Recap
Poor Chris lies panting on the floor of the garage, unable to get up. His assailant throws down the implement he attacked Chris with and makes his getaway. On the wall a solitary rainbow flag is displayed.

As the door closes behind the attacker, Chris lapses into unconsciousness.

Dial- a- Kyle
Kyle and Dane see the getaway car speeding away, but Kyle just shouts, "Slow down, moron!"

Garage
Chris's phone rings. He regains consciousness, but is unable to get up to answer the phone. He moans in pain.

Dial- a- Kyle
Kyle is replaying Jade's declaration of love in his head.

Garage
Chris tries to crawl over to his phone, but he can't. He starts to call weakly for help.

Dial- a- Kyle
Kyle and Dane are playing music, so can't hear Chris's cries.

No.26
Jade leaves through the front door, visibly upset.

Garage
Chris manages to grab a spanner. He throws it at the door, making a loud clatter.

Dial- a- Kyle
Kyle hears the sounds of the spanner hitting the door, but doesn't pay it much attention. He's preoccupied thinking about Jade. He takes out his phone and calls her.

Driveway of No.26
Jade has packed her things and is waiting for the taxi on the pavement when her phone rings. She rejects the call. Then she takes a note for Sonya out of her bag.

Garage
Lucas has arrived. Kyle and Dane are working in their place, but Kyle is anxious to get home.

Ramsay Street
Jade puts the note for Sonya in the letterbox of No.30. She tries not to cry.

Garage
Chris is trying to reach his phone.

Dial- a- Kyle
Lucas asks Kyle and Dane if they've seen Chris - it's unusual that the door of the garage is shut.

Ramsay Street
Jade is getting into a taxi. Mal sees her and comes over.

MAL: Jade, don't do this.
JADE: I have to go!
MAL: You're stronger than this, Jade. Don't leave because of me.
JADE: Are you serious? I don't do things because of anyone.

She opens the door of the taxi.

MAL: You don't have to go.
JADE: Goodbye, Mal.

She gets in and the taxi drives off.

Garage
Chris has finally reached his phone.

Outside, Lucas is waving Kyle and Dane off when his phone rings. He answers it, simultaneously opening the door of the garage. He's shocked to see Chris on the floor.

LUCAS: Mate, what happened? I'll call an ambulance.
CHRIS: No...I'm fine.
LUCAS: Mate, you're not fine!
CHRIS: Just...help me up.

Lucas does. Chris is grimacing in agony and Lucas looks very concerned. He helps Chris to a chair.

LUCAS: I'll get you to the hospital, and then I'm going to call the cops.
CHRIS: No, don't...
LUCAS: Chris, you've been bashed!
CHRIS: Don't call the police...I don't want to make a fuss.
LUCAS: Are you kidding me?! I mean, look what they've done!
CHRIS: OK, I'll go to the hospital, just don't call the police.

Lucas starts helping Chris out to the van.

No.26
Kyle hobbles in on his crutches, looking for Jade. Rhys says he hasn't seen her. Kyle starts going from room to room.

DANE: Seriously, what is the go with you two?!

In Jade's room, Kyle finds her things gone and the wardrobe empty.

As he returns to the living room, Mal Kennedy has arrived.

MAL: G'day mate, look, I just wanted to come over and tell you that...

But Kyle sees red and punches Mal.

KYLE: This is your fault!!!

Rhys has caught Mal and helps him over to the sofa. His nose is bleeding.

KYLE: Is she gone?!
MAL: Yes! I saw her getting in a cab, I came over to tell you!
KYLE: Oh, gee, that's big of you! You should have thought of that before you hooked up with her in the first place!

Rhys and Dane hold Kyle back.

KYLE: Now she's gone!
MAL: She just left a few minutes ago.
KYLE: Did she say where she was going?!
MAL: No, she's not exactly going to talk to me, is she?!
KYLE: It doesn't matter how long it was if I don't know where she went!
DANE: Dude, we'll call the cab company and find out where they dropped her.
RHYS: It's probably your only shot. What have you got to lose?

(A few minutes later)

Kyle is calling the cab company, but they won't tell him anything.

DANE: Let me talk to them!

But Kyle just puts the phone down.

Just then, Sonya rushes in and shows Kyle the note that Jade left.

KYLE: Sydney?! Where would she go in Sydney!?
SONYA: I don't know!
DANE:(calmly) We'll go to the airport, we'll catch her before she takes off...
SONYA: What if she got a bus or a train?!

