Colleen steps forwards towards Chrissie

Colleen - Come on Latham, stop this now. You need to step down from there before you fall

Chrissie - Don't come any closer Powell, I mean it!

Down below a crowd of people has formed, looking and pointing up

The laundry

The women are at work as Helen arrives in her civvies

Helen - Well Seeya eh gals!

Bea steps off the press and hugs Helen

Bea - I know I'm wasting my breath but try not to come back this time, will you?

Helen smiles

Helen - Well gee Bea, I'll try but can't promise anything. Occupational hazard you know

Bea - Don't you get tired of it all now?

Helen - I guess I do a bit...but what else could I do with myself?

Bea - Don't take this the wrong way love, but you're not getting any younger. Time to retire from the game maybe?

Helen laughs

Helen - Gee thanks Bea, you really know how to make a gal feel good about herself!

Bea manages a weak smile

Bea - There must be something else you could do that's all I mean

Helen- I know....listen are you ok sweetie? Seems like something is on your mind

Bea - I'm fine, you just worry about yourself and try to stay out this time, ok?

Vera arrives looking irate

Vera - There you are Smart! When I tell you to wait for me at the gate I expect you to do as you are told, not sneak off down here...anyone would think I had nothing better to do with my time than run around after you lot all day!

Helen - I only wanted to say goodbye to the gals Miss Bennett

Bea - Yeah, no harm in that is there Vera?

Vera (short-tempered) - Oh just get moving Smart, I haven't got all-day

Helen looks at Bea again with a warm smile

Helen - Bye

Bea - Bye love

Helen leaves the room with Vera. Shirley runs out of the laundry after them

Shirley - Miss Bennett please can I have a word with Helen?

Vera - No you can't harris, get back to the laundry before I put you on report

Shirley - Please Miss Bennett, it's important

Vera (snappy) - Oh Alright! Hurry up will you!

Shirley - Please can you do me a favour Hel?

Helen - Depends on what it is sweetie?

Shirley - Just visit Alicia for me, make sure my mother is looking after her, please?

Helen nods her head

Helen - Ok I can do that

Shirley hugs her

Shirley - Thanks Hel, I knew I could count on you. Here is the address

Vera rolls her eyes as Shirley takes a pen and notepad out of her pocket and begins to scribble down an address

Blackmoor

The women crowd around cheering as Janice and Kelly fight

Officers run in to break it up

Police and reporters have arrived below Chrissie's flat where the crowd now is even bigger

Up on the balcony Geoff glances over the edge

Geoff - Got an audience now I see Latham, just what you wanted I expect?

Chrissie - What ya bleeding on about?

Geoff - Well this is all attention-seeking isn't it?

Chrissie - You're talking crap, I never wanted an audience

Geoff - Didn't you?

Chrissie - Of course not, all I wanted was to keep my baby

Geoff - She's not your baby

Chrissie - To me she is mine, I love her like she was my own child

Geoff - You love her so much you're prepared to kill her?

Chrissie - If it means we don't get separated then yeah

Geoff - Selfish Latham, you're selfish and you know it

Chrissie - just go away, will you?

Geoff - And leave you alone with this poor child? No way...

Colleen looks agitated

Colleen - Geoff, I think maybe I should try talking to Chrissie?

Geoff - You already tried, it hardly helped

Colleen - I hardly see how baiting her will help either

Geoff - I am telling her the truth that's all, I see no point in mollycoddling her

There is a loud urgent knock at the front door

Colleen - That will be the police

Geoff - You'd better let them in then hadn't you, I'll stay here with Latham

Colleen turns to go as Chrissie looks at her

Chrissie - No Mrs Powell, please don't let them in

Colleen - I have to, you must be able to see that now?

Geoff - Mrs Powells right, she has to let them in now, they aren't going to go away

Colleen slips away leaving Geoff and Chrissie alone

Geoff - Why don't you hand the baby to me Latham and step down now? It will do you a lot of favours if you don't waste the polices time here

Chrissie (aggressive) - Bugger the pigs! Why should I do them any favours? When have they ever done me any?

