In episode 301, GOB and Steve Holt arrive in Reno in a red Camaro, and the car looks like an older model, possibly from the 1980s. Steve Holt is driving and may have bought it used, but I'm half convinced that it's a reference to the Camaro that GOB supposedly won on Card Sharks, but actually got from George Sr. Or maybe the Camaro was a rented car, but I didn't think that car rentals kept a lot of older models around.

Anyway, I'm trying not to let this issue drive me nuts, so that I can concentrate on moving this plot forward. The details about California child labor laws are based on a pamphlet that I found on the web.

Maeby drove to Steve Holt's house, and found him sitting sadly on his front steps. She parked close by and called to him, "Hi!"

"Hi, Maeby!" He stood up and came to the curb. "Cool car. Is that your birthday present?"

She got out and smiled. "Sort of."

"Sweet. I got a Camaro that's the same color. My dad said that it looked just like one that he used to have. Cool, huh?"

"Sure." She grabbed her clipboard and pen. "Um, I was wondering if you could sign this for me. It's--"

"Okay." Steve was so popular in school that he was constantly asked for his yearbook autograph at the end of the year. He didn't even wonder why Maeby wasn't giving him an actual book. It could just be a quirk of that New Age school she transferred to. After he signed the paper, Steve raised his arms and cheered, "Steve Holt!"

Maeby laughed and echoed, "Steve Holt!" Then she put the clipboard away and said, "Thanks. I'll see you around."

But he stopped her and became more serious. "Hey, Maeby, wait--um, is everything okay? I saw on the news all the stuff that happened at the boat party."

"Yeah, that was crazy."

"And I think that the police got my dad's yacht too. They didn't arrest him, did they?" Steve had been worried, and he would have tried to call GOB last night, if not for his mother's objections. Eve Holt had warned him that it was better not to hang around the Bluths anymore, because they were always getting into so much trouble.

Maeby answered, "No, he's fine. He's staying over at Gangee's place."

"Oh, good! That's at Balboa Towers, right?"

"Yeah. The penthouse."

"Cool. Well I guess I'll go see him."

Maeby said, "But right now he's probably visiting Uncle Mike and Gangee in jail."

"Okay, thanks."

"You're welcome. Bye." Maeby waved, then got back into the car.

Steve Holt watched her drive away and cheered, "Not arrested!" before he happily ran off to his Camaro.

Back at the police station, Michael was finally meeting with his lawyer Jan Eagleman.

"I just turned over the cashier's checks to the police, and to keep them from charging your son with obstruction of justice, I convinced them that he took the checks accidentally, while he was distracted and upset by your arrest. However, my meeting with your father didn't go quite as well."

Michael was not surprised. "Did he rant about how I'm betraying the family?"

She nodded. "He said that if there's a conflict of interest, then I should represent Lucille instead and stick you with the flunkie. Or even let you defend yourself, since you like playing a lawyer so much."

"Well, I did all right at the mock trial."

"Yes, but you were defending your father, not yourself, and I don't think that the prosecution is going to risk any more improper behavior now. They have incriminating tapes from the FBI, and they don't want this case thown out."

"I see. So, do you have any idea what's on these tapes?"

"Not yet. They're making copies and transcripts now. Anyway, when I tried to discuss your case with your father, he was completely uncooperative. He even refused to admit that the $300,000 on the yacht was his money."

Michael was shocked. "Really? He lied about that?"

"Yes. He said you were lying, and claimed that he never intended to go to Cabo. He had no reason to flee, with all the charges dropped against him."

Michael frowned with worry. "He's not going to say that in court, is he?"

"Not if I can help it. But if the prosecution calls on him, then we'll treat him as a hostile witness. But we still have the fact that he switched places with Oscar to discredit him, and the police are going to check the cash for fingerprints, too. Since your father's prints are already on record, it should be an easy match, assuming that he didn't wear gloves. We might also be able to find the bank where he cashed the check from Sitwell."

