Five children orphaned by their parent's fatal auto accident seek to make their way in San Francisco.
Bailey develops a crush on Kirsten; Julia strives to be popular; Claudia searches for the Salinger's long lost grandfather.
Bailey's loyalty to his football teammates places him in jeopardy; Julia's generosity to some popular new friends causes problems for her siblings.
Julia is tempted by sex; Kirsten gives Charlie another chance; Bailey falls in love.
An old girlfriend tempts Charlie; Claudia and Julia both lie to get what they want.
Bailey tries to impress Kate's father; Charlie balks at the constant comparisons with his own dad.
Charlie's infidelity jeopardizes his relationship with Kirsten; Bailey's preoccupation with Kate angers Claudia.
Bailey and Kate disagree over sex; Charlie sets out to impress a potential employer; Claudia's success goes to her head; and Julia struggles in school.
The arrival of an old family friend disrupts the Salinger household.
The release of the drunk driver who killed their parents divides the family.
Keeping too many secrets from each other threatens the Salinger's future together.
Kristen and Charlie sleep together. Later, she is cold to him and tells him that she slept with him because she is sick and scared. Bailey plans a trip with Kate. Her father wants to send her to a boarding school in Connecticut, but Bailey finds out that she is wants to go. They fight and Kate tells him that she will have sex with him, but he refuses to because she doesn't mean that. Julia and Morgan go on a date. Nina tells her to be mysterious, surprising and make him jealous. Claudia overhears their conversation and do all that to get Arnie's attention. Charlie tells Kristen that he loves her and will be there for her. She tells him that she can't have babies.
Bailey meets Jill Holbrook, a pretty waitress who he falls for and ends up sleeping with her. Morgan begins to drink after his club is closed down and he is forced to pay a fine. Julia wants to help, but he doesn't accept her apology or her money to pay the fine. Claudia receives her first period. Kirsten's family wants her to return home to Chicago.
Claudia spends time thinking about converting to Judaism. Julian finds her mother's old journal and finds that her mother planned to have an affair with another man. In the meantime, Kirsten moves into Charlie's room and gets under a fight with Julia.
Charlie tries out how Kirsten's relationship with Ben Atkins is. Julia is surprised to find out that Justin is dating Libby Dwyer, her friend. Claudia's relationship with Artie is in big question when she take over his role in ""Oliver"".
After an earthquake, Claudia and Jill start acting weard, escpecially Jill. Charlie is suspicious about Jill's behaviour and he's convinced that the main problem are drugs. In the meantime, Julia's friendship with Libby is again shaken because Justin.
Jill has a car crash and Bailey thinks she might be on drugs. Julia and Justin tell his mom that they're going out. Justin gets mad at her for spending too much time with his mom, and she tells him how much she misses a mother to talk to. Arnie's parents are breaking up, and Claudia makes a plan to get them back together, but it fails. Charlie tries to be a better father for Owen, and the baby says ""dad"" to Charlie. Bailey goes to Jill's mom for help, but she doesn't care. Jill is missing and her mom goes to Bailey for help, apologizing for her previous rudeness.
Bailey urgently travells to L.A. to find missing Jill. In the meantime, everyone is too occupied with Claudia's 12th birthday. Julia spends some time with Danny, a male who is HIV positive.
After receiving a opportunity to get a great job, which one person can get one in their live, Charlie needs to do some thinking, because if he would go, the whole family would have to move to Seattle. Bailey and Julian get stuck together on a math class.
Bailey gets into big doubts, when Kate, who has returned back, and Jill both want to get back together with him and continue their relationship where it stopped. Charlie becomes troubled when he grounds Claudia and does not gives Bill a raise. In the meantime, Julia wins a award for her writing, but she's not in the bad mood, because she humiliated her siblings.
Bailey interferes in Jill's business when she decides to take over of preparations for a school dance marathon. Julia does not wants to rush into having sex with Justin. Charlie realizes that he needs his family now more than ever, so he's in doubts about leaving the house.
After Jill dies because of overdosing, Bailey refuses to believe that she's dead. In the meantime, Griffin Holbrook; Jill's brother; comes in and does not wants to have any business with Julia, so he trie to avoid her. Finally, Charlie and Kirsten get engaged.
