Series 13 Episode 15:
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Written by Susan Boyd

A thirteen-year-old boy (Paul) wakes up, says, "Oh no!" and starts taking the sheets off his bed. A man (Mr. Vickers) comes in with a torch and asks what he's doing. He sees the wet sheets and says, "For heaven's sake, at your age!"
Sam and Lee arrive at work, tired after spending all night clubbing.
Some boys come up to Paul, laughing. Mr. Vickers tells them Paul wet the bed, saying, "Pathetic, isn't it?"
Sunny tells Amy not to overdo things. She's still annoyed with him for what he did at the antenatal class.
Mark is about to drop Pam off to see her friend - Pam says, "She was god to me when I first started". Pam is going to lend her some money to pay a fine, but she only has £50 and her friend Donna needs £100. Mark gives her the rest when she asks. Donna is talking to her daughter Mandy about getting hold of drugs. Pam comes and tells her she's got the money.
A teenage lad, "Choirboy", is lying on a doorstep. The woman next door (Lil Clarke) comes out and he tells her he's waiting for his gran to get back. She tells him his gran died. She takes him in and gives him something to drink. She asks where he'll go.
Mr. Vickers orders Paul to get ready for school. Paul goes to his room and packs his clothes into his bag.
Lil gives Choirboy some money as he goes. A man (Leroy McPherson) arrives as he goes. He goes in and he and Lil kiss.
Pam offers to come to court with Donna, then takes her for breakfast.
Josh and Penny bring in Mrs. Sweeney, an old woman whose family have said they want nothing more to do with her. She is bad-tempered to say the least and tells everyone to go to hell.
Marilyn and her husband are in the car, discussing Christmas presents. She says she'll take a list to her mother at the pensioners' club.
Lil is getting ready to go out. Leroy is in bed. She asks about his family.
Sam is yawning; Adam asks where he was last night. Sam tells him "Amnesia"; Adam says that it's too energetic for him there. Lee is listening. When Adam has gone Lee asks Sam who Adam goes to Amnesia with - his wife? Sam says Adam said he doesn't go. Lee says no, Adam wouldn't go, as it's a gay club.
Pam tells Donna she'll be back at 1.30. Donna asks her for the money now in case she gets held up.
Duffy is puzzled at the lack of some painkilling drugs. Sam says, "Ask Mark. He's full of surprises." Mark asks what he's implying and asks Sam if he thinks Pam is a user. Sam says, "You tell me." George makes him apologise to Mark. When Sam and Mark have gone, George remarks to Duffy that it was tactless of Sam; Duffy's not sure. George says Mark wouldn't get involved with anything like that.
Mandy comes up to Donna, who's out of it. She gives Mandy a packet of "rock".
Tina tells Sean she's got a patient who would rather see a male doctor.
Paul is begging for change in the high street. Pam passes and gives him some. Choirboy sees him from inside a café and knocks on the window, beckoning. Paul sees him and heads for the café.
Lil and Leroy are dancing at the club. He says something that offends her and she goes to sit down; he follows. She says she doesn't feel well. He goes to get help.
Paul and Choirboy sit in the café. Choirboy has been away from the children's home for weeks. Paul says he's not going back to the home.
Amy brings a kitten in a box into admin, which someone has abandoned in reception. Sam and Sunny pick it up, and are a bit soppy over it, but they say they can't keep it at their place as it wouldn't be able to get out. George tells Sunny to get it out of there.
Penny and Josh have arrived and are seeing to Lil. Marilyn and her husband arrive to see her. Leroy sees them and disappears.
Tina and Sean come out of a cubicle, laughing hysterically. Pam has arrived to see Mark. Tina and Sean go to the staff room, still laughing, and hear the kitten mew. They pick it up and go really soppy over it, and are embarrassed when Sam comes in.
Choirboy and Paul are messing in the street. Choirboy realises he's lost his lucky charm. He sees two guys and he runs, bringing Paul with him.
