The episode begins with Riz Samuel, a journalist, captivating his listeners with a podcast detailing the serene charm of a picturesque rural town in Lancashire, a facade that hides sinister secrets. As the rolling hills and serene lakes unfold, the camera abruptly shifts to a raging inferno, a building on the brink of a lake, consumed by flames. A mysterious silhouette, cloaked in a motorbike helmet, stands on the jetty, a dripping petrol can in hand, watching the devastation unfold.
We then cut to Ember, portrayed with elegance by Jenna Colman, jolted awake by a strange noise emanating from downstairs. She swiftly retrieves a massive kitchen knife hidden beneath her pillow and cautiously advances, ready to confront the intruder. However, her tension subsides as she discovers it was merely her teenage daughter, Hannah, sneaking out for a late-night smoke.
Reassured that there's no imminent danger, Ember and Hannah step out front, engaging in a heartfelt conversation about Ember's late husband, Hannah's father, who passed away a year prior. Hannah confesses that her mother misses him more than she lets on, a revelation that seems to surprise Ember.
The next morning, Ember and her colleague Hitch board a police car, headed towards the charred remains of the sailing club, which had been ablaze the night before. Ember reminisces about the happier times she spent there with her late husband, Mack, who once owned the club. Hitch too shares fond memories of visiting the club as a teenager.
Surprised to learn that the fire was arson, they enter the wreckage, Ember's mind flooded with memories of Mack. As they prepare to leave, Ember requests someone to gather evidence, but the officers seem indifferent to her plea.
They proceed to a local pub, where they confront the Ashby family, grilling them about their whereabouts between 1 am and 3 am. The Ashbys are not amused by the interrogation and retaliate with equally sharp responses, insisting they were at a lock-in at the pub until after 3 am.
After Ember's departure, Arj emerged from the pub's dimly lit interior, apologizing profusely for the failed boat hut venture. Ember dismissed it as merely a structure, but Arj insisted, his voice filled with regret, that it had been a dream he and Mack shared — a dream that had ultimately crumbled beneath their feet.
As they conversed, Ember's gaze suddenly fell upon Ellis Ashby, his arm tightly locked around his cousin Miranda's neck as he forced some unknown substance into her mouth. Ember intervened swiftly, breaking the tense standoff. Ellis shrugged it off as a harmless prank, but Ember's intuition led her to Miranda's apartment, where she found the girl vomiting in the bathroom. Upon discovering laxatives scattered around Miranda's room, Ember's heart sank, suspecting an eating disorder.
Driving through the bustling town, Ember spotted Hannah and her friends walking to school. She instructed Hitch to step out of the car, offering the girls a ride. On the way, Ember probed about Miranda's condition, but Hannah corrected her mother's assumption, revealing that Miranda wasn't struggling with an eating disorder; she was pregnant. The revelation shocked Ember, considering Miranda was barely 16.
Hitch and Ember returned to the pub, determined to confront Miranda, but their arrival was cut short by a horrifying sight. A body plummeted onto their car, smashing the windshield and leaving a trail of blood. It was Miranda.
At the hospital, Ember and Hitch spoke to Miranda's distraught family, learning that there was swelling in her brain. Ember confronted Miranda's mother, Sheena, inquiring about her knowledge of the pregnancy. Sheena admitted she knew but refused to disclose the extent of Miranda's term. Ember's suspicions grew; the father of Miranda's child must be older, making it a case of statutory rape.
The scene shifted to introduce new characters: Malachy, a young man dropping off a late student, Amy, at the school gates. Amy was promptly scolded and given detention. Defiant, Amy skipped class and convinced another student, Caitlin, to join her on an adventure. Against the teacher's wishes, Caitlin left her lesson and accompanied Amy.
At home, Ember inquisitively grilled Hannah about Miranda's much older boyfriend, but Hannah confessed ignorance of the specifics. When Ember expressed disapproval of Miranda's pregnancy at a tender age of 16, Hannah retorted that it wasn't too different from Ember herself conceiving Hannah at 17. It was then revealed that Ember had given birth to Hannah as a teenager. Ember argued it was a different scenario, but her conviction seemed wavering.
The next day at work, Ember and Hitch faced scrutiny from their boss regarding the arson incident at the boathouse. They confessed their lack of progress and informed Mr. Ryan, the owner, that arson cases were notoriously complex and the culprit might never be apprehended. Ember's curtness toward Mr. Ryan stemmed from her dislike of the outsider who had purchased the boathouse.
Meanwhile, Caitlin and Amy discussed their detentions and headed back to Amy's rambling yet decaying mansion. They stole liquor from Amy's parents, marking Caitlin's maiden alcoholic experience.
