Disclaimer: Same 1-37.

Anna decided to pull in to a local outdoor fresh market on her way home from work. It had been a while since she had stopped, and she thought it would be nice to have some fresh fruit for her lunches for the following week. It was also a way for her to keep her mind off the horrible event between her, her mum, and Harvey. She parked the car and got out. She closed the car door and walked over to the first row of produce. It seemed to be vegetables for the most part. She loved how everything seemed fresher or more flavorful during the summer. She rounded the edge and looked at the second row. There was a large variety of fruits stacks in box crates. She walked to the first one and saw some tangerines. She picked one up to think it over as she spotted an older couple to her left browsing as well. Raising the fruit to her nose, she could smell the fresh citrus and the sharpness of the orange peel. She heard something being murmured by the couple down a few meters from her.

"Is that her? That's the one who slept with her step father?"

Anna's eyes went wide and the round fruit fell from her grasp back into the crate. She turned to look at the couple who were now startled that she may have heard them. She could feel tears gathering in her eyes, but they did not fall.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"Nothing. We were just looking," the man answered for the both of them. They were clearly even more flustered at being caught talking about her.

"You said I slept with my step father," Anna replied bitterly. "You couldn't be more wrong."

The older couple gave her a skeptical glance before she turned and walked away. She knew she probably should have stayed and defended herself more, but she could feel the tide of her tears about to reach it's crest. She quickly got inside her car and pulled onto the road. The tears came heavy then in solid breaking waves. She was sure she didn't even know who those people were, but they knew her and they thought she had slept with Harvey. Had Harvey told others this? Had her own mother? The thought of that made her sob harder as she drove home.

Once she pulled into her driveway she made quick work of getting out of her car and into her house. After she was inside she forcefully closed the door and locked it before she turned around and slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor.

The whole town was going to think she was sleeping with Harvey. Her head spun with all the different elements. Harvey was an arse. Her mother had betrayed her. John...

She brought her hands up to her face and cried more. He was going to come home to news that his new wife was cheating on him. What if he didn't believe her when she explained just like her mother?

John sank down into his desk chair in his room. He had a little bit a spare time until he was needed back in the tactical room, so he decided to check his email. He typed his password in for his email and logged on. His inbox had a one beside it which brought an instant smile to his face. There was usually a larger number there, but one was better than nothing. Clicking on his inbox, he realized the email was not from Anna, but instead it was from Robert. Opening it, he read what he had written and felt a weird feeling. Something wasn't right. Anna had stopped writing to him all of a sudden. Yes, something was wrong. He logged out quickly of his email and left his room. He strode down the hall and around the corner until he was in the room where the telephone was located. There was another soldier using it, and he inwardly cursed. He stepped back outside the room to wait. He hoped he wouldn't be too much longer. It wasn't like he could go in there and demand he get off the phone. All the men and women here had families back home, so it didn't have the heart to demand anything. This only gave him more time to dwell on Rob's email. He had asked him if he had thought about taking his leave. As soon as he could talk to Robert he would know if he needed to take it as soon as possible. Maybe he should anyway.

He believed a sigh of relief when the other soldier left the room. They shared a quick nod of acknowledgement of the other before John entered the room and closed the door. He picked up the receiver and dialed Robert's number. It was three rings before Robert picked up.

"Robert Crawley," John heard him greet on the line.

"Rob, it's John," he said quickly.

"John, I'm glad to hear from you."

"You, too. I got your email. It sounded odd. Is something the matter?"

"Well, I don't know the whole of it."

John sat down in the chair near the phone and replied solemnly, "What happened?"

"Do you think you can put in for leave?"

John ran a hand through his short hair and said quietly yet frustratingly, "Rob, I will put in for leave as soon as you tell me what is going on."

John heard Robert clear his throat before he spoke again.

"I was at the grocery store yesterday."

John was irritated, so he cut him off.

"Wonderful. Tell me what I need to know," he snapped.

"Well, if you would let me I would," Robert said curtly. "The store is part of it."

John puffed his cheeks out as he exhaled. "I'm sorry. Go ahead."

"As I was saying I was at the store, and I overheard two women talking. One had asked the other if they had heard about Debbie Mitchell's husband, and the other said no."

John's eyes glossed over as his senses came down to hearing only. He was listening intently to what Robert was telling him.

"The other proceeded to tell her that she heard Debbie's daughter, Anna, had kissed Harvey and tried to sleep with him."

"What?!" John roared.

A couple of soldiers looked through the glass panel at John after he yelled.

"They said she had tried to do it while Debbie was out at her scrap book club," Robert continued.

For the briefest of moments John's mind traveled back in time. His mind took him to when he first found out Vera had been stepping out on him while he was deployed. His felt his heart drop into his stomach before he came back to the present.

"John?" Robert said.

"I'm here," John voiced and rubbed a hand over his face.

"I went over to the ladies and told them just what I thought of them. I stood up for both you and Anna. Anna would never do anything of the sort to you."

John knew that. He knew she would never cheat on him just as he would never cheat on her. He felt guilty for allowing his mind to drift to a horrible place even if it was just for a few seconds. Anna, his Anna, was true to him.

"No, she wouldn't," John stated, "Why were they even suggesting it? How did it get started?"

"One of them said someone they knew heard it from Harvey and said it was tearing his family apart."

"He's done something," John said as underlying anger began to build.

"But we don't know the terms."

"No, but I know Anna has been acting unlike herself and now this. Something has happened. I need to come home."

"Make sure you get permission for your leave. The last thing you need is desertion on your record. Jail won't help you or Anna."

John clenched his fist and released it. "Will you do me a favor?"

