Previously
- Karl tells Susan he has to go to the hotel to make a 'house call'
- But after the blast, we see that it's Sarah Beaumont he's gone to meet
- Susan sees Karl helping an injured Sarah out of the building, and is not impressed
- Amy tells Kyle that their relationship is over; he may as well get on the plane with Georgia
- Sheila comforts a tearful Amy, who's upset about losing Kyle
- Karl and Susan confront Nene about her work history lies and manipulation of Doug
- Doug agrees to let the matter drop, on the proviso that Nene doesn't go back to nursing
- A mystery stranger saves Paige's life by shielding her from the blast, but he's rendered unconscious
- A fatally injured Josh says an emotional goodbye to his family and Matilda, before slipping away
- Brad receives news that Doug has gone missing
Lassiter's
A stranger knocks on the door of Room 501. Doug is sitting within, looking bruised and confused. He goes to open the door.
DOUG: Yes?
STRANGER: We're evacuating the building; we've got to get out of here.
DOUG: I can't.
STRANGER: Come on. We've got to go.
DOUG: No. I have to wait for my grandson.
The stranger follows Doug into the room. We see that the stranger's right hand is bandaged.
STRANGER: It's alright. I'll take you where it's safe.
DOUG: He's coming back. There's someone else... I can't remember who.
STRANGER: Pop, we've been talking for ages. I just went out to see what's going on. I'm Ned.
DOUG: ...
NED: Brad's son.
The titles roll - and there's been a rare midweek update today. The previous shot of Piper and Josh has been swiftly replaced with a new one, in which Piper is joined on the walkway at the lake by Ben (Felix Mallard) and Xanthe (Lilly Van Der Meer).
The Waterhole
While volunteers and emergency services mill around helping those in need, Karl is providing emergency medical care, and temporary hospital beds have been set up to treat the wounded. When Nene shows up with a couple of saline drips for a patient, Karl's concerned, and tells her she shouldn't be providing medical care given her recent mental health issues.
Nene insists she's not a risk, and says there must be something she can do. So Karl sends her to the hospital to fetch some blankets, bandages and fluids.
KARL: And Nene? Stay away from patients.
We can see Sarah in the background, and shortly afterwards, Susan arrives. She demands to know what Karl was doing with Sarah at the hotel; he explains that she called him, asking him if they could meet. Susan is upset that Karl didn't tell her that, rather than just saying it was a house call. Karl says Sarah asked him to keep it confidential, and he didn't want to upset Susan.
SUSAN: What did she want?
KARL: I don't know. We didn't get a chance to talk.
Karl's too busy treating patients to talk further now, but says he'll speak to Susan later. Sarah has been watching the entire exchange, looking worried.
Lassiter's
In Room 501, Doug and Ned are sitting on the bed. Doug still seems confused.
DOUG: None of it's making sense.
NED: I came here because of Josh.
DOUG: Josh?
NED: He tracked me down. He wanted to - he said you wanted to help the family get back together.
DOUG: Ah, you and Brad. Yes, that's it.
NED: Look, I only agreed to see you, Pop. Not Brad.
DOUG: But you're family. I'm putting you back in the will. That's what this is all about.
NED: I don't want to be in the will.
DOUG: Yes, you must. Every grandchild's equal when I'm gone. All together again.
NED: Please, just leave me out of this, okay? We've had a nice chat, haven't we? We've sorted things out between us. I don't need anything more than that.
At this stage, Mark comes in - he's been helping evacuate the hotel. Not realising who Ned is, he asks him to take Doug out to his family. But Ned seems unwilling, suggesting Mark take Doug out, and offering instead to go and give first aid to an injured guy in the next room who Mark was planning to help. Mark helps Doug towards the door.
The Waterhole
Tyler is helping with the volunteer effort, while Karl treats more patients. He goes over to Sarah; she says she's been told she needs stitches and has already had an injection. She talks to Karl as he stitches her leg up.
SARAH: I've been watching you. You've been doing a wonderful job.
KARL: It's just what I do.
SARAH: Karl...
KARL: I still don't know why you contacted me.
