Recap
Stu telling Max there is a way to get Steph the treatment she needs.
Stu informing Steph she is being involuntary detained under the mental health act for 72 hours.
Ramsay Street
As Steph is roughly being manhandled into a police car, Lyn comes running over to see what is going on. Steph says she is being committed before getting into the car. Lyn tells Max that she thought he wasn't going through with his hair brain idea and Steph watches them and hears Max telling Lyn that he was only trying to help Steph before the car moves away. If looks could kill...
Hospital
Max is telling Lyn he had to do something to help Steph especially after she took Oscar. Karl comes over to talk to them, not exactly happy at discovering Steph is there and wanting to know why she's been sectioned. Max tries to blame the fever but Karl isn't accepting that excuse so Max replies that he is willing to do anything so Charlie can have his mum around. Karl points out that the only thing likely to happen is for Steph to get all stressed up over it, which Lyn adds is the last thing she needs right now. Max reiterates that he is doing it to save Steph's life, so she can listen to the experts and get the treatment she needs. Max and Karl look like neither is willing to let up so Lyn asks if she can see Steph.
KARL: I'm afraid you can't, no-one is going to see her, not for some time.
LYN: What, not even her mother?
KARL: No. No, she's going to be locked up in her room, possibly sedated, until the psychiatrist sees her. She's going to be very, very lonely. She's going to be very angry.
No. 30
Toadie hears Connor arrive home and quickly feigns being ill by quickly switching stopping playing the game he's in the middle of playing and emptying a tin of something (baked beans?) and mixing it with something else in a handily placed bucket to make it look like he's puked. Connor asks if he's still not feeling better but must be well enough to play with the games console. Toadie says playing games is keeping his mind off the pain but Connor tells him that he is just taking a sickie. Connor isn't convinced when Toadie "is sick" but runs off himself after seeing the "evidence" ie the bucket Toadie prepared earlier.
Hospital/No. 22
Lyn is trying to tell Paul she won't be round to work for him but he won't give her a chance to explain, so she tells him that Steph needs her and he can fire her if he wants. Paul doesn't exactly look impressed.
Steph's room
Dr Levi arrives and they talk pleasantries about Boyd when he remarks that she knows him. He asks how she is and Steph replies fine bar a fever. With Stu in the room, he asks Steph if she wants a sedative to help her relax but she turns it down even when he says it won't harm bubs. Stu comments that Steph has been very co-operative, so he tells Steph to get some sleep if bubs will let her before exiting the room.
Stu tells Steph that Dr Levi is very good and will be able to help her out if she has any problems!
STEPH: (sarcastically) If I've got any problems Stu! Surely you're already convinced I've got lots and lots of big, big problems (shouting now) otherwise why would you force me to come here?
Stu says he is just there to help her and be her friend so she tells him that she doesn't friends like him and informs him that she won't be calling him from the waiting room when he says she can find him there.
No. 30
Toadie is still feigning illness and Connor still not believing him when Stinger and his trusty camera come a calling. He gives Toadie a flyer for a pie eating contest and asks if he is up for it so he can get some good footage...and the winnings can be donated to his software fund! Connor points out the obvious - Toadie's in no condition to go but Toadie objects and says he's got whatever it was out of his system now and is up for participating. Connor threatens to grass him up to Tim, which causes Toadie to turn down the opportunity. Connor departs and Toadie asks what time the competition starts!
Hospital
Karl spots Stu coming along the corridor and has a right go at him for abusing his powers by letting a perfectly innocent and stable young woman be at the mercy of the state psychiatrist. Stu tries to defend himself saying Steph was a danger to herself and has experience of it the damage it can cause.
STU: I can't stand back while Sindi destroys herself.
KARL: Sindi!
STU: Stephanie. I meant Stephanie.
KARL: Yes, of course you did. I'm sure Stephanie appreciates your concern but still begs the question for me as to whether or not she is in here because of your sense of duty or this is something more personal.
