Gary and Phoebe take a trip to Liverpool to visit Phoebe's gran, while there he meets Ron's grandfather, who was famous for saving a child from a burning building. However, when the apparent "hero" is arrested, Gary returns to a shockingly different 1997.

In 1942 Gary argues with Phoebe over where to send their unborn child to school, and Margie, the mother of Reg's son Frankie, turns up at the Royal Oak having left her abusive husband. Back in 1997, Yvonne experiences a complication with her pregnancy.

While coming to terms with her miscarriage, Yvonne quits her job and becomes interested in alternate health therapies. Yvonne's constant presence at home makes it difficult for Gary to meet expectations in 1942, where Phoebe is starting to get frustrated at doing all the wedding planning on her own.