Japanese restaurant
Ren bursts out laughing as Luke tells her that they'd have a ball! He explains that he'd be teaching English to business people; his mate from uni is quitting his job there and suggested Luke could take over. He shows Ren the letter. He then grins:

LUKE: Isn't life weird? A couple of days ago I didn't know where I was going to live or what I was going to do next... and now I've got a new job and a new home, and best of all, I've got you!

He then suggests eagerly that they could get *married* in Japan! Ren, however, tells him to slow down: Mark is only just out of hospital and really needs her right now; she can't just up and leave him; he needs her as an anchor, at least until he's fully recovered. Luke's face drops.

No. 30
Mark is sitting reading the newspaper. Colin pulls up a stool and places a glass of water on it for him, asking if it's close enough. Mark nods gruffly that it's fine. Colin remarks that he's tense - he could do with some acupressure. He then starts massaging Mark's head, commenting that he was taught by experts in China! Having done that, he says he's got to call the coffee shop and he asks Mark to remind him of the number. Mark, however, mutters at him to try Directory Assistance. Colin tells him that the memory is like a muscle: it needs constant exercise. He then remarks that he thinks Mark needs some reflexology now, and he removes one of Mark's socks and starts rubbing his foot. Mark looks at him and asks him to remind him how he came to move in there!

No. 22
Cheryl is telling Janine that she has to work out what to do; she's not going to have her living her life in fear. Janine murmurs that she's used to that: she's been living like that for *years*. Cheryl exclaims that she didn't know it had been going on for years. Janine explains that she tried to leave Ross several times, but he kept talking her out of it. Cheryl comments that once a man hit *her*, she'd be out the door so fast... Janine, however, tells her mother that you love someone and you make excuses for them and you hope they'll change, and you make yourself believe it and that next time there won't be violence. Cheryl sighs that how anyone can make excuses for Ross... Janine tells him that Ross said she put him under a lot of pressure after he resigned from the Navy; he told her that the Navy mattered more to her than *he* did. She goes on:

JANINE: Right up until that last time that he... bashed me... I really thought that he would change; that I could... I could *help* him. The only thing wrong with that equation was he didn't really *want* to change.

Cheryl asks what happened that last time. Janine explains that she followed him to work and confronted him, but there were witnesses around and he lost his job - so now he says she ruined his life. Cheryl snaps at her that she's got to forget about Ross and stay right away from him; and by God he'd better stay away from *her*.

No. 26
The next morning, at the breakfast table in the kitchen, Helen is telling Luke that they'll be very sorry to see him go. Philip tells Hannah that it's time to go to school. Hannah complains that they keep going on about Olly, but Helen tells her to be brave. The three of them head to the door, leaving Jen to comment to Luke that he certainly landed on his feet! Luke tells her that there's a fly in the ointment: Ren has got to look after Mark and he's not sure he wants to go without her. Jen comments that it'll be a good test for their relationship.

Ramsay Street
Philip pulls his car out of the driveway, passing Hannah and tooting his horn. Across the street, Billy runs down the path of No. 28 and says goodbye to Karl, who stops him and grins:

KARL: Hey, hey, hey, love hound! What's the rush? Wouldn't be anything to do with Melissa, would it?!

Hannah catches up with Billy and asks if she can please walk to school with him. She adds that she'd rather go anywhere than school today. Billy sighs and gives in.

No. 30
Mark asks Ren how dinner with Luke was and Ren explains that Luke has been offered a job in Japan. She then adds that he wants her to go with him, but she can't leave Mark. Mark insists that he's on R&R - and he's got Colin to look after him. Ren smiles:

REN: That's exactly what I'm worried about!

Mark then goes on that Colin told him that she put herself through the wringer while he was in the coma, so he thinks it's time she started thinking about herself for a change. He adds that he won't be able to thank her for what she's done, and he'll miss her more than he can say, but she can't knock an opportunity like this back.

Grounds of Erinsborough High
Hannah sits down to have her lunch when some other girls - including Fiona - come up and start teasing her about having joined a convent. Billy spots what's happening and walks over to join Hannah, causing the other girls to walk off. Hannah comments to him in surprise that she thought they weren't meant to be friends at school. Billy tells her:

BILLY: I can wear it - for a while, anyway.

No. 26
Ren has turned up and she tells Luke that she's dashing down to the library and thought he might like to come. She adds that she was wondering if they had anything on Japan... Luke stares at her and asks if she means... Ren tells him that she and Mark chatted the whole thing through and he seems to think that he couldn't live with himself if she *didn't* go! Luke lifts her up and spins her round in delight!

No. 22
Janine is looking at an old photo album and she laughs at a dress Cheryl is wearing! She then points to someone and asks who it is. Cheryl giggles that it's Brett in a dress! She smiles that he was a cute baby - and so was Danni. Janine murmurs:

JANINE: You always preferred them, didn't you...

