Erinsborough Police Station
Xanthe is gobsmacked when she sees Mark take the pills from her bag.

XANTHE: No. That's impossible!
GARY: Princess, talk to us. We can work this out - just tell the truth.
MARK: Finn's accusing you of poisoning Susan Kennedy. That's what prompted the bag search.
XANTHE: ... You did this! (...) You planted that bottle in my bag! (...) Dad, I'm being set up. It's the only thing that makes sense.
GARY: She doesn't know what she's saying.
XANTHE: No, I do! I know that Finn would never say anything against me.

Mark next pulls out Xanthe's laptop and turns it on, despite her protestations. He quickly locates a document that she confirms is her journal.

MARK: There was an entry made not too long ago where you talk about researching the effects of painkillers.

Xanthe snatches the laptop in disbelief.

XANTHE: Well, this is my journal, yeah - but it's been edited. Stuff has been added in!
MARK: There's another one here where you talk about harming anyone who tries to take down your favourite teacher.
GARY: No, hang on - I know my girl. There's just no way that she wrote that.
MARK: Well, could anyone else have had access to this? Finn, maybe? Xanthe - help me understand. Give us the full story.
GARY: This is serious. You need to tell us everything you know.
XANTHE: ... I already have.

Out in the corridor, Mark talks to Ellen about the case. He admits he isn't buying Finn's version of events.

MARK: I know Xanthe. This isn't her.
ELLEN: That's what you said about Sonya not that long ago.
MARK: Xanthe's a teenager.

Ellen is not convinced by this reasoning, pointing out that the journal shows clear motive. But Mark says it's convenient that Finn knew about it.

ELLEN: Tell me you are not suggesting that we ignore evidence again?!
MARK: This is a different situation. Why would you even bring Sonya into this?
ELLEN: Cos it's a bit hard to forget.
MARK: Well, I could bring up Steph and Victoria too. Look - can we just concentrate on Finn and Xanthe, please?

Ellen says Mark's suspicions against Finn are just supposition; the plane tickets were bought 24 hours apart, and Piper's statement about the pills is circumstantial. Mark wants to hold Finn overnight to 'let him sweat' but Ellen vetoes this, saying they need to stick to the book.

MARK: Just let me have one more crack at him, before he walks. Please.

Back in the interview room, Mark has got his way and is interviewing Finn again, while Ellen observes.

MARK: You expect us to believe that a teenage girl forced her way onto a plane and into the seat next to you against your will?
FINN: Is Xanthe saying something different?
MARK: You are the adult in this situation, and in a position of trust as her teacher.
FINN: I take that responsibility seriously. I love my job.
MARK: Yeah. I hear that you're a career-first kind of guy. Interesting, given you were next in line to be principal if Susan Kennedy grew too ill to continue her role.
FINN: I feel like I'm the victim of a witch-hunt here! I couldn't exactly manhandle Xanthe off the plane. That would have been inappropriate.
MARK: What was your plan, then?
FINN: Keep her calm. Contact the consulate, and get her on the first flight home. I was afraid of how she'd react to total rejection. I hate to say this, but she's not entirely stable.
MARK: If you don't tell us the truth, Xanthe eventually will.
FINN: Xanthe's had a rocky upbringing. Both her parents have criminal history. You'd want to be wary if she starts changing her tune all of a sudden.
MARK: You know Gary Canning thought he'd lost his daughter when she disappeared with you?
FINN: Losing a child - I can't even imagine. Others can. Perhaps that's why you're so keen to overinvest in this case? Or maybe you feel bad because your brother's love affair with a school-aged girl gave Xanthe notions about older -

Mark leaps up angrily, and Finn eyes him coolly. Ellen urgently calls an end to the interview before things can escalate further.

Harold's Café
Dipi is questioning Yashvi about whether Finn ever tried to 'get friendly' with her; Yashvi insists not.

