No 32
The mystery visitor turns out to be none other than Ned! Lauren recovers from her fright.

NED: You okay?
LAUREN: Yeah. I'm alright. I'm fine. How long have you been here?
NED: Not long. I came in earlier, but you were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you.

Lauren asks Ned if he knocked the picture of her and Brad when he was here earlier; he admits he bumped it on his way in.

LAUREN: Brad's not here.
NED: Good. Good, I was hoping we could talk. Please?

The titles roll.

Ned says he's been feeling bad about how he left town and how his behaviour affected Brad. He admits he's probably the last person Lauren wants to see, but says he's been feeling like he was on his own again.

LAUREN: You chose to leave.
NED: Yeah, to make things easier for you.

Ned reveals he's been staying with his mum, but that he got a message from Piper inviting him to the divorce party. He thought it would be better to wait till afterwards, in order to clear the air.

LAUREN: So that's why you're here?
NED: Yeah, partly. And because I've missed you.
LAUREN: Ned...
NED: No, our friendship. You're one of the few people I can actually talk to. Anyway, now I just want to clear things up with Dad and move on.

Lauren goes to make Ned some food, while he waits for Brad. Ned looks worried.

No 30
Brad is hanging out with Toadie, who's consoling him over Lauren's decision not to marry him.

TOADIE: I wouldn't take it to heart, mate. Steph said no to my proposal the first time round, and that all worked out well.
BRAD: Yeah... No, it didn't.
TOADIE: Yeah, she said yes the second time around.
BRAD: But you're with Sonya.
TOADIE: There's no need to be so literal.

Toadie changes the subject, saying Brad's approach was all wrong. Brad claims it was romantic.

TOADIE: Buying some flowers and booking a nice place is romantic. Not, 'hey Lozza, how about it?' at your divorce party, in front of your ex-wife, you idiot.
BRAD: When you put it like that...
TOADIE: You're lucky Terese didn't take your head off.

Brad concedes it was the wrong place and is about to leave, but Toadie says he should give Lauren some space, and stick around to watch the Olympics. Steph comes in.

STEPH: Synchronised swimming fans, are we?
TOADIE: Stephanie Jo, these women are elite athletes.
BRAD: Look at the upper body strength.
TOADIE: Mmm.

Toadie and Brad spend some seconds looking! They then ask for Steph's input on Brad's proposal technique. She suggests that if he asks Lauren again, he should go down the 'grand romance' route. The only problem being that Brad doesn't know Lauren's favourite flower or song.

TOADIE: Bradley Willis, you so need my help. Strap yourself in for Proposal 2.0, my friend.

Steph and Brad are wary about that idea, but Toadie 'guarantees' that with his help, Lauren will say yes this time!

The Waterhole
Amy comes in, and finds Jack hanging out at the bar. She tells him about her 'weird date' with Greg the other night, and jokes that she's thinking of taking a vow of celibacy herself.

Lassiter's Lake
Tyler and Paige are having some beers at DeadKate's Gazebo™. Tyler admits he feels bad about how things turned out with Piper, and that he'd have flipped out as Brad and Terese did if it had been his daughter.

PAIGE: Look at us. So single, and so not enjoying it. It's tragic.

Tyler puts an arm around her - but Paige isn't really feeling it. She admits she's mainly come out to get back at Jack for giving Tyler his blessing to date her.

PAIGE: The truth is, if he called right now I would probably go running to him. How tragic is that?

The Waterhole
Jack admits to Amy that he's struggling over his feelings for Paige.

JACK: I've never felt that much pain.
AMY: Then why don't you ask her to give you more time?
JACK: I've already given Tyler my blessing.
AMY: Did Paige want you to do that?
JACK: Right now, I'm questioning whether or not I've made the right choice.

Lassiter's Lake
Paige thanks Tyler 'for being so gorgeous', and kisses him on the lips. She then heads home.

The Waterhole
Jack looks pensive, and then makes a phone call.

Lassiter's Lake
Tyler realises he has Paige's phone in his jacket, since she was wearing it earlier. He answers it, saying 'hello, Paige's phone'.

The Waterhole
Jack hangs up without saying a word, and looks upset.

No 32
Ned compliments Lauren's cooking, and says he's going to wait till tomorrow to speak to Brad; he'll stay at the motel tonight.

NED: If he comes home and finds me here alone with you, he might get the wrong idea.
LAUREN: Yeah. Well, we're not in the best place at the moment. So...
NED: Not because of me?
LAUREN: No, no. Something else.

