On Monday 29th, Dot looks with love in her eyes at her granddaughter who’s asleep on the sofa. However her joy is overshadowed by the fact that she’s thinking the worst of Nick and wondering why he’s come back now? As Dot watches Dotty, torn between her heart and head, Nick comes in and the pair have a heart-to-heart as Nick talks about the past few years.

He tells Dot about the times he needed heroin and his search for a woman who’d love him that resulted in a one-night stand with Dotty’s mother Sandy in a squat in Birmingham.

When Dot confronts Nick about his secrecy over Dotty, Nick tells her that they weren’t on speaking terms at the time. Dot’s adamant that she’ll never apologise to him, prompting Nick to confess that he’s a changed man. His stint in prison changed him for the better he says and he looks genuinely choked when Dot mentions his dead son Ashley. At that moment, Dotty appears in the doorway crying…

Later, Bradley returns to Dot’s and he’s concerned about the state of the place. Max is adamant that nothing untoward would have been happening but he’s later shocked when Dot returns home with Nick and Dotty. Disappointed, Bradley packs his bags and leaves.

Elsewhere, Roxy’s distraught that Sean has kidnapped baby Amy, a fact that shocks Jean to the core while the police search for him and the baby. Jack tries to redeem himself with Ronnie but Ronnie later makes a pass at Max. Janine recruits Liam, Tiffany and Morgan to wash cars and Whitney cries when she looks at a photo of her real mother. Later, Jean meets with Sean in secret…

On Tuesday 30th, Jean secretly meets with Sean in a squalid squat. Even though Jean’s happily playing Granny to baby Amy, Sean’s in a state; he has no idea what to do next. Jean soon realises that Sean’s not in good shape, so she decides to leave. On her way out, Jean gives Sean a kiss on the cheek and hands him the mobile phone he asked her to bring.

Jack and Phil meanwhile are searching for Sean as Archie tries to reassure Roxy that they’ll have baby Amy back safe and sound. Later, Jack bursts into The Vic and announces that he’s got a lead on Sean’s whereabouts from an old police friend, resulting an in uneasy truce between Phil and Jack who head out to continue their search.

Roxy soon heads over to the Slaters to see Stacey and as emotions run high, the pair have a heated exchange until they realise that they’re in the same boat – they’ve both lost Sean. As Stacey accompanies Roxy back to The Vic, they bump into Phil, Jack and Archie, who’re heading out.

Roxy becomes frantic about Amy and Archie’s forced to hold his daughter back. Later, Archie decides to do the right thing and call Ronnie to ask her to be there for her sister. When Stacey returns home, she’s stunned to see Jean trying to hide the baby’s things in the house and quickly realises that she must get to Sean before Jack, Phil or the police…

As Jack and Phil turn up on the estate where Sean’s hiding with Amy, they locate the flat and kick the door down. Inside, a man begs for them not to hurt him and they quickly realise it’s not Sean. Sean’s inside another flat and is stunned to hear Phil outside on the phone. Later, a frantic Stacey and Jean turn up at the flat only to find Sean gone. All that he left is a photograph of the Mitchells with everyone’s face scratched out, apart from Roxy, Amy and Sean himself…

Elsewhere, Peggy’s furious to learn that the money in the safe has disappeared and that Suzy’s robbed them. She’s also furious when Nick turns up at The Vic and Patrick warns Nick not to hurt Dot.

Whitney’s determined to find her biological mother and Janine catches Bianca telling her step-daughter a lie. Meanwhile, Max hears that Tanya’s trial is on January 2nd and he tries to convince her to change her plea to not guilty.

On New Year’s day at 7.30pm, Roxy’s agony continues as Sean’s still missing with baby Amy; he’s made no contact with her whatsoever. Meanwhile, across London, Sean’s hot-wiring a car with Amy fast asleep in a car seat. Across the Square at the Slaters, Stacey’s frantically trying to get hold of Sean on his mobile but to no avail. In the car, Sean listens to Stacey’s messages before sending Roxy a photo of baby Amy in the car seat. She immediately calls Sean back and persuades him to speak to her.

Sean then makes contact with Stacey and arranges to meet in a secluded location. As he sits holding baby Amy, who’s well wrapped up in blankets, he and Stacey have a heart-felt exchange. Sean entrusts baby Amy to his sister’s care before heading off, saying he has something to do.

