The following day Steph and Craig are distraught that Tom is missing, but Niall lets their fear build and then makes contact with the pair. He then gives them a deal: if Steph meets with him then he will return Tom safely, but Niall's plan goes wrong and Tom escapes. Angry that he has been tricked by a child, he sets out to find Steph himself, and arrives back at the cottage where Tom has found Craig. Niall surprises the pair and ties Craig up and locks Tom in another room. Steph then returns and is shocked to be face to face with Niall. They then talk to each other with Niall desperate for her to love him. Steph then goes along with his plans for them to play happy families, despite her brother and Tom being locked away. Niall then goes upstairs to talk to Tom about how he would feel if he and Steph become his parents and then they can move away and be a happy family. Tom, however, chooses to live with Steph and Mandy Richardson. Niall, feeling rejected by Tom, leaves him and Craig locked up in the cottage and takes Steph away to the barn where he has been staying. At the barn he sets up a meal for them and the pair talk about Niall's behaviour and the hurt that he has caused, mentioning things like Niall running down and killing Max Cunningham, the church explosion, the death of Tina and murdering Kieron Hobbs. Niall manages to convince Steph that he's willing to change, but Steph claims she needs the toilet and Niall shows her through to another section of the barn. While in the other room Steph uses her mobile phone to call the police, but she is cut off when Niall suddenly appears behind her and crushes it. Back at the cottage, Pete arrives back to check on things and discovers Craig tied up. He frees him and then they go and check on Tom. Craig then asks Tom where Niall took him the previous day, believing Niall will have taken Steph to the same place, but Tom is not sure.