Lauren hears the front door open, and Ned rushes out the back so Brad doesn't see him. Brad comes in, drunk from his exploits with Toadie.

BRAD: I unreversably... unreverbedly?... apologise.

Lauren laughs and says Brad's had one too many. She suggests he go to bed; she'll join him once she's finished cleaning up. Brad does as he's told, and Lauren creeps to the back door to talk to Ned - promising to catch up with him tomorrow. After Ned's gone, Lauren looks worried.

The next morning, Brad is hung over. He apologises to Lauren for staying out so late. It seems like she's about to tell him that Ned came round last night, when they're interrupted by Toadie blowing a plastic horn, which Brad left at his house during their drunken antics. Toadie compliments Lauren on the music she has playing, dropping a hint to Brad that he should be taking note.

Brad tells Lauren that Toadie is helping him with a few things this morning, but that he'll call her later. The guys leave, and Lauren looks worried again.

Harold's Café
Tyler comes in to give Paige her phone back. She announces that she's going to concentrate all her frustrated energy on becoming super-fit - namely, by getting serious with her boxing. Tyler offers to train with her.

TYLER: We're not gonna stop till we've boxed out all the bad romance!

They shake on it, with pinky fingers.

Blaze Outreach™
Brad is presiding over some kind of exercise class. Jack brings him a coffee. Brad apologises for Piper's stunt at the divorce party the other night, playing the video of Paige and Tyler TITTNL™ - saying he's sorry if Jack felt 'compromised' by it.

BRAD: If it helps, I asked Lauren to marry me afterwards.
JACK: I wish I could say it helped!
BRAD: What? No points for wanting to marry the woman I live with?
JACK: You don't want my opinion anyway.
BRAD: No, no, no - I do.
JACK: You've been married twice before, right?
BRAD: Guilty.
JACK: And both those times, you've probably made the solemn vow that it's forever.
BRAD: Yes, till death do us part. And I'm not dead, so fair call.
JACK: I guess what I'm getting at is that it not only affects you - it affects your kids. I'm sure Ned was affected by the divorce?
BRAD: Yeah, he was. But she knocked me back anyway, so it's probably my punishment.
JACK: I'm not saying you deserve punishment. But I dunno - maybe Lauren is just being cautious.
BRAD: I was going to attempt to ask her again tonight. But maybe I should rethink it.
JACK: Don't let me change that - you do what you think is best.

Poppy, the little girl whose mother has been ill in hospital, comes in to hang out with Jack. She wants to lift some weights to 'get big muscles like a superhero'. Brad says his favourite superhero is the Phantom. He leaves, and Jack stays to close up the centre and hang out with Poppy.

Harold's Café
Lauren and Steph are talking about Ned's return. Lauren doesn't want him to cause more tension between her and Brad, given he's still upset that she turned down his proposal.

STEPH: Do you really not want to marry him?
LAUREN: Look, Steph, I only recently got rid of my last wedding ring. And I also had this dream, and Matt was in it. And he said that Brad would never love me as much as he did.
STEPH: Well, Brad and Matt, they're different people. It's only natural that the way they love you is gonna be different too.

Steph reminds Lauren how much Brad has been through in order to be with her; he wouldn't have left his family for Lauren if he didn't truly love her. Steph dares to suggest that the dream might not have had any meaning; Matt was a huge part of Lauren's life, but perhaps it's now time to move on with her future.

Lauren's not sure what to do, including about Ned - whether to ask him for some more space, or encourage him to talk to Brad. Steph suggests that Lauren and Brad spend the night together doing some 'serious bonding' and making things right - and that they can see Ned tomorrow when things are more solid between them. Lauren goes to call Brad before he arranges more antics with Toadie.

Lassiter's
Brad has come to see Terese. He's apologising for being insensitive by proposing to Lauren at their divorce party. Terese accepts his apology.

TERESE: To be honest, it almost drove me to go on a date with Gary Canning out of sheer desperation.
BRAD: Gary?!
TERESE: Yeah, I know, right? But when I heard she said no, I came to my senses and cancelled.
BRAD: I'm planning on proposing again.
TERESE: ... You always were a sucker for punishment.

Brad asks whether Terese thinks he's making a fool of himself. She replies that she thinks he should go for it - and even offers to organise a table at the Terrace and some champagne, so he can pop the question properly.

