Lassiter's
Ollie follows Rebecca out of the restaurant as fast as someone can on crutches but she isn't for stopping and gets into her car. He tries to talk to her but she is just thinking of Declan and gets into the car. In her haste to get away, almost knocks Ollie down when she pushes the gear into forward instead of reverse.

OLIVER: (shouting) I'm your son too.

But she ignores him and finally drives off leaving Elle to comfort Ollie.

Ramsay Street
Ned tries to play footy with his son but Mickey stands there playing statues instead, claming that his new shoes hurt but he soon forgets about that when Toadie and Steph pull up in his car...with Janae. Mickey wants to run to her but Ned holds him back, saying that she'll come over when she is ready.

As Janae removes her bags from the boot, Steph remarks that she is quiet and Janae puts it down to being her family being away. Steph asks why she stayed and doesn't really need a reply when she looks to where Janae is looking...right at Ned and Mickey.

Mickey decides he can't wait any longer and runs to her and when she confirms that she is staying, he just about knocks Janae off her feet as he hugs. Ned asks her why she stayed and she lies, saying it was because of the garage when in reality both their faces show the reason why but neither are willing to be the first to say it.

Janae leaves to go and unpack and Toadie asks Ned what happened but before he can answer, Mickey says that Janae is staying. Steph says 'yah' adding that she can be there for his first day at school but Mickey replies he isn't going to school because he is sick.

Mickey leaves them and Steph and Toadie quiz Ned about why Janae is staying and he tells them it is because of the garage, even though they are dying to tell him that it is because of him that she is staying.

TOADIE: (after Ned leaves) Is he really that stupid?

The Community Hall
Steph is putting up campaign posters (with the photo that Toadie took) around the hall as she discusses NJ (Ned & Janae) with Toadie. Toadie tells her off for wanting to put balloons up due to the message it sends (hot air and lightweight) but give the go ahead for streamers instead. He then freaks her when he admits that the speech isn't finished yet... but it will be in an hour.

Charlie's/No. 22
Janae interrupts talking to a relative to take a call from Ned. He begs, asking her to come round because he's made a total stuff of things. She replies with a smile on her face that she will be right over.

No. 22
We find the reason why Ned needs help - he's been altering Mickey's school shorts and one leg is higher than the other. Mickey refuses to wear them even when Ned says they are uniform and again claims that he is sick and runs off saying he is going to be sick. Janae volunteers to help repair the shorts although I think she is disappointed that it isn't something else that she is over for.

Rebecca's house
With tears in her eyes, Rebecca opens a box containing snippets about Oliver's life but controls the tears when I think Declan phones (no name is mentioned) looking for a lift home.

Lassiter's Complex
Ollie is still ranting about what happened with Rebecca and Elle tries to stab the knife in about her behaviour too when Paul tries to defend what happened. He storms off in a huff (again, as quick as he can on crutches) and Paul refrains Elle from following and again defends Rebecca when Elle sharpens her knife.

Two seconds later, Ollie is back, ranting because Paul has interfered with the running of the hotel and reminds Paul he doesn't own the hotel let alone work there. Elle tries to shut him up though when he adds that Paul hangs around only because they let him. Ollie apologises before going off and this time Elle follows him but he rejects her citing he wants to be alone to deal with what happened with Rebecca. She reminds him that is how Rebecca dealt with it and adds that running away isn't solving anything.

No. 22
Janae finishes sorting Mickey's shorts but it might be in vein because the little guy has been sick because he is dreading going to school because of the bullies from the holiday programme. She reminds him that running doesn't solve anything and he will have to be 'bad dad' sometime. The two of them stand waiting for someone to make a move but the moment is over when Mickey calls for Ned because he is going to be sick.

The Community Hall
Toadie is running through Steph's speech but she isn't exactly enthralled with the cliché's he is using but he claims that they are actually sound bites. "Oh yeah, it bites alright" replies Janae. Steph tries to tell him it doesn't sound like her at all but he reassures her it is what the public wants to hear and leaves to go and put some finishing touches to it.

Steph asks him to take Charlie with him and she puts him down and he walks to the waiting Toadie. Aww, Charlie's first steps.

With Toadie away, Janae takes the opportunity to tell Steph about her frustrations that Ned hasn't made the first move. Steph asks why Janae didn't make the first move and she replies that after Boyd, she wants someone who wants her and to take a risk on her but he has to make the first move.

The Community Hall (later on)
The hall is filling up with people and Steph is beginning to freak out behind the curtain and it's not just with audience either - she doesn't feel comfortable in the get-up Toadie has her wearing (a black suit with a white top and the pearl twin-set).

