Kelly and Clare, until someone tries to run over her outside the After Dark. While sorting through her parents' unopened mail, Donna finds a notice that Slan has been released from prison. Brandon and Tracy spend the weekend at her family's ranch. Tracy is distracted by her horse, which has taken ill; and the presence of Sam, an ex-boyfriend who once asked her to marry him. Tracy rejects Sam's advances and has sex with Brandon in the barn. Steve and Dick team up to market T-shirts for sale at the After Dark's Super Bowl party.

Music: ""Knock on Wood"" by Eddie Floyd (#28, 1966); ""The Authority Song"" by John Cougar Mellencamp

Donna's request for a permanent restraining order against Slan is denied. He shows up in a classroom and tries to tell her something, but she runs out. David and Tom confront Slan, who claims that he was trying to warn Donna about her stalker. Donna discovers that someone has left a dead rat in her bedroom. Slan finally picks a fight with David at the Peach Pit After Dark so that the restraining order will be granted. He leaves town, but Donna receives more threatening phone calls. Kelly sets her sights on Tom. Valerie believes that Kelly is dating Tom to hurt her. Tracy accidentally tells Brandon that she loves him; he does not reciprocate. Brandon and Tom participate in a charity hockey game with NHL players. Brandon takes a cheap shot at Tom after watching Kelly kiss him before the game. Steve and Clare consider living together as they spend a weekend housesitting. David takes an interest in a young singer.

Music: ""Please Don't Go"" by KC and the Sunshine Band (#1, 1980)

Rusty, a technician at the TV station, quits in anger after the police question him about Donna. Evan admits his feelings for Donna and confesses that he is the stalker. When she tells Brandon and Tracy, he pulls a gun and holds the entire staff hostage. He holds Donna at gunpoint and forces Brandon and Tracy to put him on the air. He eventually lets the others leave, but Brandon refuses to leave Donna. Donna tricks Evan into putting his gun down by feigning an interest in him. She kisses him, then kicks the gun away as the SWAT team moves in to arrest him. Val threatens to fire Tom unless he stops seeing Kelly. She apologizes, but he quits anyway. Kelly claims that she is not acting out of spite. Steve and Clare try to keep their parents from dating, as they are afraid of being left behind. They finally apologize after realizing how selfishly they have acted.

Donna is still shaken after being held hostage, and Clare and David struggle to bring her out of her funk. She instantly perks up when Cliff makes a surprise visit. She tells him that she has a boyfriend, but David still feels betrayed. Luther Vandross performs at the After Dark for Valentine's Day. David reacts angrily when Donna decides to leave after the concert instead of going out with Luther, Chloe and him. Donna runs into Cliff at the Peach Pit and agrees to a date. Valerie's mother comes to town and asks her to approve a second mortgage for the family home, as Val is part-owner. Valerie wants nothing to do with the house and orders her mother to sell it, leaving Abby confused. Val is hurt to see Tom with Kelly. Kelly finds her crying in the bathroom. Val admits that she needs Tom and pleads for Kelly to set him free if she doesn't really care for him. The guilt-ridden Kelly breaks up with Tom, who later shares a romantic slow dance with Valerie. Tracy finds the engagement ring

Tracy is in a snit over the fact that Brandon kept the engagement ring. She breaks up with him. Brandon and Kelly each confess their feelings to friends, but expect the other person to make a move. Tracy confronts Kelly, who admits that she still loves Brandon. Kelly tries to stop Brandon from returning the ring. He cannot bring himself to sell it, and runs into Kelly in the street. She believes that he has already sold it and pretends to support this decision. Brandon exchanges the ring to get a bracelet for Tracy, and Kelly buys the ring and sulks. Valerie tells her mother that her father repeatedly molested her. Abby refuses to accept this and slaps Val. Abby comes to grips with the truth and apologizes for not protecting Valerie. Val asks Tom to leave town, as his presence is a painful reminder of the abuse. Donna is torn between David and Cliff. Chloe makes a pass at David and annoys him with her rude remarks about Donna. Donna tries to reconcile with David, but storms out when Ch

Brandon, Steve and Dick play in a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Dick's pot smoking concerns Brandon. A wasted Dick buys some heroin at the After Dark, and Steve decides to join him. Steve finds Dick collapsed in the bathroom; he dies of an overdose. Steve makes an angry anti-drug speech after someone leaves a bong at a shrine to Dick. A pretentious magazine editor profiles Valerie, but the article is ruined when the police take David and Val in for questioning. David pressures Donna to end things with Cliff, while her mother invites Cliff to a family brunch. Donna decides to stay with David, and encourages Cliff to take a job as head of security at Disneyworld. Kelly and Clare pose as Ukrainian folk dancers during a weekend getaway.

Music: ""Since I Don't Have You"" by the Skyliners (#12, 1959)

Donna and David visit her grandmother in San Luis Obispo. Noting a striking resemblance between David and her late husband, Mrs. Martin tells the couple about her romance with Donna's grandfather, whom she knew for just a few months before he was killed in World War II. Donna and David are touched as they look through Capt. and Mrs. Martin's old pictures and letters. They decide to have faith in their relationship in spite of obstacles such as Felice's opposition. Kelly finds a young boy sleeping on her porch. She reluctantly breaks a promise to the runaway by turning him in to social services, and is wracked with guilt when he vanishes from the shelter. Valerie begins a romance with a hot new movie star, who looks to her for support because he is uncomfortable with the industry. Steve enlists the help of Clare, Brandon and Tracy to film an infomercial for his marketing class.

Music: ""Sing, Sing, Sing"" by Benny Goodman

Joey returns to the beach apartment. He tells Kelly that he ran away because he believes that his mother no longer needs him, as she has remarried and is expecting a child. Brandon, Tracy, Clare, Kelly and Joey help Steve lay sandbags in front of his father's Malibu home in anticipation of a possible storm. Kelly contacts Joey's mother, and Joey has a happy reunion with his mother and stepfather. David visits Dr. Martin's office and asks his help in dealing with Felice. Dr. Martin collapses with a stroke, and Donna initially blames David. Rob irritates his manager by seeking Val's advice about whether to sign on for a new movie. Rob's manager pays Valerie $10,000 to convince Rob to do the film. Jim and Cindy invite Brandon to spend spring vacation in Hong Kong. Brandon hesitates to give his second ticket to Tracy, but she whines until he invites her along. Clare plays a practical joke on Steve to teach him a lesson about his insensitive behavior.

Music: ""Ready to Go"" by Republica

Brandon and Tracy visit Jim in Hong Kong; Cindy is in London helping Brenda cope with mononucleosis. Jim realizes that Brandon still has feelings for Kelly, but Brandon claims that he is not stringing Tracy along. Clare and Steve encourage Kelly to go out instead of moping around the apartment. She gets drunk, flirts with a stranger, and freaks out when she momentarily loses her ring. Steve convinces Kelly to put the ring away. Felice and Donna argue about the proper approach to Dr. Martin's treatment; Felice wants to put him in a rehab center, while Donna insists that he would be better off at home. Valerie breaks her deal with Alan after he has Rob escort a new actress to a party at the After Dark. Rob is angry with Val for accepting money from Alan, but later asks her to become his manager.

