Two parishioners entreat Eric to take their suffering dog to the vet to be put down. Matt catches Mary in a lip-lock with Michael Towner in a most unlikely place. When caught, Mary gets into a big fight with Matt because he's always intruding in her life. After a night of cooling off and a talk with Sgt. Michael's and each other (Matt and Mary), things go back to normal. Simon and Lucy double date together with birthday girl Deena and her older brother who is visiting. The dates are a success.

Eric and Annie put on their counseling hats when a very pregnant Julie appears on their doorstep prepared to leave her new husband Hank. Eric decides to take Hank out to dinner to discuss their issues. While they are at dinner, a very pregnant Julie goes into early labor. Unable to transport her to the hospital because Simon and Mary are out to dinner and Lucy is on a date, Annie does her best to calm Julie down. Hank and Eric return to the house just in time for the birth. Julie delivers a baby girl. Grateful for Eric's effort, Julie names the baby after him: Erica. Meanwhile, Lucy is disappointed when her date expects her to be 'the man', and Simon attracts the attention of an older female admirer.

When Ginger pays the Camden family a visit, she informs Eric and Annie that her father is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. At first, Annie can't believe it, but after observing him in the backyard and not paying attention to a fire in the barbecue, Annie realizes the truth. Meanwhile, Mary and Eric can't see eye-to-eye on her relationship with Robbie, but they soon agree to compromise. When Mary informs Robbie of the plan, he tells her that it won't work between them. Fortunately for Mary, Robbie changes his mind after talking to Eric in the local grocery market. Also, Lucy gets into trouble after blowing off a Habitat for Humanity project to go on a date, and is caught. Meanwhile, Matt is consumed with depression due to Shana's upcoming move to New York. By this, Matt pays no attention to Simon, who just wants to spend time with his big brother. Also, Ruthie makes a vast millenium preparations until Eric provides her with a more grounded perspective.

Eric and Annie are excited to learn that their family is being profiled in their local newspaper, until the reporter interviews the kids and gets more of an expose for the innocuous story than he was expecting. Meanwhile, a co-worker slanders Matt's reputation at work. Matt's roommate, John confronts a politician for misquoting an African American inspirational leader. Also, a classmate of Ruthie's plagiarizes one of her stories for a class competition. Inspirational gospel singer Sandi Patty (""Artist of My Soul"") guest-stars in a cameo role.

Eric and Annie desperately try to figure out how Mary managed to pay her credit card bill while the kids team up to throw them off the scent. When the parents vs. children game finally breaks down, drastic changes happen. After learning that Mary stole from the twins to pay her bills, Eric and Annie come to the heart-breaking realization that they must take drastic action to help their misguided daughter and to protect and preserve the family. The Camden's gather to confront Mary with their feelings of hurt and betrayal and their conclusion to send her away to Buffalo with ""The Colonel"" and Grandma Ruth.

Matt, Lucy, Simon and Ruthie are banished to the garage apartment after protesting Annie's decision to give the place to Mary, but then the roommates begin voting each member vies for sole ownership. Meanwhile, Eric and Annie are not seeing eye-to-eye on Mary's situation as she is now returning home and is wondering on what's next in her life. Robbie is nervous about meeting his new girlfriend's parents.