Max and Steph are walking through a sea of pink plastic cut-out dolls - There are messages on them to people affected by cancer from loved ones. Steph goes over to see the one Max was reading. He's quite emotional. Dear Mum, your brave fight against breast cancer showed me what hope and strength really mean, she reads. Max smiles through his tears and hugs Steph. I was so afraid I was going to lose you. She hugs him back. You didn't. I love you, you know that don't you.

Susan is making orange juice just as Karl walks into the house (dressed in his night gown and PJs) with his head stuck in the newspaper. She offers him some juice and then sits down at the table with him, looking pointedly at the newspaper he's reading. Karl stops reading and apologises, putting the newspaper aside. They make small talk briefly before Susan gets to the point and starts talking about the previous night and suggests that they go and see a marriage counsellor.

SUSAN: It would give us a chance to look at everything that's happened without blame.
KARL: I don't blame you.
SUSAN: Well...good.
KARL: Yeah. I wanna work this through.
SUSAN: This?
KARL: Well, us.

Susan tells him they have to be honest to one another, and he tells her he was honest last night. She continues and says they can't take one another for granted. They can't afford to do that and Karl says he will go to the counsellor with her. Susan says she'll make an appointment and starts telling him about a possible counsellor they could see. She then stops and looks at him, but he can't see her.

SUSAN: You're my heart, you know. Without you...KARL: We'll work this out.

He kisses her hand and smiles up at her.

Valda is getting Harvey to do a few tricks, but finishes just as Lyn walks in and tells Valda that Jack's VCE results are in. Valda tells her to open it, but Lyn puts it aside saying it's private. Valda then suggests she look it up in the paper, but Lyn says she'll call Jack and see what he wants to do. They go into the kitchen and start talking about the bush fires. Lyn finds some comfort in knowing that Joe will still be with family for Christmas. She then goes to the fridge and sees the amount of food she made, which is enough to feed an army according to Valda. Lyn begins to fret about what she's going to do with the all the food and Valda suggests she give some to Steph and Max. She also tells Lyn to stop worrying because it'll be their first Christmas together and it'll be fantabulous.

Taj is sitting at his desk tapping his unopened VCE results against it. Connor walks in carrying the newspaper and starts unwrapping it just as Toadie walks in demanding the newspaper.

TOADIE: Connor....newspaper.
CONNOR: Jarrod...in here.
TOADIE: Yes, it wasn't a question it was more an exclamation as in I was going to read that.
CONNOR: Well I'm not a mind reader you left it in there and it's still rolled up.
TOADIE: Well I went into the toilet.
CONNOR: Well take it with ya next time.

Connor opens the newspaper and notices the heading in the corner, Full list of VCE results. They both stare with open mouths at one another, then turn to look at Taj.

TOADIE: Is that what I think it is?

Taj nods and Connor gets a tad too excited and snatches it from Taj. Taj demands that he give it back, leaving Connor a bit confused about his behaviour. Toadie tells him it's VCEitis, mate. Where the prospect of bad results turns you into a zombie, making you unable to eat, speak or move while all the time staring at said unopened envelope.

Connor snatches the envelope again, but ends up with a sore side and his head in an arm lock, before Toadie takes the letter off him and gives it to Taj, who storms out.

Lyn is reading the newspaper while Valda is talking, but throws it down when she gets to the VCE results. Valda then suggests that she'll make sherry trifles for dessert and champagne, which Lyn nonchalantly agrees to, before picking up the phone again, saying she has to call Jack. Valda tells her she's already called twice, and he will call her back when he gets the chance. Steph walks in and asks Valda and Lyn to come over for Christmas lunch. Lyn doesn't seem that keen on the idea, but agrees anyway.

Susan is on the phone, talking to Mal. She's apparently organised for Mal and Cath to come around and surprise Karl. She makes him promise not to tell Karl anything. Next the scene cuts to Susan on the phone to Lib, and she's telling Lib how great it'll be. Susan hears Karl coming out and quickly hangs up and sits down at the table. Karl walks out still in previously mentioned nightgown and PJs, but this time with shaving cream as well. He asks Susan something & also asks who was on the phone. Susan says it was Libby asking about stuffing. It's a shame Billy and Mal can't be there, says Karl. Yeah, it's a shame, replies Susan, bursting into giggles when he's gone.

Max and Steph are wrapping up presents and talking about Christmas.

STEPH: I wonder what we'll be putting out in years to come.
MAX: For what?
STEPH: For our kids.

Max's face drops down to his feet, but Steph doesn't notice.

