Episode 8015

Extended Summary

Leah is waiting when Justin arrives home. She notes she expected him to be home earlier and he says he went to Salt to decompress. Leah wonders how the counselling went and Justin admits it wasn’t what he expected. He mentions his homework. At Salt, Marilyn suggests Roo could help her out with social media videos, like Kirby has been doing. Roo points out she isn’t really into social media. Marilyn suggests Roo become a brand ambassador, so Marilyn will get commission on her sales. Alf intercedes, suggesting Roo will help Marilyn out in her own way.

Rose brings Xander a glass of water. Noticing him looking at the order of service, she says this is why she didn’t want him going to the funeral. Xander says he’s glad he got to say goodbye, but all his colleagues kept asking when he was come back to work, as if he’d just been away with flu. Rose suggests it was just because they care. Later, Rose and Bree are sat out on the balcony, with Rose telling Bree about why Xander had his tattoos done. Xander comes out as Rose is saying she’s worried he’s going backwards and doesn’t know how to fix him. Xander says it’s not her job and he can do it himself.

Justin wanders around the front room, looking at photos of him with Leah and with Tori, Brody and Mason, and a teddy bear. Leah emerges from the bedroom and asks if he’s coming to bed. Justin says in a bit. Leah comments that the session’s obviously got to him. Next morning, Marilyn serves Alf and Roo at the coffee cart. Alf comments that Marilyn got up early. Roo explains that when she said she wanted to help, she meant she wanted to buy something. Marilyn suggests a face mask. Leah and Justin appear. Alf notices Justin is carrying a guitar and he explains it’s for counselling. Rose comes along and asks if anyone’s seen Xander. Roo notes he’s just out of hospital and Rose says that’s why she’s worried.

Xander is sat on the beach. Bree comes across him and sits with him. Xander admits that, despite what he said to Rose, he actually has no idea how to fix himself. Bree suggests he focus on what’s next and stop listening to negative voices. Meanwhile, Justin meets up with Amanda in the courtyard. His homework was to choose five items he’d rescue in the event of a fire. In addition to the guitar, Justin has brought the two photos he was looking at, a laptop and Ava’s old football shirt.

Xander and Bree walk near the beach. Bree asks if anything she said made a difference and Xander says he’s realised he needs to make a change. They run into Alf near the coffee cart. Alf says Rose was looking for him and Xander says he just texted her. Alf comments on the people who attacked Xander. Bree says it’s not uncommon. They head back to the flat. Rose chides Xander for going out. Bree, before heading in the shower, points out he had a doctor with him. Rose talks about Xander going back to work and he says he might quit.

Justin explains to Amanda who the photos are, noting he still grabbed them despite having loads of photos of them on his phone. Amanda asks about the laptop. Justin says his parents died and the computer contains copies of their original birth certificates, one of the last things he has of them. He says the shirt reminds him of when Ava used to call him after every game. He strums the guitar a bit, saying he had more important things to do than pursue music. They both conclude that the link between the items is family. Later, Amanda asks when he started to feel like his family’s protector. Justin says in his mid-20s and explains how his parents were murdered and he and his siblings spent eight years in witness protection. He says Tori stepped up too but he was the oldest.

At the Diner, Alf chats to Leah about how things are going with Justin. Nearby, Marilyn is applying the face pack to Roo, who complains that it’s burning. Marilyn suggests it’s the dead cells burning away but admits she hasn’t actually tried it herself. Alf and Leah join them as Roo anxiously complains about how hot it is. Up in the flat, Rose protests to Xander that he loves his job. Xander says he used to but not anymore. Bree comes in and Rose tells her what’s going on, but she isn’t able to comment much because Leah comes up and asks for her help. After accepting Xander’s serious, Rose agrees to support him.

Roo has removed the face mask but, despite Marilyn trying to downplay it, Alf says her face is still very red. Leah arrives with Bree, who suspects an allergic reaction. Marilyn protests it’s all natural ingredients but Alf reads out the ingredients list, which includes a number of acids. Roo says her throat’s a bit tight but Bree says her heart rate’s fine so it’s not anaphylaxsis. Alf, Roo and Bree head off to the hospital. Meanwhile, Amanda tells Justin she wants to carry on exploring this. She says he was on alert for years and the muscle memory kicks in when his family’s threatened, saying he needs to find a way to let go.

Leah is preparing to leave work. Marilyn has been ringing the company’s head office but only gets the answer machine. Alf comes back to get Roo’s phone and says she’s been given medication. He sharply asks Marilyn what she’s peddling. Soon after, Leah arrives home where Justin describes the session as brutal. He explains Amanda’s theory about it being related to witness protection and his fight or flight responses being affected. He doesn’t think she’ll be able to help him.