Number 22
Elle is on the phone to the airport, cancelling the flights she was going to take with Lucas. She ends the call and demands to know when he started gambling, and he says it was recently - on horses, pool and cards. He's in debt to the tune of a few thousand...pity Frazer isn't here to share his experiences. I miss him.

Anyway, Frazer aside, Elle instructs Lucas to get Dan to bring the footage over to their house, whilst she calls Toadie and orders him over right away. (Perhaps he'll bring pizza.)

Moments later and Toad arrives at the Robinsons' with Steph. Elle shows them a picture of the guy who tampered with the Parkers' car, and Elle is none too pleased to learn that Steph knows him - because she already knows about Lucas' gambling problem. She strops off.

Dan shows Steph and Toadie the footage.

Harold's Store
Sophie and Callum run in and Sophie has gotten a merit certificate at school which Kate is thrilled about. She pulls her sister in for a hug. Cal says he has a certificate, too - and leans in for his own hug. He doesn't get one, though, because Sophie rats on him. Kate tells the kids to go and get a seat whilst she goes to the kitchen and admits to Harry that perhaps Callum does have a crush on her after all.

She goes to speak to Cal about it, but it gets the better of her, and she decides to call Toadie.

Donna stalks in with some merchandise for Jeans for Genes day, and asks Karl to buy something. Stingily, he purchases a pin. Donna is full of the joys of genetics and where we all come from, which Karl is thrilled about. But Donna can't chat to Karl as she has to get back to say goodbye to her surrogate mum who is off on a romantic trip to Europe with Lucas...

Number 22
Dan, Steph and Toadie have seen the footage and Steph is so grateful that they now have the evidence to get her off the charges that Declan is pursuing. Dan says he managed to get it from the new Grease Monkey's owner yesterday...

What, wait there a little cotton pickin' moment. Did you say *yesterday*?

STEPH: Yesterday?
TOADIE: Why didn't you tell her straight away?
LUCAS: Because I needed time to process it.
STEPH: Oh, really? You knew what I was going through, you should have told us straight away.

She is furious, and then sees Lucas' packed bags, realising that he was going to leave. Lucas admits he was, but he left the detail of what happened, and a copy of the footage with Dan to hand into the police. And then he decided to stay and face the consequences.

But - apparently - as far as Steph is concerned, the fact that Lucas made a mistake and rectified it isn't good enough. She expects perfection. Angry beyond anything, she walks out with Toadie.

Up in her room, Elle is crying quietly on her bed, cat in her suitcase. Lucas comes in and asks for a chance to explain. He admits that Dan and Steph knew about the gambling, but he didn't want to tell his girlfriend because he didn't want to lose her. He insists that he's stopped gambling, but Elle's not sure she can believe anything he says anymore.

ELLE: When you wanted someone to confide in, you chose Steph.
LUCAS: It wasn't like that. She just...she found out. This whole thing has been one massive mistake. You're the only good thing I've got left, and I don't wanna lose it...

But Elle's also as unforgiving as Steph and demands that Lucas pack his things.

Number 32
Steph and Toad are in the kitchen, with Toadie is on the phone telling the police he has proof that Steph wasn't responsible. He puts the phone down and is sure that Steph is off the hook on this one, even though it's not official, yet.

But she's still upset that Lucas didn't tell her immediately (she doesn't realise that some people function differently to others?!), so Toadie tells her that there is some good stuff - she won't have to sell the house, Declan can't pursue the charges, and Tim will have to crawl back under his rock.

She gives Toadie a big hug and thanks him for everything. He seems a little too pleased about that. His phone rings again and it's Kate, calling about Callum...

Number 22
Lucas has packed his stuff into a box, and is leaving, apologising to Elle on his way out.

He quietly leaves.

Cut to after the commercial break where Donna is trying to cheer up Elle in her bedroom. There's a knock on the door, and Elle says she doesn't want to see anyone, but luckily it's Karl - for Donna. And he's brought her two books on genetic theory!! Donna looks less than thrilled - her interest wasn't really academic, more personal...she's been thinking about finding her real dad. Karl sits down and Donna confides that she doesn't want to be disappointed in finding her real dad. What if he's just like her mum?

Karl insists that she will know when the time's right to find her dad; she should trust her instincts. Shame he didn't elaborate on his own experiences of finding his biological father, but there you go.

Harold's Store
The Ramsay kids are arguing over what to eat for dinner, and whilst Harry and Soph want tacos, Kate is cooking pasta. Toadie comes in to have a chat with Callum about the Ramsays.

TOAD: Sophie's a friend, isn't she?
CALLUM: Yeah...
TOAD: And Kate...how do you feel about her?
CALLUM: She's awesome.
TOAD: Yeah. Yeah, she is awesome.
CALLUM: What, do you like her or something?!

