It’s the day of the Cardale show. The Pullens hold a marquee with refreshments whilst Alice mans the cake stall with help from Alex.
Alex tells Tom she’s worried about seeing Will at the practice meeting today as he made a pass at her after Sam and Kerri’s engagement party. She says she turned Will down because she knows he’s married, she tells Tom Will was drunk. Tom tells her she shouldn’t make an issue of what happened but Alex says she doesn’t understand Will. She says maybe he’ll be better when his family arrive.
At the practice meeting Will explains that the PCG is amalgamating into the PCT (Primary Care Trust). This will give them more control over their budgets. Sam isn’t in favour as he thinks the PCG already have too much control over them. Will explains that the current system is a mess and says he believes The Beeches can achieve things with the PCT.
After the meeting, Tom stops Will and says Alex told him what happened between them. Tom tells Will to see it from Alex’s point of view; she thinks he is married and wanted to start an affair with her. Tom tells Will he understands he doesn’t want to play the martyr over Emily, but says if he’s going to play these games then he should play them fairly.
WILL: I’ve never been very good when it comes to women and relationships
Kerri is avoiding Sam. On his way home from the meeting he finds her by the side of the road next to her broken down car. He offers her a lift home and she reluctantly accepts.
Tom visits the home of young girl Abbey and her sister Cath. At the Cardale show, Tom witnessed Cath steal a purse from her gran. When he intervened to get the purse back, he noticed Cath had a rash and was unwell. When Tom arrives at their house he finds them alone. Abbey tells him their mum has just gone out and says she will back soon. Tom says he needs to talk to her as Cath has measles.
Alex performs a vasectomy on Mr Thorpe. His wife and 4 noisy children are at the Cardale show whilst he has his operation at The Beeches.
Whilst driving Kerri home, Sam tells her that he doesn’t want the truth about her natural parents coming between them or their marriage. She tells him that people who are getting married shouldn’t keep secrets from each other and says she feels sick knowing that she was planning to marry a man who lied to her about who her parents are. Sam explains that he wanted her to know the truth but John and Sylvia didn’t. Sam tells her he only did what he thought was best for her. Kerri argues that she is not a child who needs protecting, she is a grown woman who is about to become his wife and he should know her better. Sam asks her if they are still getting married. Kerri takes off her engagement ring and throws it to the ground.
KERRI: If I can’t trust you on this, can I trust you on anything?
As Sam and Kerri continue to argue. The Thorpe family are on their way to The Beeches to collect Mr Thorpe, impatient and tired from her screaming kids, pregnant Mrs Thorpe over takes a small van in front of her. As she swerves out she crashes into an oncoming vehicle – Sam and Kerri’s. Sam and Kerri crash into a fence while the Thorpes crash into an electricity pillar.
The van driver escapes from his vehicle unscathed and goes across the field into the Cardale show. Will and Alice, who are examining her cake stall, notice the man limping towards them and go to investigate. He tells Will there has been a car crash on Brindle Lane. Will alerts the emergency services and calls Alex as he makes his way to the site. Back the The Beeches, which has lost all power due to the electricity pillar being hit, Alex and Bridget get supplies together and head to the crash site, whilst Carol stays with Mr Thorpe.
Will arrives at the crash site and is shocked to see Sam and Kerri have been involved in the accident. He checks Sam who is conscious and helps him out of the car. However Kerri is unconscious and is trapped in the car by her legs. Alex and Bridget take care of the Thorpe car. Mrs Thorpe is unconscious, whilst the kids are screaming. Alex tells the children they have to stay still as they can’t reach them yet. Part of the electric pillar has fallen onto the car leaving it live. Alex gets the children to treat their mother by throwing an oxygen mask and pads to stop her bleeding, through the car window. Bridget phones Carol and asks her to shut The Beeches and come to the crash site, as they need more help. Carol breaks the news to Mr Thorpe that his family have been involved in an accident, but as much as she tries Carol can’t stop him from rushing down to the crash site.
Sam helps Will treat Kerri. They find her breathing is deteriorating due to her chest being compressed, they think she has broken her ribs. Kerri regains consciousness and is in obvious pain, Will performs a procedure to help her breathe more easily. He won’t allow Sam to help as he is in shock.