Music: ""Brian Wilson,"" ""Life in a Nutshell"" and ""The Old Apartment,"" performed by Barenaked Ladies

Mariah, who has gotten her book published, comes to town to give a lecture at the university's new age festival. She develops an instant connection with Kelly, prompting Tracy to bristle. Tracy criticizes Mariah's theories in a news segment, leading to an argument with Brandon. Tracy refuses to attend a harp concert with Brandon. He sits with Kelly, and they share a kiss afterwards. Clare ruins her computer (and loses a term paper) by knocking coffee onto the hard drive while talking on the phone with Steve. She blames Steve, who shuns her after helping her retrieve the file. Clare sends flowers to Steve during the concert and apologizes. Although Rob receives rave reviews for his performance, the press trashes his movie. He is hurt to learn that it won't receive a nationwide release, and decides to quit acting and move back to Indiana.

Music: ""Dan

Brandon breaks up with Tracy, and he and Kelly decide to go out. Valerie vows to help Tracy win back Brandon. She sends Kelly a phony telegram from Dylan asking her to meet him at the airport. Brandon follows Kelly to the airport and fears that she is still in love with Dylan. Kelly explains that she only cares about Dylan as a friend, and that she wanted to tell him that she loves Brandon. Kelly and Brandon get back together. Steve and Donna perform a comedy skit in a talent show. Donna convinces her mother, who has been running herself ragged caring for Dr. Martin, to get out of the house and come to the show. Donna fears the worst when she sees Felice with the man with whom she once had an affair. Felice explains that the man is a doctor; she was trying to arrange a lecture opportunity for Dr. Martin, as he can no longer perform surgeries. Steve encourages Clare to perform in the talent show, but comes to regret it after hearing her sing. She uses her mother's inspiration to deliver

Clare and Donna feel slighted as Kelly spends all her time with Brandon. Val takes her place at the girls' gymnastics viewing party. She spends the night in Kelly's room because they are all too drunk to drive, and reads her diary. Valerie creates a rift between the roommates by telling Donna and Clare that Kelly said bad things about them. Brandon tries to secure a magic wand from a puppet show host that Kelly liked as a child; she had asked her father to send a letter to the man when she was a little girl, but doesn't think he followed through. Brandon, Steve and David get arrested for auto theft when a disgruntled auto show employee lets them take an electric car for a spin. Brandon gets Kelly the wand, and the host also finds her father's letter. Everyone snubs Valerie, so she decides to create friction between Kelly and her dad by investing money with his firm.

Brandon has to take care of Kelly and Valerie, who are both laid up with the flu. The girls discuss the reasons for their feud, which supposedly dates back to a time when Kelly interrupted a make-out session between Valerie and Brandon. Val blames Kelly for costing her the love of her life, while Kelly insists that she gave Brandon her blessing to date Valerie. Valerie is contacted by Derek Driscoll, a representative from Mr. Taylor's firm. Val tells Brandon that Kelly is hiding the fact that she was accepted to Columbia's graduate school. Kelly declares that she is not leaving town, and decides that Brandon should throw Val out of the house. David convinces Donna to join him at his business meeting in New Orleans, even though she has a class presentation the next day. David thinks that he will score, but gets no further than usual. They oversleep, causing Donna to miss her presentation. Samantha ignores Chancellor Arnold during an evening honoring her sitcom, and eventually dumps him.

Kelly learns that she is pregnant, and has difficulty breaking the news to her mother. Brandon is thrilled, but Kelly isn't sure that she wants the baby. Driscoll suggests that Valerie sell her shares in the club so that she has more money available for investment. Val makes a pass at David, prompting Donna to order him to end their working relationship. Valerie eagerly accepts David's buy-out offer. Clare is saddened by Mother's Day, so Steve tries to take her mind off things by going for a drive. Clare believes that her father cannot handle discussion of her mother, but Steve discovers that he was trying to spare Clare's feelings. He brings them together to reminisce.

Music: ""Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)"" (#2, 1995) and ""For You I Will"" (#4, 1997), performed by Monica

Kelly suffers a miscarriage, and learns that she may not be able to have children. Donna worries about her finals; David adds to her stress by pressuring her to let him move in. Donna panics during a final and runs out of the classroom, costing her a chance to graduate. Professor Langely gives her a second chance by offering an oral final exam. Donna passes easily, and Professor Langely tells her that she has a future in the fashion industry. Rush refuses to give Steve a post-graduation job at one of his companies. Chancellor Arnold accepts a teaching job in France, and Steve fears that Clare will go with him. She decides to stay in Los Angeles and seek a future with Steve. Valerie angers Kelly by meeting with her father. Bill delivers the shocking news that Driscoll is no longer his employee; he has stolen all of Val's money. Kelly again pressures Brandon to evict Val, as she and Brandon plan to live together.

Valerie becomes depressed when her mom, Jim and Cindy all fail to come to graduation. She tries to make amends with Kelly after overhearing her push Brandon to evict her. Val pleads with Steve to lobby Brandon on her behalf, but he still kicks her out. She checks into a motel across the street from the bluff where she once contemplated suicide. Brandon finds a suicide note and learns Val's probable location from David. Donna ponders taking her relationship with David to the next level. David helps Steve and Muntz with a senior prank. Kelly is furious when her father insists on attending her graduation. The gang receives invitations to a special grad party with a ""roaring '20s"" theme. Kelly's sister Joy confesses that Bill is responsible for the event.

The gang has trouble finding work after graduating from college. Steve accepts a position as alumni representative for his fraternity (for a dollar a year). Valerie runs through a series of odd jobs. She tries to convince David to let her manage the club; although the After Dark is in dire straits, he turns her down. David refuses to move in with Donna until she reveals the true nature of their relationship to her mother. Steve alienates Carly Reynolds, the single mother of one of Erin's soccer teammates. She gets fired from her waitress job after a run-in with Steve and his date. Brandon and Kelly struggle to adjust to their new living arrangement. They decide to relax by taking a Hawaiian vacation, although Kelly doesn't want to postpone her new job. Donna seeks work as a second assistant for a designer, and winds up as the woman's only assistant. She is asked to help with a photo shoot in Hawaii, so everyone decides to take a vacation. Kelly backs out of the trip after catching Bran

Kelly undergoes successful surgery and begins to recover from her injuries. Brandon picks the shooter out of a police lineup. Kelly suffers complications and must undergo surgery for a blood clot in her lungs. She wakes up with amnesia. Donna gets a job as a personal shopper for a designer. She tells her mother that David is going to move in with her. Naturally, Felice is not thrilled by the news. Noah and Valerie sleep together, but he has second thoughts the following morning. Carly reconsiders her opinion of Steve after he gets her a job at the Peach Pit. He declares himself to be a sports agent and tries to woo the star of the C.U. women's basketball team. Carly sees Steve with his client and gets the wrong idea.

