Coronation Street spoilers follow for the latest episode to air on ITV1 and stream on ITVX. This article also contains discussion of domestic abuse that readers might find distressing.
Coronation Street has aired a big development for Lou Michaelis after her husband Mick attacked Craig Tinker.
Tonight's episode began with Maria Connor cradling a bleeding Craig, as paramedic Asha Alahan, Sarah Platt, an ambulance, and DS Lisa Swain arrived one-by-one.
Away from the scene, Lou took kids Shanice and Joanie out of the house and told them she was taking them on a surprise trip for a few days.
She bundled them into a taxi driven by Tim Metcalfe, but he instantly noticed the big gash on the side of her head and her laboured breathing. She told him they were going to a women's refuge, but when he mentioned the police callout on her street, she refused to say any more.
Instead, Tim drove up to A&E and insisted she go and her cut looked at. He said he'd wait there without charging her until she was done. Lou begrudgingly agreed, while continuing to ignore her ringing phone, which viewers learned was Kit calling her.
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In A&E, the nurse looked at Lou's injuries and noticed bruises on her arm.
"If someone's inflicted them on you, we can put you touch in with people who can help," she asked. Lou tried to brush it off, but when the nurse asked if the kids needed to checked for bruises to, Lou started to say "No, he'd never," before realising what she was saying and stopped herself.
Back in the waiting room, Lou continued to play down the situation, but when her youngest asked her if she was okay, she could barely hold back the tears in her eyes.
When a police officer overheard Lou's name, she asked if she could ask Lou some questions. Lou nervously said she just needed to go tell the nurse, but instead headed outside to talk to Mick.
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When he tried to play down what happened with Craig, she told him the copper was fighting for his life. Mick said he "lashed out" after learning the truth about Lou and Kit, and that he was sorry for letting it get this far.
He told her he needed an alibi, but she refused, telling him she was "frightened" and "had enough". She admitted she was planning on taking the kids and leaving him .
"I can't take it any more Mick," she said in tears. "You've got to hand yourself in. They're already out looking for you, it's only a matter of time."
Mick tried to persuade her to go on the run with the kids in tow, but she insisted he either hand himself or run away on his own and never come back.
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Unfortunately, Mick decided to choose a darker option. "This is Kit. I'm gonna kill him," he said, sinisterly. "I'm gonna find him, and kill him. I've got nothing left to lose. He's taken everything."
He kidnapped Kit's mum Bernie Winter and told her she was going to lure Kit to a wasteland so he could get his revenge.
Meanwhile, Tim had taken Shanice and Joanie to his home and tried to reassure them that everything would be fine, although they just wanted to go know what was going with their mum and dad.
Elsewhere in hospital, Craig went into cardiac arrest and passed away as Maria, Asha, Kirk Sutherland, and the police officer looked on.
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
Read more Coronation Street spoilers on our dedicated homepage
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, organisations including Refuge and Women's Aid can provide further support and information. The 24-hour, freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247.
The US National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or text LOVEIS to 22522.
