Matthew drummed his fingers on the Blake's kitchen table as he stared at the phone - willing it to ring. The movement of his fingers drew his attention to the bruises on his knuckles and the rapid tattoo on the table momentarily stilled. Alice had only been gone a day, and Matthew was certain she couldn't have gotten into trouble within such a short window - she'd proved him wrong. Alice attracted trouble like Lucien, but at least she could hold her own.

"A watched pot never boils, Matthew, that goes the same for a telephone when you're expecting a call."

He looked up as Jean entered from the sunroom. Lucien lounged in the parlor, his eyes on the book in his hand, but Matthew knew he was listening in. Jean gave him a knowing smile and Matthew fought the urge to roll his eyes at her. She meant well, he had to remember that.

"I know, Jean, I just…"

Jean's hand was warm on his shoulder. "She'll call, I'm certain of it."

As if her statement willed it into existence, the blasted device gave out a loud shrill ring, breaking the tension in the Blake household at last. Patting his shoulder, Jean quickly answered it as he stood and Lucien entered from the other room.

"Blake household!" Jean answered cheerfully, a smile spreading across her face as she nodded to the other person on the end. "Of course, he's right here."

Matthew looked at the offered receiver and then back up at Jean. "Is she-?"

"Oh for pity's…" Jean rolled her eyes fondly, "Take it and see for yourself, Matthew. I've dishes to finish."

Matthew took the phone off Jean's hand and vaguely heard her and Lucien bustle around behind him as he put the phone up to his ear. "Alice?"

A relieved sigh crackled down the line, "Matthew."

"Everything alright?"

She laughed and he smiled even when he heard her sniffle on the other end. "I'm not sure 'alright' is the correct word for all of this."

"Walk me through it then."

He listened as Alice told him everything: searching for Temperance Buchanan, running into the little girl, the fight and her injuries, and stumbling across her old guardian in the thick of it all.

"And now we're both back at Phryne's house. Anna's been given a bath and fed a proper meal; she refused to go to bed until I went up with her, Matthew. I just… I don't know."

"She likes you, sweetheart."

"That's something I'm still unsure about." Alice sighed and her exhaustion was palpable through the phone. "There's just so much to think about and I should have let you come with me in the first place. Maybe I wouldn't be in this situation if you were. I wish you were here."

"I could be."

"You'd really come all the way up to Melbourne just because I asked?"

"Yeah, sweetheart, I would. You've had a troublesome day… if it makes you feel better that I come up, I will. I know Lucien wouldn't mind driving me."

"If you're going up to Melbourne to see Alice with Lucien, I'm coming too!" Jean's voice rang out from the parlor and Matthew grinned at Alice's soft laughter over the phone.

"You heard that?"

"I did," Alice hummed. "So… should I tell Phryne to expect three more guests?"

Matthew looked up to see the Blakes waiting in the doorway, expectant looks on their faces and he smiled. "Yeah, we'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Thank you, Matthew."

He waited until Lucien and Jean left before he answered. "Of course. I love you."

"I love you too."

With a smile, Matthew waited until Alice hung up before he limped from the kitchen to pack for the unexpected trip to Melbourne.


Lucien expertly wove them through the light traffic in Melbourne as Matthew gave him directions from the passenger seat. He could hear Jean fretting about Alice under her breath in the backseat and he smiled at his wife's heart for their mutual friend. Matthew hadn't given them much detail as to what happened with Alice, nor did he give an explanation as to why a cut and bruises appeared on his forehead - followed quickly by bruised knuckles on his left hand - during the day earlier.

"Alice will explain everything when we get there." Matthew shrugged when they both waited in the hallway after the phone call. "Now, can we please get to Melbourne without breaking any speeding laws?"

"Fat chance with Lucien driving," Jean teased; she smiled at her husband as Lucien looked at her in mock outrage.

"It's just here up on the right, Lucien."

Matthew pointed out a tall white house with bright red wrought-iron railing and details that dominated the corner in a well-to-do neighborhood. Lucien was positive Alice told him she grew up in the Collingwood slums, not here.

