Finally, 57 episodes passed, a really long time, and finally Charlie and Kirsten are back together. They built an excellent relationship in seasons 1-2, and they overcomed an impossible situation they never wanted to happen. He did some of the greatest acts of love he could do during her manic depression, and she supported him during his cancer almost like a wife, despite not being together. They were always perfect for each other, with a brilliant chemistry. Plus, she always belonged to the family, it's enough to remember all her happy scenes with Owen, Claudia, her family dinners, etc. You can check the five other women Charlie dated in this series and not even one was nearly as great or wonderful as Kirsten. And any of the three men she dated (including the one she briefly married) could offer her anything similar to what Charlie had. Finally, the big mistake of the writers, their endless need of suffering and drama for this two characters ends here.
It wasn't perfect, but still all the scenes are worth it, are memorable. First, it's hard to believe that Charlie would remain blind after the last episode, but Claudia gave him the final push to be with Kirsten (and considering that Claudia's slip up in 3x05 indirectly led to their devastating break up, this was the least she could do to fix it). She tells him why Kirsten came to the house in 5x14 and why she left in 5x16, given that she noticed how sad she was when Charlie went to LA. Claudia tells the truth: because his latest mistake, Kirsten thinks he doesn't want her back, so she decided to leave. He wonders why she'd hide her feelings and Claudia asks him why he is hiding his feelings. So he goes to Kirsten's apartment, to check how she is and tells he misses her. She says she misses him too but that she is thinking about which car, job to take, city to live in, traveling as she has nothing to tie her down (and considering 5x16, he can't blame her). He's stunned so she asks him if he wants her to stay and not run away from her problems (like in 1x13), he remains silent, like thinking what to say and finally tells her to decide herself. She seemed disappointed to hear that, the scene ends, so I guess he just left, dubious and saddened. Next day, a hopeful Julia (who thought she and Griffin could start over) thinks he should try to get back together with Kirsten and he answers that he feels like a twinge, like now he remembers how broke he felt in 3x12-13 and doesn't want to suffer that ever again. She says he might be ready now for what he wasn't 2 years ago, that this time will work but he feels that Kirsten wants to leave town and be away from him, so he won't push her. About this, I disagree with Julia, in seasons 2-3, Charlie was ready to be with Kirsten forever, he proved it when he had and held her in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health (Going Home says it all), the reason for their breakup was totally different. Still, Julia was right that he has to get back, just like Claudia said. At least this conversation explained two things: first, they're friends and her manic depression is past. And second, their last break up was so heartbreaking for both of them, that Charlie thinks he couldn't handle it again if it doesn't work. Then, he goes again to Kirsten's place and offers her a job that he heard in school, with kids in Tonga for the summer. She is surprised because she thought he wanted her close and again asks him what he wants. He avoids the question saying that this is for her not for him, so she reluctantly accepts to apply for the job. But then, Charlie's wall that kept his true feelings deep inside falls down when he learns that the job is for 2 years, the summer is just a tryout. He shoots the whole thing down mentioning to the counselor man about Kirsten's divorce and her unfinished thesis. For this, she goes to the house, mad at him because he pushed her to take the job when she didn't even asked for it. He's forced to say that he was selfish by ruining the job and that he wants her to stay, as he can't be away from her, calming her down. This implies that he can't live without seeing her. Love is in the air, and he is scared because she was the one who said they couldn't be together, and the one who married someone else. He says he doesn't want to lose her as a friend and still thinks she moved on from him. So to clear his doubts, she advances first to kiss him, proving that her past words in Lincoln, Nebraska, are meaningless now. That passionate kiss, was to stand up and clap. The last time they kissed was in that happy walk they had in the snowy Chicago, more than 2 years ago. Then, the two are lying in the parental bedroom, like in the good old times, he on the right side and she on the left side, as always, without aparting their looks from each other, without believing how long they were separated, how long they missed their love. She talks about their future waiting and he says he's afraid because his mistake in the wedding, but she