The departure of Scott McGregor as Mark in yesterday's episode precipitates a single change to the titles today, as the shot with Mark, David and Aaron is replaced by an existing one of David and Aaron on their own.

No 32
Aaron returns to the house and reports to Ned and Scarlett that he couldn't see anyone outside. Scarlett says she knows Rex is to blame for the brick, and Ned shows Aaron the note. Scarlett wants to call Constable Doughty, while Ned decides he wants to go and look for Rex outside - but Scarlett insists on him staying indoors, where it's safe.

SCARLETT: I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you. Please, just wait for the police.

The Waterhole
Susan finds Pierce working on a sponsorship arrangement that Lassiter's has won with the Melbourne Cup this year. It means the hotel will have a marquee at the event, and he's just preparing for a meeting with Toadie about it to finalise the paperwork.

Susan tells Pierce that while she's in London, Cherie Reyner (AKA NotElly™) will be acting principal at Erinsborough High, so to talk to her if he needs help getting Hendrix back to school following his suspension. Pierce says he's hoping the time out will have had a positive impact on Hendrix.

However, Terese turns up at this point and dashes his hopes, explaining that Hendrix has left part-way through his cleaning shift at the hotel. Terese explains that Harlow has seen his Instagram account and apparently he's at a party in The City™ with friends.

PIERCE: I'm so sorry. You know what? If you wanna fire him, go ahead; I'm not gonna try and stop you.
TERESE: You don't wanna talk to him first?
PIERCE: I seriously doubt it'll make any difference.

Susan looks judgy.

No 22
Scarlett has come round to Ned's, and he makes her a warm milk to calm her down. Terese comes in; she's just seen a police car. Ned explains what's happened, and that the police haven't been able to find Rex yet. Ned asks if Scarlett can stay the night; she can have his room, and he'll stay on the couch. Terese says it's fine. Scarlett heads to bed.

Once she's gone, Ned prepares to head outside and see if he can spot anyone skulking around. Terese doesn't think this is a good idea, given Rex obviously has violent tendencies.

TERESE: You're on probation, Ned. Do you really want to risk that to fight somebody else's battles?
NED: Scarlett's new here. Someone needs to look out for her.
TERESE: We can all pitch in to help her. You just need to take care of yourself.

Scarlett is secretly listening in from the top of the stairs, then creeps off to Ned's room.

Later, we see somebody throwing pebbles at one of the windows from the back yard. Scarlett rushes out of the house in a blanket, and demands to know what the girl (Marianna, according to the credits) is doing.

MARIANNA: I want my money.

Scarlett pushes her around the side of the house and hands her a wad of cash.

SCARLETT: I don't know why it couldn't have waited till tomorrow!
MARIANNA: I clearly stated that I wanted -
SCARLETT: Immediate cash payment. But someone here might've seen you throw that brick, so -

Before they can say any more, there's the slam of a door, and Ned emerges from the house with a torch. Marianna flees before she's seen, but there's a lot of clattering as she escapes. Ned rushes to where Scarlett is; Scarlett claims she thought she heard a noise, so came out to investigate. He's surprised she didn't wake him; she admits it was stupid, but didn't want to bother him.

Ned takes Scarlett back inside, and tells her to wake him up if she hears anything more.

No 28
The following morning, Susan is packing for her flight to London tonight; we learn that Shaun left for his own flight back to Switzerland the previous evening. Finn and Bea wonder if Susan's going to be flying on the same discount deal that Karl was.

SUSAN: Most certainly not! There's economy, and then there's 'put yourself through hours of unnecessary torture' economy. Do you know, I've always fantasised about being upgraded to business? That must happen sometimes.

There's a knock at the door; it's Aaron, who's dropped round to explain about the brick incident last night, and that they think Scarlett's ex is responsible.

AARON: She had to spend the night with Ned. Poor girl.
BEA: Why?
AARON: Look, he was with her throughout the whole thing, so I guess she felt safe with him.

Bea looks suspicious. Aaron says that if they spot anyone dodgy hanging around, to call the police, then leaves. Finn gives Bea a look.

