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Magic Moments > 2007 > The Bus Crash Episode 5262

Written by Stuart Gaunt, Directed by Aarne Neeme, Produced by Peter Dodds

Channel Ten: 24/07/07, BBC One: 16/10/07

Episode Title (not used on screen): Into Each Life...

Father Capetola announces Frazer and Rosetta as husband and wife and they kiss, to the applause of their friends and family. Ned introduces his brother Steve, his wife Miranda and their daughter Bridget to Janae, who is angry at his request that they move their furniture into her empty garage. Mickey plays in the Parker's removal van before accidentally releasing the handbrake, setting the vehicle rolling down the driveway directly colliding with the minibus, full of the returning wedding guests...

The Parkers run out to the Street to find that the minibus has tipped over and the ground is littered with some of the passengers. Susan joins them, comforting a distressed Pepper, helping her up, as she calls for Adam. Ned inspects the bus, calling Janae's name. Adam and Oliver, also hurt on the Street, regain consciousness and a frightened Mickey, watching from behind the removal van, runs from the scene of the accident he caused.

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Miranda and Bridget, following Steve's instruction run to number 22, frantically asking to use the phone. Miranda fills Paul in on what has happened as Bridget, on the phone, asks where they are. "Ramsay Street," Paul replies.

Back on the Street, Ned breaks through the window of the bus, trying to reach those trapped. He finds and helps Toadie, clearly in pain, from the bus, followed by Steph. Paul joins them, worried about Elle, who calls from inside. And as she is pulled out safely in Oliver's arms, Ned asks about Janae. To his relief, he is told that she went back for her handbag, she wasn't on the bus. However, Carmella and Ringo are still in there. Ned tries to enter but is told by Steve to get out as there is petrol everywhere.

Inside the bus, Carmella wakes up and tries to stir Ringo, telling him to hang in there and that someone will come for them. He tells her that he loves her and asks her if she feels the same. Carmella doesn't reply but as he drifts into unconsciousness, she tells him she loves him, in a desperate bid to keep him awake. Steve ushers everyone away from the area, telling them about the petrol leak and Ned manages to enter through a window to rescue the pair, as a flame ignites underneath the bus.

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In their hotel suite, Frazer sits anxiously on the bed, waiting for Rosie and asks what she is doing. She emerges from the bathroom, smiling. She gushes over the fact that they're married and he notices how nervous she is, telling her he feels the same. Rosie asks why since this isn't his 'first time', but Frazer tells her that this is the first time since his accident and it's also the first time with the love of his life. Rosie continues to babble nervously about the fact that they are married before they lay down on the bed, kissing.

Back in Ramsay Street, Ned has got Carmella out of the bus and taking her in his arms, Steve lifts her to safety. He returns, trying to mop up the petrol, but to no avail. He rushes away, telling Ned to get out, as the fire begins to spread. Ned meanwhile, pushes away the seat that was trapping Ringo, who is yelling in agony. He lifts him up and they crawl out of the top of the bus together. They are safe on the ground and the onlookers sigh in relief. However as they race away, the fire catches the petrol spillage and the whole bus bursts into flames, sending the pair flying to the ground. Everyone looks in horror as Ned tries in vain to wake Ringo.

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At the hospital, the nurse tries to calm an upset Carmella, distraught at the sight of unconscious Ringo being wheeled through the hospital. Steph and Toadie look at each other in despair as Ned clutches his head in pain. Meanwhile on Ramsay Street, the police take evidence at the site of the crash after the fire has been extinguished. Rachel arrives and races toward Susan, who is on her mobile. As they embrace, she tries to explain what has happened to Rachel, who bursts into tears and the pair head inside. The Parkers stand observing the events and begin to talk, before Steve holds Bridget and Miranda in his arms and hugs them.

Back at the hospital, Steph and Toadie compliment Ned, still in pain, for all his work during the accident. Pepper and Adam join the and Toadie begins to replay the events in his head as Steph tries to tell him that there was nothing he could do to prevent it. The police then take Toadie to do a breath test. As they begin to leave, Dr. Newton arrives informing them that although Carmella has only been given a sedative, Ringo is in a critical condition. Pepper begins to wonder how they'll be able to tell Rosie and Frazer...

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Back at their hotel suite, the blissfully unaware pair are in bed, happy. Much to Frazer's annoyance, the phone rings and Rosetta jokes that it may be the queen, calling to congratulate them. Finding out that the call is from Pepper, Rosie jokingly answers, referring to herself as the most satisfied woman in the world, before hanging up. Adam urges Pepper to call again. Rosie turns off her mobile and takes the phone off the hook and claims that she has always wanted to use a ' Please Do Not Disturb' sign, which she lefts from the dresser table, before they kiss again. Pepper and Adam decide to go and tell them in person.

At number 22, Paul puts plasters on Elle's cut and says that both she and Oliver should have went to the hospital for a check-up. In the living area, Sen. Sgt. Hill questions Steve about the truck, who can't be sure whether or not he locked it, but he had the keys in his pocket the whole time. Ned comes home and informs them of the situation at the hospital. The Parker brothers talk with Sen. Sgt. Hill, and he continues to ask questions, asking if anyone was driving, mentioning that tyre marks were found, consistent with someone trying to apply the brakes. He then tells them that if someone was driving the truck, now is the time to admit it, as Mickey watches the conversation from the stairway.

