No 22
Toadie and Terese stare awkwardly at one another following his revelation.

TERESE: You... you can't mean that!
TOADIE: ... I do.
TERESE: We were gonna go and do a joint session with Rhonda. You... you said that that's what we're gonna do.
TOADIE: Something happened in the outback.
TERESE: ... Something with Melanie?
TOADIE: No. No, no - it was, uh... it was while I was lost. I had a vision... I didn't think that I was gonna get out alive. So I, erm... I laid down to wait (...) The sun was beating down on me, and it was just... it was so hot. And, uh, then the next thing I know, it's night time. And I'm looking up at the stars. And then, my whole life just... just unfolds in front of me.
TERESE: Your life?
TOADIE: My marriages. My relationships. And... it just... it just suddenly all made sense. It was then that I realised Rhonda was right. I have been following a pattern.
TERESE: I can't believe I'm actually hearing this.
TOADIE: I have loved every woman that I've been with. But I just... I wasn't ready for all of them. I mean, I thought that I was. But the truth is that, I've been afraid. Every time I lost love, I just grabbed at it wherever I could find it. And that's why I cheated on you with Melanie, is because I thought that I was losing your love. So I just grabbed at it with Melanie, and... and I'm not proud of that, okay? It in no way excuses what I did. But that's just what I now realise.
TERESE: Okay. So let me get this straight. You have some vision, some bizarre hallucination - and then you just decide that you don't want to be with me?
TOADIE: The feelings have been building for a few weeks, alright? It's just now that it all makes sense - that it's all connected. I... I can see it clearly now. And after everything that I've put you through, you deserve to know the truth.

Terese looks somewhere between furious and devastated.

Erinsborough Hospital
Haz, Byron, Krista and Trevor are all fawning over Mackenzie in her hospital bed.

KRISTA: Tess wants you to know how sorry she is.
MACKENZIE: Yeah. She said the same at the house.
HAZ: Yeah, well, it's too little, too late.
KRISTA: I'm not condoning anything she did, but... I can see she's got her own crosses to bear.
BYRON: Sounds like you almost feel sorry for her.
KRISTA: The Sinclair family machine ate her up and spat her out. And now she's paying the price.

Byron and Krista take Trevor home, leaving Haz with Mackenzie. She says she's doing okay, but it hurts when she moves. Haz tells her to let him know if he can do or get her anything.

No 22
We get a bit of a musical demi- montage of Terese, Nell and Hugo reacting to Toadie's big bombshell. Terese seems lost for words; and Toadie asks if the kids can stay in the house until he works out their next move.

TERESE: The kids can stay for as long as they like.

Nell and Hugo have overheard the conversation, and Hugo rushes upstairs, upset. Nell just looks sad. Toadie tells her she has every right to be upset, but Nell reminds him he promised he would fix things. This is interspersed with more footage of Terese and Toadie talking alone.

TERESE: You said you weren't ready for all of your relationships. Who did you mean?
TOADIE: I wasn't ready for you, or for Melanie.
TERESE: Okay, Sonya, Dee? So, they were the great loves of your life? And Mel and I were just your rebounds.
TOADIE: When I married you, I thought that I was ready, alright? That's why this hurts me so much to do this.
TERESE (furious): Oh, it hurts you?! Just a few months ago, when you were begging, *begging) me to take you back, and I did! I put my hurt aside, and I gave you another chance!
TOADIE: Yes. I know.
TERESE: But your mind is made up.
TOADIE: Because if I tell you otherwise, I am just gonna make things worse.

Penthouse
Paul finishes up a call with Andrew Rodwell, and tells Byron, Leo and Krista that Tess has been denied bail. As for Tess's henchman Justin, who kidnapped Toadie and Melanie in the first place, Paul explains that the police are still trying to find him. At that moment, Nicolette bursts in for a Yorokobi meeting with Leo, Byron and Krista. Paul leaves them to it.

NICOLETTE: Okay, let's just address the elephant in the room. Kiri and I broke up, and you're worried that this great thing we have going on is doomed?
BYRON: Uh, no... we are just a little concerned.
NICOLETTE: Well, don't be. Because Kiri and I committed to making sure what happened between us doesn't affect the business. So let's just do what we came here to do.

