Grace Under Fire

Nadine and Wade find out from the fertility clinic that there is a problem with her eggs. They ask Grace if she will donate her eggs. Her decision greatly affects their friendship. Do Nadine and Wade really want a baby?

Grace's hot water heater isn't working, but the landlord refuses to fix it. Grace approaches her boss to ask for an advance, but instead learns she is being demoted due to corporate downsizing.

When one of the guys on their crew and a couple of "suits" are fired, everyone is expected to work the weekend, but Grace has family obligations. Rick, the corporate executive that Grace spoke to about being demoted, shows up at one of the obligations and asks her out.

Grace realizes that she and Ben never talk about anything of importance. Rick asks Grace to stop seeing Ben and Quentin catches Grace and Rick kissing.

Rick gets two tickets to see an author Grace enjoys, but it's Halloween and Grace says she can't go. Quentin is banned from Halloween, Libby stains her costume and a troubled neighbor comes to complain.

Grace posts an ad in the pharmacy for a sitter for Patrick. Jean comes to watch him the first day and asks why Grace doesn't put him in daycare, and Grace decides to demand a company daycare center.

Matthew calls Grace after he's arrested for running naked through a women's rights protest. Grace tells him she's upset because he trivialized their event. Matthew's adoptive mother comes to see Grace over the issue.

One of the laid-off employees comes to the refinery and holds Grace's crew hostage while making demands of the company.

Emmet is off with his buddies for Thanksgiving and Jean makes a big show of letting everyone know that she will be all alone, forcing Grace to invite her. Rick is invited, and Grace asks him to be nice to Jean. Wade helps Grace see that she has come to expect chaos, and without it, she's not happy.

Rick and Grace finally sleep together and it's amazing. The next morning, Jean catches them kissing and asks to know who Rick is. The next night, Rick makes dinner and they have sex again. This time, it's very bad and things get awkward.

Emmet and Jean come to watch the kids while Grace and Rick go to St. Louis for the weekend.

The Kelly family's Christmas celebration is dampened when Jean receives a harrowing phone call.

Grace meets Rick's daughter, Amy, who is rather ill-mannered and not too happy to see Grace. When Rick and Grace go to a symphony, she babysits and Libby starts to copy her.

Everyone is trying to demonstrate how independent they are. Grace wants the landlord to build a bedroom for Quentin in the basement. Evie, newly married to a business owner, offers to pay to have the work done. Rick says she should have asked him for the money, but Grace is afraid to be dependent on him because she remembers the days she was dependent on Jimmy.

Sam, a friend from across the street, always seems to be visiting the Kelly's house. We know he's had a long-time crush on Grace and his mother appears to be the new June Cleaver, but is there something else going on?

The parents at Libby's school are petitioning to have the janitor fired because he has HIV. Grace thinks firing him is not the right thing to do and goes to the meeting to speak and defend him.

There is a gas leak at Grace's, which the landlord says will take two weeks to fix. Rick invites them to come and stay with him. By the time Grace and the kids are leaving, more layoffs come to the refinery.

Wade is watching the movers unpack the truck of the new neighbors and falls in love with them through their possessions.

Grace goes to Nadine's and finds her waiting for a call from the doctor.

Grace is taking a writing class at the local college. The professor is not kind or especially helpful, and Grace is not sure if she wants to go back.

Jean meets a man with whom she is keeping casual company. Grace encourages her, glad to see her getting out.

Grace is spending one night a week answering phones at the crisis center. Soon, she is drawn in by a frequent caller, Ron, who is tempted to go back to drinking.

There's a toxic spill at the refinery and Grace, who hasn't been checked out and cleared, leaves to find Quentin, who's run away from home. On the way home, Grace starts feeling woozy and finds herself in an alien diner where she talks to her late father.

Jimmy's child support check has bounced again and the kids are eligible for the free lunch program at school, where they're forced to go to a separate line. Libby hasn't been eating lunch, but for a completely different reason.