26/12/2017 EastEnders

-No!

-Can you get an ambulance?!

-My babies!

-Get an ambulance!

-My babies!

Mick, call an ambulance! They've fallen off the roof.

-All right, all right.

-My babies!

TANYA HYPERVENTILATES

I need an ambulance! Um...W-Walford. Albert Square.

Two girls fell off a roof.

What? I don't know.

SOBBING

Yeah, she's breathing. She's alive.

-SOBS:

-I'm here, darling!

-No! No, don't touch them!

Either of them!

-Is Abi breathing?

-I don't know.

-Is she breathing?!

I don't know, I don't know!

She's alive.

Mummy's here! Mummy's here, baby!

They're both alive. Um...just get here quick.

-TANYA:

-It's OK. It's OK.

Look what I've just found!

CHEERING

Whoo!

LAUGHTER

I'm doing it, I'm doing it, I'm doing it! Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!

POP! ALL: Yay!

Oh! I weren't expecting that to come out so fast!

I hope you won't be saying that to Mick later.

Sharon!

Mick never has that problem.

-Nor do I.

-LAUGHTER

Oh, my ears!

You're very lucky, Patrick, I have terrible problems.

LAUGHTER

-With my ears.

-LAUGHTER

-What?

-LAUGHTER

What?

Shall we watch the telly?

Oh, yeah, come on, let's watch the telly.

TV PLAYS There we go.

-Hey?

-There's Lily.

-Yeah.

SIREN WAILS

-Lily.

-Yeah.

You sit here, look. Watch Father Christmas.

Watch Father Christmas.

Just watch Arthur a sec.

PHONE RINGS

Lil, I'm just going to go and check something, all right?

I won't...I won't...I won't be a minute. Um...you just stay here, OK?

Keep your eye on your little brother and, um...just don't move.

-There!

-That's right, yeah.

OK? I won't be long.

Stacey?

BEEP!

She's pregnant. Abi's pregnant.

-How far along is she?

-Just gone seven months.

-Any complications?

-Um...

What were they doing on your roof?

I ain't got a clue, mate.

Why don't you ask him?

-And who is he?

-That's Max Branning, their dad.

Mr Branning?

Mr Branning?

-Max?

-I understand you were on the roof when your daughters fell.

MAX BREATHES HARD

It's my fault.

What do you mean?

It's all my fault.

Max Branning, I'm arresting you on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.

-You do not have to say anything...

-What?!

..but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned...

What you talking about? No! What you talking about?!

-Get your hands off me!

-Anything you do say may be given in evidence.

I got to be there for my girls!

Sir, I suggest you cooperate, or this could get a lot worse for you.

-Do you understand?

-Max, just...just listen to him!

Martin...?

Come home.

SIREN WAILS

So you've got to drink from the front of your glass with your eyes boss-eyed.

-What?

-Like this, look.

No. Breathe from your diaphragm. Watch.

-IMITATES TOMMY COOPER:

-Just like that!

THEY LAUGH

SHIRLEY BELCHES

-Oh!

-What'd you do that for?!

-Give you a fright.

-You burp like a bloke!

Thank you very much.

What you doing back here, mothers' meeting?

-Linda's got the hiccups.

-LINDA GROANS

-Any more champers?

-Mick's going to think I'm drunk.

-You are drunk.

-No, I'm not!

-Who cares what he thinks?

I'm supposed to be running the bar. Where is he, anyway?

See, that's why I'm single. I ain't having no bloke bossing me about.

Me neither.

-I thought you was a lesbian?

-I am.

Well, she has the occasional lapse.

What, like a vegetarian with bacon?

No, nothing like that at all, Sharon.

No. Most of her blokes are like limp lettuce.

THEY LAUGH

There he is! Mick!

Didn't you hear the sirens?

What sirens?

I'd better make an announcement.

RAUCOUS CHATTER

Right, everyone, listen!

Everyone, listen! Shut up!

Sorry. Er...there's been an accident.

Sit down. Take some deep breaths.

-TV:

-That looks amazing! Good job!

Thank you very much. How was your day?

WHISPERS: Come here, baby.

Come here, sit with Mummy.

Mummy loves you.

Mummy loves you so much!

What's wrong?

Nothing.

Nothing, darling. Mummy's just being silly.

Come on, let's get you to bed, yeah?

Come on, then, up we go.

Good night.

ARTHUR CHATTERS

Gives us a chance to talk.

My daughters?

Please, does anyone know how my girls are?

MUFFLED: Female, aged 23. Fell from height.

Awake at scene, but drowsy.

Complaining of hip and leg pain and not moving right leg.

OK, C-spine immobilised.

Airway patent and self-maintained.

Breathing spontaneous.