Toadie is surprised and awkwardly points out that Kate is far too young! He was actually thinking that Callum might like her.

CALLUM: ME?!
TOAD: Yeah. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that she's a bit...a little too old for you...
CALLUM: (hissing) SHUT UP!

Callum knows Kate can hear them, and Toadie admits that Kate called him to say she thought Callum was paying her quite a bit of attention.

CALLUM: You guys don't know what you're talking about.

He runs out, all embarrassed.

Lassiter's
Outside Harold's Store Toadie is chasing Callum. He apologises for embarrassing his son, and wants to know what's going on, because if he's gotten the wrong idea, then Cal needs to set him straight.

CALLUM: Look, I'm not in love with her, alright? She's just nice.
TOAD: In what way?
CALLUM: Oh, well first she fixed up my shirt and my wrestling outfit, and she makes really nice cereal...
TOAD: You hate cereal.
CALLUM: Not hers! And she asks me about school and stuff...
TOAD: I ask you about school! You always go 'nuffing...'
CALLUM: Yeah, and she does *this*...

Callum ruffles his own hair.

TOAD: I do that!
CALLUM: Yeah, when she does it, it's, like, different, like soft and warm. You know, like when Libby does it to Ben...

Toadie's face is a mix of surprise and horror. I'm welling up.

TOAD: Like a mum.
CALLUM: Yeah.

Toadie doesn't know how to get a mum for Callum, and tells him that it might take time. They walk through the complex and Toadie ruffles Cal's hair.

CALLUM: Not even close.

Number 30
Dan has moved Lucas in for a few days when Toadie and Callum come home. Dan explains that Lucas will be there for a few days, so Toadie takes Callum out the back.

Lucas says he won't be around for long - he's going to travel, and will come back for the court case. Dan tries to convince his brother that Elle still loves him, and although she's angry right now, she will come round. Lucas doesn't believe it, and walks out.

Number 22
Dan has come round to see Elle to persuade her that Lucas is just fighting an addiction, he's not just an idiot. Dan also assures Elle that Lucas is punishing himself enough as it is, and that he's in self-destruct mode. But Elle doesn't care, and she isn't listening.

Dan would like Elle to talk to his brother, though, and because Lucas loves her he might listen to her. This gives Elle food for thought.

Harold's Store
Toadie marches Callum in to see Kate and make things up. She apologises for the misunderstanding and offers him dinner. They're having home-made tacos, and Cal's up for it! He agrees to help Sophie with the cutlery at the store so they can leave earlier and get home for dinner.

Kate and Toadie chat about what's happened, and Toad tells Kate that it's flattering Callum sees her as a mum - it means she must be doing a good job!

At the counter Sophie and Callum are folding napkins to put around the cutlery.

SOPHIE: Do you miss your mum?
CALLUM: Oh, I don't really remember her. Just be nice to have one.
SOPHIE: Yeah.

Number 22
Kate is borrowing a cheese grater from Donna, and tells her about Callum seeing her as a mother figure.

DONNA: That's so cute!
KATE: Yeah, but I'm seventeen.

Donna asks if Kate is like her parents, and Kate thinks she is - but she doesn't know about her dad as she didn't know him. Kate has to go, and invites Donna over for dinner, but Donna has heaps of study to do.

However, study be damned, as she gets a better idea and starts to record a web message about wanting help online to find her real dad.

Ramsay Street
Steph is walking down the street on the phone to Libby when Lucas pulls up on his bike. Steph stops him - she says she's not angry, but she needs to talk to him. She wonders if he was really going to leave, and wonders why. Lucas explains that everyone would win: Steph would be clear, and he'd be with Elle. He admits he hadn't thought further in the long-term.

Steph thinks it's strange that Lucas thinks he has no friends given that he stuck by her when she was the suspect. Lucas tells her he's lost everything and that's why he has to run.

STEPH: Come off it, Lucas. You're worth so much more than that. Hey, listen, if you need help getting through this, I'm here. I understand what you're going through.

Lucas starts to cry.

LUCAS: This guilt is just killing me.

Steph takes him in her arms and comforts him. Elle marches out of Number 22 and, princess that she is, sees Steph hugging Lucas and strops back inside.

Number 22
Elle is writing a story on her laptop when she picks up the phone, calls the Waratah Star and asks to report a new scoop on the Parker story. They're not interested so she says she'll give it to another paper.

A screenshot tells us that Elle's writing a story about Lucas being the cause of the crash.

Preview
FVO: Declan will confront the man responsible for the death of his wife.
JOHNNO: I didn't do anything.
DECLAN: Yes you did. You killed her!
MVO: This is one run-in he'll regret.
FVO: Neighbours, weeknights on Ten.