Though Justin's post-traumatic stress renders him unable to remember the actual bashing, Brian can't forget it and tries to lose himself in nightly orgies. Though they're supposed to be "discreet" at her sister's wedding, overcome with emothion, Lindsay pops the question to Melanie. Right as Chris Hobbs is being sentenced, Michael comes back to Pittsburgh.
Justin has trouble dealing with Chris Hobbs' attack and with Brian's attempts and physical contact. When he's discovered visiting an online porn site at work, Ted is summarily fired. Emmett and Michael try their hand at being naked servers. Now Melanie proposes to Lindsay.
Emmett goes to work for fabulous men who seem like the politically correct characters of a new gay TV drama entitled "Gay as Blazes!" Michael hopes to reconnect with Brian at a local comic convention.
Each member of the gang overcomes various obstacles to proudly exhibit their PRIDE in Pittsburgh's annual parade.
Justin quits art school, having lost the fine motor skills needed to hold a brush. Fed up with the Big Q, Michael quits and decides to risk all to buy a comic book store. Ted start his own porno website and ditches his new accounting job.
Brian and Justin lay down the rules of their relationship - sex with other men is OK, but no kissing anyone else on the lips. Though Ted's new porno website flourishes thanks to Emmett's onscreen talents, Lindsay can't stand Ted's dirty little business. She's brought short, however, when Melanie admits to a dirty little secret of her own. Michael finds himself mutual attracted to one of his first customers?
Despite the vociferous objections of Brian, Ted, Emmett, and his mother, Debbie, Michael decides to continue dating Ben even though the man is HIV-positive. Melanie and Lindsay try to get money from Lindsay's wealthy, conservative, disapproving parents for their wedding. The success he enjoys from doing Ted's porno website gives Emmett a big head.
While Michael re-enters the dating scene in an attempt to put Ben out of his mind, Justin hooks up with a boy closer to his age than Brian, only in this relationship he's the callous aggressor. Emmett is surprised to find his secret admirer is a wealthy, closeted, well-known businessman and upstanding member of society.
Ted has an exceedingly hard time dealing with the results of a performance enhancing drug he took. Michael wants Ben back in his life but first he has to prove he can handle Ben's HIV status. Brian's mother introduces him to her minister - but it turns out Brian already knows him . . . biblically.
As Emmett saves up for plastic surgery, he, Ted, George, Vic, Debbie, Michael, Brian and Justin pitch in to make Lindsay and Melanie's wedding a success, despite the numerous obstacles that arise.
When drag queen Divina Devore returns to Pittsburgh and Michael learns she dated his mother several years ago, he starts to wonder who his real father is. Meanwhile, Melanie and Lindsay struggle to get Gus into preschool and Justin takes up go-go dancing at the club to earn money for school.
Instead of returning to school, Justin decides to continue working as a dancer. Meanwhile, Debbie agrees to go out with the detective investigating the homicide that took place behind her restaurant and Emmett and George begin a vacation that quickly goes awry.
Unwilling to expose their patriarch as gay, George's family refuses to let Emmett speak at his funeral. Justin and Michael decide to jointly create their own comic book. After failing miserably on their own, Lindsay and Melanie finally break down and ask Leda to help them renovate their attic.
Though Ted has no trouble falling for Luke, he worries that Luke will reject him when he learns of his porn business. When Brian ignores Justin's birthday, Lindsay and Melanie help the boy celebrate by taking him to a violin concert - where he meets gorgeous virtuoso Ethan. The surprise party Michael throws for Ben ends up a disaster.
As Lindsay and Melanie fear their sex life is getting tame and Brian blows off plans with Justin for an opportunity to make a good impression on his new boss, Emmett learns that the late George has left him an extremely generous gift.
As the Schickel family tries plying Emmett with $1 million to keep his relationship with George a secret, Michael finds his nightmare coming true when Ben is hospitalized; Justin futilely wishes Brian were as romantic as Ethan.
To his dismay, Ted finds porn no longer has an effect on him. Michael is tempted to tell Brian about Justin's affair with Ethan. Lindsay and Melanie ask Leda to leave. Debbie's night out with her detective friend leads to a bowling competition between cops and queers.
Now that he's recovered somewhat, Ben wants to seize the opportunity to study at a Tibetan monastery for six months, but he'll only go with an anguished Michael's blessing. Meanwhile, Ted's infatuation with Emmett deepens and Justin finds himself forced to choose between Brian and Ethan.
As Michael mourns the death of his favorite comic book hero, Debbie finds the body of a real life murder victim dumped behind the diner. While Emmett helps George enjoy life, Lindsay and Melanie find inspiration after reading Lindsay's grandmother's secret letters.
Michael is disturbed to learn that Ben once slept with Brian. Driven to do something about the dead boy found behind her diner, Debbie impresses Detective Horvath with her sleuthing. Ted avidly pursues his chance of being accepted by Pittsburgh's elite A-Gays.