Female, aged 21, also fallen from a height.

GCS 3 at scene. We've intubated her.

Sats on 100% oxygen.

Pregnant. Approx 27 weeks.

OK, C-spine immobilised.

A, intubated. B, ventilated.

Good saturations, bilateral air entry.

Pulse 90, BP 110/80.

-We need to manage her left lateral.

-I'm sorry.

PHONE RINGS

MAX COUGHS

Are you currently suffering from any mental health issues?

I'm sorry, what do you mean?

Are you currently seeing, or due to see a mental health professional?

Why?

You were on the roof of a two-storey building.

Were you attempting to take your own life?

No.

So, you're not suffering from mental health issues...?

I just said no.

He's fit to be detained and questioned.

He's been completely out of his mind. Homicidal.

He threatened to kill Phil the other day, didn't he?

Max Branning threatened your life?

-Sharon.

-What? He did.

Ever since it came out about that company he worked for,

he's been a loose cannon.

It was only a matter of time before someone got hurt.

Bloke's got shifty eyes.

So, he must be guilty?

No. I'm just saying, I wouldn't trust him.

I can't believe anyone would do that to their own daughters.

Well, he's a psycho, isn't he? Normal rules don't apply.

-Where are you going?

-Leave him.

What do you mean, no comment? I didn't do anything.

You've told them you weren't suicidal.

I didn't want to risk getting sectioned.

I've got to get to the hospital!

I appreciate that, but if you weren't trying to kill yourself,

they'll want to know why you were up on the roof.

It's ridiculous, all right? I told you, it was an accident. They fell.

This is merely to protect your rights later, if they decide to charge you.

Particularly if the situation becomes more serious.

-What do you mean, more serious?

-If the charge is murder.

So, we're agreed, no comment?

Probably should've paced myself with the brandy.

Did you hear anything from the hospital?

Yeah, yeah, Ian texted. He's there. He...

he said he'd tell us if there's any news.

I just...I can't get my head around it.

They...they just fell.

Just like Bradley.

It's all right. I'm here, Stace.

I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry, Martin.

No, don't be silly. It's natural, isn't it, to be upset?

I am.

Lauren and Abi, they're as good as family.

No, it's not that. It's...

No, I know. Um...

I think you just need to relax, Stace.

Yeah? Why don't I go and make you a nice hot drink and...

..then I'll run you a hot bath and then I'll get your slippers

and your dressing gown and get them all nice and warm.

No. Please.

Unless you'd just rather go straight to bed?

No, please! Please, don't be nice to me!

I want to be nice to you.

You're my wife, Stace.

I'll always do things for you.

Forever, Stace.

What you asked me earlier...

Yeah, that was wrong.

I should never have doubted you. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I trust you, yeah? I do.

I do.

You know what, you're tired, Stace.

And Hope, she's going to need a feed in a minute, isn't she? So...

..why don't we just get on with things, eh?

We should get on with being a family.

Why were you on the roof of the Queen Victoria?

No comment.

Why were your daughters on the roof?

No comment.

How would you describe your relationship with your daughters?

No comment.

Are you a good father, Mr Branning?

Where's this going?

Did you get into an argument with your daughters earlier this evening?

-No comment.

-Did you lose your temper,

-not realising how close to the edge they were?

-No comment.

It was dark, wet, gusty. Dangerous conditions to be up on a roof.

Didn't you see there was a chance they could fall

-because of your actions?

-No comment.

KNOCK ON DOOR

DOOR OPENS

A colleague has just entered the room with a note for me.

DOOR CLOSES

My colleague has just left.

What is that?

I suggest we take a break.

Interview suspended at 7:46pm.

-BUZZER

-I have some calls to make.

I'm sorry, what was in that note?

Maybe it wasn't heat of the moment.

Maybe that was too sympathetic.

You knew exactly what you were doing when you lured them up to the roof.

Did you have reason to want your daughters dead, Mr Branning?

Sorry, what do you mean dead? What are you talking about?

What's in that note?

No comment.

All right, I'll tell you what happened if you tell me...

..if you tell me how they are.

Deal.

You first.

Why were you on the roof, Mr Branning?

MACHINE BEEPS

Hello, Lauren.

You've had a bit of a fall.

You've sustained a complex fracture of your pelvis which is compressing

one of the nerves in your leg, so we need to operate this evening.

Do you understand?

Abi? How's Abi?

She is very poorly but she's in good hands.

And the baby?

VENTILATOR PUMPS AIR

HEART BEATS

WATER RUNS

Martin?

How's Hope?

She's fine. She's sleeping.

I've run you a bath.

I don't want a bath.

It'll do you good.

-Please, can we just talk?

-Sh.

You're in shock. And that's understandable.

