Hamish enjoys re-acquainting himself with the island and he's delighted when Douglas finds the fishing boat he used as a kid. It ushers in warm memories of his own childhood. The boat is almost seaworthy, but it just needs a little work to prevent any leakage, which Robbie is happy to undertake.</BR> </BR> Kenny is preparing Abby, and in a subtle way, the kids, that it's time he left the island for good. She knows he finally has to move on, but she can't allow herself to loan him the money he needs to return to London. That night Kenny boards Hamish's boat to mount a salmon rescue mission of his own - maybe he can make a few quid on the catch. But as he's out to sea, the boat takes on water - he can't bail it out quickly enough to prevent the craft from sinking. In the freezing cold water, he abandons ship and manages to struggle ashore an inlet.</BR> </BR> Abby, meanwhile, is finally allowing Robbie back into her own life, and for the first time in many years, they sleep together.</BR> </BR> Kenny, now frozen to the core, manages to light a fire. In the morning a rescue helicopter spots him and he's taken to safety. He's surprised to be met by his father, Gordon, the kids, and finally, Abby. He finally sees her speak the words he's wanted to hear for so many years - that she loves him. But frustratingly, he can't hear the them. He awakens. He's back on the beach, freezing, and desperate to get a fire going…and again, he lapses into his dream world. He reconciles himself to all the important people in his life, but especially his one true love - that of Abby.</BR> </BR> Daylight breaks, and the alarm has been raised that Kenny is missing. Gordon takes Abby on the ferry, and together they desperately try to find him. The coastguard have mounted a search and rescue, as the islanders wait helplessly. Only Charlie seems oddly calm about Kenny's disappearance. The tiny boat has been found and on the beach, Kenny's body is discovered next to an unlit fire. He's dead….

Abby, Kenny and the children are settling down to life on Ronansay. The B&B is open for business, although the roof leaks, the plumbing is unreliable, and the fire won’t light. The salmon disease, ISA, has been diagnosed in the fish farm owned by Alistair Macleod. Alistair and Big Jerry Kennedy face at least six months without an income while the farm is quarantined. Abby and Kenny’s "marriage" is experiencing teething troubles. Kenny offers to leave the island and Abby agrees. But even on the ferry away from Ronansay, Kenny creates another misunderstanding. He inadvertently starts a rumour that Abby used to work in a topless bar and, with Gordon to fan the flames, the island soon has Abby marked as an ex-prostitute. When she gets wind of the rumour and its origin, Abby tells Kenny him he can never come back to the island: she’s told everyone he’s dead. But then Kenny redeems himself by selling his car and hiring Alistair to fix the roof of the B&B, saving the salmon-farmer from having to leave the island to look for work.

Abby spots an ad, which seems to promise the way of life she dreams of, but there's a problem: it specifies a married couple and Abby is a single parent. Abby persuades Kenny, her childhood friend and neighbour and a perpetually aspiring musician, to pose as her husband, at least for the interview on Ronansay. Kenny agrees reluctantly: the role of Abby's husband and father to her children is too close to his most cherished fantasy for comfort. Abby, Kenny and the children set off on the long drive north. After much infighting, the islanders draw up a shortlist and interview several candidates - all unsuitable. Then they meet the Peterson family who seem so ideal that when Abby and her "family" arrive on the island, the islanders have already offered them the post. But as a bitterly disappointed Abby, Kenny and the children wait for the return ferry, the Petersons reveal that they are the leaders of a doomsday cult, looking for somewhere to bring their followers. The islanders beg the Wallaces to stay, and Alfie and Charlotte take their places in the school just in time to stop it being closed.

