No 30
Ned turns up to see Steph, but she says he can't be here as Mark's inside. Ned explains about the text from Regan saying that Jacka knows everything; apparently he went through her phone when she visited him, so he knows it was Ned she had an affair with, and probably where he works.

STEPH: What do you want me to do?
NED: Talk to him.
STEPH: I have, and I lied, and now he knows why! Look, Ned - you've got to get out of town.

Ned protests that he has to be here for Brad's wedding, but Steph says he knows what Jacka is capable of - and that by staying, he could put Brad and everyone else in danger.

The titles roll.

No 32
In the garden, Toadie's seeking advice from Brad about Sonya's suggestion of being a surrogate for Steph and Mark. Toadie says part of him feels like it would be the right thing to do, but another part keeps freaking out. He's worried that Sonya will find it impossible not to bond with a baby she's carrying for nine months, and is also concerned how Nell will react.

Toadie asks Brad if he could handle it, if Lauren was a surrogate. Brad admits he'd probably feel the same as Toadie. But Toadie admits he feels guilty every time he sees Steph and Mark.

TOADIE: I don't want to be the reason that they can't start a family. It's too much pressure.

Ned turns up, and Toadie makes out they were discussing the buck's party. Brad's keen to get Ned's input as the best man.

BRAD: I'm so glad you're here to help.

Ned looks worried.

The Gold Coast
Angus is hanging out by the beach, looking lonely. Susan turns up and congratulates him on his performance in the audition - praising him for giving Madison a life-changing opportunity.

ANGUS: Well, I'm glad I could change someone's.
SUSAN: I'm sure your mum was glad to have you with her when she was going through treatment. I know it can't have been easy spending so much time in an oncology ward.
ANGUS: It just made me realise that there's no point in attaching yourself to things. People make all these plans, just to have them ripped away. No-one knows when their number's up.
SUSAN: Angus, you know your mum's doing really well?
ANGUS: Yeah, but she's one of the lucky ones. You didn't see all the other people in those wards.

Angus heads down to the beach, while Susan makes a phone call to Karl.

SUSAN: I just wanted to talk to you about Angus.

Harold's Café
Lauren serves Aaron and Amy their chicken salads, while Amy moans about the Cannings' bickering. Aaron and Amy both get texts from Madison, informing them about her happily-ever-after.

AARON: She scores the gig *and* the dolphin vet. Talk about a happy ending.
AMY: Yeah. Gives you hope.
AARON: Hey - you know there's dolphin vets out there for us too, Ames. I can feel it. Okay, maybe not dolphin vets. But love. Hey, it's coming for us. Trust me.

As if by Magic Shelf™, David and Leo Tanaka come in, and take a seat nearby. Aaron is thrilled.

AARON: It's a sign!
AMY: How do you know they're not together?
AARON: There's only one way to find out!

Aaron saunters over, and reintroduces himself to Leo - and introduces himself to David. He quickly ascertains that they're brothers, not boyfriends.

AARON: Brother? Oh, that's great! I mean, I've got two brothers myself. It's pretty good to have brothers, right?

Overhearing, Amy puts her head in her hands and laughs! Aaron tells Leo about Blaze Outreach, mentioning he's looking for volunteers to get involved and suggesting they 'connect on Facebook' so Aaron can keep him informed. Leo suggests that Aaron talk to David about it - as it's 'right up his alley'. Aaron says they're welcome to swing by whenever.

Aaron returns to Amy, proud of what he perceives as his success with Leo.

AMY: You should give lessons (!)
AARON: No guts, no glory.
AMY: His brother seems nice. Cute, too.
AARON: He's a doctor, too. Double date, anyone?

No 30
Mark and Steph are entertaining Nell with a penguin story, while Sonya looks absently into middle-distance. Toadie comes in, and seems displeased to find Nell still up, deciding to whisk her away to bed straight away. Mark kisses Steph goodnight and leaves.

STEPH: Hey, Toad, have you got a sec? I've got a problem I need to talk to you about.
TOADIE: Yeah, maybe later, okay?
STEPH: Please, I just need your input. It's really kind of urgent.
TOADIE: Okay, I get it. But I'm busy, alright? Why don't you see if you can speak to Mark? I can't always be the one to solve your problems?

Sonya overhears this and looks worried. Once Toadie's taken Nell to bed, Sonya tells Steph not to take it personally - explaining Toadie's just stressed because of something Sonya's asked him to do.

The Gold Coast
The next day, Xanthe shows Susan and Ben the apartment block where she lived with her mum. She reminisces about how her friends used to come over for the weekend when her mum was away. Susan gets a call from Sarah, Angus's mum, and walks off to speak to her, while Ben and Xanthe talk.

XANTHE: I'm really nervous to go back. I don't know what's worse - Gran's judgy look or Dad's disappointed one.