Music: ""First Time I Met the Blues"" by Buddy Guy

Brandon is heartbroken when Kelly is unable to remember their relationship. Kelly develops a crush on Noah, whose blood donation saved her life. Noah takes Kelly for a stroll on the beach, and she regains some of her memories. Brandon confronts Noah and warns him to stay away from Kelly. The identity of Kelly's shooter comes under scrutiny because the man Brandon picked out did not have gun residue on his hands. Brandon considers a job offer from the Seattle Times. Steve's career as a sports agent comes to an end after he nearly puts Charlotte's career in jeopardy with an illegal gift. Rush gives Steve his own business, a defunct newspaper. Steve wants Brandon to be his editor, but he initially turns him down. Brandon accepts Steve's offer so that he can write, yet remain close to Kelly. Donna panics when she loses her boss's beloved dog en route to the veterinarian. Valerie helps organize Donna when she has trouble keeping track of her clients. Donna decides to make Val her business p

Kelly moves back into the beach apartment. Noah advises her to concentrate on her relationship with Brandon. She follows his advice, but becomes frustrated when she still cannot remember her life with Brandon. Her memories finally return as she reads the first issue of Brandon and Steve's newspaper, The Beverly Beat. A designer offers to purchase Donna's work. As she walks out of the interview, she stumbles onto a sweatshop; a young girl has burned her arm while operating a steam press. Donna and Brandon decide to investigate the story. David manages a rock band and allows the lead singer to crash at the apartment. Donna is put off by the man's rude behavior, and overhears him making an anti-Semitic remark. Noah pushes Val away and admits that he is consumed by thoughts of another woman. Valerie follows him to a spot overlooking the city; he shares that his girlfriend died in a car accident at this location after Noah lost control of the vehicle. Wealthy client Cooper Hargrove shows an

Brandon and Donna discover that Rush owns the building that houses the sweatshop. Although Rush denies any knowledge of illegal activities, Brandon uncovers proof that he owns the clothing factory. Steve accuses Brandon of selling out his father to establish a reputation as an investigative reporter. The woman who spoke with Donna is fired, although she had not revealed anything. She decides to expose the miserable working conditions, prompting Steve to confront his father. Rush admits that he may have known what was going on, and promises to clean up his act. While conducting the investigation, Steve forgets a promise to take Zach to Magic Mountain. David and Donna are kept apart by their busy schedules. David's band, Cain Was Able, continues to behave unprofessionally and make prejudicial remarks. David's credit problems escalate. Kelly fails to identify the shooter from the police lineup. This infuriates Brandon, who is certain that he picked out the right guy. Valerie fills in for

Brandon becomes overly protective of Kelly and displays behavior that borders on the sociopathic. When a man accidentally bumps into Kelly at a movie theater, Brandon imagines gun shots and attacks him. Detective Woods tells Brandon that the guy who shot Kelly is in the hospital. Brandon arrives and learns that the shooter is the man that Kelly described; the guy Brandon identified is the driver, who has been arrested. Brandon makes menacing remarks to the shooter's dead body. David negotiates a record deal for Cain Was Able. Donna shows him the band's new song, which includes racial slurs and encourages white supremacy. The record company executive tells David to let it go, but he refuses to allow the band to perform a showcase at the After Dark. David fights with the band when it tries to take the stage anyway. Donna learns that Valerie stole all of her clients. She tries to get revenge by asking Noah to work at a party in the hopes that he will catch Val with Cooper. Valerie manages

An unenthusiastic Noah discusses his investment portfolio with a business manager. He covers by telling Valerie that the man was a boat owner. Val accepts an invitation to a ball from Cooper and tries to keep Noah away. He shows up to surprise her; both men get mad and dump Valerie. The building owner evicts David for failing to pay the club's rent. He steals a check from Donna and forges her name. Donna takes a job for a woman who she believes is the widow of a major fashion designer. The woman seeks her help in retaining a psychic to ask her dead husband about some hidden jewels. David angers Donna by skipping the ball. Steve escorts Carly to the event, although they have to leave early to tend to an ailing Zach. Kelly fears that she and Brandon are in a rut, so they do it at every conceivable opportunity.

Brandon and Kelly recognize a hooker on a downtown street as Dylan's sister Erica. They call Brenda and learn that Erica vanished after following a boyfriend from Hawaii to Los Angeles. Brandon pays a male prostitute to lead them to Erica, and he and Kelly move her into the house. After convincing Valerie that she can be trusted alone, Erica disappears with all of the gang's valuables. David turns to a loan shark for help with his money problems. Donna discovers that David forged her name on a check. Torn apart by David's deceitful actions, she dumps him and throws him out of the apartment. Steve feels uncomfortable when Zach tricks him into participating in a father-son soccer game. Steve apologizes to Carly for overreacting, and they spend the night together. A woman whom Steve dated over the summer shows up and claims that she is pregnant with his child. Noah refuses to accept Val's apology and resume their relationship. He gets very drunk and is arrested in a bar fight. Brandon bai

Erica is arrested for prostitution and released into Kelly and Brandon's custody. Brandon writes a story about her, but promises to leave her name out of it. The assistant district attorney needs the name of Brandon's source to build a case against Erica's abusive pimp. Despite Kelly's objections, Brandon insists on protecting Erica from possible retribution. Erica stands up to Riggs and helps a friend get off the streets. The assistant district attorney threatens to send Brandon to jail unless he cooperates. Jodi claims that Steve is the only man who could have possibly fathered her child. He tries to convince her to give the baby up for adoption. Carly persuades Steve to take a paternity test. Mel helps David file for bankruptcy and pay back Donna, but he still owes a large debt to the loan shark. Donna spends the day on her parents' boat with Noah while David moves out of the apartment. Valerie catches Donna and Noah kissing and shares the news with David. Sands' thug beats up David

Brandon is arrested for obstructing justice. Erica agrees to participate in a sting operation so that Riggs can be arrested on another charge without her testimony. Riggs gets busted for buying drugs from an undercover cop, and the police pretend to arrest Erica so that he will not suspect her involvement. Iris transfers custody of Erica over to Dylan so that she can live with her brother. A dedicated doctor impresses Kelly when she takes Erica to his hectic clinic. Kelly asks for a transfer to the clinic, where she will help with administrative duties. David moves into the office at the After Dark and accidentally starts a fire. He has lost his insurance and cannot pay for repairs, so the landlord terminates his lease. Donna takes pity on David and asks him to move back into the apartment. He takes her up on her offer, only to see her kissing Noah on the porch after a date. Valerie visits Sands and learns that Noah paid off David's debt. She lashes out at Noah for lying to her, and fo

Dr. Monahan's behavior unnerves Kelly as he checks out her injured shoulder. Brandon insists that Kelly simply felt strange about being examined by an acquaintance, but she later finds reason to believe that Monahan was hitting on her. Kelly suggests that Brandon seek out talented columnist Emma Bennett for the Beat. The woman immediately begins coming on to him. Valerie warns Noah that he may be in over his head trying to manage the After Dark. He comes to agree with her and offers her a job, despite Donna's objections. Felice expresses her disapproval of Donna's relationship with Noah. Hoping to correct Felice's misconceptions about him, Noah buys the Martins' boat for $325,000 in an auction. David takes a job at a clothing store, but quits after just a few days. Donna sees David and Valerie at the mall and becomes jealous. Val suggests that they pretend to date to drive a wedge between Donna and Noah. Steve and Carly have difficulty finding time alone. Carly's mother stuns her by an

Dr. Monahan makes inappropriate advances toward Kelly. When she confronts him, he claims that he has done nothing wrong and accuses her of immaturity. Brandon lies about his whereabouts to Kelly and spends the day with Emma. They kiss after he drives her home. After discovering Brandon's relationship with Kelly, Emma tries to get to him by writing columns about the situation. David begins working at a car wash and befriends a gay teenage co-worker. He tries to convince the boy's parents to take him back, as he is sleeping at the car wash. David and Valerie proceed with their plan to make their exes jealous. Donna becomes upset and throws David out of the apartment, forcing him to move into Valerie's bedroom. Steve performs at the After Dark's comedy showcase. He initially bombs, but quickly recovers. He confesses to Carly that he stole all of the well-received material from Richard Belzer, and shares his history of stupid behavior.

