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Private Notes
Ali fails to conceal his presence upstairs, and, after being taunted, is sent out. Brigid is concerned that Diane is not able to protect her children by being with them. Sean offers Luke and Ruth temporary accommodation
A body is thrown out of the Murrays' and left for the police to recover. Jimmy and Lindsey suspect that their captors are losing their nerve - but when Jerome tries to be a hero, his actions merely provoke them. Ron wants someone to nip into his house to turn off the tumble dryer, and two hostages are released.
Jimmy convinces the captors to let himself and Lindsey go by pretending to be on the brink of another nervous breakdown. Kirsty denies that she was raped, but Ali feels that he let her down. The robbers discover that Marty has been suspected of being a paedophile, and lock him in a cupboard. Max has to borrow clothes from Gary.
Adele is told to shoot Marty. Gary wonders how Jacqui ended up with an old wrinkly like Max. Anthony confesses to Jan that he killed Imelda. When Jerome admits to Nikki that he accessed her e-mails and sent a message to Jimmy purporting to be from her, she tells him she wants him out of her life for good.
Gary feels that Gabby doesn't understand him, but maybe Nisha does. Stuart discovers that Luke's face was cut while he was staying with Sean. Ruth thinks that Kirsty is holding something back. Psycho becomes increasingly frustrated at missing out on a pool final, and another hostage is released.
Emily tries to escape from her captors, but may be heading for a fall. Bev and Jacqui try to reassure Diane. Nisha and Gary go up to his flat. Three of the robbers want to surrender, but the others plan to make their escape using two of the girls as body-shields - and casualties and fatalities seem inevitable when a police helicopter crashes into the Parade.
At the hospital, Nikki and Tim anxiously await news of Emily. Debbie realises that Alan may have been moving her car for her when the helicopter crashed. Nisha and Gary take a long time to realise that they have not seen Katie since the crash - and when Bev is also missing, Ron realises just how much he loves her. Then a dead body is discovered.......
Margi flies in from Europe to be at Emily's bedside. Although Tim is convinced that she will recover, others are less optimistic. Sammy is speechless at Katie's news, Ali and Kirsty find it difficult to return home, and the police have devastating news for one of the Close's families.
Margi blames Tim for Emily's condition, and Debbie is puzzled over Alan's whereabouts - but the police have some theories. Ron finds his missing box, and Nikki thinks she has dropped Matt right in it. Jan tells Marty about Anthony's confession, and Katie tells Sammy that Nic is the father of her unborn baby. Or it could be one of four other men she slept with.
Gabby almost walks in on Nisha and Gary. Adele is not pleased that Jan is likely to stay around for a while. Tim shocks Jimmy by revealing how he plans to pay for Emily's treatment. Katie narrows down the possible fathers of her baby to three, and Anthony explains to Marty how Imelda died.
Dan offers to help Debbie deal with the loss adjuster, Christy offers to support Jan if she needs it, and Lance wants to start collecting for a memorial to those who died. Leanne wants to claim compensation for post-traumatic stress, Nisha tries to persuade Katie that she didn't see what she thought she saw, and Marty doubts that Anthony will be able to keep his secret.
Debbie hunts through Alan's belongings in search of a clue as to where he has gone. Gary reluctantly prepares for a fortnight away. Emily is stabilising after an operation, but Ali is vomiting after a night out drinking. Marty goes to check out Anthony's story - but he is seen at the pond, and loses his car keys there.......
Bev is discharged from hospital, and Ron needs to borrow a car to bring her home. Marty burns everything he was wearing at the pond, but finds it difficult to remain calm. Sean wants Luke to have a normal Christmas, even though Alan is still missing and Debbie is refusing to get out of bed. Sammy encourages Katie to get back with Nic.
Ron sets up a new "Trading Post" on the Parade using Ray's caravan, but not everyone is impressed with his entrepreneurship or pricing. Josh doesn't want to leave Bev alone, and Rachel ends up being at their beck and call. Steve and Tim want revenge, Nikki has lunch with Matt, and an arrest is made at a funeral.
Marty is interviewed again, shown the evidence the police have found, and charged with Imelda's murder. Sean refuses to leave Luke with Dan. Ron tries to prevent Leanne and Christy setting themselves up in competition with him, and Tim and Margi are told that Emily is not doing as well as hoped.
When his workmate Kevin turns up with a pitiful collection for Alan, Kirsty throws him out. She assures Steve that she doesn't believe Marty is guilty, but Adele is wondering whether he really could have killed Imelda in order to protect Anthony. Leanne plans to set up a victims support group, and Katie tells Nic she is pregnant - but will he want to stand by her?
Tim tells Max he wants to buy "Trina's Tots"' premises for Emily, whatever it costs. But Nikki is not convinced that her sister will ever get better. Ruth discovers that her father's job is being advertised, Katie tells Jacqui of her plans to be a single mother, and Christy reveals his plan to keep Marty and Anthony out of prison - blame Diane.
Jimmy tries to flush Tim's nest-egg down the toilet, but Tim prevents him, and finds someone who reluctantly agrees to help him out. Ruth and Sean reach agreement on sharing Luke over Christmas, Anthony wants to go and visit Marty in prison, and Ron agrees to close his stall for a day - as long as Max compensates him.