Stacey makes her way back to the Square and heads straight to The Vic with baby Amy as the pub falls silent. The Mitchells are overjoyed and Stacey begs them to call the police search for Sean off. At that moment, Roxy rushes into the bar and cradles her daughter.

Stacey then returns home and finds Jean sitting in the kitchen worrying about Sean. The pair discuss Sean’s actions and Stacey becomes aware of Sean’s presence in the room as he slips in behind them. Once alone with him, Stacey faces her brother who feels betrayed that Stacey handed Amy back to the Mitchells. Sean then takes Stacey’s face in his hands and says, “Dad’s waiting for me. Time I went and met him don’t you think?” He kisses Stacey on the forehead and walks out, leaving his sister devastated.

Elsewhere, Peggy’s adamant that the pub should stay closed but is later persuaded that they are safer from Sean if there’s lot of people around so she opens the pub. Ronnie demands that Jack sell R&R to her and he surprises her by saying that he wants to give their relationship another go. However, Ronnie’s adamant that they’re over. Ronnie later tells Roxy that she’s only interested in baby Amy from now on.

Also, Tiffany goes on a diet… of chocolate cake and Ricky tries to lighten the mood at Pat’s.

In the 8.30pm episode, Roxy’s thrilled to have baby Amy home and safe. Roxy however defends Sean when Archie suggests that he should be in a high-security prison. Over at R&R, Jack receives a surprise visitor when Sean drops by. Sean asks Jack to be a good dad to Amy before making a sharp exit. Later, as Jack’s on the phone to Peggy, Sean slips down into The Vic’s cellar.

When the beer runs out later on, Shirley goes into the cellar and Sean sneaks out when the door’s opened and heads upstairs to Roxy and Amy. It’s clear that despite everything that’s happened, Roxy still loves him.

They agree to spend the rest of their lives together but as they’re sneaking out the back door, Ronnie catches them. Surprisingly, she doesn’t stop her sister or tell anyone about their departure but she’s devastated. Over at R&R, Jack’s appalled when Ronnie tells him what’s just happened and the pair race after Roxy and Sean who’ve just pulled up in front of a frozen lake… Roxy realises that they’re not heading for Dagenham anymore.

Fear sets in for Roxy when Sean talks about the moment being the end of the road for them all. Reaching in the back, pretending to tend to Amy, Roxy switches on her mobile and calls Jack. Both Ronnie and Jack can hear talking and they hear Sean reveal their location. Luring Sean into a kiss, Roxy shoves him, unlocks the door and climbs out of the car. However, it’s freezing cold and Sean’s fast approaching her; she can’t get baby Amy out of her car seat fast enough so Roxy ends up heading onto the ice to lure Sean away from Amy.

Ronnie and Jack arrive and tend to Amy who’s still in the car. They glance at the lake where they see Roxy and Sean in the middle. As Sean reaches for Roxy, the ice cracks, causing Roxy and Sean to plunge into the icy depths…

Elsewhere, Patrick tries to cheer Whitney up and later, Peggy welcomes the Jackson family at the pub. Denise has a quiet moment in the Square remembering Kevin, Shirley and Heather are keeping the spirits high in The Vic and Danielle worries about Stacey while Whitney and Janine have a heart-to-heart.

On Friday 2nd , it’s breakfast time and Max is trying to get the girls to eat something. He’s all suited and booted ready for Tanya’s hearing. Meanwhile, at the court, Tanya decides that Max is right and she should plead not guilty because she misses her kids so much.

She’s terrified as she takes to the dock and frustrated at Max for allowing the girls into the court room. Lauren’s eyes meet Tanya’s across the room and in a moment of madness, Tanya pleads guilty, resulting in Lauren screaming at her mum. The judge is angered by the turn of events and decides to postpone the proceedings until later when the children aren’t present.

Lauren’s distraught about what’s just happened to Tanya and blames Max for leading her into a false sense of security; he told her that Tanya would plead not guilty. A helpless Max listens as Lauren reveals the truth. “It weren’t Mum driving that car. It weren’t her that tried to kill you. It was me, Dad!”

Elsewhere, Whitney’s obsessed with finding her biological mum but Bianca recounts the disappointment she felt when she found her real dad. Janine though sympathises with Whitney’s quest and hands her the real address that she found in Bianca’s bag. Stacey’s torn over telling Jean about Sean while Roxy turns to Ronnie for support, but doesn’t like what she hears. Later, Whitney slips quietly out in search of her real mum and Tamwar and Libby call their mothers’ bluffs.