Brandon is on a road trip through the USA when his car breaks down in a small town in Texas, and he encounters racism from the redneck locals after he befriends a young black girl, named Mariah. In Beverly Hills, Valerie seeks financial help from Kenny Bannerman, one of Jim Walsh's former coworkers, to revamp business for the Peach Pit After Dark. Meanwhile, David and Donna work together on another music video project and find that their renewed relationship may be on a short fuse. Also, Clare and Steve attempt to meet with each other after spending their summer away, unaware that they are at the same airport at LAX waiting for the other.

At a reunion party at the Beverly Hills Beach Club, Clare is stunned after she learns of Steve's past relationship with Kelly, who learns there's more to the story than she knew. Meanwhile, Kenny puts a social spin on his business with Valerie, who once again throws romantic common sense to the wind. David's new friend, Mark Reese, needles Brandon into joining the college TV station. Donna meets an old high school friend whom she once has a crush on. Also, Steve's annoying stepbrothers, Ryan and Austin, return and learn another hard lesson in finding girls.

Brandon is given the request of escorting Lily, Joan's wild and crazy teenage daughter, prior to hers and Nat's wedding, which has a sudden change of venue when a very pregnant Joan goes into labor. Meanwhile, Kelly volunteers to do community service work at an AIDS hospice and befriends Jimmy Gold, a gay AIDS patient whom she is assigned to work with. David moves in with Mark at his house in the Hollywood Hills and later becomes discouraged when he learns of MZA's decision to dismiss him. Also, Valerie is frustrated when Kenny's wife suddenly shows up, disrupting their romantic plans.

Brandon and Mark find the perfect newscaster - a student named Tracy Gaylian - for the campus TV station, but she panics and gets drunk prior to her debut. Meanwhile, an accident with Jimmy gives Kelly a big scare about having AIDS. Mel withdraws David's financial support after learning from Donna that he dropped out of college to concentrate on his film making career. Elsewhere Valerie continues her secret affair with Kenny, who must find the time to be with her.

Steve's so-called "harmless prank" of streaking with his fraternity pledges for Spirit Week lands Brandon in trouble. He refuses to give a video tape of the event to Chancellor Arnold, knowing it will incriminate Steve, while Tracy decides on a crafty plan to get Brandon off the hook. Meanwhile, Donna becomes chairperson of the rush committee for ALPHA sorority and lobbies to get a female jock, named Dani, accepted. Kelly takes a sickly Jimmy on a religious journey to explore his Jewish roots before he dies. David returns to school at California University, but finds all the classes he wants full, and he even has a run-in with Olympic champion gymnast Kerri Strug. Also, Kenny shows Valerie his new apartment for her to live in, but Valerie becomes angry and upset when he breaks a dinner date with her in order to go out with his wife and young son whom he continues to hide his tryst from them.

David and Mark throw a big party at their Hollywood Hills house, until a huge brush fire stops the party which brings back a bad memory for Kelly over the house party fire (back in Season 5) and puts Donna in jeopardy when she attempts to save a baby deer. Steve's flirtation results in serious consequences from Clare, while Brandon and Tracy become closer. Meanwhile, Kenny tells Valerie to keep distant from him while he is proceeding with the divorce from his wife. But when Valerie accidentally finds out that Kenny does not plan on leaving his wife, ever, out of respect for their six-year-old son, she later tells Kenny some unsettling news about her.

Steve declares war by trying to find a date for himself just to make Clare jealous when she starts dating another guy, named Dick Harris, whom he can't stand. Meanwhile, Donna's new fireman boyfriend, Cliff Yeager, who saved her life during the brushfire, assists her at her sorority's Halloween Haunted House bash. At the reopening of the Peach Pit After Dark, Kenny does not attend, prompting Valerie to resort to her devious tricks again by asking for $100,000 so she can keep away from him. Also, Brandon tries to get closer to Tracy while Kelly hits on Mark.

David's gets a huge windfall when he inherits $250,000 after his grandfather dies. But it causes a rift with his father Mel over how to use it when David lets the thought of wealth go to his head. Kelly extends an olive branch to Valerie after learning from Steve over her condition, but Valerie must keep the fact that she really isn't pregnant under wraps at any cost. Meanwhile, Steve rashly challenges Dick to a crew race, much to Clare's anger. Tracy makes an overture to Brandon to appear with her on a presidential debate. Also, Cliff takes Donna on a camping trip where he tells her of his future plans, not involving her.

Kelly delights in telling Brandon about Valerie's pregnancy and abortion, and also shares her doubts about Val's story. Brandon goes to see Kenny, who portrays himself as the innocent victim caught in the web of an evil vixen. He tells Brandon that he paid Valerie $100,000 to stay away. Brandon threatens to throw Val out of the house unless she returns the money. Valerie plans to move out, but instead returns the money following a talk with Tracy. She confesses to Brandon that she was never pregnant, and insists that she cannot live up to his moral expectations. Mel, worried by David's newfound wealth, asks Donna to keep an eye on him. David goes on a wild spending spree, and later shows up at Donna's apartment in the middle of the night after swimming in the ocean. David offers to help out the financially strapped Valerie by purchasing half of the club. Steve impresses Clare with his dedication as he trains for the crew race. His team barely loses, but Clare decides that she wants him back. Kelly comes clean with Mark about her past drug problem.