YASHVI: You don't have to stress. I wasn't all over him like Xanthe was.
DIPI: Yashvi!
YASHVI: What? She was!
DIPI: If you really thought that, you should have told me or Mrs Kennedy!
YASHVI: As if I'd dob on a Year 12!

At a table nearby, Sheila, Elly, Susan and Ben are having a conference about the Xanthe situation. Sheila is blaming herself, but also says a big part of it is Susan's fault for failing to keep Xanthe safe! Susan admits it hasn't been her finest hour.

SHEILA (motioning to Elly): And here was I hoping you'd learned your lesson with this one and Angus!
BEN: Hang on - that situation was totally different.
SHEILA: And where were *you* in all this? Too busy breaking up with my Xanthe to realise she needed you.
BEN: She broke up with me!

Erinsborough Police Station
Mark hands Xanthe a written copy of her formal statement, asking her to read it at home and consider carefully before she signs it - perverting the course of justice has consequences.

XANTHE: I'll sign it now.
GARY: No, we'll take it home.
MARK: There are no charges as of yet, but this isn't over.

Mark says they'll need to keep Xanthe's possessions as evidence, and that she'll have to come back to the station tomorrow to answer more questions and give fingerprints.

At that moment, Ellen shows Finn out of the station. Xanthe shouts to him, but he turns away as he leaves.

Lassiter's Complex
In the courtyard, Elly, Susan, Sheila and Ben march towards Finn.

SHEILA: Brainwashing a teenage young girl to go running off with you! Devil's Island for you, if I have any say!

But Finn replies that she doesn't, and walks straight past them. Ben is concerned he'll get away with it. Gary and Xanthe then emerge, and Sheila hugs her.

SHEILA: Please tell me that man did not lay a finger on you!
XANTHE: No, he didn't. Can we please go home now?

Xanthe and Ben exchange an awkward glance, and she starts walking away.

Shortly afterwards, Mark tells Ellen that Finn deserved the extra grilling, and asks if she'll pull rank on him.

ELLEN: Rank doesn't come into it anymore. I'm tendering my resignation.
MARK: What?!
ELLEN: Every time you and I are thrown into a professional situation together, I'm reminded about what I did, and how I behaved towards Steph and Victoria.
MARK: I'm sorry I brought that up before.
ELLEN: No. You were right. I just can't do this job anymore. But you're a good cop, Brennan, and you compromised yourself. So at the very least, take some time out and think about what that means.

The Waterhole
Mark tells Sonya about Ellen's decision to quit, and her suggestion that he take some leave. Sonya feels bad that this is all because they barbecued her incriminating shoes, but Mark insists that's on him, not her.

MARK: I am finding it hard to live with, though.
SONYA: Then maybe taking a break isn't such a bad idea.

But Mark wants to make sure Finn doesn't hurt anyone else first. Sonya asks him to promise that after the case is over, Mark will get on a plane and disappear for a few days. Mark thinks she's right, and asks after Nell. Sonya says she's recovering, but has been a bit clingy.

SONYA: She's also been asking about you.
MARK: I've been meaning to drop by, but -
SONYA: I know, I've been meaning to call. I just don't know why things are so weird between us. I mean, I do know why they've been weird. I just want them to be better now.
MARK: Yeah. Same. I really miss my best friend.

They hold hands.

Meanwhile, Susan and Elly are discussing Finn. They don't believe for a minute that Xanthe poisoned Susan, and have concluded that Finn is increasingly desperate. Susan's worried about what the parents, staff and The Departmenttm will say about it all, but is determined to get back to school to sort it out.

No 26
Xanthe is in her bedroom, lying in the dark, holding her police statement. Suddenly she screws it up and flings all her pillows on the floor in anger/sadness.

The following morning, Sheila and Gary are worrying about Xanthe to excess.

GARY: Do you reckon she noticed we got Amy to nail her window shut?
SHEILA: We can't keep this up!
GARY: She'll come to her senses soon.
SHEILA: If she's got any left. I mean, accusing Mark Brennan of corruption?!
GARY: You couldn't meet a straighter bloke!

