Coffee Shop
Helen, Phoebe and Stephen discuss Beth. Helen didn't realise about the Brad and Lauren and looks a bit shocked.

No.24
Lauren has arrived home. She is very upset and tells Lou that she's had bad news from the doctor.

LAUREN: I'm sorry...I shouldn't be upset. I expected bad news.
LOU: Was it as bad as we thought?
LAUREN: Pretty much. The doctor said...my tubes are all scarred and twisted.
LOU: Oh, strewth. Is there anything they can do, sweetheart?
LAUREN:(tearfully) No.
LOU: Hell!
LAUREN: It's OK, Dad. I'm not going to die or anything...I just have to live with it, that's all. Don't hold your breath for any grandchildren.
LOU: Oh, Laurie!
LAUREN: They reckon there's still a small chance I could get pregnant. About ten to one against. What do you reckon of those odds? To think, just a while ago I thought I was...what a joke.

Court
Michael, Phil, Julie and their lawyer come out of the courtroom. It seems that Julie has not agreed to take Michael back and he's got a six month sentence at a Youth Training Centre. Michael is upbeat and tells Phil that he'll be fine. Phil is clearly furious with Julie.

MICHAEL: See you later, Dad. See you, Julie. Congratulations, eh? You've won.

The Office
Helen comes in and asks if there's been any news from Phil at the court. Also, Helen tells her that she had nothing to do with Beth and Brad's breakup and reveals that Brad has been straying with another girl. Annalise starts to guess who it is and Helen warns her not to speculate. Annalise guesses in the end that it's Lauren and Helen warns her not to spread it around.

No.24
Lou is fussing over Lauren. She says it's not that big a deal - plenty of women don't have children. Lou says she can always do IVF, or adopt, but Lauren doesn't want to talk about it.

No.32
Helen, Debbie and Hannah are waiting when Phil and Julie come home. Debbie is very upset to hear that Michael is in detention.

HELEN: So you wouldn't have him back, darling?
JULIE: I told the court that I thought Michael needed professional help in learning right from wrong.
HANNAH: I shouldn't have told the police where he was.
JULIE: You did the right thing.
DEBBIE: You didn't know! Michael has changed, he's making an effort! If his own family won't help him, who will?!
PHIL: That's enough, Debbie, it wasn't an easy decision for Julie.
DEBBIE: Oh, right, and you think it's going to be easy for Michael?! How long did he get?!
PHIL: Six months.
DEBBIE: SIX MONTHS?!

She storms out and Hannah follows.

JULIE: Oh, Phil, go and talk to the girls, explain!
PHIL:(firmly) No! I've supported your right to make that decision and you've made it. Don't ever ask me to agree with it. You want to explain to the girls, go ahead.

He walks off too.

No.24
Phoebe is trying to cheer Lauren up - a 10% chance is better than nothing. They chat about the syndicate horse and the cost of the feed etc. She needs to ask all the syndicate members for cash, but doesn't want to tell Lou who the mystery member is. They decide to head out for a walk.

Coffee Shop
Brad is still moping and trying to avoid going home. Stephen invites him to come for a drink at the Waterhole.

Phil comes in and Stephen tells him that he thinks Russell is sabotaging the computers. Phil thinks Stephen is a bit obsessed with Russell and doesn't listen.

Phoebe and Lauren come in. Brad decides to leave to give Lauren some space.

The Office
Annalise gives Phil Russell's bill which is huge. Phil says he could have bought a new computer instead! He questions Annalise about how long Russell was there, and then says he's not paying such a high bill.

Pub (Outside)
Lou sees Brad coming across the complex.

LOU: Hey! I'd like a word with you.
BRAD: What's up?
LOU: I hope you're proud of yourself, the way you've ruined my daughter's life.
BRAD: What?
LOU: You heard.
BRAD: Look, Lou, it was just one of those things OK? Don't tell me you've never had a one- off that didn't mean something at the time.
LOU: Oh, that's great, isn't it(!) How do you think that makes me feel?!
BRAD: What are you talking about?
LOU: I'm talking about my grandchildren! Lauren's children. The ones she can never have, thanks to you!
BRAD: What?
LOU: This pelvic disease thing. She had a check- up today and they told her.
BRAD: Told her what?
LOU: It's ruined her fallopian tubes. She can never have kids of her own, and you're to blame! It's all your fault, Brad!

Police Custody
Debbie and Phil have come to see Michael before he leaves for the Youth Training Centre.

DEBBIE: Hannah said to say she's sorry.
MICHAEL: What for?
DEBBIE: Dobbing you in.
MICHAEL: Surprised it wasn't you!
DEBBIE: Michael!
MICHAEL: Just joking. Someone would have done it. Might as well be her. Tell the squirt no hard feelings, eh?
PHIL: Michael...I want you to promise me that you'll do your best at this place.
MICHAEL: Yeah, of course.
PHIL: I don't want anybody pressuring you into anything. You know, like getting into trouble.
MICHAEL: By the hard crims? Chill out, Dad, it's fine. I lived on the streets. No- one tells me what to do if I don't want to do it.
PHIL:(emotional) I'll come and see you as often as I can. And I promise...things will be different when you get out.
MICHAEL: Don't make any promises you can't keep, eh?

It's time for Michael to go and Phil hugs him, emotionally.

PHIL: Take care, huh? I love you, son. I'll see you soon.

Debbie hugs Michael too.

