No.30
Wayne and Beth are having a snog on the sofa. Wayne says they should make plans for the future. Beth looks rather worried, but it turns out Wayne is only trying to plan where they eat out tonight. Beth is relieved and offers to cook for them at home instead.

Mark comes in and is not pleased to see them having a snog. He apologises for walking in on them.

BETH: No problem.
MARK: If you say so.

He obviously isn't pleased at Wayne and Beth's renewed relationship.

School
Rick is still gloating about getting the Othello part and Craig is obviously still very upset about not getting it. Debbie tells Rick off, saying that underneath Craig is a very sensitive person.

Ramsay Street
Helen tells Lou that she's got hold of the ex-Barrabian, who is called Marcia. She'll come over tomorrow before work, as long as Lou can convince Lauren to see her.

Lou gives Helen a lift down to Lassiter's

No.30
Mark is trying to convince Beth that she's made a mistake in dumping Brad. She gets angry and says that she's done with Brad.

Coffee Shop
Lou comes in looking for Lauren - Lauren apparently didn't tell Lou that Rick had sacked her! Helen asks Rick how his audition went. She's pleased when he tells her that he got the part, but confused when he says he's not taking it.

RICK: I just wanted to show Craig Slater that I could get the role.
HELEN: You mean all the effort I put into helping you was about some petty schoolboy feud?
RICK: Yeah...kind of.
HELEN: Very impressive, Rick.
RICK: Even if I wanted to, I just don't have time with school and the Coffee Shop...
HELEN: Have you told your drama teacher this?
RICK: ...No.
HELEN: Then I suggest you do it first thing tomorrow. Before you put everyone to more trouble than you already have. Let this other boy play the role. He's one person who might be genuinely appreciative!

She stalks out.

Martins (No.32)
Craig has come to thank Debbie for sticking up with him with Rick.

CRAIG: I was wondering...if you're not doing anything...if you want to go out sometime somewhere?
DEBBIE: Um...yeah, sure.

Craig immediately starts part of his Othello speech again.

No.30
Beth, Wayne and Mark are having dinner and Mark is glowering quietly to himself.

Beth answers the phone about a job offer - apparently she's on for an interview in the morning.

WAYNE:(to Mark) Hey, you heard anything from Phoebe and Stephen lately?
MARK: No.

An awkward silence descends.

In the kitchen, Beth has burnt the dessert.

No.24
Lauren is reading Barrabian leaflets and Rick is doing his homework.

LOU: I hear you're not working in the Coffee Shop anymore.
LAUREN: No.
LOU: How come you didn't tell anyone?
LAUREN: I told my family.
LOU: Well, it's the first I've heard of it.
LAUREN: My spiritual family. I don't need to share my problems with outsiders.
RICK: Since when have your father and your friends been outsiders? They're the people who really care about you, Lauren. Not those weirdos you've been hanging out with.

Lou asks Rick to leave for a minute so he can have a chat to Lauren. He tells her about the girl who knows Barrabas.

LOU: She seems really nice.
LAUREN: The Barrabians are all nice...that's what I've been trying to tell you.

Lauren hasn't heard of a Marcia, but Lou quickly covers saying she's been overseas. Lauren says she'd love to meet her if she's in the area.

Martins (No.32)
There's a knock on the door late at night and Debbie answers it in her dressing-gown. He's brought her a present and she is a bit taken-aback. He tries to engage her in conversation, but she points out that everyone is in bed.

When Craig has gone she opens the present - it's a pen with "Debbie" engraved on it.

No.30, the following morning
Beth is stressing about her job interview. Mark points out that she's going for a job as a builder's apprentice, she could just go in her overalls! Mark is having a bad morning too - the toilet won't stop flushing! Then the door gets stuck and Beth discovers that there's a ladder in her tights.

BETH: Why us? What have we done to have this curse in our lives?

In the living room, the Uluru rock rests quietly.

No.24
Helen has brought Marcia around to meet Lauren. Marcia explains that she's come to tell Lauren why she left the Barrabians and she's immediately defensive.