Sheila admits she's still concerned that something physical might have happened with Xanthe and Finn, recalling how there's a familial precedent for a predilection for older men in Naomi! Gary doesn't believe it.

SHEILA: Well, whether anything physical happened or not, she developed a deep emotional attachment, and he allowed that to happen.

Gary doesn't want to think about it, and goes to 'check how Terese is coping'.

SHEILA: What does *she* need checking for?!

But before Gary's forced to concoct an answer, Xanthe emerges from her room, looking very sombre. She asks when they're heading to the police station. Gary and Sheila are keen to have a talk with her first, and then to talk to Toadie to run through their options.

XANTHE: I'm ready now. Let's do it.

They agree they'll get Toadie to meet them at Harold's. Sheila asks if Xanthe's decided what to tell the police.

XANTHE: I'm gonna tell them everything that happened.

Erinsborough High School
Susan and Ben arrive in the car. Ben's concerned by rumours about Xanthe that are already circulating online, and also by the fact that Elly's still suspended - Susan says she can't retract the suspension until the Finn situation is resolved. Yashvi approaches and asks Susan for the story on Xanthe.

YASHVI: Did she really try to elope?
BEN: Seriously?!
SUSAN: Yashvi, I would appreciate it if you didn't spread such silly gossip.
YASHVI: I don't know if it's silly. It's just what I heard.
BEN: Well, how about you use your brain?
YASHVI: I'm guessing she's probably not pregnant, then?
SUSAN and BEN: ...
YASHVI: There's graffiti near the girls' bathroom - I didn't do it!

Ben is about to go and clean it off, when Yashvi goes on to ask whether they'll all have to be interviewed by police, or just Xanthe. Ben angrily tells her to stop talking about Xanthe, and storms off. Susan tells Yashvi she'll be sending a letter home explaining everything. Yashvi feels bad, and says she didn't mean to upset Ben - she hopes Xanthe will be okay.

Harold's Café
Gary and Xanthe have met up with Toadie for a legal consult. Toadie says Xanthe hasn't been arrested so isn't obliged to go back to the station, but says it will definitely buy her some goodwill. Dipi brings coffees over, with a double shot for Xanthe, tactlessly telling her that she looks about as good as Dipi would be feeling under her circumstances!

Toadie says he believes Xanthe had nothing to do with the poisonings, saying he wants to see the real culprit punished here.

TOADIE: But with the evidence the police have, they're probably building a case right now. So we need you to write a timeline around your bag. Who carried it when - that sort of thing (...) I also need to know exactly what you're going to tell the police.

Xanthe excuses herself to go to the bathroom first.

Caravan Park
Xanthe has apparently escaped via the back of Harold's and is now at the caravan park at Anson's Corner. She knocks on the door of Sonya's old van, and Finn opens it...

Harold's Café
Toadie tells Dipi and Gary that he's worried the case could drag on for months. They all suddenly realise that Xanthe has been in the toilet a long time! Dipi goes to check, and realises she's run off; Gary's sure she's gone to find Finn, and rushes off to look for her.

Caravan Park
Xanthe tells Finn she guessed she'd find him here after they discussed it a few days ago.

XANTHE: I just figured that if we could talk, you could explain to me how all of this was just a really big misunderstanding.
FINN: What did they tell you?
XANTHE: They found all of this stuff. There's evidence in my bag - these pills, and research. I'd never seen any of it before.
FINN: They're setting you up. I can't believe they'd stoop this low.
XANTHE: They also mentioned how you thought that I poisoned Susan?
FINN: Classic divide-and-conquer. But you're too smart to fall for tricks.

He holds her hands.

