released from prison. During a Year 10 class trip, The bus crashes and Nick is left with his legs trapped. Nathan assists the search party in rescuing the passengers and is able to save them before the bus explodes into flames. Following the death of local doctor, Charlotte Adams (Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen), Nick finds Jade's phase of Living for the moment hard to take and is somewhat reluctant when she seems to want to elevate their relationship to a more physical level. Nick then gently informs her he is not ready for that step. Angie Russell (Laurie Foell), the new deputy principal at Summer Bay High begins playing mind games after Nick is found arguing with her son, Dylan. She begins flirting with Nick, causing him to obsess over her. Nick's behaviour becomes erratic when he tries to get Jade to take suggestive photos of herself. Social services are called and Irene is initially accused of abusing Nick. When Nick stands up to Angie one day in class, she begins tearing at her clothes and screaming, claiming that Nick has sexually assaulted her. Nick is then charged and vilified in town. Nick flees and hides out on a hippy farm where Jade finds him high on "magic mushrooms", and she is only just able to get him to attend court. In spite of Dylan's testimony, Nick is found guilty and expelled from Summer Bay High. Nick then begins community service at a retirement home and is forced to attend Yabbie Creek High. Jade, Kirsty and Seb work together on a video which exposes Angie's behaviour and she is fired by Principal Paris Burnett (Rhett Giles) and Nick is reinstated. Several weeks later, Angie is killed and many people, including Nick and the Sutherlands are in the frame for murder. It is later revealed Dylan killed Angie. Nick auditions for "The Dorm", a reality television show and is successful. Nick quickly discovers that one of the other contestants, Courtney (Emily Sexton), is a plant aiming to cause trouble. Courtney climbs into bed to silence Nick but the sequence is edited to make it look like they have slept together. Jade sees the footage and begins making multiple phone calls in order to vote Nick out of the show and he returns home in disgrace. Nick tells his side of the story in a newspaper interview but has a hard time convincing people