'Hamilton Is Out'

Julia has to deal with the fall-out of the news of Ruth’s return. Jimmi apologises for not being too much of a help with the Ruth situation but explains the mental health issues were a little too close to home for him. He assures Julia she can manage this situation though. She starts to talk to Heston, but he has completely forgotten about Ruth’s return, it's Lily he’s worried about: can Julia get her to talk to him after yesterday?

Julia agrees to try. Michelle is a little harder work but Julia offers to ensure Ruth always works at the Mill and Michelle at the campus, their paths will never cross. Michelle agrees to try this. Julia manages to convince Lily that she should hear Heston out and Lily books a table for them.

Heston manages to explain his fear of mental health problems and reveals that his sympathy isn’t an act he just struggles to deal with the issues. Lily starts to crack and reveal some of her troubled past dealing with prejudice.

Meanwhile, Julia cooks dinner for Jimmi and discusses how hard it will be when Ruth returns; so many of the team don’t want her there. Unbeknownst to them Ruth has come down for a glass of water and has heard everything. She is devastated.

Meanwhile, We see Ben (19) leave the gates of prison. No-one is waiting for him. Later Karen is on her way to work when Ben runs out in front of her car being chased by a group of thugs. Ben assures her he’s fine but Karen offers him a lift home. Ben’s devastated when he’s not welcomed home by his mother Sally (43) who makes it clear she doesn’t want him around.

Ben goes out disappointed and not long after arrives at the Mill with cuts and bruises. Karen fusses and gets him an appointment after he explains the thugs from earlier caught up with him. After Ben has gone through Julia takes Karen aside. Does she know who Ben is? Karen draws a blank. Julia reveals that when he was 10, Ben killed a young boy; he tied him up and took his time.

Karen is horrified and when Ben comes back through reception she avoids him. Ben notices and realises she now knows. He assures her he has done his time and now just wants to move on but no-one will let him. When he leaves Karen feels awful for judging him; surely he must have had a bad life to have done such a thing in the first place and people change. Julia disagrees and warns Karen to keep away. Meanwhile we see Ben watching children play in the park…

Karen arrives at Ben’s home to find Sally on the floor frightened of the thugs who have vandalised the house; a boy has gone missing and they are looking for Ben, she knew this would happen again. Karen then hears a noise and finds Ben hiding outside the back, petrified. He swears he didn’t take the missing boy and Karen believes him. She takes the place of his mother and calms down the mob, defending Ben. Just then there’s a huge scream from inside the house. Karen rushes through and into the garden where she find a horror stricken Sally looking at the shed.

Inside is a young boy tied up. Karen rushes to the boy just as we see Ben jumping over the fence, taking one regretful look back. Later Sally blames Karen for being so naïve but a guilty Karen retorts that maybe if Sally had treated him differently he would have had the chance to change.