[CW: reference to violence, probably alcoholism and child neglect]

It was late at night, already dark, despite the long summer day. Ruth had her baby on her hip, and little Sam was holding her skirt with one hand and rubbing his eyes with the other. There was a bruise on one side of her face. She knocked on Elijah's door.

Elijah had had a late day, so it took him a moment to get to the door. If anyone came to see him this late, it was for an important reason. "I'm coming.." he'd called out as he struggled to stifle a yawn. There was no way Zechariah would come to his place, especially this late.

When he opened the door, and his eyes had a chance to really take in the scene, he immediately was awake as if someone had splashed him with cold water.

"Ruth! What happened??" He ushered her and the boy in and closed the door. "Please, sit down. Do you need a doctor or anything?" The constable tried to look over the bruise but he didn't have much in the way of medical knowledge, only enough in the world of criminals and violence to imagine someone did this.

He also didn't want to overwhelm her. So he delicately lifted her sleepy boy and brought him to the sofa beside her and gave them both a blanket.

Ruth let him take the boy and followed him in with Lucy still on her hip. "What? Oh, that, no. But if ye have ice or some cold cloth, that'd be grand." She appreciated the concern though. Her father had jeered when he had seen the bruise. She sat down, putting Lucy in her lap. She gratefully took the blanket and pulled it high enough to cover Lucy properly. Then she began to tuck in Sam. He had gotten cold in the cool night's air and he didn't have shoes and had lost his cap. She looked up at Elijah sideways. "Ye said we could stay a couple of nights?"

Elijah frowned as she brushed it off and already had gone to get a cloth with some cold water on it. "Sorry I don't have ice." He handed it to her and looked down from her to the kids and back very concerned.

"Of course you're allowed to stay for a while. I'm not letting you out on the streets without a roof over your heard or.. whatever happened." He took a seat in a chair near hers to face her. "Are you sure you're alright? Can I ask what happened? I mean.. if you don't want to talk about it." He realized his state and shook his head. "Sorry.. I shouldn't be dressed like this in front of company!" He got up again to change from his night clothes and house coat into regular attire and already reaching for gloves.

As she took the cloth, her eyes fell on his ungloved hands and the scars and she suppressed a gasp. She had heard that PC Crane had been burnt as a child, but she had never seen the scars. She only realized now that she had never seen him without gloves before.

She put the cloth to the side of her face, grimacing as the cold hit the bruised skin, but then she relaxed. She looked away when he asked questions.

Luckily, he suddenly realized his state. She turned her eyes back on him and smirked a little. Ouch. She stopped. "I've got two bairns, Mr. Crane. I've seen more of men than their nightclothes." She doubted he had seen even as much of women.

When she gasped, he winced and immediately turned from her as he muttered his apology. "Please... don't let it bother you. I'm sorry you had to see it. You shouldn't see it again. "

He went to change and shook his head trying to offer an apologetic smile. "Yes but you're a lady so I shouldn't treat you otherwise. " It was just some trousers and a shirt tossed on quickly. He returned to her.

"Do you need anything? I think your children just want sleep but if you're hungry or anything I'm sure I can find something to make fast."

Ruth snorted at being called a lady. That was certainly one she didn't hear a lot. Her husband had often addressed her simply as "woman", and with some more derogatory terms when he was angry or drunk or more likely, both, and her father had done it for as long as she could remember. And she had always been told by teachers that with her filthy ways and rash actions she was hardly a girl at all. No, Ruth was not a lady. But Crane had always been overly polite and kind, despite all his other shortcomings.

She shook her head lightly and caressed her sons arm. "No, I managed to get some pies earlier today. We're grateful for a roof over our heads and a meal tomorrow." She turned her gaze back on him. He had seemed so embarrassed by her reaction to the scars. "Ye know yer gonna need more than some scars to scare me away, don't ye, Crane? Ye've nowt to be ashamed of." Well, not in that department anyway.

Elijah rose a brow at the snort and smiled weakly. She seemed alright at least even though she wouldn't tell him what had happened to come to his door at such an hour. He nodded slightly to her as she assured him she was fine for the night.

"Well, you and the kids can take my bed. I will take the sofa. No need for you all to be so crowded. You look like you could use a good rest." He tried to help her feel welcoming, though he knew he should be worried about her wanting to stretch those days, but he'd start to work on trying to find her a place if she had just finally been kicked out. He perhaps could try to help her find a job as well.

"Ah.. you don't need to be nice to me, Ruth. I know it's hideous. And I don't know what you mean about scaring you away. I am not trying to scare anyone." He laughed weakly even though he knew quite well what she meant, it was a far safer option to play innocent. "I'll wake you in the morning for breakfast if you want. Otherwise i'll just leave out the meal for you all while I go to work. Are you sure you'll be alright. That looks like it must have really hurt." He wanted to know who did it, but was sure she wouldn't tell.

Ruth watched him. He was so kind. And yet had such a poor opinion of himself. What a contrast with his colleague. She considered for a moment to tell Crane that it had been the other constable who had hurt her. But surely he would soon find out it was a lie and then kick her out after all. "Thank you, Mr. Crane," she said instead. "I don't think I broke owt. It's just a bruise. You needn't concern yerself with it." Rather, he needn't concern himself with how she had gotten it. "And I'm always nice to ye."

She got up, picking up Lucy with one arm while holding the cloth to her face with the other hand. She nodded at Sam. "Would ye...?"

Elijah shook his head. "Of course I'm concerned. If someone struck you, I'd like to know about it. You know you don't deserve that." He rose a brow but smiled weakly. "I am usually nice to you too, aren't I, Ruth? At least I thought I am, but I'm far from a perfect person."

He gently lifted her son and let Sam rest his head on his shoulder as he made quiet shh sounds to lull the boy to sleep. "Of course.." He lowered his voice as the boy was so close he didn't want to disturb him with his voice. "It's right this way.." he walked down the hallway to his room. "Sorry I've been sleeping in it. I can give you clean sheets in the morning." It wasn't like he'd done anything in the bed, but it seemed proper to give her a clean bed to rest in while she was there.