Alison asks Michael in horror, "What's wrong with him?" Michael murmurs, "I'm not sure." Pamela snaps, "He can't breathe, that's what's wrong with him." As Nick carries on snorting and breathing heavily, Charlie gasps, "That awful noise..." Pamela snaps at Michael, "Clear his throat, for God's sake." Michael, however, tells her, "That's not the problem. It's an asthma attack - and a bad one. Someone call an ambulance." Charlie runs across to the 'phone, looking shaky. Alison asks Michael, "What brought it on?" Michael replies, "The injection I gave him, at a guess." Alison asks, "Why? He's allergic to it, is he?" Michael nods, "Apparently." He takes out another needle. Pamela asks, "What are you giving him now?" Michael tells her, "A shot of adrenaline. It'll help until we can get some oxygen into him." On the 'phone, Charlie cries, "An ambulance - and quickly: it's an emergency." Michael starts injecting the adrenaline into Nick's arm, saying as he does so, "OK, Nick, just hang in there 'til we can get some oxygen and get you to the hospital."

A while later, Nick is on a trolley, being pushed along corridor at Park Ridge Hospital by a couple of orderlies, one of whom is holding a drip. Michael and Alison watch. As Nick is pushed through a set of double doors, Michael lingers with Alison. She asks, "Aren't you going with him?" Michael murmurs, "No. I'll only get in the way. I'll wait until there's some word on how he's doing." Alison asks, "Would you like me to stay with you?" Michael nods, "Thanks." Alison adds, "I'll just ring Pamela; tell her we got him here safely." She walks off, leaving Michael sighing heavily.

On the 'phone in the lounge room at Charlie's, Pamela says, "I'll expect you when I see you, then. OK. Bye." She hangs up. From the couch, Charlie asks, "Is he going to be alright?" Pamela, however, retorts, "We won't know until the doctors have finished with him, will we?" She starts pouring herself a drink. Looking concerned, Charlie cries, "He's not going to die, is he?" Pamela just shrugs, "Who knows? If I was an expert on asthma attacks I'd hazard a guess, but I'm not so I won't." Looking shocked, Charlie gasps, "You don't care, do you?" Pamela turns to her and retorts, "Of course I care, Charlie." Charlie mutters, "It doesn't sound like it." Pamela growls, "What do you expect me to do? Rush out and light candles? Either he survives or he doesn't, it's as simple as that." She sits down on the other couch, going on, "Anyway, you can't talk: if anything happens to Nick, it'll be your fault." Charlie exclaims in shock, "I beg your pardon?" Pamela points out, "You were the one who pestered Michael to treat him. He didn't want to, but no, you pushed him - so if Nick dies, it'll be on your head." Charlie stands up and glares at Pam. She then snarls, "You vile woman." Pamela taunts, "What's this I hear: a touch of the guilts?" Charlie retorts, "What you are going to hear very shortly is me telling you to pack your bags and get out. I don't like you and I don't trust you and the sooner you're out of my house and Alison's life, the better." Pamela just remarks, "I don't think Alison will see it that way. You know what they say about blood-ties, Charlie: if it comes to a showdown, you're going to be the loser." Charlie glares at her.