SARAH: It's complicated.
KARL: Everything with you is. Just showing up out of the blue - it's very hard for Susan and I.
SARAH: It wasn't my intention to hurt anyone.
KARL: You wouldn't take no for an answer when you asked me to meet you. Did you really think I'd be happy to see you?
SARAH: Yeah - after the last time I thought we were okay.
KARL: I don't think we'll ever be okay.
Sarah looks hurt.
Lassiter's Complex
Susan is moaning to Lauren about Sarah showing up, and Karl not being upfront about it.
SUSAN: Oh, listen to me, going on about nothing. And Terese and Brad have lost their beautiful boy.
LAUREN: Yeah, it's heartbreaking.
Lauren says she's just spoken to Amber on the phone, who is devastated.
Meanwhile, Nene whinges to Amy about Karl telling her not to get involved in treating any of the patients. Amy reminds Nene that she agreed to take a break from nursing. But Nene says this is the perfect opportunity for her to regain her confidence.
AMY: Mum, please! Some people have suffered massive losses today. Think about them - don't make it all about you.
We go into a slow motion sequence of wounded extras and emergency personnel wandering around the Complex. Some are sitting on the floor in shock. Amidst it all, the camera closes in on Brad, looking devastated. He hears shouting, but barely responds at first - it's Mark, who's emerged from the hotel with Doug.
As Mark goes back inside, Brad demands to know what Doug was doing in the hotel. Doug doesn't explain, but says he's fine except for the gash on his head.
DOUG: Are the kids okay? Did Josh talk to Terese about Queensland?
BRAD (tearful): Dad... Josh, he's...
DOUG: Ned's alright. No harm done there. He's here somewhere. I've lost him.
Assuming Doug is just talking gibberish because of the Alzheimer's, Brad reminds him they haven't seen Ned in years - and says he's taking Doug to the hospital.
Meanwhile, closer to the building, Ned is still helping out with the evacuation. Mark asks him if he can stick around and help keep people clear of the hotel. Ned agrees. Then he sees Brad from a distance, with Doug...
Erinsborough Hospital
Paige arrives looking for Doug, and finds Imogen instead. She's been with Daniel, who's just being wheeled in for surgery. Imogen's incredibly upset.
IMOGEN: It's like I'm living in a nightmare.
She goes to wait outside the operating theatre. Paige promises to let her know if she finds Doug - but on her way to do so, she sees the man who saved her from the blast (credited as John Doe) in one of the rooms, unconscious and hooked up to a breathing apparatus.
Nurse Sandra Kriptic shows up, asking Paige if she knows the man; Paige explains that he rescued her, and asks after his condition. But Sandra says she can't tell her anything as she's not family, and leaves Paige alone, looking at the man.
PAIGE (to the man): I have to find someone, but I'll be back.
But as Paige leaves, Nene comes in - in a nurse uniform! She speaks to the unconscious man.
NENE: Hello, sleepy-head. I'm Nene - I'm your nurse. Here to help.
The Waterhole
Tyler and Susan are helping out with the wounded - and Susan can't resist an opportunity to go over and talk to Sarah, handing her a blanket and a judgemental stare.
SUSAN: Surprise to see you back here. Well, a surprise to me, at least.
SARAH: Why don't you just ask me if anything happened in the hotel with Karl?
SUSAN: Because I know it didn't.
SARAH: So why all the tension between you two?
SUSAN: Were you watching us?
SARAH: I couldn't help but notice. You know, I went to see Mal and Catherine and Susannah in London before I left. Your granddaughter's a beautiful bub.
SUSAN: Why are you here, Sarah?
SARAH: I have some things I have to take care of.
SUSAN: In Erinsborough? (!)
Sarah nods.
SUSAN: Well, let's hope you take care of them quickly. So you can head home as soon as possible.
Erinsborough Hospital
Paige is on the phone to Brad, who has told her that Doug has been found. She says she'll meet them here at the hospital. Paige drops by her mysterious saviour's room again, and asks Sandra if she can give her the man's name.
SANDRA: We don't know. He has no ID.