Vera is escorting Helen towards the gate where Judy spots them from her spot in the garden and rushes over

Judy - Hey Helen, you're off then?

Helen - Yes Jude

Vera - Come on Smart, get moving!

Judy - Can't you let us say goodbye, Miss Bennett?

Vera - You knew Smart was leaving Bryant, you had plenty of time to say your goodbyes last night

Judy - Yeah well I didn't get a chance to say a proper goodbye last night

Vera smirks

Vera - Well I don't know why you're so upset anyway Bryant, she'll probably be back by the end of the day

Vera grabs Helen by the arm

Vera - Now come on Smart!

Helen - Ok ok Miss Bennett take it easy, will you!

Judy - I'm glad we sorted out our differences

Helen - So am I, I'm sorry I was such a bitch about it all love

Judy - That's ok, you had your reasons

Vera - Get out...MOVE!

Vera escorts Helen off roughly

Janice and Kelly are standing in front of Marina with Terry and Bruce standing to the side

Marina - Fighting ladies?

Kelly - Well she started it

Marina - I do not care who started it, fighting is unacceptable here. Neither of you has been here very long and already you're demonstrating to me that you're a pair of troublemakers

Janice - I'm only in here because of her, she set me up!

Kelly - Oh what rubbish. Janice has always had an overactive imagination Miss Donovan

Janice - You bitch! I'll make you own up if it's the last thing I ever do

Kelly smirks

Kelly - Make sure you hurry then Janice, I mean the other women are bound to be after you aren't they. No one likes ex screws

Janice -I've survived so far, you can count on the fact that I'll carry on surviving

Kelly - You can't count on anything in a prison love, especially not this prison

Janice - What you can count on is the fact that even if I do go down I'll drag you with me

Kelly - Really?

Janice - Yes really

Kelly starts laughing and Janice gets into her face

Janice - You'll be laughing on the other side of your face when I'm done with you

Kelly pushes her away and wrinkles her face in disgust

Kelly - Don't get so close to me Raymond, your breath stinks! You need to brush your teeth and chew some mints love!

Marina slams her fist on the desk in anger

Marina - STOP THIS NOW!... BOTH OF YOU!

Marina turns to Terry and Bruce

Marina - Get the pair of them up to solitary, I've had enough of this. They can cool off up there

Bruce - Yes governor...any special instructions?

Marina smirks

Marina - Ah yes...make sure they won't be lonely in the hole eh?

Bruce and Terry grin

Terry - Gotcha governor

Janice and Kelly look concerned

The police are with Chrissie on the balcony

Police officer - Hand over the baby Latham

Chrissie - GET STUFFED!

Police officer - Look Latham this has gone far enough, you have to end this now

Chrissie starts crying

Chrissie - Look just go away, please just go away. I can't cope with losing my baby again, I just can't

Colleen steps forwards

Colleen - Let me talk to her, please

Police officer - No we are dealing with this now ma'am, please stay out of it

Colleen -But you can see she is distressed, let me talk to her please, I might be able to get her to see sense

The officer ponders it for a moment

Officer - I'll give you two minutes, if you fail to talk her down I'm taking over again

Colleen nods her head

Colleen - Thanks officer

Vera is in the staffroom as Meg enters

Meg - Did you release Smart?

Vera - I did indeed. Bloody woman, she messed me about saying her goodbyes

Meg - Well she has a lot of good friends here Vera, you have to expect her to want to say goodbye

Vera - Yes, of course, I keep forgetting we are here to cater to their every need

Meg - Yes well I hope she manages to stay out this time, she must be getting fed up with being in and out by now

Vera - She'll be back, her sort always are

Meg - Well I hope you're wrong this time

Vera - She hasn't got what it takes to stay out, none of them has!.. I mean look at Bryant. Ok fair enough she managed to stay out longer than I expected but she blew it in the end. She was doing well for herself and she blew it because she can't help herself. Once a criminal, always a criminal!

