Previously on Neighbours
- Brad and Terese continue to argue about the kiss, while Matt seems to be thawing towards Lauren
- Daniel moronically announces his and Amber's engagement to all, without checking with her first
- Josh drinks to numb the pain of said announcement, then angrily accuses Daniel of stealing Amber
- Nate and a random become embroiled in an argument between Chris and Josh outside the pub
- Later, Georgia and Kyle find Chris unconscious and bleeding, and he's rushed to hospital
- Kyle accuses a defensive Nate of hurting Chris, but Josh tells Matt he's the attacker
Erinsborough Hospital
Chris is still in a bad way, hooked up to a ventilator. Georgia and Kyle wait anxiously by his bedside.
Erinsborough Police Station
Guarded by a constable, Josh awaits his interview.
Erinsborough Hospital
More of Kyle and Georgia waiting.
Erinsborough Police Station
Josh has just vomited into a bucket. Matt comes into the interview room and sits down.
Erinsborough Hospital
Nate turns up and stares silently at Chris, as Kyle and Georgia stare at him.
Erinsborough Police Station
An emotional Josh tells Matt how he'd been seeing 'this girl' (not mentioning Naomi by name) but that she dumped him during the bucks' event. He continues narrating over a flashback to the announcement of Daniel and Amber's engagement, explaining how this led him to down a glass of champagne.
MATT: How many did you have?
JOSH: I don't know. After the first one, I didn't know what I was doing.
We then have another flashback to Josh drunkenly mouthing off to Daniel and Amber in the Waterhole, and Chris's intervention. Josh explains how Chris tried to calm him down and flashes back to their altercation outside, and Chris refusing to let him back in.
In the present, Matt suggests Josh should call his parents, or a lawyer - but he refuses, saying it won't change what he did.
Erinsborough Hospital
Nate, Kyle and Georgia continue to look anxious beside Chris's bed as a nurse tends to him.
Erinsborough Police Station
Josh's flashbacks continue, as he recalls returning to the Waterhole later.
CHRIS: What are you doing back?
Josh punches Chris and he falls into the shrubbery, then he walks away without looking back. In the present, Matt tells Josh he's committed a very serious offence - but says he's not going to charge him tonight. He tells Josh an officer will escort him home, so he can talk to his parents, and come back in the morning.
JOSH: Chris could die. I deserve everything that's coming to me.
No 22
Terese is leaving a message on Josh's voicemail, asking him to call her - then lays into Brad for leaving Josh on his own at the hospital, worried about his alcohol intolerance. At this point Josh walks through the door, and Imogen comes downstairs.
BRAD: Where have you been?
JOSH: Chris...
TERESE: Sweetheart?
JOSH: It's all my fault!
Josh breaks into a sob and Terese rushes to hug him.
Harold's Store
Toadie tells Amber, Daniel and Lauren that Kyle and Georgia are still at the hospital by Chris's side. Lauren explains how she was there just before the incident happened. Matt comes in, and Daniel apologises for how he announced his and Amber's engagement.
MATT: We're not discussing that now.
AMBER: Dad!
MATT: There's been a development.
He explains that Josh has come forward to confess to Chris's assault.
No 22
Brad is annoyed that Josh didn't tell him he punched Chris earlier at the hospital, but Josh says he was still piecing it together. Terese is in denial mode already, saying it can't be Josh's fault - and Brad points out that there was also the random and Nate, who both intervened outside the Waterhole.
JOSH: But that was earlier. I went back alone.
Josh explains he wanted to see Amber, but that Chris blocked him at the door - so Josh punched him, then realised he was wasting his time so walked off.
JOSH: I didn't even wait to see him fall.
Terese leaps on this, saying it was the fall that caused the injuries, not the punch. Therefore, if Chris was still standing when Josh walked away, anything could have happened after that - he could have tripped, or the random could have come back.
JOSH: It had to have been me, Mum.
IMOGEN: Well hopefully when Chris wakes up he'll tell us what happened himself.
JOSH: If he wakes up.
Josh explains Matt hasn't charged him because he wanted him to sober up - but says he's going back in the morning. Terese starts thinking about laywers, but Josh explains he's already confessed. Terese says they can't even be sure Josh was responsible, but Josh insists he won't walk away from what he's done.