PAIGE (to herself): No-one knows you're here.
Inside the room, Sandra is surprised to find Nene there as she doesn't recognise her as a colleague. Nene claims she's been sent by a temping agency to help out. Sandra gives Nene some instructions about giving the man his diuretics, but once she's gone, Nene looks pretty confused - and then upset...
Lassiter's Complex
Ned is still helping out, and comes across a worse-for-wear Hilary - who insists she's okay, but just needed some air.
HILARY: Thank you for your concern; you're a good boy.
NED: You wouldn't say that if you knew me.
Karl turns up and takes Hilary to a table to sit down. Ned asks Karl if he's treated a man named Doug Willis, saying he was at the hotel with him earlier and that Doug seemed 'out of it'. Karl says that Doug seemed quite coherent when he saw him.
KARL: Unfortunately, he's just lost his grandson. But his family haven't had the heart to tell him yet.
Hilary is shocked to learn that Josh has died, as is Ned - although he doesn't declare his identity to Karl, and instead stands up and walks away, looking upset.
Erinsborough Hospital
Nene, still in the nurse uniform, is at the mystery man's bedside, preparing a syringe. She appears to check his patient notes, but looks under a great deal of stress. Paige comes in to check on the stranger, but is shocked to recognise Nene as Doug's carer, and demands to know why she's nursing again when she promised not to practise. Nene insists she's just helping out as they're understaffed.
PAIGE: Do they know that you're not supposed to be working?
NENE: ...
PAIGE: No-one knows that you've volunteered yourself?
NENE: They're just very busy here!
PAIGE: You are seriously delusional.
NENE: I'm not - I know what I'm doing!
But Paige calls for help from the real nurses, causing Nene to flee the scene...
The Waterhole
Susan reveals to Karl that she's spoken to Sarah. She says she knows nothing happened between them at the hotel, but is still furious with Karl for having gone behind her back to meet Sarah. Sarah watches from a distance as Susan gives Karl a telling-off. In his defence, Karl claims he only kept the meeting from Susan because of how upset she got when he was hanging around Nene.
SUSAN: The two situations are completely different. I never doubted your fidelity with Nene. But Sarah's your past - she's a reminder of a time you were unfaithful!
KARL: Yeah, I know!
SUSAN: You know, and yet you still - you snuck around behind my back.
Karl claims that he was trying to find out what Sarah is doing here so that he could 'head her off at the pass' without worrying Susan.
SUSAN: No, no - no excuses, Karl! You know what you did was wrong; just admit it!
KARL: Okay, I was wrong - I'm sorry.
But Susan is unconvinced, and walks off in a huff.
Erinsborough Hospital
Daniel wakes up after his surgery, to find a tearful Imogen by his bedside. Daniel says he feels bad; she explains his operation went really well, but that isn't what he means.
DANIEL: I feel bad because of Josh. You've been crying.
IMOGEN: It's okay.
DANIEL: What if you end up hating me?
IMOGEN: Why would I hate you?
DANIEL: Because your twin brother died, and I survived.
IMOGEN: Please, don't think like that. I could never hate you.
She kisses him.
IMOGEN: I love you. I just don't want to ever fight with you. I want us to be happy together and just be grateful that we have each other, okay?
DANIEL: Yeah. Forever.
They smile and kiss.
Lassiter's Complex
We see Steph's biker mate, Jacka, leaving the hotel with a metal cash box in under his arm.
Nearby, Brad is upset because Doug keeps insisting he's fine and refusing to be taken to the hospital.
DOUG: How do we know Ned got out okay?
BRAD: Trust me, okay? Wherever Ned is, he is safe.
DOUG: He'll be worrying about me, too.
Doug insists he's staying here until they find Ned. Still sure Doug is just confused, Brad begs him to do what he's asking and come to the hospital. But Doug sees Ned nearby with Karl, and wanders over to him. Upset, Brad turns around himself, and is blown away to see his estranged son.
BRAD: Ned?
NED: Hi, Dad.
