No 28
Terese and Karl are talking about arranging some radio interviews for the Eirini Rising launch. Terese is about to leave, but Karl invites her on a group bike ride he's arranged for a few people tomorrow. Holly, who is on the sofa in the background, looks amused as Terese searches for an excuse, before eventually telling Karl it's not her thing. She tells him to have fun, and leaves.

Karl catches Holly laughing at him and tells her that, as she thinks it's so amusing, she can come on the bike ride tomorrow. Holly objects that she doesn't have a bike, but Karl reminds her there are three spares in the garage - not that she'd know as she's never been down there to help clean it!

KARL: I will see you bright and early.

Melanie comes in as Karl leaves the room, and asks Holly why he was looking so happy.

HOLLY (grouchy): I don't wanna talk about it.

No 30
Cara and Remi try their best to ignore JJ and Dex, who are having a classic brotherly scuffle on the sofa.

DEX: I was here first!
JJ: Huh? Huh? Huh?
DEX: You take up the whole couch.
JJ: How? How, Dex?
DEX: Get off.
JJ: I'm just sitting here.

But he's not - he's lying across the couch and pummelling Dex with his feet!

DEX: Ma! (...) I got here first!
JJ: Yeah, and what are you gonna do to defend it, huh?

Dex whacks him with something, and JJ scoffs.

JJ: Oh, was that supposed to hurt?
CARA: JJ, get your feet off your brother.

Annoyed, Cara reminds them all of a time when they used to speak together as a family. Remi, who wasn't even listening, asks her to repeat herself!

CARA: Okay, new plan for the weekend. We're going camping!
REMI (alarmed): What?! No, we haven't planned for that!

Cara gestures to the sofa, where Dex is still looking annoyed and JJ is upside down with his legs dangling off the back, and Remi thinks again.

REMI: But I am not on call, so there's no reason why we can't.
DEX: You said I could have the TV all day tomorrow to play Baldur's Gate. I can't bail on the group - I'm the only healer.
CARA: It's a game, Dex, and your friends' deaths won't be permanent.
DEX: But...
CARA: No, this family comes first! And we are in desperate need of some family time. JJ?
JJ: (groan of assent)

Cara tells everyone to be ready to leave first thing tomorrow. But as Cara leaves the room, both Remi and Dex look miserable at the prospect.

Penthouse
Leo and Abigail come in, and Paul's surprised to see them as he thought they were going out. Leo tells them Krista got 'roped into dinner with a client', which is news to Paul - but Chelsea steps in, saying Krista has been a bit inconsistent in updating her schedule, and probably forgot to mention it. Leo acknowledges that Krista's been running herself into the ground.

PAUL: Come on, Krista knows how much she can handle.
LEO: Are you sure? She is grieving, Dad.
PAUL: Yeah, well, you know... work's a lot healthier than anything else she might be tempted to overindulge in.

The Waterhole
Aaron and Krista are having a whale of a time after hours downing shots, and a rather merry Krista even threatens to dance on the bar. She goads Aaron into turning the music up, but he reminds her that if anyone finds them in here they'll be 'completely and royally screwed'. So they have more shots instead. No mention is made of the drugs Aaron found in the last episode, so we're left to assume that they've taken them, and that's why they're so hyper!

Ramsay Street
The next morning, the Varga- Murphys are loading up the car in preparation for their camping trip - except Dex, who's sitting on the kerb looking utterly miserable. Remi comes to sit with him and puts an arm around him.

REMI: I'm sorry you don't get to play your game today, bud. I know you were looking forward to it.
DEX: Why did you agree to this? You hate camping.
REMI: Yeah. Because I love your mum. And she's right - things have been off between us as a family lately.
DEX: You mean, JJ's been off?
REMI: Yeah. He has made some bad decisions.
DEX: Understatement.
REMI: There was a time not so long ago when you two would have done anything to help each other. He needs you now, Dexie. He needs all of us.

Dex looks thoughtfully back towards JJ, who is still helping Cara pack up the car.

The Waterhole
Aaron and Krista emerge from the office, having apparently slept there - and the pub's nearly due to open. Groggily, they get to work cleaning up.

