Number 28
Karl arrives home and Susan tells him about Nicola telling her about the needlestick injury. He reassures Susan that she needn't be concerned that he's straying but she confesses that she thinks he will every time he's off seeing Holly or spending time with someone like Nicola.

KARL: So where does this leave us?
SUSAN: I don't know.

Number 28 (next day)
Lib & Ben arrive to see who wants a lift to school and picks up on the strained atmosphere in the house. She asks the kids about it and after Rachel fills her in, tells them to meet her in the car so she can talk to her parents.

LIBBY: Hey mum, you look a bit tired, is that new medication still alright?
SUSAN: Yeah, it's great, it's great. I just err, couldn't really sleep.
KARL: I've had better nights myself.
LIBBY: (to Susan) Are you alright?
SUSAN: Yeah, ask your dad.

Number 30
Dan has had his miracle recovery again as we find he's fully recovered and no longer needs to wear his sling. Toadie mentions to him that Nicola hasn't come out of her room and when he runs through her symptoms, comes up with her being pregnant! He does his sums further wrong too by putting Karl down as the father due to her talking a lot about him lately. Dan thinks he is way off the mark but Toadie reminds him that Karl does have form.

School
Dan is talking to Toadie about Nicola (who still hasn't come out of her room) but has to change the topic of conversation when Declan & Ringo appear.

In the classroom, Dan hands back the pupils IQ tests they did, reminding the class that it's more the taking part that counts rather than the mark they scored. That doesn't stop the pupils from comparing marks and Ringo scrunches up his result under the desk after embellishing the truth (I got what I expected) when Rachel asks him how he got on.

Number 28
Libby stuns her mum by being pleased for her about her new job (Paul was leaving as she arrives), impressed at the article she wrote, which Susan remarks is more than Karl is.

Susan explains to Libby why there is an atmosphere in the house - Karl has been spending at work with a woman. Lib is shocked but Susan is quick to reassure her that there is nothing going on.

LIBBY: But you thought there was?
SUSAN: Well, that's what we fought about. He can't understand why I wouldn't trust him.
LIBBY: He ran off with other women.
SUSAN: I know, but I just need to get over that.

Susan then spots a letter to Karl from Izzy in the mail that Libby brought in with her and ruefully shakes her head.

LIBBY: You don't just get over something like that.
SUSAN: Well anyway, not your problem, it'll be fine. I just need to deal with it.

Lassiter's Complex
Toadie catches Karl as he leaves TGS to ask him questions about Nicola and the fact she is holed up in her room after coming home from work. When Karl describes her symptoms (nauseous, tired & emotional), they reinforce his thought that Nicola is pregnant despite Karl adding that there is nothing to worry about.

TOADIE: Karl, is there something I should know?
KARL: Toadie, it's not really my place to say.

Libby then replaces Toadie and she starts by giving him one of her stares before giving him a lecture after what Susan told her, reinforcing that he needs to be there for Susan.

KARL: I am there for her.
LIBBY: No you're not. You've been off in London with Holly; you've been spending time with "whoever" it is at work. Dad she's tired and she's sad, you're not talking to her. It's not fair so do something about it.

Karl drinks his coffee, not replying, which infuriates Libby so she asks him if he even cares.

KARL: Right now Elizabeth I'm just trying to calm down. Frankly your mother has got to learn to trust me and so have you.
LIBBY: Easier said than done.
KARL: I know what I have done. I will be apologising for it for the rest of my life but you and your mother have got to stop using it against me every time I don't measure up.
LIBBY: We're not using it against you.
KARL: Don't pretend Libby, it doesn't come in handy. (Pause) There's only so many times I can say I'm sorry. Now if that isn't sufficient then...

Karl doesn't finish the sentence and Libby hands over the package that arrived from Izzy adding "just in case you need reminding about what caused this problem in the first place" before leaving.

Hospital
Karl opens a card from Holly (with her footprint on the front) with the message inside reading I miss you already. Please come back soon. Holly

He puts the card away when Paul comes by to hand over a bill for cleaning his car and lets it be known that Susan is now working for him (which is news to Karl) and he can't but help asking (and gloating) if they don't speak to each other any more.

KARL: Why would she work for you when she could fall back on teaching?
PAUL: I think a convicted criminal walking back into a school might cause a bit of a stir don't you think? Fortunately I'm not nearly as selective.

(Summariser note - in that case why did he as a fellow convicted criminal teach in the school? rolleyes.gif)

Paul then taunts him about the fact they are they were the showcase married couple and asks when he lost interest which doesn't please Karl at all.

KARL: Take that smirk elsewhere Paul or you'll wear it on the other side of your face.