JANAE: Yes, she looks like Hillary Clinton Toad and that's a bad thing to say about anyone! I'm sorry!
TOADIE: Once again, it's all about "the message".
JANAE: I'm sorry, the message being that what that Steph has terrible dress sense?

Toadie tries to say that the outfit says common sense, trustworthy, reliable and a candidate able to deal with real issues like rates. Steph tries to remind him that there are other issues like corrupt councillors (a councillor got his brother's renovations through without needing council approval). He doesn't want them to discuss it and leaves to go and touch up the speech again.

With Toadie away, its Janae's turn to be blunt and tells Steph that Toadie is walking all over her and she is letting him. Steph tries to say he isn't and besides it's too late to change anything now.

Charlie's
Elle admits to Paul that she is worried about Ollie avoiding her and admits she isn't sure how to handle the situation either. Paul gives her his advice - to give him 5 minutes before getting bossy in the nicest possible way.

Ollie's room
With Lior playing and tears in his eyes, Oliver watches some old home movie on the TV of him playing cricket with his parents.

The Community Hall
A worried Steph has an idea - photocopy the speech and had it out but Toadie rejects this idea. He is worried that there is nobody in the audience they recognise and Steph explains that is because she didn't invite anyone in case it was a disaster. To remedy the situation, he hands Charlie to her (so she can show off family values) before going out to introduce her.

TOADIE: Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your next councillor - Stephanie Hoyland.

Steph looks like she wants the ground to swallow her before she reveals herself to the audience from behind the curtain. Again, with Loir playing in the background she starts reciting the speech Toadie has written and in the front row he mines along.

Ollie's room
Oliver lets Elle in and both apologise to each other with Ollie admitting he behaved like a spoilt brat. She asks if he is going to contact Rebecca again and he replies he isn't planning to, he's managed to live this long without her.

The Community Hall
Steph continues reading the speech (with Toadie mining too) but the more she reads, the more she isn't liking what has been written for her and in the end, screws up the bit of paper and talks to the audience that although rates are too high, there are other issues too. The random extras seem in agreement although Toadie just about has a heart attack when Steph hints at the corruption with the supermarket owner and his brother the councillor. Steph raps up her speech and gets a good applause from the random extras although Toadie is well and truly miffed and agrees to keep working with her because she'll now need a lawyer for the defamation suit that is bound to happen!

Charlie's
Steph is still trying to justify why she brought up the corruption to Toadie and that they will get the evidence to prove it. The two of them have a mini dispute over it and Janae jokingly suggests that he stands for the council, which he does after Steph informs he she doesn't want him as her campaign manager.

JANAE: Is he serious?
STEPH: No, he'll just huff and puff but I'm right and he knows it.

Ned wonders what is up with Toadie as he leaves in a hurry just as he arrives but they don't respond as he enters and sits at one side of the bar. Steph plays piggy in the middle to Janae and Ned trying not to look at each other but failing miserably with still no sign of someone making the first move until eventually Ned leaves to head home to Mickey leaving all concerned frustrated!

No. 22
Ned calls a halt to Mickey washing his sheets when he gets home so they can have a chat. He explains to Mickey that he is scared when he goes to school because he can't look after him but rejects Mickey's suggestion not to send him. Ned gives him the positives about going to school including after a bit of time being smarter than him!

NED: Okay, first off, are you really sick?
(Mickey shakes his head)
NED: If you stay home tomorrow are you going to feel any less scared the day after?
MICKEY: (reluctantly) No.

Ned then tells Mickey that he is going to school but that he will help him through any problems since the two of them are a team and agrees to Mickey spending the night in his room to help seal the deal.

Lassiter's
Elle is happy because Ollie is happy as they exit the hotel and sit in the complex. Their chat is interrupted though but Rebecca's arrival and Elle volunteers to make herself scares so they can talk (she actually hides round the corner in the hotel doorway but unseen by them).

The two of them apologise for their respective behaviours and Rebecca remarks that doesn't sound like a Barnes. "Maybe it's because I'm not a Barnes" replies Ollie and she can't but help confirm that. Rebecca wants them to get to know each other but lays down the rules, to which the hiding Elle is aghast at hearing.

REBECCA: You must never ring my house again okay. All meetings must be initiated by me.
OLIVER: Okay.
REBECCA: Any relationship that you and I develop can never be at the expense of Declan because he is my first and only priority and if you don't think you can abide by these rules then we can't have anything more to do with each other.