This episode marks the end of, in some ways, the first age of the series, where all the Salingers were truly happy, where the excessive drama wasn't there yet. Begins with Julia and Griffin fooling around and happily watching the sunrise in his dad's car. She wonders why she never met his house, and when he says he doesn't want to go home yet, she realizes he's afraid. Still, she must return home so he drives her there. In the meantime, Charlie and Kirsten are happily lying in the parental bed, after he stayed up late working in the restaurant. She makes masages to him on his shoulders, while he tells her about Joe's complains of the restaurant low profits, and how he faxed him the quarterly payroll taxes. Turns out that Joe was in Nova Scotia, and Charlie also had to explain to him the unsuccesful lounge night, a two for one happy hour "disaster". She says that new things need time to catch on, he agrees, but knows Joe doesn't understand. Kirsten tells they should get some sleep, but he's a little wired for being up late (in coffee all night), so he suggests fooling around. She happily agrees, and they kiss until they are interrupted by a phone call. They go to the restaurant and find it partially burned, with firefighters over the place. Even a piece of wood falls close to Kirsten and Charlie. This scene was perfect. If Charlie thought in the last episode that he needed to travel or do something else to be happy with Kirsten, here was totally the opposite. With his "wife" giving him masages, he confiding in her, then both fooling around, was like he thought "what else do I need? Everything is perfect now". He knew he just needed her. Then, what happened in the restaurant will just strengthen them. An accidental fire occurred at Salinger's after a sleepless Charlie left the coffee machine on (and the water off). In the morning, the family is having breakfast, Charlie initially is promised the insurance pay, and he celebrates because he'd get 25000 $ even while covering the deficit for repairs. Kirsten is happy too, but Claudia criticizes them because dad's restaurant burned down. Charlie is not worried because it will be open again in 2 weeks. Later, Julia goes to help to clean the restaurant (she sweeps), and Griffin visits to tell that his father wants him to join the military if he doesn't finish school. While Charlie comes from the bank to hand cash to Julia, and other workers, one named Theo, Griffin pays attention to where the money goes. At the night, Theo visits the house and asks Charlie about the money because the theft happened at Salinger's. Kirsten informs Julia, and Theo asks her if he saw anyone suspicious, but Julia denies it. Also, when Charlie calls the insurance company, he's told that after the investigation of the cause of the fire, they are considering arson. The next day, Kirsten and Claudia are doing some paperwork, cleaning in the backyard, and Charlie arrives to complain about Mr. Arbogast, from the company. They think that when Charlie applied for a loan (which was declined), and then upped the insurance, are the suspicious facts. Kirsten asks him, so he tells her that she knew he applied for a loan because they were tight on payroll, he told her. He also says that he didn't tell her about up the insurance as it wasn't important, he didn't tell her about new napkins either. This makes her doubt a little, still he knows Arbogast is accusing him for nothing, it was actually an accident. Then, at the restaurant, Arbogast confronts Charlie, who is accompanied by his fiancee, and Claudia. He can't explain well how happened the accident, and Kirsten tries to fix his "alibi", saying she helped him to close up. Later at home, after she comes from a shower, he's upset with her because for covering him she may think he's guilty about the fire. She doesn't know what to answer, so I guess she spent the night thinking how to convince him that she did mean well. Next morning, Charlie confronts Arbogast at the insurance company and tells how much money he made from Salinger's in 15 years. Charlie can't accept how they're refusing to pay what they owe, and tells that if he had any idea of how much it means for him the only thing he has left of his father, there's no way he could believe he'd burn it on purpose (the truth). Maybe for this, and because they can't prove anything, they finally pay him the necessary money to cover the repairs (half of what they initially promised). Then, at the burned restaurant, Kirsten, to make amends, she offers him gasoline as a "present". She tells him she had a revelation in three parts: A- she thought for a minute he could have done that, but she knew it was absurd. B- still she realized she didn't care if he did it or not, although she knows he didn't, she would and will stand by him anywhere, even in a legal crime: if he robs a liquor store, she'll keep the car going. He finally understands her point and asks about C. She tells that now she knows what it means to be crazy about somebody. They happily kiss, she even suggests doing it there, and he gladly accepts. This was a memorable scene, and gave an unique focus on their eyes, showing once again their deep love for each other. Considering the not too distant future of the series, seeing the happy couple happily kissing at Salinger's, acting like husband and wife without any doubts, is a priceless moment. Also, in this story was showed how Kirsten is involved in the restaurant, how she supports Charlie there, and listens to the management issues. She cares about Salinger's, she likes to be there. Claudia's support and constant presence with them proves how closer she is with both them, how she sees them as her "parents". Besides their small setback and their joyful times here, I liked too Charlie's words and compromise with the restaurant, he is happy running it and as is the family's place, he loves it, proving he would not try to sell it or leave it.
