The calm, sun-drenched surface of Summer Bay is once again cracking, as Home and Away barrels toward one of its most emotionally charged weeks in recent memory. Romance, fear, and looming violence collide in a storyline that reminds viewers just how fragile happiness can be when danger is stalking every corner of the Bay.

At the centre of the tension are the River Boys — a presence that refuses to fade into the background — casting a long shadow over multiple lives. While love is trying to bloom for some, survival has become the priority for others.

River Boys tighten their grip on Summer Bay

Senior Constable Cash Newman finds himself under scrutiny once more as the River Boys resume their relentless surveillance. The arrest of Gage, following his brutal assault on Theo, has reignited the gang’s simmering rage — and Cash knows all too well what they’re capable of when they feel cornered.

Theo’s attack wasn’t just vicious; it was calculated. After discovering that his girlfriend Lacy had been seeing Theo, Gage snapped, crushing Theo beneath a car in a horrifying act of revenge. It was Sunny who raised the alarm, intervening to save Theo’s life — a decision that left Sunny badly beaten himself.

Lacy’s reluctant statement against Gage has proven crucial, but it has also placed her squarely in the River Boys’ line of fire. Promised protection, she currently finds herself hiding out in a storage room at Yabbie Creek Police Station while authorities scramble to find a safe house secure enough to keep her alive. It’s a solution that feels disturbingly inadequate — and Cash knows it.

The River Boys certainly do. They haven’t taken their eyes off him for a second, tailing his movements through Saxon Avenue and beyond, hoping he’ll unknowingly lead them straight to Lacy.

Cash, outwardly calm, insists he can handle the intimidation. But his confidence does little to reassure those around him.

Remy’s growing fear — and a risky decision

It’s Remy who voices what everyone else is thinking. Watching River Boys loiter openly in the street sends alarm bells ringing for him, particularly when he considers Sunny and Theo. While Cash admits they’re not considered primary targets — yet — he also warns that everything will change once Theo is strong enough to give his own statement against Gage.

That uncertainty pushes Remy to take matters into his own hands.

With Theo still recovering in hospital, Remy arranges for Sunny to be moved to a local motel under the watchful eye of hired security guards. It’s meant to be a temporary solution, a way to keep Sunny safe while the danger escalates.

But safety and loneliness are a dangerous combination.

A romance blossoms at the worst possible time

Bored by subpar in-room entertainment and craving comfort, Sunny makes a decision that could have devastating consequences — he invites Dana to join him. What begins as a seemingly innocent visit quickly takes on romantic undertones.

Dana’s arrival doesn’t go unnoticed. Seen by Bree carrying a lavish food hamper and a bottle of wine, Dana’s intentions are obvious to everyone except, perhaps, herself. When Bree jokingly asks if it’s a date with Sunny, Dana dodges the question with a coy, “Why would you say that?”

Remy, however, is far less amused.

Dropping by the motel with supplies, he’s furious to find Dana sitting on the bed, laughing and chatting with Sunny. Once Dana steps outside, Remy unleashes his frustration.

“My street’s crawling with River Boys,” he snaps. “And now you think it’s a good time to hook up?”

Sunny insists it’s not what it looks like, but Remy isn’t convinced. To him, this isn’t about jealousy — it’s about survival.

“I’ve gone out of my way to organise all this to keep you safe,” Remy warns. “What happens if they find you here? What happens if they see Dana and decide to beat her senseless, like they did to you?”

It’s a sobering reminder that in Summer Bay, love can quickly become a liability.

Cash and Eden — love under siege

While fear dominates one corner of the Bay, romance is fighting to survive in another. Cash and Eden are finally back together, but their path forward has been anything but straightforward.

Eden initially hesitated about resuming their engagement, feeling it was too soon after everything they’d been through. Cash’s reaction to Harper and Tane’s whirlwind engagement only deepened her uncertainty. Yet her heart never truly wavered — a fact made painfully obvious when Cash caught her trying on her engagement ring again.

The conversation they’d been avoiding finally came, and with it, clarity. Cash admitted he wanted nothing more than to marry Eden. But instead of simply slipping the ring back on her finger, he took it away — determined to propose properly, at a moment she wouldn’t see coming.

That moment now appears to be approaching.

In scenes shown in the latest promo, Cash confides in Mackenzie, excitement shining through as he reveals his plan to propose. Yet even in moments of joy, the threat of the River Boys refuses to fade.

Cash is later seen picking up takeaway from Eden at Salt, flanked by two River Boys who make no attempt to hide their presence. When Eden asks how long this nightmare is going to last, Cash’s reply is chilling in its simplicity: “As long as it takes.”

A desperate escape — and a dangerous gamble

At the police station, Cash discusses Lacy’s situation with James Stewart, acknowledging the horrifying reality — if the River Boys discover she’s being hidden there, they won’t hesitate to firebomb the station.

Faced with the mounting danger, Cash makes a bold, impulsive move. He asks Eden to run away with him.

Surprised but trusting, Eden agrees.

The pair head to the farm belonging to Cash’s foster father, Gary, where Eden is delighted to reunite with him. For a brief moment, it feels like they’ve found sanctuary — a place untouched by gang violence and police pressure.

But the promo refuses to let viewers relax.

Intercut scenes show River Boys driving through suburban streets while Cash and Eden laugh together on the farm. The implication is unmistakable: the danger hasn’t stayed behind.

As tension mounts, Cash leads Eden toward the back of the farmhouse. Waiting there are Gary and Eden’s sister Abigail, played by Hailey Pinto, watching with barely contained anticipation.

Has Cash gathered Eden’s loved ones to witness the moment he finally proposes? Or is this happiness about to be ripped away at the last possible second?

Love, loss, and the cost of loyalty

This unfolding storyline captures Home and Away at its best — and most brutal. Love is being tested under extraordinary pressure, friendships are strained by fear, and every choice carries potentially deadly consequences.

As the River Boys close in, viewers are left asking the same question as the characters themselves: can love really survive when danger refuses to let go?

Or is Summer Bay about to pay the ultimate price for daring to hope?