But we have got nothing to worry about.

Our babies are all safely tucked up.

We just need to get through tonight.

And everything...

Everything's going to be all right.

Thanks, Jack.

That was Jack. Lauren's OK, but she's gone into surgery.

What about Abi?

That's all the information I have, Mr Branning.

-I need to get out of here.

-Why deny you were suicidal?

Cos I panicked, I thought you'd section me.

Please, I've told you everything I know.

I just need to get out of here. I need to get to the hospital.

HE SOBS

KNOCK ON DOOR

Sir?

Excuse me a minute.

IAN: And then...

Tell them, Ian. You have to.

This has gone far enough.

I didn't say anything before because I was scared.

Look, you don't know what he's like. The company he keeps.

He... He had a knife.

And he was going out of his mind.

And he was trying to strangle me.

I mean, he pushed Lauren to the floor. Doesn't matter

that she was his daughter.

Yeah, I'd say he was capable.

I'd say he was capable of anything.

MARTIN SOBS

"Homicidal." "Out of his mind."

"Deranged."

Words used by people to describe your behaviour.

Words used by people too scared to come forward.

Would that be a fair assessment, Mr Branning?

No, I don't think it would be.

And then you find yourself on a roof with your two daughters.

Daughters who betrayed you.

Let you go to prison for something you didn't do.

-No, that was all over.

-No wonder there's so much

pent up anger, Mr Branning.

So much frustration. The years you put into raising those girls.

And the loyalty you've shown them

and then they turn their back on their old dad.

-Leave him to rot.

-Why? Why are you doing this, all right?

I love my daughters.

I can see that.

I can see you're in pain, Max.

Suffering.

A jury would see that, too.

Which is why you need to do the right thing and tell us the truth.

That would be the true measure of what kind of father you really are.

BUZZER

Interview re-commenced at 9:11pm.

All present as before.

Max Branning, are you guilty of causing grievous bodily harm

to your daughters Lauren and Abi Branning?

No.

DOOR OPENS

Sir.

For the tape, DI Fuller is leaving the room.

Interview suspended at 9:12pm.

BUZZER

-Where have you been?

-Nowhere.

-You all right?

-Not really.

-Shall I call time?

-Hey, are you still serving?

-Yeah.

Right, my bones feel chilled.

-I need something to keep out the cold.

-A rum?

Make that a double.

SHE RINGS BELL

Don't worry, everyone. I'm not asking you to drink up.

We'll stay open all night, if you want us to.

-There you go.

-Thanks.

Any more news?

Lauren's in theatre. And they're just...

they're just giving Abi a scan to establish if her...

Oh, Tan...

Have you told them? Have you told the police what he's been like?

Yeah.

DOOR OPENS

Seems you have a guardian angel.

BUZZER

Interview recommenced at 9:28 pm.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I would now like to show you

a video that has just come into police possession.

At the end of it, I'd like to ask for your comments upon its content.

LAUREN AND ABI SCREAM

In light of this new evidence,

we will not be pursuing this matter any further.

That better?

Martin, I'm just going to say this.

I have to say it because it's not right if we just ignore it...

..cos that's not us.

We don't pretend and if we start doing that then...

..then we're finished. And this family will just be...

..ripped apart.

So, although this is going to hurt, it's better that

we get all the hurting done now, and then...

..maybe, maybe we stand a chance.

I love you so much, Stace. So much.

Sit down.

I'm so sorry.

Say it, then.

Say it, Stace!

On...

On Christmas Eve, when...

..I left the Nativity, when I was here with Max...

..I don't understand why...

..but I guess there's this bit of me that I thought that I'd outgrown,

that I thought I'd got the better of, but, well, I can't have, can I?

Because it was there that night. It came out.

This...this bit of me that just wants to be free.

And I wish... I wish it wasn't there.

And I wish I didn't feel it.

But, Martin, I hate myself and if I could take it back then I would.

I would, but I can't.

So I'm going to have to face it.

And so are you.

I slept with Max.

OK, so we're reducing the fracture, you can see where the nerve

was being trapped. Once we're happy with the alignment,

we need to fix the pelvis in position and do a check X-ray.

Suction.

Swab, please.

More suction.

MACHINES BEEP AND WHIR

MACHINE BEEPS QUICKLY

We've got a bleed.

MACHINE ALARMS GO OFF

We need to get that venous bleeding under control now.

Is she getting that blood?

Call Vascular.

Now.

It's the mid-brain and cerebellum that'll determine her outcome.

SHE SOBS

No, no. Don't come near me. I don't want to be

-in the same room as you ever again! Do you hear me?

-Please...

DOOR OPENS

Would you like to take a seat?

I need to speak with you about your daughter.