Ben offers to go with her to face the music, but Xanthe says she needs to do it by herself and own whatever punishment she gets.

XANTHE: I really love being home.
BEN: The beach. The weather.
XANTHE: What I miss most is Mum.

In a car nearby, a blonde-haired woman watches as Ben comforts Xanthe, both unaware of her presence. The woman looks conflicted, and gazes at a photo on her phone of her and Xanthe smiling and hugging. She is credited as Brooke Butler - and we know from previous episodes that Brooke is the name of Xanthe's mother...

Blaze Outreach
Piper is helping Tyler and Amy set up for the basic skills courses they're teaching at Blaze. Piper's at a loose end.

PIPER: Ben and Xanthe are in Queensland, and apparently Clementine finds me too needy.

Piper does impersonations of how she imagines Tyler's students will be, all wanting to hotwire cars! David comes in.

AMY: You're Leo's brother.
DAVID: David, yeah. Is Aaron around?

He's not, but Amy offers to give him a call. David says he's just come to drop off a first aid kit, as a donation to the outreach programme. Amy says they already have one.

DAVID: Of course you do.
AMY: But that's really thoughtful. And two can't hurt, right?
DAVID: I'm just keen to help.
AMY: You and your brother are so different!
DAVID: I suppose so. He's quite the charmer.
AMY: Yeah, apparently (!)

Amy asks if David would be interested in teaching a first aid course as part of the Blaze programme, and he says maybe - explaining that he's just in town to visit his sick great gran. He goes to leave awkwardly, and knocks a box of tools off the side, before apologising as he exits.

Once David's gone, Piper says he's clearly into Amy, and she and Tyler make fun of David and Amy's perceived flirtations. Amy laughs it off, but Piper says he was obviously checking her out.

AMY: I'm not sure I'm his type.
PIPER: What? Why not?! You're hot!
AMY: Yeah, in my flanny!
PIPER: Not all guys are into the glam thing.
TYLER: Some of us prefer a natural beauty.
PIPER: Trust me. There was chemistry there.

They continue to tease Amy about David.

No 28
Elly is leaving a voicemail on Ned's phone, asking where he was last night. There's a knock at the door - it's Steph.

STEPH: You need to convince him to leave town.
ELLY: No, I'm not gonna do that. He's just settled in.
STEPH: Ned's a walking target now that Jacka knows about him and Regan.
ELLY: He's in jail. He hasn't even been sentenced yet. He'll be locked up for a few more years.
STEPH: Oh, no, Elly - please tell me you're smarter than that. You don't think that Jacka's got mates on the outside?
ELLY: If you think Ned's in real trouble, why don't you get Mark involved?
STEPH: Because it's not something that he wants to hear about. This needs to be kept quiet, for Ned's sake. Elly, really - if you love the guy, you will tell him to go!

No 32
In the conservatory, Ned and Brad are discussing buck's party plans. Brad had been thinking mini golf and a barbecue, but Ned wonders if they should aim a little higher. He suggests they go down the coast and make a weekend of it; however, Brad points out it could be hard for Toadie, with a young kid to think about.

BRAD: You know, I'm so glad you're gonna be here for it. Seriously, mate - it means the world to me.
NED: ...
BRAD: And now I've softened you up, I have a request.
NED: Shoot.
BRAD: I want to get a tattoo wedding ring. And I want you to design it for me (...) I figure, third go, I want to get a ring I can't ever take off.

But Brad says it needs to remain a secret from Lauren. Ned agrees. He then gets a call from Elly, but ignores it - saying they have party plans to arrange. Ned looks worried as they drink beer.

The Gold Coast
Susan finds Angus on the beach, looking forlorn.

SUSAN: Going in?
ANGUS: Haven't decided yet.
SUSAN: Listen - I was wondering if you'd like to come back to Ramsay Street and stay with us for a few days.
ANGUS: And why would I want to do that?
SUSAN: Well, you seem as though you could use a break. It'd be fun.
ANGUS: Erinsborough - fun?
SUSAN: Karl and I would look after you. We've really missed having you around, you know. I've run the idea past your mum - she thinks it's good.
ANGUS: What about Dad?
SUSAN: ... Yeah. I got hold of him too.
ANGUS: He didn't even know I was gone, did he?
SUSAN: ... He said he was busy.
ANGUS: You don't need to make up excuses for him. He doesn't even pretend to care about me. It's fine. The feeling's mutual. And the upside is, he'll probably jump at the opportunity to get rid of me, so he'll pay for the flights.
SUSAN: I've already sorted that out with Sarah.
ANGUS: I suppose a trip to Melbourne wouldn't be too bad. So long as you've got room for me.
SUSAN: We've always got room for you.

Susan tells Angus he'll have to share a room with Ben now Elly's staying, which he's okay with - and he agrees to come back to Erinsborough with her, Ben and Xanthe.