No 22
Scarlett comes downstairs, and tells Ned and Terese that she did manage to sleep last night 'eventually'. Terese comments on the fact Scarlett's wearing one of Ned's t-shirts; Scarlett says Ned told her to borrow anything from his wardrobe.

Bea turns up, on the pretext of seeing how Scarlett is following Aaron's visit. Scarlett puts on her best act, saying she's still feeling shaky. Terese offers to give Scarlett the day off, but she doesn't want to be alone back at No 32. Ned offers to swap a shift to be with her; but Bea spies an opportunity and steps in. She has a day off, so invites Scarlett to come round to hers instead.

Scarlett looks very unkeen at this prospect, but Terese and Ned say it's a great idea before she has a chance to object, and Bea points out it's a chance for her and Scarlett to get to know one another more. Scarlett puts on a strained smile and agrees to the plan.

SCARLETT: Great (!)

No 30
Aaron is filling Toadie in on the Rex/brick situation. Toadie's perturbed, but not surprised!

TOADIE: It's just what Ramsay Street needs - another maniac running around.
AARON: Yeah, I know, right? We already miss having our resident cop on the street, don't we?
TOADIE: Well, I think we miss him for all sorts of reasons.

Aaron remarks that at least Mark said goodbye to him face-to-face; Leo only left David a note and has barely been in touch since. Susan turns up as Aaron is leaving, and tells him that she knows he's having a meeting with Pierce today. Toadie explains he's meeting Pierce here, because Nell's at home with a cold.

TOADIE: Why do you want to know?
SUSAN: I have a small favour to ask...

No 28
Finn is on his laptop at the table, when Bea comes in with Scarlett. Bea explains they're hanging out here as Scarlett's still rattled from last night - but as they head to the kitchen area to get a drink, Bea is quick to start questioning Scarlett, asking where she's from.

SCARLETT: Just outside of Dubbo.
BEA: Oh. Did you move after everything that happened with your ex?
SCARLETT: Among other reasons. Not that it's worked out too well.
BEA: Well, he must be very messed up to have left you at the altar and then started stalking you.
SCARLETT: Yeah.
BEA: It must be nice how much Ned's come to the rescue.
SCARLETT: Yeah. He's been a really good friend.
BEA: Hmm. You know you don't have to lean on him. Aaron and I would love to help.
SCARLETT: Oh, I know. Everyone's been so nice.

Scarlett excuses herself to go to the bathroom. While she's gone, Finn asks Bea if she's fishing for something with all her questions to Scarlett.

BEA: I just find it a little bit strange how much she relies on Ned.
FINN: Okay. Be nice to her, alright? She's been through a trauma.
BEA: ...

Lassiter's Complex
Aaron catches up with Ned, who's working outside the hotel. They discuss Scarlett; Aaron admits it's not a nice feeling knowing someone's been skulking about the house.

AARON: It had me thinking, maybe she's better off moving somewhere else?
NED: What, you want to kick her out?
AARON: No, no, no - not kick her out. But like, she had to stay with you last night, cos she obviously didn't feel safe with us, you know? And with bricks flying through the window, it's not really safe for everyone else, either.

Ned says Aaron should talk to Scarlett; Aaron insists he will, but says he'll also speak to the rest of the No 32 occupants, and if they feel it's too dangerous, maybe Scarlett is 'better off moving somewhere with more security'. Ned looks conflicted.

No 30
Pierce and Toadie are finishing up their meeting about the Melbourne Cup sponsorship. Nell comes in, asking for juice. Toadie promises to bring her some if she gets back into bed. Nell complies, and Pierce tells Toadie he's impressed he can juggle his work with a sick kid. Toadie says he wouldn't be able to do it without his family around.

At this moment, Gary turns up with some kangaroo and chilli pies, ostensibly so Toadie can taste-test them.

GARY: I'm thinking about calling it, 'Hop, Skip and Jump'.

Pierce is about to make himself scarce, but the blokes encourage him to stay for a pie; Gary points out that he could do with the feedback from someone with a sophisticated palate!

No 28
Finn continues to work at the table, while Bea quizzes Scarlett on the sofa.