Kelly considers filing sexual harassment charges against Monahan, but does not want to interfere with a fundraiser for the clinic. Monahan makes a pass at her during the event; Kelly talks with a supervisor, who warns that reporting him could cause future employers to label her a troublemaker. Brandon goes to Emma's apartment to pick up a column, and has sex with her. Wracked with guilt, he goes overboard trying to prove himself to Kelly. After Ben's parents reject his Christmas peace offering, he tells David that he plans to move in with an aunt and uncle. David realizes that he is lying and returns to stop him from slashing his wrists. He takes Ben back to the Walsh house, where Valerie convinces him not to give up on life. Ben's parents ask him to come home, and his father vows to try his best to accept him. Val and David realize how much they mean to each other. Noah upsets Donna by pushing her away during the holidays. Steve and a Santa-suit clad Nat help restore Zach's Christmas

Emma is upset to see Kelly wearing a watch that she had given to Brandon. Dr. Monahan forces Kelly out of the clinic. Emma suggests that she expose him, so Kelly turns on the intercom as Monahan makes another pass at her. Brandon barges in, and the foundation immediately fires Monahan, who will be replaced by Donna's father. Brandon asks Emma to leave the newspaper. She records a phone conversation in which he admits to sleeping with her, and uses the tape to blackmail him. Brandon and Steve hire a new assistant, Janet Sosna; and bring David aboard as a music reviewer. Donna is relieved when David reveals that his relationship with Valerie is a sham. David and Val get back together that day, and Donna plans to sleep with Noah as revenge. Noah nixes this idea, but then uses a private concert by Brian McKnight to get her into bed. Valerie cuts a deal with a bookie operating at the After Dark. Carly and Zach move in with Donna while their house undergoes some renovations. Zach inadvertent

Brandon admits his affair to Steve. Steve suggests that they gauge Kelly's reaction by making her the advice columnist and having her respond to a letter about a similar situation. Steve intercepts a call from Emma; Kelly overhears and assumes that he is cheating on Carly. She lectures Steve and advises him to emulate Brandon. Kelly confronts Emma, who stuns her by playing the tape of Brandon's confession. A devastated Kelly breaks up with Brandon and orders him to leave her alone. A young singer accosts David for his scathing review, which resulted in her firing. David realizes that he misjudged her and helps her get a gig at the After Dark. Val buys David a new keyboard after he expresses a desire to return to music. Noah tries in vain to shut down Val's bookmaking operation. Duke sets her up with an undercover cop, and Valerie and Noah get arrested. Carly experiences a nightmarish day as she loses Zach at the mall. A kindly stranger drops off the boy at the security offices.

Music:

Kelly moves in with Donna and Carly. Brandon expects Kelly to immediately take him back and will not give her any space. He gets plastered, staggers over to the apartment, and yells at Kelly. He refuses to leave until she threatens to call the police. Donna gets upset with Noah when he defends Brandon and claims that Kelly should ""get over it."" Brandon chases a minivan that cut him off and tries to attack the driver, a woman who has two children in the car. Noah realizes that Brandon has lost it, and apologizes to Donna. Valerie must perform community service at the clinic as punishment for her bookmaking arrest. Kelly smugly orders her around, so Val tries to get revenge by interfering with her relationship with Brandon. She tears up Brandon's messages and plays matchmaker for Kelly and an intern. Brandon shows up at the apartment late at night, but Kelly is not prepared to give him another chance. Carly's father suffers a heart attack and undergoes quadruple bypass surgery.

Valerie completes her community service, but not before arranging for Brandon to run into Kelly and Jeff during a date. A woman considers calling off her wedding to one of Steve's old frat brothers, and seeks refuge at the Walsh house. She bonds with Brandon over their fractured relationships, and decides to get married after all. Steve observes the couple's commitment to each other and realizes that he must get over Carly; he would have followed her to Montana if he had truly loved her. The keyboardist for Jasper's Law gets into a car accident while driving drunk. He claims that Noah is negligent for serving him too many drinks. David is aware that Mark had been smoking marijuana before the crash, but keeps quiet after Mark threatens to squash his songwriting deal. He finally shares the truth with the group leader, who fires Mark and replaces him with David. Donna loses her job when she stands up to a temperamental child model, but gets it back by dressing up like a clown. Brandon aga

David angers Valerie by moving out of her room and into Carly's old house. She apologizes for her behavior and arranges for a record company executive to watch Jasper's Law perform at the club. The group receives a new record deal, thanks in large part to David's song. Valerie believes that the song is about her, and is hurt to learn that David wrote it for Donna. Donna's grandmother must undergo surgery for an aneurysm. Donna introduces Noah to Mrs. Martin, but she still feels that David is Donna's soulmate. She requests a visit from David and asks him to look out for Donna. Mrs. Martin suffers heart problems after the surgery and soon dies. Val discourages David from attending the funeral, while Noah asks him to spend time with Donna because of their history. Donna and David share a kiss, but decide to remain friends. Kelly meets an ex-convict, who was sentenced to prison at age seventeen for murdering his mother's abusive boyfriend. She asks Brandon to write a story about the man to

Valerie and Noah are not enthused when David's song receives radio airplay. They express their discontent at the amount of time David and Donna are spending together. David and Donna lie about their whereabouts before embarking on a shopping trip. They get into a car accident; Donna injures her back and begins popping painkillers. Val encourages Noah to reach out to his estranged half-brother, Josh. Valerie and Noah believe that their mates are cheating on them and become depressed. Noah gets very drunk, and Josh furtively slips something into Valerie's drink. After Josh is distracted by a phone call, Noah takes Valerie to the office and has sex with her. Val awakens in a daze and feels extremely ill, despite the fact that she had only one drink. David takes her to a doctor, where test results find Rohypnol (the date-rape drug) in her system. David and Valerie race over to the boat and accuse Noah of rape. Kelly spends a romantic Valentine's Day with Jeff. He expresses a willingness to

Valerie presses rape charges against Noah. Kelly and Steve, citing Val's fake pregnancy and abortion, assume that she is lying in an attempt to extort money from Noah. David fights with Steve over his constant sarcastic remarks, and decides to move Val to his house. Donna believes that Noah is innocent, but pushes him away after learning that he did sleep with Valerie. The district attorney declines to file charges due to insufficient evidence; Val files a $10 million civil suit in the hopes of vindication. Josh proposes a $200,000 settlement without consulting Noah, who angrily withdraws the offer. Donna has difficulty keeping up with her work assignments because of her back pain and the effects of the painkillers. Josh supplies her with amphetamines, and she later steals drugs from her father's clinic. Brandon and Steve go on a ride-along with Steve's friend Tammy and her partner. Brandon believes that Tammy's partner used excessive force on a suspect, but decides not to write about

Noah's civil trial begins. His attorney portrays Valerie as a golddigging tramp, and uses the gang's testimony to place Noah in a favorable light. Josh's testimony reflects very badly on Noah, and Val wins the case. Everyone apologizes to Valerie and turns against Noah. While rummaging through Josh's belongings in search of more pills, Donna discovers a prescription for Rohypnol. Josh admits that he drugged Valerie, and Noah offers to help Val build a case against him. David's record company experiences a shake-up. The new reprensentative forces Jasper out of the band and turns over all creative control to David. Jasper accuses David of treachery. Unable to meet her deadline, the disoriented Donna steals designs from a co-worker. Noah finds Donna passed out on her living room floor.

