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

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

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

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

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

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.