Home and Away: The kids are freed by means of a good old-fashioned brawl and the saga is put behind them

“Don’t panic, someone’s taken the kids.”

Despite Ari’s best intentions, all the good townsfolk are starting to get worried when Bella, Nikau, Ryder and Chloe don’t turn up for their various responsibilities.

...Although no one calls the police, even when they get word of the kidnapping.

With the kids still locked in the shipping container, Ari and Tane hatch a plan of attack.

Tane hides the truth from Zig but she’s pretty sceptical which later comes back to bite him while Ari opts for the real story when it comes to Mia.

Mia is still wearing her dress from the night before and just minutes later she opens her mouth and lets slip that they were “kidnapped”.

Ziggy’s mouth drops open because it’s starting to sound an awful lot like the last time this happened — not the kidnapping but the Paratas getting in a drug-related revenge brawl.

“Of course he’s caught up in something dangerous,” Mia says.

Tane and Ari arrive at the shipping container and the kids file out.

“Don’t try anything stupid,” Paul says.

One of the thugs takes a crowbar to Ari’s stomach.

A brawl soon ensues and the kids manage to get free.

Ryder — who seems to have settled in to life in the shipping container and has unbuttened his shirt — bashes someone in the head with a blunt object before Ari and Tane yell at them to get in the car (a bit like the IKEA ad) and drive away.

Chloe is reunited with her mother’s and Ryder finally calls the police.

Nikau is feeling guilty about leaving his uncles and drives back to the scene of the crime.

There’s several virtually lifeless bodies strewn about and Ari and Tane stumble out from some bushes.

They look rough and call the cops even though just minutes before they were adamant about not involving the police.

Anyway, everyone returns to their respective homes and loved ones — Except for Chloe who is shipped out of the Parata house by her mum.

“I can’t believe I trusted you,” Mia says to Ari. “I don’t want you anywhere near Chloe. Don’t contact us.”

Zig also slams the door in Tane’s face because he lied to her. “You need to leave,” she says.

And with that the kidnapping saga is dropped.

Amber and Jai move into their shared room in Dean’s house.

Ah... I spoke too soon. Dean hasn’t gotten around to asking Bella if they can live in Colby’s old room, so Dean is on the couch while Amber and Jai take his room.

Mac and her brother catch up and she tells Dean that she’s pregnant and about the recent breakup.

“I have no idea what I’m going to do, Dean,” she says.

“You need to tell Ari,” he responds.

While there’s a lot of talk about morning sickness, I’m sceptical that Mac is actually pregnant given the how many other characters have found themselves in the same situation and turned out not be.

Anyway, her possible pregnancy is a heavy weight for Dean to bear and he makes it about himself because his son was kept secret from him.

Dean blows off Jai’s first day at his new school so he can inflict his views on Mac.

Amber reacts in her usual way – by overreacting – but she spots Dean with Ziggy, his ex, and jumps to conclusions and wants to move out.

She confronts Dean.

“If he can’t put Jai first then what’s the point of us even being here?” Amber says.

It’s wearing me down because it’s the only conversation these two have. But Willow gives Amber a talk and she comes around and everything is back to normal... again.

Next is Martha who is having an imaginary conversation with Kieran on the jetty.

“Irene you know my son Kieran,” Martha says and points to no one.

Irene is very concerned but she follows along until she can figure out the best course of action for someone that is utterly delusional.

“You’re the only one I can trust right now,” Martha says.

Irene walks her home and immediately breaks Martha’s trust.

“She was on the pier deep in conversation — only there was no one there,” she tells Alf and Roo.

They decide Martha “needs professional help” and she heads off her see her counsellor.

We get word that she’s been kept for observation which is good news given how unwell she is.

Alf isn’t coping with the day’s events coupled with losing the club presidency.

“It’s not a lot of laughs waking up and finding out you’re flaming useless,” Alf says.

But he has to endure more because Susie pressures John to get Alf to hand his powers over. Alf begrudgingly signs the forms.

Maz doesn’t like the way John has berated her beloved Mr Stewart and confronts him, but Susie is glued to his side.

“You had to belittle him in front of everyone,” Maz tells John and Susie. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Naturally Susie doesn’t like this and eggs John on to be rid of Maz forever after a bit of snooping on his computer, probably wiping the surf club accounts.

Susie serves Maz her divorce paper.

Meanwhile Leah and Justin have put in an offer on a house and are very, very eagerly awaiting the result from Susie.

They get the house but I’m sure Susie will con them out of their money or something.

Finally, Lewis and Jasmine both have the day off and share a romantic beachfront picnic.

It woos her because she mentions to him that she’s taken her wedding ring off, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by Lewis.

There’s no mention of his outburst at the hospital and how he and Budget McDreamy are going to put the past behind them but let’s just let Jas have a moment of happiness before Summer Bay serves her up a rough deal again.