Music: ""This Ain't Going Away,"" performed by Jasper's Law; ""Keep It Together"" by Brian Austin Green

The paramedics revive Donna; she returns home from the hospital quickly, but suffers from withdrawal. Donna is fired after confessing that she plagiarized her co-worker's designs. Noah helps her battle her addiction, and she forgives him for sleeping with Valerie. A teenager abandons her baby outside of the clinic. Kelly cares for the child and tries to convince his mother to take him back. When this fails, she turns the baby over to social services. Kelly decides to apply to become the boy's foster mother. Brandon discovers that the record company paid a radio station to put David's song into rotation. A girl is injured at a concert as fans rush the stage. David quits the band and backs out of his record contract. Josh is sentenced to a year in jail for illegal drug possession. Valerie struggles to overcome memories of the rape and move on with her life. She concludes that neither she nor Noah is to blame for the crime. Steve finds love letters that are intended for another man.

Kelly is upset when a gay couple receives custody of the baby. The teenage mother decides that she wants her son back, but only because she does not want him raised by gay men. Kyle and Gene give the child up without a fight, as they feel this is in his best interests. Kelly comes to believe that they would make better parents than she or Leann, and lobbies the girl to relinquish custody. She eventually agrees after realizing that she cannot care for the child properly. With the newspaper struggling to stay afloat, Steve accepts advertising from a cigarette manufacturer. Brandon becomes indignant and threatens to quit; Steve changes his mind by pointing out all the people he has helped through his writing. After a few dates, Steve finally tells Jill that he is not Ted (the man to whom she had been writing). She refuses to continue seeing him, and he vows to make her happy by finding Ted. David rediscovers his love of music by jamming with his neighbor, a washed-up guitar player who onc

During Valerie's surprise birthday party, Abby announces that she and Bill are engaged. Val and Kelly join forces in the hopes of getting their parents to call off the wedding. They eventually realize that Bill and Abby are happy and decide to support them. Bill disgusts Kelly by backing out of the wedding and leaving her to break the news to Abby. Valerie gives David further insight into her traumatic family history as she tells him that her father sexually abused her. Brandon receives a job offer from a major newspaper, but faces a dilemma when he learns that he is only being hired as a replacement for striking reporters. He returns to the Beat and suggests implementing a health plan for the overworked and underpaid Janet. Steve hesitates to introduce Jill to Ted; she decides that she really likes Steve and comes back to him. When Donna's dresses fail to sell, Noah tries to give her a confidence boost by buying the entire stock himself. She is angry when she uncovers the truth.

Brandon works on a story with a pompous Pulitzer-Prize-winning reporter. Kelly gets a developmentally disabled young man a position at the clinic, where he freaks out after making a minor mistake. Kelly convinces Brandon to let Chris join the reporter and him on the ice at a Los Angeles Kings practice, but Raitt leaves town to work on another story. Brandon helps Chris get a dream job at a friend's ice skating rink. In order to pay his taxes, David takes a job as a jingle writer. A ballad he had written for Valerie ends up in a deodorant commercial. Steve realizes that he and Jill have nothing in common. She dumps him before he has the chance to break things off. Janet has a crush on Steve, but he doesn't seem to get it. Donna discovers that the diamond jewelry that Noah gave her is fake.

The gang prepares for its five-year high school reunion. Andrea returns for the event; after initially pretending that her life is perfect, she reveals that she is divorcing Jesse. Brandon tries to convince her to work things out; but she has already tried every possible solution, even dropping out of medical school to spend more time with her family. Andrea does not want to speak at the reunion, so Brandon takes her place and delivers a speech with the theme ""it's okay to be yourself."" Kelly becomes disgusted when Ross Webber, the guy who humiliated her after she lost her virginity to him, tries to exchange pleasantries. Valerie gives Ross a dressing-down and helps Kelly eradicate some old graffiti about her. Steve is upset that his classmates expect him to bring a bimbo to the reunion. Janet volunteers to be his date to help him change his image. He completely ignores her to chase after a beautiful classmate.

A ""sex shop"" opens in Beverly Hills. Brandon, Steve and David patronize the store, under the guise of covering the controversy for the newspaper. Brandon infuriates Kelly by defending the store and its clientele, and attending a wild bachelor party for Muntz. A misunderstanding causes David and Val to fear that they are having problems with their sex life. Steve decides that he is interested in Janet after she expresses her philosophy on free love. Donna discovers that her assistant, who has very low self-esteem, calms herself by cutting her arms with a razor. She tries to convince her to seek help. Donna asks women of normal measurements to appear in her catalog because she believes that using models would send the wrong message. Kelly is revolted when Jackie opts to get a face lift and Erin frets about calories.

Kelly finds it impossible to trust Brandon as he works late every night for several weeks. Brandon assures Kelly that he will never leave her and suddenly asks her to marry him. They experience doubts, but decide that they are ready for a lifetime commitment. Noah entertains Gwyneth, a longtime friend. She secretly has a crush on him, and kisses him on a ferris wheel. Noah insists that he is not interested in her. David becomes extremely jumpy after being robbed at an ATM. He gets drunk, steals a gun from the After Dark's cash register, and staggers into the alley behind the club. When Noah and Gwyneth try to stop him, he shoots at a dumpster; a bullet richochets and hits Gwyneth in the arm. Donna asks Gwyneth to stay at her apartment because she doesn't trust her around Noah. Valerie learns that she is a match for a leukemia patient in need of a bone marrow transplant.

David dumps Valerie and tells her that the break-up is her fault. Gwyneth admits that she is in love with Noah and seeks Valerie's help to get him away from Donna. Val suggests that she sabotage Donna's fashion show, so Gwyneth spills wine on most of the dresses. Noah orders Gwyneth to leave, but Donna lashes out at him for not ending the friendship. Val has a one-night stand with the fashion show photographer. She soon discovers that he is an intravenous drug user. Brandon and Kelly become overwhelmed by wedding preparations. They try to reunite a refugee with his wife, whom he lost when he was flown from Sarajevo for medical treatment. Sarah tells Steve that she is married, but separated from her husband. She decides to seek marriage counseling while continuing to date Steve. David throws a fit when a clothing store fails to pay him for a jingle.

