Season 3, Episode 28: "Desire and its undoing" (original air date: October 30, 2002)

William is having plumbing problems, but Mike the plumber, is at a job at Dana's place. Faced with a baby-sitting crisis, Dana asks Mike to mind Jordan for a few minutes. He refuses - and admits that he will not allow himself to be alone with kids. Dana is shocked to find that Mike has convictions for child sex offences. Even though Ken reassures that the offending was a long time ago, Dana feels unconvinced.

Mike assumes that William will not want him to do the job either, but William, desperate about the drains and empathetic for his outcast status, takes him on.

Gabrielle tells Nicky she wants a baby, and wants Nicky's assistance in getting a donor. She is disappointed to find she cannot get this on public health, but quickly comes up with plan B. Kieran. Nicky is disconcerted to realise this, but feels no right to disapprove. Kieran senses her discomfort and stirs.

Alistair's find at the Romance Ball, Dr Helen Blakemore, starts work at the clinic, sharing Nicky's cottage as well. When Helen diagnoses Diane's mystery illness as a spider bite, Nicky is very impressed. It's only later that she finds this wasn't because of clinical acumen - spiders are actually Helen's hobby. Alistair and Helen, meanwhile, are getting on like a house on fire - and Nicky feels excluded.

Meanwhile, news of Mike's history is spreading. The congregation puts pressure on Wayne to expel Mike as church organist. Mike starts getting threats. William asks Ken to investigate, but Ken is slow to act.

When Mike doesn't show up for church, William is concerned. Then he gets a call from Mike, who has done something terrible. Ken and William find Mike in his van, in a pool of blood. Ken feels derelict in his duties - but the perpetrator is none other than Mike. He has castrated himself in order to prove to a disbelieving public his claims to be a changed man.

When Gabrielle announces plans to throw away the turkey baster and make a baby the old fashioned way, Nicky does a bad job of hiding her feelings. Gabrielle realises Nicky is jealous, and when she denies it, accuses her of lying about her feelings.

Nicky decides that perhaps it is time to own up. She goes to see Kieran. He is pleased - but still gun-shy after his last experience with her. Their interaction ends in disaster.