AARON: Krista, I am so sorry.
KRISTA: For what?
AARON: I shouldn't have let this happen again.
KRISTA: Well, you didn't let anything happen that I didn't want.
AARON: Yeah, well, I've just gone and enabled you, haven't I?
KRISTA: I don't see it that way.
AARON: David would.

Wendy comes in, and Krista ducks behind the bar. Wendy asks what Aaron's doing here. Aaron claims that Tom, the barman who was on duty last night, called as he was closing up and told Aaron he had a bad migraine, so asked if he'd mind coming in to clean first thing. Aaron says Tom feels bad about letting the team down, so asks Wendy not to mention anything to him. She promises she won't, and thanks Aaron for helping out.

Once Wendy's gone into the office, Krista re- emerges and rushes out of the front door.

Lassiter's Complex
Krista slips away just as Leo, Paul and Abigail appear at the other side of the courtyard, and they don't see her. Paul looks at his phone, hoping for a message from Terese replying to his email the night before, but she hasn't replied. Leo wonders what the email was about.

PAUL: Why is that important?
LEO: Well, I'm just trying to figure out whether it's part of your long game to win her back.
PAUL: Haha. You know what? Despite what you might think, this is actually genuine.
LEO: Alright, then why are you worried about an email?
PAUL: I'm not worried about the email. It's the fact that she hasn't replied. I mean, what I've done something that - I dunno - put her off?
LEO: So, it's part of the long game, then?
PAUL: Are you actually gonna offer any helpful advice, or are you just gonna keep that smug look on your face, eh?

Leo suggests Paul simply ask Terese if he's done something to get her offside.

LEO: You've already ruined your marriage by not being straight with her. Maybe it's time for a new strategy.

Power Road
Melanie, Karl, Holly and Andrew, who's been roped in, are out on their bike ride. Mel remarks that this isn't their usual route, and Karl claims it's an easier path for Andrew's sake, while he's still recovering from his injuries. But the real reason for the change soon becomes apparent - Karl wanted to cycle past his billboard to get another look at it!

However, when they turn the corner and get a glimpse of the billboard, Karl is appalled to see it's been vandalised! Someone has crossed out 'Karl Kennedy' and made an addition in brown paint (or possibly something other than paint), so that the billboard now reads 'Dr Pooper'. Andrew, Melanie and Holly try not to laugh, as Karl looks outraged.

Lassiter's Hotel
Chelsea is working in the office when Krista comes in and takes a seat at the spare table. Chelsea asks if she's okay.

KRISTA: Yeah, why wouldn't I be?
CHELSEA: Leo said you had a client dinner last night. But I know you didn't.

Krista ignores Chelsea, so Chelsea comes over and sits opposite her.

CHELSEA: I'm worried about you, Krista. You've got a lot on your plate. If you need any help, all you have to do is ask.
KRISTA: No, okay, it's not what you think. I was with Aaron. He was really missing David, and it took him to a really dark place.
CHELSEA: Why lie about that?
KRISTA: Because I didn't think it was worth worrying anyone over. It was just one rough night.
CHELSEA: Aaron's lucky to have such a stable friend in you.

Krista gives Chelsea a look, but at this point Leo turns up, cutting the chat short. He proposes lunch with Krista and she readily agrees, saying she owes him a 'make- up date' for bailing on him last night. Chelsea watches suspiciously as Leo and Krista hold hands and smile at each other.

Harold's Café
Paul is unimpressed with the taste of the coffee Haz has served him, so Haz offers to remake it. Paul's about to rant at him, but when Terese comes in, he adopts a gentler persona and tells Haz to take his time. Paul asks if Terese has read his email. She curtly tells him that she hasn't had time, and Paul guesses from her tone that something has changed between them.

Paul asks if he's done something to upset her, but her phone is ringing, so Terese ignores him and takes the call. It's Karl, to tell her about the vandalism on the billboard!

TERESE: It says what?!

Power Road
Karl is frantically scrubbing the additional lettering from his precious billboard, while Terese, Paul, Holly, Andrew, Wendy and Melanie (plus extras) gather around to watch.

