Episode 5243

Ned flounders as Mickey, who's missing his mum, fails to respond to Ned's discipline. Janae comes to hapless Ned's rescue and encourages him to come clean to Mickey about being his father. Just as he starts to get the hang of things Kirsten returns and Ned prepares himself for the possibility of never seeing Mickey again. However, Kirsten has other plans. Feeling that she deserves a life of her own for a while, she foists permanent parenthood on to a rattled Ned, leaving him to care for Mickey indefinitely.

Caught up in a wave of nostalgia, Gail and Paul are overwhelmed by the stirrings of their old love. Elle's delighted and the three of them begin to play out the fantasy of the happy family they could have had. However, when Paul admits that he doesn't want to include anyone else in their cosy little set up, Gail has a reality check. Painfully aware that Paul has other children and other ex-wives, she realises that keeping his dream alive is hindering his chances of a full recovery. Elle knows her mother is right and, although all three are heartbroken, Gail returns to Tasmania.

Protective Steiger warns Adam to tread carefully with his fragile daughter and cautions Pepper to be wary. While Adam is unfazed by Steiger's intimidation tactics, Pepper's recent experience with Mary leads her to question her own judgement. When Adam arrives for dinner with a bandaged hand and jokes about having been a fight, Pepper suspects her dad was right about his violent tendencies and orders Adam out pf her house.

Cocky Janelle fires Toadie's competitive spirit and he enters Charlie into the baby competition. Harold thinks it's all a waste of time but his inner bogan stage-mum rears its ugly head when Kerry doesn't win!

Toadie offers to be Steph's campaign manager for the up-coming council elections.