No. 24
Libby turns up at No. 24, crying. She tells Cheryl that Darren has been lying about everything: he doesn't love her. Cheryl suggests that maybe Libby misunderstood, but Libby insists that he made it quite clear. She asks what will happen when her dad finds out that Darren really did take those CDs. Cheryl gasps:

CHERYL: He looked me in the eye and swore that he was innocent. There's no way we'll get him off *now*.

Libby sobs that you can't lie to people like this - it isn't fair.

Holy Roll
Angie is working in the coffee shop when Stonie bursts in and gives his mum a hug! Angie smiles delightedly and asks why he didn't tell her he was coming home! Stonie tells her that he had more important things on his mind - and he opens the door and Catherine comes in! Angie hugs her warmly as Stonie explains that Catherine is applying for a job and if she gets it she'll be there to stay. Angie asks her what sort of job she'll be chasing and Catherine replies that it'll be something with The Wilderness Society - it'll be perfect for her. Angie hugs them both again, beaming that they don't know how pleased she is to see them!

No. 28
Libby is lying back on the couch, looking upset. Susan comments to her that she's been very quiet since she got home; does she want to talk about it? Libby doesn't respond. Susan asks her if she and Darren have had a fight. Libby curls up in a ball, sobbing. Susan sits down with her in concern and asks gently what the matter is. Libby gives in and tells her:

LIBBY: Darren's in jail for shoplifting. He said he didn't do it - but this afternoon he admitted that he did; and he said that he never really loved me, and he was just pretending because I was fun to be with.
SUSAN (sympathetically): Oh darling...
LIBBY: How am I ever going to trust anyone, mum? I was *sure* that he loved me. How am I ever going to know if anyone's telling the truth?
SUSAN: You can't just stop trusting people; and I don't think your judgement was *that* far out: *I* thought he loved you, too.
LIBBY: Really?
SUSAN: Really. He seemed like a very caring person. I'm disappointed if that's not the case.
LIBBY: Well, it is. Darren doesn't care about anyone but himself.

She then asks how she's supposed to concentrate on school with all this going on in her head. Susan tells her softly that she knows this might be more difficult to cope with than anything she's gone through before, but she doesn't think it's going to beat her.

No. 24
Cheryl is telling Marlene coolly that any sympathy she had for Darren vanished when she saw what Libby was going through. Marlene, however, declares that she thinks Darren is lying about what he did *and* the business with Libby; she thinks he loves Libby more than they've given him credit for. Cheryl points out:

CHERYL: You don't lie to the one you love.
MARLENE: Unless you're trying to protect them.
CHERYL (realises): He thinks he's going back to jail.
MARLENE: Yeah, for something he didn't do.
CHERYL: And so he's setting Libby free.

Cheryl murmurs happily that that's so beautiful - and they'll have to tell Libby: she'll be thrilled. Marlene, however, tells her that they can't do that; it could take *years* before Darren's out of this trouble and perhaps he doesn't want Libby to go through this with him. She goes on that she thinks Darren has made a very, very brave decision and she doesn't think it's up to them to turn that around.

No. 28
Karl exclaims:

KARL: He is in *jail*?

Mal comes in as Susan tells Karl that Libby and Darren won't be seeing each other anymore. Libby tells her father about how Darren said he never really loved her and how he was just pretending he did because she was fun to be around. Karl growls:

KARL: He said that, did he? Then he's damn lucky he *is* in jail.

With that, he snaps that that boy was trouble right from the start. He tells Libby that he's sorry Darren hurt her, but people should stop pretending he's a decent young man because he just isn't. Libby retorts:

LIBBY: Whether I give up on Darren or not has got nothing to do with *you*.

Karl appeals to her to think about it: it's her final year at school and she has the world at her feet and a career as a journalist lined up; Darren doesn't know what's best for her. Libby snaps that she *knew* he'd be like this. She storms off. Susan growls at Karl that Libby has had her heart broken; she doesn't need lectures. Mal chips in angrily that all Karl wants to do is prove he knows best - but all he did tonight was prove he *doesn't*.