"Oh good." Michael tried to be optimistic. "But if worse comes to worst, then maybe I could testify against Mom in exchange for immunity."

She blinked. "You'd do that to your own mother?"

"Well, she was ready to let my dad rot in jail for her, and Dad's already selling me out."

"You're right." Jan sighed and spoke with regret, "You know, I would have preferred your family to stick together instead of fighting like this, but I guess we have no other choice now."

"Yeah. Just get me bailed out as soon as you can. I need to get home to my son."

"I will, and I'll try to set up an annulment hearing with a judge soon. You and the kids should probably be there to testify that you didn't intend the mock wedding to be real and binding."

In the other room, Buster was still visiting his mother, when George Sr. came in. "Hey, Father/Uncle Dad."

"Hello, George." Lucille was cold and wary of trusting her runaway husband.

He sat down and lied, "Honey, I wasn't trying to escape again. I had my whole retirement to look forward to. I mean, sure, I wasn't crazy about still having Buster around, but I could've just kicked him out."

Buster reacted anxiously to this.

George Sr. continued, "It's Michael that you shouldn't trust. He's betrayed the family, and he's going to testify against you."

"Oh no. You've got to get me a better lawyer!"

"Of course, and I'll find out what prison they're sending you to. Maybe we can get you under house arrest instead. Or at least find a nice place with ice cream sandwiches."

Lucille fixed him with a scornful look, and said, "I need a drink."

Soon George Sr. had to leave for the shareholders' meeting, so he gathered up Buster, GOB, and Tobias, who told him that Lindsay and George Michael had left earlier.

George started the car, and asked, "So Michael's still overreacting about the kids, huh?"

Tobias nodded from the backseat. "Yes. Apparently he plans to move out of the model home as soon as he's released today; then he and George Michael are going to go stay at Lucille's."

"What?" Buster pointed out that the apartment was already crowded.

Tobias answered, "Oh, he mentioned something about getting rid of GOB. But Michael only wants to stay long enough to get the annulment. He's making the same old threats about leaving town and abandoning the family for good."

"Oh, not that again!"

Buster said, "He's the boy who cried Phoenix!"

GOB was particularly surprised and upset. "What, he's still leaving town?" He became worried that Michael had lied to him.

Tobias said, "Oh, Michael's not really going anywhere. He's just running away from his feelings again. Poor little John Wayne."

George Sr. rolled his eyes and felt annoyed, even if Tobias was probably correct about Michael. Tobias just had a way of ticking off his father-in-law, even to the point of trying to shove him out of a moving car. But Tobias was in the backseat this time, and George Sr. had no time for delays now.

GOB tried to believe Tobias's assessment, but he couldn't help taking Michael's threat seriously this time. Maybe Michael had agreed to get the yacht back, only so that he could steal it again, and go to Cabo? Maybe he asked GOB not to be at the house so that he wouldn't be able to stop them? GOB growled, "Michael!"

George Sr. said dismissively, "Well, let's not worry about him now. We just gotta get through this shareholders' meeting, then get a better lawyer for Lucille."

Wondering if Michael had lied about this too, GOB asked, "Dad, am I the company president again?"

"What? No, that's what this meeting is for. They're trying to decide who's in charge now that Lucille and Michael are under arrest."

"Oh. So does that mean I have to impress the board again? But I don't have any of my magic stuff with me."

"No, GOB, I don't need any of your dumb tricks."

"Illu--"

George Sr. talked over him, "Look, if I need to nominate you to be interim president, then I will, GOB. But that's it. You just stay out of the way, and let me handle it." It was not a bad idea, actually; he could make GOB his puppet president, as long as GOB didn't screw it up somehow.

"Okay, Dad." GOB realized that if he were president, then he wouldn't need Michael's help to get his yacht back. So maybe he could get a different favor from him instead. But first he'd have to get revenge for being lied to and manipulated.

When they arrived at the Bluth Company, George Sr. ushered Buster, Tobias, and GOB into Michael's office. "You guys wait in here while I'm in the meeting."

