Home and Away Spoilers – Leah tells Justin that it’s over
This week on Home and Away in Australia, Leah keeps her return to Summer Bay a secret from Justin. When he finally catches up with her, she deals him a devastating blow…
Justin (James Stewart) thought he’d be delighted when the time came for Leah (Ada Nicodemou) to return to Summer Bay after a few weeks at a mental health clinic, but it isn’t set to be the happy reunion that he’d hoped for.
Following their ordeal at the hands of Vita Nova, which saw Justin come close to death after trying to escape a warehouse they’d been kept captive in, Leah had struggled to overcome her trauma. Unable to sleep, with constant nightmares about watching Justin die, Leah’s mental health went into decline.
Leah was forced to admit her issues after she fell asleep at the wheel of her car and ran a red light, causing an accident, but still refused to see anyone about it. Instead she told Justin that she wished to postpone their wedding, feeling that taking some of the pressure off might help matters.
But Leah continued to keep herself awake with coffee, and the tension only increased between her and Justin as she accused him of gaslighting her in his requests for her to seek professional help.
As paranoia began to kick in, Leah became convinced that Justin was also working with Vita Nova, and after trying to report him to Rose (Kirsty Marillier), started to believe that she was also in on it.
Leah barricaded herself in the diner and ended up holding Justin at knifepoint when he forced his way in to help her. It was down to Bree (Juliet Godwin) to talk Leah down, who convinced her to return home with her whilst Justin stayed with Theo at the Lyrik house.
Leah was much more lucid the next morning after some rest, and was horrified when she started to remember what had happened.
Bree explained she was likely having a psychotic episode as a result of the trauma and sleep deprivation, and offered to put Leah in for a psychological assessment.
Leah refused however, as she already knew that she needed help. She could have hurt the man she loved.
As a result, Bree booked her straight in for an intensive programme at a mental health clinic. There was no fixed amount of time that Leah could be away for, but Bree warned it could be a few weeks.
Justin has struggled after being told he wouldn’t be allowed any contact with Leah during that time, so was upset to learn last week that Marilyn (Emily Symons) had not only managed to write to Leah, but that she’d also received a reply.
Justin was straight on the phone to the clinic, but they refused to let him talk to her. Alf (Ray Meagher) instead suggested that Justin write her his own letter.
This week, Leah calls Marilyn to explain that she’s being discharged from the clinic, but she doesn’t want to return home to Justin. Instead, she asks whether she can stay at Summer Bay House, and what’s more, she wants it to be kept a secret from Justin.
“Leah is still quite cautious,” Ada Nicodemou told TV Week. “She can’t go back to that house, because that’s where the nightmares began. She also pulled a knife on the man she loves. Until she’s completely healed, she doesn’t trust herself in his presence.”
Given that Alf has been supporting Justin through this time, he can’t help but feel bad for keeping the truth from him, and eventually comes clean to him in the surf club. Although Alf implores Justin to not visit her, Justin can’t help but head straight over to Summer Bay House.
“Justin pines for Leah and thinks about her non-stop,” James Stewart added. “He understands, but her psychosis has caused him great distress.”
When Justin turns up at the door, Leah is angry at both him and Alf for going against her wishes, but allows him inside to talk.
As they chat over a coffee, Leah tells Justin about her time at the clinic, and explains that she needs to take things slowly. Despite this, Justin urges Leah to return home, assuring her that they’d be able to work things out between them.
Eventually, Justin’s persistence causes Leah to reach breaking point, as she exclaims “There is no us!”
With Leah seemingly unwilling to be with Justin, at least until she’s better, will Justin be willing to wait for her?
Also this week, Tane’s (Ethan Browne) attempt to move on from estranged wife Felicity (Jacqui Purvis) leads to him planting a kiss on Harper (Jessica Redmayne).
Both Tane and Flick were struggling with the attraction between them during the Salt by the Sea fundraiser event, and Flick appeared to be hopeful that there could be at least some chance of the pair salvaging their marriage.
So when Flick saw Tane laughing and joking with Harper during the fundraiser, she made a hasty exit.
Noticing her heading up to Salt, Tane followed and asked if everything was okay.
Flick was conflicted, explaining that she was trying her best to move on and be okay with things like he was, but his complimenting her earlier and now checking up on her was sending out mixed messages.
Tane assured Flick that he still cared about her, and admitted that he wasn’t dealing with things anywhere as well as she thinks he is.
“I’m so far from okay,” Tane told her, leaving Flick wondering as to what this could mean.
Unfortunately for Flick, it would seem that Tane hasn’t changed his position on their relationship, with the promo for tonight’s episode showing Flick leaving the surf club in tears with Tane in hot pursuit.
The first person Flick runs into outside is Harper, which only upsets Flick further.
“Oh of course you’re here, that’s just perfect,” Flick tells her, before retreating in the opposite direction leading Harper, Xander (Luke Van Os) and Theo (Matt Evans) to wonder what was going on.
“She’s not exactly taken a shine to me,” Harper explains to Xander as they talk in Salt, as he reminds her that things are quite intense for Flick with her marriage ending.
As Flick is then seen looking at her wedding photo, Tane tells Harper that he believes he and Flick have managed to find some sort of closure. This pleases Harper, as she values his friendship and doesn’t want to be the cause of any issues.
But Tane clearly misreads the situation when he then leans in and plants a kiss on Harper.
“What…what are you doing?” Harper exclaims as she pulls away, before walking off.
Has Tane ruined his friendship with Harper already?
Here’s the full spoilers for this week’s Home and Away episodes in Australia:
Monday 15th January (Episode 8180)
Tane misreads Harper’s friendship. Justin asks Marilyn for a favour.
Tuesday 16th January (Episode 8181)
Tane confides in Cash. Alf is conflicted.
Wednesday 17th January (Episode 8182)
Bree is overprotective of her patient. Can Leah keep Justin at a distance? Harper and Tane reclaim their friendship.
Thursday 18th January (Episode 8183)
Levi can’t bring himself to leave Summer Bay. Justin’s plea with Leah backfires. Is the Surf Club under threat?