Meg - Oh that's a little harsh Vera, let's not forget Jock Stewart has hassling her. She was doing fine until he showed up

Vera - Yes well there's always an excuse isn't there! But let's not forget that even Sheila Brady wants nothing more to do with Bryant!

Meg sighs

Meg - Yes well anyway...I wanted to talk to you about Toni

Vera - About what those animals did to her?

Meg- No, I wanted to ask if you have seen her? We're all rather worried about her

Vera - Yes I've seen her, she needs a friend right now

Meg - So am I to take it she is not taking the miscarriage well then?

Vera - Of course, she isn't taking it well Meg, what do you damn well expect?

Meg - Ok ok, keep calm. I'm only asking out of concern that's all

Vera softens

Vera - Yes I know, I'm sorry. It just makes me so damn angry when I think about what that pack of animals did to her

Meg - Well Janice was responsible, you can hardly blame all of them

Vera - Yes I can! They are all the same! So the rest of them may not have been responsible for what happened to Toni but they are all criminals! They all act like scum!

Meg - Yes well it's time I got on with my work

Meg gets up to leave

Vera - Oh meg, before you go

Meg - Yes Vera?

Vera - Do you know how long Dr Miller will be staying with us?

Meg - No, I haven't asked, why is there a problem?

Vera - Of course not, I just wondered that's all

Meg - He's welcome to stay as long as he wants

Vera = Yes of course, but he should get his act together. Sitting around all day feeling sorry for himself won't do him any good

Meg - He's still coming to terms with losing Karen, it's going to take time

Vera - We all have to deal with losses, we just have to get up, brush ourselves down and get on with it! Greg disappoints me, I never had him down as the type to wallow in self-pity

Meg looks annoyed

Meg - I have rounds to do

Meg marches off

Vera shakes her head and drinks her coffee

Two big trucks with skips on the back of them pull up outside Pam Sparrows home

The two councilmen are waiting out the front as men in workman's overalls get out of the truck

Council man 1 - Good morning gents

The workmen nod their heads and grunt good mornings

Council man 1 - Now we have permission to remove all the rubbish. The whole house is packed with rubbish, so much so that the front entrance to the property is inaccessible

Council man 2 - The amount of rubbish in the property far exceeds the space in these skips which means multiple trips to the dump to empty then back here to refill

Workman - Will Mrs Sparrow be present today?

Council man 2 - We believe so, she was notified we would be coming today. We have offered to help her go through the rubbish carefully so we can save important items like photos

Council man 1 - But unfortunately we have not found Mrs Sparrow to be the most cooperative of people in the past and its doubtful she will cooperate much today

They stand in silence for a second, pausing proceedings

The two councilmen give each other a sheepish look

Council man 2 - Come on gents, let's get started

They all open the gate and make their way up the garden and around the back

The neighbour is watching on his porch with a can of fosters and a grin on his face

Colleen is alone on the balcony with Chrissie

Colleen - This has to end here, you know it does

Chrissie - Yeah it'll end alright

Colleen - You don't want to kill a little baby Latham, come on

Chrissie - I'm only doing it for her so that we won't be apart

Colleen begins to lose her patience

Colleen - For god sake give me the baby!..

Chrissie shakes her head

Colleen - GIVE HER TO ME NOW!....look please, I'm sorry I shouted but you can't do this Chrissie. You can't end a child's life just because you'd rather that than be separated from her. She has no say in any of this and you'll be robbing her of her chance to grow up and enjoy life? Is that really fair? Neil did that to little Lizzie and took away all the potential she had, that no one will ever get to see or know about now. Is it really fair to deny that to little Charlotte too? That will be two little lives so needlessly lost and wasted. Come on you know its not right, you know you have to give her to me and do the right thing

Chrissie bows her head in shame

Chrissie - You're right Mrs Powell, I know that

Chrissie pauses for a moment and then holds the baby out

Chrissie - Here take her

Colleen takes the baby from Chrissie and breaths a sigh of relief

The police officer approaches

Officer - I'll take the baby

He takes the baby from Chrissie and hands her to his mute colleague

Officer -Take the baby to get checked over

Chrissie - Checked over? I ain't bleeding done anything to her!

