After returning from a two-month trip to Europe with a new look and shorted hairstyle, Julia finds herself in uncharted territory with her new husband, Griffin, who in his opinion realizes that absence definitely makes the heart grow weirder. Meanwhile, Bailey is facing the consequences of the drunk-driving accident that put Sarah in the hospital when he's arrested after Sarah's powerful, revenge-seeking parents officially charge him with drunk driving. Claudia decides to try out for a cheerleader during her first day at Grant High School, but ends up becoming the school mascot instead. Also, Charlie finds some complications when he finds Owen dressing in girls clothing fearing that Owen is developing a bond with his pre-school teacher Jenny. Written by Anonymous

Bailey's trial for D.U.I. begins with him preparing for the worst, the rest of the family ready to mortgage their house for their legal defense, and Sarah telling Bailey that she's willing to lie on the witness stand for him. Meanwhile, Charlie deals with vicious rumors about Owen's teacher abusing her students which are running among the parents of Owen's classmates. Griffin's visiting sailor friend, Shuyler, arrives at his and Julia's apartment and almost immediately causes tension between all of them. Also, Claudia develops a crush on Reed, a school football player whose affections she tries to win with D.H. Lawrence's poetry. Written by Anonymous

Sarah finds herself on her own after walking away from her parents over what they did to Bailey who finds himself constantly haunted by his past when word of his criminal record spreads and keeps him from getting any job. Claudia also worries about being an outcast in school after a speech Bailey has to give. Meanwhile, Griffin begins having cash-flow problems at the garage, but keeps them to himself knowing of his long reputation as a loser. While Charlie tries dating again, he gets angry at Julia over her and Griffin's presence. Written by Anonymous

Bailey and Sarah settle down as platonic roommates and building managers in their new apartment, and they almost immediately get complaints from an irate tenant named Annie, a recently divorced single mother who's also a recovering alcoholic. At her new job, enthusiasm over working as a history museum's curator gets Julia in a complex situation with the museum director, Daniel, when Julia makes the mistake of giving him the wrong signals. Meanwhile, Charlie becomes smitten with Nina, a zoo cage animal feeder whom he meets at the local supermarket, but a sudden bout of the flu from Charlie puts a damper on their evening. Also, school mascot Claudia practically knocks herself out to please Reed during football practice. Written by Anonymous

Julia thinks her on-the-job troubles are the result of her admittance to Daniel that she is married. But later, more troubles ensues when Griffin pays an unexpected visit to the museum and learns from Daniel about Julia's flirtation with him. Meanwhile, Bailey's attention to Annie leaves Sarah feeling alone and abandoned when he gives Annie part of their rent money. Also, Charlie can't seem to find anything good with his life, despite his blossoming relationship with Nina. When the restaurant is closed down for repairs, Charlie sulks about it. Written by Anonymous

As Charlie prepares the restaurant for a grand reopening, he's hit with a big surprise when his former girlfriend, Kirsten, suddenly shows up which causes some friction with Nina. Meanwhile, Bailey's AA sponsor tells him that he may be heading for a fall as he looks to Annie for companionship. Griffin tries to feel like part of the Salinger family by repairing the restaurant jukebox. Also, Claudia gets Reed a job at Griffin's garage, but he continues to remain oblivious to her crush on him. Written by Anonymous

During planning for Julia's long-put-off wedding party, Charlie, despite claiming that he's all right, collapses on a racquetball court in which he goes to the hospital where he is diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. Meanwhile, Kirsten's husband Paul, a medical grad student, clashes with Charlie who becomes jealous about his past with her. Griffin continues to keep his financial problems from Julia when the opening of a new repair shop on the block throws a rock into his business plans which bring threats from his silent partner/loan shark, Howie, over not paying up for a loan. Also, Sarah's dating plans with her new boyfriend, Elliott, don't set well with a lonely Bailey which makes him look to Annie once again. Written by Anonymous

Julia and Griffin's wedding celebration at the house is fraught with disaster and doubts which include Griffin's unexplained absence, and Annie's seven-year-old daughter, Natalie, eating part of the wedding cake and getting stuck in the bathroom, while Claudia videotapes each crisis for her amusement. Meanwhile, Charlie confides in Nina about his health. But Nina soon reveals her denial about Charlie's illness in which he finally breaks up with her, leaving him feeling more frightened and alone than ever. As the long day comes to a close, Julia is left with more uncertainty about her marriage after Griffin finally tells her about his business troubles and his shady business dealings. Also, Bailey wonders if Annie is the right woman for him while observing Sarah with her date. Written by Anonymous

