Cohen’s biological father surfaces in Summer Bay, threatening Ru’s adoption dreams and the boy’s fragile stability
Next week on Home and Away, the quiet hope that has slowly begun to settle around Summer Bay House is violently disrupted when a stranger arrives claiming
to be Cohen’s biological father. What begins as a long-awaited step toward permanence for Ru and Cohen suddenly spirals into uncertainty, fear,
and a legal nightmare that threatens to tear apart the fragile family they have worked so hard to build.
Ru’s journey with Cohen has never been easy. After taking him in as an emergency foster placement following his mother Samantha’s arrest months ago, Ru has steadily become the emotional constant Cohen desperately needed. When Samantha later relinquished all parental rights—and with no father listed on Cohen’s birth certificate—authorities searched for extended family who might step forward. That search proved heartbreaking. Initial leads went nowhere, and when Cash finally tracked down Cohen’s grandmother across the border in New South Wales, the news was devastating: she had passed away only months earlier.
With every door closing, Ru was left facing the most painful task of all—telling Cohen that his mother had chosen to give him up. It was a moment that changed everything. Determined that Cohen would never again feel unwanted or abandoned, Ru made a life-altering decision: she wanted to adopt him. Though Cohen initially struggled with the idea, fearing it meant erasing his connection to Samantha, Ru’s reassurance—that she would never replace his mother, only love him—eventually won him over. For the first time, Cohen allowed himself to imagine a future where he truly belonged.
That future, however, is thrown into chaos when Ru receives a confusing update from the department: her adoption application has been delayed. Unable to get clear answers, she reaches out to David—only to be blindsided by news she never saw coming. There may be a biological father.
As David explains, while reviewing Samantha’s criminal history, he discovered a man who had once posted bail for her while she was pregnant. The timing is suspicious, and social worker Harper agrees the lead cannot be ignored. For Ru, the revelation lands like a punch to the chest. She storms into the police station demanding answers, but David urges restraint. Nothing can be confirmed without evidence—and that means a DNA test.
Back at Summer Bay House, Alf and Marilyn attempt to keep things light for Cohen, but children sense more than adults realize. The tension is unmistakable. When Ru later learns that Cohen must undergo DNA testing, she lies to protect him, framing it as a routine follow-up from his recent illness. But her fear is growing. Adoption is no longer just delayed—it’s under threat.
Unable to sit back and wait, Ru makes a bold and emotional decision: she wants to see this man for herself.
The potential father, Adrien Pikel, soon arrives in Yabbie Creek and voluntarily presents himself at the station. He is calm, cooperative, and clearly emotional. Adrien admits he has long suspected Cohen was his son and produces a photo of the baby he has carried in his wallet for years. According to him, Samantha left when Cohen was only three months old, insisting the child wasn’t his. Yet Adrien never truly believed that.
Ru arrives during the meeting and immediately tries to shut it down, but David is firm—until the DNA results are in, nothing can be decided. Furious and powerless, Ru leaves, clinging to the belief that Cohen belongs with the Stewarts, not a stranger from the past.
Adrien later attends the hospital for the DNA test without protest. Both David and Harper stress the importance of keeping him away from Cohen until the results are known. It’s a clear boundary—and one Adrien soon crosses.
By chance—or fate—Adrien encounters Ru and Cohen near the beach. Ru immediately senses danger and tries to steer Cohen away, but it’s too late. Adrien recognizes the boy and, acting on raw emotion rather than reason, calls out to him. In a moment that will change everything, Adrien tells Cohen he thinks he might be his dad.
The fallout is instant and explosive. Ru reacts with fury, calling for Cash, who steps in and orders Adrien to back off. Though Adrien complies, the damage is irreversible. Cohen now knows there is a possibility his father is alive—and nearby.
Back at the station, Adrien insists he only wanted Cohen to know he has always cared. David, unimpressed, reminds him that caring does not give him the right to interfere. Later, as Cash escorts Adrien to his car, Adrien opens up, revealing that he once tried to fight for a place in Cohen’s life but was shut out completely. Cash listens, conflicted, acknowledging Adrien’s pain while reminding him that Cohen’s well-being must come first.
At home, Cohen demands answers. This time, Ru can’t shield him. She admits the truth: Adrien could be his father. The realization terrifies Cohen, who immediately fears being taken away. Ru assures him she will fight for him—but even as she says the words, doubt creeps in.
Harper is furious when she learns what happened. David may believe Adrien meant no harm, but Harper knows better. If the DNA test comes back negative, Cohen will suffer yet another devastating rejection. If it’s positive, the situation becomes even more complicated.
When Harper checks on Cohen, his feelings are clear. Regardless of biology, he wants to stay with Ru. But in a private conversation with Ru and Alf, Harper delivers the harsh reality: Ru is still only Cohen’s foster carer. If Adrien decides to pursue custody, Ru may have no legal standing to stop him.
As the week closes, one question hangs heavily over Summer Bay: will the Stewarts be forced to say goodbye to Cohen just as he finally found a home? The arrival of a father has reopened old wounds, rewritten the future, and set the stage for an emotional battle that could change lives forever.