DEBBIE: Things will be different, eh? I'll talk Julie around.
MICHAEL: Don't bother. See you around.

Michael is led off and Debbie sobs in Phil's arms.

Ramsay Street
Phoebe and Lauren are walking back to No.24. Pam comes over and asks stiffly how Lauren is feeling after her examination.

PAM: Well, I hope that'll be a lesson to you not to fool around with other people's boyfriend's!
PHOEBE: Mrs Willis, Lauren's been through a lot today...

But Pam has marched off.

No.32
Phil tells Hannah that Michael told her there were no hard feelings for Hannah dobbing him in.

PHIL: The only thing Michael's angry about is that he wasn't allowed to come home.
JULIE: Because of me.
PHIL: I didn't say that.
JULIE: You didn't have to. It's pretty obvious that's why everyone's ignoring me.
DEBBIE: Well, do you blame us?!
PHIL: Debbie! That'll do.
JULIE: This isn't fair (to Debbie) You were the one that called the police the first time. I wanted to think about it, talk it over with your dad.
DEBBIE: But he was acting crazy then! We didn't know what he was going to do next!
PHIL: Nobody's blaming you, Julie.
JULIE: Yes, you are! All of you.
DEBBIE: So?!
JULIE: Don't I have any rights?!
PHIL: Of course you have, and you've exercised them.
JULIE: Oh, so you admit it. I *am* being punished.
DEBBIE: No - Michael's the one being punished.
JULIE: Because he deserves to be - that's what happens when you break the law!
PHIL: Julie, will you just calm down?!
JULIE: WHY?! You're all ganging up on me.
PHIL: That's not true.
JULIE: Girls...go to your room, please. Now. Your father and I need to talk.
PHIL: I don't want to talk, Julie.
JULIE: Philip, we haven't spoken since the courtroom. We need to discuss this!
PHIL: I have a business meeting at The Waterhole, I'll talk later.

No.28
Lauren comes to see Pam.

LAUREN: I did my best to keep away from Brad.
PAM: If that's what you've come to talk about, you're wasting your breath.
LAUREN: No, er, there's something else.

She gives Pam an envelope.

PAM: What's this?
LAUREN: Syndicate expenses. Your share.
PAM: You've got a cheek coming and asking me for money after what happened.
LAUREN: This is business, Mrs Willis. It's got nothing to do with Brad and me.
PAM: No, I suppose not. How's the horse shaping up, anyway?
LAUREN: Oh, um, just great! He'll be back in top form in a few weeks, we can race him then.
PAM: I'm glad to hear it. So far he's been more of a white elephant than a race horse.

Pam opens the envelope.

PAM: What the hell is this?!
LAUREN: I know it's a lot of money, but once he's back in form, we can race him...
PAM: I don't care if he wins the Melbourne Cup! I'm not dishing out this sort of money for a damned horse!
LAUREN: I did explain to you about the financial commitment when you wanted to enter into this syndicate.
PAM: Oh, alright, alright. I suppose I did know what I was getting myself in for. How I'm supposed to find this sort of money without Doug becoming suspicious I have no idea! It's not as if we're flush at the moment.I mean, the wedding might have been called off, but we still have to pay for it!
LAUREN: I know the timing isn't good, but that's not my fault.
PAM: Timing isn't your strong point, is it?! First you decide to have a fling with my son just as he's about to settle down with a lovely girl like Beth, and then you tell him that you could have given him an STD on the day that he's supposed to be getting married!

She thrusts a cheque at Lauren. Lauren takes it and hurries out quickly, upset.

No.26
Julie is ranting to Helen.

JULIE: I'm starting to feel like I'm the one who should be locked up! The wicked stepmother who wouldn't give angelic little Michael another chance.
HELEN: Darling, don't give yourself such a hard time.
JULIE: I don't need to. Everyone else is doing that!
HELEN: But you were entitled to state how you felt about the situation!
JULIE: I thought so. Seems I was wrong.
HELEN: Darling, I know what Michael put you through, I do understand.
JULIE: I know. Thanks, Gran. But you wouldn't do what I did, would you.
HELEN: No, I wouldn't.
JULIE: Well, it's the same for Philip. He's pretending to be understanding and forgiving...but he won't even look me in the face.
HELEN: It's only natural, I can imagine what he's going through...
JULIE: Oh, you think I can't?! (I'm sorry. I'm sorry.)
HELEN: How was Michael when they saw him off?
JULIE: Acting tough. That's what it was, an act.
HELEN: Oh dear. Must have made it even harder for Philip to accept.
JULIE: It's his only son. And I've rejected him. I've caused a rift in our marriage, Gran. It won't be easy to mend.

No.28
Pam answers the phone to Gaby. She's calling Pam from a spa on a cordless phone. Pam tells Gaby she feels a bit guilty about going off at Lauren. However, Pam is confident that Brad and Beth will work things out.

No.24
Brad comes to see Lauren about her fertility issues. She says she doesn't know where she got the infection from - it was just one of those things, and she doesn't blame Brad. Brad tells her that he doesn't want to hide anymore.

BRAD: I've done a lot of thinking, Lauren. And I still feel the same about you.
LAUREN: Brad...let's not get into all of this...
BRAD: I know you feel the same, too. We've never had a proper chance, but we could now!
LAUREN: What are you saying?
BRAD: I want us to be together.
LAUREN: Are you serious?
BRAD: Absolutely! What do you say?