Jacob and Emma are playing the guys vs girls football game during Sibling Day and he defeated her and the other girls 80-10. He remembers this during Emma's funeral. Most of Tree Hill gathers at her funeral and as he goes to Emma's casket he falls to his knees and cries onto her casket, just as Brooke and Haley attempt to comfort him. As Haley pulls him away from the casket, Jacob looks at Dan in anger for what he had done. The following days show the progression of the Tree Hill friends and family going through the stages of grieving.
Denial. As everyone departs, Brooke, Bevin and Haley stay behind with Jacob as Jacob breaks down in tears. Nathan and Haley go back to the Scott household to get changed and go to Karen's, and he tells her he never wants to come that close to losing her again and Haley promises never to leave before telling him she's afraid Jacob will never recover from Emma's death. At Karen's house, people reflect on Emma's life. As they all remember, Mouth brings up that she was a good friend and cared so much about them all including Jacob. Dan is driving home as he stops as he thinks he sees a young Emma in front of the car. Back in the house, Larry and Peyton come in and Larry thanks Lucas for saving his daughter and asks how Jacob's holding up as Brooke talks to a distant Peyton. Haley and Nathan are still at their house in bed and declare themselves officially the worst friends/family ever. Nathan tells her his mom is coming home and the two tell each other how much they love each other. As the students go back to school, they find themselves faced with metal detectors for safety. Lucas stands in front of Emma's locker as Brooke and Rachel find him. There is a small collection of dedications from students. He approaches it and places his necklace on the floor before walking to class even sadder.
Anger. Haley gets into Brooke's apartment to find her going through material and she is told it is Emma's wedding dress material she ordered. Trying to make her happy, Haley tells her that her and Nathan are going to be a proper couple and she will be moving out. Brooke is happy for her telling her that life is too short to not be in love. Meanwhile, Larry is helping Peyton do everything. He cancels his next trip as he hated receiving that call, as he has had two now, and that was too many. As he goes in the cupboard he finds Ellie's records that she can't bring herself to play. Jacob gets a text to meet them at the school and he does to see Rachel, who takes him inside. As he goes in, he finds a party in the school. Brooke tells him she has set up a party for everyone to be together like they should, as a school. She offers her support as Jacob goes to see Peyton after receiving Brooke's blessing. He teases her about what happened in the library and the two laugh it off, but then Jacob tells her he loves her, but he loves her more like a sister. Peyton is relieved to hear that and checks they are ok, which Lucas agrees to. She tells Jacob to let Brooke, Haley and Rachel help him. Back in the hallway, Jacob loses his temper with a boy and throws him against the wall and starts beating him up. He storms out as Brooke chases after him, but Jacob says she won't understand as she wasn't there, but Brooke assures him, she was. As he apologizes to Brooke and everyone for screaming and yelling, he leaves the school grounds.
Fear. Inside the Nova, Jacob is visited by Keith, Karen and Lucas who reminds him that he has her and Lucas if he needs anything and thanks him for everything. Jacob admits to Karen that was planning to propose to Emma during graduation leaving them shocked.
Guilt. Mouth is talking to Rachel about how sorry he feels for Jacob losing the one girl he really loved. Rachel then points out that, Jacob will pull through this and he'll be back to himself again, but Mouth isn't so sure as the two start dancing. Brooke finds Haley and Nathan and gives them the key to the apartment, delighting the newly reformed couple. They then go and find Lucas to see if he is ok, not before Nathan rips up the tape he laid down in the tutor center whilst being held hostage. Dan goes to Emma's grave as Jacob breaks down in tears in his car. Karen stacks up all of Keith's belongings as she remembers them two together and breaks down in tears. Rachel kisses Mouth on the dance floor and then tells him she released the time capsule. Shocked, Mouth walks off releasing Rachel who started to feel guilty for what happened.
Depression. Nathan and Haley go the cafe go to see Jacob in the cafe who tells Haley he withdraws his prediction as it won't happen without Emma. As he tells her this, Haley tells him that she would want him to move on. After listening to Haley, Jacob leans on his big sister's shoulder and tells her he loves her. Afterwards Haley and Nathan get back to the apartment to find it done up by Brooke, including a new duvet made of Karen's wedding dress material. Haley wishes it would rain, but Nathan says he can help that. Peyton gets home to find Larry standing there telling her Jacob's going to spending a few days with them. Delighted, Peyton attemps to comfort her friend.
Acceptance. Haley and Nathan are sitting on a green as he tells her that if he ever dies, he wants her to know how happy he has been and he will always be with her. As he tells her this, the sprinklers come on in the football field where they sit and they kiss happily after Haley's wish for rain. At the river court, Jacob and his friends play a game of football and dedicates it to Emma.