Valerie confronts Johnny, who insists that he does not share needles and is healthy. David pushes Valerie to get tested for HIV, but she is afraid to learn the truth. She spends all of her time partying because she does not want to confront reality. While Val is out at a club with Noah, they climb onto the roof; she risks her life by walking along a ledge. Noah helps her down when she slips, and she drives him away after discovering a bleeding cut. A strung-out Johnny visits Val at the club and reveals that he is HIV positive. Brandon and Kelly quarrel over wedding details. They cannot pick out a ring, relate a memorable story for David's wedding video, or agree on vows. They fear that their disagreements are more than just the result of nerves. Noah upsets Donna by expressing his lack of faith in the institution of marriage. The wedding caterer saves Donna's life by pushing her out of the path of a runaway pickup truck. Sarah breaks Steve's heart and goes back to her husband.

Brandon and Kelly sleep together the night of the aborted wedding. Brandon considers their night together a mistake, while Kelly realizes that she wishes they had married after all. A lonely Brandon goes to Kelly's apartment in search of comfort and ends up staying the night. He then rejects Kelly's suggestion that they go on their honeymoon, and declares that he wants to move on. After her HIV test comes back negative, Valerie annoys everyone with her new policy of brutal honesty. David takes her cue and issues an ultimatum to his boss, who cuts him loose. David suspects that Val is pushing everyone away to punish herself for some reason. Valerie makes a stunning confession about her father's death. He did not commit suicide; she murdered him. Donna goes against Noah's wishes by accepting an invitation to have dinner with his parents on Mr. Hunter's birthday. The evening proves to be a disaster, just as Noah had predicted. His father later visits the club and reveals that his company

After learning that the clinic may lose funding, Kelly asks Brandon to write a story to generate publicity. They try to collaborate on the article, but find that working together is too painful. Kelly organizes an auction to raise money for the clinic. She models her wedding gown in the fashion show portion of the event, and Brandon outbids everyone for a date with her. Brandon and Kelly take a walk on the beach and decide that they are through. The clinic must still cut back its staff (even after the fundraiser), so Kelly resigns. Although David believes that Valerie killed her father in self-defense and should move on, she insists on bringing her mother to town to discuss the situation. When Val tries to confess, she learns that Abby knew of the abuse prior to her husband's death. She did not take any action because she believed that Victor would seek help. Valerie finds a connection with Abby's fiancé, an ex-policeman.

Abby announces that she and Carl are planning to elope in Las Vegas, and asks Val to be her maid of honor. Valerie bonds with Carl during an evening at the casino, and sleeps with him the night before the wedding. A depressed Kelly begs Val to let her tag along on the trip because she believes that Brandon is seeing someone else. She has a good time gambling and hanging out with a stranger, until the sight of a woman in a wedding dress brings her back to reality. Noah develops an obsession with his father's gun after the police return it to him. He drinks heavily and causes an embarrassing scene at the Martins' 25th wedding anniversary party. While working on Mr. Hunter's obituary, Brandon begins to fear that he will never have any meaningful accomplishments. He meets with a reporter from a New York paper, who sets up a job interview. A woman helping Donna pursue an account poses as her business partner, then steals her designs to get an in-house position with the client. Steve catches

Carl decides to annul his marriage to Abby because he believes that he has a future with Valerie. Valerie comes clean with her mother about her night with Carl, and confesses to killing her father. Despite Val's claims of self-defense, Abby plans to turn her in. Kelly stops at a newsstand to ogle a handsome man at a nearby table. Kelly notices that a store is for lease and decides that she and Donna should open a boutique. While looking over the space, she meets attorney Matt Durning (the guy she was checking out). Noah cannot bring himself to deliver his father's eulogy. He is arrested for drunk driving that night, and Kelly suggests that Matt represent him. Noah receives a fine and probation and is ordered to attend alcohol counseling. Kelly learns that Matt is building a child custody case for a wife beater whose spouse she once helped at the clinic. Matt insists that everyone has the right to representation, but Kelly blows him off. Steve gives Sophie a column for the Beat. The pap

Brandon announces that he has accepted a job with the Washington bureau of the New York Chronicle. Kelly and Donna prepare to open their store, Now Wear This. Brandon becomes unnerved by the realization that Kelly is getting on with her life, and feels threatened by Matt's presence. Kelly meets with Leah, who explains that she returned to Lenny after learning that she was pregnant, but left again when he threatened her life. Although Kelly insists that she doesn't need his help, Brandon writes a story about the custody case. Brandon decides that he wants to stay in Los Angeles, but Kelly urges him to take the job and pursue his dreams. The gang throws a surprise going-away party for Brandon. Before departing, he convinces his parents to let Steve, Val and Noah stay in the house. Donna turns to Matt for comfort as she and Noah drift further apart. Valerie seeks legal advice from Matt. She explains that the killing was an accident, but Matt warns that a jury may not agree. Abby tells Val

Lenny receives joint custody of his daughter. After he explodes in a rage during his first visit, Kelly decides to help Leah and her daughter skip town and assume a new identity. Lenny follows them, realizes what they are planning, and attacks Leah. Matt, bothered by a guilty conscience, helps Leah obtain the necessary identification to start her new life. Valerie elects to throw a massive rave as a farewell party before turning herself in to the police. David calls Abby to inform her of Val's plans, and she intercepts her daughter at the police station. She pleads with Val not to confess and offers forgiveness, insisting that she is to blame for not intervening on Valerie's behalf. Unable to communicate with Noah, Donna begins dating Matt. She hurts Matt's feelings by ignoring him during Val's party to tend to the inebriated Noah. Noah breaks a promise to Donna by skipping a court-mandated AA meeting and continuing to drink. Sophie tries her hand at waitressing after a disastrous phot

As Kelly and Valerie pack Brandon's belongings for shipment, Kelly discovers a letter in which Val advised Brandon not to marry her. She turns everyone against Val and gets them to boycott her Thanksgiving gathering. Hoping to help Kelly understand Valerie's behavior, David details her troubled childhood. Although Val is not interested in her pity, Kelly insists on helping with Thanksgiving dinner. Kelly and Valerie establish another truce, but Valerie suddenly announces that she is moving back to Buffalo. She apologizes for all the trouble she caused, and thanks everyone for their friendship before leaving. David has a one-night stand with an apparent groupie, unaware that she is just seventeen years old. He faces statutory rape charges after the girl confesses to her parents. Noah blacks out while driving drunk and crashes his car. He fears that he may have been involved with a hit-and-run, and turns himself in. Donna's cousin Gina comes to town with an ice show. She loses her job an

David is arrested for statutory rape and gets suspended from his radio show. Dylan bails him out of jail, then learns from Mrs. Teasley that Denise is a troubled girl who receives little attention from her parents. Dylan confronts Denise's parents and--speaking from his own experience as a neglected teen--explains that their daughter's actions are a cry for help. Denise drops the charges. David thanks Dylan by offering him a place to stay, as Dylan recently sold his house. Steve bristles at the news that his mother is dating her much younger co-star. Steve sees the man kissing another woman at the After Dark and starts a fight. Samantha reveals that she is not seeing the man; she is actually gay. Matt experiences a lull in his business and cannot pay his rent. Steve offers to let him move into the house in exchange for legal services for the Beat. Kelly's grandfather, who suffers from emphysema, refuses to undergo an operation that could prolong his life. After Kelly tells him that Jac

