Hope is fading fast for the victims of the chopper crash. Cassie is forced to make a choice between Ric and Macca. Amanda angrily rejects her mother’s attempts at reconciliation.
Extended Summary
As Ric hangs precariously to safety, his grip beginning to fail, Macca rushes to help him and finally manages to pull Ric to safety. SES Workers come rushing up to help Ric, it’s then that Ric looks across to Macca to thank him…and sees that the strain of helping him has caused Macca’s stomach wound to re-open. He’s bleeding. They need to get him back to the hospital quickly. At the hospital, Cassie’s pacing anxiously, then she hears a commotion down the corridor. She turns to see Macca being wheeled in by ambulance officers, Ric beside him Cassie asks Ric what’s going on? Ric fills her in on the situation. Cassie stunned that Ric got in trouble trying to help Macca. The tentative thanks. Then an awkward silence falls between them as they wait. Cassie apologises for not being there for him last night; was insensitive. Ric accepts her thanks then raises the fact that Macca was aware what was going on, they argued about it – he seems convinced he’s the right guy for her. Ric makes an impassioned plea about why Cassie should be with him. They do trust each other now so they can make this work. He never stopped loving her – he just stopped being aware of it for a while. Cassie just takes in the words, not sure what to say…but before she has the chance, Nurse Gloria interrupts the moment to take Ric off and advise Cassie that she can see Macca now… Macca apologises for taking off like that, but he felt so useless here. He assumes she’s quiet because she’s mad with him. Macca probes what the real problem is…as meanwhile, Ric appears at the door. Macca can tell something’s going on. He asks Cassie if he can have a moment alone with Ric?
He assures her there won’t be trouble. Ric thanks Macca for saving him; Macca thanks him for coming after him in the first place. Macca says he isn’t going to give up without a fight for Cassie – neither is Ric. Ric lets him know that if he really cared for Cassie he would let her go because of what he has already put her through. Macca says he would never do that again. Ric never has, and never will. The sense of: may the best man win. Cassie returns to find Ric gone. She wonders what that was all about? Macca explains – it was about her. He fills her in. Cassie’s annoyed – why are they both pressuring her like this? Macca launches in to his own plea to Cassie about his remorse but promise to reform, how they can work things out. It’s equally as passionate as Ric’s plea…and now Cassie’s head is well and truly spinning. she has a big decision to make. Cassie opens up to Sally about her predicament and how she agrees with what Ric said earlier; thinks they could work now. From what Sally’s hearing, it sounds like Cassie’s made her decision. But then there’s Macca. Sally’s concerned to hear that Cassie’s even entertaining the idea of resuming things with Macca. Cassie admits she’s confused about what she wants now because so much of what Macca said was true. But can a person who did something like that change? Sally can’t tell Cassie what to do, she has to make her own decision. Sally advises Cassie that it’s okay to not be with anyone for a while.
Cassie arrives at the door of Macca’s hospital room. Cassie takes a deep breath, then launches in to her spiel – about the love she has for him too, how she’s never felt anything like that before, how she believes he can change and thinks that they could be amazing together…but, the one thing that will never go away is the fact that he hit her. To get back with him would involve her taking a big gamble on the fact that he would never do that again…but she’s not prepared to take the gamble. Macca starts to plead with her, but Cassie cuts over him. The last thing she wants is to have to say goodbye to him – and she could be making the biggest mistake of her life – but at the end of the day she cares about herself too much to put herself in that position again.
Morag rushes in to the panic occurring in the surf club. Alf as busy as ever. Sal pulls Morag aside and asks that she speak to Alf about how hard he’s pushing himself; she’s tried but he’s not. Morag approaches Alf tentatively in light of Sally’s comments about his stress levels. He shuts her down, he admits to doing the wrong thing but apologises saying he’s got it all under control. Morag is sceptical. Amanda rushes in, Kitty having just told her about the crash. Where is Belle? Alf lets her know what kind of search they have happening – Amanda in her panic demands that it isn’t good enough, there needs to be more choppers etc. Kitty races in having followed Amanda. Amanda has to drag Kitty outside and tells her to go. But Kitty tells Amanda that this should change everything – given the situation, let me support you during this pain and grief, lets put our differences aside now and concentrate on this. She wants Kitty to disappear and stay away. Kitty has no choice but to go, cut to the core by Amanda’s deep words. Kitty calls her later, asking her to come to the house, she has something to show her re Belle. Kitty explains that she’s been thinking about what Amanda said – and she’s right…which is why she feels Amanda is the one who rightfully deserves to have this. Amanda’s curiously as Kitty hands her a box. As Amanda opens it, Kitty explains that as she sent a letter and money to Belle’s parents each year. She received stuff about Belle in return. She’s hung on to it…but thinks Amanda is the one who should have them now.
Amanda is reeling as she opens the box and sees school photos, newspaper articles of Belle’s achievements etc. Kitty tries to make things good between them again, Amanda has had enough of her mother’s blackmail and begins to walk out. Kitty starts having an asthma attack but Amanda thinks she’s putting it on again, doesn’t believe her and walks out. Kitty is really having an attack – what has Amanda done?!
A sad, quiet, sombre feeling in the room as Alf reports that the searchers have just wrapped up for the night. Long silences, each with their own sad thoughts. Morag approaches Alf, who has slumped in to quietness on his own. He finally opens up: another day down without any news, another closer to… He trails off, struggling to hold it together. “It’s been over 24 hours, Morag. 24 hours…” A dark, sombre mood as the hope for survival of our loved ones fades fast…