Ramsay Street
Gary pulls up outside No 26 in Kyle's ute, and tells Sheila he has some good news for Kyle. Gary admits it was his fault Kyle's tools were stolen, as he left the ute unlocked.

SHEILA: As long as that's all you did.

Sheila explains she saw Gary in the car park with the dodgy bloke who had a car boot full of tools, and it's clear she thinks Gary sold Kyle's tools to him. But in fact Gary tells her that he was buying new tools from the man, to replace those that were taken. Sheila asks how he afforded them, and strongly suspects the tools are stolen - but Gary says Kyle needs them, and that's all that matters. Sheila insists he should take the dodgy tools back, and find another way to fix things with Kyle.

No 30
Mark is sealing up all the windows in the house, so Erin can't get in again. Sonya isn't sure it's necessary, but Toadie reminds Sonya that Erin clearly isn't the same person she once knew, given everything she's done to terrorise their family. Toadie then gets a call from his Chilean clients - they've asked him to fly to Chile as soon as possible for a few days, but Toadie insists he won't leave Sonya and Nell under the circumstances.

No 28
Chris and Nate talk to Susan about the potential therapists they've found on the net for Nate to try, many of whom have had experience with war veterans. Susan is pleased Nate is taking the initiative, and he thanks her again for all her help. Meanwhile, Karl tries to sneak out of the front door to the pet shop, insisting he's just going to look. He invites Nate and Chris to go along with him.

SUSAN: Just don't go falling in love with any giraffes, or inanimate objects that resemble animals, without talking to me first.
KARL: Oh, please! I am capable of showing some restraint!
SUSAN: I mean it, Karl. No birds, no farm animals of any description without clearing it from me. I want you to promise in front of witnesses.
KARL: Cross my heart. Come on boys, let's go.

No 26
In the garden, Kyle is on the phone to disappointed clients he had booked in, apologising for letting them down because of the tools he's lost. He's panicking about his and Georgia's finances, but she reassures him that they can live off her wage until he's back on his feet, if she does some overtime. Gary turns up and overhears their conversation, feeling guilty. He calls someone called Tommo.

GARY: Listen, mate, have you still got any reach out east? ... Yeah, I need back in... Yeah, yeah, mate, I'm up for anything. I just need some cash, quick.

No 30
Toadie comes off the phone, and informs Sonya and Mark that Erin hasn't been bailed, since no family or friends came through for her, so will remain in custody until the court date. Mark's relieved, but Sonya seems concerned for Erin's wellbeing. Toadie reckons she'll get a couple of months' jail time at least, but Sonya thinks that prison will just damage her more.

SONYA: I really want to talk to her.
MARK: What? No! Bad idea.
TOADIE: I agree. Steer clear.
SONYA: I just want to try and reason with her.
MARK: You can't reason with people like this!
SONYA: Look, we used to be so close. If I could just meet up with her, see her face to face, just let her know that I'm not the enemy - even for a second. I really think it's gonna make a difference.

Toadie looks mightily weary of Sonya's bleeding heart routine, but she insists she needs to do this - so he agrees to call the station and arrange it. Sonya also tells Toadie he should call back his client and tell them he can go to Chile after all - Erin will be behind bars, and Sonya and Nell will be fine with Mark to look out for them. Toadie reluctantly agrees.

No 28
Of course Karl has gone and bought a pet, and Susan is horrified to find a large tank full of water on the sideboard, in which an axolotl now lives!

KARL: It's not a bird, and it's not a farm animal. They were your exact stipulations.
SUSAN: Oh, I see, you got me on a technicality.
KARL: Well you can see my position?
SUSAN: I can see that that is the ugliest looking fish I've ever seen! Look at it, it doesn't even look like a fish!
KARL: Shh, you'll hurt its feelings, alright? Don't worry little fella - she'll get used to you.
SUSAN: I doubt that very much, since you're going to take it back today!
KARL: No, no - the store's got a pretty strict policy on returns. This little critter's here to stay.
SUSAN: And exactly how long do these little critters live for?
KARL: About ten or fifteen years, if you look after them.

