Recap
- Rachel accuses Ty of rigging the audition because he didn't think she was good enough
- Steve and Miranda discovering an injured Nicola
- Nicola in hospital with a head injury, and Miranda wondering if she'll wake up
- Donna trying to get Lucas to fix Matt's police car
- Paul running a background check on Matt; Elle wondering what he's up to
- Lucas telling Elle that he's opening his eyes to other romantic possibilities instead of Libby
- Ringo trying to get Donna to tell the truth. Donna warning him that if he spills, she'll tell Matt that he was the one driving
Freedman House
Donna's got the door chained, and Ringo is talking to her through it as she won't let him in. She's upset and wants him to go away, but he's adamant that she needs a friend. Donna is concerned that Nicola might die - and if she does, that makes her a murderer. Ringo begs her to open the door, and repeatedly tells her that he isn't going to let her go through this alone.
General Store
Sienna is feeling extremely nervous about going on stage, as there's only one more rehearsal to the big event. Rachel is trying to pep her up, but Sienna thinks that she's going to suck. Rachel suggests imagining the crowd in their underwear to take the fear out of it.
SIENNA: Can I use my lifeline?
Rachel looks blank.
SIENNA: You know, phone a friend?
Rachel still looks blank. Sienna asks her 'singing guru' if she can have another session. Rachel tells her that she doesn't need her, but Sienna is insistent and tells her that she can have her first born son, or daughter, or twins if she has them!
RACHEL: ...fine. But only if you keep your babies to yourself.
Sienna hugs her enthusiastically. Rachel tells Sienna that she's on standing her foot!
Charlie's
Logan and Ty talk about how they're not nervous, and how the band is sounding good at the moment. They discuss how there will be booking agents in the audience, and joke about how it's their chance at the big time.
General Store
Sienna is singing scales...badly. Rachel tells her not to tense up, else her voice will too, and Sienna sings scales over and over. Rebecca comes in for rice and wonders if Carmella has Sienna on muzak duty, but the joke falls a bit flat! Rebecca comments that Sienna sounds nervous.
Rachel tells Sienna to save some of her energy for the main performance, but Sienna starts to freak out at the idea of performing. Sienna asks Rachel to be there, but after everything that's gone on, she's reluctant. Sienna tells her she'll flip out completely if she doesn't. Rachel agrees.
Charlie's Bar
Rachel is singing and playing keyboard in the empty bar. Ty comes in and stands silently, listening. He goes over to her, and the pair smile at each other, and he joins in. When they finish, Rachel abruptly leaves.
Freedman House
Matt walks in and Ringo and Donna are sitting together. Matt wants to know what caused her to run off earlier, and Ringo starts to explain that the situation isn't Donna's fault and she's too scared to tell him. Donna interrupts and blurts out that she stole his car and hit Nicola.
MATT: You what?
DONNA: I didn't know I hit a person at the time. I just saw a dog.
MATT: How could you not see a person?!
Donna explains that she was crying and that her phone rang. Matt doesn't understand as there's no damage to his car. Ringo admits that they got Lucas to fix it. Matt wants to know who Lucas is and Ringo tells him that he's the brother of one of his teachers. Matt is appalled that an adult helped them to cover the situation up.
RINGO: He's a good guy. He was just doing us a favour.
MATT: Yeah(!) A great guy(!) Big favour!
Ringo keeps trying to defend Lucas and Donna explains that none of them knew that they'd hit a person. Matt kicks off, telling Donna that he told her to stay away from the car and now both she and Ringo are in big trouble.
RINGO: But we've told the truth now.
MATT: Too little, too late.
Donna says that she'll take all of the blame, and asks if Matt'll lose his job. Matt asks if anyone apart from Lucas knows about the situation. Donna tells him that no-one else knows, and he tells them to stay there whilst he goes to sort the situation out.
Outside
Matt smashes the headlight on his car. Just after, Elle and Paul appear, discussing the background check that Paul wanted on Matt. Matt ducks down behind his car. Elle tells Paul that Matt's someone to be careful of. Paul carries Elle's shopping for her and discovers that she's got cat food. He teases her, asking her what she's going to call it. Elle insists that it's not staying.
PAUL: No?
ELLE: All right. Cat. And then it goes.
PAUL: Mmm(!) Just don't get one of those scratchy posts, all right? Pretty ugly.
Elle insists the cat isn't staying. The pair walk off. Matt gathers up the broken glass and puts it into an evidence bag.