JOSH: Chris is the one you should be worried about, not me.
Erinsborough Hospital
Nate offers to stay with Chris if Kyle wants to go and get some sleep, but Kyle is still untrusting of him, and refuses to leave Chris. Karl comes in to deliver some doctorbabble, the predictably-demanded layman's translation of which being that Chris's fracture won't require surgery, but that they're very concerned about the swelling on Chris's brain; he'll remain sedated until it recedes. Kyle asks if there'll be any damage, but Karl says they won't know until he wakes.
Karl asks if Sheila's tracked down Chris's grandparents' phone number in Greece, where his parents are staying, but Kyle says she hasn't yet. Georgia comes in, having just spoken to Toadie - saying the police have found out who punched Chris.
No 22
Josh is looking up 'coward punch injuries' on The Search Engine™, and is appalled to see from the search results how such incidents have resulted in death or permanent brain damage in the past.
No 30
The next morning, Brad and Terese descend on Toadie to ask him to represent Josh as a lawyer. Toadie says it wouldn't be appropriate, as Chris is his friend and Georgia's best mate - so it would look like he was taking sides by representing Josh. Terese tries to talk Toadie round, explaining about Josh's alcohol intolerance and saying his memory isn't that reliable - adding that he never saw Chris hit the ground. Brad looks awkward at Terese's line of argument. He adds that he cares about Chris, but wants it to be handled fairly.
TOADIE: Well, Josh did confess and that's very compelling. And I agree he does need a lawyer. But I think that it should be someone else apart from me.
Toadie starts writing a list of suitable lawyers for them.
Ramsay Street
As they leave No 30, Terese has a rant at Brad for not supporting her enough in their chat with Toadie . She reminds him that Josh isn't necessarily responsible, but Brad insists there's no evidence incriminating anybody else - and he's sure the police will investigate all possibilities.
TERESE: Well we can't afford to take that chance!
Harold's Store
Amber looks forlornly at her engagement ring, and Daniel is feeling guilty for the way he announced their plan to marry - saying if he hadn't, Josh wouldn't have got drunk and hit Chris. Amber says they don't know that, but admits Imogen has told her Josh isn't coping very well. Daniel suggests Amber go and check up on him.
AMBER: What if I make things worse?
DANIEL: No. Tell him you care. That's never made anything worse.
They kiss.
No 22
Amber comes round to see how Josh is, and Imogen thanks her for coming. Josh confirms he did it, and Amber says they should never have announced the engagement.
JOSH: It's my fault. No-one else's.
They hold hands.
JOSH: I meant what I said last night. Be happy. You deserve it.
Josh leaves the house.
Erinsborough Hospital
Kyle, Georgia and Nate are still with Chris. Kyle and Georgia apologise to Nate for thinking he was the attacker, but Nate is still blaming himself, saying he should have protected Chris. They reassure him he couldn't have known what would happen, and say Chris will pull through.
Josh arrives, and Kyle hits the roof.
KYLE: What are you doing here?!
JOSH: I just - I just wanted to come to apologise...
KYLE: Yeah, well it's too late for apologies!
JOSH: I know, I'm not...
KYLE: Get out! Now!
Josh leaves again, and everyone looks angry.
Harold's Store
Matt confirms to Terese and Brad that they investigated the random guy who had an altercation with Chris outside the Waterhole, but that his alibi checks out - he was in a taxi at the time of the assault.
TERESE: Have you talked to Nate? Josh said that he was around too.
LAUREN: That's true. I saw them together.
Matt confirms they were investigating Nate, but not anymore - and Lauren explains this is because he and Chris seemed like they'd just had an argument when she saw them. Matt says there's nothing to suggest there was a second incident after Josh hit Chris, and that Josh will be formally charged later today.
No 32
Amber and Daniel are laughing at photographs taken at Kyle's bucks' party, but when they come across one of Chris, they fall quiet again. Matt comes in, but seems awkward with them. Amber says they were thinking of going to see Chris and asks if he's awake; Matt confirms otherwise.
Amber and Daniel try to talk to Matt about their engagement, Daniel rather crassly saying that Chris's hospitalisation 'makes you realise how important love is'. But Matt doesn't want to hear about it.
