(Monday 17^th – Friday 21^st February 2020)

Dean spots a text on Ziggy’s phone, revealing the truth about the job.  He mentions to Ben that Ziggy is acting strangely.  When Ben finds out about the job, he urges Ziggy to be honest with her boyfriend.  Meanwhile, Ziggy seeks Willow’s advice about Dean and the two women quickly realise they both have secrets they’re too scared to tell them.  Willow gives her best advice – be honest and then get him into bed!

Alex isn’t concerned about Bella but tells Colby to monitor her; he cancels his shift to look after her.  Colby is clumsy around Alex but is genuinely happy for her and Willow.  Colby also can’t resist teasing Willow about Alex.  When Dean nearly catches them kissing, Willow makes an idiot out of herself trying to clumsily explain in front of Alex, not that Dean even actually notices; he’s too consumed with his own problems.

Willow frets to Alex about Dean, now that she knows Ziggy also has bad news for him.  Alex points out that their news isn’t actually bad.  Dean is annoyed when he realises that Ziggy has been talking to everyone but him.  He is hurt that she doesn’t feel that can just be honest with him.  When he tells Willow that, she feels it’s the right time to be honest with him herself and she comes out to him about her relationship with Alex.  He doesn’t take it well, especially when he realises that other people already know and that they all went for drinks together without her telling him that they were an item.  He storms off.  Such a grown up.  Meanwhile, Ziggy prepares a special meal for Dean who is ignoring her messages.

Maggie wants to get started on Bella’s school work to get her into Year Twelve.  If they don’t start now, she will have to repeat Year Eleven, which she refuses to do.  Colby and Bella then propose the idea of home schooling instead.  Maggie agrees but doesn’t think it’s a good idea.  She and Roo offer to teach Bella over the holidays as a favour.  Colby and Bella are discussing the plan when Dean bursts in, in a bad mood about Willow.  Colby and Bella both tell him off for not being supportive.  Dean finally answers Ziggy’s call.  All is not well.  He admits to Colby that Ziggy has accepted the pit crew job and not bothered to tell him.

Willow frets to Alex about Dean’s reaction to her news.  Out for a walk on the beach, Willow wants to escape in Alex who notes that her girlfriend hardly slept for fretting about Dean.  Just then, Dean approaches them, wanting to sort things out.  Alex leaves them to it and Dean and Willow apologise to each other.  He is completely supportive of her new relationship.  He also thinks Alex is hot.  Well, he has a point.  Thrilled, Willow reports back to Alex who finally admits how scared she was that it was all going to go wrong.  Willow thinks it’s adorable that Alex pretended to be in control when she was so worried.  Alex admits how important it is to her that Willow’s friends like and accept her.  Then she congratulates Willow on coming out for the first time.  Then, on the wharf where ten years ago, Charlie and Joey, Home and Away’s first attempt at a lesbian couple said goodbye, Alex and Willow kiss, full of happiness.

Ben hassles Ziggy over the way she is treating Dean, shutting him out and avoiding the problem when she is about to leave the Bay for her new job.  She is terrified of losing him.  When he points out that she will lose him anyway, Ziggy finally goes to speak to Dean.  He is hurt that she didn’t bother to tell him and that she is leaving so soon.  They break up.  Broken, Ziggy says goodbye to her parents and sets off for her new career.  She and Dean are both full of regret.  Dean opts to get drunk.  Colby takes his car keys.

As Dean’s mood plummets and news of the breakup spreads, Ben and Mac tell him off for messing up his surf school bookings in favour of drinking and dwelling on his personal problems.  Between them, Mac and Ben do their best to sort him out.

Jade is unimpressed when Ryder brings her flowers and brushes him off when he is keen to spend more time with her.  Undeterred, he is still full of the joys of spring, convinced that he has met the girl of his dreams.  I am pretty sure he has actually met the girl of his nightmares.  Things take a turn when he catches her stealing $50 from the till.  She makes excuses but when the till is down by $50, rather than ratting her out, he pays it back and makes an excuse about making a mistake himself.  The odd couple end up in bed together again but things go south when he continues to question her about the theft.  At first, she loses her temper but then she spins him a sob story, accompanied by the world’s smallest violin.  Getting sucked in, he gets her an extension on her rent and forgets the $50 he paid for her.  She continues stealing from Salt.  Ryder is the most gullible guy on earth.

Tori is finally moved to Northern Districts where Justin has his heart set on her being taken off the ventilator and waking up, convinced this is the answer.  Mason, however, is losing hope that his sister will ever be the person she once was.  Justin also accuses Robbo of objecting in case it messes up his plans to move away with Jasmine and Grace.  At first, Super Doc Alex’s attempts to get Tori breathing on her own don’t work but eventually, when Robbo and Jasmine bring Grace to see her, she begins to breathe on her own and wakes up.  What is it?  That magical healing of a baby?  She is largely unresponsive but her eyes are open.  It’s a start.  I mean, I’m pleased.  I like Tori.  Also, Justin whinging is very annoying.  But I’m not happy.  Tori wakes up, she starts back at the hospital and… Alex leaves.  And I like Alex.  Much more than Tori.

But anyway… it’s Marilyn and John’s fifth wedding anniversary so Martha invites them, Leah and Irene round for lunch with her and Alf.  At lunch, Leah tells Irene how much she loves Justin.  Like, even more than Vinnie (RIP)!  But she then takes a weird phone call from an unknown number…

(Channel 5, 1:15pm & 6pm (sneak peek, weekdays on 5STAR at 6:30pm)