Suki and Eve find themselves pulled into the heart of the Square’s chaos as Christmas fallout sends shockwaves through Walford, and while the police lights still flicker against the wet pavement outside The Vic, the two women huddle together in the shadows of No.41, trying desperately to keep their world from collapsing, because the Slater disaster has stirred up old fears, secrets, and dangers that Suki has spent months trying to outrun, and Eve—ever fierce, ever loyal—can sense the storm building behind Suki’s usually composed eyes, but even she doesn’t realize just how close everything is to breaking, for the night begins with them simply wanting to check on the family drama unfolding across the Square, thinking it would be just another explosive Slater row, annoying at worst, but when the news spreads that Kat and Zoe’s confrontation has left The Vic declared a crime scene, the air thickens with panic, and Eve grabs Suki’s hand, urging her to breathe, urging her to stay grounded even as Suki’s mind spirals back to the darkness of the past—the violence, the threats, the suffocating control she once lived under, and as neighbors rush from house to house whispering theories, the two women stand at the edges of the madness trying to appear steady, though both know that chaos beyond their door often has a way of seeping into their private lives, especially now that Nish is back on the Square lurking in corners like a ghost who refuses to fade, watching, waiting, plotting, and Suki can practically feel his presence behind her, heavy and cold, even when he’s nowhere to be seen, because he has a way of turning peace into poison, and tonight, with the police everywhere and emotions running wild, he sees an opportunity to reclaim what he believes was stolen from him, a chance to tighten his grip on the family and remind Suki she will never truly be free as long as he’s breathing the same Walford air, and when he corners her near the Minute Mart loading bay—his voice low, dangerous, taunting—Eve appears almost instantly, stepping between them like a shield, her jaw clenched, her hands balled into fists as she warns Nish not to push his luck, but Nish only smirks, telling her that chaos makes people vulnerable, that the Square is cracking open and soon enough the truth of their relationship will spill out at the worst possible moment, ruining Suki’s reputation, destroying her hold on the Panesars, and leaving her with nothing but Eve’s arms to cling to, a taunt meant to break them but instead strengthening their resolve, for once Nish stalks off into the fog, Eve presses her forehead to Suki’s, telling her softly that they’ll get through this, no matter what, even if the world feels like it’s falling apart, but their moment of fragile peace is shattered when Ravi bursts through the back gate, panicked and sweating, saying the police are asking questions about Nish’s whereabouts and he’s worried that his father is planning something dangerous, something involving more than intimidation, and suddenly Eve and Suki realize the danger looming over them is not emotional—it’s physical, real, and closer than either of them feared, so they rush inside only to find Ash pacing the living room, having already heard whispers that Nish was seen leaving The Vic area just before the paramedics arrived, and though it has nothing to do with Kat and Zoe’s fight, the police want to speak to him, and Suki knows Nish will twist the timing to his advantage, turning suspicion into leverage, painting himself as a victim of harassment while quietly plotting to expose Eve and Suki’s relationship, driving a wedge between the family until the fractures become permanent, and with the tension climbing, Eve suggests they go to the police first, tell them what they know, control the narrative before Nish can weaponize it, but Suki resists, terrified of losing her children again, terrified of being judged, terrified of the truth spilling into a Square already drowning in scandal, and the argument that follows is soft but lethal, filled with trembling voices and desperate pleas as Eve tries to make Suki see that silence is exactly what Nish feeds on, exactly what gives him power, but Suki clutches her arms around herself, shaking her head, whispering that she can’t risk destroying what little stability the Panesars have left, even if staying silent destroys her instead, and though Eve wants to scream, wants to shake her gently and tell her she deserves freedom, deserves love, deserves peace, she instead cups Suki’s face, telling her she isn’t alone, not tonight, not ever, and that whatever danger is coming, they’ll face it together, even if it means making painful choices, but before they can finish the conversation, the door rattles with a sudden, violent knock, and all three Panesars freeze, the noise slicing through the air like a warning, and when Eve opens the door ready to confront Nish, she instead finds a police officer standing stiffly in the cold, asking if they’ve seen Nish Panesar because he’s wanted for questioning regarding an incident earlier in the Square, and Suki’s stomach drops as she realizes Nish is spiraling, acting unpredictably, possibly about to drag the entire family into another nightmare, and as the officer leaves with a stern reminder to cooperate, Suki collapses into Eve’s arms, overwhelmed by fear, love, guilt, and the crushing weight of the Square’s relentless judgment, while Eve holds her tighter than ever, whispering that no matter how bad things get—no matter what Nish does next, no matter what secrets explode in the coming days—they will endure it, because their connection has survived lies, heartbreak, violence, and a community that never stops watching, and though the night grows colder and the Square feels more dangerous than ever, Suki lifts her head, takes Eve’s hand, and together they step into the unknown, determined to face whatever comes, even if this Christmas marks the beginning of their biggest test yet.