BEA: When you split with this ex of yours, did you get much support from family or friends?
SCARLETT: Not really. I wasn't really close to many people at the time.
BEA: Not even your parents?
SCARLETT: No, they're not around anymore. None of my family are.
BEA: Why, where are they?
SCARLETT: .... They all died in a car crash, just after I finished high school.
BEA: That's awful.
SCARLETT: I was in the car when it happened, but I don't remember anything. Just that I woke up and they were gone. And I was alone.
BEA: I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose so many people like that. You've been through a lot.
SCARLETT: Yeah. I think that's why I made such a bad decision with my ex. I just wanted to belong to someone again - not be alone anymore.

At this moment, Ned arrives and says he's managed to swap a shift after all, so suggests he take Scarlett to lunch. Eager to get away from Bea's questions, Scarlett agrees, and leaves with Ned immediately. Finn gives Bea a look.

BEA: I had no idea she'd been through such terrible stuff... But looking for someone to make it all better, that's not healthy.
FINN: Everyone deals in different ways.
BEA: I just hope Ned knows what he's getting himself into.

No 30
Toadie and Pierce think Gary's onto a winner with his roo pies. However, all's not as it seems, as Toadie turns the conversation to Hendrix, explaining he heard that he bailed on his job at Lassiter's.

PIERCE: Who told you that?
TOADIE: Oh, when you live on this street, nothing stays a secret for too long, does it?

Pierce begins to looks suspicious, as Toadie says raising kids can be tough - if he ever needs to vent, he and Gary are always here.

GARY: Yeah, especially with Susan away!

Toadie gives Gary an infuriated look - he's just put his foot in it.

PIERCE: Did she put you up to this?
TOADIE and GARY: ...
PIERCE: She did, didn't she? So the whole, matey, 'let's eat a pie' thing was just an act?

But Toadie tells Pierce not to be embarrassed; Susan only told them because she thought they might be able to help with Hendrix. As the conversation progresses, Toadie gets increasingly annoyed with Gary's interventions, which aren't helping.

PIERCE: Because you're both perfect fathers, and I'm not?
TOADIE: Oh, no way!
GARY: Especially not me!
TOADIE: Yeah, yeah! And because we were both ratbags when we were younger, just like Hendrix is.
GARY: Yeah. Except nowhere near as rich.
TOADIE: And that we might be able to offer, you know, a different perspective.
GARY: The ratbag perspective.
TOADIE: And possibly give you some hope that everything will come good in the end.
GARY: M-
TOADIE: Shut up.
PIERCE: ...

No 28
Bea is in the back yard, working on her music, when Finn comes to talk. He says he's worried about her, and how invested she's getting in the Scarlett/Ned situation.

BEA: It's not that I don't have sympathy for her - I do. Especially with this obsessive ex of hers. I'm just concerned that she's fixating on Ned. Since Scarlett's met Ned, she's just been clinging on for help. It started with the job at Lassiter's, and then moving onto the street - and now it's all about the ex, too.
FINN: So, she's a little bit needy. Ned likes to be needed. Why's that so bad?
BEA: Well, Ned is the ultimate knight in shining armour. And he doesn't know when to quit.
FINN: You're sure you're not just being overly sensitive? I know the break-up with Yashvi was a bit of a shock, Bea, but -
BEA: No, it was completely out of the blue! Yashvi and Ned were really happy until Scarlett came along.
FINN: You still think that she had something to do with that? I thought you were gonna drop it?
BEA: I know. I know, but I don't like seeing my friends being messed with.
FINN: Well, I think Scarlett deserves help wherever she can get it.
BEA: I'm just really worried for Ned.

Finn doesn't look very happy.

No 30
Gary and Toadie are telling Pierce about their own 'ratbag' years as teenagers. Gary relates a story about a party he threw at his house, leading to the house getting trashed.

GARY: When Mum got home, I told her it was her fault for taking my sisters away to Tocumwal for the weekend and leaving me on my own!
PIERCE: What did she do to punish you?
GARY: What could she do? There was no remorse. It was like hot air going inside one ear, and straight out the other.
PIERCE: That sounds pretty familiar. When did you grow out of it?
GARY: ... When I went to prison.