After Kelly's grandfather nearly dies of pneumonia, she reluctantly gives the doctors permission to hook him up to a ventilator. Jackie and Kelly realize that the machines are taking away Ed's dignity without improving his condition. They decide to bring him home to spend his remaining time with his family. Kelly grows angry with Matt when he takes a case defending a tobacco company. He drops the case and quits smoking to impress Kelly, but she kisses Dylan. Donna agrees to let a troubled fifteen-year-old girl buy a dress on layaway. The girl's fellow gang members convince her to slice up the dress and return it as damaged goods. Sonia later apologizes and offers to work off her debt at the store. Dylan takes his bullet-riddled Porsche out of storage. He impresses Gina by coming to her defense when a drunk harasses her at the club. Dylan catches the guy and his friends vandalizing the Porsche; he gets a knife away from one of them and threatens to kill him. Dylan suffers nightmares abo

Dylan whisks Kelly away to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for the day. He buys her a hollow statue so that he can smuggle drugs back into the U.S. Kelly rejects Dylan and decides to focus on her relationship with Matt. Dylan promptly takes Gina to Mexico, and again smuggles heroin in a statue. When the statue ends up locked inside the boutique after hours, Dylan seduces Gina to get it back. Sonia and her boyfriend spend the night at Donna's store. One of Sonia's friends pulls a knife on her and warns her to stay away from her man. The store is robbed, and everyone believes that Sonia committed the crime to acquire enough money to escape the gang. She later reveals that she endured a beating to keep her friends from robbing the store, and a security guard actually committed the crime. Sonia thanks Donna for helping her get out of the gang. Steve mistakenly pledges $1000 per hour for an AIDS dance-a-thon at the club; he wanted to donate a total of one thousand dollars. He tries to keep his costs

Gina finds heroin in Dylan's jacket. He throws out his stash to prove himself, but continues to get high. Dylan tries to visit Toni's grave, only to find that it has been moved. He buys a gun and heads for Marchette's house in the hopes of learning the new location. Kelly balks at sleeping with Matt. She helps out with David's radio show and advises listeners to take relationships slowly. She promptly spends the night with Matt. Steve puts on a seminar offering techniques on how to pick up women. His students express dissatisfaction at their results, but David scores with a line about a dead grandmother. Gina stirs up trouble between Donna and her mother.

Music: ""One Week"" by Barenaked Ladies (#1, 1998)

Dylan storms into the Marchette mansion and holds a couple at gunpoint. They tell him that they purchased the house from Marchette's estate; he committed suicide a few weeks after Toni's death. Gina pushes Dylan away when he continues to use heroin. The cops pull him over on suspicion of breaking and entering, and find drugs and a gun on his bike. He calls Gina from jail and begs her to bring him drugs, as he cannot handle withdrawal. Steve's students demand a refund and take him to small-claims court. The case is heard on the television show Judge Mary. Although Steve loses, he believes that the publicity will help his business. David's new girlfriend dumps him after hearing him testify about using a pick-up line to seduce her. Donna and Noah house-sit for the Martins in order to gain some privacy. They invite their friends over for a barbecue. Matt brings Dylan to the party and suggests that he admit his drug problem to everyone. Gina reluctantly gives Dylan heroin, then stalks off w

Donna is not seriously injured, and forgives Dylan for the accident. Dylan's friends encourage him to check into rehab. Kelly acts very pushy and suggests that Gina and Matt are responsible for Dylan's problems. Dylan sneaks out the bathroom window and attempts to go through withdrawal on his own. Kelly finds him lying on her doorstep and takes him to the hospital. Matt cuts a deal with the district attorney to keep Dylan out of jail, but isn't sure that he deserves another chance. Dylan goes into cardiac arrest and has to be revived through a defibrillator. Kelly realizes that she must back off and learn to respect Gina's relationship with Dylan. Matt receives a surprising call from a woman in New York. Donna designs a gown for a famous singer to wear to a nationally televised awards show. She fears that she is ruined when the woman looks like a wreck (with uncombed hair and garish accessories). However, the teenagers who emulate the singer soon flock to Donna's store. Steve gets into

Matt flies to New York to visit Lauren, who has spent the past three years in a mental institution. She returns to Los Angeles with Matt, but he is reluctant to introduce her to Kelly. David and Gina see the couple kissing on the street. Kelly angrily breaks up with Matt, then decides that she will fight for him. Matt informs Kelly that Lauren is his wife. Dylan performs community service on a road crew. He objects to the tyrannical foreman's treatment of one of the other workers, an upstanding family man. Dylan gets into a fight with the foreman; he must smooth things over to spare his friend from an unfair punishment. Dylan angers Gina by confiding in his sponsor while shutting Gina out. David meets a woman who may be his perfect match, but she seems to have stood him up. Steve and Donna engage in a war of practical jokes with Noah after they catch him cheating at strip poker.

Music: ""Jumper"" by Third Eye Blind (#5, 1999)

Although he loves Lauren and feels obligated to help her readjust to society, Matt expresses a desire to stay with Kelly. Kelly tries to maintain her relationship with Matt, but realizes she must bow out following a plea from Lauren. Donna becomes furious upon discovering old photos of Gina kissing Noah at the amusement park. She agrees to pose as David's girlfriend at a business function, where they keep up appearances by kissing for a photograph. They later kiss in David's truck. Donna feels guilty and forgives Noah; Gina drops hints suggesting that she slept with him. Steve discovers an irregular mole and fears that he may have skin cancer. He vows to turn his life around and apologizes for taking Janet for granted. She sleeps with him, but he returns to his old ways after tests come back negative. Dylan tries to keep his mind off drugs by having sex with Gina in public places.

Music: ""My Own Worst Enemy"" by Lit; ""Declarat

Lauren suffers a reaction to her medication. She learns that she will die if she continues to take her medication; without the pills, her schizophrenia will resurface. Lauren prepares to return to the institution, but Matt proposes that they illegally obtain more pills and spend their remaining weeks together on a second honeymoon. Kelly stops sulking about Matt long enough to buy Dylan a classic car to lift his spirits. Gina becomes extremely jealous. Donna breaks up with Noah after he confesses to sleeping with Gina. Gina later reveals that they did not have sex. Donna insults her and refuses to forgive Noah. She co-hosts David's radio show for a night and reminisces about the good times. David shows up on Donna's doorstep, and they share a passionate kiss. Steve and Janet take a pair of troubled teens on a camping trip. While trying to counsel the bickering kids, Steve and Janet end up seeking romantic advice. Janet accidentally lets her feelings for Steve slip out. They spend the n

Kelly and Dylan agree to go to Mexico and obtain medication for Lauren. Kelly has second thoughts about their mission. She sleeps with Dylan, then decides that she doesn't want to buy the drugs. Dylan confuses Kelly when he starts babbling about their relationship to the customs official. Dylan explains that he got the medicine, and needed to distract the customs official to keep him from searching the car. Lauren elects not to take the pills, as she would rather return to the institution and hope for a cure. She asks Kelly to watch over Matt and help him get on with his life. Donna agrees to a date with the persistent David. She rejects Noah's pleas for a reconciliation and asks for time to make a decision. Gina discovers that her mother spent most of the money she earned skating as a minor. Donna encourages her to sue the trustee who failed to protect her interests, and is stunned to find that it is Felice. Janet hides her relationship with Steve from her father, who only wants her t

Gina decides to sue Felice for $1.1 million for the money her mother misspent and ""pain and suffering."" Donna, torn apart by her family's bickering, runs crying to Noah. She doesn't believe that David has a right to be angry, but later apologizes and claims that he is just lonely. He follows her advice and uses his radio show to field offers from potential girlfriends. He loses track of the woman who most interests him, and eventually discovers that she works for a cleaning service that cleans the club. Donna convinces her mother to repay Gina the $60,000 she lost. Gina and Bobbi had actually orchestrated a scam to rip off Felice; they celebrate their success. Matt learns that Lauren has filed for divorce. Kelly wants to take things slowly, but cannot stay away from Matt. Dylan nearly dies in a Jet Ski accident. He tries to track down the guy who revived him.