Nicolette plasters on a brave smile, but the moment they get to talking about specifics, Leo is forced to admit that some of Nic's proposals for the events schedule overlap with Kiri's. Unable even to bear looking at Kiri's proposals, Nicolette automatically says they should go with Kiri's ideas, so as to avoid any further discussion of her.

NICOLETTE: Next item?

Leo and Byron look concerned.

No 28
Toadie is filling in Karl and Susan on his decision to leave Terese. They are both shocked, and Susan more than a little disapproving.

SUSAN: A vision?!
TOADIE: Call it an awakening. Doesn't matter.

Melanie comes in to join them, admitting she knew something had happened in the outback with Toadie but not the details of it. Toadie says he wanted to tell Terese before anyone else; he owed her that much.

SUSAN: What happened to working things through?
TOADIE: Well, I realised there's no point, because I shouldn't be married. I should be on my own - maybe for a very long time. But you all said I was rushing into things with Terese, and you were right. I just couldn't see it at the time.

Toadie says to Melanie that he owes her an apology too.

MELANIE: No. We have said everything that we needed to say to each other. I just want you to be happy. Terese too.
TERESE: Yeah, she's a long way from that right now. Which is to be expected.

Toadie asks Susan if she'll check in on Terese, and Susan rather sternly tells him that of course she will. Toadie says he needs somewhere to stay, and Melanie points out that her old room here has just become available, now she's moving to her new apartment. Susan and Karl exchange a look.

KARL: Yes. Yes, of course. You... you should stay with us.
SUSAN: This has all happened too quickly, Toadie. Much, much too quickly.
KARL: Is there anything more we can do?
TOADIE: Just be there for Terese, please.

No 22
Susan is having a cuppa on the couch with Terese.

TERESE: I... I feel like the earth just keeps shifting under my feet. You know, one second Toadie's being held for ransom, and then he's dead, and then he comes home, and he doesn't want me... I don't know which feels worse!
SUSAN: Shouldn't you just keep talking it through?
TERESE: Uh- uh. No, he's not willing to. It's over. I know it. He's made up his mind. I mean, he's already out of the house. Soon enough, he'll come back and get the kids.

Susan can still barely believe what she's hearing. Terese becomes tearful.

TERESE: I honestly thought I was marrying a good, decent man, who happened to live just right across the road this whole time! How does this happen? How did this fall apart?

Erinsborough Hospital
Holly is visiting Mackenzie. Holly explains she's talked things over with Karl and Susan who have been 'amazing'.

MACKENZIE: Yeah. They love you.
HOLLY: I still feel like this is all my fault. But I'm... I'm not gonna be hard on myself.
MACKENZIE: Good.

Haz comes back in.

HOLLY: And I've never been so grateful to have a friend with hacking skills.
HAZ: (coughs uncomfortably)
HOLLY: I'm sorry. I meant that in a good way. Haz, I can't thank you enough.
HAZ: I know. It's fine.

Mack tells Holly about Haz's thoughts of giving up the café and going back to IT. Haz says he doesn't want to get his hopes up, as it will be hard to clean up his reputation.

HOLLY: Right, and put things like hacking behind you.
HAZ: Yeah.
HOLLY: I'm so sorry that I put you in a bad position.
HAZ: My past is on me. No matter what, my mistakes will always be there.
HOLLY: I know how that feels.
HAZ: Yeah. What if I'm a magnet for dodgy stuff, though? Like, what if I put myself out there, and hacking is all people want me for?
MACKENZIE: Then you ignore them. And you show everyone that you have so much more to offer.
HOLLY: Yeah, *so* much more. Don't let it hold you back.

Haz agrees, and resolves to polish up his CV.

Melanie's Apartment
Paul has come to see how Melanie is settling in; at this stage, she's still busy unpacking. She admits she's still preoccupied by what happened to her in the outback. But also...

MELANIE: Toadie's left Terese.
PAUL: ... Are you sure?
MELANIE: I was over at Karl and Susan's when he told them. Sounds like it's gonna stick. You know, it's strange. There was a time when I would've been over the moon to hear that news. But now, it just makes me feel sad.
PAUL: How's Terese taking it?
MELANIE: I haven't seen her. But I'm guessing, not good.

Paul heads for the door.

MELANIE: Paul, don't.
PAUL: She needs me.
MELANIE: No. She needs people who can do the right thing by her. No agenda. I know you care about her but, can you honestly say that's you?