Number 22
Elle is still running checks on Matt on the phone and ushers Lucas in.
ELLE: (on phone) Thanks for that, Dave. I'll take that as a warning. Bye.
LUCAS: That wasn't my mother, Dave ruining my reputation, was it?
Elle tells him that it was about Matt and says that he's someone to steer clear of by all accounts. Lucas says he'll remember that piece of information.
ELLE: What so you just poppped around here to eavesdrop on my phone calls, did you?
LUCAS: Eh, there was nothing at the video store.
He grins and then explains that he's come around to borrow some of her car interior cleaner, to remind him of her!
ELLE: You ride a motorbike.
LUCAS: I also have a car.
ELLE: You're trying to impress a lady.
LUCAS: Always.
Elle tells him that he can get it himself out of the garage and opens the door for him to leave. The cat bursts in and Lucas remarks that it looks hungry. He goes to look in the cupboard for some tuna or sardines, but Elle closes the door.
LUCAS: Touchy!
ELLE: Didn't your mother ever teach you not to poke around other people's cupboards?
LUCAS: I rebelled.
Lucas tells her that she's got nothing to hide - she's got the cleanest cupboards he's ever seen! Lucas tells her that she needs to rebel a bit. Elle asks if he means by messing up the cupboards. Lucas agrees and tells her to go wild. He pulls some packets down and grins. He asks if it feels better. Elle tells him that he'll never know and walks off.
Charlie's
Ty asks Sienna if she's ready to start. Sienna asks if her good luck charm can come with her, and Ty smiles at Rachel, saying it would be a pleasure. Rachel says that she'll be fine without her. Sienna and Ty say that she should stay.
Sienna goes to talk to Logan about some note changes. Ty and Rachel talk about Sienna, and Ty says that a lot is riding on this gig. Ty is surprised that she's been helping after the audition disaster. Rachel says that she's been doing it as a favour to Sienna. She pauses, and then adds that she did it for him too, as she realises how much the band means to him.
General Store
Ringo tells Lucas that he needs to go to the police and report the job that he did for Donna on Matt's car.
LUCAS: Why? What's happened?
RINGO: Well, you know how we said she hit a bin? We kind of lied. She actually hit a dog. And now it turns out, she's also hit someone. Steve Parker's sister-in-law.
LUCAS: What?!
Ringo explains that Nicola was somehow thrown from the road in the accident and Donna had no idea.
LUCAS: Ok, so what you're telling me is I'm an accessory to a hit and run?
Ringo keeps telling Lucas that Donna thought she'd only hit a dog. Ringo says that if Lucas goes now and makes a statement, he can convince them that he didn't know about Nicola, and Ringo will back him up when he makes his statement. Lucas sighs and asks if Matt knows. Ringo says he does, and he's pretty dark about it. Ringo apologises for them stuffing up.
LUCAS: Thanks for this, mate. Really appreciate it(!)
Lucas leaves.
Lassiter's Complex? (Or what used to be)
Lucas walks out of the General Store and Matt is leaning against a tree waiting for him. As he passes, Matt starts walking.
MATT: Can I have a word?
LUCAS: Thanks, mate, you're cute, but you're just not my type.
Matt explains that Lucas knows his daughter - Donna Freedman. Lucas stops walking and says that he's just on his way to see the police about it all - he's only just found out.
MATT: There's no need. It's handled.
LUCAS: Handled? How?
Matt wants to make sure Lucas will keep his mouth shut about fixing the car. Lucas is clearly puzzled and says that Donna seems a good kid who just made an honest mistake. Matt agrees that she's a good kid - and he's making sure she stays that way. Lucas tells him that his statement won't contradict that. Matt says that he won't be making any statement.
Matt pulls out the evidence bag. He tells Lucas that it's the headlight Lucas put in, and he intends to switch it with the evidence found at the scene of the hit and run. Lucas walks over to Matt's car and looks at the smashed headlight.
LUCAS: Are you setting me up?
MATT: You never saw my daughter. And know nothing about fixing any car. Got that?
LUCAS: If you think I'm taking the blame for this, you are mistaken.
MATT: If you keep your mouth shut, no-one takes the blame for anything. If you breathe a word to anyone, I'll put you away. Understand?
Charlie's
The band is playing and Sienna seems to be enjoying herself. They stop playing and after a pause, people in the bar clap. Sienna shoots a thumbs up at Rachel, who returns the gesture. Libby leans in to Rachel and criticises the singing, but Rachel thinks that Sienna's just nervous.