GOB sat down on Michael's chair and played with his computer. He liked leaving naughty notes and pictures for Michael. Michael had never responded, though, merely deleting every inappropriate message on his screen.

Buster sat on the couch while Tobias paced around and expounded on his theory about Michael being attracted to him. "But he feels guilty because I'm married to Lindsay, who it turns out is not blood-related to him either. However, he still equates his attraction to incest--thus his revealing statement that it's sick and wrong."

GOB frowned with annoyance, and then his cell phone rang, so he answered it. "Hello? Oh, Steve Holt."

"Hi, Dad! I was gonna pick you up in my Camaro, but I went to Orange County Prison by mistake. Are you still at the police station, or did you go home already?"

"Uh, well I'm kind of busy right now..." GOB didn't intend to hide at Steve's, like Michael wanted him to, anymore.

"But don't you still need your clothes and your Segway?"

"Oh right. Yeah, I need my stuff back. Maybe you could bring it by the office?"

"Sure, Dad. I'll drive over there right now."

"Okay. I'll meet you in the parking lot." So GOB got up and headed for the elevator, glad to get away from his blowhard brother-in-law.

In the conference room, George was stunned to see Stan Sitwell and Lucille Austero at head of the table. "What the (bleep) are you doing here?"

"We're shareholders, George. And I'll ask you to please not speak that way in front of the lady." Sitwell smiled and took Lucille 2's hand affectionately.

She asked George, "Oh is Buster here with you? I have some things for him." She reached for a bag containing Buster's new glasses and prosthetic hand.

George told her, "He's in Michael's office," but still glared at Sitwell.

"Thank you. I'll go see him now." She excused herself from the group, and gave Sitwell a kiss before she left the room.

While George took a seat in disgust, Sitwell cleared his throat and began his speech, "Well, then we'll get started without my lovely partner. In light of the recent arrests, I propose that we appoint an interim president and CEO, for the duration of these S.E.C. trials, however long they may be."

"Wait, wait!" George protested. "Who says that you get to run the meeting?"

"My majority shareholder position. Or rather mine and Lucille Austero's. Sitwell and Standpoor now hold the largest combined share of stock in the company. Not counting the Bluths, of course, but with Lucille and Michael Bluth in jail, who would count them?" He chuckled.

"You horse's ass. You're trying to take over the company."

"Yes, and I've made no secret of that, George." He addressed the group again, "With these arrests, the company stock has begun falling dramatically, and we'll be back to a Triple Sell rating in no time. It's likely that the FBI will freeze the corporate assets just as they did when George was charged. I don't think that the Bluth Company can stay afloat on its own much longer, and Sitwell Housing is willing to take on the burden. I urge you to act quickly before you won't be able to cash out all."

Nearly everyone clapped and reacted positively to this speech.

George told them, "Oh come on! This offer is too good to be true, and you know it. He's a vulture feeding off our carcass. Yeah, one of those big bald buzzards."

Sitwell could not be fazed, and he only raised one fake eyebrow as he glanced at George Sr.'s bald head. "No, I'm trying to save the company and revitalize it. I want to bring in some new blood that could turn it around."

George scoffed. "What new blood? You and the widow Austero? You couldn't handle this company on its best day, and you only want to buy this company for revenge, so that you can shut it down and stick it to me."

"Not at all. I want this company to thrive for Lindsay's sake."

"Lindsay?"

Sitwell announced to the board, "Yes, Lindsay Bluth Fünke, the one Bluth who's never been in charge before, and who more importantly isn't in jail now. She has been passed over for too long, and it's time that she had the chance to prove herself."

"Are you crazy? She doesn't know how to run the company."

"Only because you were too chauvinistic to teach her, George. I propose that we appoint her the interim company president, while I become CEO and take her under my wing. I'll leave Sitwell Housing in my daughter Sally's capable hands, while I teach Lindsay everything that she needs to know about running a successful housing company. We'll have a fresh start with a fresh face, and it will be great PR to get everybody's minds off the old CEO and president."