calms him down, assuring that nothing else can go wrong. He asks her for now to take things slow, she accepts and they happily kiss. Then, they go downstairs and find Sarah, Bailey and Owen. It's clear here that Bailey and Sarah realized that they are together now. They were surprised to see her there so early, so she invented a story that she lost her keys. Charlie acts like nothing happened but then he says he'll accompany her to the locksmith and they leave in a rush, but Owen doesn't get what happened. Their last short scene in her apartment, 4D, he taking pizza there, joking about how he was just in the neighborhood and she laughing and taking his hand to invite him inside just showed their true happiness in their faces. Surely sooner or later they talked about what happened in 3x12, that she overcomed the bad memories and despite she's on medication, she can be with him beyond that. Considering what Claudia told him about why Kirsten left in 5x16, and why she thought about leaving SF, Charlie surely realized that he hurt her so he apologized and explained that he always loved her and in that moment he thought she didn't want him. Today seemed that wasn't necessary to show all those conversations. Anyway, Charlie's deep wound was healed here, despite some happiness with Diana's presence, his true and deepest happiness returned today, when he recovered the love of his life, his long lost wife. The same applies to her, she never was truly happy in the last two years, only now she can recover herself and heal her deepest wound. So that's why here they didn't talk much about the past, like the scene in the bed showed, they were just infinitely happy of being together, without thinking in anything else. After all their suffering when they lost each other in Chicago, today it's like they could have been lying in bed together forever, to make up all the lost time. Now, what happened in Lincoln is their safeguard, they were willing to share a lifetime together in 1996, but they had to break up for a complicated situation concerning her manic depression, the damage done to their relationship by psycotherapy, a bad memory and the lack of a daily dosage of lithium. I still believe that if Claudia didn't call her parents, all would have turned out ok because Dr Leto surely would have found the right medication. Besides, before Gene and Ellie took her to Chicago, the bad memory was already in the past because she didn't have hypomania when she looked at Charlie in season 2 finale or the first 6 episodes of season 3. That's why for me, what caused their break up was what Gene and the new psychiatrist did. They made her relive the failed wedding and later events in psycotherapy, so when Charlie went to Chicago, she started to see the bad memory with him. 1 year later, in S'Wunnerful Life, they both realized the bad memory was in the past. But until now, he was scared to take the risk thinking that she didn't love him anymore. Somehow, they had to realize that the past is past, that no matter how many years pass they'll always love each other and that being together is their only way to be truly happy.
As for the rest, Griffin decides to break up definitely with Julia, signing the divorce. He knows that they don't belong together, he said it in 4x08, the day of their "wedding". And after all what Julia did to him this season, he got tired of caring. Besides, they got married mainly because Julia wanted to travel to Europe and he didn't trust her with Justin, that's not a reason to get married. Claudia knew it but when she saw Julia saddened she tried to convince Griffin, but it was too late. He explained that she messed him up, and that the last months without her he felt ok, happy, without thinking which dream was wrecking. The damage was already done and their bond never was really strong. On the other hand, it's not crazy that Claudia is a little in love with Griffin, in 2x04 she (being 12) said he was kind of sexy. So when she talks to Ross about it, their conversation makes sense. He tells her to use her music to let go those feelings, as they both know about impossible love. In the final scene, she plays the same piece of Not So Fast. Anyway, I'd have liked to see Claudia's face while learning about Charlie and Kirsten together, but well, I won't complain. As for Bailey-Lauren story, it seemed kind of pointless. He talks about control and he knows she understands him, but he is with Sarah and doesn't want to cross the line. The final kiss didn't make sense, so it's not relevant. I don't have nothing against her, it's just bad timing for her appearance. To finish, it's unbelievable that Bailey and Sarah only now realize that taking Owen away from the house was a mistake. The kid misses Claudia and Charlie, so now the two decide to move to the house leaving the loft. Sarah always had doubts about taking Owen and now she feels even worst. Seems that the writers staged JLH's departure since this.
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