Noah faces foreclosure after failing to make his mortgage payments on the Peach Pit/After Dark building. He accepts an offer from a restaurant owner willing to pay much higher rent, and decides to terminate Nat's lease. Noah ignores a warning from Dylan, who buys the building so that Nat can stay. Claudia reveals that her visa will soon expire; David vows to help her stay in the country. When a job offer falls through, David agrees to marry Claudia. As a promotion, Steve has a man dress up as a leprechaun and promises a ""pot of gold"" to the person who catches him. A butcher takes the offer seriously and demands a reward, then pulls out a knife when Steve is unable to pay. The man breaks down in tears and explains that his son needs heart surgery. The paper helps finance the operation, thanks to donations sent in by readers touched by the man's plight. Kelly and Donna clash when Kelly hires a public relations guru to attract more attention to the store.

David and Claudia proceed with plans for their wedding, and attempt to document their relationship to avoid suspicion. Claudia realizes that David is having doubts; she elects to return to Venezuela and apply for another visa. Dylan rigs a raffle so that Kelly can have the opportunity to meet her favorite singer. Gina goes to the man's hotel room, claiming to be Kelly. She spends the night at the hotel to make Dylan jealous, although she later insists that nothing happened. Kelly helps Matt film a television commercial to solicit new clients. Matt fears that Kelly does not like him for himself, and suspects that she is hung up on Dylan. Donna designs costumes for a production at West Beverly, where an acquaintance accuses the drama teacher of molesting her during her teen years. Donna does not believe her claims, until the woman explains that she drove Donna away from the drama class to protect her. Donna and Ashley take action after discovering that the teacher made inappropriate adva

Dylan accompanies Matt to a pool hall and helps him hustle a client who refused to pay his bill. The guys return to the pool hall with Gina and Kelly the next day, and get into a brawl. The foursome's newfound friendship comes to an end after a magician hypnotizes Kelly during his act. He asks her with whom she would want to be stranded on a deserted island, and she replies, ""Dylan McKay."" Matt is angry, but decides that it isn't a big deal. Gina slaps Kelly and runs out of the club. A man tries to attack her with a knife; she escapes, but Kelly and Dylan do not believe Gina's story until the police catch her attacker. Kelly apologizes and promises to stay away from Dylan. Gina makes plans to spend time with Olympic gold medallist Oksana Baiul, a friend from her skating days, only to find that she is instead being hired as a housesitter. Donna's parents announce that they are separating. Donna blames her mother until Felice reveals that Dr. Martin is the one who wants the separation.

Kelly and Dylan run into each other at the market and share a cup of coffee. They subdue a man who tries to attack a pregnant woman and her child, and help the woman get to the hospital to have her baby. When the press approaches Kelly, she identifies Steve as the hero because she and Dylan don't want to admit that they were together. Steve initially relishes the attention, but soon suffers from a guilty conscience. He confronts Kelly and Dylan and states that everyone can tell that they want each other. Kelly plans to tell Matt the truth, while Dylan considers breaking up with Gina. Gina receives an offer to become a skating commentator, but loses the job (partially because of Matt's hardball negotiating technique). Matt apologizes and offers Gina work as his assistant. Dylan cannot bring himself to break up with Gina while she is in this vulnerable state. Kelly tells Matt that Dylan was the hero, but stops short of disclosing the fact that she slept with Dylan in Mexico. Noah reveals

Kelly and Matt babysit Erin, and have sex in the living room after she goes to sleep. They do not realize that Mel and Jackie have set up a video camera to observe prospective nannies with Erin. Erin switches the tape with a copy of ""There's Something About Mary,"" and the illicit video ends up in Dylan and Gina's hands. Dylan becomes furious, prompting Gina to suspect that he still has feelings for Kelly. She believes that Dylan is trying to overcompensate by arranging a private concert by Monica, and tricks him into admitting that he slept with Kelly in Mexico. Matt breaks up with Kelly, who reminds him that he was married at the time. He forgives her after she insists that she never revealed the truth because she did not want to add to his woes. Donna asks Wayne, a good-looking pro beach volleyball player, to model her new line of men's wear.

David comforts a drunken and depressed Gina outside the After Dark, and she responds with a kiss. David and Dylan spend the weekend in Las Vegas, where Dylan has a one-night stand, but lets the woman believe that he wants to see her again. David, disgusted by Dylan's behavior, gives the woman their address when she inquires about a visit. She shows up just as Dylan and Gina are on the verge of getting back together. Dylan believes that David is in love with Gina and shouts that he can have her, unaware that she is standing outside. Dylan apologizes and tells Gina that she should find a man who is capable of a relationship. Kelly arranges some dental work for Gina; Mel notices decay that indicates that she is bulimic, but Gina denies her problem. Matt shows Noah a report that proves that Mr. Hunter was aware that a new partnership would harm the environment. A devastated Noah decides to help Matt prepare the case. They discover a memo that exonerates Noah's father, as he demanded that t

Kelly receives medical treatment and files a police report. She tells Dylan what has happened, and stays over at his house for several nights. She also confides in Donna, but cannot bring herself to tell Matt. He notices her odd behavior and suspects that she is seeing Dylan. Kelly receives counseling from a rape crisis center, but still feels extremely vulnerable. Dylan gets her a gun. Matt helps a thief gain his release through a technicality. His client is the same man who raped Kelly, and they nearly run into each other. Although Dylan warns that she is still fragile, David asks Gina on a date. He supports her as she tries out for a spot in an ice show. Gina does not emerge for her audition; she has passed out in the bathroom after purging. Wayne asks Donna to accompany him to Acapulco for a volleyball tournament. She turns him down because she does not want to shake up her life. After one of his photographs receives acclaim, Steve tries to impress Janet by becoming a professional

Kelly tells Matt about the rape. Dylan puts up a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the rapist. Some men try to ambush him and take the money, but Matt helps chase them away. Joe asks Matt to help him file a lawsuit charging police brutality. He goes to Now Wear This and finds Kelly working alone. When she recognizes him, he locks the door and brandishes a knife. She pulls her gun out of her purse and fires off a round of shots. Noah breaks up with Donna because he does not trust her. Believing that Donna's behavior stemmed from concern for Kelly, he comes over to apologize. He finds that she has slept with Wayne, and refuses to give her another chance. Wayne leaves for the summer to play in a series of tournaments. However, he then takes a job in Los Angeles and tells Donna that he wants to be with her. Gina confides in David about her bulimia and seeks refuge at his house. David erupts after finding Gina in bed with Dylan. Steve and Janet throw a party to celeb