Michael is standing next to Nick's hospital bed. Nick has his eyes open and Michael asks him gently, "How are you feeling?" In reply, Nick just asks, "What happened?" Michael tells him, "I made a mistake. I gave you a shot of penicillin for the sore throat. I forgot you were allergic to the stuff." Nick mutters, "Convenient." Michael stares at him and cries, "For God's sake, Nick, it was an honest mistake. I was tired; I've been under a lot of pressure lately." Nick points out, "You've known since you were ten years old I was allergic to penicillin." Michael replies, "And in the heat of the moment I forgot. I know that's no excuse, but what can I say? I'm sorry." Nick just mutters, "I want to get some rest." Michael murmurs, "Sure." He goes to leave the room. As he reaches the door, he turns back to his brother and says, "It might help you sleep to know that you're going to be OK. Tomorrow morning, you should be feeling a lot better." With that, he heads out into the corridor. Alison is sitting waiting. As she looks at Michael, she remarks, "You look worse than Nick when you brought him in! How is he?" Michael replies, "He'll be OK." Alison asks, "Can I go and see him?" Michael, however, tells her, "No. Wait 'til tomorrow: he'll be stronger then; more able to cope with visitors." Alison asks, "Was it the injection?" Michael nods guiltily, "Yep. All my fault." Alison cajoles, "Come on, Michael, you weren't meant to know he was allergic to penicillin." Michael, however, retorts, "But I did. I've known most of my life. I forgot." He then muses, "I keep thinking of the old joke about doctors burying their mistakes. I almost buried my brother." Alison suggests, "Let's go and have a cup of coffee; we can talk about it." Michael, however, tells her, "I'm meant to be working. I'll catch up with you later." Alison warns, "Take it easy, OK?" With that, she walks off, leaving Michael standing in the corridor looking worried.

A while later, Alison is sitting in the lounge room at Charlie's with Charlie and Pamela. Pamela comments in disbelief, "He knew but he forgot?" Alison nods, "Yes." Charlie cries, "Oh, the poor boy must feel dreadful." Alison replies, "He does. I just wish there was some way I could help him." Pamela comments, "Must feel pretty guilty, I suppose." Alison retorts, "Of course. Wouldn't you?" She then sighs, "I can't believe it: a few hours ago, everything was fine; now Nick's in hospital, Michael's going through the tortures of the damned... It wasn't even his fault; it could have happened to anyone." Charlie soothes, "Don't upset yourself, darling. I'll pour you a scotch; that'll help you relax." Pamela stares at her and snaps, "Charlie, why do you encourage everybody to reach for the bottle when they're upset?" She turns to Alison and adds, "I'll make you a nice cup of tea. That'll do you more good than knocking yourself out with booze." She gives Charlie a pointed look before leaving the room. When she's gone, Charlie cries, "Oh, that woman!" Alison just snaps, "Not again, Charlie." Charlie mutters, "Anyone would think I was trying to turn you into an alcoholic." Alison insists, "I don't think she meant to sound nasty." Charlie, however, retorts, "Of course she did. Pamela is not to be trusted." She then goes on, "I put an ad in the paper today: a reward for information on your bracelet she supposedly lost. It's my guess she sold it to raise the protection money for Beryl." A smile crosses Alison's face as she remarks, "I think you're jealous! You're not worried that I'm paying too much attention to Pamela and you're missing out?" Charlie tells her, "I'm worried that she's playing you for a sucker; that's what I'm worried about." Alison sighs, "She's not playing me for anything." Charlie just suggests, "Let's wait and see what my ad turns up, shall we? Then we'll see if I'm right or not."

Andy runs downstairs in the hallway at the mansion. He's wearing a casual grey suit with an orange shirt. Fiona is standing by the noticeboard, pinning up a piece of paper. Andy smiles, "Letting us all know we're up for a rent increase, are you, Fiona?!" Fiona, however, tells him, "No, no, there's a charity clothing drive on next week, so any of your old things you want to get rid of, just give them to me." She then looks at Andy's outfit and asks, "You off out?" Andy nods, "Mmm. What do you think?" Fiona replies, "Whoever's going with you will be suitably impressed." Andy smiles, "That's the name of the game, isn't it?" Fiona muses, "Really? I would use another term." Andy mutters, "You think I'm out on the make again, do you, Fiona?" Fiona insists sarcastically, "Oh, Andy, anything you want to do is entirely your own business." Andy growls, "I'm glad you see it like that, 'cos I'd hate to think you were the type of person who'd throw stones. Break a lot of glass that way, Fiona." With that, he heads out - just as Michael comes in. Fiona smiles at him, "You're back early. I didn't think your shift finished until morning." Michael replies quietly, "It doesn't. I've put myself on leave of absence; handed in my stethoscope. For the time being, just forget I'm a doctor, will you?" A look of surprise crosses Fiona's face.