TERESE: I don't get it. What does it mean?
HOLLY: You haven't heard of the serial pooper?
PAUL: (...) Some deviant's been defiling the front lawns of Erinsborough, and apparently somebody thinks it's Karl.
TERESE (to Andrew): Oh, well, what are you gonna do about it?
ANDREW: I'll make it my number two priority.

Everyone laughs. Terese expresses her sympathies to Karl, and says she'll get somebody out to clean it as soon as possible. But Karl's concerned about how many people will see it before then.

Melanie surreptitiously asks Wendy if she's mentioned her theory about Karl being the serial pooper to anybody else. Wendy insists she didn't, and thought they were only joking - but since they were talking about it at the pub, wonders if somebody overheard them.

MELANIE: If they did and Karl finds out, it's really gonna hit the fan.

The Bush™
JJ, Dex, Cara and Remi have arrived at the camping spot. Dex is still looking miserable while playing with his phone, but Cara snatches it away from him, saying devices are banned on this trip. She demands JJ and Remi hand in theirs too.

JJ: What about your phone?
CARA: I left mine at home.

Remi's buried in her own phone, but Cara reminds her she's not on call, so Remi and JJ hand their phones in too, Remi agreeing that a screen- free weekend will be good for them all.

CARA: Dex, help your brother set the tent up. Maybe look each other in the eye, have a conversation.
JJ: Ah - ah - ah! Where's my eye contact?

Dex glares at him.

JJ: That's better.

But Dex doesn't like the spot JJ has chosen, because they'll be downwind from the campfire, so they start bickering. When Dex calls to Remi to intervene, she ends up taking JJ's side, and he's all smug about it, much to Dex's annoyance.

No 28
Karl is moaning to Melanie about the idea that anyone would think he could be the poo- cyclist, and he's worried that Eirini Rising residents will have second thoughts about moving in if they hear the rumour.

MELANIE: I'm so sorry, Karl.
KARL: Oh, well, you've got nothing to be sorry about.
MELANIE: ...
KARL: ... unless you did this?!
MELANIE: I didn't vandalise the sign. But I...
KARL: Yes?
MELANIE: ... speculated with Wendy at the pub, fairly loudly, that you might be the pooper.
KARL: You think I'm the pooper?!
MELANIE: I was kidding! Mostly.
KARL: Mostly?!
MELANIE: The pooper's offences line up perfectly with your cycling route, and it's not as if you don't have form!
KARL: Okay, well, yeah, that was an emergency, alright? And I buried my... my business very well!
MELANIE: Well, what about the fact that you kept disappearing on our rides together? And that backpack you won't let anyone touch.
KARL: That was for the lemons!
MELANIE: What lemons?!
KARL: Uh... I... I've been collecting lemons along our route, and getting them reimbursed by Terese.
MELANIE: Let me get this straight. You weren't pooping in public...

As she says it, Susan walks in through the door on her return from Sydney unnoticed, and looks horrified!

MELANIE: ... you've been stealing lemons!
KARL: No, hang on, there was no stealing involved - they were freebies, alright? And there's certainly no pooping! And frankly I'm appalled that you put it out in the world that I am a pooper!
MELANIE: As opposed to a low- level business fraudster?
KARL: Oh, come on!
SUSAN: Not exactly the welcome home that I was expecting.

Mel and Karl are shocked to see Susan in the doorway. Karl welcomes her happily, but Susan just glares, arms folded!

The Bush
With the tents all set up, the Varga- Murphys wonder what's next on the itinerary - but Cara hasn't thought as far ahead as to work out whether there are any activities to do in the vicinity.

JJ: If you give me my phone back I can look it up for you, if you want.
CARA: Yeah, nice try.
DEX: There was a sign pointing to a waterfall on the way in (...) We could take a picnic lunch up there.
CARA: Perfect. Way to use that big brain of yours.

But JJ objects, saying he's hungry now and doesn't want to have to hike first.

REMI: What, you couldn't wait for half an hour?
JJ: I dunno. Can you walk up a giant hill with a hangry son?
DEX: If we eat now, what are we gonna do when we get to the waterfall?
JJ: I dunno - like, look at it?

JJ gets his way again, and Dex grudgingly agrees to help Remi put some food together to have a picnic before they leave.