They agree to split up to find out if anyone has more detail.

Hospital
Mal has had his nose examined by Rhys and apparently it's not broken.

RHYS: So, you and Jade, eh.
MAL: Yeah, me and Jade.
RHYS: I knew it.
MAL: See you around.

As Mal leaves, Lucas and Chris limp in. They are greeted by a nurse (Aidan) who shows them straight in to Rhys.

Lucas explains that Chris has been unconscious and Rhys starts to examine him. He's been struggling to breathe but he's better now. Rhys says he's going to organise an x- ray and sends Aidan off to sort it out. Rhys says that Lucas should call the police as well.

CHRIS: You said you wouldn't!
LUCAS: Yeah, I'm going to call your old man, too.
CHRIS: What?! No!
LUCAS: Chris, he has to know what's happened.
CHRIS: Lucas, don't call him!
LUCAS:(confused) What's going on?
CHRIS: ...nothing.
LUCAS: It's not nothing.
CHRIS: I just don't know why you're making this such a big deal!
LUCAS: Because it is a big deal!
CHRIS: Lucas...
LUCAS: No more arguments.

Harold's Store
Kyle comes in to see if Kate has spoken to Jade. He explains that she's done a runner.

City
Jade gets out of the taxi at Federation Square.

Harold's Store
Kate is shocked to hear that Jade is going inter- state. Just then, Dane comes in. Kyle rings Sonya to see if there are any leads.

KATE:(to Dane) What's going on?
DANE:(quietly) Him and Jade.
KATE: Yeah, what about them? (Off Dane's expression) *Kyle* and Jade?!
DANE:(whispering) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, he told her that he digs her. But, she's kinda freaked out by it, so she's hooked up with Mal Kennedy.
KATE: With Mal?!
DANE: Yeah, and that freaked *him* [Kyle] out...until he realised that...

Just then Kyle bashes into the display of peanuts on his crutches and brings it crashing to the ground.

KYLE: Sorry.
KATE: Don't give up, OK, I would have done anything to have found Mark. Anything.
KYLE:(desperately) I've tried everything.

There is a bit of a pause.

DANE: Dude. Phone. Come on.

Federation Square
Jade gets her luggage out of the taxi. A band is playing Christmas Carols. She looks at her phone, but there are no messages. She sighs and walks off.

Harold's Store
DANE: Hi, I'm just trying to track down a friend of mine who got into one of your guys' cabs today, Jade Mitchell? Yeah...I understand that but um...it's a medical emergency.

He winks at Kyle and Kate.

DANE: Oh, she's um...she's allergic to peanuts. Yeah, she forgot her rejector. Epi- pen. Yeah, that's correct. I just couldn't think of the word. Um...if she's on a plane and there's peanuts...yeah.

Kate looks at Dane in awe.

DANE: Yeah...it's all good, I've got 20/20 memory. Yeah, right. Cheers.

He puts down the phone.

KYLE: Where is she?
DANE: I'll drive.

They head off.

KATE: Good luck!

Bus station
Jade buys a single ticket to Sydney.

Hospital
Rhys tells Chris that he only has superficial cuts, and should heal quite quickly.

CHRIS:(crossly) So, can I go?
RHYS: I want to see those x- rays before I decide if you need to stay.
CHRIS: I'm not staying!
RHYS: Shouldn't be too long. (To Aidan) See how he goes with those fluids and maybe half a sandwich...
CHRIS: I'm not hungry! Look, I just want to go.
LUCAS: Not hungry? Now I am worried. I'll get you some water, mate.

He leaves the room, leaving Aidan and Chris alone.

AIDAN: So...what happened?
CHRIS:(crossly) None of your business.
AIDAN: Fair enough!
CHRIS:(calming down) I'm sorry.
AIDAN: No, no, no, that's alright, I'm used to grumpy patients.
CHRIS: If I tell Lucas he's just going to make a drama of it.
AIDAN: What would you call this, then?
CHRIS: I didn't see who did this. But...before it happened, I did have a run- in with a customer.
AIDAN: Well, what was the argument about?
CHRIS: He, uh...he had it in for me.
AIDAN: Well, there must have been a reason?!
CHRIS: Yeah...he doesn't like gay people.
AIDAN: You were bashed because you're gay?!
CHRIS: Yeah, I guess.
AIDAN: Why didn't you tell anybody?
CHRIS: Because if my dad finds out, he will go ballistic!
AIDAN: Yeah, and so he should!
CHRIS: He's had a hard enough time getting used to the idea...this would throw him over the edge!
AIDAN: That's not a good enough reason to let whoever did this get away with it!