XANTHE: Am I?
FINN: They've been trying to split us up for a while. They wouldn't even let me tutor you. You still trust me, though, right?
XANTHE: ... Why is it I can tell you're lying now, but I never could before?
FINN: Xanthe, you've had my back through all of this. I would never lie to you.
XANTHE: No, most of the time you just twisted the story, but somehow I always ended up doing what you wanted.
FINN: It was your idea to get on the plane. You've made your own choices.
XANTHE: Yeah, I did. I broke up with Ben; I pushed my friends away; I hid things from my family. Until the only thing I had left was you!
FINN: It's okay. You still have me! You just need to listen to me!
XANTHE: No - no, what I need to do is tell the police everything.
FINN: And what's everything?
XANTHE: How I helped you break into the Kennedys' house. I saw you steal Piper's medication. I even believed that you had feelings for me. You would have done anything to make sure that I didn't get you into trouble.
FINN: Xanthe, please -
XANTHE: No, it's not gonna work this time.

Finn realises the game is up, and drops the act, a mean smile growing across his face.

FINN: Don't do it to yourself. It'll be your word against mine.
XANTHE: People will believe me.
FINN: Really? Who? Your ex-boyfriend? Your former friends? The family you ran away from?
XANTHE: I'll explain how you borrowed my laptop. And how you took my bag to plant that evidence.
FINN: I'm an accomplished teacher, with a spotless record. And you - you're nothing but a deranged, infatuated teenager with a criminal history. As you can tell from Susan's little trip to the hospital, I know how to fight dirty.

Xanthe pulls her phone from her pocket, which she's been using to record the whole conversation! She says this should help her case!

Finn lunges for it, but before he can take it from her, he drops to the floor, apparently unconscious. Xanthe's first instinct is to run away and email the sound file to Mark on her phone. But once she's done that, she notices that Finn is still lying on the ground, and rushes back to help him - calling for an ambulance when she can't get him to wake up.

XANTHE: I'm not sure, but I think his aneurysm's ruptured.

Erinsborough Hospital
In the waiting area, Gary and Sheila are giving Xanthe a lecture about running off again. Sheila's still concerned by the possibility that Xanthe and Finn had a physical relationship, and tells her that it would have been a crime on his part. But Xanthe assures her that nothing ever happened between them.

XANTHE: I assume I'm gonna be grounded for life, though.
SHEILA: Absolutely.
GARY: Right now, I'm just glad that you're here and you're safe.

Mark comes in and tells them Finn is being treated for a stroke, and extensive bleeding to his brain.

XANTHE: What's the prognosis?
SHEILA: Oh, does it matter?
XANTHE: Just because I know what he is, doesn't mean that I want him to die!

Mark says he'll live, but it's hard to predict the extent of the damage.

MARK: Xanthe, you saved his life.
SHEILA: Oh, enough about this hideous man! Are we alright to go?
GARY: He's gonna be charged, isn't he?
MARK: Well, with Xanthe's new statement and the recording she sent me, I'm sure he will be. You guys won't be the only ones pleased about that.

But Xanthe looks more upset than pleased.

No 26
Later, Elly knocks on the door, and is relieved to see Xanthe safe and well having heard what happened.

ELLY: Xanthe, I'm so sorry I didn't take better care of you!
XANTHE: No - I'm sorry too.

They hug emotionally, and Xanthe breaks down in tears.

Erinsborough High School
Susan tells Ben that charges are now pending against Finn, and that it looks like Xanthe's in the clear.

SUSAN: We're going to need to be there for her now, more than ever. She's not gonna come to school today; she may not come to school for a little while.
BEN: I know I was angry at her before, but she doesn't deserve all this. Maybe after a bit, I... I think I should give her a call. Check up on her, if she'll see me.
SUSAN: I think that'd be a really nice gesture.

Ben heads back to class, but at that moment, Susan begins suffering a dizzy spell...

Unmissable Drama
- Susan's dizziness continues, and Karl quickly senses something's up
- Amy invites Jack to a party at the penthouse, and he disgraces himself with drunken behaviour
- Awkward small- talk between Tom, Aaron and David
- David is horrified to learn that everyone knew Tom was Aaron's ex but didn't tell him
- Tom kisses David at the party
- Aaron tells Tyler that watching Tom and David play happy couples is not his idea of fun