Susan looks horrified.

Lassiter's Complex
Toadie and Sonya discuss what Sonya will say to Erin when she speaks to her. Toadie warns Sonya not to tell Erin more about her personal life, as she'll use it against her as ammunition.

TOADIE: And remember - you turned your life around. Don't let her intimidate you or make you feel guilty about that. She is responsible for what has happened to her life, not you.

Sonya nods, but doesn't look confident. Toadie tells her he loves her and that she's an amazing person. He promises to wait outside, while Sonya goes into the police station.

Police Station
Sonya comes into the interview room, where Erin is waiting.

SONYA: So how are you?
ERIN: Arrested. You?
SONYA: I'm worried, actually. It breaks my heart to see you like this.
ERIN: Hmm (!)
SONYA: Even after all these years.

Sonya tries to connect with Erin, and offers to help her get out of the situation she's in. Erin is incredulous, and again accuses Sonya of having ruined her life by taking her to the 'substance party' back in their wild youth.

ERIN: I think you've done enough. I don't want anything from you. You're the reason for everything bad in my life.

Nonetheless, Sonya challenges Erin over her extreme behaviour - the threatening letters etc.

ERIN: You just think you're so above us all, don't you? That's why you didn't come to Katherine's funeral. You think that you're too good for us.
SONYA: I really struggled to stay away from that, alright? It wasn't easy.
ERIN: I kept looking for you in the crowd. When I couldn't find you, I was actually worried. I thought something bad might have happened. I was all like, 'Where's Sonya, is she okay?' And then they said to me: 'Oh, didn't you hear? Sonya's doing great. She's got her son back, and a fancy new guy.' Mrs La-di-da and her perfect family!
SONYA: Alright, alright. I can see why you blame me. But at the end of the day, you made the choice to go down that path, alright? You made that choice.
ERIN: Yeah, and you made the choice to leave me there. You were like a sister to me. More than. You know I worshipped you? And you just turned your back and you left me to rot.
SONYA: It wasn't that simple. I just couldn't come back for you.
ERIN: Yeah, well if it'd been the other way around, I would've found a way.

Sonya insists that her life hasn't been easy, despite Erin's impressions - she has to work hard at staying clean every day in order to keep her family.

ERIN: What about my family?! My little girl Catriona. Do you know that she's stuck in the foster care system now? She doesn't want to have anything to do with me. The only way that I get to see her is through Facebook. Do you know how that feels? What that's like - to watch your own child growing up through a computer screen and not being able to hug her or tell her that... Not being able to...

Erin gets tearful, and Sonya does too.

SONYA: I'm sorry.
ERIN: Yeah, well you should be. You just - you left me behind to save yourself.
SONYA: With Cat, it's never too late.
ERIN: Yeah, well that's where you're wrong. It is.

Erin tells Sonya to get out and go back to her wonderful family, and Sonya leaves in tears, while Erin cries too.

No 28
Susan, Chris and Nate are all freaked out by Karl's new axolotl as they have dinner.

KARL: Could everyone please just leave Axl alone? Yeah, I called him Axl after Axl Rose.

Chris then tells a mischievous story about a guy at school who had an axolotl.

CHRIS: He used to take them for walks too, have you done that?
SUSAN: Oh please, don't put ridiculous ideas into his head.
CHRIS: Yeah, well apparently they're just like dogs. If they don't go for a walk, they go stir-crazy.
NATE: Yeah, and then they turn vicious.
CHRIS: Yeah, actually he went on holidays, and left the axolotl in the tank. And when he came back, it turned on him.
KARL: Oh, don't be silly!
CHRIS: Oh, don't let the size fool you. They're carnivores. They have the instinct to fight and kill.
NATE: That school friend of yours - he lost the tip of his finger.
CHRIS: Yeah. Once they latch on, they never let go.