"Alice's friends are fairly, uh…"

Matthew raised an eyebrow at him (in a way that eerily reminded Lucien of his wife) and waited to see what would come out of Lucien's mouth.

"...Connected?" Lucien tried with a smile. Jean snickered in the back seat and his cheeks grew warm the longer Matthew stared at him.

His friend took pity on him and laughed. "The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher is titled, has some land back in England from what Alice told me. Her family came into it during the Great War; before that, Miss Fisher lived in Collingwood. Miss Fisher uses her position to help those who might be overlooked otherwise. She's the reason Alice could afford university in the first place with her scholarship."

"Huh."

"Come on, Lucien, I want to see if Alice is alright." His wife opened the back door and she was already opening Matthew's door by the time Lucien followed suit. He saw to their suitcases as Jean helped their friend stand from the car.

Idly, Lucien noted that there was a time not that long ago that Matthew would have refused the help and he smiled at how far Matthew had come since the accident.

The lights were still on in the downstairs of the house and as they drew closer to the door, Lucien could make out quiet conversation inside. Jean knocked on the door for all of them and a woman about their age answered it with a smile.

"You must be Alice's friends! I'm Jane Ross, please come in."

Jane opened the door further and they all milled into the entryway of a tastefully decorated art deco house. A young butler took the cases off Lucien's hands and quickly moved them upstairs as Jane greeted them all.

"Matthew, good to see you again."

Lucien looked to his friend in surprise, his wife's eyebrows rose as well.

Matthew smiled at Jane and chuckled when he saw the looks aimed at him. "What, did you think I was completely cut off from socializing during my recovery?"

"Ah…"

"You don't have to actually answer, Lucien."

"Lawson, stop teasing the guests."

Lucien looked behind him to see an older man leaning against the door of the parlor. His brown hair - almost as curly as Charlie's by the amount of product in it - had mostly turned gray, with some white sneaking in around the temples. He looked stern, but Lucien caught the mischief glimmering in the man's blue eyes behind the gold-rimmed reading glasses. The man folded the newspaper in his hands.

"Jack Robinson," he said with a slight smile.

"Lucien Blake," he shook Jack's hand with a smile. "And this is my wife, Jean."

"A pleasure meeting you both, we've heard so much about you."

"All good I hope."

Jean swatted at his side, "Lucien."

The other door to the the parlor opened with a flourish and a well-dressed woman slipped her arm through Jack's with a smile. She looked around Jack's age, but her stylishly short hair was still completely jet black (Lucien had a sneaky suspicion she dyed it much like Agnes Clasby). He could hear someone else talking in the parlor behind her and Jack.

"There you are, my darling! I see the party moved out here. Mrs. Blake, it's good to see you again."

Jean smiled, "And you as well, Miss Fisher. This is my husband and Alice's coworker, Dr. Lucien Blake. Lucien, this is the Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher."

"Nice to finally meet you, Dr. Blake," Phryne stuck out her hand and shook Lucien's firmly with a radiant smile.

"Likewise, Miss Fisher. Is Alice alright?"

Phryne gestured to the parlor behind her, "She's had quite a day, but I'll let you talk to her yourself."

Phryne led them all into the parlor. Alice sat on an elegant chaise lounge, wrapped up in one of Matthew's cardigans - her face devoid of makeup - as she idly sipped from a crystal glass with a couple of fingers of whiskey poured into it; she flinched every time another woman (dressed in men's clothing) gently prodded and cleaned some scrapes on her knees.

"Will you stop twitching? Honestly, you're as bad as a child getting their first vaccination shots if I have to sit on your feet to get you to stay still for this."

"It hurts, Mac."

The woman Alice called 'Mac' tutted as she finally stood up. "That means it's working. Come, say hello to your friends."

Jean reached Alice first, pulling her into a hug before Alice could fully stand.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

Alice smiled as she stumbled to a stand in Jean's arms (Mac quickly took the whiskey off Alice's hands). "I'm okay, Jean, it looks worse than it is."

"You shouldn't be looking like this at all! Lucien, tell her."

