Episode 6425

Extended Summary

Alf is strolling home when he comes across a gloomy Matt on the beach. Matt tells him that Maddy dumped him – and although Alf is sure Maddy will change her mind, Matt disagrees. Later, when Alf sees Roo at Summer Bay House, he relays his conversation with Matt. Spurred on to make them see sense, Roo visits Maddy in the hospital. But despite all Roo’s best efforts, Maddy remains firm, believing she’s doing Matt a favour by cutting him free. Undeterred, Roo goes to see Matt and gives him some tough love – if he wants to keep the woman of his dreams, he needs to fight for her. Inspired, Matt goes to see Maddy. He tells her that despite her injury, he’s not giving up on them and that facing obstacles together will make them even stronger, not tear them apart. Maddy breaks down and Matt is convinced he’s gotten through to her. But later, when he returns to visit Maddy with Roo, they’re dismayed to see her room empty. It seems Maddy’s run away…

Tori is checking a subdued Ricky out of the hospital when Nate arrives. Things between the couple are tense, a fact not lost on Tori. But when Tori suggests Nate see a counsellor to help him cope with what’s happened to Ricky, Nate coldly tells her to mind her own business. Things become even more tense between the two doctors when they discover they’re both applying for the upcoming position of Head of the Emergency Department. Their differences take a back seat when an emergency presents itself in the form of a woman in premature labour. After a successful delivery, Tori offers her sympathy to Nate, offering that it must have been difficult for him to work with a newborn in light of Ricky’s hysterectomy. Again, Nate takes offence, but soon comes to find Tori to apologise. Tori suggests they start over and a relieved Nate agrees.

When Nate arrives home, he finds Ricky seemingly in a better mood and she instigates intimacy with him. Nate kisses her back at first, but as Ricky tries to take things further Nate stops her, gently telling her she’s not ready for that. Ricky walks off, leaving Nate worried. Later, she apologises but Nate takes it in his stride. He knows it’ll take a while before things settle down but assures her that they’ll get there. Ricky remains fragile.

Meanwhile, Alf is on his way to the Diner when he sees Chris, hard at work. He props to offer his sympathy, but quickly realises that, despite what John had led him to believe earlier, Chris still isn’t coming to terms with his grief. At the Diner, Alf buys Tori a coffee and finds out that she has brothers who may be moving into town, but she doesn’t seem to want to talk about it and Alf’s left wondering what the story is.

John goes to visit a listless Chris at home – determined to cheer his mate up. But although John manages to coerce Chris into playing a board game, Chris remains bleak. John tells Chris that perhaps the best way to get through his grief would be by making Hannah’s death meaningful. Chris is initially resistant and orders John out of his house. But to John’s relief, he soon warms to the idea, deciding to propose to the hospital that they name the emergency ward in Hannah’s honour.