There are two updated shots in the opening titles from today; Amy and Kyle have a fresh shot in which they're seen walking arm-in-arm to better reflect their couple status, while departed Leo is removed from the titles, replaced by a new shot featuring just Roxy and Ned.

No 32
David and Aaron get up in the morning, to find the note from Leo in the kitchen. David opens it, and is horrified to read that...

DAVID: ... Leo's gone.

David rushes to check Leo's room, but all his clothes are gone. Blaming himself for not letting Leo talk to him yesterday, David rushes to call him - but it goes to voicemail, so he leaves a frantic message asking if Leo's okay. Aaron assures David this isn't his fault. David goes to call Paul, but Aaron tells him not to ruin his honeymoon.

DAVID: I shouldn't have shut Leo down last night.
AARON: I don't think this is about one conversation, David. This is about his whole life, alright?

But David is still frantic, and starts calling round to see if anyone's heard from Leo.

Lassiter's Lake
Chloe and Mark are chatting about Leo's disappearing act - everyone is 'devo', Chloe explains. She adds that Leo hasn't been in a great place ever since breaking up with Terese.

Conversation moves onto Pierce - Mark asks if Chloe's still leaving him hanging. She says she objects to the idea that she should leap straight into a relationship with him just because he's ready now, when he made it clear he wasn't ready a few weeks ago, when she was into him.

MARK: Right, so this is just payback, then?
CHLOE: No, but he knew I was still getting over Elly. He shouldn't have blurted out all these Feelings™.

Mark laughs, and says...

MARK: Pot, kettle, black! You remember what you did to Pierce while he was trying to get over Ebony!
CHLOE: Whose side are you on?
MARK: (...) You both made mistakes. What matters is how you feel now. So, how *do* you feel?
CHLOE: I dunno.
MARK: Sure about that?

No 32
Dipi is making up lunches while Yashvi chats to Mackenzie; Yashvi is moaning because Ned's stuck in Sydney.

MACKENZIE: Maybe try not to drool all over him when he gets back?
YASHVI: How do you know what we're into, hmm?

The girls are about to leave for school when Shane comes in. He seems on edge around Mackenzie, especially when she asks if he's heard anything from her dad - at which point he gets very intense, saying he's only just started looking, and will absolutely do his best. Dipi and Yashvi call him out on his intenseness; he apologises, saying he just knows how important it is to Mackenzie.

Harlow turns up, and immediately gathers she's walked into a private conversation when everyone goes quiet.

YASHVI: Hey, Harlow. Are you ready for school? What am I saying - of course you are! You were born ready!

Harlow asks if she's interrupted something, but everyone assures her not. The girls leave for school, and Dipi asks Shane if everything's okay. He insists he's fine, but says he's going to do a bit more digging online about Mackenzie's dad before he goes to work. Dipi looks concerned...

The 82
Karl is In This Episode™, so is busy annoying customers at the tram with a survey about their coffee-drinking habits. He tries to annoy Mark with it too, but Mark gives him short shrift. Pierce, who is there for a morning coffee, asks Mark if he's spoken to Chloe lately.

PIERCE: I mean, obviously you have, she's your sister... but has she said anything to you about...? What am I doing? This is ridiculous. I'm ridiculous. I should just talk to her. But then, that is what got me into this trouble. She wasn't expecting me to say what I said, and neither was I. And now, it's all out there -

Mark seems even less interested in Pierce's Feelings™ than in Karl's survey!

MARK: Look, I'm sorry, mate. I can't speak for Chloe (...) Catch you later.

Pierce sighs as Mark walks off.

No 32
David is on the phone, having apparently finally got hold of Leo.

DAVID: Just take care of yourself, okay? And call me. Any time - seriously... I love you, bro.

David reports to Aaron that Leo felt he needed to get away, and that the stuff between him and Paul was the biggest factor in his departure - compounded by the closure of the Back Lane Bar which he'd worked so hard on.