Tom tells Abbey it is very important that he speaks to her mother. However Abbey won’t give him a contact number for her and locks Tom in the bedroom whilst he is treating Cath. Cath tells Tom their mother has gone on holiday. Tom explains to Abbey how sick Cath is and says if they don’t get her to hospital she could die. He says their mother shouldn’t have left the alone. Abbey tells Tom she is worried that social services will take them into care and split she and Cath up. Tom asks why they can’t stay with their gran. Abbey explains that their gran doesn’t love them anymore and that her mother calls her a witch. Tom promises he won’t let social services put them into a home and Abbey opens the door.
Alex realises Mrs Thorpe needs medical attention quickly. She takes a large stick and begins to move the electric wire off the car. As she begins to make progress, Mr Thorpe arrives and despite Alex’s warning he touches the car and collapses after an electric shock. Alex clears the car of danger and starts work on reviving Mr Thorpe.
As Carol shuts The Beeches, a taxi pulls up outside. Kate Preston steps out of the taxi and asks Carol if Will is around. Carol tells her the surgery is shut and asks her to call the number on the door if she needs a doctor.
Sam tells Kerri she is going to be fine. She tells him she is in pain and says she can’t feel her legs. He tells her to stay with him.
Will helps Alex as tries to save Mr Thorpe. He talks her through a procedure she has never done before. Mr Thorpe begins breathing again and Bridget continues to tend to him.
Will lifts a little girl from the car. As he looks at her he can’t hold her anymore and asks Bridget to take her from him. Alex sees he is distressed and follows him to the side of the road. He tells her the little girl looked like Emily. He says he and Kate did everything they could for Emily, but it wasn’t enough. He tells her how much it hurts and says how much he misses Emily. Will admits he thought it would get better with time but has found it just gets worse. Will tells Alex Emily isn’t coming to Cardale, no-one’s coming. Alex listens in shock and realises Emily has died.
Tom talks to Abbey and Cath’s gran as he needs a guardian to be with them when they go to hospital. Despite frayed relations with her daughter, she agrees to help Abbey and Cath and Tom is pleased he didn’t have to break his promise by getting social services involved.
Sam alerts Will to a drop in Kerri’s condition. They notice she is bleeding heavily from her ankle. Will puts pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding whilst Sam holds her hand as she is cut free from the car and placed into the air ambulance. Sam finds her engagement ring on the floor and takes it with him as joins Kerri in the helicopter.
Will apologises to Alex for making a pass at her. He tells her he was just lonely. Alex asks him if he has split up with Kate, he explains that after Emily’s death they just couldn’t bare to be together.
WILL: Do you ever wish you could shut the door on part of your life?
Tom arrives at The Beeches and finds Alex clearing up the mess of recent events. He says he’s heard about the accident and asks about Kerri. Alex asks him why he didn’t tell her about Will’s situation, Tom says because he promised Will he wouldn’t. Alex says she feels sorry for Will as he has lost his child and his wife. Alex tells Tom she was terrified at the accident scene and he gives her a hug. He says he heard she did really well. As they pull away from the hug they move to kiss but are interrupted when Kate arrives at the surgery to ask where Will is. Alex says Will is at the hospital and Kate asks if she has a number for him. Confused as to why she is desperate to contact Will, Alex asks who she is. Both she and Tom are shocked when Kate reveals she is Will’s wife.
KATE: Don’t suppose you’ve got a number for him?
ALEX: Sorry and you are?
KATE: Kate, his wife
Will sits with Sam whilst Kerri is having tests. Sam thanks Will for what he did for Kerri. Will says he understood what he was going through. He tells Sam that Emily died and says he would’ve done anything to save her. Will tells Sam he now wants to put that part of his life behind him.
SAM: Ever thought how we take life for granted
Back at The Beeches, Tom asks Kate if she’d like a drink, she says no thanks, she’s fine. Will arrives and tells Tom and Alex that the hospital are not sure if Kerri will be able to walk again. Alex tells Will he has a visitor. He turns around and is shocked to see Kate standing in front of him, he is lost for words and only manages to say her name.
As Kerri lies sedated, Sam puts the engagement ring back on her finger.