Alice smiled and let Jean pull her towards Lucien. He smiled at his friend and coworker, even as he visually inspected the bruises and cut on her forehead. She allowed him to tilt her head to the side so he could see the line of neat stitches.

"What happened, Alice?" He asked gently.

"Got into a fight."

"How's the other guy look? Worse than you?" Lucien smiled when Alice nodded. "Remind me not to cross you."

"Lucien," Jean frowned. "Don't encourage her."

"She doesn't need encouraging, Jean, it's evident she gets into trouble all by herself."

Jean just narrowed her eyes at Lucien as she hugged Alice. "I'm glad you're alright, Alice. But no more fighting, please, you gave us a fright."

"I'll try, Jean."

Jean let her go with one last hug and Lucien pressed a soft kiss to Alice's cheek as she stepped past him towards Matthew.

(The tips of Alice's ears flushed a light pink and Lucien smiled; it wasn't every day that Alice accepted physical acts of affection from him - she seemed just as surprised by it as he.)

Matthew drew her into his arms as soon as she was close enough. She slumped into his embrace and the two of them teetered a bit before Matthew steadied them.

He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I haven't gotten bruises on my knuckles from you in a long time… I was starting to think you'd gone soft on me."

"I'll show you soft."

Lucien barely caught Alice's muttered retort and he grinned at his friends' banter. They were good for each other.


Alice buried her face in the crook of Matthew's neck and he smoothed his hand up and down her back while the others interacted behind them. She was thankful for Phryne as the lady detective struck up a conversation with the Blakes to give her and Matthew some privacy.

"I've got you, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere." Matthew whispered to her.

She wrapped her arms around his waist under his jacket and inhaled deeply - simultaneously calmed by his familiar scent and warmth while trying to stave off tears of exhaustion.

"I'm glad you're here."

He kissed the crown of her head and held her closer when she curled her fingers in the back of his sweater. "Ready to go to bed?"

"Oh, God, yes," she sighed, smiling when Matthew chuckled.

"Good, you look about dead on your feet."

"I feel it."

"C'mon then, let's get you upstairs."

Alice nodded and drew back from the comfort of his arms. They bid goodnight to all those gathered in Phryne's parlor (Mac giving her one more look over before promising to come back tomorrow for breakfast) and Alice led Matthew upstairs to her guest room. They could hear Jean and Lucien talking animatedly with Phryne, Jack, and Jane before Alice closed to the door and they were left in silence.

Matthew leaned up against the baseboard of the bed with a sigh. Alice twisted her hands in front of her as he scrubbed at his face with his hands. Now that they were alone, Alice wondered how he really felt about all of this - how he really felt about her actions. Her fingers wove knots that mirrored the knots under her ribcage as she waited for him to speak. As if feeling her eyes on him, Matthew looked up with a smile and opened his arms.

"C'mere," he said softly.

Alice didn't hesitate; she untangled her fingers and slid her arms around his neck as she leaned into his embrace. The warmth of his hands on her back through his cardigan lessened some of the tension in her shoulders and she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and shoulders as he nuzzled her neck.

"I'm proud of you, y'know," he murmured into her hair. "Not many people would've stepped in for a child in trouble."

"Even if I broke a man's nose to protect her?"

"You broke it?" At Alice's affirmative noise, Matthew pressed a kiss to her neck - smiling when she squirmed. "Then I'm doubly proud of you."

She laughed, "You are a silly man."

Matthew drew back and cupped her face in his hands. He pressed a kiss to her forehead - right next to the cut - before he gently kissed her. Alice melted into the kiss, soaking in every bit of comfort Matthew gave her.

He pressed another soft kiss to her lips. "Just try not to get into fights very often, sweetheart, I don't like seeing you hurt."

"So, 'go soft'?"


Matthew smiled. "You'll still be more than able to threaten people with sharp implements, Dr. Harvey." His smile grew when she laughed. "I'm just saying to be more careful. I like having you around."

He expected a teasing retort, but Alice simply hummed quietly. Tears welled in her eyes and she sniffed lightly.

"Sweetheart?"

