Anna opened her eyes and was immediately surrounded by a wonderful smell. Manly aftershave, but not the one that Oliver used. Also she was lying in someone's arms ... weird.

Anna looked up and her heart jumped. It was John. John Bates was holding her, his eyes closed - had she fallen asleep, after her crying from before?

"John?" she asked and he opened his eyes.

"If that isn't sleeping beauty," he mumbled.

Anna felt a blush creep over her cheeks. "Why do you always call me beautiful?"

"Because I was raised an honest man," John replied, making Anna's cheeks only feel hotter.

"How long did I sleep?"

"About forty minutes," John said with a smile and Anna gasped lightly.

"Why didn't you wake me up? What if Oliver had come back? I must have been heavy, lying on you like this. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Wait, let me answer your questions one by one," John laughed. "I didn't wake you up because I didn't want to. If Oliver had come back, then you'd now have another good reason to leave him. And I didn't say anything, because you weren't heavy at all. It was rather comfortable, if I may say so."

Anna looked at him. Sadly so. "It is not that easy," she said lowly. "Oliver. I cannot just leave him."

"Why not? If he did the groundwork, as you put it, and you had to hide his mistreatment by throwing yourself down the stairs, there is one good reason to leave him already."

Anna's face had turned white. "You heard us."

"Of course. And it didn't surprise me. I told you about my mother, I have seen some things." He sighed. "Please go to the police. Please. Or else I will."

"No," Anna said quickly. "I will, John. I just need to wait. I can't take Lauren away from him, not yet."

"Anna ..."

"Please. Don't make me. There's so much I have to think of first. Where will I live? Where will I go? The money ... I don't even have an own bank account!" Oliver had talked her into a shared account during their first year of marriage and Anna had agreed, despite her mother's and Mary's protests.

"So set up one," John said gently. "Transfer the money that belongs to you to that account and just leave. If you need a place, the house I live in has a spare room. Come here, take Lauren. I mean it, you can stay with me if you need to."

Anna looked at him with her mouth slightly open. "I ... I can't accept that."

"You don't have to accept it yet," John replied. "Just think about it.

Anna didn't answer immediately. Instead she placed her head back on his chest. She closed her eyes, and whispered, "Thank you for being there for me, John. I don't know why you are ... but thank you."

John wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her close. "You're welcome," he mumbled, his heart longing to tell her his feelings. Was it that hard? He only had to say I'm there because I love you or better yet, I'm there because I'm in love with you. He couldn't do it. Not the right place, not the right time. He would wait for the Halloween party.

Mary picked up Anna from the hospital. Mary did, as Anna hadn't wanted to ask Oliver. For a while Anna had played with the thought of asking John to pick her up, but she feared that Oliver would find out. No matter how, he would find out. Thus Mary played her sister and picked her up.

"Didn't you tell your mum that you're here?" Mary asked once they were out of earshot.

"Are you crazy? She wouldn't believe that I fell down the stairs."

"John and I don't believe you either," Mary responded and Annna gave her a light smile.

"John and I?"

Mary huffed and opened her car. "Get in. I'll explain it inside."

Anna got into the car, waiting for the explanation with sweaty hands. Even though John had told her that he and Mary were only friends, and even though she had absolutely no reason to be jealous, she was. There was something between her and John and she didn't want her best friend to take that away.

Mary started the car. "John and I became friends over the last weeks," she explained while driving out of the parking lot. "We've found something to bond over."

"That is?" Anna asked carefully. She didn't want to overstep a line.

"You, silly," Mary replied dryly. "We both like you and we both worry about you."

Anna's heart jumped. "Why worry?"

"Anna, you're a smart woman. Don't play dumb." Mary sighed theatrically. "Anyway, John and I have met a few times, plotting how to save you from your husband -"

"What?" Anna called. "Why would you do that?"

"Please," Mary said coldly.

"No, Mary, that is not okay! I didn't ask you to do that! And why would John participate in this? Oh god." Her eyes went wide. "Is that the reason he always came to visit me? Is that the reason he held me while I was sleeping? Is that the reason he's giving me compliments and gifts? To fall for him? I can't believe it worked ..." She felt like crying but Mary was smiling.

"It did? You fell for him?"

Anna glared at her friend. "Don't tell me that was all part of the plan. Don't tell me he doesn't like me for real, it would kill me!"

"Calm down," Mary tried to pacify her friend. "He does like you. He wouldn't have participated in this if he didn't like you. But now back to what you said ... you fell for him?"

Anna groaned. "I can't believe I've told you that, right after you've dropped such a bomb. Yes, worst friend ever, I fucking fell for him. My heart starts beating when I see him or even think of him, I love his smell and the way he looks at me, I get nervous when he's close, I want to be with him all the time. I want to be with him ... intimately. I get jealous when he's with someone else. I got jealous because of you two, Mary. I thought you were dating and my heart broke."

Mary smiled cheerfully. She had almost succeeded. "You're wrong. I am the best friend ever, Anna."

"That's the only thing you've heard?" Anna asked.

"I heard every word of it," Mary replied. "Shall I drop you at his place?"

"What?"

"We're close to his place, shall I drop you there?"

Anna blushed. "You know where he lives?"

"Yeah, he told me once. No worries, I've never been there before. No need to be jealous again."

Anna sighed. "Worst friend ever," she repeated but then smiled. "I guess ... you could drop me for a few minutes and wait for me? I only want to tell him that I'm back."

But as Mary stopped the car in front of John's house a few minutes later, doubts started hitting her.