The shareholders cheered him enthusiastically.

George only muttered to himself, "Oh, good God. It's not the company he's after; it's Nellie. He just wants to steal her and brainwash her into becoming a Sitwell."

While everyone else took a vote on Sitwell's proposal, George left the conference room and called Lindsay. "Honey, Sitwell's trying to take over the business, but I've got a plan. I need you to come meet me at the office."

"But I'm taking care of George Michael now."

"He's a big boy. He'll be all right."

"No, he's still upset about Michael going off the deep end about him and Maeby."

"I know, but this is more important, honey. I can send Buster and Tobias over if you want. Just come here now."

She sighed and said, "All right." When she hung up, she told George Michael, "It's an emergency at the office. Dad's sending over Buster and Tobias to stay with you. While I'm gone, maybe I can talk to Sitwell too about hiding you from Michael for a while. I think he has a guest house where you can stay, and Michael would never suspect it."

George Michael sighed, "But I wish my dad would change his mind."

"I know. We'll still work on that. Don't you worry." She gave him a hug and kiss before going. "Bye."

"Bye." After his Aunt Lindsay drove away, George Michael decided to call Maeby.

That morning at Tantamount Studios, Maeby turned in her clipboard to her boss Mort Meyers, and then they both pitched their show to Ron Howard, who suggested that they make a movie instead.

Mort said, "Great idea! We can capitalize on the blockbuster publicity that this Queen Mary capture brought on the family. But we gotta move fast on it."

But once Maeby returned to her office, Mort Meyers had bad news for her. "Hey I need you to get your family to sign release forms for the movie rights."

"What? Why can't we just use their signatures for the TV rights?"

"They're not the same thing, legally speaking. Talk to the studio lawyers. Besides, everything's changed now with the new arrests."

She picked up her signed releases. "So what, these were a complete waste of my time?"

"No, no, we'll keep these signatures on file, in case the movie's a huge hit and we end up making a TV show anyway. Just wait here. I'll have the new forms sent over, and then you can drive back home."

"But I just got here."

"I know, but it shouldn't be hard to get new signatures, since you already got your family to sign these. Just visit your grandmother and uncle in jail, and take the rest of them out to a nice lunch or dinner. If they're having second thoughts because of the new trials, then remind them that they can still sell their book rights and whore themselves out for inteviews. The movie will be great for everybody."

Maeby rolled her eyes. "My dad's probably gonna want a part too."

"Yeah, we'll write some bit part in. Which reminds me, I better get the writers to start reworking the script into a movie." Tantamount had already started a script based on what Maeby told them the day that she came to beg for her job back.

After Mort left, Maeby sighed and wondered whether she really could get new signatures, if she schmoozed her family enough. But Michael probably wouldn't agree to sign anything for her, let alone do it without reading it. He only signed the last form because he thought it was Lucille's letter about the company stock.

Then one of the studio lawyers came into her office, regarding a work permit. "We've got to get this done quickly, before we're fined for the child labor violations. Now, what school did you go to before summer started?" Work permits required approval from the child's school. "We need to request your school records too, to show that you're getting passing grades."

Maeby pouted. "Come on! Why can't I just get emancipated?"

"Even if you got emancipated, you still would have to go to school until you're 18, or you can go to the studio tutor that we use for the child actors. And like them, you can only work a limited number of hours here anyway."

"(Bleep)." So that was why Mort was sending her home so soon.

The lawyer continued, "Emancipation affects things like signing contracts, getting your driver's license, getting insurance, and whether you can get a work permit without your parents' permission. Plus, you can live on your own and keep your studio income out of the control of your parents."

"Yeah, that's what I want to do," she answered. "I don't want to live with them anymore, and I want to keep my money."

"Okay. So I'll put in the paperwork on the emancipation. But we still gotta get your work permit done soon."

"Fine. How long does an emancipation take? Is it longer than an annulment?"