BRAD: You know, you're the best ex-wife I've ever had.
TERESE: Thanks. Hopefully the last.

Harold's Café
Paige and Lauren are still working. Steph bumps into Poppy, who asks her what superpower she'd have given the choice. Steph says she'd choose the power to fly. Lauren asks Poppy where her mum is; at that moment Jack comes in, relieved to see her. He tells Poppy she can't wander off like that, and asks her to wait at a table while he gets some drinks from Paige.

PAIGE: Look, I know it doesn't make a difference to you. But I'm gonna try and stay out of your life completely from now on.
JACK: What makes you think it doesn't make any difference?
PAIGE: You gave Tyler your blessing to be with me. So thank you for handing me off to the next guy, but you never owned me in the first place.

Lassiter's Lake
Brad strolls along the walkway nervously, looking at an engagement ring he's bought for Lauren.

Meanwhile, Jack and Amy enjoy an ice-cream, while Poppy plays nearby. He admits that he doesn't understand how parents manage sometimes.

AMY: Did you ever want to have kids? Or a family?
JACK: Absolutely.
AMY: I was thinking about you last night. When I left.
JACK: I ended up calling Paige. Tyler picked up.
AMY: Oh!
JACK: And I've been thinking, you know, why I gave him my blessing, and why I feel the way I do.
AMY: And?
JACK: Well, it's all jealousy and bitterness. Lust. All those feelings that I need to overcome.
AMY: Maybe she has the same feelings - she just doesn't know how to express them.
JACK: No, she's showing how meaningless her love is, by going off with another guy without a second thought.
POPPY: Father Jack, I'm invisible!
JACK: Who said that? Where did she go? ... I think Paige was sent here as a test. And it's a test that I'm failing right now.

No 32
Paige and Tyler are in their workout gear, doing warm-ups. Tyler looks at Paige.

PAIGE: What?
TYLER: Nothing. You're just smoking hot, and Jack's so stupid for choosing God over you.
PAIGE: You see, now, this is why I like hanging out with you. Because you appreciate the finer details in life.
TYLER: Alright. This workout is about to get painful.
PAIGE: Well you can inflict as much pain on me as you like!

He wraps a skipping rope around her, and pulls her in for a kiss.

PAIGE: Hey - no-one's gonna get hurt here, are they?
TYLER: No.
PAIGE: No?
TYLER: No.

They kiss passionately.

Harold's Café
Brad and Toadie rendezvous for an update on the proposal plans. Brad explains he has some surprises lined up for Lauren, and that Terese has organised a table at the Terrace.

TOADIE: Sounds like she's happy to get rid of you, mate. I'd take it personally if I were you.

Toadie has organised some roses, and shows Brad a flyer that he found taped to a lamppost. We don't see what's on it, but Brad is pleasantly surprised.

TOADIE: I reckon with a couple of well-placed phone calls, this could be my best proposal ever!

Brad wonders how he'll get Lauren to the Terrace. Toadie mentions that he's just seen her at Sonya's Nursery, talking to Ned.

TOADIE: I didn't know he was back.
BRAD: Neither did I!

Trees by the Nursery
Ned and Lauren are walking along, chatting. Ned admits he's been lonely since he left. He asks if he should come round to the house this afternoon; but Lauren says she wants to spend tonight alone with Brad so they can sort things out. Ned asks what's going on with them.

LAUREN: Your dad proposed. But it didn't go so well.
NED: What, you don't want to marry him?
LAUREN: No, I do. I really do. It's just, it came out of the blue, and I needed time to process it.
NED: You guys are gonna be okay, though, right?
LAUREN: I'm hoping so.

She tells Ned he can come round tomorrow, and he agrees.

NED: As always, my timing kind of sucks.
LAUREN: ...
NED: Hey, stop looking so worried. I'm stoked for you. I think it's fantastic that you're getting married.
LAUREN: Thank you.
NED: Congratulations.

They hug. But Brad is hiding behind a tree watching them, and looks suspicious!

Promo
- Brad asks Ned if he's still in love with Lauren
- Ned looks at picture of Brad and Lauren
- Sheila encourages Xanthe to tell Ben the truth
- Ben asks Xanthe if that's 'a yes'
- An adventure role- playing game is in progress, featuring Karl, Jack and Poppy as superheroes...
- ... and Toadie as the Lawman!
- Poppy asks if someone needs rescuing
- Elly is crying