A short time later, Michael is sitting at the table in Fiona's room. Fiona puts a cup of tea in front of him and sits down. As she does so, she comments, "Of course you're upset - who wouldn't be? - but you're being very hard on yourself. Now, had it have happened while you were on duty and alert, things would have been different - but you weren't." Michael tells her grimly, "I made a mistake. Doctors aren't supposed to make mistakes." Fiona smiles encouragingly, "Michael... As far as being a doctor is concerned, you didn't make a mistake. Under normal circumstances, what you did was totally correct. What you forgot was a bit of family history that hasn't been discussed for years. There is a difference - and if there's anything to be learned from all this, it's 'don't burn the candle at both ends'." Michael, however, replies, "No excuses, Fiona. The simple fact is: I blew it." Fiona points out, "You were tired." Michael retorts, "I almost killed my brother, for heaven's sakes. I'm a doctor; I'm supposed to stop people from dying, not hurry them along." Fiona tells him, "You're also supposed to recognise the fact that you are a human being. Human beings sometimes make mistakes, and that's all there was. Now, why can't you accept that?" Michael stands up and cries, "Because I'm not prepared to whitewash the whole episode. I made a mistake and I half-killed Nick. To see it any other way means you haven't got the faintest idea what you're talking about." With that, he storms out of the room. Fiona sits at the table, looking worried.

It's the next morning. In Melbourne, an old tea chest has been covered with a table cloth and placed in the middle of the kitchen floor at Caroline's. Small stools have been placed either side. Caroline is standing in the room, talking on the 'phone, saying, "Some other time, then... Good. Just don't forget, that's all... Alright. Bye!" She hangs up as Doug walks in. He asks, "Who was that?" Caroline tells him, "Debbie. I thought she and Craig might like to come over for dinner tonight." Doug asks, "Are they coming?" Caroline, however, explains, "No. It seems Craig's too busy working at the carwash and then studying afterwards." As she talks, Doug opens the briefcase he's holding, removes a pile of papers and places them on top of the tea chest. Caroline stares at him and asks curtly, "What are you doing?" Doug tells her, "They're the T-shirt accounts; I have to get them done this morning." Caroline protests, "But I'll be working in here, on the book." Doug shrugs, "That's OK - I won't worry you. I would've set up in the living room, but there's nowhere to sit." Caroline persists, "I'll be using the dictaphone; you won't be able to concentrate with me chatting away." Doug, however, insists, "Of course I will! Anyway, I'll get a sneak preview of what's going on in the sequel!" Caroline, looking worried, murmurs, "That's all very well, but I can't work with the distractions - it stops the flow." Doug assures her, "I won't say a word." Caroline, however, retorts, "You'll still be a distraction just being in the same room." She then pauses before picking up her tape recorder and saying, "I tell you what: I feel like some fresh air, so why don't I take this dictaphone and go down to the park; seek inspiration from the Yarra?" Doug murmurs guiltily, "I don't like the idea of kicking you out of your own house." Caroline, however, smiles, "That's alright - really. I'll enjoy the peace and quiet." Doug suggests, "Then why don't I wander down at about midday and we'll have lunch together? It'll make me feel a bit better about kicking you out of the kitchen!" Caroline gives him a hug and smiles, "That'll be lovely: just the two of us!" She rolls her eyes in relief.

Michael is lying asleep in bed in his room at the mansion. He stirs suddenly, looks at his alarm clock and then leaps out of bed. He walks over to pick up a shirt from the back of the chair at his desk - and then a look of realisation crosses his face. He murmurs to himself, "What am I thinking about?" He puts the shirt back down and goes and sits on the edge of his bed, looking glum.

