Ned looking at his ad for new housemates and complaining that he’s had no applicants. Paul surprises Lyn with a first class trip to New York. Katya appears from the bedroom in her lingerie and proceeds to seduce Ned…

At number 28, Ned admits that he isn’t used to so much confidence in a woman and is a little taken aback. She suggests that he just do exactly as she says and asks if he prefers his women to be sweet, demure and well-behaved. He insists that he doesn’t always prefer the well-behaved ones, as Katya leads him off to the bedroom.

..

At number 22, Paul, Elle, Lyn, Oscar and Steph have just finished dinner and Steph suggests that she and Elle tidy up, whilst Lyn finishes her packing and gets some magazines for the long flight. Paul points out that first class will have plenty of magazines, movies and music, and the only difficult decision will be which champagne to drink, though Lyn is worried about drinking alcohol on a plane and becoming dehydrated. Paul tells her that she can drink a bottle of imported mineral water for every glass of champagne. Lyn admits that she doesn’t want to be made a fuss of, but Paul reminds her that first class is all about fuss, as the two of them go upstairs to finish packing. In the kitchen, Steph is telling Elle that she would have got on really well with Michelle and Flick, as they’d have loved someone new to take shopping with them. Elle quickly mentions that she simply can’t go to New York as she has so much to deal with at home, such as work…

The next morning, a taxi is waiting outside number 22, as Paul brings the cases out. He reminds Elle that, if she changes her mind, the travel agent’s number is on the fridge. Elle insists that he and Lyn need some alone time, and he tells her to keep an eye on Loris as she might be planning to cause some trouble. Boyd helps Lyn with her case, and checks that she still has room for pressies – including the new trainers he asked for. Lyn tells Steph to call if there are any problems, and she’ll come back straight away. Steph insists that everything is fine and, by the time Lyn returns, it’ll all be back to normal. Lyn, Paul and Oscar then get into the taxi and leave.

..

At number 28, Katya sneaks out of the bedroom, checking that Rachel and Zeke aren’t around, before Ned follows her out. She apologises, explaining that there are some things she doesn’t want her younger siblings to see. Ned mentions to Katya that he needs her help with the housemate interviews, as he suddenly had about 15 applicants the day before. He says that boyfriends and girlfriends need to help each other out with the boring jobs like that, but Katya insists that no job with Ned is ever boring.

At the hospital, Steph, Boyd and Janae are trying to talk to nurse Sheena about Max being discharged. Sheena explains that he can’t go home yet, and Steph wants to know why. Sheena suggests speaking to Dr Young about it, but Steph says she wants another opinion. Sheena says that she can go and get someone else, but it won’t change anything – Max won’t be released. Janae suggests that maybe a reassessment will make them realise that they’ve made a mistake with Max, but Boyd and Steph don’t think it’ll be that easy.

..

..

At number 30, Ned and Katya see out some potential applicants, all of which Katya has deemed unsuitable for one reason or another. Meanwhile, a young couple arrive at the door and he tells her to lose the chewing gum, as it’ll make a bad first impression. She wishes that she’d known he was such a control freak before she’d agreed to apply for the house with him. He asks her to try and keep quiet during the interview, if she’s at all capable of that. Ned then answers the door and the man introduces himself as Frazer and the woman as Pepper. Ned points out that it says Heidi on his notes, but she explains that she hates that name, and everyone calls her Pepper. Ned introduces them to Katya, and Pepper is very impressed with the colour of the walls. Frazer says that he and Pepper are engaged – and quickly reels off a story about how they met at McSweeney’s book shop in the city, he was in biographies, she was in self-help and they realised that they both had a copy of The Fountainhead on order, and the rest is history. Pepper starts looking through a pile of CDs on the table and says that you can tell a lot about a person by their taste in music, or their sock drawer, not that she would ever look in someone’s sock drawer… Katya then asks what they do – Frazer’s a financial advisor and Pepper’s a high school teacher. Ned says that he loves kids, and knows someone who works with sick children. Pepper starts asking Ned about musicals, then starts sneezing, and Katya looks worried…

Boyd and Janae arrive to visit Max and he sits up on the bed, apologising as he’s not quite with it, and can’t remember Janae’s name. Boyd makes an awkward joke about not missing his dad’s cooking, then quickly decides to go and get some drinks from the cafeteria, with Janae worried at being left alone with Max. She sits next to him on the bed and he apologises to her. She says that it’s fine and he says that he wishes he knew how to fix things. Janae realises how much he’s struggling and suggests a holiday in Queensland, as they’re all a bit nutty up there. She suddenly realises what she’s said, but Max seems to find it very amusing.

..