Steph's room
Commercial break over, Karl tells Steph her temperature is still a bit high and she wants to know if it is the fever. He informs her that they'll find out when the blood tests come back but is sure it will be fine. Steph wants details of who is involved in her assessment and Karl says it will mainly be Dr Levi but there will be others there too. Steph asks if he means the police will be present too but he says no and that the assessment will cover some basic areas but that she'll be asked some personal questions too. Naturally, Steph wants to know what these questions will be and he tells her that they'll want to know if she is distorting or ignoring reality, maintaining false beliefs. "Like chemo will harm my unborn baby," replies Steph and adding will that be classed as a false belief. Karl doesn't reply to that one, just sighs, which Steph takes as meaning yes.
Steph then wants to know what happens after the 72 hours are up and Karl tells her that there are 3 possibilities: 1 - she's free to go. 2 - she gets a qualified release pending further psychiatric treatment. 3 - she's declared an involuntary patient and that she can be forced to have treatment for mental illness and for the cancer too under certain circumstances like it is a life-threatening situation.
Steph isn't exactly happy at someone (Max, Stu or the docs) deciding what is best for "the mad woman". Almost in tears, she tells that she isn't mad and he agrees with her and adds that the only thing she is under atm is stress. Steph begs him to get her out but he replies that he can't because his hands are tied. He tells that that if she is honest and stays calm then she'll do enough to be released.
Outside at the pie comp
Via Stinger's camera we see that Toadie is one of the contestants in the pie competition. Oh yes, the clothes peg is back too but not for long as it is removed just as the comp begins.
Outside the hospital
Max asks Stu if he's see Steph, he has, and how was she, "calm I guess," Stu replies. Max thinks this is good before Stu adds that Steph is resentful and Max says that is only natural but she'll come round...because the doctors will make her see sense!
MAX: We have done the right thing haven't we Stu?
After a moment's hesitation, Stu replies yes before relating to how Sindi was a danger to others by the end. "But Steph is nothing like Sindi," replies Max before adding that the cases are not similar - he just wants Steph to see sense but the look on Stu's face suggests that he wasn't thinking along similar lines.
MAX: Stu do you honestly think that Steph is mentally ill?
Stu doesn't reply and Max realises what he may just have done.
Outside at the pie comp
Via StingerCam we see that the comp is still ongoing with the contestants chomping away. Connor pulls Stinger behind a tree and promises to give him some money for his doco if he helps him.
Steph's room
Dr Levi and two other random silent docs begin the questioning of Steph. He begins by asking Steph if she understands that this interview is part of her assessment to see if she should be detained further or not. "Yes, *my husband* seemed to think this was all necessary," replies Steph. Levi asks why she said that and Steph replies that it is because she won't have chemo until bubs is born and adds that she thought she had a right to refuse medical treatment but Max takes that as a sign of insanity. Levi suggests that is because he loves her very much and Steph replies that she loves her miracle baby and if wanting to give it the best start in life is a sign of insanity then she's guilty.
Levi changes tack and asks Steph if she told Lyn she had taken Oscar, and Steph replies no but adds that due to the fever she wasn't thinking straight, so he counteracts with was she fit to babysit and drive a car. Steph informs him that fever or not (which has now gone away), Oscar was safer with her than Paul. Levi wonders why she didn't notice the time passing by or that Lyn was trying to contact her. Steph says that she just needed some space...they both did, which causes Levi to wonder who the other person is. "Charlie, that's my baby" replies Steph (she rubs her bump) before adding that it is a happy, relaxed, stress free environment when she is with Oscar and slightly embarrasses Levi by asking shouldn't pregnancy be a joyous occasion?
Lassiter's
Toadie feels he's been robbed as he comes in runner-up in the pie competition. Stinger asks if he's happy and Toadie replies that the ribbon he received is very pretty. Stinger then let's slip about the money Connor gave him before Connor comes into view and smugly tells Toadie that Stinger is giving him a copy of his footage from today. Connor also tells him that Tim phoned and wondered if Toadie really was ill or not and what else can he do but offer him some proof. At this point, Toadie looks like he could puke for real...and promptly leaves but not before promising revenge. Stinger quickly follows to get some footage of Toadie throwing his guts up for his film.
