Disclaimers: Most of the dialogue is from the episode. I don't own The Ghost Squad or Downton Abbey. I don't own the characters either. I hope you'll enjoy it.

They were back at her place. Jimmy had called earlier saying it was urgent and they needed to meet. He had asked her to take a missing person poster with Danielle's picture with her.

They were quietly sitting on her sofa. She was staring at Dani's photograph on the poster, wearing a light blue sweater. On her other hand was a picture Jimmy had taken from John's house. It showed the same sweater, with some blood stains on it around the collar, as if she had been nosebleeding.

"It's definitely…" she began.

"It's definitely hers," he said at the same time. "It's in all the missing posters! The CCTV, the blood, past history… And under his bed. His bloody bed! What's that about?"

"He wouldn't have hurt her," she whispered. Even with all the clues, she couldn't bring herself to truly believe it. After all, he had explained a few things and it made some sense. She couldn't judge him on appearances. But it did look bad. She had to investigate further, even if she was afraid of what she might find out in the end.

"Come on, Anna!" he exploded. "What is this? Woman's intuition?"

"Uh, no. I read it on the tea leaves," she answered sarcastically. "What else do we have?"

They looked through some other files and then Jimmy brought up a piece of paper.

"On the night Dani disappeared, John withdrew 200 pounds from a cashpoint. As broke as he is."

"Where's the cashpoint?" she asked, looking over his shoulder to look at the piece of paper.

"Archer Street," he answered. She looked at him but he was confused. "Archer Street?"

"Train station," she informed him.

They rose and left the apartment.

Later that evening, Jimmy was at the train station phoning Anna.

"Ok, so he got cashed out from around the corner. And you were right. He bought a ticket, but not with that money. With a card. A return ticket to Glasgow."

Anna was just in front of a pub in the neighbourhood. Hearing Jimmy confirm her theory was giving her back her confidence. Now she needed to get John to tell her what the hell he was doing with Dani.

"Oh, what's he doing?" she asked rhetorically to Jimmy on the phone. "I mean… What's with money? Is she blackmailing him? Is that what this is?"

On the other end of the phone, Jimmy had another theory, determine to see Bates as a despicable man.

"He's a kiddie fiddler, I don't know."

"No!" Anna said without hesitation. She looked through the window of the pub and saw John sitting alone at a table with several glasses in front of him. She couldn't help feeling sorry for him. No, it wasn't pity. She cared for him, deeply. She wished whatever was troubling him wasn't making him hit the bottle like that. He was destroying himself. She felt sadness and a tinge of anger. She wanted him to stop.

"No," she said again. "I'll call you back, ok?" She hang up and entered the pub. Men were playing pool.

John was drinking when he saw her coming towards him. He put his glass down and watched her come forward as if he was wondering if he was dreaming with the effect of alcohol or if it was real.

"Uh-oh," he said when she was in front of his table.

"Right," she began, standing in front of him. "The plan is to make you so drunk that you either can't remember how much I fucked you off, or you just can't remember who I am?"

He stared at her for a few seconds, trying to register what she said, the alcohol not helping.

"Good plan," he said. "Yeah, I like it."

She smiled and sat across the table.

"Does that mean you're gonna pay for all these drinks?" he asked pointing at the empty glasses before him.

"Not that you'll remember" she answered back.

He laughed at that, his skin crinkling just around his eyes in the most adorable way. She hadn't heard him laugh out loud often, and she loved the sound of it. Even drunk she found him irresistibly handsome. He grabbed his glass again and took a sip of it.

"Sorry," she finally said. He looked at her through his glass while knocking it down. "But you're so full of shit, though."

He laughed again as if she had said the funniest thing ever.

"That is such a woman's apology. 'Sorry, but it's your fault" he mimicked. "Brilliant.'

"But I'm pissed off. I'm pissed off at Nathalie. With you for keeping things from me."

He was about to drink again, but she forced him to look her in the eyes.

"I care about this job. A lot," she confessed. She wanted to tell him more. That she cared about him. But the words got stuck in her throat.

He just looked her in the eyes, trying to analyse what she was saying to him. Could he understand what she was not saying?

"That's your first mistake," he answered. "Got to learn to switch it off, all right?" he slurred. "Laugh it away."

"I don't see you laughing."

He gave her a cold look but did not answer. Then his phone rang. He reached for it in his jacket's pocket. When he looked at the name on the phone, his face became serious. He frowned and picked up.

Screams could be heard from the phone.

"Jesus, Helen?" he said, still trying to focus. Why had he drunk so much?

"Please, help!" she shouted.

"Helen, what's happening?"

She was crying and screaming, she was terrified. Anna heard other voices screaming in the background.

"Calm down, all right? Calm down," he tried to reassure her.

"Just, please, John!"

Anna heard a voice saying 'bitch'. Her blood turned cold. Nathalie. What was she doing to Helen?

"I'll be right there, ok?" John said, rising up to his feet. He grabbed the table to help him and Anna followed him, both running in the street towards her building.

The streets were lighted by street lamps, and they were empty. They rushed to the front door. John opened it, and let Anna enter before him. He followed and they climbed the stairs as fast as they could. John had a bit more difficulty, breathing hard when they reached the 4th floor. They were panting when they reached her door. There was no sign of anyone.

John banged on the door, his breathing jerky, half leaning on the wall, his phone still in his hand. For the first time, Anna noticed that he was still wearing his wedding band.

"Helen! It's John! Open up!" he yelled.

And then the door opened. John pushed it slowly. Helen appeared on the other side.

