List of The Affair episodes

After four months back in Brooklyn, Noah and Helen are getting back to life as usual, though they are making cutbacks financially, which is affecting the children, Martin hates his public school and they suspect Whitney may have bulimia. Bruce is to receive an award but Helen needs to stay home to mind the store, and after a heated discussion during a therapy session they agree Noah will go to support Helen's father. In Montauk, Alison and Cole are trying for a baby and there is discussion of selling the ranch. Alison finds she is working Bruce's presentation evening and tries to duck out but her boss asks her to stay. Alison and Noah meet briefly. Bruce discloses his own infidelity and says how the enduring memory of that has helped his writing. Alison receives a call and needs to get to her ailing grandmother's deathbed, Noah steps in and whilst initially keeping his distance he provides more support after Alison's grandma passes. Later, they declare their love for one another.

Alison and Noah have sex in Noah and Helen's bed. Both, separately, discover a positive pregnancy test and both think Helen is pregnant.

Alison's perspective: Noah talks of leaving Helen but Alison is unconvinced. Alison drinks heavily at a Montauk bar, and ends up having sex with Oscar. A regretful, hungover Alison makes to leave the next morning, while Oscar makes pancakes and smalltalk. She mentions the ranch sale, and Oscar gives her the paperwork to show Cherry refinanced and no real equity remains. Alison confronts Cherry at the ranch, who blames everything, including Gabriel's death on Alison. Alison self-harms and later attempts suicide only stopping when she thinks she hears Gabe's voice. She tells a disbelieving Cole about the ranch and that she is leaving. At the train station, Cole catches up with Alison and, now knowing the truth, wants them to leave Montauk together.

Noah's perspective: Noah, now four months removed from moving out of the family's brownstone, and having had no contact with Alison, is enjoying life as a single man. But an episode of after-hours sexual behavior with a coworker results in him being suspended from his teaching job and accused of disorderly conduct. Serving his suspension in a New York City Department of Education rubber room, he spends his time there wisely and completes the first draft of his book. His editor considers the book extraordinary and suggests it is worth up to half a million dollars in an advanced payment. Later, an unexpected invitation brings Noah back to Helen who has missed him, but the elder kids not so much. When Alison texts Noah with news that Whitney is at the Lockhart house in Montauk, Noah and Helen head there to retrieve their wayward daughter. A confrontation on many levels awaits with Scotty, Cole, Cherry and Alison all contributing to the tension. Noah's recollection suggests this ends in a stand-off, with Cole pointing a gun at him while he is administering a beating to Scotty. In a future scene, Detective Jeffries has the Montauk mechanic wear a wire and records Noah blackmailing him.