As Bette has hard time adjusting to the ascetic lifestyle at the Buddhist retreat, Tina goes on a date with a divorced man. Dana, friends again with Alice, is looking forward to a new career. Jenny throws a benefit party for Max but is appalled by his increasingly aggressive behavior. Meanwhile, Carmen tells the truth to her family, and Helena is served with a lawsuit.

While Lara is vacationing in Paris, oblivious, Dana's condition takes a turn for the worse. Alice runs into Dana's ex, Jenny introduces Max to a man from her past, Carmen evens the score with Shane, and Peggy Peabody flies to town to help her daughter. Frustrated, Bette leaves the Buddhist retreat but receives a dose of life wisdom from an unexpected source.

After Dana's family treats the girls coldly, Alice is determined to arrange a special event to commemorate their friend. While Helena's lawsuit is resolved with a surprising outcome, Bette is willing to fight for Angelica's custody. Max lands a job, giving Jenny something to write about. Dealing with her grief, Shane is willing to make the ultimate commitment to Carmen. Finally, Lara arrives from Paris and is comforted by Alice.

Wedding plans occupy the girls, and Shane is reunited with her family. Helena pitches in to have Carmen's family flown to Canada, Jenny and Max drift apart, and Kit has stunning news. Peggy Peabody reconnects with her daughter -- but does it last? Finally, Tina has second thoughts about Angelica's custody arrangements, leading Bette to take desperate measures to be with her daughter.

After the events in Canada, Bette is on the run from authorities with her daughter. Shane reverts back to her old habits but gets a surprise from her father's wife. Meanwhile, Helena tries to get used to living without her mother's money, Max attends a support group, and Kit has trouble with her pregnancy.

Tina throws a cocktail party to get her gay and straight friends to know each other better. Penniless Helena is looking for a job. Shane takes care of her little brother, Angus' band is on the verge of a breakthrough, and at the art college, Bette's teaching assistant is having feelings for her. Meanwhile, Phyllis attends a ladies-only Texan night at The Planet.

Bette's forbidden relationship with her TA, Nadia, could jeopardize her career. Alice, on the other hand, ends her affair with a married woman after meeting her husband. She also gets upset by one of Jenny's short stories which gets published in a magazine. Meanwhile, Angus is caught in a compromising position.

Bette finds out that Jodi's been offered a job at an art center on the East Coast. Tasha's memories of the war continue to haunt her, and she is ordered to keep her sexual orientation a secret. Meanwhile, Shane plans a surprise for Paige, Helena is kicked out of the hotel, and Max comes to a decision regarding his job.