"Jesus, Helen. You had us scared," he said out of breath.

He entered carefully. He was still a bit disoriented with all the glasses he had drunk. He rubbed his eyes, looking at the wet floor in front of the door.

"Oh god," he whispered.

It smelt of petrol. The girls had threatened Helen to burn her apartment down as retaliation for her testimony. Anna realised that she and Jimmy had caused it in a way. John was right all along. He had only been protecting Helen.

Anna followed him in.

"What was that bitch doing?" he asked.

Helen was still crying. He looked at her and suddenly saw it. Her legs were covered in blood. She was holding her round stomach, immobile, crying.

"Fuck," Anna said. She went to her side, helping her, trying to calm her down.

John typed 999 on his phone and called an ambulance, worry written all over his face.

The doors of the corridor in the hospital opened. They had come with Helen in the ambulance, the girl not wanting to be left alone, crying for John to stay beside her.

She was now on a stretcher, being rushed down to a room where doctors were waiting for her. John was holding it, helping the ambulance man and nurses to push it down the hall. Helen was screaming in pain and crying. She was holding John's hand firmly in hers.

They reached the room and John had to let her go, not wanting to, his arm outstretched towards her. Helen cried even more.

"John!" she yelled before disappearing.

John's arms were covered in her blood. Tears were rolling down his cheeks. Her screams were unbearable to him. He didn't know where to look. He rubbed his brow with his hand, trying to compose himself, but a sob escaped his lips.

Anna was watching from afar, shaken by the scene. She too had tears running down her cheeks. When John looked at her, a look of utter despair on his face, she almost went to hug him. But he turned away, ashamed of showing weaknesses to her and headed towards seats in the hall.

An hour later, Anna went to make a cup of coffee. They still hadn't heard any news. John was pacing the hall like a lion in a cage. It was driving him crazy.

When she came back, he was sitting again, his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. When he heard her light footsteps he looked up, hoping to see a doctor. She handed him his cup.

"Drink, it'll settle your stomach for a bit," she said.

"Thanks." He took a sip of it before exhaling. "God, I hate hospitals. Never once had good news from a doctor."

Anna put her hand on his. He did not push it away so she hold it. It seemed to calm him a bit. Then a doctor appeared in front of them. They looked at each other and rose.

He told them that they did everything they could but Helen had lost her baby. The extreme stress and fright had made her go into early labour.

"Would you like to see her?" he asked them.

John shook his head and told Anna to do it for him. When she entered her room, Helen was crying, her eyes red. She looked tired. Through the window, Anna saw John look at them, tears in his eyes. She went to comfort her, put a gentle hand on her shoulder and held her hand.

She stayed with her for a bit until Helen fell asleep. When Anna looked at the window again, panic hit her. Where was John?

She carefully left and saw him leaving at the end of the hall. She ran after him and caught up with him.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked, angry that he was going to leave her alone without even going to see Helen.

"I'm going home," he said matter of factly.

"Are you serious? What are you playing at? Don't you care about Helen?"

"Anna…" he tried to speak, but she continued.

"I thought you cared for her, what a fool am I! You're such a prick!"

"Anna!" he stopped her. She looked up at him and found his eyes. A tear was running down his cheek. "I can't stay here. It brings up bad memories. My…" he paused, trying to regain his composure. "I need to go, I need some air."

"I'm sorry John." She touched his arm in comfort. "But you're not driving in your state. You're still drunk and after tonight, I don't want you to be alone."

"Oh no, don't," he said, nervously laughing. "I'm a big boy, I can be on my own."

"To tell you the truth, I don't know if I should be alone tonight," she confessed to him.

He looked at her, debating inside his head. He sighed.

"All right" he conceded. "I will come with you."

She opened her door and invited him in.

"Are you hungry?" she asked him.

"I'm okay, thanks," he said.

"Are you sure? It's best to eat to avoid a massive hangover in the morning."

"I'm fine," he said patting his stomach.

They stood there, awkwardly. It was strange to be in the intimacy of the other. Usually, they were at work, focused on a case.

"Make yourself at home", she told him.

He sat on the couch and rubbed his face.

"Are you all right?" she genuinely asked him, sitting next to him.

"I don't know," he truthfully said. He paused, looking right in front of him. "I feel like it's all my fault. That I should have done more, you know?"

"What? How could you? You did everything you could, don't blame yourself. If anyone is to blame, it's me. I brought her to the station and Nathalie got wind of it somehow."

He looked her in the eyes and took her hands.

"No, Anna. You didn't know. I tried to avoid it and it's all my fault. I should have told you instead of keeping you in the dark. You are an excellent copper, I couldn't ask for a better one in my team. You are smart, quick, witty… beautiful."

Anna's cheek went red. But she did not break eye contact with him. He leant forward slowly and she closed her eyes. She felt his lips caress hers gently. It was the best feeling she had ever felt. She put her hands on his chest and his hands went to cup her head. He kissed her more deeply this time. She savoured it and suddenly he broke contact, his brow against hers. He sighed.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

"I'm not," she interrupted him. She made him look into her eyes to see the truth of her words. He smiled a little but she saw sadness in his eyes.

"I'm not good for you, Anna," he whispered. "You should find someone young who can give you what you want and what you deserve."

"I don't need you to tell me who I want, John," she said angrily. "I want you."

"But I want to be better for you. I am not this man right now, I have to fight my demons."

"I want to help you. You don't have to fight them on your own!"

"I refuse to drag you into them." He rose up and took his jacket.

"John…"

"No," he said, sadness in his eyes. And he left.