"It's stupid," she said. "Why would I visit him, just to tell him I'm out of hospital? Let me get his book, I'm giving it back."

"No you won't," Mary said. "Just get there and tell him you didn't want to wait to tell him. In case he wanted to visit you and then notice that you're not there anymore."

"Look at me," Anna whispered and held her trembling hands out to Mary. "I'm shaking."

"Aw." Mary grinned. "I remember you before you got together with Oliver."

"You do?"

"Yep. You were never nervous around him, you never talked about him, not like this." She took Anna's hands. "I'm telling you, this is the true love everyone's talking about."

"You're stupid," Anna said but she was smiling. If John felt the same for her? Finally she was ready to get out of the car and walk over to his house.

She rang the doorbell and suddenly felt like running away again. Was she stupid? Why was she here? Of course he didn't feel the same for her. And what did she even feel? Was she in love? No, she couldn't be. She was married, no matter what Oliver did, she was still married.

Her thoughts were interrupted as John opened the door.

"Anna," he said and her heart wanted to melt at the sight of his gentle eyes. Yes, he was happy to see her. "You're out of hospital? How did you get here?"

"Mary," Anna replied with a smile. "She pretended to be my sister and picked me up."

"I could have picked you up too," John said but Anna shook her head.

"What if Oliver had come to the hospital and asked for me, getting the information that a man already picked me up? No, no, it's better if he heard that my sister picked me up. I really have a sister after all, he wouldn't get suspicious."

"Are you going to your mother now?" John asked and Anna exhaled quietly.

"First I have to go home and pick up mine and Lauren's stuff. Then I have to get Lauren from Oliver's parents. And then ... I don't know, John. Maybe I'll stay with my mum. Maybe with Liz, my sister. Maybe with Mary."

"You can still stay with me," John repeated his offer from a few days ago, but Anna only smiled.

"John ... I have a kid. And don't get me wrong but you and your house don't seem quite fond of children."

"But I am," John said. "At least I think so. I've never talked to a child before. Only Sybil when she was young ... but she was ten already when I befriended her dad, I don't know about younger children. But I'm sure that Lauren and I will become friends."

"John ... I know you only mean the best and I am so grateful for having a friend like you. But I need to do this on my own and I will. Have patience with me, yes? Do you trust me?" She flashed the sweetest smile he had ever seen on her face at him.

"Of course, Anna," he replied immediately. "I do trust you and I will have patience with you. How could I not?"

Anna reached for his hand. She lifted it up, entwined their fingers. For a moment her eyes were resting on their hands but then she looked up, right into his eyes. "Thank you," she breathed, "for everything."

John couldn't talk.

He could only focus on Anna coming closer, on her beautiful eyes looking at him so innocently, on her wonderful lips that looked ever so kissable to him.

She leaned in. One last blink with her butterfly-like lashes and her eyes were closed. John swallowed. Did she want him to kiss her?

He couldn't do it, not as long as she was married.

But he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the skin there, admiring her beautiful, small and slim hand. Anna opened her eyes again, trying to hide her disappointment.

"You are so important to me," John said quietly, "and once you're free ..." He squeezed her hand, "you can do whatever you want. Move away, start a new life, marry again -"

"I don't think I will marry again," Anna whispered. John couldn't help but notice her pink cheeks.

"And that's fine. You don't have to. It was merely a suggestion."

"Do you want to marry again, John?"

John swallowed. "Maybe. One day. If ... if she wants to."

"How could she not, though?" Anna whispered and looked at their hands again. "John ..."

"Yes, Anna?"

"I need to go ... Mary is waiting."

"Oh." He could not hide the disappointment in his voice. "But you'll come back?"

"Sure, when?"

"Always. You can always come here. Even if it's the middle of the night."

Anna let out a sweet noise that sounded like an oppressed, excited squeal. Quickly she covered her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

"What was that?" John had to grin.

"Nothing. I'm just ... happy. Happy to have a friend like you."

"Charmer," John teased. He was as excited as her, only he could hide it better.

"See you tomorrow, then," Anna said and pulled her hand away. "Thanks for the invitation."

"Always," John replied and pulled his hand back too. He missed her touch immediately. "If you need anything -"

"I know, John," Anna chuckled and waved at him.

And John watched her go back to Mary's car. She was about to return to her husband ... again. He was sure something would happen.

"Did you kiss?"

"Mary! What!?"

She hadn't even closed the door yet and Mary already asked impertinent questions.

"What?" Mary asked back. "Did you kiss, yes or no?"

"No," Anna replied and blushed madly. "But ... I wanted to. I really wanted to. Gosh, Mary -"

"You signalled him to kiss you, am I right?"

"Did you hide in the bushes to watch, or what?" Anna groaned. "Yes. I did. But he didn't kiss me. Probably he doesn't want me."

"Oh, hogwash," Mary snorted. "I'm sure he wants to kiss you and I'm sure he won't do it as long as you're with Oliver."

"You may be right," Anna sighed.

"Anyhow, I was about to drive already, just before you came."

"Seriously? Then I would have gone home by bus, not stayed at his house."

"Damn," Mary sighed. "You're very stubborn, Anna Smith."

Anna sighed quietly. Mary liked to call her Anna Smith, like her name had been before she had married Oliver. Somehow Mary had always refused the fact that Anna was called Harris now, which probably had to do with the fact that Mary had never liked Oliver.

"Drop me off at home," Anna said.

"Should I bring you to Oliver's parents too?"

"No, it's fine. I'll take my own car." Anna inhaled sharply. "If I'm going, I need to go properly."