Anna loved being Anna Harvey.
She loved Ballarat and her new family. Alice was her new mum (she'd never had a mum before), Matthew might be her new dad - but she wasn't sure. She knew Matthew and Alice were bonded, but they weren't married. Uncle Lucien and Auntie Jean (the day she came home was the day they insisted on new names, Anna didn't mind) were bonded and married, so Anna just assumed each bonded pair was different. Anna didn't mind different - Alice told her that differences made people interesting and that she should always be kind to others.
Alice's rules were easy - and there were rules in the Harvey household. She had to knock and wait for an answer - she couldn't just barge in whenever she felt like it (and Alice would do the same, Anna liked that about her new mum). She had to clean up after herself - Alice taught her how. She had to help with the dishes after their meals; and complete her school work or chores before she could play. She had to be kind, be polite, but stand up for herself and others. Alice also told her that there was no such thing as a stupid question: "You can always ask me anything, Anna, and if I don't know the answer, we'll find out together."
Anna liked that; Alice's rules were more fun than Auntie Jean's (sometimes). Auntie Jean said she couldn't run indoors, that she had to "refrain from yelling to be heard" (though she did that one rarely), and to not sneak biscuits as they cooled on top of the oven (Anna learned that one the hard way, her fingers burned just thinking about it - the tasty treat had been worth the gentle scolding), but Auntie Jean was just as kind as Alice and she'd explain her reasonings behind the rules for Anna if the girl asked.
Anna liked her new family. Uncle Lucien was funny and made her feel safe. He explained everything medical to her during her check ups and let Alice hold her when getting shots. Matthew was quiet compared to Uncle Lucien, but she liked it when he read stories out loud to Alice and Anna some nights. He made the words come to life and let her follow along in the book. He'd let her look at the pictures in the newspaper after school sometimes - it reminded Anna of some mornings with Miss Fisher and Mr. Jack at Wardlow where they'd let her look at the newspaper at the table. Matthew was proud of his niece Rose, as she was the one who took the pictures.
Anna liked Rose - she was always smiling and had funny stories about Matthew and Uncle Lucien to tell whenever she visited the Blake house to see Charlie. Rose even helped her sometimes with school work if the others were busy.
(Rose also gave the very best hugs, second to Alice's.)
Sometimes Alice took Anna to the police station where Matthew and Uncle Lucien worked. There, she met Charlie (Sergeant Davis), Bill (Sergeant Hobart, she called him Sergeant Bill), and Ned (Constable Simmons). Alice made sure that Anna knew she could always come to the police station if she needed to - and that she could always approach the police for help.
She loved her school and all the new things she got to learn. Anna knew some of her letters and numbers - Alice would point to different parts of her body and tell her anatomical terms that corresponded with each letter, and used Anna's fingers and toes for numbers - but school offered so much more. It was full of learning - new shapes, new smells, new people, new books - and Anna loved it. It took all of her patience in the mornings to wait until Alice dropped her off - her mum insisting on a good breakfast for the growing girl, and that her hair and uniform were tidy.
"No one is going to say that I can't take care of you," Alice had muttered one morning as she tackled the difficult task of plaiting Anna's hair as the girl practically bounced in her chair in anticipation of a day filled with learning.
Anna could care less how she looked - she wanted to learn.
She hadn't made many friends so far, but Auntie Jean said sometimes friendships took awhile to form. Anna loved her school and everything about it.
Except for Bruce.
Bruce MacArthur was a bully who liked to pick on the shyer students of the younger years. He even sometimes picked on the teachers, which Anna thought especially rude. He picked on Anna too - made fun of her for having to do remedial work to catch up in class, made fun of her being a foster kid, and made fun of her being raised by Alice.
(The last bit really made Anna mad some days; Alice was the best mum Anna could ever have.)
Bruce had a couple of friends who joined in on the bullying - Anna tried to avoid them all when she could, usually going to the classroom early and being one of the first to leave when the day was done. Today, however, Anna's teacher told her that Sergeants Davis and Hobart were picking her up today instead of Alice or Auntie Jean, and that they were running late.