Officer - You threatened to jump off an 8th-floor balcony with her Latham so forgive me if we check her over just to be safe....please hurry officer

The officer nods his head and leaves with Charlotte

Chrissie watches her go with tears rolling down her face

Chrissie - Bye sweetheart

The officer takes his handcuffs out

Officer - Step down from there now please Latham, you're under arrest

Colleen - Is it really necessary to handcuff her?

Officer - Yes it is

Chrissie - I ain't going anywhere with you

Officer - Yes you are Latham, please cooperate

Chrissie steps closer to the edge and shakes her head

Chrissie - Oh no, just because I handed Charlotte over doesn't mean I'm not going to jump myself

Chrissie looks at Colleen and laughs

Chrissie - I bet you weren't expecting that eh Mrs Powell? Well you should know me by now, always one for surprises

Chrissie chuckles some more

Council man two knocks at Pam's back door

Pam calls out from inside

Pam - Who is it?

Council man 2 - It's Mr Morton, I informed you my colleagues and I would be coming today Mrs Sparrow

Pam - GET LOST!

Council man 1 - Please open up Mrs Sparrow, we have a warrant to enter the property

Pam - YOU AIN'T COMING IN HERE, NOW CLEAR OUT!

Derek arrives

Derek - We have to let them in love

Pam - NO WAY!

Derek - We have to

The back door opens and Derek appears

Council man 1 - Good morning Mr Sparrow...

Pam begins to hit her husband in a frenzied attack of weak, ineffectual blows

Pam - YOU FOOL DEREK! YOU BLOODY FOOL!

Derek calmly restrains her as she sobs

Derek - Calm down love, come on

Derek comforts his wife with gentle compassion as she quietly sobs

Geoff has rejoined Chrissie and the officer on the balcony

Geoff - More attention-seeking Latham?

Chrissie - No, I'm going to jump because I want my life to end. It's not meant anything since I lost Elizabeth. Having Charlotte made it better for a while but now she's gone there's nothing left

Geoff - Pull yourself together Latham, there is always something to live for it you look for it.

Chrissie - Bull there's nothing left for me!

Geoff - It takes strength and courage to fight on when you feel there's nothing left. It takes guts to keep on looking. Only cowards would take the easy option of ending it all

Chrissie - Yeah well then I'm a coward then, I don't care

Geoff - Then you should just jump then

Chrissie - I will

Geoff - She's taking her time about it, don't you think officer?

Police officer - Yes I do

Chrissie - Ok you two, that's enough!

Chrissie steps forwards again and lays a hand on Chrissie's shoulder

Colleen - Step down now and I'll do all I can to help you, Chrissie, I promise. We'll see what we can do to bring you out of these dark times and make you feel a little happier again eh?

Chrissie - Bull, you'll abandon me the moment I step down from here

Colleen - No I won't. I didn't abandon you after you lost Elizabeth remember? I did everything I could to help you. Believe me, jumping from this building is not the solution to the problem. It can be worked out if you stay and fight I promise you

Chrissie falls into Colleen's arms in tears

Colleen hugs her

Colleen - Come on now, let's get you down from here shall we

Chrissie nods her head

Chrissie - Ok Mrs Powell

Chrissie goes to step off and loses her balance, she slips and falls over the balcony with a scream

Colleen (horrified)- CHRISSIE!

GATESLAM

PART 2

Pam's hoard is beginning to be removed out onto the lawn outside as she stands in her kitchen in distress

Pam - What about all my treasures? My lifetime of precious treasures

Council man 1 - We'll let you go through it all we promise

Pam - You don't throw a thing away until I've seen it!

Council man 2 - The workmen know that Mrs Sparrow, right now it's being moved outside into the garden that's all

Pam - Come on Derek, we must go and make sure they aren't throwing anything out!

Pam runs outside followed by Derek