DAVID: He's lost so much lately, and he's just not coping. And I should've picked up on that, how much he's been struggling.

Aaron assures David he's not to blame.

AARON: Listen - you have been the best brother to him, okay? Leo's just ready for his Eat Pray Love moment.
DAVID: Well, I'm not ready. I can't imagine my life here without him.

Aaron comforts David.

Erinsborough High School
In the Only Classroom™, Harlow asks Yashvi and Mackenzie if they're all going to business studies together. But Yashvi tells Harlow that she and Mackenzie have something private to discuss, so will catch up with her. Feeling left out, an annoyed Harlow stomps off.

YASHVI: I'm so sorry about my dad acting like a giant weirdo earlier.
MACKENZIE: Oh, seriously, forget about it. He's doing so much for me, and I know he means well.
YASHVI: Are you worried what'll happen if he does find your dad? Like, how he'll be when he learns about all your... changes, and stuff?
MACKENZIE: Well, I'm hoping he'll see they're not actually changes.
YASHVI: Yeah. Right...
MACKENZIE: Like, this is who I've been all along, and all I'm doing now is being true to that.
YASHVI: Yeah. Sure... Oh, it's hard enough getting your parents to accept who you are when you're an average teenager. Let alone being trans, and then...

There's a noise outside the classroom, and Mackenzie hushes Yashvi. They hear footsteps outside, and peek out of the room to see the doors at the end of the corridor swinging. Mackenzie concludes that someone has overheard, and now knows her secret...

The Waterhole
Dipi has come to borrow an oven dish, but is surprised to find Shane only just turning up for work. He explains he got caught up online searching for Mackenzie's dad. Dipi says it's great he wants to help her, but reminds him that other people - like the staff here - are relying on him too. He says he knows, and goes to fetch her the dish.

Meanwhile, Chloe is working at a table, when Pierce appears and sits down next to her. She's still being standoffish with him, and Pierce accuses her of avoiding him.

CHLOE: Can't think why. Oh, yeah - that's right. Cos you made things super-awks!

Pierce admits that his declaration of Feelings™ was bad timing, given Chloe had just split up with Elly. Chloe agrees, and says she thought they were having fun just being friends. Pierce would like to go back to that, but says he can't just pretend nothing's happened.

PIERCE: I love you, Chloe. And I need to know how you feel.
CHLOE: I can't answer that.
PIERCE: Well, you did care about me before.
CHLOE: I did - I do! But you stalled on me. And then, Elly happened. It's all just such a mess. I am such a mess.

Chloe gets a phone call from Mark, asking her to come to his place...

No 32
Aaron is in the pool, while David sits miserably by the side. Aaron goes over to comfort him.

AARON: Maybe Leo's just gone to find what you have.
DAVID: What's that?
AARON: Come on - you have a career that you love. You have the most beautiful home. And you have the most handsome husband in the world. Nothing's gonna break the bond that you guys have, yeah? But you've gone and built your life. Now it's Leo's turn.
DAVID: You're right. Doesn't stop me feeling sad, though.
AARON: Yeah, I know. And that'll probably take some time, too. But no more feeling guilty, yeah?
DAVID: I'll try not to.

Aaron kisses him; but they're interrupted by a call on Aaron's mobile. It's Mark...

Erinsborough High School
Yashvi and Mackenzie are at the lockers, discussing what happened earlier - Mackenzie is convinced someone overheard their conversation about her being trans.

YASHVI: Okay. Well, who cares? You've got nothing to be ashamed of.
MACKENZIE: I'm not ashamed - that's not the point! I was really bullied for this at my last school.
YASHVI: Yeah, I know - I know. I'm sorry.
MACKENZIE: This is why I wait now - let people get to know the real me before the rest. I can't control much in my life, but this is one thing I can - who I tell, and when. I don't trust people with the full story until I know they're really my friends.