A while later, Fiona is standing in the corridor outside Michael's door with a young woman who's handing her a black plastic bag and saying, "There's nothing wrong with them; I just don't wear them anymore, and they're only taking up space." Fiona smiles, "Thanks." The woman walks off down the corridor. Michael emerges from his room, suddenly, wearing his running gear. Fiona smiles, "Hi! You going for a run?" Michael shrugs, "Nothing better to do." He then goes on, "Listen, Fiona, I'm sorry I flew off the handle last night." Fiona assures him, "Forgiven and forgotten." Michael smiles, "Thanks." As he then goes to head out, Fiona calls after him, "I bought a bag of oranges the other day. If you feel like some juice when you get back, you're more than welcome." Michael looks at her and says, "I do want to talk, Fiona, but not just yet; a lot of things I have to straighten out in my head first." With that, he heads out. As he does so, Andy comes in, still wearing his grey suit and orange shirt. As he goes to head upstairs, Fiona remarks, "You're early. Didn't she offer you any breakfast?!" Andy turns and looks at her. He then says curtly, "Listen: try not to make too much noise when you're sweeping out the landing today. I didn't get very much sleep last night and I need to catch-up on a bit, OK?" Fiona gives him a pointed smile!

Caroline is sitting on a bench in a park in Melbourne, staring out at the Yarra river and speaking into her cassette recorder, saying, "Pamela's desire to rekindle her romance with Dean was not something new. How many times had she been through this before? Logic told her to stay away; never to see him again - but she knew she couldn't: her love for Dean was too powerful; too strong; and she knew she had no control over it." She breaks off suddenly as she hears a voice call, "Lunch break!" Doug walks over to her and gives her a kiss. Caroline stands up and the two of them start walking along in the park. As they do so, Caroline asks, "Where are we going?" Doug tells her, "Harry's. We are eating in style today." Caroline groans, "Doug, we can't afford that. Why don't we just get a sandwich and sit down by the side of the river?" Doug explains, "We have company, that's why." Caroline asks in surprise, "Who?" Doug tells her, "Bob Baxter - the guy who's distributing the T-shirts in America." Caroline asks, "What's to stop him having a sandwich with us?" Doug, however, tells her, "You can't treat a business partner to a tuna sambo and expect to stay on good terms with him! We have to impress him; do the right thing." Caroline suggests, "Why don't you go ahead and impress him and I'll stay here and get on with my work?" Doug, however, pleads, "Don't be like that. You're part of the deal." Caroline raises her eyebrows and remarks coldly, "Am I?" Doug insists, "You know what I mean." Caroline, however, retorts, "No. Tell me." Doug says, "Bob's a good guy. You'll like him. He likes attractive women... You'll make him feel comfortable. He'll like you." Caroline asks suspiciously, "Did you know about this when you invited me to lunch this morning?" Doug insists, "No. Just came up - he called about eleven." As they keep walking, Caroline warns, "Doug, I don't like to be dragged out to lunch to further your business interests." Doug assures her, "You're not - honest. Come on... don't be a stick-in-the mud." Caroline sighs, "Alright - but I'll have to go home and change. And for your sake, I just hope he's not a bore." Doug smiles, "He isn't. You'll like him: he's a ton of fun!"

Sometime later, Doug and Caroline are sitting with Bob Baxter at a window table at Harry's. Bob exclaims at Doug, "You're having me on! My Sister My Love: Caroline wrote that?" Doug nods, "Under her pen-name, Angela Johns." Bob smiles, "I don't believe it! Why didn't you tell me you had a famous wife?" Doug chuckles, "I just did." Bob tells Caroline, "I'm very impressed." Caroline muses pointedly, "Good... that's what Doug was working on." Doug says to Bob quickly, "She's not bad with the jokes, either!" Bob turns back to Caroline and asks, "Have you got another one on the way?" Caroline nods, "Yes, there's another one on the way." Bob remarks, "The saga continues?" Caroline murmurs, "Yes... something like that." Bob comments, "I must get you to autograph a copy for the wife - she loved the first one. Clever and beautiful at the same time; you're a wonder, Caroline." He then adds, "I think I'm going to enjoy doing business with you, Doug. I reckon you can trust a bloke that's got good taste in women - and you certainly have got a good little woman here." He raises a glass to Caroline. Caroline sits there looking less than impressed!

