Relationship angst
Seth wants to consult with Ryan (who's trying to study) to see if he thinks the comic puts too much stress on him and Summer, what with the late nights and the pressure of deadlines that so often leads to romance? Ryan is unconcerned. Disconsolate, Seth starts to go back upstairs, but he's interrupted by Sandy sneaking in – looks like he broke curfew. Sandy tries to sneak into his room, but Kirsten catches him. She-s concerned and sympathetic. Sandy gets a call from Rebecca, but lies about it to Kirsten. In the kitchen, Kirsten quizzes Ryan about Lindsay. When Ryan tells her about the abortive dinner, Kirsten decides to invite Caleb and Lindsay to dinner at Casa Cohen so they can bond. Ryan looks skeptical. At Alex's place, Marissa announces she's skipping school again and will spend the day with her new friend. Alex is obviously smitten.
Clearing Rebecca
Rebecca quizzes Sandy about his life, and is surprised to find out he married a rich WASPy blonde. Rebecca herself hasn't been in a relationship since Sandy. Sandy tells her he's not telling Kirsten about Rebecca for Kirsten's own protection – he doesn't want to make Kirsten an accessory to a crime. Rebecca announces it's no big deal – she's going to have to flee in a few days anyway. Her dad has another idea – he wants Sandy to clear Rebecca's name. Turns out Rebecca wasn't actually at the protest-gone-wrong – she chickened out. When Sandy gingerly brings up the idea of clearing Rebecca's name to Kirsten, she's all for it – what could be kinder than helping an old man rehabilitate the reputation of his dead daughter? Sandy doesn't correct her on that one important fact.
Comic relief
Seth tells Summer he's thinking about cutting her from the comic, because their past may compromise his artistic vision. Summer doesn't like that idea, but she does start to worry things may get weird. Before she can think too hard, Zach comes in – he's got a contact at a comic company, and they love the idea! But they've got to lock down Summer's character. Looks like Seth and Summer will be spending some time together. That night, Seth tries to sketch Summer (in the seriously hot costume she picked out), and they're this close to kissing when they both (sort of) come to their senses and Seth leaves.
Girl, interrupted
While hanging out at the club, Alex asks Marissa what's really going
on. Are they just friends, or is there more? Marissa panics and leaves. Later, she and Summer discuss Summer's near-miss with Seth. Marissa doesn't share her details, but implies she's falling for someone unexpected. Summer encourages her to go for it.
Dinner with Caleb, part 2
Lindsay initially refuses to go to dinner at Casa Cohen, but Kirsten convinces her to give it a try. It starts out going well – Caleb and Lindsay both like Brahms – but takes a turn for the worse when Caleb starts insulting Ryan again. Lindsay and Kirsten try to stop the drama, but Ryan and Caleb go toe to toe. Then Caleb grabs his chest and collapses in a heap. Ryan is convinced it's his fault.
Relationship angst, part 2
Sandy puts Rebecca up at his office, and tells her he'll take the case. Rebecca is thrilled, and suggests they celebrate with a bottle of tequila and some pot. Sandy agrees to the tequila. When he gets the call about Caleb from Kirsten, he rushes to her side, but Kirsten says he doesn't need to stay. Lindsay and Kirsten visit Caleb in his hospital room, and Caleb says he finally understands what's important and begs for another chance to make it right with his daughters. Lindsay agrees, then tells Ryan that maybe they should cool it a bit while she's trying to get to know Caleb. Seth and Summer agree that they really need to stay away from each other. Zach's got a different idea – they've got an interview with a comic company in San Diego. Road trip!
Secrets reveals
Marissa goes to the club looking for Alex. She finds her, sidles up and holds her hand. Romance blooms. Kirsten decides to surprise Sandy by sprucing up his office. She opens the door to find Rebecca, a woman she thought was dead. Sandy's got some explaining to do.
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Ryan’s up early trying to do homework when Seth comes in needing to talk about… Seth. Now that things are moving forward with the comic book partnership with Zach and Summer, Seth’s worried about the late nights at the office, high stress, things getting a little… sexy. Ryan reminds him that he doesn’t have an office and comic books aren’t sexy.
Sandy sneaks in after his all-nighter at the office with the Professor and Rebecca. Kirsten asks how the Professor took the news about his daughter’s death and Sandy answers the question with a question – “Oh well, how do you think he took it?” Then Rebecca calls on his cell and Sandy turns on his professional voice.
Ryan’s still trying to study but this time Kirsten’s in the mood to chat. How’s life? Good. How’s school? Good. pHow are you and Lindsay? Pause. Kirsten assures Ryan that whatever he did can be undone. Except it wasn’t anything Ryan did, it was something Caleb did when he mistook Lindsay’s getting-to-know-Dad dinner for a blackmail session. Kirsten thinks Caleb must’ve mistaken Lindsay for her other sister. Or his wife. Kirsten announces that she’s going to set up another dinner… where actual food will be eaten.
Sandy and Rebecca walk on the pier and catch up on the past twenty years. Turns out she hasn’t met anybody since him. It’s a little hard to get to know people when you can’t tell them who you really are and you can’t stay in one place for very long. Speaking of not staying long, it’s almost time for her to move on.
At school, Ryan invites Lindsay to a family dinner with himself and Kirsten. Oh, and Caleb. Lindsay thinks one miserable dining experience was enough.