Sean is frustrated when Debbie takes Luke out and doesn't return in time to give him the access Ruth had promised. Nisha is missing Gary - and when his plane home is delayed, she realises that she won't see him for another fortnight. Steve and Jan reluctantly feel that they must tell Marty that Anthony has gone missing.
Anthony is interviewed by the police, and confesses to killing Imelda. Jacqui discovers that Ron has invited Bev to join them for Christmas dinner. Ali and Stuart find one of Alan's secret stashes of cigarettes, Nikki wonders whether to go out with Matt, and there is a pair of brawling Santas on the Parade.
Marty is released, and joins the rest of the family taking Christmas presents to Anthony in the remand centre. At the Gordons', Debbie tries to put on a brave face, but breaks down when Luke wants to telephone his grandfather. Ron invites Brigid to join the family gathering at the Farnhams', and reflects on a year of tragedy and loss. Bev discovers the gifts she has bought from Christy are pornographic.
When Ruth takes Luke round to see Sean, she finds him drowning in his bath. Max opens his electricity bill, and discovers why it is so high. Adele blames Jan for breaking up the family, but can Marty persuade her to stay? Although others would prefer to watch telly, Ron insists on playing "Trivial Pursuit" - and no-one can answer the "Geography" question "Where is Alan Gordon?".
Tim tries to reassure Steve that things may not turn out too badly for Anthony, but Steve is appalled that Tim is planning to sell drugs. Lance turns up to invade Ron's privacy just as Brigid is searching for a toothbrush. Ruth has a go at Dan for going to a Christmas party without her, and Katie calls Nic out on Boxing Day - but not because her toilet is blocked.
Debbie is discovered peeling off the living-room wallpaper at four o'clock in the morning. Ron wants to increase his prices for the health club laundry, but loses the contract entirely when Jacqui admits to Max that she has been paying another firm to re-do it properly. Adele is convinced that Jan is trying to take Diane's place, and Ruth is annoyed when she sees Sean with Kirsty's friend Lizzie.
Mike and Rachel hope they will be babysitting at Jacqui's, but Jacqui brings the children round to theirs. Mike feels that he is failing Rachel, and resolves to do better in 2003. Ruth is reluctant to allow Sean access to Luke because he is seeing an attractive 18-year-old. Nic calls in reinforcements when he is surrounded by women, and Kirsty and Lizzie decide on their New Year's resolutions.
Nisha is convinced that Gary is going to stay with Gabby. Marty plans to mend the hole in his wall. Ron has plans for the shop Tim wants, but Jacqui wonders why he is only selling tea and peas. Debbie goes for a walk with old friends, Rachel feels ashamed at Beth's birthday party, and someone is going to regret calling Emily a vegetable.
Max faces a tough interview panel at the golf club, including Nic, with whom he has recently argued on the Parade, and Ron, who threatens to blackball him. Sean tries to make Ruth realise that she has no right to dictate who he should and shouldn't see. Marty and Adele are missing Diane, and Jimmy returns to the Close - as does one of his long-lost relatives.
Tim decides against selling the drugs, makes a deal with Nic, and attends Anthony's court hearing with Steve. Dan is looking forward to going to a wedding reception with Ruth, but Luke doesn't want to go and stay with Sean. Rachel and Mike are approved for a mortgage, and Mike wants to start spending straight away.
Back from the Maldives, Gabby is shocked to hear the news about Anthony. Brigid shows Adele photographs of herself, Diane and other relatives when they were younger. Tim has two young ladies chasing after him, and Ruth and Sean are not able to agree on anything in court.
Nisha feels that Gary is making promises to both herself and Gabby which he won't keep. Debbie is concerned about Luke's well-being. Rachel and Mike extend their credit further, Kirsty doesn't want to claim compensation for her ordeal, and Steve and Tim steal a car.
Steve and Tim kidnap Mozza in order to find out where Terry lives. Debbie is not impressed when Ruth goes to a hairdresser instead of a solicitor. Rachel wants to spoil Beth for a change. and Nisha intends to finish with Gary - but she is not prepared for what he tells her.
Adele wonders if Diane's clothes should be given to charity, and Brigid helps her sort through them. The contents of Alan's locker are returned to the Gordons, including a possible lead on his whereabouts. Jimmy searches the internet for legal precedents to help Marty, and Gabby tells Nisha that their holiday brought her and Gary back together.
At her session with the family court advisor, Ruth finds out that Debbie waylaid Sean on his way to his session and battered him. Rachel wants to go and look at houses, and discovers that Mike has bought a car without telling her. Ali and Steve want to go and visit Alan's hypnotherapist, and Nisha encourages Gabby to come to the surgery for a pregnancy test.
Ron plans to use a golfing challenge to wipe out the debt he owes Max. Nisha and Katie are both becoming more confident that Gary will leave Gabby - but there's something they don't know yet. Debbie and Ruth try to find out from Luke whether Sean has been hitting him, and Steve has to resort to extreme measures to prevent Tim from making a big mistake.