"I… I was so scared in that alleyway, Matthew," she worried her bottom lip and Matthew briefly felt a hotspot flare up in his own mouth before she stopped. "I mean, when I broke his nose, I was livid, angry that someone would do that to a child… but after, when he grabbed me…"

Matthew reached out and fingered the still torn and bloodied blouse Alice wore; he clenched his jaw in an effort to hide how his fingers shook. "He grabbed you?"

"My blouse…" She ran a hand through her hair, wincing when it pulled near the cut and he felt an echo of the pain on his own forehead. "Matthew, I was just… I was scared, I had a small girl clinging to me for life, and a brute of a man pulling me towards him by my blouse and I couldn't think straight. I was just so scared because I didn't know what to do a-and I didn't know if what I did would make things worse. I just…"

Tears fell down Alice's cheeks and dripped from her chin onto the blouse, but Alice didn't seem to notice them. Matthew gently wiped them away; her lower lip trembled and at the touch of his fingers on her cheeks, her composure finally crumpled. He pulled her to him as she let out a heaving sob and cried into his shoulder - finally laying down the mask and walls she'd put up around everyone else. His hands smoothed over her back as she cried in his arms. He held her tight, even after the tears slowed to a stop and she stopped gasping for breath.

"Feel better?"

"A little," she sniffed and drew back.

Matthew gently wiped away her tears and offered her a handkerchief to blow her nose. Her eyes were a little swollen, a little red, and the end of her nose was pink, but she still looked lovely to him.

"What can I do for you?"

Alice shrugged - her hands twisting his handkerchief around her fingers as she frowned. She drew back from him and started pacing in front of him. Her bare feet barely made a sound on the carpet as she walked; the fabric of her skirts made more noise than either of them as Matthew watched Alice work out what she wanted to say.

"I… I just don't know, Matthew. Anna… Anna for some reason wants me to take care of her - she made that very clear at Temperance's boarding house and later here when we got her to be put under Phryne's care in the foster system. She refuses to go anywhere else."

Matthew raised his eyebrows, this Anna seemed like a plucky little girl.

"I don't know why she'd want me. I don't know how to raise a kid, and… what if she grows to hate me, Matthew? What if I'm too strange for her? I don't even have enough room for her at my flat; it has one bedroom! Who's going to let a little girl live with a pathologist who doesn't have an extra room for her?"

"Hey, hey, hey, come here," Matthew leaned forward and caught her wrist gently. She didn't resist when he pulled her into his arms. "There's a lot to figure out, but we'll figure it out together, Alice."

"I don't know how to be a mother, Matthew."

"From what you've told me, Anna isn't looking for a mother, she's looking for someone who makes her feels safe. She's found that in you, sweetheart, all she wants is you to be yourself."

Alice snorted in disbelief, "Nobody wants me to be myself."

Matthew lightly tickled her sides and felt her smile against his neck. "I do, I always do."

"Charmer," she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "But…"

"What?"

"What… what if…" Alice let out a frustrated sigh as she played with the front of his sweater.

Matthew pressed a kiss to her forehead, "You've got to let me know what's going on in that pretty brain of yours, sweetheart."

"I know, I'm just… trying to figure out how to say it."

He pressed another kiss to her forehead, "Take your time."

"What if… what if I end up like my parents?" she asked in a small voice.

"That won't happen," Matthew kissed her gently. His hands settled on her lower back, right above the scars given to her by her father years ago. "That won't happen, sweetheart."

"I didn't know you can see the future, Chief Superintendent."

He grinned against her lips and kissed her again. "Teasing aside, Doctor Harvey, you're not going to end up like your parents."

"How do you know?"

Matthew brought her bruised knuckles up to his mouth and peppered them with kisses until Alice giggled softly. "Because of these, because you put yourself in harm's way to protect Anna… because you know what it's like to fear your own parents. Because of that, I know you'd never raise a hand to Anna or any other child that comes into your life, sweetheart."

Alice sniffled, a few more tears falling down her cheeks as she leaned her forehead against Matthew's. "You have a way with words, dearest."

"If it makes you feel better, I'll perform monologues."

