[MEMORY]

[Content warning: Reference to domestic violence and child abuse]

It had been two weeks since Ben and Elijah had had that argument on the quay. It was Sunday afternoon when Anne, with her hair tied in two braids with ribbons, and with her best, green, Sunday dress and white stockings, knocked on Elijah's door. She might be dressed in her finest clothes, but she was out of breath and she looked frightened and upset.

It had been a quiet day, as Sundays tended to be but he was startled by the knock. When the door opened and he saw Anne, he smiled on reflex but immediately frowned as he noticed her condition. "Anne? What is it?" He helped her inside so she could sit and catch her breath. "Is everything ok? Are you ok? " He almost gave her a barrage of questions but stopped himself before he overwhelmed her.

Anne let him lead her inside, but she didn't sit down. Instead, she threw herself against him, wrapped her arms around his waist, pressed her face into his stomach, and began to cry.

Elijah barely caught himself as she held him and cried. "Anne!" He hugged her and let her cry into him. He didn't know what to do, but he tried to calm her without forcing her away. "A-a-anne.. please... what is it?" He became more concerned as she cried so hard against him.

Anne pressed her teary eyes tightly shot, disappearing from her grim and anxious little life in the comforting warmth of a caring grown up. For a moment, she considered not saying anything and clinging on to Elijah and crying against him for a long time, maybe stay like this forever. But when she came back to her senses and was finally able to utter a word between her sobs, she barely more than whispered: "Simon."

Elijah was surprised when she finally spoke. So much so he had to lean down to eye level. "What? Did you say Simon?" He blinked and looked at her in worry. "What happened to Simon? Is he ok?" He certainly didn't want Anne to feel along so he kept his hands around her a little. "Please.. take your time but tell me if something's happened."

Anne was trembling as she looked up at the constable desperately. She tried to find words, but struggled. Her mind was a mess. She knew she shouldn't be here. How could she? What would Elijah do? She wanted him to do something. And she didn't. Her lip quivered and she frowned, still crying. A new attack of sobs made her shoulder shake. "Father...." she managed to bring out. She was a traitor. "Simon provoked him..."

It broke his heart. It was bad enough what was going on between Simon and Ben but the other kids were suffering in the crossfire. He held her and rest his head on hers. "it's ok, Anne. Just take a deep breath and tell me. Is he hurt? Do we need a doctor?"

Anne sobbed trying to gain control over her voice. She had to speak. She grasped. She pulled back to look at him. "I don't know..." she cried, desperate to find the words. "It's... it's now." She looked at him in horror.

Elijah sighed quietly. He had no clue what she was saying, but there would be no answers here. "Take me to him. Or where you last saw him. I can't do anything helpful here."