प्लॉट

Nick is on the news. Lou has come around and Den is determined to get away to Spain. Naima and Saeed are getting along better. Dr Legg tries to help Mary get better accommodation, and finds out something that bothers him. Lou comforts Ian.

The episode opens with Debbie standing on something because she has seen a mouse. Andy has to carry her out of the kitchen. They wonder whether others in the Square are having problems with mice. Debbie mentions that Mary is having problems with damp, not mice. Andy says "I don't like the sound of that, not with that little one" and mentions going to see her. Debbie cuts him off but as she leaves for work she asks Andy to apologise to Mary for her if he does see her as she "probably came over a bit patronising".

At The Vic Den gets a call but is short with the caller, and tells them to "leave it to me" in an angry tone. Ethel is there cleaning and amongst some comments that could have double meanings, suggests that Den should take Angie out for a "slap up meal, flowers and all that". Surprisingly Den takes up the idea and says he will take Angie out "dancing, candles, music, the business" and that he will buy her the microwave she has been asking for. There is a knock at the door and it is Pete Beale with the news that they have caught Nick Cotton.

At the Fowlers, Lou is busy getting ready for her holiday in Clackton. Michelle comes in looking tired and complains about sleeping with just a curtain between her and her parents. Lou agrees with her that she shouldn't be having to sleep in the same room with her parents at her age, so Arthur suggests petitioning off her room instead. Ian comes by with some fruit and Lou asks him about the meal they were expecting the other night. Ian just says he changed his mind, but as he's leaving Lou tells him "you know where I am if you want me" and tells Michelle "somethings up, " and that she is going to get to the bottom of it, but Michelle thinks she should stay out of it. Sharon calls around and Michelle says she wants to go up to the market to get some new clothes for the holiday to Clackton. Lou tells her to make sure the clothes aren't too immodest and says " I'm not parading up the pier with you done up like a tart".

Ian is working on the fruit stall and accidentally short changed Ali. Pete is not impressed and says to him "what you got, rocks in your head?". Later in the cafe Pete has more of a go at Ian about this and somehow finds a way to blame even that on Ian wanting to be a chef and despite Ian's pleas he keeps up a tirade, including telling Ian that he is a disappointment to him and Kathy.

Sharon and Michelle are in the cafe and when Michelle asks Sharon what she is going to do during the holidays she tells her that she will be keeping away from Kelvin. Sharon says they are glad that they are still friends and Michelle tells her that boys their age are too immature to come between friends. Sharon jokes that Michelle might be interested in Lofty and Michelle screws up her face and says "Oh, you're joking!" and then quietly "I wouldn't say not to Ali though." Sue overhears this but the giggling girls don't notice. News comes over the radio that Nick Cotton has been arrested in Dover, Kent trying to board a hovercraft to cross the Channel. Sue and Ali discuss this news and Ali shows Sue that it is on the front page of the Walford Gazette. Sue comments quite loudly that she had thought that Mark Fowler had killed Reg Cox. Ali tells her to "shh" because Michelle is just there, but she doesn't care. It appears that she is getting Michelle back for previous comment about Ali. Michelle is incensed and tells Sharon that Sue is going to regret the remark.

At the supermarket, Saeed comes up behind Naima and playfully carries her down from what she was standing on to stock the higher shelves and tells her that he will do the high shelf packing now. He brings up the talk they had last night and reminds Naima of his promise to do more to "pull his weight" in the future and that they will now make joint decisions. Naima smiles.

Andy goes to see Dr Legg and tells him that he thinks Mary's baby Annie has bronchitis. He blames this on the fact that Mary is breastfeeding, but not eating a balanced diet and on the state of the flat. Dr Legg says that he has heard nothing about it from the health visitor, but agrees to go and see Mary.

In the launderette Naima tells Pauline about the talk her and Saeed had the night before and thanks Pauline for all her advice, but confesses that she didn't like the wine her and Pauline had yesterday. They laugh.

At the Vic, Angie tells Kathy about Den's odd behaviour today. Going from a bad mood to smiles and compliments that morning. Angie says she thinks Den is up to something and tells Kathy that if she finds out he is up to something illegal "you better steer well clear of this bar 'cos I'm gonna declare it a danger zone". Den is seen in the background smiling at them both, oblivious to their conversation. Pete and Kath then talk and Kathy is complaining about Ian being moody and refusing to talk. Pete says he is going to have a talk to him, but Kathy is concerned that he will make things worse.

Dr Legg goes to see Mary and tells her that ordinarily he would commend mothers who breastfeed but Annie is undernourished because Mary isn't producing the high quality milk that Annnie needs. He examines Mary too and finds that they both have bronchitis. Mary is worried that Dr Legg will take Annie away from her but he assures her that he won't but that he will contact Social Services to try and get her a better place to live.

At the launderette Kathy is talking to Ian and tells him to take no notice of what his dad says and do it if he wants to, but not in a half-hearted way. Then we see Kelvin and Ian talking about the problems with their parents. Michelle and Sharon come along and give Kelvin a hard time so they go inside Tony's flat. Kelvin tells Ian that he doesn't really mind school but only said he wasn't going back for something to say. Ian tells him he can't go back on it or they won't take him seriously, so later we see Kelvin telling his dad that he is definitely leaving school and Tony can't change his mind.

At The Vic, Den is talking about how long it has been since they went out for dinner when the phone rings. Angie answers and the calle hangs up. Den says it must have been a wrong number and Angie points out that there has been a lot of those lately. Den says it must be someone messing around, and Angie replies that " if I ever find the someone messing around, they will pay - with blood." Later, a big parcel arrives and it is a microwave for Angie. Angie is very happy but then Den tells her that he has to go and check out the villa in the next 7 days or they might miss out and he has already made the arrangements. Angie insists on seeing him off at the airport.

Dr Legg calls Social Services but is referred elsewhere and ends up getting the runaround. When speaking to someone he goes as far as saying that it "should be pulled down" and shows surprise at the answer.

Ian goes to talk to Lou about his parents and tells her that Pete said that "only poofs want to be cooks" and that he wants Ian to do something more manly. Ian feels he can't do anything right and ends up crying on Lou's shoulder. Lou comforts him and tells him to ignore all the digs and that she will sort his dad out.