At number 30, Katya and Ned are now interviewing Will, who’s telling them about all of the places he’s travelled to. When he mentions Tibet, Katya starts quizzing him about some of the places there and he gets a bit confused, claiming that he’s seen so many things, he sometimes can’t remember them all. He turns the tables and starts asking Ned where he’s from originally, but Ned gets annoyed with the questions and asks Will if he’s planning to stick around and whether he has any work. Will explains that he wants to settle down now and will take whatever work he can find, but this is his first sharehouse so he has no references. Katya asks Will about his family and he says that they’re just normal. Ned thanks Will for coming, and he leaves. Katya thinks he’s perfect, but Ned isn’t sure he’ll be able to pay the rent. Katya thinks he’s just jealous.

..

..

At the bar, Will is ordering a drink from Janae, and comments that she doesn’t seem old enough to be working there. She explains that she’s filling in for her husband, and he asks how she can be old enough to get married, but not to work in a bar. She looks awkward and he asks her if she can put in a good word for him with the owners about some bar work. She takes his resume, just as Frazer appears to order drinks for himself and Pepper. He comments on Will’s expensive watch, but Will insists that it’s a fake, before walking off. Frazer takes the drinks over to Pepper, who’s busy checking out Will, and tells her to watch her handbag, as that guy seems a bit shifty. Ned then calls Frazer to let him know that he and Pepper can have the room, while Katya calls Will and tells him that he’s got the other room. She welcomes him to the neighbourhood.

On Ramsay Street, Pepper and Frazer are taking boxes out of the car, and she comments that, for a guy who’s broke, he’s got a lot of clothes. He says that he isn’t broke, he just has a temporary cash flow problem. He isn’t impressed when he notices Will, complete with backpack, walking up the driveway to the house. Pepper realises that he must be the other housemate, but Frazer is more pleased to see a young woman walking up the house. She smiles at them, then starts checking her make-up and saying a mantra to herself – “I can do anything I set my mind to, I’m in complete control of my life” – then trips over the step. Pepper’s not amused as Frazer follows the young woman, leaving her to carry the boxes.

..

Inside the house, Will is getting on very well with Bob, and Ned is checking that Will will be able to pay the rent on the 12th of every month. Katya then grabs Ned and explains that they have a problem – mantra woman has just started her clerkship with Tim Collins & Associates and Tim promised her Toadie’s old room. Frazer quickly butts in and suggests that she could have Will’s room, as he hasn’t unpacked yet. Will isn’t impressed and goes to help Pepper with the boxes. Frazer then asks about the 3rd free room, but Ned says it’s just a box room, but Frazer thinks it’s big enough for “Jack Kerouac” and his backpack. The woman thanks Ned and gives him her business card, asking him to call her if the situation changes. Ned glances at the card and quickly calls her back, saying that they can’t let her go without a roof over her head and they’ll work something out. Katya isn’t impressed.

..

At the bar, Elle is surprised to find Janae working there, but Janae points out that she’s 17 and is just filling in for Boyd, as he’s busy with his father. Elle looks guilty and says that things should be better now that Max is coming home, but Janae says that Max had another episode earlier so his return has been delayed.

..

Ned is showing the new faces around the back yard of number 30. When Katya hears that Rosetta’s surname is Cammeniti, she asks her if she knows Carmella. Rosetta suddenly looks worried and says that she’s her sister, and Katya explains that she lives across the street and used to live at number 30! Pepper’s amazed by the freaky coincidence and is amused that Rosetta’s sister is a ‘sister’. Pepper goes off to find Bob, as she wants to know if she’s allergic to dogs. Katya goes over to Ned, wondering if he knew all along that Carmella’s sister was moving in, but he insists that he didn’t and offers her a night in a suite at Lassiter’s to make up for it. Rosetta then apologises to Will for him having to stay in the cupboard, but he insists that he’s slept in worse places in India. Frazer glares across at them, as Pepper returns and starts stripping down to a bikini. She announces a pool party, before trying to drag Frazer into the water, as he protests about not damaging his expensive suit and watch.

Elle enters Max’s hospital room and he just sits and stares at her. She finally admits that this whole thing is her fault – she stole the tickets, moved Charlie and paid off the private detective. She explains that she lost her best friend when Cameron died, and she just wanted Max to pay for what he’d done. She says that she’ll go and tell the doctors everything, but Max isn’t responding. Elle asks him if he’s listening, and he says that he is, before calling her Steph and says that she’s better off without him. A confused Elle leaves the room.

..

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At number 30, in Pepper and Frazer’s room, Pepper returns from the shower, complaining about being itchy and having an allergy to something. Frazer is busy using all of the wardrobe space, so Pepper says that she’ll just make a pile on the floor for her clothes, as it’ll be easier. Frazer begins to wonder why he agreed to this plan, and Pepper says that he was desperate and he needed her to bring some spice to his life. He agrees that he was desperate, and she says that, now he’s got the hots for Rosetta, he can’t leave. He points out that she seemed to be enjoying the company of Will and Ned herself, before putting a mattress down on the floor to sleep on.

..

Back at the hospital, Steph and Boyd have come to get Max, and Sheena is asking them to sign some forms. She then accompanies then to his room, but they’re alarmed to find that he’s not there. As Sheena runs off to get help, Steph and Boyd look at each other, worried.

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Summary by Steve