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 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.