Desmond Cholonbury is dead! As the highly unpopular and disliked owner of Ronansay, his untimely demise is a cause for celebration for the islanders! Douglas sees this as a chance to finally unite the island. There's just one tiny snag - Cholonbury declared that the islanders are not to be sold the island, unless there are no other takers. As far as Douglas is concerned, this is just a minor obstacle. He starts to form a plan for them all to band together and buy the island themselves.</BR> </BR> Gradually the islanders begin to discuss the idea seriously, but Abby can't commit. The nature of her economic circumstances is such that she's unwilling to take on the risk of a mortgage - which she would need to do were she to stay on the island. But does she really want to commit to staying on Ronansay at all? Terry measures her uncertainty and offers her the option of financial help. Abby protests but now that Kenny's gone, he'd like to leave something for Alfie and Charley. After all, they are the closest he'll ever come to having granchildren. Robbie wants them to move and start afresh, but for Abby the draw of the island is too strong. She accepts Terry's offer and unites with the islanders to fight for making Ronansay their own.</BR> </BR> A rich American, Snyder, arrives with a view to buying the island himself. The islanders have no choice but to present themselves as a distinctly odd and macabre bunch in order to try and put him off. Surely the burning of the Wicker Man will ensure his quick exit! But with a little help from Charley, Snyder sees through their actions. Realising the fairness of the islanders owning the land, he withdraws his interest.</BR> </BR> Hamish is offered a fantastic job in New York but now feels his heart is in the island. He puts forward the idea of renovating the distillery. If the distillery is in good working order, it will provide a viable asset, adding to the island's worth, thus ensuring a much needed loan to buy the island. Working against the clock, the entire island manage to make it look presentable and in the nick of time they find the source of the stream which had dried up. The bank agrees the loan and the future of the island is finally in the hands of the people who live there.</BR> </BR> Abby, Robbie, Alfie and Charley are finally reunited as a family. Making a go of it won't be easy, but the future for them looks secure on Ronansay …

It's Mary's birthday and the islanders celebrate it by having a beach party. Robbie plans to leave Ronansay. It's not really of his choosing but he thinks he's wasting his time with the kids and Abby. But to his surprise, Abby's response is dismissive - why does he want to leave? So with a new purpose, Robbie faces his challenge. Kenny takes charge of the 'how to talk to your kids' lessons and Robbie's unexpected success results in his making some real progress with Alfie.</BR> </BR> Carolyn, feeling depressed and isolated, misreads Dr Talbot's professional concern and kisses him - leaving him speechless. Big Jerry goes to see Carolyn and realises that she needs Alistair. He goes to find him - Big Jerry offers to take his place on the boat, and Alistair, after a few home truths given to him by Big Jerry, decides to return Ronansay.</BR> </BR> A stranger turns up at the school asking questions. Having lied on an Education Authority register Douglas fears he's been found out. Gordon persuades Abby to conspire with him into being economical with the truth, but it proves fruitless - the stranger returns, and this time it's with the police. He represents Ida's ex-husband who wants custody of Peter. Malcolm along with the Islanders band together to protect them but Ida and Peter have no choice - a distraught Malcolm is forced to accept that they have to secretly leave the Island if they are not to be deported.

The islanders are in a celebratory mood as Carolyn gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, Isla. Everyone turns out for the celebrations and Gordon, dressed to the nines, is out to impress Marjorie. After an ego boosting "man to man" chat with Kenny, he's prepared to show Marjorie exactly what he's made of. But just as he and Marjorie get down to business at Marjorie's place, Heather makes a very untimely entrance… </BR> </BR> Abby and Kenny's relationship has found a platonic middle ground. But Kenny is feeling restless - he needs to move on but feels unable to until Abby feels secure without him being around. And the perfect opportunity presents itself when Robbie, Alfie and Charley's father, gets in touch. Robbie wants to see his kids but Abby refuses to let him back into their lives. So Kenny, secretly, heads for London to find Robbie. He needs to see if Robbie has changed. As the subject of Robbie has arisen, Charley questions Abby about her father. But Alfie is adamant - he doesn't want to meet up with his father; what if he turns out to be just like his dad?</BR> </BR> Alistair is struggling with the reality of fatherhood. He distances himself from Carolyn and the baby. </BR> </BR> Malcolm is excited about his new business venture. There's big money to be made in cattle breeding so he invests in buying a bull. </BR> </BR> Mary approaches Gordon - she needs the cottage back, for when Alistair and Carolyn live there together, as she is sure they will. Gordon is utterly bereft - where is he going to live? But Marjorie comes to the rescue. Why doesn't he move in with her?

The prospect of the Northern Lights making a brief appearance has stirred the passions of the islanders. Douglas and Mary reminisce about their first kiss, and even Gordon and Marjorie have managed to soften up to each other. It seems they have a history.</BR> </BR> Abby is in a state of confusion over her real feelings for Kenny. Alfie and Charley decide it's time to nudge their mother in the right direction, so they arrange a romantic dinner for two at the Raeburn. The evening proves excruciatingly awkward for them both, so much so that Kenny leaves early..</BR> </BR> Heather decides to defer her university placement for a year, in order to look after her mother, Marjorie..</BR> </BR> Despite his decision to stand by Carolyn through her pregnancy, Alistair still has Abby on his mind. However, Abby is not as interested, and when a drunken Alistair breaks into her bedroom during the night, she rebukes him..</BR> </BR> Douglas prepares to take Little Jerry home to his mother in Fife, but Big Jerry is having none of it. Following an evening drowning his sorrows in the pub, Big Jerry sobers up enough to realise that he must face up to the responsibility himself..</BR> </BR> The Northern Lights finally make their appearance and the islanders watch in wonder. After much thought about the future, Abby ask Kenny if he will marry her. Kenny is ecstatic and kisses her passionately, but the passion isn't there for Abby, and when Kenny asks her if she loves him, she realises that she can't answer him…