No. 28
Sometime later, Mal is sitting watching late- night television when Libby emerges from her bedroom, wearing her pyjamas. She sits down and thanks Mal for coming in before: sometimes their dad's just too much to handle. Mal comments that Karl has *never* given Darren a fair go. Karl emerges from the bedroom area at that moment, saying he *thought* he heard voices. Mal gets up and heads off to his room. Libby goes to do the same, but Karl stops her and tells her that he owes her an apology: she hasn't done anything wrong. Libby retorts:

LIBBY: No, I haven't - but *you* have, and you do it over and over again.
KARL: Which is what, exactly?
LIBBY: You were *happy* to hear that Darren was in jail. I guess it just proved how right you were about him.

Karl insists that he's been hard on the boy, but only out of love for *her*. He tells Libby that he's sorry Darren hurt her so much - and he wishes he'd proved him wrong. Libby smiles gratefully as Karl pulls her into his arms and adds that she and Mal have made a good point: he has to learn never to say 'I told you so' again!

Driveway of No. 28/Ramsay Street
The next morning, Mal is working in the driveway of No. 28, carving some wood as a present for Hannah to give to Casper. Shona is standing with him and she smiles that he's pretty clever with his hands - but then again, she already knew that! Mal tells her that he thinks it's time they had a serious chat about the two of them. Shona says she thinks it's time they got serious too. Mal, however, tries to say that that's not what he meant - but Shona interrupts him and tells him that she's made him part of *his* family and so she wants him to be parts of *hers* - and she invites him to a party at her house. She then heads off to school, leaving Mal looking annoyed.

Out on the street, Shona bumps into Libby and tells her that Mal just asked her to get serious with him! She heads off. Cheryl walks over and joins Libby and comments that Libby doesn't look like she slept too well. Libby sighs that she can't stop thinking about it; she just keeps asking herself 'why'? Cheryl murmurs that this isn't right... She then goes on that Marlene convinced her not to say anything last night, but Darren *does* love her and is protecting her against worrying so much that it affects her studies. A broad grin crosses Libby's face and she exclaims happily:

LIBBY: He loves me!

No. 28
As Karl puts breakfast on the table in front of Susan, she warns him that he's going to have to be on his best behaviour from now on. Karl assures her that Libby's next boyfriend will probably be a brilliant student with great prospects! Libby dashes in suddenly and beams:

LIBBY: Guess what! He *loves* me. He didn't steal *anything*. Isn't it great?!

She hugs her parents as Susan asks her how she knows all this. Libby explains about how Darren was worried that she wouldn't be able to concentrate while he was in jail. She smiles happily:

LIBBY: I love him *so* much. I can't believe I ever doubted him.

Karl doesn't look impressed.

Erinsborough High
Mal is working at the school when Shona joins him. Mal asks her if she shouldn't be in a class, but Shona replies that she has a free period. Mal remarks that she has more free periods that anyone else! Shona smiles that he's there to be with *her*, right? Mal nods hesitantly:

MAL: Right.
SHONA: And then what?
MAL: Well, then I suppose I'll just move on to whatever other jobs come up. Everything's got to come to an end *sometime*, don't you think?
SHONA: I'm just as upset about this as you are.
MAL: I know, but it might do us good to have a bit of a break.
SHONA: You're trying to be so brave... Wouldn't it be great if there was enough maintenance work for you to stay here full- time?
MAL: I don't know. Sometimes it's just *right* for things to end. You and I really don't agree on all that much, do we? In lots of ways, we're totally different.
SHONA: That's why we make such a good couple. Opposites attract.
MAL: I'm not so sure...

Susan walks over suddenly and tells Shona curtly that she should be studying. Shona walks off. Susan tells Mal that he shouldn't be *encouraging* Shona. Mal sighs that he tried to get her to nick off, but he can't get through to her. Susan tells him to try being honest.

Erinsborough High
Shona is walking through the school grounds when she suddenly stops in her tracks. She looks around and then picks up a long piece of metal she's spotted lying around and uses it to lever up a plank of wood from one of the benches. Unfortunately, Susan spots her and demands:

SUSAN: Shona. What on earth are you doing?