No 28
Karl has made Susan a cup of lemon and ginger tea as she's picked up a bit of laryngitis while she's been away. She admits that she knows Karl wasn't happy that she stayed on so long in Sydney, but he says she didn't have to come back because of him.

SUSAN: No, I came back because I missed you. I know how lonely you were after we spoke. I thought this would be a nice surprise.
KARL: You've no idea how much I need you here right now.
SUSAN: Do you want to tell me about the lemons and the poo?
KARL: Yeah, I think you've heard enough to get the general idea. There's not a skerrick of truth in it. But I am still the butt of everyone's jokes.

Susan does her level best to avoid laughing, and hugs Karl...

SUSAN: Well, I'm here now. That's all that matters.

... but with Karl unable to see her face, she's laughing silently all the same.

Harold's Café
Haz serves in the background, while Krista apologises again to Leo for missing dinner with him and Abigail last night. Leo's fine with it, but admits he's worried Krista is overdoing things at work and will burn out. But she tells him overworking is the least of her worries right now.

LEO: And the most of your worries?
KRISTA: Thinking too much.
LEO: And work's a distraction.
KRISTA: Yeah. I mean, it's enough to get me through the day.
LEO: Okay. What about what happened the other day?
KRISTA: I've been fine since. Temptation- free.

In which case, Leo says, he'll try to stop worrying and put his energies into his upcoming Yorokobi wine launch, which Krista shares his excitement about.

As Leo goes to take a call, Aaron comes in and has a surreptitious chat with Krista, asking if she's okay. She confirms she is, but says...

KRISTA: What happened last night can never happen again.
AARON: Yeah, agreed.
KRISTA: Good.

The Bush
Dex has calmed down a bit as he helps Remi with lunch.

REMI: This reminds me of that forest you were exploring in your game the other day.
DEX: Yeah, but I can't cast spells here.
REMI: Oh, we can find you a wizard stick if that helps.
DEX: I'm a paladin, not a wizard.

At this point, Dex feels something on his leg, and as he moves it, he accidentally kicks over the whole table of food. He says it felt like a spider or a lizard.

JJ: Are you sure that wasn't a bit of grass?
DEX: Oh, get stuffed.
CARA: Oi, none of that!
DEX: No, you can get stuffed too!
CARA: I beg your pardon?!
REMI: Dexter!
DEX: I get in trouble for dropping some food, and loser over here with a criminal record, no friends, and probably no future, gets away with everything! I'm sick of it!

Dex pushes JJ out of the way and storms off. Everyone looks worried.

The Waterhole
Terese is working at a table when Paul turns up, too ask her how 'poo- gate' is going! Terese tells him that only one billboard has been vandalised and is now being cleaned, so hopefully that's the end of it.

PAUL: Terese, have I done something that you're not happy with?
TERESE: No... no, absolutely not. In fact you've been incredibly helpful. So helpful that I'm worried that I've been leaning on you too heavily and... confusing things between us.
PAUL: Why, have I given the impression that I'm confused?
TERESE: No, but other people have commented on it, that's all.
PAUL: These other people - are they actually aware that I'm in a relationship?
TERESE: I've reminded them.
PAUL: Okay... Look, Eirini Rising is gonna be a roaring success, with or without me. So if you'd rather that I take a step back...
TERESE: No. No, don't. And I'm sorry if I've made things awkward...

But this last word turns into a squeal, as Terese excitedly spies Susan coming through the door. Paul rolls his eyes at the sight of Susan and Karl - just when he was making progress, too! Terese hugs Susan, welcoming her home.

TERESE: I'm so glad you're back.
SUSAN: Oh, it's so good to *be* back!

The Bush
Cara is looking up local cafés on her phone so they can get some food before heading to the waterfall, and tells JJ to go and find Dex. He goes to look in their tent, but Dex isn't there - he seems to have left the camping spot altogether. Everyone starts shouting his name...

Coming up on Neighbours
- Haz tells Mackenzie he's really close to finding his tormentor
- But Mack tells him that unless he tells the police and their friends the truth, she will
- Terese tells Jane Paul knows where he stands in her life, but may have just solved her biggest headache
- Terese shows Jane the person that Paul has suggested as Eirini Rising operations manager
- Remi, Cara and JJ walk through the bush looking for Dex