Lucas and Brooke's relationship becomes more intimate when they travel to New York for an overnight stay with Haley.

Brooke has a end of the summer party on the beach; Nathan is home from basketball camp; Lucas deals with Brooke's rules for dating; Peyton deals with family issues; Haley tries to tell Nathan how she feels.

Lucas and Haley dig up, as each year, their previous predictions for the new school year; he decorated Brookes locker- they are arranged alphabetically, making the Scott brothers and Haley neighbors. Mouth pod-cast-interviews Ravens-star Nathan. Dan warns coach Durham he plans to have the school board remove him and Lucas he remembers his arson. Ellie tells Lucas the marijuana is for her cancer pain. When Haley asks coach for help with Nathan, he just gives her a detention slip for entering the boys locker room- Nathan is there to, but pays her no attention; next day, same place, they talk a bit. When dad Larry and Ellie wait for Peyton, she storms out blaming Lucas for 'trapping' her; left alone, dad makes her consider a shrink. Karen reminds Nathan how desperately he wanted Haley back. Dan tells the board the Ravens can be North Carolina state champions without Whitey, Karen praises his lessons on life for the boys- he stays on, but gives Mouth a scoop: he'll retire next year. When Dan nearly chokes Lucas, Peyton stops him and makes him tell he didn't start the fire but found Dan and dragged him out- Lucas now regrets that, Dan says a real man had left him and demands secrecy. Haley is happy to hear Nathan considers an annulment a lie, not when he proposes a divorce instead, hopeful again when he says the legal one year- waiting period gives them time to reconsider.

It's party time in Tree Hill. A masquerade ball at Tric provides the perfect opportunity for Haley to win back Nathan's heart, and for Brooke to seduce Lucas. Punk-pop sensation "Fall Out Boy" performs amidst the costume madness, while Peyton tries to come to terms with the new mother in her life. Meanwhile, Dan gives Deb an ultimatum, but soon finds she's a much more worthy opponent than he thought.

Dan presents the Ravens opening show for the new basketball season, but after the choreographed cheerleaders the boys come rolling in with a public fight between Lucas and Nathan over Haley; then a major flashback... Brooke and Peyton audition would be-cheerleaders; the obvious winner is arrogant, slutty Rachel, who Brooke accidentally indicates when telling Lucas to date another girl. While Dans team plans his mayoral election campaign, Deb deliberately walks in dressed sluttier then a drunk whore. Captain Nathan puts Lucas on the bench for back-talk. Brooke wants to field Haley instead of Rachel. Coach grudgingly introduces Dan and smiling, to everyone's surprise, his late-hour mayoral opponent: Karen Roe! When Dan announces the team, Lucas calling Nathan 'just like' his dad starts their fight, and Brooke attacks Rachel. Coach is livid at the brothers- and makes Lucas co-captain. Rachel sits naked in Lucas's car, and Brooke chews both of them, to his surprise admitting she only wanted to be desired exclusively by proclaiming non-exclusiveness.

Lucas and Peyton take a road trip together to find Ellie. While out of town, Lucas reconnects with a friend from his past.

Another terrible Ravens game; coach blames everything on total lack of team spirit. Keith is back, admitting to Lucas his fiancé Jules was not what he hoped, and just no match for Karen. Brooke must take the couch at Nathans place, but gets invited for Rogue Vogue, a fashion talent show in New York. Nathan fears Dan was right to suggest Haleys sudden lack of birth control is all too convenient. Coach punishes the boys by transferring them from the glorious stadium to a dump which they must first clean up; Nathan walks out, but after talking to Lucas and Dan about his chances for a scholarship etc. returns. Keith laughs at Dan's promise to prove he's the arsonist, but tells Karen he had intended to kill his brother but was beaten to it by Deb and helped her flee. Lucas shows Nathan the tactical advantages of studying the flaws in the old court. Karen warns Lucas to be careful with Brooke in every respect. Brooke finds out gratefully her design work was entered by- Rachel! Karen kisses Keith, but he is arrested for the murder attempt on Dan before her eyes...

Keith is arrested as suspect for the arson attempt on his brother Dan, but to the mayors anger soon released for lack of proof. The kids are supposed to get counseling about choosing a college, but nearly all have their minds elsewhere. Nathan and Haley make up, but have chosen colleges 3000 miles apart. Brooke believes Rachel deliberately entered her for the New York fashion contest because it's the same day as the cheerleaders' high-day, the Classic. Ellie insists Peyton shouldn't doubt about going to college at all. Mouth has enough of Brookes bitching, so he goes to the game with Rachel. Because Nathan missed political science class now Dan teaches that course, coach benches him, just when the major East Coast talent scout is present; still he gives Lucas the winning tactical tip, which really impresses coach...

A violent rainstorm knocks out the power in Tree Hill, leading Haley to Nathan's doorstep and Brooke out into the downpour for a dramatic confrontation with Lucas. Peyton finally confronts the truth about Ellie's illness, while Marvin is tempted by his new friend, Rachel. Before morning, secrets are revealed, relationships are tested, and new love gets hotter than ever.