"If I can manage it."

"Will you please go by the house and check on Anna? I think it might be best not to mention what you heard or that you've spoken to me about it. It could upset her more. That is even if she knows about this vicious lie."

"I'll go by this evening. I'll email you afterward."

John released a deep breath. "Thank you."

"John."

"Yeah?"

"Whatever is going on just know I have no doubt whatsoever Anna has done nothing wrong."

"Of course she hasn't. She is incapable of fault. I'm the one at fault for leaving her by herself for so long."

"You are doing what you need to do, and not too much longer it's over. Now, I will go be with Anna and try to see what is going on. I'll contact you soon."

"Thanks, Rob."

"Bye, mate."

"Bye."

John replaced the receiver back onto it's cradle. He felt a surge of adrenaline course through his veins at the mention of Harvey and what he was implying. At this point in time he didn't know for sure if it was the truth, but if it was making a visit to Harvey would be one of the items on his list when he was on leave.

He got himself to his feet, opened the door, and walked straight for the tactical room to request his leave from his superior.

Anna had finally gotten herself calmed back down and had taken a long shower. She was now curled up on the sofa wrapped in a blanket staring at the muted TV. Jingles had came to sit beside her as she continued to stare blankly. She had never felt like this before. There was too much unknown surrounding her, too many questions. Should she call the police on Harvey? Would her mother ever speak to her again if she did? Would she be looked down upon? Could she possibly lose her job? Would she lose John? Lose everything? Could a rumor cause so much strife? If news stories or tabloids were an example then the answer was yes. She felt a little bit numb to it all. Was all of this really happening? Did she just think Harvey had kissed her and pined her down?

She blinked a few times and brought herself out of her thoughts. No, what had happened was very much real. She just wished it wasn't.

She jumped as she heard her doorbell ring. Looking to the clock on the wall it was just past eight o'clock. She didn't know who it would be, but she still got up from the sofa and headed over to the front door.

"Hello?" she said through the door.

"Anna, it's Robert."

Her brow knitted together at hearing his voice, and she began unlocking the door. Pulling it open, she saw Robert standing on her front stoop.

"Hello," Robert smiled.

"Robert, hello," she replied.

"May I come in?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, of course," she stuttered as she moved out of the way.

"Thank you," he replied as he came inside.

Anna closed the door behind him.

"Would you care for some tea?" she asked.

"That would be lovely."

Anna gave him a small smile as they both walked to the kitchen. Robert took a seat at the kitchen table as Anna began preparing their tea.

"I know this is rather unexpected, but I was driving by and I thought I come by for a quick chat," he explained.

She switched on the kettle and turned around to face him.

"You're welcome anytime. You know that," she responded.

"I do."

A beat of silence passed between them before Robert spoke again.

"So, are you doing okay?" he asked in a gentle way that made fresh tears spring to her eyes. She quickly turned back to the kettle as it announced it was ready. She poured the boiling water into the mugs as she sniffed back the tears.

Why was it that one minute you could be fine, but when some one asked if you were okay you fell apart?

"Anna?" Robert said as she heard her sniff.

Anna wiped a tear before it could fall and looked back to him.

"I'm fine, truly," she commented before she brought their tea over to the table.

She sat down and stared at her mug as Robert left his to cool.

"It doesn't appear that way. I'm here as a friend. You can talk to me."

Anna was weighing her options internally. It would be so easy to unburden herself onto Robert. She could easily tell him everything that had happened, but she didn't feel it was right. The first person she needed to explain all of this too was her husband as much as she hated the thought of having to tell him what was going on. She also hated what the outcome might be. She had already given herself away by being emotional, so he knew there was something up. She decided to be truthful but to play it off at the same time.

"It's nothing really," she fibbed. "I just had a bit of a tangle with my mother," she continued truthfully.

Robert took a long sip of his tea. "Yes, disagreements with family are never easy."

Anna also took a sip of her tea. "No, they aren't."

She sipped her hot drink again before she said, "And what about you? You doing okay?"

"I'm well. I have a few potential estate buyers this coming week, so that's keeping me busy."

"That's good to hear."

"So, is there anything you need help with around here? I don't mind playing the handy man when I need to," he quipped, trying to bring her out of her sad mood.

"As much as it would amuse me to see you being a handy man, I believe everything is in working order," she chuckled.

"Pardon me, Mrs. Bates, but I know my way around a screwdriver... sometimes."

They both laughed, and Robert felt like he had done his friend a favor by brightening her spirits.

"I'm sure."

They spoke for a while longer, changing topics several times. Robert knew there was still something there bothering her, but he wouldn't push her. It wasn't his place. He wrapped up the conversation and made his way to the door.

"Thank you for taking the time to chat with me," Robert said as he reached for the door knob.

"Any time. It's usually just me and Jingles here in the evenings. Until John is back of course."

"He'll be back quicker than we think," Robert stated, knowing John would be on leave as quickly as he was able.

Anna nodded as Robert opened the door.

"Have a good night. We'll see you soon," Robert said from the stoop outside.

"Bye, Robert," Anna waved.

Robert turned and walked to his car as Anna closed and locked the door.

Once Robert was far enough away from the Bates residence, he pulled into a small car park and opened his email on his phone. He typed out an email to John.

John,

I stopped by to see Anna as you asked. I tried to get her to talk with me, but I wasn't really all that successful. She did get a little emotional while I was there. When I asked she said she had had an argument with her mother. I didn't bring up what I told you about. I believe something is going on, but I don't have all the facts to know if that is really true. You've probably already put in your request for leave, but just in case I'm going to suggest you do.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything else. I'm here as always.

Robert