desk in their second session in an attempt to not talk about it. Brendan realizes he needs to fix himself and leave immediately, moving into a nearby church, focusing on God to fix him. It is a powerful step in his redemption arch. Not long after, he agrees to meet Cheryl in a park and is horrified to find out that Ste is to be married to Doug within the week. Due to the insistence of the priest at the church, he is prepared to reveal his feelings to Ste, but bottles it at the last minute, and allows Ste to go ahead with the wedding. Ste is seriously injured in the bus crash at the wedding, and Brendan rushes to his side when he hears the news. After his trip to the hospital, Brendan turns to God and makes a promise to stay away from Ste, so long as God allows Ste to survive. Ste pulls through, and Brendan is therefore forced to keep his promise. Ste and Doug try to make it as a married couple but Ste's feelings for Brendan are still obvious. When Doug's parents return for a visit from America they make the shocking confession that Doug's father is ill. Ste and Doug pack up to move to America but not before Ste visits Chez Chez and tells Brendan to ask him to stay. The pair kiss but Brendan pushes Ste away and punches him, later telling Cheryl it was because of his pact to God to stay away from Ste and the only way to make Ste move on. Brendan then leaves Hollyoaks and heads to Dublin. Cheryl tries to convince Ste his heart lies with Brendan but ends up accidentally telling Doug. When at the airport ready to depart to America Doug hands Ste a ticket to go to Dublin instead and the pair say an emotional goodbye after Doug admits to not wanting to be 'second best' to Brendan who is who Ste truly loves. In Dublin Brendan is unable to spend time with his family, who tell him they want nothing to do with him at the train station. He bumps into John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) who recently broke up with boyfriend Craig Dean (Guy Burnet). The two are seen talking in a pub after Brendan buys John Paul a drink. Later when Ste arrive in Dublin and at Brendan's