Shona stands there looking guilty.

Erinsborough High
A short time later, as they walk through the school, Shona is explaining in an urgent tone that she didn't mean to do any *real* damage; she just wanted to give Mal something else to fix - he's almost finished there. Susan snaps at her that Mal doesn't like feeling pressured, which is what she's doing: she's trying to manipulate him. Shona insists:

SHONA: I'm sorry about the seat.
SUSAN: Yes, so am I - as will Mr. McKenna, I presume.
SHONA (exclaims in horror): You're not going to *tell* him...?
SUSAN (sarcastically): Oh, what do *you* think?
SHONA (fearfully): But he'll expel me. I mean, I've already been in so much trouble. Please, Mrs. Kennedy, there must be some other way.
SUSAN: No, I'm afraid not, Shona. There comes a time when you have to take responsibility for your actions, and that time has come.

Police Station
Darren is escorted into the visitor's room where he finds Libby standing on the other side of the pane of glass. He picks up the 'phone and snaps:

DARREN: Look, didn't I tell you it was over between us?
LIBBY: Yes.
DARREN: So what are you doing back?
LIBBY: I don't believe you.
DARREN: Look, will you just go? I know you think we're the perfect match, but it's over.
LIBBY: Will you stop it? Marlene's worked out what you're doing.
DARREN: Worked out what?
LIBBY: You're lying so that I won't worry about you - and she's right. Marlene's not stupid: she knows you even better than *I* do.
DARREN: Look, I will be going to the remand centre soon. I don't want you visiting me there.
LIBBY: You don't have a choice.
DARREN: Yeah, but *you do*. Look, I didn't do anything and they're *still* going to send me to jail for two years. You've got Year 12 to finish and I couldn't handle the thought that you'd stuffed everything up because of me. That'd be worse than any sentence.
LIBBY: I *love* you - and I'm not going to let my studies slip; but I *am* going to worry about you and visit you and wait for you - and there is nothing you can do to stop me.

Holy Roll
Catherine sits down at a table with Stonie and tells him that the interviewers had a heap of people to see, but they said they want to see her again next week. Stonie says that even if she doesn't get the job, he thinks she'd be better off staying. Catherine, however, points out that she doesn't want to spend her time being his little woman; if she gets the job, she'll be very happy to come there to be with him. She suggests that she's there now, so why don't they make the most of it? Stonie doesn't look happy.

No. 28
Shona turns up at No. 28 and tells Mal tearfully:

SHONA: I've been expelled.

Mal asks her in surprise what she did. Shona tells him that she was trying to create more work for him by taking apart one of the benches and his mum caught her. She asks him if he's angry with her. Mal sighs:

MAL: No, I'm not angry - but it proves something that I've been worried about for a while. I can't give you what you want. I just don't feel that way about you.
SHONA: Why? What's wrong with me?
MAL: Nothing - but I think you're in love with the *idea* of being in love, you know? I think you should find someone with some common interests. You and I... I think we should stop at just being good friends. Look, if we keep on like this, we're gonna end up hating each other. You don't want that, do you?
SHONA (murmurs): I've been so stupid...
MAL: No. No, I've been selfish. The truth is, you see, you really turn me on, and there's got to be *more* to a relationship than that.

He then offers to get his mum to talk to the school for her, but Shona tells him that Susan said it's time she started taking responsibility for herself and she thinks she's right. With that, she turns and walks out, leaving Mal looking worried.

No. 24
Libby is telling Cheryl and Marlene that Darren still tried to talk her out of it, but all he's worried about is her Year 12. Cheryl sighs that *she's* been walking around cursing him, but she's his mother and should believe him no matter *what*. Libby exclaims that it's not fair: no one will give him the chance; if they just took the time to get to *know* Darren, they'd realise he *couldn't* have taken those CDs. Marlene muses that time is one thing their courts don't have. Cheryl, however, says suddenly:

CHERYL: But *I do*.
LIBBY: What are you going to do?
CHERYL: I don't know, yet - but my boy's innocent, and there's no way on God's earth he's going back to jail.