Emotional, Brad throws his arms around Ned, who is seemingly cautious about reciprocating - but does, nonetheless. Watching the reunion, Doug cries tears of joy and, as he does so, collapses suddenly to the ground. We hear Brad saying 'Dad!' as we cut to a very distressed Nene, still in her nurse's uniform, entering the area.
Finding Amy, Nene tearfully admits that she went to the hospital to help with the nursing operation.
NENE: I had to go - it was like a calling.
She explains how Paige found her in a room with the mystery stranger, and alerted the real nurses. Amy is upset.
AMY: Did you make a mistake?
NENE: I don't think so!
AMY: You don't think so?!
NENE (crying): I don't know!
Erinsborough Hospital
In the mystery man's room, Paige asks Sandra if 'that crazy nurse' did anything to hurt him, but Sandra isn't sure yet. Paige gets a phone call from Amy.
Lassiter's Complex
Amy is on the phone to Paige.
AMY: Okay. That's a huge relief. Thanks, Paige.
Amy tells Nene that the young man is okay, and Nene is overcome with relief.
NENE: Thank god. I'm so, so sorry.
AMY: That's what you said about Doug Willis.
NENE (crying): I can't nurse. I'm not up for it! I need help.
Then Amy starts crying too, and Nene rushes to her side. Amy explains it's not just about Nene.
AMY: Kyle left. He's left me to be with Georgia.
They both cry together.
Erinsborough Hospital
Sandra leaves Paige alone in the hospital room with her mystery saviour, who's still unconscious and breathing through the tube. Paige sits on his bed.
PAIGE: I wish I knew what your name is. You saved my life, and now you're all alone with no-one to save yours. Something really bad happened to my family today. I don't want anything else bad happening. So, if you don't mind I'm just gonna sit here and wait for you to wake up. Until someone comes to find you I am gonna be here. I promise.
The Waterhole
Susan asks Mark how the rescue effort is going; he says they're doing all they can, and thanks her for her help. Lauren turns up, and talks to Susan about Karl and Sarah. Susan says she understands Karl's reasons for not being upfront, but is disappointed that he made such a bad call. Susan says she knows she has nothing to worry about with Karl, but isn't so sure of Sarah's motives.
SUSAN: What was she doing here? What possible business could she have with us?
Ramsay Street
Sarah walks barefoot into Ramsay Street, limping and holding her high heels in her hands. Standing in the centre of the cul-de-sac, she looks purposefully around her.
Lassiter's Complex
Karl is trying to resuscitate Doug with CPR, feeding him oxygen through a mask. Brad looks forlorn while Ned looks on fearfully.
KARL: Come on, Doug - come on.
NED: Come on, Pop.
Karl continues to press on Doug's chest as a team of paramedics arrive in an ambulance. But despite their and Karl's valiant efforts with a defibrillator, they're too late to save Doug - and Brad looks like he knows it even before Karl says...
KARL: He's gone. I'm so sorry, mate.
Brad shakes his head tearfully, and strokes Doug's hair as Karl walks sadly away.
BRAD: I'm so sorry, Dad.
Ned kneels by them too, and Brad puts an arm on his shoulder.
Behind Brad and Ned, a figure materialises from thin air. It's Doug, and he's smiling with satisfaction as he stands over his son and grandson, watching as they grieve for the identical body lying on the grass, but at least together. Finally at peace, Doug walks away, gradually vanishing as he does so.
Promo
- Sonya and Mark discuss whether the tower at Lassiter's will collapse
- Mark says there's no going in there, and Sonya hopes no- one else is trapped inside
- But of course, Toadie is - beneath a lot of rubble. And more is descending on him from the ceiling
- Brad tells Ned he wants to get to know him again; Ned replies it's not that simple
- Lauren glances at a topless Ned while he's changing
- Mark says the police need to track the movements of everyone who was at the hotel
- Paul's associate Cecilia looking shifty
- Terese asks Paul if there's something he wants to tell her
- Paul tells someone on the phone that he needs to know what they did at the hotel; it's now serious
- Paul worriedly watches video footage from the Lassiter's CCTV, of him walking through reception