"Annulment? You're married, Maeby?"

"Yeah."

The lawyer blinked. "Then I think you're already emancipated."

Her eyes lit up. "I am?"

"Yeah. I think that in California, if you get married, you're automatically emancipated. It's not my specialty, though. I'd have to check the laws, and probably get a copy of your marriage license too."

"Well, please check it for me. I'll, uh, go home and get the marriage license today."

"Good. Now about your school, and your work permit..."

She told him that she had dropped out of both Balboa High and Openings. "Actually, I guess I was expelled because I never went to class."

The lawyer did not like this, and worriedly left to see what he could do.

Meanwhile, some intern dropped off the new release forms.

"Oh thanks. Tell Mort that I'll get those signatures right away." But first Maeby reached for her old clipboard and went to make a photocopy of Michael's signature, so that she could forge it later at home. Maybe she should make copies of the other signatures too, in case any of the family turned out to be holdouts.

Then Maeby gathered her stuff and left the studio in a much brighter mood than before. As she got into her car, she wanted to call George Michael about the marriage, but decided to see him in person instead, to better read his reaction to the news. If she and George Michael were both emancipated, then nobody could tell them what to do. They wouldn't even need to live in the model home or promise not to have sex. They could decide everything for themselves, and they'd be free.

As she raced back to Newport Beach, her phone rang, and it was her husband after all. "Hi. How'd it go with your dad?"

"Horrible." He sounded very upset and depressed.

"What, he's not gonna get released?"

"No, he is. It's just--he didn't like our deal, Maeby. He was mad at Pop-Pop, and..." George Michael sniffled and couldn't go on. "C-can I come over and see you?"

"Actually I'm on my way back right now. How about I meet you at the banana stand, and we can go have lunch?"

"Okay." So he hung up, then rode his bike out to Balboa Island.

When they met, they kissed and hugged each other, lingering in front of the closed banana stand for a moment.

Then they went to a restaurant for lunch, and after they ordered, Maeby asked, "So what happened at the jail? Was your dad still freaked out about us?"

He nodded, then told her what Michael had said about leaving forever.

Maeby was pissed off. "See, what I'd tell you? Your dad's trying to run off again, and he doesn't care how you feel."

George Michael picked at his food sadly. "He thinks that he's doing the right thing for me, but he just wouldn't listen, and he kept saying that we're still family."

"I don't care what he says. You're not moving to Buster's, and you're sure as hell not leaving for Cabo, or wherever else he's planning to go."

"I think he might have meant Arizona or something. I don't know. He just wanted to get away from the family for good. Anyway, Lindsay said that they would all keep trying to change Dad's mind, and that until then, I should go stay at Stan Sitwell's guest house, so that Dad couldn't find me."

"You mean you just wanna hide from him?"

"I don't know what I want to do, Maeby. I hate this."

"Me too. But look, I think we could do something even better than just running away. I was talking to this lawyer at the studio today, and I found out that we're emancipated."

"Emancipated?"

"Yeah, it happened automatically when we got married. So if we don't get the annulment, then we can just move out, and live on my studio money. Your dad can't do anything about it, and he can't make you move away."

"What? You mean, we should stay married?"

"Yeah, I know, it'll be weird, but we could always get a divorce later, when we're 18."

"Oh, you want a divorce?" He looked hurt that she was talking about it already.

She took his hand. "No, I just mean, since we're so young, and we'll probably have sex before we're 18, so an annulment won't work anymore."

"Oh." He blinked at the thought of having sex. "Wh-when would we...?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "But we might have to lie at first about consummating it, to keep your dad from trying to annul our marriage, you know?"

He sat closer and asked her, "Do you really wanna be with me, Maeby? I mean, not just to be emancipated? If we weren't married--"

"Of course I wanna be with you! I only felt weird about us when I thought we were still cousins. But we're not, and I'm not gonna let your dad take you away from me now. Besides, I made that deal with Pop-Pop too, before I knew that we were emancipated already. But look, if we stay married, George Michael, then we don't have to stick by that deal, and we don't have to be afraid about your dad."