Paul hangs his head in admission that it's probably not.

No 28
Toadie is having a chat with Karl.

TOADIE: Everyone tried to warn me that I was rushing into things with Terese. You, Susan, my own beautiful girl Nell.
KARL: You were in love.
TOADIE: Yeah. I mean, I always am. That's the problem, mate. It's just... I used to think that it meant that I was being a romantic. That after Dee disappeared, I was choosing life. Seize the day. The reality is, though, is that I've been using the most amazing and wonderful women to distract me from every dark and depressing thought that I've ever had.
KARL: You know, I doubt that Terese ever looked at it like that.
TOADIE: Yeah, I know. But I've got to break the cycle, mate. (points to his head) I mean, if I'm ever gonna get this right, I... it has to be just me.
KARL: I know it isn't easy for you.
TOADIE: I've got to hurt people, to stop hurting people. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do.
KARL: Trauma is, uh... trauma is complicated. Takes a brave man to know when he's still carrying it, not to mention the work needed to heal from it. We were so ill- equipped to help you when Dee disappeared.
TOADIE: No, mate, don't - don't go down that path.

He rubs Karl's arm reassuringly. At this point Susan comes in. Toadie asks how Terese and the kids are, but Susan just shakes her head at him and heads into the bedroom. Toadie thinks he should go to check on Nell and Hugo, but Karl suggests it might be better to give them some space.

TOADIE: I don't want them to feel like I'm abandoning them.
KARL: No, but you've had time to process this. Give them some time to catch up, hm?

Karl asks Toadie about the vision in which all of this became clear to him.

TOADIE: It was quite beautiful, actually. Well, until it wasn't. And I felt calm... I felt love. And then I felt like I lost Dee and Sonya, all over again. And that's when it all kind of, you know, connected for me. Just the loss. Like, the constant grab for love wherever I could get it. I dunno, mate. Just a vision, or a dream... whatever it was, it changed me. Once you know, you can never go back.

Harold's Café
Aaron sits down for a chat with Nicolette, who's having a coffee. He says he's been trying to give her space to process her breakup with Kiri.

AARON: But I have to know what went so wrong with Kiri for her to go from wanting to co- parent Isla with us, and get a place together, to fleeing the mainland?
NICOLETTE: It's...
AARON: Nic, just tell me. I'm gonna be on your side, even if you're wrong.

Nic opts not to tell Aaron the specifics involving him, but admits that...

NICOLETTE: My inability to trust people reared its ugly head again. And as soon as Kiri saw that, it was over.
AARON: You really need to work on that.
NICOLETTE: I know.
AARON: Isla needs to see at least one of her parents model a positive relationship.
NICOLETTE: I remember how much that means to you, and I'm sorry.
AARON: No, she deserves to see her mum happy. And you deserve to let yourself be loved.
NICOLETTE (emotional): Isla is so lucky to have you as a dad.
AARON: I think we're all lucky to have each other, Nic.

Nicolette looks guilty.

The Waterhole
Paul is giving a speech, with Krista at his side, to a bunch of uninterested Lassiter's staff extras, plus Holly and Cara, about how the hotel's reputation hasn't been damaged by Tess's actions, and business will continue as usual.

KRISTA (whispers to Paul): And counselling.
PAUL: Oh, and, uh, yeah... counselling services will be available for any staff member who might need them. Alright, if you can all get back to work and pass that information on to your teams, that'd be great.
KRISTA: Before you do - sorry - we do have a staff member celebrating a very special birthday today. So if you could all join me...

Cara gives Krista a killer look!

KRISTA: ... in respecting their privacy, that would be great!

As the staff disperse, Cara tells Holly that nobody would have blamed her if she wasn't ready to be back at work yet, under the circumstances. But Holly insists it's good for her to be here.

Leo, who has been lingering at the back, congratulates Paul on his speech. Paul says hopefully things can get back to normal around here - but they're famous last words, as Krista then gets an email from Reece.

KRISTA (to Paul): It's addressed to both of us. She's making it official.
LEO: Don't keep me in suspense here. What's going on?
KRISTA: Reece is empowering me to fully represent the Sincast Corp at Lassiter's.
LEO: What, like, she's giving you full autonomy?
KRISTA: Yeah. She's effectively signing the 50 per cent stake to me personally!
PAUL: Well, I think that is very well deserved. Congratulations!

