Over Donna's objection, Kelly hires a publicist, named Pia, to boost business for the boutique store. But the devious Gina makes the situation worse when she fans the flames between Donna and Kelly, and Pia just for her own amusement. Over Janet's objection, Steve hires a dwarf, named Lou, to pose as a leprechaun to promote the newspaper during St. Patrick's Day. Meanwhile, Noah gets an offer by a businesswoman, named Jennine, for the Peach Pit's space and must make a tough choice of whether or not to sell out Nat to the offer. When Dylan learns about Noah's situation, he decides to make his own move to buy the building himself. Matt questions his own relationship with Kelly while handling a couple who wants a prenuptial agreement. Also, David's new romance with Claudia appears likely to be short lived when she tells him that she has to move back to Venezuela after her visa has expired.

Dylan is denied college readmission due to a lame essay and missing the deadline to submit his application. Meanwhile, Kelly and Donna prepare the reopening of the boutique, a fashion show of Donna's men's line. Hours before the New York buyers are to arrive for the show, Gina accidentally sets fire to the rack of -of-a-kind men's clothes. Donna's friends assemble to salvage the fashions and the guys step in as models when the actual models are stuck in traffic. When Matt realizes that Gina set the fire deliberately to ruin Kelly and Donna, he uses the information to pressure Gina to help with the show's publicity. Also, the realities of fatherhood strike Steve, who doubts his ability to be a father but doesn't tell Janet.

After Dr. Martin dies from a sudden and massive stroke, unspoken accusations regarding his death haunt Gina. But Felice, as always, speaks her mind accusing Gina of bringing on her husband's fatal stroke while Donna gets consul David and the rest of the gang. Meanwhile, Kelly considers taking a job in public relations while Matt's financial situation gets worse. Dylan decides to explore greener pastures when he decides to leave town and Gina decides on the same. Also, Noah has trouble getting over his kidnapping and brush with death which leads to him drinking again. With everyone against her and conflicted by her past, Gina says goodbye to Donna after Dr. Martin's funeral to return to New York, but Dylan decides to stay to be near Kelly.

Dylan becomes intrigued with his past after he and Steve see a live news report showing a group of plane crash survivors, one of whom is the dead-splitting image of his long death father Jack McKay. Dylan tries looking into his family storage locker, but finds it broken into and ransacked. Dylan then goes to see Christine Pettie, the FBI agent who was involved in protecting his father many years ago, but she is not very helpful and advises Dylan to leave this alone. Meanwhile, Noah's return to drinking gets worse when he intrudes on Donna's newest date Eli. Kelly compromises her personal feelings for her new profession when her first PR assignment is to cover gay teen groups in schools. Also, David ponders his further relationship with Camille when the issue of how to satisfy her arises during their first night together, while Donna hires Camille to work at the boutique.