George Michael saw her point. "So I wouldn't have to go to Buster's or hide at Stan Sitwell's?" He also liked the idea that they would get to sleep in the same room again, and maybe fool around immediately, if not have sex.

"Right. Besides, I want to get away from my parents too, and make sure that they can't spend all my movie money. The only bad thing is that the lawyer says I still have to get a work permit and go back to school, but you could always do my homework for me again, right?"

"I guess so. But how do we tell my Dad?"

"I don't know. When is he getting out of jail?"

"Later today."

"Okay, well then let's go to the house and pack our stuff first. I gotta get a copy of the marriage license too, to show my lawyer."

"I already gave it to Jan Eagleman, for the annulment."

"Oh (bleep). Well, we gotta get it back from her now. I better check with my lawyer to make sure that nobody can make us get an annulment against our will. Maybe he can suggest something too." So she paid for their meal, and they left the restaurant.

He asked again, "What about my dad?"

She shrugged and led the way to her car. "Well, when he gets out, I think you should stand up to him and tell him that you're already emancipated. He can't control you anymore, or make decisions for you."

"But he'll be mad."

"Probably. I'll tell him off too, and then we'll leave with our bags. If he tries to come after us, then I'll tell him to talk to our lawyer. We'll take this to court if we have to."

George Michael didn't like the sound of that. "I don't want to fight with him, Maeby. He's already got problems with his arrest."

"Well that's not our fault. We have to do this, if he's gonna keep up this whole 'we're still family' nonsense."

"But maybe we should wait a little longer, Maeby. I mean, let the family try to convince him again."

"If Pop-Pop and my parents already tried, then I don't think waiting is going to help. Anyway, we have to stop your dad before he gets our marriage annulled."

"But maybe we should wait and see--"

Now Maeby was getting pissed off at him. "Why can't you stand up to him, George Michael? Why can't you stop being such a daddy's boy?"

He blinked and stammered, "I-I'm not... I just don't want to hurt him, Maeby. He's making a mistake, but--"

Maeby shook her head and felt hurt. "If you're not even gonna fight for us, George Michael, then you might as well go back to Bland!" She turned and ran to her car.

"No, Maeby! Wait!" He caught up to her and grabbed her from behind, clinging even when she tried to make him let go. "Don't go. Please. I don't want her anymore, Maeby. I just want you."

She turned around, and they kissed each other with tears in their eyes. She asked him, "And you just punched GOB out on the yacht because she was your ex? You didn't really want her back?"

He shook his head. "No, my dad told me to go back to her days ago, but I waited until the last minute to even go ask her to the boat party. I still thought about you every night that I was sleeping in the other room, and I wasn't over you at all. I-I just didn't know what else to do, Maeby, and I guess it was just like you deciding to get your job back at the studio."

She nodded and felt better. "I wasn't over you, either. I just thought it would be a good distraction, to help me stop thinking about you. I could go away on a long shoot too, and maybe earn enough money to get a lawyer and get away from my parents. But now we can stay together, George Michael. We can move out and get our own place, maybe up in L.A."

George Michael answered, "Yeah, I guess we should leave. This is just really hard for me, Maeby, because I don't hate my dad. I love him, and I don't want to lose him for good. He's all I've got left since my mom died..."

"I know." She kissed him again and spoke more sympathetically, "Look, I don't hate your dad, either. I'm just angry at him, and I hate that he's still treating you like a little kid. We need to teach him a lesson and show him that you're grown up now. He has to listen to you, not control you."

"Yeah. Maybe us moving out will teach him a lesson. Maybe he'll change his mind about us later, and he'll come make up with us in L.A."

"Sure, I guess. And heck, maybe my parents will miss me too and actually pay attention to me for once?" She highly doubted it, though. "We'll teach them all a lesson."

"All right."

"So let's go pack." They got in the car and drove back to the model home.