Susan turns up, and tells them to get to class - then notices they look worried, and asks if anything's wrong. Mackenzie assures her everything's fine.

As Susan walks off, Harlow turns up, with a face like thunder. Mackenzie says they should all go to class, but Harlow just gives them an evil stare and walks off.

YASHVI: What's her problem?
MACKENZIE: Maybe she's the one who heard...

No 24
Mark has gathered Aaron and Chloe to give them some bad news about their mum, Fay. She's had a fall, and is okay, but in hospital - it's a result of her worsening Huntington's disease symptoms, which include lack of balance. It means there's a good chance she'll have more falls in the future.

Mark says their brother Tyler and his girlfriend Piper are currently fine looking after Fay in Adelaide, but they made need more of their help in future, as the doctors say Fay's condition will only deteriorate from here. Chloe, who has inherited the disease, looks particularly affected.

MARK: You okay?
CHLOE: ... This is really happening, isn't it?

Erinsborough High School
Yashvi and Mackenzie are in the corridor, discussing the possibility that Harlow was the one who overheard their conversation in the classroom earlier. Yashvi's sure Harlow wouldn't have a problem with Mackenzie being trans.

MACKENZIE: You saw her before. She wasn't happy.

Harlow turns up again, still with a face like thunder. This time, Mackenzie confronts her.

MACKENZIE: Hey, if you've got something to say, you should just come out and say it, okay?
HARLOW: Happy to. You've been totally blacklisting me today, and it's not cool.
YASHVI: What are you talking about?
HARLOW: Your whole Mean Girls routine. How weird you acted when I came round this morning, and then basically telling me to get lost (...) I know what it looks like when people are talking about me behind my back.

Mackenzie and Yashvi insist that Harlow has the wrong end of the stick, and swear they haven't been deliberately excluding her or talking about her. At this point, Richie turns up and sits down on a bench nearby.

HARLOW: Well, good. But if you weren't talking about me, was it Richie?
MACKENZIE: What? Why?
HARLOW: He's been staring at you since business studies.
YASHVI: He's probably still bummed because you turned him down for the spring fling.
HARLOW: You could totally do better, though, if you ask me.

Richie does indeed seem to be watching Mackenzie, as the three girls speak about him.

YASHVI: That's what I said - he's an idiot. And don't feel pressured just cos he's crushing on you.
MACKENZIE: I don't think he's crushing anymore.

Mackenzie glances over at Richie, who quickly looks away.

Lassiter's Lake
Chloe wanders sombrely across the lake. She looks at a picture of her with her mum, Fay, on her phone. She then scrolls along to another picture of herself, this time with Pierce. Chloe looks conflicted, briefly, before bringing up Pierce's phone number in her contacts list...

No 32
Chloe has summoned Pierce to the garden, where she's prepared two big buckets of grapes, for them to crush up with their feet to make their own vintage wine - so as to 'connect with the product' Pierce claims to love.

CHLOE: I just feel an urge to get back to basics. We can milk a cow next!
PIERCE: Oh, hang on a second. I've kind of got this phobia of cows (...) They've got, like, grinding plates as teeth, and multiple stomachs. You know, it's hardly natural.
CHLOE: Alright. Well, we're gonna circle back to this Greyson weirdness a bit later on, but for now (...) let's connect with the chianti, mingle with the merlot!

She adds that she is officially cashing in her bachelor auction date, so he has no grounds to refuse!

PIERCE: Lucky this is only my second favourite suit.

Erinsborough High School
Mackenzie pulls Yashvi into the classroom for another chat.

MACKENZIE: How bad is it if Richie does know? ... Yashvi?
YASHVI: Okay, it's not great. Like I said, he's not a good guy.
MACKENZIE: Is he gonna ruin my life?
YASHVI: He might. Okay - maybe you can talk to him, explain. Show him who you are, like you said. And then he'll see it's not a big deal.
MACKENZIE: Yeah... Or maybe we've made a mistake, and he doesn't know at all. And when I try and explain, I out myself. I can't believe this is happening *again*. It's too soon; it's not safe yet.
YASHVI: Look, it's just one guy. Everyone else here will back you.
MACKENZIE: You don't know that. This is exactly why I wanted to wait.