So, she sat on the steps of the school off to the side as her classmates scattered to the four winds once the bell rung. Anna didn't mind waiting, nor did she mind other people picking her up from school - Charlie was nice and so was Sergeant Hobart (Alice only interacted with him if she had to whenever they were at the station, so Anna didn't know him well). She rested her chin on her hands and closed her eyes as she planned out what she'd tell Alice about school today.
Raised voices and sounds of a struggle reached her ears - interrupting her list for Alice. Anna stood - her bag bumping against her side as she followed the noise. Rounding the corner to the outside stairwell, Anna stopped short at the sight of Bruce and his goons picking on another classmate, Gideon Kirk. The second Bruce raised his fist - and the second Gideon flinched - Anna ran forward as the blow landed.
"Leave him alone!" she shouted, pushing Bruce away from Gideon.
"Aw look, Crybaby Gideon has a savior!" Bruce taunted, one of his friends shoved Anna back. "The lil' brat decided she'd fight us."
Bruce's friend shoved Anna again - the other pulling on her hair; she cried out in pain and kicked wildly. When someone grunted, Anna knew she'd hit a mark, but her victory was short-lived. Bruce pulled on her hair again - hard enough to tear some of it out of her scalp - put her in a headlock and put a hand over her mouth. Anna screamed - muffled by the boy's hand - and kicked out at Bruce's friends (Trevor and Eric) as they tried to grab her legs. She grappled at Bruce's hand over her mouth - nails scratching at his skin and her own face as she finally managed to bite down on the soft skin between his thumb and forefinger. Bruce let her go with a yelp and Anna dropped to the ground beside Gideon.
The bully's surprise didn't last long as he grabbed Anna by the collar of her uniform shirt, "You'll pay for that, Harvey, you freak bastard! I'm gonna teach you a lesson!"
Suddenly, Anna wasn't under that stairwell anymore, instead she was back in that alley in Collingwood - facing a similar situation and this time without Alice to save her as a fist came rushing towards her. Bruce's punch hurt - pain radiating around her eye and cheek, and as she teared up all Anna wanted was her mum. Alice wasn't here to rescue her, but Anna knew what to do. Lashing out, her knuckles collided with Bruce's nose much like Alice's had in Collingwood, and much like Collingwood, Bruce's nose started bleeding profusely.
"You bastard!" Bruce yelled as he cupped his hands around his bleeding nose. He moved to punch her again, but a much larger hand stopped him.
"That's quite enough," Hobart frowned at all of them - Constable Simmons rounded up Trevor and Eric while Anna ran towards Hobart. Charlie took Bruce off of Hobart's hands and came back for Gideon as Anna wrapped her arms around Hobart's leg - the tears finally falling.
The sergeant knelt - his hands gentle on Anna's shoulders as he got a good look at her injuries. (Blackening eye, bleeding scalp from where they'd pulled her hair, and some welts on her cheeks).
'Dr. Harvey is going to raise hell when she sees this,' Bill thought.
"Easy there, Miss Harvey," he tried to soothe the distraught girl, "We're gonna take you to the station and get this all sorted out."
"I want Mumma!" Anna cried - big tears falling down her cheeks as she let out hiccuping sobs.
"We'll call her once we get to the station and Dr. Blake takes a look at you, okay?"
The girl nodded and held up her arms once he stood. Hiding a wry smile at the fact that Doctor Harvey's kid of all people wanted to be held by him, Bill hoisted Anna up in his arms and carried her to the police cars.
The three boys who'd been fighting with Anna were in the back of one car (Charlie at the wheel), while the other boy was in the other. Bill brought Anna to that one - the car ride to the station quiet save for Anna's sniffles and the boy's faint "thank you" to Anna.
Charlie hauled the boys into the station with Ned's help - catching the attention of their boss and Blake.
"What's all this?" Lawson asked as he limped up to them - Blake not far behind.
"Schoolyard scuffle, Boss," Charlie supplied as Bill walked up with Anna and the other boy. "Bill and I found these three picking on the other two."
"I didn't do nothing!" The kid with a bloodied nose shouted. "She started it!"
"Separate them, get their names, Sergeant," Lawson ordered Charlie - ignoring the protesting kid as the acting senior sergeant led them away - Blake following to look at the kid's nose. Bill's boss approached him with a soft smile as he caught the eye of the kids. "Bill?"
