This heartwarming season opener picks up more or less where the previous season left off. Having lost his job, and a pile of money keeping Stockwell away from the mayoral position, Brian finds himself falling on hard times financially, though he refuses to admit it. Though he is offered his old job back, Brian passes because of a contractural obligation that would force him not to work for a competitor. When Brian tries to start his own agency (lovingly named "Kinnetic" by Justin,) all his clients turn him down, forcing him to accept donations from a fund raising put together by his friends.

Brian struggles to obtain a new list of clientelle, but discovers he can win back one of the accounts his old firm has by re-inventing their ad campaign.

Now out of rehab, Ted and Blake discuss what Ted will do with his life now. When Ted confesses that he'd always dreamed of being an opera singer, Blake offers encourgement, motivating Ted to get a job as a singing waiter at an Italian restaurant. Michael, in an attempt to reconnect with Ted and show his support, gets the gang together for a surprise visit to the restaurant. Upset with the fact that everyone has been offering support for Ted and not him, Emmett refuses to go. As he's about to sing, Ted spots the gang at the restaurant and freezes. He becomes angry and upset that they came to see him unannounced and uninvited.

Brian achieves success, as the headquarters for Kinnetik are finally set up and ready to go. However, Brian runs into a dilemma when he recieves news that the funds for a client's ad in Heat Magazine have yet to obtained; Brian worries about getting the payment in by the deadline and enlists the last minute help of Ted, who solves this problem with ease and total efficiency. Thinking he could use this kind of help at the agency, Brian offers Ted a position; Ted, just beginning his new life, feels he is not ready and declines.

Cody decides to take Justin to a firing range; while they are there, Justin tells Cody the story of Chris Hobbs and the incident surrounding Brian, himself and the assault. Cody shocks and surprises him by bringing him to the construction site where Chris Hobbs works so that Justin has the chance to confront him about what he did. Justin, however, feels unprepared, and backs down. Convinced that Justin has to confrot Chris Hobbs for what he put him through, they go to his house, where Justin demands an apology. Seeing no reason to apologize and holding no remorse, Chris refuses, until Cody hands Justin aballoon, which he uses to force Chris Hobbs to his knees to make him apologize; he does, yet Cody tells Justin that it is not enough and urges him to do more than simply make him apologize. Justin says that an apology is all he needed and, realizing Cody has gone too far, hands him theballoon, and leaves.

Michael and Justin receive a letter from a famous action film director by the name of Brett Keller, who is interested in turning "Rage" into a live-action feature film! Michael and Hunter are thrilled, but Ben is less than enthusiastic, stating that he's not interested in Brett Keller's "world of mindless entertainment". Justin and Michael, however, decide they'll consider Keller's offer, but Justin has second thoughts when Ben tells him that once Keller owns the rights to "Rage", he could do whatever he pleases,including making Rage a straight character.

Brian is diagnosed with testicular cancer. The prognosis, however, is good; once the afflicted testicle is removed he'll have a 99% chance of survival. Brian is also warned that if he opts not to have surgery, the cancer will spread. Brian decides to keep the news to himself and begins to push everybody away-including Justin.

Brian returns from the hospital but leads everyone to believe he'd been in Ibiza. Justin discovers the truth when he overhears a message for Brian from the hospital's oncology department. He asks Michael if he knows anything about it, but Michael is just as shocked as Justin. Knowing that if Brian wanted anyone to know he would've told them, they decide to keep Brian's secret to themselves. Michael, however, later admits to Brian that he knows about his testicular cancer and that Justin is the one who told him.

Justin is furious with Michael for breaking their agreement and telling Brian that they know he's sick. Brian has thrown Justin out and doesn't want to see him again; Justin is at first fine with this decision, but when Justin finds out that it's because Brian doesn't want him to see him sick, Justin goes to the loft to take care of him. Justin plans to stand by Brian and their commitment.

Brian and Justin are wrapped up in the heat of their passion when Brian has a flashback of his surgery. Needless to say, it changes the mood and Brian's passion is easily cooled. Brian finds his frustration and confusion growing after the incident, especially when his mother, Joan, pays him a visit after Debbie tells her about his illness. Her visit with Brian escalates into a heated argument, but his fury somehow gets Brian back into the groove he was looking to find.

The Center has hired top fund-raiser, Jeffrey Pendergrass, to help them raise money for the 2004 Liberty Ride. The proceeds will benefit Liberty House Hospice, which is currently in danger of shutting down. After seeing money being spent frivolously at the lavish kick-off party, Brian grows skeptical of Pendergass' motives. Realizing Pendergass seems to be the only one benefiting from the proceeds, Brian does some investigative work. When Brian reveals to Pendergass that he's discovered his questionable history with other fund-raising organizations, the top fund-raiser leaves town-claiming the money raised thus far in Pittsburgh will cover his expenses - barely, leaving nothing for the hospice.

Brian's oncologist gives him a clean bill of health but insists that he take it easy. However, in an attempt to repair the devastation of the fund-raiser Jeffrey Pendergrass left in his wake, Brian decides to obtain Remson Pharmaceuticals' sponsorship (in the amount of 0,000) to participate in the Liberty Ride. Against his concerned friends' wishes, Brian starts to train for the Ride but quickly becomes exhausted and has trouble keeping up with the others in his spin class.

Michael, Ben, Hunter, Ted, and Justin are preparing for the Liberty Ride. Justin is surprised to find Brian has been secretly training in order to go with them. Justin supports him and is very proud and excited that they'll be riding together. However, Justin is ultimately the one who will have to bow out when Brett Keller requests that he fly to Hollywood to help him pitch Rage to the execs of the studio.

The Liberty Ride continues on to the US border. Michael and Ben have filled out a joint immigration formâ-just as all married couples doâ-however, US immigration won't recognize their Canadian marriage. Michael and Ben had expected this but attempted to cross the border as a married couple to prove a point. Debbie, on the other hand,is outraged. When Horvath asks Debbie about their wedding plans, she explains that she loves him, but she won't get married in a country where her son can't.