She laughed, "I don't think that'll be necessary, but thank you."

"Just let me know," he kissed her softly. "Now, we should probably get to bed."

Alice protested, "There's so much to discuss."

"You've had a hell of a day, sweetheart; it can wait until you've had some rest."

"I suppose you're right."

"We've got time, Alice. Everything can wait a night. If you want to talk, we can talk in bed, but let's at least lie down."

She sighed and nodded, "Alright."

"Good," he pressed a kiss to her forehead next to the cut. "Let me help you out of those clothes."

"I thought we were just sleeping, Matthew."

"We are," he tickled her sides - grinning at her laughter. "But I'd like to inspect the damage to your body for myself."

She cupped his face in her hands, "Will it make you feel better?"

"Yes. I know you can take care of yourse-"

Alice interrupted him with a kiss, "If it makes you feel better, Matthew, go ahead."

He smiled against her lips and kissed her back. "Thank you, sweetheart."

She stood quietly as Matthew slowly undressed her in their guest room. His hands were gentle; first lifting his cardigan up off of her shoulders and draping it over the foot of the bed before he turned his attention to her torn blouse. His fingers worked nimbly - unbuttoning it and pulling it from her skirt - before letting it drift to the ground at their feet.

Alice shivered slightly in the cool air, but she smiled when he wrapped his arms around her. He smoothed his hands up and down her back, and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Did you get hurt anywhere besides your forehead and knuckles?"

"I'm surprised you didn't feel it," Alice kissed his cheek with a smile. "My shoulder - from the wall."

Matthew nodded and spotted the darkening bruise to her left shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Trailing a line of kisses down her neck to the bruise, Matthew pressed a featherlight kiss to it.

"Are you going to kiss all of my bruises?"

"Haven't you ever heard of 'kiss it and make it feel better', Doctor Harvey? There's sound scientific research that supports it."

Alice laughed, "You'll have to show me your sources, Chief Superintendent Lawson, I'm not sure they're accurate."

"Then I'll just have to show you."

He pressed another kiss to the bruise, followed by one to her lips. "I'm glad you're alright, Alice."

"Mm, I did fair better than the man. It could have been a lot worse."

He kissed her again, "Yes, it could have."

Alice ran her fingers through his hair, "I'm safe now, dearest."

Matthew nodded, his hands curling in her slip as Alice kissed him.

"I'm safe," she emphasized. "I promise to be more careful in the future."

"That's all I ask."

Alice kissed him again and Matthew continued his inspection of her. Her clothes dropped to the floor, and her hands weren't idle either. For every piece of clothing Matthew removed, Alice returned the favor. She smiled when he pressed a kiss to her sternum as he buttoned up her pajama top (the one she'd borrowed months ago).

"There," he declared with a soft smile.

"There," she echoed. "Everything to your liking?"

Matthew nodded as he pulled on his own set of pajamas (she helped him button up the top), "A few more bruises than I'd like, but everything is in working order."

"Silly man," Alice shook her head with a smile. "Let's go to bed."

She cleaned up their clothes - folding them and putting them on the chair by their suitcases - as he turned down the covers on the bed and slid in. Alice clicked off the light switch and joined him in the bed; she slid closer to him under the covers and wriggled one of her legs in between his as she tucked her head under his chin. Matthew smiled into her hair and wrapped his arms around her - their legs tangling even further as they settled in the dark silence of the guest room. Alice threw an arm over his waist, pulling him as close as he possibly could get to her - seeking the comfort of his warmth, and Matthew pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Sleep, sweetheart, I'm right here."

She hummed, "Love you."

"Love you too."

Alice's breaths evened out before his response was done and he smiled into her hair. There was a lot to think about and a lot to talk about regarding the girl, Anna, and her living arrangements, but for right now, sleep was the thing Alice needed most. He smoothed his hands up and down her back as she snuffled in her sleep and he took comfort in the fact she was here in his arms.

She was here, she was alive, she was safe. And that's all that mattered to him.

Pressing another kiss to the top of Alice's head, Matthew closed his eyes to join her in sleep. Everything would look better in the morning.