Anna started when someone put a blanket over her and turned to see John holding up his hands. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's-" She swallowed, "It's fine."

"Mrs. Bates?" Anna turned back to the officer at the table. "Could you tell us what happened?"

"Hasn't she already told you?" John bit in but Anna put a hand out to him.

"It's fine, John. They need to know."

"They could do to not sound like they're accusing you." John sat on Anna's other side and put a hand toward her. She looked at it a moment before covering it with her own. He intertwined their fingers but made no move closer.

"We're not accusing Mrs. Bates of anything, Mr. Bates." The officer held up a hand, "We're just trying to gather facts about what happened here."

"I'd just got home." Anna blinked, wrapping herself in the blanket and lifting a shaking hand toward the back door. "I park in the back and I use the door by the kitchen."

"Do you know about what time that was?"

"Um," She cleared her throat, "I left work about six thirty or so. It's a twenty minute drive from town and there's no traffic so no later than seven."

"And he was waiting here for you?"

"No, not that I know." Anna slightly turned toward the front door but caught sight of the people taking pictures of the scene near the fireplace and immediately faced the table again. "I set down my handbag and phone. I got out the wine and the glasses… because it's Valentine's Day, and then I heard a knock on the front door."

"Was that odd to you? Way out here?"

"We've had people knock before. I'm bordered on all sides by a farm and sometimes their hands are closer here than the main house and they'll knock for the toilet or water."

"This late at night?"

"No, not usually." Anna swallowed again, "But I answered the door and he was… standing here with a bouquet for me."

The officer paused, "Did he know your address before?"

Anna shook her head, "He got it from my employment records at the University."

"Which one?"

"Ohio University. I worked with him there for a year in the Maths Department."

"When was this?"

"January to December."

"And, in all that time, did he ever give the indication that he was aware of your personal life?"

Anna bit the inside of her cheek, "We dated for awhile."

"So you'd brought him here before?"

"No, that's actually one of the issues he had when we dated." Anna shifted in her chair. "I didn't ever feel comfortable enough inviting him to my home."

"And did you ever go to his home?"

"Once or twice."

"Did you have sex with him?"

"No." Anna shook her head, "I never wanted to."

"But he did?"

"Yes."

"So then, when he showed up here tonight, what was his mood?"

"To start?" Anna sighed, "He seemed confident that showing up at my door was going to get him invited in. He kept saying that he'd gone to all this effort and that I should appreciate it."

"But you didn't invite him in?"

"No, he shoved the door and got in after I fell back." Anna tapped the table, "I tried to retreat to here, to grab my phone, and told him to get out because he was trespassing. When he shoved me away I fell toward the fireplace and grabbed the fire poker."

"What else did he say that had you grabbing fire poker?"

"That I still didn't love him and I was already married."

"And he attacked you after that?"

"I warned him away but he came at me anyway. I swung the poker and it caught him on the cheek."

"Yes, I saw the injury when they took him away." The officer looked over his notes. "And after that you said he came at you again?"

"Yes. I took in two hits before he grabbed the poker from my hand and threw me toward the sofa. I tried to catch myself on the cushions but slipped and knocked my head on the floor." Anna risked a hand toward the swelling area and John immediately applied an ice pack. She cringed away from it a moment but relaxed when John's fingers rubbed over hers. "It got hazy but I could feel him tearing at me and then pain. I-"

Her other hand held the blanket tighter around herself as she looked at the officer and then John, "Was I…?"

"We'd need a doctor's confirmation but based on the state in which you were found, Mrs. Bates, and how we found him, we're under the impression that Mr. Green did succeed in raping you." The officer put a hand on the table between them, "But we need a doctor to confirm."

"I…" Anna slumped back on the chair, her hand covering her mouth to let the blanket and ice pack fall.

John caught both and helped restore Anna as best he could before turning to the officer. "If we could finish this another time?"

"Just one last question," The officer pointed to Anna, "What did you use to hit him?"

"There's a loose brick in our fireplace."

"It's real brick?"

"Yes."

"Wow." The officer ducked his head under John's glare, "I'm sorry. Those are all the questions we've got for you. If you're up for it we'd like to send you with a police escort to the hospital to get an exam. If you're up for it now."

"I need-" Anna turned to John and he went to his knees beside her. "I need clothes and my bag and-"

"I'll get it all. Just stay here and I'll be right back, I promise."