"I don't know who started it, Boss," Bill answered as he set Anna down on her feet - Dr. Harvey's kid gravitated towards his boss and Lawson smoothed a hand over Anna's upper back as she clung to his good leg. "Charlie and I only saw the end when that kid with the bloodied nose was about to punch Miss Harvey."
"What alerted you to it?"
"A scream - muffled, but it was definitely a scream. And shouting. Charlie and I were there to pick up Miss Harvey as you'd asked."
"Thank goodness you were there," Lawson flashed a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Blake's looking at that kid's nose, if you'll take Miss Harvey and…?"
"Gideon," Anna whispered. "Gideon Kirk. The other kids are Bruce MacArthur, and Trevor and Eric Daniels."
"Thank you, Miss Harvey. Take Miss Harvey and Mr. Kirk upstairs to the other interview room, I'll start contacting the parents - get them down here before we can start getting to the bottom of this."
"Right, Boss."
She was with Jean in the morgue (Mrs. Blake had brought a bit of food to make Alice take a break) when the call came. Alice fought the urge to run into the station and look for her daughter; Jean's hand rested on her back as they walked inside and towards the front desk - neither Lucien or Matthew were in sight, but Ned was running the desk.
"Constable Simmons," Jean smiled as they approached.
"Doc, Mrs. Blake," he nodded. "She's upstairs with Sergeant Hobart and Dr. Blake."
"Interview room?"
"Yeah."
Jean pulled her to a stop just before they reached the interview room upstairs.
"What?" Alice frowned.
"I know you're angry, Alice, but Anna needs comfort right now, not anger."
"I'm fine."
"You're shaking," Jean pointed out.
Alice clenched her fists - opening and closing them rapidly until she crossed her arms and then let out a deep sigh, "I can't… I didn't want this to happen to Anna, Jean."
"I know."
"And now it has… I don't know who I'm more mad at, myself or those dickheaded kids."
She caught the smile Jean was trying to hide out of the corner of her eye as her friend spoke, "Maybe be mad at the kids, not yourself, Alice. This wasn't your fault and we also don't have the whole story yet. So, let's take a breather and be there for Anna."
Alice nodded, knowing Jean was right. Tears gathered in her eyes and she covered her mouth with a shaking hand, "What if-?"
"What, Alice?" her friend smoothed a hand up and down her back - her voice soft.
"What if Welfare finds out and… and they take Anna away?"
"Alice, we don't know the whole story, but knowing Anna and knowing you, she'd never use violence unless it was in self-defence. Breathe, and then let's go see Anna."
Alice nodded and wiped away a few stray tears before turning to the interview room. She straightened her spine - be there for Anna, everything else can wait, she thought - and opened the door.
Lucien knelt next to the chair Anna sat in - gently checking applying a bit of gauze to her daughter's forehead and explaining what he did in a soft and calm voice. Sergeant Hobart sat across the table from them, silently watching it all with an almost soft look. Anna looked up when the door opened and ran towards her.
"Mumma!"
She fell to her knees, ignoring the bruising pain as Anna threw her arms tight around her neck and began crying. Alice held her daughter just as tight - her thoughts and emotions running amok as they warred over worry for Anna, elation at what Anna called her, and anger at the people who hurt her daughter simmering underneath. A few tears of her own slipped out as Anna continued to sob in her arms, Alice wiped them away; gingerly standing with Anna still in her arms, she faced Lucien and Sergeant Hobart.
"What. Happened," Alice demanded, her voice dangerously quiet.
"We're still getting the details, Dr. Harvey," Hobart answered. "Boss and Charlie are interviewing the other kids, but it seems Anna was involved in a fight at Ballarat West under the stairwell. We don't know who started it, but she got a few good knocks in. I was waiting until you got here and her injuries seen to before getting Miss Harvey's statement."
Alice nodded - a strange sense of pride and despair at the fact her daughter was involved in a fight. "What do you mean by a 'few good knocks', Sergeant?"
"She bloodied a kid's nose," he shrugged with a hint of a smile (Lucien didn't bother hiding his). "As far as I can tell, Miss Harvey was defending a classmate."
(The pride was starting to outweigh the despair)
"Anna?" Alice smoothed a hand up and down her daughter's back - the tears starting to subside. "Are you feeling well enough to tell Sergeant Hobart what happened at school today?"