Charlie finally tells, individually, the rest of his siblings about his illness. But he turns to Kirsten as he begins to feel increasingly sick, angry and frightened and unable to cope with Claudia's inquisitiveness, Bailey's awkward effort to bond, and Julia's selfishness. Meanwhile, Griffin's financial problems begin to take its toll on him and Julia in which they are evicted from their apartment over late rent payments. Written by Anonymous

Charlie begins radiation treatment and soon experiences unusual and accompanying side effects. But he won't hear of others trying to offer him a hand with daily tasks. Meanwhile, Bailey's gestures to help Annie find a more decent job only upsets her because she doesn't feel comfortable with someone running her life. Julia gets a new job as a $200-a-week intern at a magazine agency which does little to improve her and Griffin's financial problems after they decide to move into the Salinger garage. Also, Claudia tries becoming more close to Reed during an outing for groceries. Written by Anonymous

At Christmas time, Sarah and Bailey host a tree-trimming party at their apartment where Bailey's friend, Will, arrives for a visit and discovers that he and Bailey now live in separate lives due to Baily being with an older woman and his lack of party spirit. Julia's former boyfriend, Justin Thompson, also arrives for a visit where he tells her about his Ivy League college life, which prompts Julia to lie to him about her so-called successful life. Meanwhile, Charlie, at his doctor's advice to recharge, accompanies Kirsten on a long-distance road trip. Written by Anonymous

Charlie continues to feel weaker from chemotherapy, and when at a point of total weakness, he asks help at home and at the restaurant, putting Bailey in charge of Salingers. But a hapless Julia, taking charge of the household chores while working her new job as a waitress at the restaurant, has a miserable time, in which Bailey has to let her go from the restaurant. Meanwhile, Claudia seeks companionship with Reed to get away from the household problems, but when she finally tells him her true feelings for him, he coldly pushes her away. Also, Charlie decides to help Sarah with a college project in building a miniature theater set. Written by Anonymous

With Kirsten's help, an ever increasing sickly Charlie meets with an herbalist and even tries out meditation which seems to help his state of mind, but not his cancer. Julia and Griffin, unable to help each other during crises, come to realize the distance between them due to Julia's busy work schedule and Griffin's continuing back luck at his bike shop over loss of business and confiscation of his property over not paying up on the rent. Meanwhile, Bailey tries to seek more time to be with Annie, while she ponders whether or not to tell her seven-year-old daughter, Natalie, about her and Bailey. Also, Claudia tries more than ever to get Reed to like her, but to no avail for he clearly states that he's not interested in her, leaving her more alone and sad than ever when no one else at home wants to listen to her problems. Written by Anonymous

Inspired by his friendship with Kevin, a fellow cancer patient, Charlie embraces a new attitude and adds some adventure to his life by going with Kevin to a batting cage and planning a fishing trip and hand-gliding which takes both Julia and Claudia by surprise. Meanwhile, Julia becomes friendly with a co-worker, name Jennie, at her new typist temp job, while her marital difficulties with Griffin become a battle zone. Sarah also has problems with her boyfriend, Elliot, whom she fears that he's losing interest in her. Also, Bailey tries to bond with Annie's daughter, Natalie, even though the youngster wants nothing to do with him. Written by Anonymous

Kevin's joyous reaction to his latest news about his cancer in remission does nothing to quiet Charlie's fears. Meanwhile, Griffin's pipe dreams over saving his failing bike shop leaves Julia with a lot of doubts about putting on a TV commercial with her as the spokes person. Elliot soon regrets revealing his true feelings to Bailey that he may be gay, which leaves him in a dilemma over whether or not to tell Sarah. Also, Claudia is hard-pressed to complete a school assignment on a time capsule that requires her to look to the future. Written by Anonymous

Charlie prepares himself for the worst after he's hospitalized for pneumonia and begins to lose hope in his will to live. Kirsten then tells her husband, Paul, that she cannot go away on a vacation with him and must be by Charlie's side. Bailey, overwhelmed by responsibilities to Annie, managing the restaurant, and going to college, comes to a major decision when he decides to quit school. Meanwhile, Claudia begins to retreat into a world of truancy as a result of being ignored by her siblings who are giving all their attention to the sickly Charlie. Also, Griffin finally cuts his losses and decides to sell his bike shop to get rid of his and Julia's debts. Written by Anonymous

With Charlie still in the hospital, Bailey and Julia continue to remain oblivious to what's happening on the home front due to their continuing life problems and daily visits to the hospital to be with Charlie. As a result, Claudia and Owen end up what most people consider neglected. When a visiting Social Services man makes a routine visit and finds Claudia and Owen alone, and the house in a drastic state of disarray, he has them removed to the state services. Meanwhile, Charlie makes out a living will and asks Kirsten a major favor: to care for Claudia and Owen if he dies when she agrees to look after them for Social Services. But Paul tells Kirsten that he's against the idea of raising someone else's children. Griffin begins his new job at his former bike shop, now an auto repair garage, and tries to help the attractive manager, Rosalie, make a deadline to repair one motorcycle. Written by Anonymous