MATT: It's not worth talking about because it's insane. And it is not going to happen.
He walks out.
Erinsborough Hospital
Georgia is by an unconscious Chris's bedside, telling him a story of how Bossy has been eating socks again.
GEORGIA: I know Kyle is her master, but I still think that you are Bossy's favourite. And I think that she's playing up because she misses you. We are all missing you.
Toadie comes in to drop off some sandwiches, but Kyle and Nate have already gone to get some. Georgia tells Toadie there's been no change with Chris, but that hearing familiar voices can help coma patients wake up faster, which is why she's been talking to him.
GEORGIA: You know I've nursed so many assault victims. Watched their families waiting for some sign of improvement. But when it's you sitting there, it's...
Toadie reassures Georgia that Chris is strong - they have to believe he'll make it.
No 22
Terese is asking Brad what he knows about Nate. Brad recalls that he served in Afghanistan, and did a talk at the school about it. Imogen overhears and asks what they're whispering about, but Brad says they have to get to the police station. Imogen admits she's discovered Josh has been surfing the web for information on previous coward punch injuries. But Terese still appears to be in denial that Josh is responsible.
TERESE: Those men that you see in the news - they're angry. They're dangerous. That's not your brother.
IMOGEN: I think that's kind of the point, Mum. Anyone can throw a punch and have it end badly. One of these guys - he got twenty years.
TERESE: Yeah. But they're not like Josh. This is completely different.
Josh comes in, overhearing the conversation.
JOSH: Not that different.
An emotional Josh explains he's been to see Chris.
JOSH: He was just lying there. Like there was no life at all. What have I done?
Josh breaks down in tears, and the family gathers round to comfort him.
Lassiter's Complex
In a slow-motion musical interlude, the four Willises walk through the courtyard grimly, Brad reassuring Josh he'll be alright. They come across Nate and Kyle; Kyle calls Josh a coward. As the family walks past, Terese looks at Nate curiously.
Erinsborough Police Station
Matt shows Josh into the interview room, while Brad, Terese and Imogen wait outside.
MATT: Josh, I need you to state your full name.
JOSH: Joshua Douglas Willis.
As Matt goes through procedure with Josh, Terese notices Nate standing at the doorway. They make eye-contact.
MATT: Joshua Willis, you are formally charged with recklessly causing serious injury to Christos Pappas.
Josh nods.
Erinsborough Hospital
Nate has come to see Chris, and Terese watches them through the window. Nate just stands there staring at Chris, and Terese looks worried, before leaving.
Harold's Store
Terese comes in - she's talking to Paige on the phone. She enters the kitchen and tells Lauren what Paige has just told her about Nate's previous assault charge, which Mark discovered. Terese asks if Matt is aware of the previous charge, but Lauren doesn't know. Terese explains she's been at the hospital, and saw Nate standing over Chris with an odd look in his eye.
TERESE: What if he's feeling guilty?
LAUREN: Yes, but Josh admitted everything.
TERESE: He punched Chris, yes. And he should never have done that. But what if Nate came back a second time? Did it again, punched him again?
LAUREN: Oh, come on, Terese. That's a pretty big if.
TERESE: I wouldn't be suggesting it if he didn't have a violent history. And Paige even mentioned that apparently he attacked some random guy at a picnic. And he's a trained fighter.
LAUREN: Yes, but that doesn't prove anything.
TERESE: But it's something. The police shouldn't discount him, but they are - since Josh has all but signed his own warrant. Lauren, I need your help.
LAUREN: Me? What do you want me to do?
TERESE: Tell Matt that you think Nate may have done it.
Lauren is immediately against the idea, and tells Terese she can't lie to Matt. Terese says it's simply a case of creating reasonable doubt, and convincing him there are other possibilities than Josh's guilt.
TERESE: Look, I know that we've had our differences. And I've questioned our friendship. But if you really are my friend like you say you are, you'll do this.
Terese leaves Lauren to consider her words.
Unmissable Drama
- Josh tells Paige he's in big trouble, as Brad has another pop at convincing Toadie to represent him
- Terese confronts Nate about what happened between him and Chris on the night of the attack
- Daniel randomly hugs a little girl, while Imogen smiles
- Naomi tells Toadie she's 'so sorry'. 'So am I,' he replies