While Ember was preparing dinner, she overheard a heated argument emanating from the pub. She spotted Riz and Liam shouting at each other, with Riz trying to extract a story from Liam about Miranda. Displeased, Ember intervened and dragged Riz away. She revealed that she knew Miranda's lover was much older, having uncovered another woman who had slept with him. However, she refused to divulge her source, much to Ember's exasperation.
Ember inquired about Riz's presence in town, and she confessed that she was investigating the disappearance of Amy Knightly 17 years ago. Ember was perplexed by the connection to Miranda, but Riz produced a note she had received, stating that Miranda's baby's father was a serial abuser of underage girls, attracted to them for their youth, not despite it.
Malachy awaited Amy by his car, and she brought Caitlin along. He attempted to coax her into smoking, but she declined and inquired about his age, to which he remained silent. Later, Amy scolded Caitlin for asking Malachy's age, explaining that it was the reason she had fallen out with her former best friend. She confessed that Caitlin was her only friend now and suggested a sleepover soon.
Later, Ember visited the local GP to inquire about Miranda's pregnancy. Initially, the doctor hesitated due to patient confidentiality, but eventually revealed that Miranda had been pregnant before and had undergone a termination.
At the boathouse, Ember and Hitch spied a figure within the shadows. They cautiously investigated and discovered a man photographing and collecting evidence. It turned out to be a private investigator hired by Mr. Ryan. However, Ember coerced him to surrender the evidence he had gathered, though she admitted to Hitch that it would likely remain untouched in the evidence locker.
Riz arrives at Sylvia's abode, a medium renowned in the area. Her mission is to seek Sylvia's assistance in contacting Amy Knightly for her ongoing investigation. However, Sylvia's countenance darkens upon realizing Riz's intent. She warns Riz that the locals believe Amy simply vanished and did not perish. Despite her efforts to connect with Amy, Sylvia glimpses a boat floating on a serene lake, yet she deceives Riz, claiming she saw nothing of significance.
During her session with the grief counsellor, Ember confesses her insomnia. The counsellor assumes it's due to Miranda's fall onto Ember's car, but Ember dismisses this, explaining that she's accustomed to such horrors in her profession. Instead, she suggests her condition might stem from being a young mother-to-be, something Ember understands, having fallen pregnant at 17 herself. When asked to articulate the differences between herself and Miranda, Ember struggles to find the words.
At Caitlin's house, Amy arrives for their eagerly anticipated sleepover. Joan, Caitlin's mother, is awkwardly at a loss, uncertain of how to interact with Amy, given that her daughter has no other friends.
Meanwhile, Ember and Arj participate in a race to raise awareness for testicular cancer, a disease that Ember suspects took her husband Mack's life. As they jog, Ember, still pondering her conversation with the counsellor, inquisitively asks if Mack ever harbored affections for younger girls. Arj hastily denies this, cutting the conversation short. Soon after, Ember chances upon Riz and the two revisit the subject of Amy Knightly. Riz laments that the town has dismissed Amy's disappearance, striving to forget, but Ember insists that the truth cannot be erased so easily.
Following the race, Ember encounters Sheena and inquiries about Miranda's well-being. But their conversation is abruptly interrupted by a hospital call, informing them of a dire situation. Upon reaching the hospital, Ember discovers Miranda's room vacant, and the nurse informs her that Miranda's condition has deteriorated, necessitating an emergency delivery of her unborn child.
Back at Caitlin's, Amy and Caitlin are deep in conversation during their sleepover. Suddenly, Malachy appears, pelting stones at the window. Amy, delighted to see him, quickly dresses, offering Caitlyn the choice to join them or stay home.
Riz transmits a haunting voice memo to Ember, recounting the horrors inflicted upon her by a mysterious man and the wretched emotions he triggered. Stirred by the memory of her encounter with Mack, Ember ventures into his study, her gaze wandering over the dusty boxes. Hannah enters, concerned that the time may not be ripe for delving into her father's possessions, but Ember insists that the moment has come.
As they sift through old photographs, a solitary picture catches their attention, tucked neatly between the pages of a book. Hannah remarks on how youthful her father appears in the snapshot, her curiosity piqued by the identity of the girl standing alongside him. Ember's face drains of color as she stares at the image, realizing with a jolt that the girl is Amy Knightly. This revelation confirms the suspicion that Amy and Malachy's story we've been following are, in fact, flashbacks to the past, revealing that Malachy is none other than Ember's eventual husband Mack, and the Amy who Caitlin knows as a friend is the same Amy who vanished seventeen years ago, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions.