Alison is standing at Nick's bedside at Park Ridge Hospital. She smiles at the patient, "I bought you some chocolates; help cheer you up! I would've bought flowers, but someone told me that pollen brings on asthma attacks. I'd never have forgiven myself if I'd sent you into another relapse!" Nick grins, "I think I might've coped if you'd have been here to nurse me!" Alison then says more seriously, "I'm sorry about the way things turned out last night." Nick points out, "It was hardly your fault." Alison, however, explains, "No, no, I mean before that. I promise I will never try my hand at matchmaking again." Looking puzzled, Nick comments, "You're a couple of steps ahead of me." Alison explains, "I thought Pamela and Michael might be good for each other, so I organised a nice quiet intimate little dinner for two; then Charlie gets her dates mixed up and invites you over... well, you know the rest." Looking surprised, Nick says, "But Charlie only invited me for dinner yesterday afternoon. There was no mix-up: it was definitely for last night - and Charlie wasn't the one doing the inviting: she implied it was your idea. What's going on in sleepy little Dural?!" Alison, looking stern-faced, growls, "A touch of sabotage, I suspect." There's knock on the door of the room suddenly and Michael comes in. Seeing Alison standing there, he says, "I'll come back later." Alison, however, tells him, "No, no, I'm just going." As she turns to leave, Nick says, "Come and see me tomorrow." Alison smiles, "I will. Bye." With that, she leaves the room. Michael closes the door behind her. He then remarks brightly to his brother, "You look a lot healthier today than yesterday." Nick doesn't respond. Michael then goes on, "Look, I know I've already said this, and I'll probably go on saying it for the rest of my life, but I'm sorry; I truly am sorry." Nick snaps suddenly, "How do I know it was a mistake - which you insist it was?" Looking shocked, Michael cries, "It was. I made an honest mistake." Nick growls, "For all I know, you could've wanted to kill me but then lost your nerve and rang for an ambulance." Michael murmurs in shock, "Is that what you think?" Nick snaps, "It's a thought. Retribution for what Nasty Nick did to poor little Jason?" Michael glares at him and then storms out of the room.

A while later, Michael is sitting with Fiona at the table in her room at the mansion, saying glumly, "He could be right. What he said could be right." Fiona murmurs, "No..." Michael retorts, "I've never liked Nick; not since Jason was killed." Fiona tells him, "You've got to stop doing this to yourself. You wouldn't deliberately hurt anyone; you're not that sort of person." Michael sighs, "The key word is 'deliberate'. I agree I wouldn't hurt anyone deliberately, but the mind's a funny thing, you know - especially the subconscious." Fiona, however, insists, "You no more tried to kill Nick than I did. You're letting what he said get to you. He's playing on your guilt. You're not to let him do that - for goodness sakes, you've got nothing to feel guilty about." Michael just says, "It's no good, Fiona. The thought's there and it won't go away. There's every chance I did try to kill him - and if that's true, I broke the Hippocratic Oath. There's only one thing to do when that happens: give up medicine."