Steph's room
Steph continues telling the gathered that yes she got preggy brain but surely she's not the first to have that. Levi asks Steph about the dreams, and she says they were about Drew but wondered what they were about until eventually she realised she was trying to warn her that the cancer had returned. "Sounds stupid, huh" says Steph before adding that is what she took the dream to mean, since dreams can have meaning.
Levi then changes tack again to talk about Charlie. Steph wishes she'd been able to spend more time about with Charlie as she liked him especially his free sprit. She mentions that he was a fisherman and wishes that she could just sail away sometimes too before explaining that with the pressure she is under atm with the pregnancy and the cancer she is feeling stressed as we head into the second commercial break.
Steph's room
Lyn brings Steph some essentials and as she starts to massage her shoulders, Steph tells her about what was said during the assessment but before she does, Steph wonders who judges sanity citing the damage Max could have got when he went bungee jumping. "Is that sane?" wonders Steph before Lyn agrees with her. Steph then says what they talked about - dead Charlie, why she's calling bubs Charlie, about the court case - before Steph says that she is sure she's blown it. Lyn doesn't think so.
STEPH: Mum, can you be honest with me please, you're here with Max. Do you think I'm mad?
LYN: Sweetheart no-one thinks you're mad.
STEPH: Then why am I still here and why are people assessing me?
LYN: Because Max can't handle the thought of losing you. No it's true. It's made him a bit crazy love.
Lyn then says that Max wants to talk to her but Steph needs time before she can agree to that and can Lyn tell him.
No. 30
Connor realises that Toadie and Stinger are up to something. Stinger is so desperate for the cash he's double-crossed Connor and taken more money from Toadie to erase the pie-eating contest from his camera. Toadie begins to feel unwell again and Stinger follows to get it on tape.
Steph's room
Stu knocks and asks if he can come in but invites himself in when Steph doesn't reply. He asks how it went and Steph comments that it was like an interrogation and is relieved it seems to be over for today because she's had enough. Again, if looks could kill, Stu would now be lying in the morgue. Stu says he made a big mistake and has called in to apologies for what he did.
STEPH: Bit late now isn't it?
STU: I let my guilt over Sindi cloud my judgement okay and Max was in so much pain and he was feeling so powerless, it...There's no excuse and I can't believe I thought it was a good thing.
STEPH: This was your idea?
STU: Yes, absolutely. All my work.
He then tells her that he'll always blame himself for not picking up on Sindi's problem and not doing something before it was too late
STEPH: Okay Stu, as long as you feel better.
Stu tells her that Max still loves her before exiting her room as we head into the last commercial break.
No. 22
Lyn and Oscar call round and Paul thinks Lyn is round to apologise, except she tells him that he was out of line. Paul is a bit surprise and thinks Lyn is taking too much advantage over the 'family first' policy especially as he is trying to run a business. Lyn informs him that Gino has given her time off no problem and Paul explains he just wants some responsibility from her...that work is a consideration. He also says that Steph's health is very important but hopes that she is committed to him too and is proud of what she does for him. "Is that too much to ask," says Paul. Lyn calmly agrees with Paul and he thinks this is a rare thing - settling a business dispute by talking. They talk a bit about Elle still being miffed at him and that family does come first before Lyn accepts his invitation of a drink.
Steph's room
As Steph lies on her bed watching TV, Max comes in to give her some cherries. Before he can say anything, she tells him that Stu said it was all his idea and wants Max to confirm it. Max replies that he knew it was possible not that Stu could do it until he told him. Steph wants to know if Stu did it all by himself or did he help him.
MAX: I helped him. It was the only way I could see of saving you.
(pause)
STEPH: Right.
MAX: I love you Steph. I had to do something. I had to. What have the doctors...
STEPH: (cutting Max off) It's over.
MAX: What?
STEPH: I don't have a choice.
MAX: Yes you do Steph.
STEPH: No I don't. I don't want you in my life.