Since the new associate pastor is doing a good job, Eric decides to give up his job as pastor, and tires of everyone asking him for advice. Kevin and Roxanne seem to have a good working relationship and this worries Lucy.

Roxanne starts dating Chandler. Simon and Cecilia talk about having sex for the first time. Eric spends his time writing, and Annie finds out it is book with sexual scenes.

Eric continues his apathetic ways, and it gets to the point where Annie insists he see someone to talk about it. Cecilia starts avoiding Simon. Ruthie learns a friend has cystic fibrosis.

Annie attends one of Eric's counseling sessions; Lucy and Kevin's different views on the judicial system become apparent when Lucy tries to avoid jury duty.

Lucy fears her father's return to the church will upstage her wedding celebration. Roxanne introduces Chandler to her father. With Simon and Cecilia working together, one day he notices the business manager stealing from the company.

Ruthie's friend Peter is upset that his mother is marrying a man he does not know that well. Eric counsels him and the mother. Meanwhile Chandler helps another couple who wants to marry but has several problems with their relationship.

When Roxanne's neighbor's home is robbed, she thinks the thief is the first young boy she's mentoring; Annie and Eric host a party for new neighbors who are hesitant to attend, fearing prejudice against them.

A school project gets Ruthie and Peter in trouble as they write a newspaper article about two presidents containing false information. Annie's half-sister visits to discuss information about their father, but Annie does not want to listen.

Annie's father has died, but Annie seems upbeat. Perhaps she is in the denial stage of grief. Chandler is still upset over losing his own father, and breaking up with Roxanne. Eric suggests he adopt a child.

Ruthie and Peter get separated from their classmates on a field trip. Kevin and Roxanne go undercover for a police assignment. Chandler struggles as a new parent.

Cecilia breaks up with Martin because she wants to be with Simon. Matt continues to run into a former girlfriend and is concerned about his marriage falling apart. Ruthie's foreign exchange student visits and is now living with the Camdens.

Cecilia's dad George Smith tells Eric that he and his wife Gwen are looking for a foster-son, about 10 years old, to fill the now empty-feeling home, with the hope of adopting. The enthusiastic reverend immediately thinks of orphanage boy Danny Davies, who proves charming and eager. Danny expects to that his sisters will be adopted too. It's only fair that Eric helps put that straight, which proves even more complicated then it sounds. Carlos tells Matt he's leaving New York for his dad's firm in Puerto Rico because 'mother' Mary makes no marital effort at all, having cheerfully signed over custody of baby Charlie. The twins are sad that Martin, and in time all their siblings seem to leave, even Lucy now. Kevin presses her to finally choose a house, then concludes the mother is the one who pushes fledglings out of the nest. Simon's girlfriend Rose wants to dump him unless he gives a good reason why they still don't have sex. Vincent pushes Martin to help him break up with Ruthie, in case he meets a girl while on vacation with his grandparents on Hawaii.

Eric hides Mary's divorce from Annie, and Simon's romance heats up. While the Smiths brace for a custody battle over the Davis kids, Simon arrives home for an overnight visit with his girlfriend Rose (Sarah Thompson), whom Annie finds "condescending and rude." Annie's intuition tells her Rose is pushing Simon for marriage, and that something's up with Mary and Carlos. Although Eric knows Mary has filed for divorce, he avoids sharing that information with Annie just yet. Since Vincent doesn't have the guts to break up with Ruthie, Martin takes it upon himself to reveal the truth. Lucy is surprised by Annie's erroneous assumption that Carlos and Mary are still together. Meanwhile, Simon hears from Kevin that Rose had led Annie to believe they're engaged. When Simon confronts Rose, he reiterates that, even if they discussed the possibility of marriage, he didn't actually propose. Visibly upset, Rose walks off. The Davis kids are stunned to learn their mom is refusing to relinquish custody. As much as they want to be adopted by the Smiths, the children fear that if they testify against their mother in family court, she'll wind up turning to drugs and alcohol. That's not a risk they're willing to take. Later, Ruthie asks Vincent to never call her again, and Rose asks Simon what he wants from their relationship. To Kevin's delight, Lucy puts an offer on a fixer-upper house next door! The Smiths and Davises reach a compromise: George and his wife won't push for adoption, but Mrs. Davis will allow them to become the kids' foster parents. Minutes after Eric shocks Annie with the news of Mary's divorce, Simon and Rose announce they intend to get engaged "in the near future." That evening, the Camdens join Martin as he welcomes his father home from Iraq. .. _

After Sandy has Braxton-Hicks contractions, she admits that a miscarriage would simplify her life, but Simon's fear that the truth is about to come out seems ever more warranted. Kevin and Eric worry as Lucy keeps insisting that nobody else should meddle with her 'client' Sandy. They must tell her who has already found out and Kevin must physically stop her from assaulting Sandy's alcoholic dad, Edward Jameson. Eric fears that George Smith is about to find out too. Ruthie lies about her new date being 16 as Martin says his team's huge shortstop Brian is 18.