Meanwhile, Julia and Griffin's relationship comes to an end. After Theo's questions, she realizes what Griffin did, and kindly asks him in the school what he knows. He denies knowing anything, but avoids talking about it, and says he has a class (poor Griffin, he can't even pretend well). For what he said earlier, he has been mistreated by his father in a worst way since Jill's death, and is getting hard to deal with it, so he took the money. Julia visits him and tries to help him with cash, but it's too late. Theo's cousin, a cop, goes to question him, so the Major Holbrook asks his son if he's stupid enough to steal. Griffin finally confess to the Major, shows the cash, and the cop easily arrests him. Next day, Julia thinks Charlie that he could convince Theo to drop out the charges, but he's mad because Griffin stole, and knows that the worker won't change his mind. Charlie also says "the guy is a loser", and tells he can't do anything for him since he had to deal with the arson accusations, facing possible prison time even though he's innocent, unlike Griffin. Claudia is also mad at Griffin, so Julia tells her she understands him because his life is hard (a seemingly absent mother, a strict father who mistreats and hit him in the past, a deceased sister), he just did a stupid act. After the prosecution, Julia tells Mr Holbrook about her parents death, that she knows how hard is losing people (she felt Jill's death too), and as he lost her daughter, now she asks him not to lose his son too. The Major reacts, so through some arrangements thanks to an Army lawyer, Griffin avoids prison, he just has to go to a Military Academy in Louisiana to finish his last year of school. Incredibly, after disliking Griffin in the first episodes of this season, now I feel sorry for him, so his farewell resulted emotional to me. Before Griffin leaves, the Major gives them time. He tells Julia that she should forget about him, he probably won't be back. She doesn't want to forget, so he says "Look at Me, and look at you", aware of their big differences. He kisses her, tells "I love you", and leaves, while she saddened looks. Julia had a very good story in this episode, with good reasons she stood by her guy. Of course that Charlie was right for being mad at Griffin, but Julia was right to be defending him. And even from now, she's blind, she's crushed by him, maybe for compassion, and other reasons, but he's the one who really knows that they are not meant to be together, he knows it's just for a while. So this could have been a perfect ending for Griffin's arc, but well, one day he'll be back.
On the other hand, to light up the drama of the episode, Claudia befriends a rebel girl named Jody. After Jody saves her of being sanctioned in school, Claudia returns the favor by stamping her excuses for skipping classes. As for Bailey, he feels jealous of Will who now is dating Sarah, and is upset because his friend lied saying he had a bad date. The problem of jealousy continues, and when the three hang out while playing pool, Sarah admits it's weird, but thinks it's for the best. At the end, while they see Sarah dancing in the gym (I prefer ice skating, sorry Sarah), Bailey chooses not to tell Will how he's feeling. It's strange how 8 months after Jill's demise, Bailey seems able to move on. The first two stories were perfect overall and the others served as balance. The soundtrack, the acting and the writing were all great. After this episode, sadly begins a time of deep unhappiness for the Salingers, a time of endless drama that will last until season 6.
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