LAUREN: If you left, it's because you lost your faith. I'm not interested in your reasons. (To Lou) I'm starting to see why you were so keen for me to talk to her.
LOU: Lauren, I just want you to listen. Now, if you do that - I'll stay well out of it after that. And you can go your own way. But I want you to know what you're getting into!
LAUREN: I do know!
MARCIA: I thought I did, too, Lauren. I'd like to tell you my story. Can I do that?
LAUREN:(to Lou) You promise if I do this you'll stop hassling me? You'll let me follow my faith.
LOU: Yes, yes. If that's what you want.
LAUREN: OK, then.

They go into the living room.

Ramsay Street
Holly nearly knocks Beth over as she comes out of the house. Beth bemoans her constant bad luck.

School
Rick comes up to Craig and tells him that he doesn't want the Othello part - he just wanted to prove that he could do it. Craig is not impressed.

RICK: Look, you're in and I'm out. No strings attached. What do you say?
CRAIG: I'd rather be a toad and live on the vapour of a dungeon.
RICK: ...Guess that's a "no".

No.24
MARCIA: I remember my family trying to talk to me. To show me I was being brainwashed. And I cut them off. I couldn't see it. I was totally devoted to the Barrabians. As far as I was concerned, I'd found what I'd been searching for all my life.
LAUREN: You obviously never had true faith. Or you wouldn't be betraying them like this.
MARCIA: Don't get me wrong, Lauren. I have nothing against most of the cult members. They're good people, just like you. Intelligent people. People who find their lives empty and are looking for something to challenge them. It's the leaders. Barrabas himself. His deputies. They're the ones I want to see stopped.
LAUREN: Stopped from what? Offering love? Offering hope?
MARCIA: You think Barrabas loves you? I can tell you about his love. That's what finally made me come to my senses. He ordered me to go the whole way with him. An induction ceremony, he called it. Necessary for the full liberation of my spiritual self. By that time, I hardly had the will to resist, but somehow I did, and it made me realise what a sham the whole thing way.
HELEN: Tell Lauren how they wouldn't let you go...
LAUREN: Oh, you are lying! I don't know whether my dad has put you up to this. Or whether you're just someone who hates God and love and beauty. But you're lying.
MARCIA: I wish I were!
LAUREN: No, I said I would listen, and I did. You told me your lies and...I don't believe them. Between and us and you there is a great gulf of peace. The Lord gives me strength and hope. The Lord is Barrabas. Barrabas is the Lord who is with me in my pain and suffering. All else are the enemy.

She stalks off to her room.

Outside the Coffee Shop
Rick and Debbie are having a milkshake. Craig comes by and purposely sits at another table. Debbie thinks that Craig is very over-sensitive sometimes, with a present and asking her out. Rick's shocked to hear that Debbie said yes!

No.24
Helen and Lou are sad that Marcia's talk didn't work and worried that the same thing will happen to Lauren. They hope that Lauren will come to her senses once she's had time to think about it.

LOU: Does the phrase, 'grapsing at straws' mean anything to you?

Outside the Coffee Shop
Lauren is trying to convert Craig again. Craig tells her that he doesn't need God - he's already planned his move against his enemy.

Coffee Shop
Beth is pouring out a tragic story to Hannah and a Coffee Shop temp about getting caught in the rain and missing the bus. She was an hour late for the interview so obviously didn't get the job.

BETH: We've had nothing but bad luck this last week. Ever since that stupid rock.
COFFEE SHOP LADY: What rock?
BETH: Oh, someone threw a rock through our window the other day. It's been one thing after another ever since.

Hannah looks worried.

No.24
Lauren comes in from her missionary work and tells Lou to keep his promise and respect her beliefs from now on. Lou tells her calmly that his offer was on condition that she listened to what Marcia had to say, and Lauren didn't do that.

LAUREN: It's time you made a choice. Respect me and my faith together, or lose us both.
LOU: Lauren, no-one's rejecting you!
LAUREN: Well, that's how it feels to me and I've had enough of it. My Barrabian family have asked me to move out of here and live with them. If you push me any further that's exactly what I'm going to do.

No.30
Hannah sneaks into No.30 (the door is still broken) She gets the rock and runs out, just as Mark comes out of his bedrrom. He doesn't spot her.

School
Craig is planting something in Rick's locker. We know it's dodgy because scary music is playing(!)

Rick and Debbie come along. Wayne calls Rick aside so he gives Debbie his locker key. Craig sees this and becomes worried. He runs over and pushes Debbie out of the way just as the locker opens - there's a bang and smoke pours out of it.