Episode 6489

Extended Summary

Nate, Tori and Duncan have been searching for Brody for the last day and a half. They’re exhausted, out of food, and barely have enough water to survive another day. Nate says they should head back to the crash site before it’s too late, but Tori is determined to keep searching, with or without their help, regardless of the risk. Nate looks to Duncan for support, but he sides with her, much to Nate’s frustration.

At the school, Tabitha has just finished doctoring the exam results, but while leaving the principal’s office she runs straight into Hunter. He’s instantly suspicious but she covers well, and he’s left none the wiser about what she was up to.

Meanwhile, Roo is voicing concerns about Alf to a sympathetic Matt – worried about the toll Duncan’s disappearance is taking on her father. While she’s grateful for Matt’s support in the wake of the plane crash, she notices all the milk has gone. It’s not a huge issue, but she naturally thinks Matt is the culprit, though he insists he’s not guilty. Later that night, they’re woken by strange noises. They’re alarmed at first, but end up blaming the disturbance on the wind, thinking Matt left the door open – unaware that a hooded figure was hiding in the apartment all along.

At the Diner, Olivia is working when Tabitha arrives with some flowers for Irene – seemingly sympathetic about her plane crash ordeal. However, Tabitha really just wants to strengthen her connection with Olivia. But when Olivia is too busy to hang out, Tabitha later turns up on her doorstep with a sob story about having to go into hospital for more stem cell harvesting to help her sister recover from chemo. Olivia falls for this hook, line and sinker, and gives Tabitha the support and attention she’s been secretly craving. The next day at school, Hunter tries to voice his suspicions about Tabitha. He’s convinced she was up to something dodgy, but Olivia takes umbrage and tells him to leave Tabitha alone.

Later on, Chris claims to have seen Tabitha on the beach when she should have been in hospital. Puzzled, Olivia pays her a surprise visit, and is shocked to learn that she was never admitted. Olivia later confronts her about this, but Tabitha manages to lie her way out of it – claiming she was actually at Reefton Lakes hospital. Olivia feels terrible for doubting her, and is left firmly back under her spell.

Meanwhile, Matt has returned home unexpectedly and caught the hooded figure red-handed. However, he’s soon shocked to discover that it’s his little sister, Ellie. She acts like it was all just a joke, but Matt doesn’t buy it. He presses for the truth, and eventually she reveals that she doesn’t want to return to their aunt’s house, but refuses to explain why.

Back in the bush, with Tori emotionally and physically drained, Nate manages to convince Duncan to trick her into heading back towards the plane. However, she soon realises what they’re up to and is furious. She storms back into the bush to resume the search, and the guys have little choice but to follow. As they go, they fail to notice something lying in the nearby undergrowth. It’s Brody – alive but in really bad shape and oblivious to their presence. Has he just missed his one chance for rescue?