Episode 6458

Extended Summary

After blurting out his family is in witness protection, Mason has to backpedal in front of Lara. She wants to know what’s going on but Mason is rattled, saying it’s too dangerous. Lara presses that he’s opened the door now – she loves him and promises not to tell anyone. We don’t see what he said but presume he has spilled all to Lara. Later arriving home, Mason is confronted by Tori who has heard through Nate, that Mason was flirting with a girl and demands to know if it was Lara? Aware that he has put his family in potential danger both by continuing to see Lara and by telling her their secret, a guilty Mason lies, telling Tori it was just an intern. But when Tori heads off for drinks with Nate, Phoebe and Brody, Mason sneaks Lara into his bedroom. The next day, Mason sends Lara off at the bus stop, reminding her that she can’t tell anyone what he shared about his family – she agrees.

Nate is concerned that Irene may be suffering post-traumatic stress as a result of her abduction, but when he gently suggests that she may benefit from counselling, Irene is quick to shut this down. Later Irene turns up at the Diner, determined to distract herself with work, and Leah expresses her concern that it’s too soon and Irene should be at home resting. Irene, though, snaps at Leah, insisting that she knows what’s best. Later, a dripping tap triggers a traumatic flashback for Irene. When she collapses, terrified and shaken, it’s clear that despite her earlier protestations, she is anything but fine.

As tensions continue between Marilyn and John over the issue of fostering, Alf insists on being allowed home from the hospital. Roo, though, is concerned about how they will be able manage to look after the physically impaired and cantankerous Alf, especially when she’s not around. Alf continues to be a pain, not only to Roo but also to Leah, Marilyn and John when they come to visit. Despite Alf’s protests, Roo makes the decision to move home to Summer Bay House to care for her father.

Elsewhere that morning, Brody suspects that he may be being followed. He goes home and tells his siblings, and as the family hash out what to do, Mason is forced to reveal that not only did he lie to Tori’s face, he also told Lara their secret. Horrified, the brothers lay into him. Justin is furious, asking Mason how much he told Lara? Turns out he told her the Morgan’s dad was involved in a drug syndicate and was killed for it – their mum was caught in the crossfire too. Brody points out they’ve been on the run for 7 years to keep that a secret! Justin can’t deal, and tells them all to pack – now. But level-headed Tori stops it, although she herself is just an angry. She then makes contact with their witness protection officer, Decker, and is assured that the Morgan family’s whereabouts is still a secret. Nevertheless, Tori insists that Mason break it off with Lara, as much for her sake as theirs. But when Nate is approached by a mysterious man calling himself “Tim”, who has indeed been following the family, the question has to be asked – is Nate about to become the Morgan family’s collateral damage?