No 32
Chloe and Pierce get to work grape-stamping, and it's fun - but talk inevitably turns to why Chloe suddenly wants to hang out with Pierce, after everything she said.

CHLOE: ... Mum had a fall (...) She's alright, but... this is it. It's only gonna get worse from here.
PIERCE: Must be frightening.
CHLOE: After I found out... I just wanted to be alone. But then, all of a sudden, I had to talk to someone. Straight away. And I realised it was you. You're the only one I wanted to talk to about this.
PIERCE: And you can. Always.
CHLOE: What's happening to Mum... it's awful. I don't want her to have to go through it. I love her, and I don't want to lose her. But I also keep thinking about how, one day, it'll be me.
PIERCE: I can't imagine how that feels.
CHLOE: I know nobody has forever, but... being so aware of the end that's ahead of me. It just makes me feel like I have no time to waste. I have to face what I feel. After you told me you loved me... I freaked out, cos I'm scared.
PIERCE: Yeah, but that's fair. I mean, you've been through so much lately.
CHLOE: Yeah. Ending things with Elly... it hurt. A lot. I don't want to go through that again. But I also don't want to... not live. That's stupid.
PIERCE: It is.
CHLOE: I like you, Pierce. I trust you. I want to see where this goes.

They hold hands.

PIERCE: Lead the way.

Shortly afterwards, indoors, Pierce and Chloe have labelled their first bottle of homemade wine. They agree to revisit it in ten years' time.

PIERCE: By which point the flavour of feet will just be a subtle undertone. It was a really nice idea... very romantic.
CHLOE: Best date you've ever auctioned off?
PIERCE: Maybe even best date ever.
CHLOE: Wow. High praise.
PIERCE: You deserve it.

They're about to kiss; and Chloe goes to put the wine somewhere safe, giving him a seductive look as she walks out of the door. At this point, Pierce gets a phone call - it's Ebony. Looking worried, he cancels the call...

Erinsborough High School
Richie is at the lockers, when Yashvi approaches.

RICHIE: Hey, loser.
YASHVI: What do you know?
RICHIE: What do I know about what?
YASHVI: You know what I'm talking about.
RICHIE: What could I have found out that you'd be so interested in?
YASHVI: ...
RICHIE: Oh, you mean Mackenzie. Yeah, crazy, huh?
YASHVI: You'd better keep your mouth shut!
RICHIE: I'm not the one with something to hide.
YASHVI: Why do you even care?
RICHIE: Guess I don't like being lied to. Like most people around here.
YASHVI: You wouldn't. You have no idea what Mackenzie's gone through!

Yashvi is now prodding Richie up against the lockers! He smirks.

YASHVI: I will not let you ruin things for her again! Not everyone is as insecure as you, Richie - who cares if Mackenzie used to be a boy - so what?!

But she's said it louder than she intended - and Mackenzie has overheard, as well as a load of other pupils, it would seem.

MACKENZIE: Yashvi!
YASHVI: Mackenzie... I'm so sorry.
MACKENZIE: Have you not listened to a single word I said? I thought you got it!

Mackenzie looks around as Richie, Harlow and assembled extras stare - then she runs out down the corridor, leaving Yashvi looking horrified.

Coming up on Neighbours
- Finn asks how David's holding up; David says 'he' will be back soon enough
- Shane tells Yashvi that she's really hurt Mackenzie
- Yashvi tells Mackenzie that she wants to understand
- Bea tells Finn that none of this is on him; he doesn't seem so sure
- At the pub, Mark asks Roxy why she's being weird; she replies that she's being discreet
- Mark's lost for words when Roxy turns up seductively at the house, but Chloe's there to see