Bailey slowly discovers Annie's relapse into alcoholism on the 2nd anniversary of her sobriety, which also threatens his sobriety as well. Julie rediscovers the academic world in a college literature class she begins taking to cover for Bailey. With Julia away, Griffin discovers he can no longer fight his growing attraction to Rosalie and caves into her advances towards him. But Julia later becomes more angry than ever when she discovers a love note that Rosalie wrote to Griffin. Meanwhile, Claudia gets help from a psychologist over her depression and uncertainty which leads her to ask Charlie to spend more time with her in teaching her how to drive a car. Written by Anonymous

Bailey and Julia join an anxious Charlie for a weekend getaway at their parents winter vacation cabin at Lake Tahoe as he awaits the results of a crucial batch of medical tests. While a worried Charlie wonders if he will live, the getaway gives Bailey an opportunity to escape Annie's overwhelming neediness for him, and for Julia to seek a way to forget about Griffin's suspected infidelity with Rosalie. Back in San Francisco, Kirsten cares for Owen and Claudia who's concerned about Charlie's well being. Here, Claudia tells Kirsten that she's strongly considering going to a boarding school back east to get away from her troubled, long-neglected life. A frustrated Griffin spends more time than ever with Rosalie to forget about Julia. Also, Sarah tries to talk to a reluctant Annie about her drinking after finding her passed out on her apartment floor. Written by Anonymous

After Charlie receives good news of his cancer in remission, he wants to celebrate with his siblings and even invites Kirsten and the former restaurant owner, Joe, over to celebrate. But it's a chance meeting with a stripper, named Daphne, that brings a change to Charlie's life. Meanwhile, Julia wants to start her marriage over with Griffin. But he feels so guilty about his fling with Rosalie that he quits his job at the garage and finally confesses to Julia about his infidelity. Also, Bailey and Sarah both go crazy while babysitting Natalie after Annie goes away to a rehab clinic. Written by Anonymous

Charlie sees a new path of his life beginning when he has to make a choice whether to sell the restaurant or buy out Joe who wants to sell the place. Bailey, having had his drivers license renewed and free of community service, seeks his own path in life to running the restaurant himself. Meanwhile, a visiting prep school student, named Jamie Burke, makes a play for Claudia, until she learns that his parents have had a long-term rivalry with her late parents. Julia goes to see a marriage counselor with Griffin where she reveals that she's thinking about going back to college and wants him to come with her. But Griffin openly tells Julia that he's against the idea, for he has nothing but contempt for school and education which makes Julia finally see the loser that Griffin really is. Written by Anonymous

Charlie's no 'enry 'iggins in his stage debut in a charity musical show opposite Daphne, who's stung by Claudia's reckless comments about her relationship with Charlie. Meanwhile, Julia can't bear to see her marriage fail despite knowing Griffin's infidelity. But when her old boyfriend, Justin, arrives in town for a visit, his presence stirs up trouble for all of them. Then Griffin gets his leg sprained after deliberately getting into a bar fight. After Annie returns from the rehab clinic, she and Bailey begin to use Sarah as the middleman for their communication and arguments. Also, Jamie overwhelms Claudia with his desires. Written by Anonymous

An overprotective Charlie, feeling uncomfortable about Daphne's line of work, follows her to a job at a bachelor party and saves her from a rude patron. But Daphne is angry at this intrusion into her life and tells Charlie that all she wants is a little space. Meanwhile, Bailey has deep misgivings about moving in with Annie when she gets an unexpected visit from her ex-husband, Jay, who's seeking to reconcile with her and daughter. Griffin's rare form of good luck pays off for him and Julia when he wins a free weekend trip to Los Angeles and brings her along where they try to find some happiness for themselves. Also, Jamie asks Claudia to attend his year-ending prom at his prep school. Written by Anonymous

After Daphne learns that she is pregnant, the thought of motherhood has her in a state of panic for she tells Charlie that she isn't cut out to be a parent. Meanwhile, Bailey wants everything for Annie despite fears that he'll lose her to her ex-husband who has decided to stay in town. The reality of a separation from Griffin looms over Julie as she prepares to begin a new life of going back to college at Stanford. Also, Claudia goes with Jamie to his school prom, who forgets what date the dance actually was. After Annie and her daughter move out of the building to reconcile with her husband, Bailey turns to Sarah for comfort which quickly leads to a passionate moment for both of them.