A power cut interrupts the island’s viewing of the annual Celtic v. Rangers match. Kenny begins to suspect that the B&B is haunted, his imagination fuelled by a ghost story that Alistair told them during an outing in his boat. Murdo Campbell has become reclusive and Douglas is worried about him. Unknown to the rest of the island, Elizabeth Campbell has developed Alzheimer’s dementia and Malcolm and Murdo are finding it hard to look after her. A doctor comes to see Elizabeth and recommends a nursing home on the mainland, but Murdo won’t hear of it. Elizabeth goes missing - and so does Charley. During a conversation with Gordon about the ghost, Kenny lets slip that he and Abby have separate bedrooms, which fuels intense speculation on the island about the state of their marriage Malcolm agrees that his mother must stay at home and they will do their best to look after her. Douglas finally summons the courage to propose to Mary.

Abby's relationship with Alistair seems to be going from strength to strength, and in a confident bid to put the B&B on a more secure footing, Abby advertises in a mainland newspaper. Could it be that, at last, love and security are within her grasp? Not everyone on Ronansay is pleased by Abby's new found happiness of course. Carolyn, fears she may have lost Alistair forever, and Douglas takes Abby's advert as a personal attack on the Raeburn Hotel. Both decide to fight back in their own way. But what Abby doesn't realise is that this fight could get very dirty indeed.</BR> </BR> Douglas wreaks his revenge on Abby by making bogus reservations at the B&B. Abby is disappointed when her guests fail to arrive, but when Mary discovers his ruse she gives a sheepish Douglas hell. Carolyn's actions may have much further reaching consequences for Abby however. That night Kenny spots Alastair sneaking out of Carolyn's cottage under cover of darkness...</BR> </BR> Eager to help Kate find something she can believe in, Abby and Kenny persuade Gordon to take a trip out to sea in the hope that they might be able to see some whales. Kate's joy when they finally find them is reward enough, but Gordon goes one step further. As Kate and Mrs Wier are leaving the island on the ferry, Abby and Douglas are surprised to see that it is full of tourists. Apparently, Gordon's promise of a 'whale spotting' weekend was too good to resist.

Abby and Alistair's relationship continues on track, but Alfie and Charlie are not at all enamoured with the union, particularly when Alistair tries, and fails miserably to impress. He's just not cut out for the surrogate father role. And from Abby's point of view, he just doesn't understand where these kids are coming from, which leads to rumbles in the household. </BR> </BR> The course of true love runs a little more smoothly for Malcolm, to begin with anyhow. When the proposal of marriage is well and truly underway over a romantic dinner at the Raeburn, Ida ups and leaves, leaving the island without explanation and leaving Malcolm stunned.</BR> </BR> As Carolyn and Heather's plans for a night out on the mainland come to fruition, it transpires that both girls have more devious intentions: Carolyn to have an illicit night of passion with Alistair; Heather to have a hedonistic all-nighter at a club. But for Heather, things go completely awry when, duped by an undercover cop, she is arrested for taking Ecstasy. </BR> </BR> With Carolyn out of contact and her mother's less than sympathetic shoulder to lean on, Heather turns to the only person she can - Kenny. Unfortunately, Kenny has a pathological aversion to the police and so instead of managing to bail her out, he finds himself thrown into a cell beside Heather to cool off. Only Abby, with reasoning, and a smidgen of blackmail thrown in, manages to sort out the sorry affair.

