Well-done drama focuses on the personal rather than the military aspects of the Iraq War. Marine Pvt. Mike Holland (Cannon) gets a four-day Thanksgiving leave before shipping out to Iraq. While taking the bus from Camp Pendleton to Bakersfield, Mike is instantly smitten by fellow passenger Cristina (Diaz), a Mexican-American college student. Mike keeps postponing the moment he has to tell his troubled family he's leaving while dealing with his volatile friend, drug dealer Jake (O'Leary), who's upset that Mike has changed. Meanwhile, Mike tries to persuade Cristina to be his girlfriend despite his upcoming departure.