Bob and Marlon eventually resolve their differences and April and Cathy make amends. Al buys into the Woolpack, much to the discomfort of the entire Dingle family. Marlon notices Chas and Al getting closer and tells Cain about this. Chas later reveals that she’s using Al in a bid to try and get him out out of the woolpack. It is later revealed that Al also has debts to clear. On Christmas Day, Al burns down the woolpack in a bid to try and claim the insurance. Al tells Chas and Marlon that he can get people to invest so they can keep the woolpack. However, Al’s investor pulls out when Cain tracks him down and threatens him, infuriating Chas and Marlon. The woolpack is then put up for auction and Charity buys the woolpack and gives Chas and Marlon their old jobs back. After Pierce dies from cancer, Marlon is furious to discover that Rhona has been in contact with his son, Marcus Dean (Darcy Grey). Rhona explains to Marlon that Pierce contacted her before he died and asked her to help him find him. Rhona and Marlon resolve their differences and decide they both want to get married and plan on proposing to each other. They both propose and they both happily accept. However, shortly after, Marlon suffers a severe stroke and is rushed to hospital. Rhona is told that Marlon’s speech and mobility have been severely impaired by the stroke and that he’ll need rehabilitation to regain his ability to walk and talk. Marlon chokes on water, as the stroke has also impaired his ability to swallow. He is later taken back to hospital, when he develops pneumonia. He returns home a few weeks later and begins rehabilitation. Marlon initially struggles with the physiotherapy but quickly makes progress and begins walking using a walking frame. Rhona decides that she wants to marry Marlon and proposes to him again. Marlon initially says no as he feels she’s doing it out of sympathy. He talks to Paddy about this and Paddy makes him see that she’s doing it out of love. Marlon then changes his mind and he and Rhona get engaged. Rhona’s mother, Mary plans the wedding and Marlon decides to set himself a goal that he’ll be walking at the wedding. One day before the wedding, Marlon is taken back to hospital after he collapses and is