"John," She caught his arm and he stopped, "I can't stay here tonight. I need to go somewhere else."

"We'll get an hotel, don't worry." He hurried away and Anna pulled the blanket back around her while trying to apply the ice pack to the aching pulse in her brain.

John returned a moment later, slipping a strap over his shoulder, and then bending toward Anna. He paused, making sure she looked him in the eye. "Would you like me to carry you?"

"Yes please." Anna almost sobbed and as John picked her up she buried her head in his shoulder to cry.

Her tears took them all the way to the hospital and, ignoring all the nurses and doctors and the officers with them, Anna continued crying. John set her on the bed and held her hand as the nurses talked her through the process. When they wanted her to come alone she clung to John.

He helped her take off the torn and damaged clothing and soothed her while the nurses and officers took pictures of what felt like a bruised and broken body. Stepping away only for a moment, John kept his hand on hers the whole time. And when she could shower and change, John joined her. He held her close, scrubbing and washing away every bit of Green, and even toweled her dry while dripping over the floor himself.

As John helped Anna back into the borrowed bed in the room a doctor and one of the nurses entered with the female officer who took the pictures of her body. Anna clutched at John's hand and he sat on the edge of her bed, his hand running over hers to soothe her. The doctor spoke first, his mustache twitching a bit.

"I can say that you were, in fact, raped this evening." Anna let out a sob and John held her close to his shoulder a moment until she calmed. "There's significant bruising and possible damage to the cervix."

"Is that all, Doctor?"

"No," He bit at his lip, "There's also evidence of other sexual activity from earlier in the evening based on the swabs we took."

"I can account for that." John raised a hand, "It was Valentine's Day."

"Why didn't you mention that in the earlier statement?" The officer pressed and Anna sniffed as John answered.

"It wasn't relevant to mention that I had sex with my wife on Valentine's Day when she was attacked and raped in our home."

"There's no need to get defensive, Mr. Bates, we're just establishing a timeline of events."

"It was when Anna got off work."

"So before the attack?"

"I wouldn't have bloody done it after the attack."

"Calm down."

"No," John pushed off the bed, Anna pulling at him to stop his advanced on the officer. "I won't calm down when my wife's being accused of inviting this piece of shit to do what he did. Or when the first response after she's found crying and bleeding in my home isn't to arrest the bastard responsible but to immediately put her through the third degree as if it was all her idea."

"We're just getting all the facts."

"Really?" John snorted, "What other facts do you need? He barged into the house, attacked my wife, raped her, and she fought back. End of discussion."

"There's been developments in the case that need to be addressed."

"Already?" He huffed, "Because so far you've been pretty bloody useless about handling any of it so I can't see how you're 'sod all' attitude got you anywhere since we came to you for help."

"Mr. Green's injuries led to bleeding in his brain," The Doctor cut in, "He died ten minutes ago of a brain aneurysm."

"Then good riddance to him."

"But this isn't the first time Ms. Smith has claimed an attack in her own home." The officer pointed to Anna and John immediately retreated to her side.

"What are you talking about?"

"There's been a statement, filed by a Vera Bates, that claims Ms. Smith has made several mentions to her about violence in the home of a domestic nature. As well as information provided about an incident when she was sixteen."

Anna paled, "That's not relevant."

"It's been made relevant." The officer nodded at both of them, "It'd be best, for now, if you didn't leave town until we sort this out."

"What the bloody hell does that mean?" Anna's grip on John's arm was the only thing that kept him back.

"It means that we might have reason to believe that Mr. Green was lured out to the property for the express purpose of injuring him and Ms. Smith's injuries were caused by either you, Mr. Bates, or as some part of a sexual role play that went too far."

"And Vera told you all of this?"

"What she did or didn't say is police information in an ongoing investigation."

"But you'll believe it anyway?" John shook his head, "You can't believe a word she says. She's a liar and a conniving bitch."

"We take every statement seriously, Mr. Bates." The officer shrugged, "Just stay in town and where we can easily contact you."

"Right." John turned to the Doctor as the officer left, "Does she need to stay the night?"

"No, from what I can tell, all I need to prescribe Mrs. Bates are some painkillers and a short day-after regimen to make sure there aren't any unintended consequences."

"Because any of these consequences were intended." Anna muttered but took the pills the Doctor handed over. "Thank you Doctor."