Sunny, Adam and Lee are in the canteen. Lee suggests Sunny tries Amnesia; Sunny says he'd feel out of place in a gay club and asks Adam if he agrees. Adam says clubs aren't his scene. George arrives in the canteen; she sees Mark talking to Pam and sits with Sunny, Adam and Lee. Pam is talking to Mark about Donna but he's not listening. He tells her what Sam said but she just jokes about it.
Penny tells Josh his holiday has out him in a good mood. He tells her he's going out with a woman tonight. She says he deserves it; he says his luck's changing but wonders if it will last.
Marilyn and her husband are at Lil's house to pick up her things. He finds some photos of Lil and Leroy kissing. Marilyn says they're just having a laugh; he thinks there's more to it. The doorbell rings; it's Choirboy and Paul. Choirboy asks to see Lil and wants to go in to look for his lucky charm, but Marilyn turns them away. Her husband shows her and endowment policy, the money of which will go to Leroy.
Penny and Josh come to see to Donna, who has collapsed in the street. Mandy tells them she's taken "rock".
Choirboy and Paul separate to try to get some money. Choirboy sees his charm, but as he s picking it up, the two guys he was avoiding arrive and push him into their car.
Tina gives Sunny the number of someone who'll put them in touch with a cat shelter. She asks Mrs. Sweeney if she wants a cup of tea; she says "Yes please". Sunny asks Tina if she's slipped her some happy pills, and Mrs. Sweeney tells him to go to hell.
Donna is brought into A&E. Mark recognises her and she asks him if he's Pam's bloke.
Choirboy is in the car with the guys, trying to tell them why he doesn't have the money he owes them. They get him out of the car.
Mandy tells Donna she's in deep trouble - she's blown Pam's money on "rock" and is due in court in half an hour. She says she'll go and try to earn some money before Pam comes.
Penny asks Josh about his woman. He says her name is Rosemary and he sings her praises.
Amy tells Duffy she thinks she's started. Duffy takes her to a cubicle. Sunny comes but Amy doesn't want him there. He tries to get her to say her poem and do her breathing exercises but she's just annoyed with him. George tells Amy everything seems to be fine, and says she'll leave her for a bit. Amy doesn't want to be left with Sunny, who's still trying to get her to say the poem.
Choirboy is lying on a rubbish tip. He gets up slowly; his face is bleeding.
Amy says it's stopped hurting and sits up. Sunny makes her sit back. He asks George to check on her.
Pam arrives back. Mark accuses her of asking him for money for Donna to spend on crack. She denies knowing that's what she'd do with it and is angry with Mark, saying she'll go out and earn it for him. In the background, Donna leaves her cubicle, heading for the exit. Mark asks Pam if she thinks he's a pimp. She says he's worse than a pimp; pimps are more honest than he is. Mark takes her to Donna's cubicle and they find it empty.
Leroy arrives to see Lil. She asks Sam to warn her if her daughter and son-in-law arrive.
Paul sees Choirboy. He's holding his stomach and says he thinks he's going to die. Paul helps him to walk to the hospital.
Amy is on her way home. She says she feels a bit of a twit. George tells her not to worry, but to go home, relax and learn a better poem.
Marilyn and her husband arrive back in A&E. She's complaining about her mother giving money to Leroy. Sam sees them and tries to stall them but fails. They go in to see Lil and Leroy is still there. She accuses him of sleeping with her mother; he wants to go but Lil stops him, and tells Marilyn it's none of her business. Marilyn says it is her business; he's married and she's leaving him money, which Marilyn says should go to her and her children. Lil says she's greedy; there's money for her too; she wants to leave money to everyone she loves. Leroy says he has to go.
The woman from the shelter takes the kitten. Sunny waves and says, "Bye, kitty!" Choirboy and Paul arrive in A&E, and Choirboy collapses on the floor.
George gets a call from Adam saying he's found a bed for Mrs. Sweeney.
