Episode 6976

Extended Summary

Chelsea asks Colby how long they’re going to have the place to themselves; Colby isn’t sure, since Robbo hasn’t been very communicative. Chelsea suggests they throw a sickie together and Colby says McCarthy said she could take time off after the previous day. He suggests they tell McCarthy about them although, to her amusement, when McCarthy promptly rings he says he doesn’t know where she is. McCarthy wants him to check out an accident near the surf club and Chelsea decides to go with him. Meanwhile, Dean and Willow have Karen at the hospital but she is bored and dismisses Dean reminding her she’s been in a car accident. As she is about to leave, Mason turns up and she consider him good-looking enough to stay. Willow takes Dean aside and he explains about Karen trying to run over John.

John is tidying up the strewn rubbish bags while Marilyn worries that he should be lying down. Colby and Chelsea arrive and Marilyn tells them a mad woman tried to run John over and there were families around who could have been hurt. John says he doesn’t know her name but it was Dean’s mum: He met her earlier at the clubhouse. Chelsea tells Colby to track her down while she takes a statement from John. At the hospital, Dean leaves Willow to take Colby’s call while he chats to Mason. Mason says all that’s wrong physically is a cut on the head and Dean denies there being another problem. Willow meets Colby and says there’s been no psychiatric involvement. Dean tells Colby to make the charges go away but Colby says it could be an opportunity for Karen to get help.

Chelsea finishes taking John’s statement at Salt. She offers to take him to a doctor but he wants to go home because Justin’s dropping Raffy back. Chelsea rings Colby who says he’s at the hospital and admits he hasn’t got a statement from Karen yet. He asks her to delay logging John’s statement; Chelsea is frustrated at what he’s doing. Colby and Willow listen from out of view as Dean and Mason try to convince Karen to see a psychiatrist. Karen acts as though nothing has happened and accuses Mason of trying to break up a family. Dean says she can’t keep doing things like this but Karen begs him not to leave her there and to look after her himself. He agrees.

Colby and Dean escort Karen back to the caravan park. Colby warns Karen to keep the noise down, since she could get Dean kicked out. Karen makes a few dismissive remarks about Colby being a police officer and Dean sends her into the caravan. Colby tries to convince Dean Karen needs help. Dean thinks he needs to get her to trust him first and reminds Colby it was his fault that Dean went to jail, but agrees to talk to her. Later, Colby and Willow walk near the Diner; Colby is frustrated that nothing has changed. They see Chelsea outside the flat looking frosty; Colby explains she’s more by the book than he is. Colby approaches Chelsea and promises to explain.

At the Diner, Willow approaches John and asks him to forget about what happened with Karen for Dean’s sake. John says Marilyn’s right and Karen’s dangerous. He confirms that Karen thought he was having a go at Dean and that was what triggered it but points out something else could trigger her. At the caravan park, Karen is dancing. Dean unsuccessfully tries to turn off the music and get her to stop. He tries to talk to her about getting help but she instead starts reminiscing about his eighth birthday party. Dean snorts that the guests consisted of Colby and a bunch of her friends but softens when she talks about arranging a water balloon fight and him saying she was the best mum in the world. She says Willow was a fool to let him go and Justin is second best.

Chelsea asks Colby what’s wrong with Karen. Colby says she’s never been diagnosed with anything but she’s always been like this. Chelsea wonders if he’s going easy on her because of Dean but Colby insists Karen needs help. He suggests Chelsea was brought up with a firm view of right and wrong but, even though his dad was a cop too, where he grew up meant he couldn’t do that. He promises to get a statement in the morning. Chelsea playfully asks what they’ll do tonight. Next morning, Colby meets Dean on the beach; Karen is paddling in the sea. Colby asks Dean how he went. Dean tries to brush it off but Colby says it’s police business and he needs a statement. He suggests he talk to Karen, since she doesn’t know what buttons to press with him.

In the gym, Willow is punching while Mason presses weights. Mason asks about Karen. Willow says she took a step back since she winds Karen up but Dean is on top of it. She goes over to Chelsea and tells her Colby’s a good guy; Chelsea agrees. Outside, John sees Karen with Colby and Dean and asks why she isn’t locked up. Karen snarls that she shouldn’t have swerved and Colby steers her away. John and Dean argue and Willow and Chelsea have to step in. While Chelsea tries to mollify John, Willow follows Dean and asks why he’s letting Karen into his head again. Dean accuses Willow of always trying to come between them and storms off.

Willow finds Dean sitting on the beach and he apologises. He says sometimes Karen can be great. Willow says it’s like that with her dad: Just when she thinks he’s seeing her, he goes off again. Dean says she at least had some good years with Russell whereas Karen’s been like this his whole life. He thinks sooner or later she’ll gut him again. Up in Salt, Colby tries to convince Karen to get help. Karen flirts with him, saying being a cop suits him after all and remembering his dad and stepdad. Placing her hand on his leg, she suggests they go somewhere and sort it out. Colby pulls away, shocked. Chelsea has come in during the exchange and gives Colby a look that indicates she is far from happy.