Caroline, Doug and Bob Baxter emerge from Harry's, Bob saying as they do so, "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Caroline." Caroline replies stiffly, "I've enjoyed meeting you, too, Bob." Bob adds, "Frances and I must have you over for dinner one night. You too, Doug." Doug replies, "I'll look forward to that." Bob then tells him, "We'll sign those papers in my office in the morning." Doug suggests, "Ten thirty?" Bob nods, "See you then." With that he and Doug shake hands and Bob walks off. Doug looks at Caroline and smiles, "There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Caroline, however, growls, "I hated every minute of it. 'You've got a good little woman here, Doug.' The man's a creep." Doug insists, "He wasn't that bad." Caroline pauses before saying, "You know, you're a bit two-faced when it comes to business." Looking surprised, Doug asks, "What are you talking about? I'm straight down the line." Caroline retorts, "Then why's it wrong for me to use people I know to make a success of my book and perfectly OK for you to use me to make a success of your business?" Doug tells her, "Because it's not the same, that's why. Anyway, it's not my business; it's our business: we're partners, remember? Share and share alike?" Caroline sighs, "Don't you see what I'm getting at?" Doug tells her, "No, quite frankly I don't. Us working together to build a business is one thing; you taking the mickey out of a bunch of friends to make a quid is something else. It should never have happened. It's wrong. Still, it's behind us now. It's not going to happen again, so let's not talk about it." Caroline murmurs, "No, let's not..."

A short time later, Doug and Caroline walk into the kitchen at Caroline's, Doug asking, "When's arvo tea?" Caroline gasps, "What?! We've only just finished lunch!" Changing the subject, she indicates her neck and asks, "Have you seen my necklace anywhere?" Doug nods, "It's on the mantle." As she goes to head across to the lounge room, Caroline picks up an apple from a bowl on the tea chest and adds, "If you get hungry, have some fruit!" She leaves the room. Doug calls after her, "It's devil's food, Caroline!" Caroline just laughs as she calls back, "Sorry! Can't hear you!" Doug mutters, "It's no wonder Adam turned his nose up!" He puts the apple down suddenly as he spots Caroline's dictaphone peeping out of the top of her handbag, which is resting on the crate. He picks it up and goes to switch it on - but is stopped as Caroline walks back in and says, "Hold it right there, Mister!" Doug looks at her and says quickly, "I wasn't going to listen to it. I was... just going to polish the 'Play' button! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Caroline! You'd think a tradeswoman would look after her tools a bit better than that!" Caroline just smiles at him and laughs, "You're hopeless!" Doug pleads, "Can't I just hear one paragraph?" Caroline replies, "Nope." Doug suggests, "One sentence?" Caroline replies, "Uh-uh." Doug goes on, "One word. Tell me the last one. Have you written it yet? It's what I'll read first anyway." Caroline smiles, "Alright: the last one. You ready?" Doug looks at her. He then picks up his apple and warns, "You say 'End' and I'll throw his apple right at you!" Caroline pauses before telling him, "The End." She then giggles and dashes out into the hallway as Doug throws the apple in her direction!

Alison is standing in the lounge room at Charlie's, looking at a magazine, when she hears the front door slam. She calls, "Is that you, Charlie?" Charlie walks in and replies curtly, "The one and only. I've got something interesting to show you." She reaches into her handbag. Before she can go any further, though, Alison snaps, "Why did you deliberately set out to wreck the evening I planned for Michael and Pamela?" Charlie asks 'innocently', "Did I?" Alison snaps, "Of course you did: inviting Nick over here, telling him it was my idea... getting the dates wrong... It was all a giant set-up, wasn't it?" Charlie admits coldly, "Yes, it was, actually." Alison looks at her in surprise. Charlie sits down on the couch and adds, "Anything to stop a nice person like Michael getting mixed up with the likes of Pamela." Alison glares at her and snaps, "My God, you take a lot on yourself." Charlie just shrugs, "Alright. Call it prejudice - but as it happens, I was right: Pamela is not worth foisting on any unsuspecting man." She then reaches into her handbag and removes the bracelet that Nick gave to Alison as a present. She hands it to Alison and tells her, "I had a call from a second-hand dealer: he saw my ad in the paper. He described Pamela as the woman who sold him that bracelet. She also sold him the transistor radio you gave her. So, it would seem my intuition was spot-on - wasn't it? Pamela is a liar and a cheat. So, when does she get her marching orders?" Alison stands there, looking worried.