Abby is having to prepare herself for a shock - Alistair announces to her that he wants to get serious. This is so unlike the confirmed single guy who Abby has got to know. But Abby, surprisingly, feels comfortable with that thought. What she feels less comfortable with is having to tell Kenny… </BR> </BR> Abby's matchmaking skills are required when Malcolm, still reeling from Ida's sudden departure, searches Abby out for advice. There's only one thing for it - he must go and find Ida to tell her how he feels. Malcolm leaves Ronansay to travel to Ida's flat in Glasgow. When Malcolm arrives, Ida is forced to eveal her secret - she has a young son. Malcolm, resolves never to let Ida out of his life again, and embraces them both. They all return to Ronansay, together, as a family.</BR> </BR> A new visitor, Terry, arrives on the island, much to Abby's delight, as his stay is indefinite. With tourists thin on the ground, his staying at the B&B assures a small but regular income for her. But there is something familiar and at the same time mysterious about this visitor that Abby can't quite put her finger on, just yet anyhow…</BR> </BR> But Abby has much more pressing things on her mind at the moment. As she plans her future with Alistair, her world is about to be ripped apart. Carolyn drops the bombshell - she's pregnant and the father is Alistair. But it's Mary, not Alistair who gives Abby the news. Shocked, distraught and feeling betrayed, who else can she turn to but Kenny. And, reliable and caring as ever, Kenny is there to help her pick up the pieces…..

Following Abby's break-up, an overprotective Kenny is convinced that she is suicidal and to that end, he clears her bathroom of potentially life-threatening items, falling just short of the nail clippers, much to Abby's irritation. She's not so much depressed as furious which isn't helped when Alistair turns up, begging forgiveness. Her response is clear though, there's no turning the clock back. Alistair gets deeper into trouble when his attempt at practical support of Carolyn is misinterpreted by her as something more.</BR> </BR> Abby can't help but be intrigued by Terry. He has the uncanny ability to appease her children and impart insightful advice exactly when it is needed. Very much like Kenny in fact. Then the penny drops, and after a few well chosen questions veered towards him, there's no doubt that Terry is Kenny's estranged father.</BR> </BR> Malcolm heads home with his new family but he's worried how Murdo will take the news. Malcolm demands that Gordon, as Captain, marry him and Ida on the boat. Gordon duly obliges, albeit reluctantly. But he's riddled with guilt, as he's as much a Captain as Kenny is a Psychiatrist. So he just has to find the right moment to tell Malcolm that the marriage isn't quite valid…</BR> </BR> Murdo is unhappy that Malcolm has married without him being there. Gordon finally finds the courage to tell Malcolm that wedding ceremony wasn't legal, but instead of the expected torrent of abuse, Malcolm is ecstatic. Murdo can witness the wedding after all - on Ronansay. He rushes to tell his father the good news, but he's horrified to find Murdo in his bed, not asleep, but dead…

The islanders gather to say a final goodbye to their old friend Murdo at the scattering of his ashes. Gordon insists on standing with his 'new best pal' Terry, leaving Kenny looking on resentfully. Kenny hasn't been able to find the words to talk to his father.</BR> </BR> En-route to the wake, Kenny has a heart to heart with his father, Terry. Kenny is completely shocked to discover that his father is gay and that's why he left the family home all those years ago. After speaking with Abby he decides to make his peace before his father returns to London.</BR> </BR> Douglas continues to worry about the continuity of the island, especially after Murdo's passing. A silver cup discovered by Abby and the kids gives him an idea and he decides its time to resurrect the tradition of the Ronansay Run. Abby and Mary reconcile their differences and agree to join the 'race organisation committee' but even with their help Douglas only manages to find a single competitor, Dr Talbot.

Malcolm's new bull is unwilling to perform, much to the annoyance of Marjorie and Douglas, the co-owners. Meanwhile in London, Kenny looks up some old contacts and goes for a drink with Robbie. Despite his best intentions Robbie doesn't take too kindly to being given advice by Kenny and becomes aggressive. Feeling he's been chasing a lost cause Kenny returns to Ronansay by himself. So he is as surprised as Abby when Robbie turns up unannounced.</BR> </BR> Carolyn's post-natal depression worsens and Mary doesn't know what to do. She needs to keep a full-time eye on Carolyn and, as a result, Abby's time at the school increases. She finds herself enjoying the challenge - unlike Alfie who can't believe he's being taught by his mother!</BR> </BR> Now that Mary has reclaimed the cottage, Kenny is living back at Abby's guest house and Gordon is at Marjorie's. Since the birth of Isla, Alistair feels completely impotent in the face of so much new responsibility. Alistair decides it's best for him to leave the island and does so in secret, leaving a note for Big Jerry on the door of the boathouse.</BR> </BR> Things aren't going too well at the Campbell farm. Colin's simple manner unnerves Ida. He compliments her excessively in an effort to be polite but Ida feels threatened and demands from Malcolm that Colin leave. But Malcolm realises that Colin means no harm and lets him stay. Ida is furious.