Nathan tries to help Haley and Jamie confront Lydia's seemingly hopeless situation, while Brooke and Julian navigate their volatile relationship in the midst of a hectic movie shoot. Meanwhile, Clay and Quinn spend some time apart, and Miranda tries to prove to Grubbs that she's the right person to produce his album.
In the chaos surrounding an 80's alumni dance at the high school, Haley's birthday is forgotten, Jamie is left home alone, and Nathan and Clay are stranded 200 miles from Tree Hill. Meanwhile, Brooke's appearance at the dance with Alexander forces Julian to relive his dorky adolescence in an episode dedicated to the memory of John Hughes.
Nathan tries to keep Haley calm after Taylor shows up at their house with Quinn’s ex-husband in tow. Julian sticks up for Alex on the set of their movie, and Brooke leans on Alexander to ease her heartache. Meanwhile, Clay gets a chance to prove his commitment to Quinn by helping her through a dinner with her sister and David.
As Nathan and Haley prepare for the family’s move to Barcelona, Brook struggles to accept Julian’s reaction to Alex’s crisis. Quinn helps Clay hatch a plan to win back Nathan as a client. Meanwhile, Millie’s downward spiral puts her and Mouth at a crossroads, and Dan Scott’s pronouncement shocks Rachel and his audience.
Nathan and Haley’s careers bring about a tough decision for the family, and Julian divulges a secret to Alex that leads to a confrontation with Brooke. Meanwhile, Clay tries to resuscitate his career as an agent, and Jamie learns the truth about Skills’ new job. And a fresh-from-jail Millie finds an unlikely supporter in Victoria.
While recording her new album, Haley must work to save Red Bedroom Records and enlists Mia's help to do so. Meanwhile, Brooke, with Millicent's help, searches for the new face of her clothing line; Clay defends Nathan as the scandal continues to grow; Julian and Brooke decide to move in together; and Dan returns to Tree Hill with a new bride in tow.
A year has passed since Lucas and Peyton left Tree Hill, and the Tree Hill gang move forward after achieving their goals. Nathan has completed his first year in the NBA, Haley has taken over Red Bedroom Records, and Brooke continues to run Clothes Over Bro's while moving forward in her relationship with Julian.