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Magic Moments > 2003 > Dee's Death Episode 4293

Written by John Hanlon, Directed by Jeffrey Walker and Tony Osicka

The wedding celebrant announces that Dee and Toadie are married. They share their first kiss as husband and wife in front of an ecstatic crowd of friends and family. Later, as they are driving along a country road, Toadie loses control of the car and flies off a cliff, plunging into the ocean below...

The car sinks to the bottom of the ocean as bits and pieces from the wedding, including flowers and a heart, start to float upwards inside the car. Toadie pulls his head above the water, desperately gasping for air. He calls out to Dee but there is no answer and he can’t see her anywhere. Sensing something bad has happened to her, he dives back down into the water.

Under the water, Toadie swims towards the sunken car and frantically looks around - there is nothing. He swims back to the surface and calls out again: “Dee! Answer me!” There is still no answer so he dives back down again.

..

Stuart and Stonie are driving along the country road to catch up with Dee and Toadie when they spot the smashed up roadside railing. They decide to take a look. They soon see Toadie in the water, and quickly get out of the car. Running towards the beach, Stonie tells Stuart to call somebody. He sprints into the water and begins to swim out to help his brother. Stuart dials 000 and asks for police, then changes his request to ambulance. Stuart looks sickened as he watches Stonie swim further out.

Toadie is struggling to stay afloat but attempts to dive down again. Stonie pulls him up and wants to take him back to the shore before Toadie screams that he can’t find Dee anywhere. They both dive down to the car but they still can’t see anything; Toadie starts to panic and hits the car frame with his fist before floating up to the surface. They both dive down once more and Toadie attempts to open the passenger door but he is running out of energy. When they reach the surface, Stonie grabs hold of Toadie and pulls him towards the shore.

Stuart yells into the phone for the emergency services to hurry up as Stonie and Toadie reach the shore. After trying to reassure Toadie that they will find Dee, Stuart runs into the water himself. Stonie holds Toadie to the ground and says he’s not going back in until Toadie agrees to rest. Toadie cries “Find her, please!” before lying down on the beach and breaking into hysterical tears.

..

..

A little while later, the emergency crews have begun to arrive. Police and SES personnel search with binoculars from the shore as an ambulance man covers Toadie with a blanket. Stonie and Stuart walk slowly out of the water, past two inflatable police boats that are about to start searching. Stuart tells Toadie, who has blood running down the side of his face, that the police have taken over and ordered he and Stonie out of the water. He says that it’s what they’re trained to do - but it doesn’t seem to comfort Toadie. Toadie says, “Can you tell them to hurry up? She’s going to be getting cold.” Beginning to cry and shake uncontrollably, Toadie tells Stuart to make sure they find her.

Behind the beach, Angie and Kev pull up in their car and get out. Angie looks shocked and cries out before running towards the edge of the beach. Karl, Susan and Libby also pull up directly behind Angie and Kev and Karl yells, “Susan, get my medical bag!” Karl and Kev are the first to get to the beach. Karl asks the shocked lads what has happened but he doesn’t get a response. Angie runs up, followed by Susan and Libby, and asks, “What happened, love? Where’s...Dee?” Everyone is silent and they all look out to see the police divers continuing the search. There is a faint sound and Toadie stands up, telling everyone to be quiet because he can hear something - but it’s only two search and rescue helicopters arriving on the scene.

..

Karl pulls Stuart to one side and asks what has happened. Stuart tells him that Toadie ran off the road into the water; they kept searching for Dee but there was nothing. He says the police have been going for close to an hour.

A police diver jumps out of a low flying chopper and Susan and Libby watch, hugging each other. Libby can’t control her tears. Toadie stares blankly at the search operation with Angie by his side. The choppers continue to circle the sky over the boats but they still haven’t found anything. Libby walks hesitantly over to Toadie and hugs him.

..

As the afternoon draws on, the police divers start to get back into their boats and the helicopters fly away. Toadie overhears Stuart say, “Looks like the cops are going to call it a day.” He panics, and runs up to one of the policemen screaming that Dee is probably just playing a stupid game and she’ll be in big trouble when she comes back. Stonie tries to tell him it’s time to go home but Toadie cries, “No! She needs someone to wait for her, so I’m going to wait!” He sits down on the beach, not able to control his tears, and watches out to sea as the last of the boats leave the scene...

..

Later that evening, back in Erinsborough, Libby is sitting by herself at the Pub - she hasn’t touched her drink. Taj walks in and sits with her, asking how the big wedding was. Libby starts to cry again and Taj asks what happened.

Stonie, Kev, Angie, Stuart and Toadie enter number 30 silently. They leave Toadie by himself in the hallway, as Angie goes into the kitchen to put the kettle on.

In Toadie’s room, Angie brings Toadie a cup of tea. He says they’ll have to return the blankets to the ambulance in the morning but Angie says there’s no rush. They both sit on the edge of the bed, and Angie attempts to tell him something - she says that he will have to face facts. But Toadie won’t accept it - he thinks Dee is fine, just a bit cold. Angie gets up to leave but on her way out Toadie thanks her for a beautiful wedding. This is too much for Angie and she bursts into tears before leaving. Toadie notices Bob on the floor and picks him up, struggling to say, “Hey Bob, I’ve lost Dee. I can’t find her anywhere. I’ve looked and I’ve looked...she’s gone.” He lies down on the bed and notices an envelope stuck in between the pillows. It’s a letter from Dee, and he hears her voice in his head...

“My darling, darling one. I’m alone in our room because you’ve just gone to the Pub. How unusual. It’s suddenly quiet for the first time in months, it feels like. Tomorrow, I shall make my public promises to you, my darling, and we’ll be joined together forever and ever and I can’t wait. Did you know that when I see you unexpectedly, like around the corner or across the street, I get a little gasp and my knees go to water - just for a tiny moment. It’s getting worse every day...what am I going to be like when we’re sixty-four? Your mum’s calling me so I’ll finish for now. Maybe I’ll slip this under your pillow tomorrow after you leave for the wedding, like the tooth fairy. All my love for all my life, my darling. Forever, Dee.”

..

..

Back at the Pub, Libby is telling Taj about Toadie, how he’s like a brother to her. She describes what it was like watching him today - he was cold, shivering, and staring out to the sea like he could make the waves part. She says it reminded her of what it was like watching Drew in the ambulance. She says she’s weak and doesn’t want to confront things anymore - she wants a life that’s bright and hopeful. Taj says this life is bright and hopeful because people like her make it that way.

Susan, Karl and Ben arrive at number 30 and Kev says that Toadie’s not coping at all. Susan asks if she can go and speak to Toadie herself. In the room, Susan enters to see Toadie still mulling over the letter. She takes his hand, and he shows her the note, saying that someone who wrote it wouldn’t give up on life. Susan, unable to control her own tears, hugs Toadie.

..

..

Taj walks Libby to her front porch. Libby spots the Rebecchi’s car but doesn’t want to go over there - she’s had enough bad news. Taj offers for her to come to his house and talk some more, promising that he’s not hitting on her. She looks into his eyes and asks, “Why are you so nice to me?” They draw closer and she kisses him.

Toadie lies in bed, staring at the ceiling. He places the letter on Dee’s pillow. He turns off the light but in the dark, his eyes stay open, staring at the empty space on his bed where his wife should be.

..

Notes: Special stunt, SFX and underwater teams were employed for the underwater sequences in this episode. There were no writer, script producer, producer or director credits.

Summary by Aaron. Captures by Karl

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