"Yes, Mumma."
Sitting down across from Hobart, Alice wiped away the tears on Anna's face with her handkerchief - gentle around the forming black eye and welts on her cheeks. Anna sat patiently as Alice inspected the injuries with a concerned frown, the girl curling up on her lap as Hobart started his questions.
Anna answered them as best she could, relaxing back against Alice the more comfortable she got as the questions continued. She abruptly turned to Alice in the middle of the interview, "Mumma, my tooth is loose!"
"Your tooth? Which one?" Her daughter pointed it out, and sure enough one of her front teeth moved. "How did that happen?"
Anna shrugged, "Maybe when I bit Bruce?"
"You bit-" Alice cut herself off and rubbed a hand over her face; Lucien started to laugh, but at Alice's (and Jean's) sharp look he quickly covered it with a cough.
"Are you mad at me?" Anna whispered.
"No, Anna, I'm not mad at you. I'm proud that you stood up for a classmate, but maybe next time this happens… no biting."
"Okay."
"And no fighting."
"Yes, Mumma."
She held Anna close, breathing in the faint scent of her perfume (Anna saw her dabbing it on this morning and wanted some too, Alice obliged her with a tiny bit) mixing with the scent of fresh gauze and antiseptic. Pressing a kiss to the top of Anna's head, Alice sighed.
"Mumma?"
"Yes, Anna?"
"Can we go home?"
Alice looked up at Hobart and then Lucien.
The police surgeon shrugged, "I don't see why not, Alice. Just be careful of her scalp if Anna has a bath."
"I will. Sergeant?"
"I have what I need for the Boss, Doc - though he might want to see you before you go."
"I'll stop by downstairs." Alice let Anna slide off her lap and stood from the chair. "And Sergeant Hobart, thank you."
He shrugged, "We got there at the right time, Doc."
Anna rounded the table and hugged the unsuspecting police sergeant, "Thank you, Sergeant Bill."
"You're, uh… you're welcome, Miss Harvey," Hobart gingerly patted her shoulder as she smiled up at him. "Try to stay out of trouble from now on, hm?"
"I promise!" Anna offered her pinky and this time it was Alice who had to hide a smile as her daughter hooked Sergeant Hobart's pinky and shook on it.
"Ready to go home, Anna?" Jean handed over Anna's cardigan.
"Yes, Auntie Jean," Anna answered as Alice helped her back into the cardigan. She took Alice's hand after taking her school bag from Lucien on the way out. Jean led the way back downstairs - Anna sticking close to Alice as they stopped by the front desk again.
"Thank you, Constable," Alice smiled at Ned as Jean went to go get some tea. "Sergeant Hobart said you showed up with him and Sergeant Davis."
"Yes, Doc," Ned nodded. "I simply helped break it up."
"Well, thank you anyway."
"Yes, thank you, Constable Ned." Anna piped up from Alice's side.
"You're welcome, Miss Anna."
Alice smiled down at her daughter and then looked back up at Ned. "Is… the superintendent at his desk?"
"Yes, Dr. Harvey. He said you could go on through once you were done upstairs."
"Thank you, Constable," Alice nodded. She and Anna headed down the hallway - Anna telling Alice about all she learned that day as they walked.
They were about halfway to Matthew's desk when another woman marched up to Alice - she jabbed a finger in Alice's shoulder. "Your daughter broke my son's nose!"
"Excuse me?"
"Your brat broke my poor boy's nose!"
Alice pushed Anna towards Jean (who'd come to investigate the raised voices along with others in the station). "First of all, she only bloodied his nose from what I heard, and second of all, your poor boy is a bully to others."
"Lies!" The woman (Alice assumed it was Bruce MacArthur's mother) shoved at Alice, who winced when her shoulder caught the sharp edge of a doorway.
"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Matthew's voice carried down the hallway, followed quickly by the man himself.
Alice rubbed at her shoulder as the woman went on a tirade - against Anna, against Alice, against the "poor injustice done to her boy" - and Matthew watched her with an irritated look on his face.
"Look, Mrs. MacArthur," he interrupted. "You might believe your son is innocent, but I have statements from two victims, as well as his mates, that tell me otherwise. Your son started a fight and got hurt in the process. Maybe tell him that if he can't take a beating, he shouldn't dole them out on those weaker than him."