Krista is very excited, and thanks Paul, who is forcing a grin. But as Krista hugs Leo, Paul's smile begins to fade as he processes what might be construed as a blow to his power at the hotel...

No 22
Terese opens the door to Melanie.

MELANIE: Is it okay if I'm here?
TERESE: Yes, of course. Come in.

Terese leads her into the dining area and they take a seat.

TERESE: Actually, you know what? Since you're here... I need to ask you something. And I think you're the only person that can help.
MELANIE: Go ahead. I'll help if I can.
TERESE: Umm... I've been left before. You know, I always recover. I always do. Eventually. But, umm, I don't... I don't know how I'm gonna go on without Nell and Hugo.
MELANIE: Terese...

Melanie takes her hand as Terese becomes emotional.

TERESE: I know they're not mine... but I love them like they are.

We cut to the bottom of the stairs, where Nell and Hugo are listening sadly.

MELANIE: Losing Toadie doesn't have to mean losing the kids as well. It didn't for me.
TERESE: It just won't be the same.
MELANIE: No. No, it won't. But you can still be an important person in their life. You can still love them.

Nell and Hugo come in at this point, and Nell touches Melanie on the arm, before she and Hugo both embrace Terese in a hug.

NELL (crying): No matter what Dad decides, we're not letting you go. You're family.
HUGO: We love you, Terese.
NELL: So much.

Terese looks somewhat reassured.

No 28
Susan is telling Karl how sorry she feels for both Toadie and Terese. It's true she had reservations about their marriage at first, but she honestly thought they were making it work.

KARL: We all did, darling. But for a marriage to last, both parties have to be ready for the commitment.
SUSAN: It's not that I'm mad at Toadie. In a way, I guess it's admirable that he's been able to recognise this pattern in himself.
KARL: Yeah, I agree. I mean, it's not something that men easily do. But, I mean, it's good he's got in touch with his emotions.
SUSAN: It's just sad that these decisions he's making are hurting so many people. I feel sad for all of them, especially the kids.

No 22
Their chat is interspersed with footage of a distressed Terese alone in the kitchen. She looks over at her wedding anniversary party invitation that's pinned to the fridge, and looks angry.

No 28
Toadie comes in to join Karl and Susan.

TOADIE: Thanks for letting me stay.
SUSAN: You know you're always welcome.
TOADIE: Does that mean you understand?
SUSAN: ... It means we love you.
KARL: Yes, we do. And we love Terese and the kids, too.
TOADIE: Thank you.

Susan gets emotional as she gives Toadie a hug.

No 22
In the kitchen, Terese is really struggling. She grabs the anniversary invitation from the fridge, screws it into a ball and hurls it at the wall in frustration. But the fuming gradually gives way to tears.

The Waterhole
Later, Paul comes into the pub and sees Terese sitting alone in a corner. He approaches, but she doesn't exactly look pleased to see him.

TERESE: You've heard.
PAUL: Yeah, I am so sorry.
TERESE: Please don't. What I really need right now is to talk to somebody who won't remind me of what I've lost.
PAUL: In that case, I'm definitely the last person you want to be around. Terese, I'll always love you. But you really don't want me complicating things. So just know that, when the time comes, I'll be here, okay?

Terese doesn't reply, and Paul walks away.

Erinsborough Hospital
Unexpected cut to Mackenzie, who looks clammy and unwell as she looks at her phone. Haz comes in and notices, but Mackenzie insists she's just a bit woozy.

MACKENZIE: I probably shouldn't be checking work emails. Especially one like this.
HAZ: Okay, you're burning up. We should probably get a nurse in here.
MACKENZIE: No, it's just really hot in here. Sit down, Haz, I need to tell you something.

But at this point, Mackenzie's heart rate monitor starts beeping, and a box appears on the monitor, saying, 'Caution! Critical levels - unstable observation, check manually.'

Mackenzie passes out, much to Haz's alarm. He tries to revive her, but she's unresponsive.

HAZ (screaming): Can we get a nurse in here *now*?! Nurse!!

Coming up on Neighbours
- Sadie looks concerned as Wendy continues to enjoy Quinn's company
- Sadie tells Andrew, 'There's something going on between Mum and that guy'
- Haz looks panicked as Remi arrives on the scene to try and revive Mackenzie
- Sadie and Byron comfort Haz in the waiting area