Mandy gets back and sees Donna. Pam arrives. Donna says sorry and asks if she's angry. Pam replies, "Not with you."
They treat Choirboy in resusc. He has internal injuries and is severely shocked. A surgeon arrives.
Pam tells Donna about her problems with Mark. Donna tells her to forget him, but Pam won't; Donna says she thinks she's in love.
Marilyn is still complaining about her mother as she and her husband get back into the car. Leroy passes on a bike and waves. Marilyn says it's her old bike, then smiles and says that the brakes never did work properly anyway.
Sam asks Lil if her daughter knew about Leroy; Lil says she knew but didn't want to admit it.
Duffy and Tina talk to Paul and ask him about Choirboy. Paul says he doesn't know anything and tells them to leave him alone.
Choirboy is responding to treatment. His X-rays arrive showing some internal injury. He needs a laparotomy.
Paul tells Duffy and Tina that he and Choirboy are both runaways from a children's home; Duffy asks why. He says the kids and staff there are OK; he ran away because he wanted his mum, but she's dead. Duffy says she'll have to tell Social Services.
Sam tells Adam he wants an early night but Lee wants to go clubbing again. Adam suggests they go to Café Society, a pub, so they'll be slung out at eleven o'clock. Lee hears, and comments to Sam about the places Adam knows, saying he must be gay. Sam says he is, but he doesn't want everyone to know.
Tina thinks there must be a problem with the home and wants to try to get Paul a bed for the night; Duffy says they can't, and at least he'll be safer in the home than on the streets. She calls Social Services.
Sunny, George and Mark plan to go for a drink after the shift. There is a call for George telling her that Choirboy is going into theatre - he'll live, hopefully.
Sunny and Mark are about to take Mrs. Sweeney up to the ward. She says she wants to go home and starts to cry. Sunny and Mark try to comfort her as they take her.
Mr. Vickers arrives and Tina takes him to see Paul. He's stern with Paul and Paul starts to cry. Duffy suggests getting him a bed in the hospital for the night as he is suffering from shock, but Mr. Vickers says it's better for Paul to get back to normal. He asks Paul if he agrees; Paul says he does. Mr. Vickers says that maybe they'll get some chips on the way home. Paul cheers up and they go.
Josh is in the pub, waiting at the bar. Sam and Lee are at a table. Lee says maybe he should help Adam to come out; Sam says he should leave him alone. Lee says maybe he'll find out where he hangs out and go and bump into him, maybe he'll take him home. Sam says he'd get more than he bargained for, and Lee realises Adam's HIV positive.
At another table, Sunny tells George and Mark that he doesn't react to things anymore at work. "Still, the pussycat got a home." George and Mark laugh. Pam arrives and Mark gets up to talk to her. She says he really hurt her; he says he's sorry. They go back to her place.
Tina is worrying about Paul. Duffy suggests she rings him tomorrow to see how he is. She says she wishes she had enough time and money to look after them all herself.
Paul and Mr. Vickers get back to the home. Mr. Vickers tells off some lads who are staring at Paul. He tells Paul (nicely) that this is his home now; it may not be perfect but it's better than the streets. Paul agrees. They go to get some chips.
Sam and Lee leave the pub; Josh is still waiting. He goes to the phone. Sunny comes to the bar to order another round. Josh comes back as he is waiting; Sunny invites him to join them but Josh says he's going. George tells Sunny she still likes Mark a lot; Sunny tells her to forget him, saying she deserves someone to care about her. "Like who?" she asks. "I mean, I think you're all right," he replies. George tells him he's a good friend. She says she agrees with what he said about not feeling shocked any more. She tells him she has to go home to Tom, and says he'd be a good therapist. Sunny goes to the bar and says to the barman, "You know, John, I think those doctors would fall apart without me to sort their heads out. I think I deserve another one."

Episode first broadcast Saturday 5th December 1998

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