No.28
Lucy asks Pam and Gaby if they have any plans for Brad's birthday. They explain that Brad doesn't "do" birthdays - he's had a long history of things going wrong on them!

The phone rings and a friend asks Gaby to go out tomorrow, but she says no, explaining after the call to Pam that she doesn't feel like it. Pam tells her she really should get out.

No.22
Paul is almost beside himself with anxiety. Jim and Helen tell him to calm down and wait a while longer.

HELEN: Darling, she has every right to be with that child!
PAUL: No, Gran, not without my consent she doesn't, now I'm phoning the police!

Jim urges Paul not to ring the police - it'll be put down to "a domestic". Anyway, Paul has provoked Christina by limiting her access to Andrew. Paul relents and agrees to wait a bit longer.

PAUL: What if she's gone Interstate...what if she's gone back to Italy?!
JIM: No, she can't take Andrew overseas without a passport, remember?
HELEN: And I doubt if she'd go Interstate.
PAUL: It wouldn't surprise me, Gran.
HELEN: Nonsense, she wouldn't be so devious. Look, I'm sure there's nothing deliberate in this. It's probably just a spur of the moment decision. Now, darling, I suggest that you sit tight and wait for her to contact you here - which she will, when she's calmed down.
PAUL:(sits down) Guess I really don't have much choice then, do I?
HELEN: She'll ring soon.
PAUL: Yeah, yeah she will. Even if it's just to say she's never coming back.

No.32
Rick is snoring in the living room (sleeping on the couch). Marco is singing outloud in his room. Both have woken up Cameron who is not impressed.

No.28, the following morning
Pam is still badgering Gaby to go out on a date with the friend who rang last night. Lucy comes in and asks again about Brad's birthday phobia. Gaby runs off to get the vidence! This consists of a series of photos of Brad looking miserable on his birthday. He's been rushed to hospital, spent it in jail, endless awful things. Lucy says she's going to break the cycle and intends to formulate a plan!

No.22
Paul is pacing. Helen tells him to calm down and assures him Andrew is safe if he's with Christina.

Just then, Christina comes in and Paul confronts her angrily. She says she's been at a friend's and apologises to Helen while Paul continues to rant. She goes to the bedroom to get the rest of her things.

Helen tells Paul he'd better stop threatening Christina or she'll walk out and he'll never see her of Andrew again.

No.32
Marco is playing the drums and wakes Cameron up, who promptly falls over Rick's bike. Dorothy and Jim rush in and Jim forcibly removes Marco's drumsticks!

JIM: There is a time and a place for everything, Marco, and eight o'clock in the morning is not it. Especially having treated us to this racket until the small hours of the morning!
MARCO: I was just having a bit of a go(!)
JIM: WE KNOW. WE HEARD.
DOROTHY: The whole street heard! Constantly.

Dorothy turns on Cameron and says he'd better sort it. He assures both Dorothy and Jim that he will.

On the way out, Jim asks Dorothy if they can discuss Todd and Phoebe. Meanwhile, Cameron turns on Marco and Rick and tell them to keep the noise down. Marco just starts drumming again!

No.22
Christina has packed Andrew's things as well as hers.

CHRISTINA: I'm taking them as well. I'm not coming back.
PAUL: You can't do that! Do you think you can just walk out of here, end of story?
CHRISTINA: I'm going to. It's over, Paul.
PAUL: Is it really, well, we'll see about that because I'm not letting Andrew go.
CHRISTINA: You'd stoop to anything to get your own way! Oh, I hate you, I HATE YOU!
PAUL: Yes, well, that's nothing to the way I feel about you! You selfish, unthinking, irresponsible...
HELEN: Stop it, both of you! Look at you! Screaming at each other about the little boy as if he was some prize to be fought over, it's disgraceful.
PAUL: Yes, yes, you're right, I'm sorry. I just want you and Andrew to come back, Chris, can't you understand that?! Don't you understand that I still love you?
CHRISTINA: ...I guess, deep down, I still love you too.
PAUL: Then why can't we try again? Please give me another chance, please, look, if you feel the way that I do, surely it's the basis for a new start. Chris!
CHRISTINA: ...I don't know, OK, I need to think!

No.28
Cameron is moving the last of this things out. He admits that Marco's Phil Collins impression is driving up the wall, but he'll be fine.

When he's gone, Pam offers Gaby a lift to work so she can give her a lecture(!) Gaby insists that she's fine. She does allow that she might be missing out on some fun, though.

Ramsay Street
Marco and Rick are out on their bikes having given the Ramsay Street Residents a rest from the drums. They see Christina. She tells Marco about Paul wanting to try again. Marco says she's invested quite a bit in their marriage already, so she might as well give it a go. They hug.

No.32
Camerone is upside down on on a recliner. Marco and Rick wonder what he's doing. Cameron says it helps him relax. Marco and Rick make a nuisance of themselves.

No.22
Lucy asks Paul how things are going

with Christina. He says he's keeping his fingers crossed. Lucy takes advantage of his better mood to ask for tomorrow off. He isn't keen, but he agrees when she points out all the weekends she's worked and that it's Brad's birthday. They hug, and just then, Christina comes in with Andrew.

PAUL: Chrissie!
CHRISTINA: I've come home to give things another go.

Paul hugs her.

No.32
Marco and Rick are having a snack and drop greasy toasties on Cameron's confidential briefs. Cameron comes in and is not happy.

CAMERON: I'm sorry, Marco, enough's enough. I've got nothing against you personally, but there's no way we're going to be able to share a house. Not like this.
MARCO: But...
CAMERON: Sorry, that's all there is to it.

No.22
Paul and Christina are finally having a rational conversation.

PAUL: I know I behaved badly...it was really only because I needed you so much. Can you understand that?
CHRISTINA: Mmm. I do understand. But I would like to take things slowly from now on. One step at a time. We just can't go back to the way things were, we have to get to know each other again. And I think that for the time being, we should sleep separately.
PAUL: Yeah, whatever.
CHRISTINA: I've got to learn to trust you again, and that will take time. Especially after Caroline.
PAUL: Yeah, Caroline...
CHRISTINA: I know that wasn't completely one- sided. Caroline made that clear to me in Italy.
PAUL: Then why couldn't you forgive me?
CHRISTINA: Um...I was more hurt by your betrayal than hers. I guess I love you more than her.
PAUL: Oh, Chris. See, what I felt for Caroline wasn't love, I mean, not the way that I love you.
CHRISTINA: I'd like to believe that, but I'm not sure if I can.
PAUL: I'm going to make you believe it. If you'll give me the chance.

No.30
Jim and Dorothy are having a sherry.

JIM: Dorothy, I'm sorry for what I said.
DOROTHY: On which particular occasion?

She accepts his apology. She thinks it's a waste of time telling teenagers what to do - all you can do is keep an eye on them and offer advice when asked.

No.32
Marco is packing his things. Cameron says he doesn't have to go - they just need to set some ground rules. Like set times for playing the drums and so on. Marco suggests that they have a formal agreement in writing and Cameron is pleased.

While they're talking, Rick finds a note stuffed down the sofa - "Help, I've been kidnapped". Marco and Rick decide to check it out.

No.28
Gaby is dressed up to go out, having rung the bloke who rang yesterday back. Pam is very pleased.

However, when Pam opens the door to her date, he has crazy hair, sunglasses, and his name is "Zed". Pam awkwardly says hello, but Gaby says they'd better head off.

Lucy comes in as they're leaving and is surprised at Zed's appearance. Pam says she wishes she hasn't bothered encouraging Gaby!

Lucy has a plan for a disaster- free birthday event for Brad.