EastEnders fans bid a temporary farewell to Stacey and Martin Fowler tonight (August 2), as they fled Walford in the wake of Phil Mitchell's attack.
Viewers saw Stacey hit Phil over the head with a wrench in Tuesday's big cliffhanger, leaving a huge question mark over her future.
Although Phil's scheming son Ben has gone on to frame Keanu for the crime, Stacey feared that it was only a matter of time until the truth came out.
After Stacey made the life-changing decision to go on the run, Martin insisted that he was going with her. They later fled with Lily and Hope, but Stacey's son Arthur stayed behind with his biological father, Kush.
Discussing Stacey's decision to flee, Lacey said: "She sees that as her only option.
"Obviously Stacey has a history with the police, so she thinks this could put her away for a very long time and she's petrified. As it all sinks in, she thinks her only option is to take the kids and leave.
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"I think they were all in shock, and seeing Ben so controlled they just did as they were told. I don't think they've even had a chance to process everything that has happened and the trouble they could be in.
"Stacey definitely is in complete shock, and when she got home that's when we saw it all sinking in."
Discussing what the future holds for Stacey and Martin now, Lacey added: "We'll just have to see how Ben's plan plays out – poor Keanu!
"Stacey and Martin are planning to lay low and let the dust settle, but I'm sure they'll be in cahoots with the Slaters for updates. For now, Walford isn't safe for any of them so they had to vanish."
In reality, Stacey's exit coincides with Lacey's maternity leave, after she gave birth to her first child last month.
Fans will have to wait and see what this means for Martin, but Digital Spy understands that James Bye won't be off screens for as long.
EastEnders continues on Monday, August 5 at 8pm on BBC One.
Read more news, spoilers and gossip on our EastEnders homepage
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