Toadie puts his hands to his face.

PIERCE: I was hoping that things with Hendrix wouldn't go that far.
GARY: Yeah, well, I hope they don't either. But it was the circuit breaker that I needed to wake up to myself.
TOADIE: Mm, just like when I moved in with the Kennedys. You know, before then, I was the worst teenager ever. I was loud, obnoxious, disrespectful. But moving into that new environment - that was the thing that just shook me up and sorted me out.

Pierce retorts that Hendrix has moved in with him and started a new school - that constitutes a new environment, but hasn't changed anything. Indeed, he thinks it's getting worse. Toadie says the Kennedys' wasn't an instant fix for him.

GARY: And even though prison was a big wake-up call, I can still be a ratbag now.
TOADIE: But no, definitely - breaking the circuit is what's needed. Might just need to crank it up a notch.

Pierce sighs, looking unconvinced.

No 32
Ned and Scarlett come in to find Aaron boarding up the hole in the window where the brick came in. Scarlett feels bad for not having been around to help; Aaron tells her it's not her fault, but looks a bit put out by the whole situation. Aaron says he's chatted to the other housemates and that they're all worried Scarlett might not feel safe here now. She says she's been on edge, but...

SCARLETT: ... where else would I go?
NED: Well, I'd offer to have you stay with us, but there's really no spare room.
AARON: Look, if I were you, I'd just leave the street. Do you have any family? You might feel more secure with them.
SCARLETT: You know what? This is just exactly what my ex wants. He wants me to feel vulnerable, and be on the run, and feeling scared. And I'm just not gonna give into it. Unless, of course, you guys are worried about your own safety? In which case, I could just go.

Scarlett's hit on something here, although Aaron completely denies it's about that - and tells Scarlett that if she's fine to stay, they're fine with it too.

AARON: But, you know, if anything else happens again...

He looks at her awkwardly. Scarlett promises she'd just go in that event - he wouldn't even need to ask.

AARON: Great. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Aaron walks out, and Ned asks if Scarlett's okay - she says she's determined to be.

No 22
Terese has brought Susan some kind of neck pillow, presumably to use on the flight. Terese asks if Susan has organised someone to supervise Finn while she's away; Susan says Elly is now on the list of approved people, so it's all sorted.

Pierce turns up; he's getting Susan chauffeured to the airport, to say thanks for all her help with Hendrix, and for putting Gary and Toadie on the case. He says he's had all kinds of good ideas from them of how to help the situation. (I didn't hear any, but... okay.) Also by way of thanks...

PIERCE: I've had you upgraded to first-class!

Susan gasps with excitement.

PIERCE: Before you say anything, you deserve it. Have a good flight.

Terese takes the neck pillow back, saying Susan won't be needing that anymore!

No 32
Ned and Scarlett are hanging out on the sofa. Ned's glad she's still smiling after a rough 24 hours. Scarlett says she's not going to let Rex ruin her fresh start.

NED: I'm impressed you see it like that.
SCARLETT: You're the impressive one. You've never been scared once! You're like a big, protective warrior.
NED: I've been told I'm more like an overprotective caveman. I gotta keep working on that.
SCARLETT: According to who? I think you're perfect the way you are.
NED: I definitely wouldn't take it that far.
SCARLETT: I would. Maybe we're just on the same wavelength (...) It's just always so easy with you.
NED: Same with you.
SCARLETT: I don't know if I'll ever find a normal guy.
NED: Of course you will. You're intelligent, and beautiful - any guy in his right mind would jump at being with you.
SCARLETT: Really? How high?
NED: ... To the roof.

They get closer - and Scarlett moves in for the kiss. Ned then leans in for another kiss, and a pash ensues...

Coming up on Neighbours
- Clive and Sheila scream at one another, calling each other 'crazy' and 'not crazy enough'
- David tells Aaron that an opportunity came and went, just like with his surgical career
- Ned looks jealous when Scarlett says she owes Kyle a lunch
- Paul asks Ned how much he knows about Scarlett and what she's really like
- Ned warns Scarlett that Paul doesn't trust her, and to watch out
- Paul watches Scarlett suspiciously