Neighbours

Elle discovers four thousand dollars is missing from her account and at first blames a bank error. But when she realises the money has been deposited in James’ account, she accuses him of the theft. He assures her that Donna told him Elle had given her the money. Elle confronts Donna, who confesses. Devastated by Donna’s lie to her, Elle fears that she’s losing Donna to her ‘real’ family, and begins to look for another job. Is she planning to leave?

Harry’s acting strangely – he’s out all hours, and looks exhausted. Kate demands to know what’s going on but he shuts her out. Sophie’s freaking out that he’s acting so weirdly, which just adds to the pressure on Kate. However, when Dan and Libby discover that Harry is cutting class, they confront Kate, who’s forced to lie to cover for Harry. When he stays out all night, Kate fears she’s losing control of her family.

Lucas and Sonya continue to spend time together. Uncomfortable Toadie makes sure he keeps out of their way, and Dan leans on Lucas to come clean about his relationship with Sonya. Lucas makes an attempt at peace-making to Toadie, but is soundly rejected. The war continues.

With Declan’s help, Kate runs her own investigation of Harry’s mysterious absences, worried he’s involved in illicit activities. She organises an intervention to help keep her family together and to get Harry back on track. Offended by her accusation Harry reveals he was working the graveyard shift at the supermarket to pay for dance classes for Kate. Despite her reservations about dancing again, Kate goes to the class but is quickly confronted by her rusty technique and her teacher’s concern that she has a lot of work to do.

Meanwhile, Zeke – feeling good about the world and his relationship with Karl in particular - invites Karl to join him on his radio shift. Karl turns out to be a natural, popular with listeners and with the station organisers, and soon, Zeke is finding it hard to get a word in. In desperation, Zeke attempts to sabotage Karl, but only succeeds in increasing his popularity and Karl’s offered his own one-hour segment in Zeke’s show. With his private refuge overrun and outshined by Karl, what will Zeke do? Sunny convinces Zeke not to quit PirateNet, and encourages him to be honest with Karl. But when Zeke sees how enthused Karl is by his experiences on the radio, he can’t do it. When Karl gets himself sacked by breaching the station charter, Zeke, knowing how much it means to him, starts an on-air campaign to bring him back. But Sunny rings up Zeke’s show and gives him an on-air serve for not being honest with his listeners... a serve which earns her a spot on Zeke’s show, and which tells Karl how badly he’s overstepped with Zeke.

Elle secures the garage a lucrative corporate car account and Steph vows to do everything she can to give their new clients superior service. Meanwhile a chauvinist customer, “Hot” Rod Falzon brings a car in and insists Lucas work on his car because as a woman, Steph simply can’t be trusted to do a good job. Mindful of the downturn in business since the Parker’s accident, Steph does her best to ignore “Hot” Rod’s attitudes but when he pushes her too far, she finds a way to set him straight. But any satisfaction is short lived when she finds out that ‘Hot’ Rod is the manager of the corporate car firm Elle has struck a deal with – and now the deal is off. Then to add to Steph’s woes, Lucas admits he’s still yearning for her. T

rying to distract himself from girl troubles, Toadie buys himself a classic, gas-guzzling car. Still hurt by Sonya’s rejection and aware she’s a greenie, Toadie rubs in his environmentally unfriendly purchase and suggest Sonya has no grounds to argue – after all, her boyfriend drives a heavy polluting ute. Sonya clears up the confusion: she and Lucas aren’t dating – she’s his GA sponsor.

Elle gives Steph twenty-four hours to win back deal with 'Hot Rod' Falzon but warns that if she can’t, she’ll be fired. Steph puts aside dealing with Lucas’ admission that he’s attracted to her in order to save her job. She tries apologising to “Hot” Rod Falzon but can’t contain her outrage at his continued sexism. She comes up with another plan to put Rod in his place and prove her worth, but will it work?

James is confirmed as Donna’s brother and Donna’s delighted. Elle tries to hide her hurt but it’s clear she feels there’s little left for her in Erinsborough.

With Steph’s management problems at the garage, Elle considers giving Lucas his old job back, and makes an oblique offer to try their relationship one more time. Lucas can’t respond immediately, and things go downhill from there. And as the night of the Drastical gig arrives their problems take a backseat as both Drastical and James fail to show.

Paul and Rebecca have a short-lived time of enjoying life without Lyn before she returns with a makeover and luggage. What’s she doing back in Erinsborough.

Donna’s loved ones realise that James’ entire persona is a con, but Donna is in denial and determined that there must be some other logical explanation. But when Toadie consults with the police to produce evidence that James Linden doesn’t even exist, Donna has to face facts: everything James told her was a lie. As Donna takes comfort from Ringo, Kate and her Ramsay Street family, Elle is offered her dream job in New York, but decides to turn it down because of what Donna’s going through. But Donna discovers a letter of agreement from the New York Chronicle and is shocked to think that Elle would abandon her just when she needs her the most. Donna tries to confront Elle, but now Elle has much bigger issues to confront. James has cleaned out her bank account leaving her penniless.

Susan avoids her fighting friends, Lyn and Rebecca, and heads off to her First Aid refresher course. Karl discovers that she already has her driver’s licence back but has been avoiding using it out of fear of hurting someone again. When Lyn accidentally injures herself there’s no one but Susan around. Susan has to conquer her fears to get Lyn to medical help.