Number 28
Susan is surprised to see Karl returns home during the day but she brightens up when he shows what he took home with him - Audrey. He then tells her about a decision that he's made - knowing how hard it is for her when he goes to London, he's decided to only see Holly for 2 weeks every year and that he wants her to go with him too. Susan is surprised by this but thanks him for it because she knows it means a lot.

KARL: I don't want you to feel shut out of my life and I don't want to feel shut out of yours.

That then prompts Susan to tell him about accepting Paul's job offer but he gets in there first telling her that Paul told him but surprisingly he doesn't hit the roof, telling her "good on you." She is a bit stunned and how calm he is but Karl reassures her that he is cool with it so she tells him that she will do London with him... but only in posh seats! laugh.gif

School
Didge is quizzing Rachel about Ty's offer to be a singer in his band but Rachel is playing it down still unsure of his offer but Didge tells her that he's being serious.

The girls leave after a bit of staring at Declan by Didge and Zeke banters with Declan over the fact that Declan got a higher IQ score than him. They ask Ringo about his mark when he appears but he maintains that he got a pretty average score. He misinterprets their "really" comments as 'I'm a complete moron' and storms away.

The General Store
As 'One good reason' plays in the background, Carmella spots that Ringo is down and sits him down for a chat. She compliments him on how great he's been around the place and he mutters that is likely to be his only career and he ends up storming off when she mentions that he can talk to her or Dan if anything is worrying him.

Ramsay Street
Ringo runs home from the store but because he has his headphones in, doesn't hear Dan starting the car until it's too late and he collides with (well runs into) the car. Dan quickly gets out to see how Ringo is but he is still angry and refuses any help (or his apology) from Dan.

DAN: You ran straight into me, there was nothing I could do.
RINGO: Don't even worry about it Fitzy, no-one special... just some moron with a below average IQ.

Dan tries to reassure him that it was only an exercise and the scores weren't important but Ringo tells him that none of the kids would have listened to that - he got a below average 86% (Dan had said that average IQ was between 90 and 109%).

Number 28 (later on)
Dan calls round to apologise to Ringo for not thinking of the impact it would have on the students by getting them to carry out the IQ test, even if he does point out that they are a fact of life for some jobs. He tries to reassure Ringo that a test can't define who a person is or what they are capable of even if Ringo thinks that is too late. Dan tries to get him to attend a counselling session in the morning with him but he rejects that because he doesn't want to miss economics.

DAN: Mate, I don't blame you for not wanting to talk to me, I stuffed up but there is a lot of people out there who care about you and they can help alright. You don't have to do it on your own.

The General Store
Being genuine, Susan asks Karl about Nicola and he replies that she wasn't at work because of the medication she is taking and the new added complication - Pete being HIV+ and Nicola taking the blood sample without his consent using Karl's name to get the test. He admits that he hopes admin don't query the test adding too that it will look bad if he doesn't report it.

SUSAN: How bad?
KARL: I could be charged with misconduct and if that was upheld I would be finished as a doctor.

In the kitchen, Sienna wakes Carmella up with a cuppa after she fell asleep. Carmella blames Chloe's sleeping pattern for making her all out of synch. Sienna asks Rebecca if she has any "old time tips" but they've already used them and Carmella comes up with a possible reason - Chloe is missing Marco. Sienna points out to her that that isn't weird, she does too. Rebecca has a brainwave - she should cook some of Marco's dishes so Chloe can familiarise herself with the smell of garlic and olive oil.

Number 24
Rebecca goes straight home and practices what she said - putting a pan of Chicken Cacciatore on the stove as Carmella catches up on her sleep. The smell wakes Carmella up and she thanks her because a) it smells nice and b) Chloe is sound asleep. Rebecca tells her to let it reduce further while she goes to see Toadie on a work related matter. Carmella turns the heat down (although it sounds like it is bubbling away like mad) and goes to lie on the sofa to read a book.

We get a close up of the pan bubbling away like mad as Carmella gives up on reading the book to have some more sleep.

After the last commercial break, we come back to find Carmella still out for the count and the Chicken Cacciatore on the verge of bubbling over the pan which eventually it does and knocks the flame out but of course the gas is still coming out.

Ringo knocks on the door but Carmella is still out cold and so doesn't hear him. He peeks in through the window and after spotting Carmella sleeping, heads down the stairs.

Preview
FVO: Dan and Lucas both want Libby.
LIBBY: (to Dan) I told you I don't want to be part of your games with your brother.
MVO: But after this night she won't be interested in either of them.
( Libby gets some flowers from Dan )
LIBBY: (throwing the flowers back in his face) Damn you and your brother.
FVO: Neighbours 6.30 tomorrow on Ten.