Episode 7799 (13th April 2017)

==Plot==
At the graveside, Harriet struggles to hold back the tears as Ashley's coffin is committed to the ground. Gabby stops Harriet and throws a white rose onto the coffin and says goodbye. Faith explains to Sarah that she could have an operation to give her fake breasts. Sarah inquires if Faith has scars and explains when she has her operation she'll also have scars but Debbie insists she has to be proud of them. Sarah states not having boobs doesn't matter as she got better. Sandy appears at Ashley's wake. Laurel eyes up some booze. Mortified Harriet apologises to Doug but Doug insists he's been called a lot worse. Harriet walks out. Bernice finds Gabby at the graveside and tells her daughter she can't take Ashley's place but she loves her and would do anything to make this better. Gabby apologises to Bernice and states she wants Ashley back so much. Doug suggests Laurel go home and rest and Diane offers to take the children. Laurel is tempted by a glass of wine so leaves the pub. Sarah realises it was Rishi who made Faith upset. Harriet finds Ashley's old cassock in the church and holds it close. Laurel returns to Mulberry Cottage. Harriet lights some tea lights but one of them sets the cassock on fire although Harriet manages to put it out. Laurel turns on the television and watches the home movies videos of Ashley playing with the children. She finds Sandy's bottle of whisky. Laurel falls asleep on the couch and awakes to the sound of Ashley telling her to wake up.
Laurel gets up and sees a video of Ashley on the television. Ashley tells Laurel he misses her and Laurel says she does to. Ashley responds to Laurel questions and knows what she has been doing, he tells her it's a dream but he is here as he couldn't go without saying goodbye. Emotional Laurel tells that she wasn't ready for today as she thought they had years, but Ashley states that it's better this way and things will get better day by day. Ashley asks Laurel about the bee costume and she and Ashley laugh about it. Ashley explains he used to make lists in his head and her arriving in a bee costume makes her top ten finest moments.
1. Laurel in the bee costume as it brought her into his life.2. When he punched a horrible man so she patched up his hand and said she didn't want to forget him accidentally calling her his wife.3. Their first wedding day even though they found Sandy in their bed.4. Arthur coming back to them.5. How strong she was after they lost Daniel.6. How she took on Gabby as her own and loved her even after they split up.7. The birth of Dotty. Laurel promises Ashley that Dotty will know all about him.8. When she told him she was an alcoholic as after everything she trusted him. Laurel states she should never have let him go, but Ashley explains if he didn't lose her may never have known how precious she was when she returned to him.9. Coming back from Finland and them finally going on a date.10. When she married him again despite knowing she was setting herself up for heartbreak and pain. Laurel tells Ashley he gave her the best year of her life and if she had to do things over again she'd make the same decision. Ashley asks Laurel what her number one thing and Laurel explains it was Dotty, as she came at the wrong time but made everything right.
Ashley talks about Dotty getting bigger everyday like Arthur did. He asks Laurel to not allow Arthur to be upset for too long as he wants his loved ones to be happy and asks her to tell them that. Ashley explains time is almost up, as he has to go. He tells Laurel she can do this, she'll learn how to do. Laurel states she doesn't want to though. Ashley gets Laurel to promise him live her life and says he loves her before saying goodbye.
Over at Brook Cottage Doug and Bernice listen from the door as Arthur reads his poem about their dad to Gabby. At the church, Harriet sits with some candles on. A gush of winds blows a couple out. Meanwhile, at Mulberry Cottage, Laurel wakes up to the sounds of the home videos of her and Ashley having fun with the children. She smiles.
==Cast==
===Regular cast===
*Harriet Finch - Katherine Dow Blyton
*Diane Sugden - Elizabeth Estensen
*Doug Potts - Duncan Preston
*Bernice White - Samantha Giles
*Arthur Thomas - Alfie Clarke
*Laurel Thomas - Charlotte Bellamy
*Gabby Thomas - Rosie Bentham
*Jimmy King - Nick Miles
*Bob Hope - Tony Audenshaw
*Brenda Walker - Lesley Dunlop
*Lisa Dingle - Jane Cox
*Zak Dingle - Steve Halliwell
*Nicola King - Nicola Wheeler
*Faith Dingle - Sally Dexter
*Sarah Sugden - Katie Hill
*Sandy Thomas - Freddie Jones
*Dotty Thomas - Tilly-Rue Foster (uncredited)
*Marlon Dingle - Mark Charnock
*Eric Pollard - Christopher Chittell
*Rishi Sharma - Bhasker Patel
*Ashley Thomas - John Middleton
===Guest cast===
None.
==Locations==
*Cemetery
*The Woolpack - Female toilets and public bar
*St. Mary's Church - Vestry and nave
*Mulberry Cottage - Downstairs rooms'
*Brook Cottage - Bedroom
==Notes==
*In Laurel's dream sequence, Ashley references events in Episode 3259 (4th September 2002), Episode 7375 (18th December 2015), Episode 4197 (6th November 2005), Episode 5006 (6th June 2008), Episode 7606 (2nd September 2016), Episode 7188/7189 (21st May 2015), Episode 3671 (25th February 2004) and Episode 7454 (18th March 2016).
*The sounds from the Thomas' home videos were played over the closing credits.
*Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 5,990,000 viewers (20th place).
==Memorable dialogue==
Ashley Thomas: "Promise me you'll live your life, you'll do all the things I couldn't. Go everywhere, do everything, love 'til your heart bursts, laugh 'til it hurts."Laurel Thomas: "Ashley?"Ashley Thomas: "I'm at peace now, I want you to be too. Promise me you'll do all of it, for Dotty, for Arthur, for Gabby."Laurel Thomas: "I promise."Ashley Thomas: "I love you. You can, you will carry on for me. Tell me you will"Laurel Thomas: "I will. I love you!"Ashley Thomas: "Goodnight Laurel."Laurel Thomas: "Goodnight Ashley."
Category:Emmerdale episodes
Category:2017 episodes