Cheryl stares at her and asks her if she seriously thinks she neglected her. Janine replies that she's sure she didn't mean to. Cheryl comments that she supposes she did leave Janine to her own devices more than the others, but it was only because she was so contained, self- reliant and self- sufficient; everybody noticed it. She tells her that she was always the naturally happy one, just like Darren was always the naturally naughty one. Janine shrugs that it's funny: when you're strong and independent, people just assume that you don't need so much love and attention. Cheryl murmurs that she should have realised that when Janine was growing up. Janine smiles that no one's perfect! There's suddenly a yell from outside the front door: it's Ross:

ROSS: Janine. I want to talk to you. *Now*, Janine. I know you're in there. Open the door, you two- faced slag. You cost me my job, you cow. Open the door.

He starts hammering his fist on the door. Cheryl snaps that she's not going to stand for this. She tells Janine to ring Lou and *she'll* take care of Ross. She goes to the door and snaps at Ross not to dare come round there and talk to her daughter like that. Ross, however, barges in and grabs Cheryl's arm, turning it round until she's facing away from him and he can get his hand round her neck. He snarls that he's going to fix the *both* of them.

Ramsay Street
Helen and Philip are walking towards No. 22, hearing shouting and wondering what's going on. Lou pulls up in No. 22's driveway and climbs out of his car. Philip asks him in concern what's happening in there. They hear something smashing inside. Lou opens the front door, but finds the chain on. He pushes the door hard to smash it open.

No. 22
A few seconds later, Lou and Philip rush in and wrestle Ross to the ground. Janine stares at the three men, looking upset.

Lassiter's complex
Ren and Luke are pushing Mark through the complex in his wheelchair, Mark muttering that he feels about a hundred years old. Karl walks towards them and asks them cheerily how it's going. Mark retorts that it's frustrating. Karl tells him that he can't expect to come out of a coma and jump into slam- dancing! Something suddenly comes over Mark and he thinks Karl is growling at him:

KARL: You stop preaching your warped values to my daughter who presently is crying her heart out in my surgery.

He has a flashback to Karl ranting at him for telling Libby in front of a cafe full of people that her clothes are obscene, her behaviour's indecent and her parents are misguided. He comes back to earth and Ren asks him if he's OK. Mark murmurs that he just remembered something.

No. 22
Marlene is saying in concern that she hopes Ross is being charged. Cheryl replies that he's being charged with stalking and kidnapping. Lou snaps that he should be charged with breaking and entering too. Cheryl, however, admits meekly that she opened the door to him. Lou asks her in astonishment if she realises the danger she put herself in. Marlene, however, points out that it's all behind them now; they have to make sure Janine is safe in the future. Lou remarks that at least they've placed a restraining order on him. Janine sighs that she thinks it might be like a red rag to a bull - but he can't get anywhere near her at the Navy base, and that's where she's going to be. Cheryl says thoughtfully:

CHERYL: What happens to women who don't have a safe haven to go to?
JANINE: Hmm. *And* the ones who don't have a family to support them through it.

No. 28
Karl is playing his guitar as Billy digs out a CD for Hannah. She thanks him and stares at him for several seconds. She then comes back to earth and heads out. When she's gone, Karl grins at Billy:

KARL: Hannah's back in the love hound's Top 10, is she?!

Billy, however, insists that it's nothing like that; she's just been having a few hassles at school and he thought she might need a friend. Karl asks him if Melissa knows he's being extra- nice to Hannah. Billy sighs:

BILLY: Dad, if this is confusing for you, let me explain: Melissa is my girl; she's my number one. Hannah is a friend; it's as simple as that.
KARL (smiles): Oh, you poor, twisted lad! When it comes to girls and friendship, *nothing* is as simple as that!

No. 30
Ren asks Mark and Luke what they're going to do tonight. Mark, however, is staring into space and he says:

MARK: Before the accident, I was a nutcase, wasn't I?

Ren starts to tell him that he was having a crisis. Mark, however, interrupts and snaps that she said he was a religious zealot. Luke tells him that he was a bit over- zealous. Mark explains that it's these flashbacks he's having: in one he was arguing with Phil, telling him that Hannah was in moral danger; then he was doing the same to Karl, about the length of Libby's skirt. Looking upset, he asks if these things really happened. Ren tells him that he just had a few certain views on things; he was just a bit different to everybody else. Mark comments that that's what they say about *serial killers*. Ren tells him to stop being so ridiculous. Mark, however, retorts glumly:

MARK: Ren, please, there's nothing worse than making it sound better. I've just got to accept the fact I haven't got a friend left - least of all in Ramsay Street.