"I wish I could say it was my pleasure but it's not." He sighed, looking after where the officer left. "Sorry about that."

"It's not your fault." John put Anna's arm over his shoulder and lifted her from the bed. "Should we schedule another appointment?"

"In about a week, just to make sure you're healing alright."

"Thank you." John took Anna back out to the car, putting the bag with their things in the back seat, and drove to a hotel.

They checked in, finding the slightly musty room, and settling in on one of the beds. Anna curled up in the middle of it while John checked all the windows and door before grabbing one of the pillows. She sat up, watching him make a bed on the sofa in the room.

"What are you doing?"

"I thought-" He stopped, "Do you not want me to?"

"If you want." She tried to force a swallow, "I'd understand."

"Understand what, Anna?" John came to the edge of the bed and took her hand as Anna turned away, unable to look at him. "Please tell me Anna. It's John."

"I'd understand if you didn't want to sleep with me because of what…" Anna took a deep breath, "Because of what happened."

"I just thought you'd want space."

"I know I'm… I know it's shaming for you and I'm shamed in all this."

"You're not shamed." John cupped her face in his hands, "The only shame I see is his and he's dead so I hope he rots in hell."

"But I'm spoiled for you."

"You're not spoiled." John rested their foreheads together. "You're made holier, and higher, to me because of the suffering you've been put through and I couldn't love you more than I do at this moment."

Anna finally met his eyes, blurred because of her tears. "Truly?"

"Truly." John snuck a glance over his shoulder at the sofa, "And I'm glad I'm not spending a night on that sofa. I don't think my back could take it."

Anna managed a laugh, "I don't want you so far away."

"Then I won't be. I'll be right by your side." John grabbed the pillow back and drew down the covers so Anna could snuggle under them and wrap herself close to him.

"Not how I wanted to spend my Valentine's Day." She mumbled into the fabric of his shirt and he snorted.

"Though the part where you had your way with me in the car was pretty nice."

"We'll remember that part then." Anna clutched at his shirt, trying to dig herself a safe place in his skin and leave hers behind. "Once we can forget everything else that happened today we'll remember that part."

"The moment we can we'll forget it all. Like your students used to after tests."

"Just like that."

Anna fidgeted in the chair, constantly turning her head toward the room where John's voice resonated through the door. She looked at the officer behind the desk before her, writing reports with a consistent clack on the keys, and then sighed. Another moment and she checked her mobile but with no notifications or messages she just put it back on the desk.

The door opened and Anna stood, wringing her hands as John approached her. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. But it was not the hug of a condemned man or a worried soul but a vindicated individual. Anna clung back, giving her relief as a sigh into the skin of his neck.

She pulled back, "And?"

"They've found evidence that linked Vera to Green."

"What?" Anna turned to the officer, staring more at the ground then them. "How?"

"She'd apparently been following us and noticed our interactions with Green last year."

"That's in violation of the restraining order."

John shrugged, "She's already left the country so she can't even corroborate the statements she made and once the doctors couldn't find other signs of bruising or hospital records consistent with either domestic violence or BDSM they had to drop that lead." He glared at the female officer, who immediately returned to her typing. "And they actually found the report about your other incident."

"My stepfather?" John nodded. "And?"

"They realized that both actions were in self-defense and therefore won't be ruling this as a wrongful death."

"So it's over then?" Anna turned to the officer, "We can forget this whole thing ever happened?"

"As far as we're concerned you acted in self-defense and Mr. Green's aneurysm was the result of bad timing and poor genetics." The officer extended her his hand, "I do apologize for the trauma we put you through Mrs. Bates. You and your husband."

"We are too." Anna shook his hand, "But there's nothing that can't be said about your thoroughness in this case."

"You two have a good day now."

John and Anna walked out to the car, buckling themselves in but not driving away immediately. They turned to one another and started speaking at the same time. John stopped himself and pointed at her, "You first."

"I think we should move." John's eyes widened and Anna hurried to explain. "I haven't had a good night sleep in that house since… it happened and the way everyone at work and in town look at me I can't-"

"Anna," John covered her hands with his, stopping her. "I understand. I was going to suggest the exact same thing."

"Really?"

"Yes." John leaned forward to kiss her, "Let's start over somewhere else."

"Yes. Somewhere new."

John smiled, "I've got an idea about that."

Anna narrowed her eyes, "Where?"

"Somewhere magical."