The Handywoman
Aaron is teasing Amy about David's visit to Blaze earlier, and their ostensible flirtation - he's heard the story from Tyler and Piper.

AARON: You know what that means, right? You are in the perfect position to get me a date with Leo.
AMY: Ah, so this is all about you!
AARON: Come on - all you have to do is, when he asks you out, you say yes. And then you suggest that he brings his brother along. And then you ask me.
AMY: Oh, alright, then!
AARON: You know I could kiss you right now? I will!

He does!

Lassiter's Complex
Mark and Elly have met up for a coffee outside Harold's. She acknowledges the awkwardness at brunch the other day, saying she didn't want Mark to get the wrong idea. He insists he didn't.

ELLY: You're really the only one I can talk to about this. Steph wants me to convince Ned to leave Erinsborough.
MARK: What?!

Elly tells Mark that she knows about Ned's affair with Regan, that her husband is Jacka, and that he blew up Lassiter's. She explains that Jacka has found out, and now he's after Ned.

ELLY: How worried do we need to be?
MARK: I would be taking precautions. But... Steph knew about this?
ELLY: She didn't want me to tell you. You can't be angry with her for that, you know. She was trying to protect Ned.

But Mark looks annoyed.

No 28
Elly is wandering around in a towel, again leaving a message on Ned's voicemail, asking him to call her. Susan arrives home, and thanks Elly for being understanding about Angus coming to stay - Karl has filled Elly in off-screen. Susan says Sarah's cancer has had a real impact on Angus.

ELLY: I'll do everything I can to make him feel at home.

Angus and Ben come in, and Angus seems very taken with Elly as they're introduced! She suggests he teach her how to skateboard some time, then goes to get dressed. Angus watches her leave, smiling.

SUSAN: I think this is going to work out really well, isn't it?
ANGUS: Yeah, I think so too!

No 26
Amy is unpacking some clothes shopping, while Gary and Sheila stand waiting for Xanthe to show her face.

XANTHE: Hey, guys! Don't need to bring out the welcoming committee - I've only been gone for a few days.
SHEILA: Oh, this isn't a welcoming committee. It's a firing squad!
GARY: There'll be consequences.

Xanthe is quick to apologise for going to the Gold Coast against their instructions.

XANTHE: Secondly, don't worry - Ben and I didn't do anything. Not that that should matter, because... feminism!

She also proposes a punishment regime for herself of dinner-making and dishwashing, which Sheila says seems fair.

GARY: Almost. You need to clean out the pigeon coop for the next two weeks as well.
XANTHE: ... Fine.

Xanthe goes to examine the contents of Amy's shopping bags.

XANTHE: Not a chequered shirt in sight! Is there something I should know about?
AMY: Just wanting to change things up a bit!

Amy awkwardly goes to put her clothes away, and Xanthe leaves too. Gary gets a text, which he says is from Terese, asking him to come into work. Sheila remarks that she seems to be working him hard lately!

SHEILA: As long as she's not taking advantage of you.
GARY: I wouldn't say so, no.

Sheila tells Gary to go, but as he leaves, she looks suspicious.

No 30
Steph is playing with Nell, while Sonya tidies up. Sonya takes Nell for a bath, and Toadie apologises to Steph for snapping at her yesterday - then asks her what it was she wanted to talk about.

STEPH: It's me and Mark. Things are a bit fragile at the moment. When Charlie was here, it was really good - we were like this little family. And now he's gone, it feels like there's this hole in our relationship. And I've gone and got myself involved in this situation, and I'm really scared that if I tell Mark, it will mean the end of us.

At that moment, Mark walks in, and demands to talk to Steph. Toadie leaves them to it. Mark says he can't believe Steph would get caught up between Ned and Jacka.

STEPH: I was gonna tell you. And I know that it looks really bad. And I know that I'm really dumb -
MARK: It doesn't matter. Jacka's been released from prison.
STEPH: What? How's that even possible?
MARK: Some sort of loophole, with his mum being sick. He got let out two hours ago.

Steph looks worried.

Erinsborough Hospital
David walks into reception, and glances around furtively. Amy comes in and is about to greet him, but he doesn't see her - and she's surprised to see him going into one of the offices. We see David log onto a computer using Karl's username and password that he memorised the other day. David opens a folder marked 'CROY, Amanda', which is in the 'recent folders' list...

Amy watches through the window, wondering what David's up to...

Promo
- Talking to David, Leo says he'll do anything dodgy that needs to be done from now on
- David asks why Leo should get into trouble for something David wants
- Aaron and Amy raise a toast to the Tanakas. 'May we resist their dodgy charms,' says Aaron
- Mark tells Ned, Elly, Brad and Lauren that Jacka's out - anyone connected to Ned should beware
- Regan begs for Ned's help and not to be left at Jacka's mercy