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At their suite, Rosie and Frazer enjoy wine and strawberries and Rosie produces a bag of 'presents' from Pepper. The two peer into the bag and become nervous at the site, saying that the'll use it in a few months. Upon further searching, to their shock and surprise, find something that may use in a couple of years. Then Frazer finds something that piques his interest and Rosie informs him, that it won't be used in his lifetime. A knock comes from the door and it's Pepper, saying that she needs to talk to them. Frazer can't believe it and talks about friendship boundaries as Rosie answers the door. Seeing solemn Pepper and Adam, she knows something is wrong and immediately asks what's happened.

Back at Erinsborough Hospital, Ringo goes into arrest. Dr. Newton desperately tries to revive him with the defibrillator but to no avail. She performs CPR, his heartbeat returns. As his blood pressure begins to rise steadily, Dr. Newton asks the nurse to keep an eye on him, as she doesn't think he'll be able to take another arrest.

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Over at number 22, Miranda offers to make everyone dinner as Paul decides to drive Elle and Oliver down to the hospital. As the Parkers sit, Bridget thinks that it was their fault and that they are responsible but Steve reassures her that if it was mechanical failure, then it was unavoidable. However, then Steve mentions to Ned that Mickey seemed keen to play in the cab. Ned defends his son, saying that he was in the back yard and isn't the type of kid who would do something like that without permission. Steve reminds Ned of the time when he and Stuart, as children, burnt down Mrs. Harpers hedge - kids are impulsive and he notes that Ned hasn't known him long. Angrily, Ned accuses him of trying to shift the blame off himself and storms off into the kitchen. Miranda follows, comforting him and asks would it hurt to ask Mickey? As they talk, Mickey secretly listens to the whole conversation.

Over at number 28, Rachel laments that she isn't allowed to visit Ringo and frantically tries to find magazines for him to read when he wakes up. Susan tries to calm her down, saying that they will call if there is any change to Ringo's condition and that there is nothing they can do.

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At the hospital, though wondering by the police talking outside the room, Steph offers to get Toadie a cup of tea. As she leaves, Sen. Sgt. Hill comes in to speak to Toadie, telling him that his breath test was very close to .05 and that they need to do a blood test immediately.

Meanwhile Rosetta hugs her sister who insists that she is okay and asks about Ringo's condition. Frazer tells her that someone is coming to talk to them and gives her a bag full of Ringo's clothes. Dr. Newton walks by and tells them that there has been severe damage to Ringo's torso and he's lost a lot of blood but they have successfully transfused him. She informs them that his heart stopped and they're trying to keep him stable. Toaide and Steph walk by, talking about how close Toadie was to the legal limit, unaware that Frazer is nearby. Frazer is furious, angry that he told Toadie to be the designated driver and that he better hope that the test comes back negative. Carmella, searching through the bag, notices that Ringo's shoes are missing.

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On Ramsay Street, one of Ringo's shoes is laying on the pavement and Mickey stares as the truck is towed away. Inside number 22, Paul is serving cups of tea, and the Parkers thank him for letting them stay over during the night. Susan arrives, bringing in Mickey and reacquaints herself with Miranda and Steve, who she had already met at Drew's funeral and aks Paul about Ringo's condition. Meanwhile, Ned takes Mickey into the living room an asks him if he saw anything. Mickey assures him that he didn't, as he and Jake were playing in the yard and when Jake got scared by the crash, they hid.

Later, Sen. Sgt. Hill is back wanting to collect statements from everyone. In the kitchen, Ned and Steve talk about Mickey's possible involvement. Their conversation is overheard by Sgt. Hill, and he asks to talk to Mickey. However outside, with his bag packed and with Jake on a leash, a crying Mickey decides that they have to go.

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At the hospital, Dr. Newton tells Rosie and Frazer that they can go in and see Ringo, who has been put into an induced coma in order to control his blood pressure and manage his pain, and is still in a critcial condition. Rosie tries to comfort her new husband as he stands at his brother's bedside and Carmella stands outside, looking in the window, and begins to cry..

Regular Cast Credits

Cast: Steve Bastoni as Steve Parker, Nikki Coghill as Miranda Parker, Eloise Mignon as Bridget 'Didge' Parker, Natalie Blair as Carmella Cammeniti, Sam Clark as Ringo Brown, Nicky Whelan as Heidi 'Pepper' Steiger, Ryan Moloney as Jarrod 'Toadfish' Rebecchi, David Hoflin as Oliver Barnes, Carla Bonner as Stephanie Hoyland, Pippa Black as Elle Robinson, Benjamin Hart as Adam Rhodes, Eliza Taylor-Cotter as Janae Timmins, Dan O’Connor as Ned Parker, Natalie Saleeba as Rosetta Cammeniti, Ben Lawson as Frazer Yeats, Jackie Woodburne as Susan Kinski, Fletcher O'Leary as Mickey Gannon

Guest Cast: Bob Hornery as Tom Kennedy, Tim Sullivan as Sen. Sgt. Malcolm Hill, Carolyn Bock as Dr Peggy Newton

Trivia Notes
• Although Bob Hornery (Tom Kennedy) is credited for the episode, he doesn't make an appearance
• The song used for the post-crash montage is Rise Up by Abby Dobson
• Senior Sargeant Hill congratulates Ned on his effort and notices the "Old Parker modesty" mentioning that he used to work with Stuart Parker and thought he was "a great bloke"
• Steve recalls that as children, Stuart and Ned burnt down Mrs. Harper's hedge
• Susan and Karl have already met Miranda and Steve offscreen at Drew's funeral

Summary by Conor