"Well I never-!"
"With what Miss Harvey has gone through in her short life, I personally think she held back with your son," Matthew snapped. "I'll be speaking to the school about his behavior tomorrow, but in the meantime if I hear of any more incidents involving him and violence, I'll let him enjoy a night in our cells. And if you lay a hand on Dr. Harvey again, you'll be in the cell next to him. Am I clear?"
"You can't-!"
"I can, Mrs. MacArthur!" He stepped forward. "Your son toes the line or I have a word with the headmaster at Ballarat West. You refrain from violence yourself or you'll be downstairs in a cell, got it? Now, get your boy and get out of my station."
Mrs. MacArthur left in a huff with her son and the normal cacophony of the Ballarat police station returned. Matthew walked up to her - eyes trained on the way she rubbed at her shoulder.
"I'm fine," Alice sighed even before he could ask. "I think it's just bruised."
"It didn't feel fine," he raised his eyebrows and she smiled. "But, you're the doctor."
"Too right."
He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, "Let Lucien look at it if it's not feeling better, hm?"
"I will, if only for the fact that you'll know if I'm lying."
Matthew kissed her again and smiled down at Anna, "Well, Miss Harvey, you've got a mean right hook."
"I learned from Mumma."
"Oh really?" His eyebrows shot up again as Alice's cheeks flushed. A sheepish smile spread across her face and Matthew had to grin. "Learned through watching her in Collingwood?"
"Yes!"
"And she told you that in the future you're not to fight?"
Anna sighed, "Yes."
Matthew smiled and sat down on a nearby bench with a groan, "Come here, Anna."
The girl looked up at Alice, who nodded, before she stood in front of him. He smiled, "As a police officer, I'm telling you that violence is not the answer. I know you only stepped in to help Gideon Kirk, but violence should always be a last resort. The next time you see someone getting bullied, you go and find a teacher or a police officer. You could have ended up much more hurt than you did, Anna, and I know your mum doesn't want that for you."
"I think she got scared," Anna whispered. "She was angry."
"Sometimes adults get angry when they're scared or when they think something's unfair. You know it wasn't your mum getting angry at you, right?"
Anna nodded.
"Good. She loves you very much, Anna. So, no more fighting, but… I know that both of us are so very proud of you for standing up for someone else."
She smiled, "Mumma says to be kind and polite, but that I have to stick up for myself and others."
"Very good advice, be sure to follow it."
"With no more fighting?"
"Yes."
"Or biting?"
Matthew chuckled, "Yes, no more biting, Anna. Now, your mum is going to take you home and maybe I'll see you at Auntie Jean's for dinner."
"Okay!" Anna hugged him tight around the neck with a grin. She stepped back to allow Alice to help Matthew to his feet.
"Everything will settle, sweetheart," Matthew smiled at Alice as Anna went over to Jean.
"I know, I know it will," Alice sighed. "I just… it was going so well, and-"
"And Anna's done well for this long. She's resilient and has a good example to learn from," he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Though, maybe not teach her more self-defence techniques just yet."
Alice stuck her tongue out at him.
"Hey, who's the one back in school now?"
She just smiled as he leaned in to kiss her softly. Matthew kissed her again and again, "So… you've a new title, I see."
Alice blushed as she fought to keep the large grin off her face. "She called me mum, Matthew. Well, Mumma, but still…"
"Congratulations, sweetheart," he kissed her again. "You're a mum."
"I am… and she's my daughter."
"The punching someone in the nose to see justice done kind of gave it away."
"Oh, you…" Alice huffed as he laughed. "I'll see you later?"
"I'll let Jean know to plan for an extra two heads at dinner."
Alice kissed him one last time, "No, I'll let her know myself. Stay safe, dearest."
"You too."
Matthew watched her go with a smile and a wave to both her and Anna as they walked out of the station. The bond between the two had strengthened in the weeks since Anna's arrival in Ballarat and Matthew thought he could burst with pride at Alice's joy over being Anna's mother. He was proud of her, proud for her, and utterly happy that the two had found each other in Collingwood.
(And one day, he hoped, maybe Anna would call him Dad)