Valda is happily bathing Oscar, whilst Lyn is making remarks about Steph taking over Christmas lunch. Valda quickly pegs that Lyn is not that crazy about the whole idea. Lyn says she feels useless and wants to feel needed, and get hugs for being a great mum. Valda says it's going to be a great Christmas because she gets to give Lyn a hug and tell her she's a great daughter.

Connor walks in and asks if Toadie will be doing the Christmassy drink thing at work. Toadie says they'll be going next door to a ballroom dancing school. There's jive at five, with egg nog and sandwiches. (Ok, it sounds way funnier when Toadie says it). They comment on Taj and Connor tells him that he listened outside his room and it's totally quite. Taj comes out of his room long enough to say, I passed, are you happy now? and slink away again. Toadie and Connor look at him like he's grown another head.

Steph's wondering what basting means then gets confused at the idea of 'juices'. Max brings up the kids topic again as it's been playing on his mind.

MAX: Um, about kids...
STEPH: Mmm, what about them?
MAX: About us and kids. You were serious, weren't you?
STEPH: You bet! Why, what's wrong?
MAX: Nothing, nothing's wrong it's just... you've never mentioned them before.
STEPH: No, I guess I haven't.
MAX: Why not?
STEPH: Well, it was only when I got sick that I realised how much I wanted them. And I wanted to have them with you. Lots of brothers and sisters for Summer and Boyd, huh!... And you're hating what I'm saying.
MAX: Nah, nah. I love kids, you know that. It's just, well, it's kinda taken me by surprise. I'm sorry.
STEPH: Well I guess I shouldn't have sprung it on you like that.
MAX: We were bound to talk about it sooner or later.
STEPH: Yeah... so we're talking about it now.
MAX: Yeah... yeah.

Susan and Lyn are talking about her surprise for Karl. She tells him that she thinks the problem with Karl is lack of family. Lyn tells her she's so lucky she can get them all in the same place on such short notice. Susan then asks Lyn about Jack's results, but Lyn says she still hasn't found out about them yet, but after some prodding she gives Susan Jack's student number to check in the newspaper. Susan smiles when she finds his marks and congratulates Lyn.

Max says he's been raising kids for the past 16 years, and Steph says that he wouldn't be doing it alone this time. He says he'll nearly be 60 by the time the kid would be 12.

STEPH: Yeah, so what. I'll be nearly in my forties. Look at mum and dad with Oscar, when he's grown up they'll be ancient but y'know, it doesn't bug them!MAX: I'm not your mum and dad.
STEPH: You proposed to me.
MAX: Marriage, not kids. I dunno, I thought you felt the same.
STEPH: Well, I don't.
MAX: No, and I know that now.
STEPH: We should have talked.
MAX: Yeah, bad communication, eh?.
STEPH: Really bad.
MAX: I'm sorry. We aren't going to get it sorted now, are we?
STEPH: Guess I'll go back to reading about turkeys.
MAX: I might go and... trim the hedge.
STEPH: We don't have a hedge.
MAX: Still needs trimming.

Steph follows Max in carrying a white dish and she's complaining about the colour. I think. Lyn then arrives, bringing with her a few trinkets that are apparently apart of a Scully Christmas lunch, Steph doesn't look that crazy about the whole thing and Lyn is not that much happier when she finds out the traditional Scully dinner is getting scrapped for a seafood buffet.

Connor and Toadie bump into Susan at the Coffee Shop and she tells them Taj got in the top three percent. Susan tells Toadie she thought he was her best dark horse, but apparently he's been outdone.

Karl is throwing some red shiny stuff on the Christmas tree, then walks over to the table and picks up a box. He hears Susan opening the door and quickly runs past the tree and hide the box. Susan sees what Karl's done to the tree, you didn't like the way I did it? she asks him, but Karl just says he thought it could use more ball balls. She tells him she'll help him and gives him whatever it is she bought from the coffee shop, after he walks off she looks past the tree to where Karl hid the box.

Max and Steph are checking out the candles on the table and Steph says it looks hideous. They start talking about the kids issue and agree to put it to one side for now.

Connor is having a bit too much fun taking the piss out of Taj for his sudden transformation from the class idiot to a genius, before he leaves to check his roster. Toadie then sits down with Taj and tells him that he can't help but wonder if Taj got a little bit of help from somewhere, and I don't mean Connor. Taj asks him what he's implying and Toadie tells him he can't help finding some sort of connection between stolen exam papers and unexpected three percent results. Are you, are you accusing me of cheating?