But before Chris can reply, Mr Pappas can be heard outside. Presumably, he has been intercepted by Lucas.

MR PAPPAS: You don't need to tell me how to talk to my own son!

CHRIS:(to Aidan) That's my dad, please don't say anything...

Lucas and Mr Pappas come in.

MR PAPPAS: Christos!
CHRIS: I'm fine, Dad...

Mr Pappas kisses him on the forehead.

MR PAPPAS: Who did this?
CHRIS: I don't know.
MR PAPPAS: How can you not know?
LUCAS: Mate, if you know something...
CHRIS:(agitated) No, I don't!
MR PAPPAS: It's alright, it's alright. Just lie back.
CHRIS: I'm sorry Dad.
MR PAPPAS: What are you sorry about?
CHRIS: Causing a fuss...

Aidan has beckoned Lucas out to the corridor.

LUCAS: So, what do you know?
AIDAN: Before his Dad arrived, Chris said he had a run- in...at work with a homophobic customer.
LUCAS: Chris thinks he...
AIDAN: Yeah.
LUCAS: Right.

His face takes on a look of resolve.

AIDAN: Hey mate, I was only telling you so you could let the police know.
LUCAS: Don't worry, I'll sort it.

Building Site
The customer (Warren Burrell) is at his work. Lucas rocks up in a state of rage.

LUCAS: Oi, Burrell!

Burrell looks rather surprised.

BURRELL: What are you doing here?
LUCAS:(simmering with anger) You think you can bash my apprentice, smash up my workshop and get away with it?!
BURRELL:(genuinely mystified) I don't know what you're talking about?!
LUCAS: The kid is in hospital because of what you did to him.
BURRELL: I didn't do anything.
LUCAS: You threatened him! And when he stood up to you, you attacked him. You're a gutless bigot!
BURRELL: I did not touch the kid. Now, I'm going to call the cops.
LUCAS: Yeah. No, great idea, use my phone! And when they see what you did to Chris today...
BURRELL: Oh, today?! Well, I've been here all day, haven't I? Ask my boss. Ask the blokes I've been working with. I haven't even had a lunch break! Go on, ask them! Listen, mate, I don't like the way the kid runs his life, OK?
LUCAS: You threatened him.
BURRELL: Because I don't want him near my son, alright? I'm entitled to have my own opinion aren't I? But I can tell you something. I'm not a fake. I did not touch that kid.
LUCAS: If I find out you did...
BURRELL: Well, you won't. Because I didn't. That's the way out.

Lucas stalks off.

Hospital
Chris is insisting on leaving the hospital. Rhys is trying to reason with him, saying he hasn't seen the x- rays yet. Chris gets up and staggers to the door. Rhys gives up, saying he can't legally stop him leaving.

Bus stop
Jade walks past a bus to Adelaide.

Federation Square
Kyle and Dane have arrived. Kyle hobbles off to the bus stop on his crutches.

Bus Stop
Jade puts her luggage into the bus and after a last look round, gets on. She sits down and puts her headphones in.

Kyle arrives at the bus stop and frantically raps on the door of the bus. He pushes past the driver (who is comically wearing a Santa hat) and calls to Jade.

KYLE: Is this the bus to Sydney?!
DRIVER: No...this is the bus to Adelaide. There's your bus to Sydney.

A bus passes, picking up speed. Kyle looks gutted.

Federation Square
Kyle and Dane are sitting dejectedly near the band playing Christmas carols.

DANE: Sorry, dude.

Kyle is too gutted to say a word.

DANE: I'll go and get the car, eh? Back soon.

Kyle sits there for a little while, lost in though. In the background we see Jade approaching. She sits down with Kyle. He is quietly stunned and lets out a little sigh of relief.

JADE: So I...didn't stay for you.
KYLE: I didn't come looking for you. I like watching buses.

Jade laughs.

JADE: You're such a weirdo!

Kyle smiles, and tuns his head to look at her.

KYLE: Merry Christmas!
JADE: Merry Christmas.

He leans in and kisses her. The band is still playing "Silent Night".

Tomorrow on neighbours
- Paul trying to get Kate and Sophie together for Christmas.
- Lucas trying to work out who bashed Chris.
- Tash asks Michael if they can go to the beach.
- Michael, Tash and Emilia on the beach, "To say goodbye..."