Kirsten drops by the office to see Caleb. She needs him to join her, Lindsay and Ryan for dinner. Only this time, she needs him to not be the word’s biggest ass. Lindsay wants to know who her father is so he better show up and be a real dad to her or he’s going to lose two daughters. Got it?
In Sandy’s office, Rebecca tells her dad she can’t stay. She’s not turning herself in. Max asks for Sandy’s help clearing her name but Sandy thinks that’ll be impossible given what happened. Except it didn’t happen. Max prods Rebecca to tell Sandy what really happened that night. Turns out Rebecca got scared and never showed. Max pleads with Sandy to give his daughter back her life.
In the student lounge, Summer runs into Seth, who is putting the final touches on a sketch of Marissa -- aka “Cosmo Girl – Passion for Fashion.” Wow. Back to Summer, who wants to make sure Seth isn’t going to shortchange her character just because she doesn’t want to date him anymore. This is exactly what Seth’s been worrying about – allowing their history to compromise the artistic process. Then Summer reminds him about the super power of Zach to make her forget him. Seth still thinks it could be a little weird. You think? Suddenly Zach bounds in full of enthusiasm and tells them that his dad has an intern whose Uncle works at Wild Storm – an unbelievable comic book company. He pitched them the idea and they loved the world of Orange County. And if they like the artwork, they might want to set up a meeting. So get ready for late nights and high stress! And, oh yeah, Seth’s got to nail Summer. Excuse me? They loved her character – Little Ms. Vixen with designer handbags full of killer credit cards – so you’ve got to get down her likeness, like tonight!
At The Bait Shop, Marissa asks Alex where things stand with her and Seth. Alex tells her they taxied but never achieved lift-off. Yeah, Marissa just got out of one of those too. They’re good for helping you get over somebody. Or, Marissa suggests, helping you get ready for someone new. Then she asks if she can crash at Alex’s again tonight. Works for Alex, but she needs Marissa to answer one question -- What are you doing with me? Um, picking up a pint of Cherry Garcia and renting some DVDs? But Alex isn’t referring to eating ice cream so much as sleeping over, hanging out all the time, borrowing her clothes. Alex’s directness is suddenly too… direct. Marissa changes her tune and decides she probably should go home after all.
Meanwhile, Kirsten stops by Lindsay’s house and convinces her to give Caleb one more chance.
Sandy puts Rebecca up in a room above his office and agrees to take on her case. She’s excited and suggests, for old time’s sake, that they celebrate with some Mexican food, tequila, and weed. Good idea, now that Sandy’s harboring a fugitive, maybe he should go out and score some weed? No worries, Rebecca just happens to have some on her. Sandy suggests they just stick to the tequila.
Seth arrives at Summer’s for their sketch session and is greeted by Summer in a bathrobe. Nice of you to get all dressed up for the occasion. Then Summer drops her robe revealing her “Little Ms. Vixen” outfit. Wow! Then the sketching session turns into a drawing lesson which turns into an… almost kiss. Then Seth decides he better do the rest from memory.
At the Cohen’s, it appears they’re serving up awkwardness for dinner. Caleb makes the first move and compliments Kirsten on a delicious dinner. Then Kirsten tells Caleb about Lindsay’s interest in classical music and Caleb offers her his box seats at the Hollywood Bowl. Lindsay extends the offer to Ryan but before he can respond, Caleb jumps in with the assertion that Ryan wouldn’t be interested in that sort of thing. Why, because they don’t have music in Chino? Then Ryan decides it’s time for him to go, after all, this was supposed to be about Caleb and Lindsay… making up for lost time. Caleb wants to know what Ryan means by that. Lindsay asks Ryan to stay. Caleb seconds it – yes, stay -- live in this house, eat their food, date their children, butt into their affairs. Then Kirsten jumps in, then Caleb jumps up, then Ryan moves toward him, then Caleb clutches his chest in pain, collapsing onto the floor, and taking the table cloth and all the glassware with him.
Kirsten, Lindsay, Ryan and Seth sit in the hospital waiting room. The doctor finally comes out and tells them Caleb suffered a minor heart attack but he’s going to be okay. Then Sandy arrives, exhausted from a long night at the office and when Kirsten goes to greet him, she notices he smells like liquor. Kirsten suggests that Sandy being around her dad might not be the best medicine right now. Oh, no problem, as it happens he’s still got stuff to do at the office.
Later, in his hospital room, Caleb tells Kirsten and Lindsay that he’s never been better. He owes them a huge apology and now that he’s got a second chance, he’d like to use it. He reaches for their hands and asks if they can start over. Okay.
At The Bait house, Alex is listening to Rachel Yamagata sing a sultry tune when Marissa approaches her from behind and takes her hand, weaving their fingers together. They exchange smiles. Apparently this is what Marissa’s doing with her.
Lindsay drives Ryan home from the hospital. Ryan blames himself for what happened to Caleb but Lindsay assures him it’s not his fault. She thinks Caleb’s changed and really wants a relationship with her now. And she knows he’s going to like Ryan too… some day. But right now Caleb needs her. So they need to take a little time off. Ryan knows what it’s like, not having a dad, he gets it. They kiss goodbye.
Kirsten stops by Sandy’s surf shack law office to do a little sprucing up. Rebecca comes out thinking it’s him. The two women stare at each other… Rebecca?
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