On stage, Sienna asks Ty what he thought. He teases her and she gets worried, before he reassures her and tells her that he was joking. She's relieved. Logan walks over to Rachel and shakes her hand for being responsible for Sienna's improved singing. Libby is impressed. Ty comes over and he and Logan both think that the booking agents will be pleased with them.
Rebecca walks in to see Paul. Paul wants to know if "her new friend" is still flat out trying to find Nicola's attacker. Rebecca tells him that Nicola was hit by a car, and she's not going to ask Matt for any more information.
PAUL: What exactly do you know about this guy?
REBECCA: Here we go! Absolutely nothing, Paul. Oh, except for the fact that he is an axe murderer and he's wanted in three states.
PAUL: I'm serious.
REBECCA: Yeah, so am I! It's none of your business.
PAUL: All right, but just, will you take care? I've heard things about him.
REBECCA: Well, if you've read them in the Erinsborough News, they can't be true!
PAUL: Ha, ha, ha.
Rebecca tells him that she does have some information for him - she's having dinner with Matt tonight, and she can't wait! She walks off. Paul doesn't look too happy. Rebecca sits down elsewhere in the bar and calls Matt on her phone.
The scene cuts between Charlie's and the Freedman house as they have their conversation.
Rebecca wonders if he's booked the fancy restaurant already, or if she should do it. Matt apologises and says he has to let her down. Rebecca seems a bit thrown, but then talks about organising another date. Matt tells her that he's not really in a dating place at the moment. Rebecca is clearly disappointed but says she'll see him around.
Freedman House
Matt sits and talks to Donna. He tells her that he won't win any father of the year awards, but he's not around much because of work and some days he runs out of time for her. Donna asks if he wants her to leave. Matt insists that she doesn't. Donna starts to open up, but Matt's phone goes. She wants him to ignore it and be a dad, but he has to take the call.
Outside the police station
Matt catches up with Lucas outside. Matt says he thought that they had a deal, but Lucas tells him that he's changed his mind. Matt warns him that he'll be charged, but Lucas doesn't seem to care. Matt grabs Lucas by his coat and pulls him away from the police station. Matt asks if he's got kids. Lucas hasn't - and Matt explains that he doesn't understand, and he'll do anything to protect his daughter.
Matt tells Lucas that he might not have been a model father - but right now, Donna needs his help and he's going to give it to her. Lucas doesn't think Matt's plan is the right way to help her, but Matt warns Lucas that he's in the system, so he shouldn't take him on - he'll never win.
MATT: Right. Then back on your bike and get out of here.
There's a long pause.
LUCAS: You're the criminal. Not your daughter.
Number 22
Lucas is making a fuss of the cat and thinks that cats have an easy life. Elle wonders what hassles Lucas has in his life. Lucas reckons his life is fine, but he has a mate... Elle laughs and wonders what problem Lucas' "mate" has.
LUCAS: He's got a choice to make. Tell the truth and get framed for a crime. Or say nothing, and let someone else get away with it.
Elle tells him it's easy - let someone else get away with it. Lucas says the someone else wants to admit it but can't. Elle doesn't like the sound of his "mate's" options.
LUCAS: No. Neither does he.
Elle asks if there's anything else, and Lucas mentions that a cop has taken a dislike to him. Elle guesses that it's Matt and he's covering something up and blackmailing Lucas in the process.
LUCAS: You watch too much telly.
Elle asks what's going on, but Lucas quickly departs.
Hospital
Donna walks through the corridor and has a series of flashbacks to the accident. She stands and looks at Nicola through the window. Lucas appears behind her. Donna apologises to him. Lucas agrees that it's a mess.
Paul comes over and mentions that he's seen Donna at the hospital before. He asks if she's a friend of Nicola's, or if there's something else going on. Paul grins and asks why she's camped outside the room. He starts to dig, wondering if Donna's doing some undercover work for her father.
Lucas tries to get Paul to back off, but Paul's like a dog with a bone - he says that they can come to a financial agreement, but Nicola's very seriously injured and his readers deserve to know what's going on. Donna tearfully tells him to leave her alone.
Miranda and Steve burst out of the door and tell them to shut up - Nicola's fighting for her life. Paul apologises and they go back in the room. Donna rushes off and Lucas also leaves. Paul looks through the window at Nicola.