Susan struggles to keep a straight face as the boys wind Karl up. Karl insists he's wise to their jokes, but starts looking at Axl warily.

No 26
Gary gives Kyle some money as compensation for the tools that got stolen. Kyle objects, but Gary insists he keep the money, and Kyle thanks him. Kyle asks how Gary got the cash, given how broke he's been.

GARY: An old mate threw me a bone. A little cash-in-hand work.

Kyle asks if the mate might have some work for him too, but Gary is shifty, saying it was just a one-off. Gary promises he'll make it up to Kyle for leaving the toolbox unlocked. Kyle smiles and invites Gary to watch the cricket with him. While Kyle's getting some beers, Gary looks worriedly at the money he's just given Kyle.

No 30
Sonya is sadly telling Toadie about her conversation with Erin at the police station. Toadie says he loves Sonya for being so compassionate, but that she needs to realise she can't do any more for Erin. Sonya admits she feels ashamed, because they were like sisters and she abandoned Erin - and now she feels like she's doing it again. Toadie reminds Sonya that finding a way out of the world she used to inhabit had to involve breaking away from those who were dragging her down.

TOADIE: Whatever choices you made in the past have led to us having this fantastic family. I don't know about you, but I could never feel ashamed of that.

No 28
Karl gets up in the middle of the night for a glass of water, and is horrified when he looks around at Axl's tank and can't see the creature anywhere!

No 30
Toadie kisses Sonya as his cab for the airport pulls up outside, promising to be back in a couple of days. She wishes him a safe journey.

No 28
Susan is annoyed to have been awoken by Karl, who is panicking because the axolotl is on the loose!

KARL: Now let's not panic, he couldn't have gone too far. Not on those tiny, creepy little legs. I'm beginning to question the whole suitability of Axl as a pet, to be honest.
SUSAN: Well it was your bright idea to bring him home in the first place.
KARL: Excuse me? You practically dared me to.
SUSAN: I did nothing of the sort!
KARL: You're the one that let me go to the store without proper supervision.

Susan starts checking down the cushions, only to glance at the tank and spot Axl floating around in there after all. Karl swears he wasn't in there before, and is now seriously freaked out - so he says Axl has to go!

SUSAN: No, I'm sorry - pets are for life!

She tells Karl he's stuck with Axl unless he can find him another home.

KARL: No-one else will want him, he's a freak of nature!
SUSAN: Well you should have thought about that in the first place, shouldn't you?

She marches off to bed.

No 30
Sonya is Facebook-stalking Erin's daughter Cat, and feeling guiltier by the minute.

No 26
Karl comes round with Axl's tank and all his supplies, and hands them to Chris.

CHRIS: Why are you giving it to me?
KARL: Didn't you say you always wanted one?
CHRIS: Yeah, when I was like eight.
KARL: It's my pleasure. Just consider it an early Christmas present from Susan and I.

Karl practically sprints out of the door, citing some urgent hospital business he has to get to! Sheila comes in.

SHEILA: What's with the salamander?

While Nate and Chris bicker about Axl, Gary is in the other room, on the phone to his dodgy mate Tommo again.

GARY: Yesterday went off without a hitch. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I'm looking to step it up... I want to find a higher-paying gig... Yeah well, no risk, no reward, right?... Who's the biggest operator in town?... Yeah, shoot.

Gary scribbles a name on a piece of paper - it's Paul Robinson! Sheila comes in and asks if he has any new job leads, while Gary looks suitably shifty.

No 30
Mark turns up, as Nell's having her dinner. He tells Sonya he's been to the police station to check up on Erin, and that she's been released on bail. Sonya's totally unfazed by this news - and reveals that it was her who put up the bail money! Mark is suitably shocked.

Unmissable Drama
- Mark wants to tell Toadie about Erin's release, and soon she shows up at the house
- Gary tells Paul about their mutual friend Tommo
- Ezra Hanley's in the neighbourhood, and Terese tries to restrain Brad from confronting him
- Paul wants to make a deal with Ezra