It was horribke that she blamed herself and it was so touching that Bates refused any blame that she should succumb to. it was such a fragile situation that I'm so relieved Bates handled so carefully. their love is so pure and strong.

This little bit of comfort and love between Anna and John was so wonderful to read after going through some of your more painful and hard hitting stuff. This scene really should have been on the show to be honest! The Batess deserve so much more happier moments.

I thought Anna felt guilty that she didn't listen to John about Green. John had warned her. and she may have asked his forgiveness. you read my mind)))

first things first... after writing so much angst, I hope this amazing bit of comfort/love felt as good for you to write as it was for me to read. And it needed to be written, someone just had to! That scene when Anna says he couldn't have known, and he pin points the moment when he knew... there is so much anguish and then Uncle JuJu just had them talk about the damn ticket and being "just so happy" and yeah, ok. But there was so much more going on than John confirming and explaining that he didn't kill Green. And you nailed it... I mean, this was all what, two years later? For two years Anna was under the delusion that John didn't know it was Green. She convinced herself of it and walked it like a tightrope... and when he says he knew it was Green, she falls and falls and falls... it also means that for two years she blamed herself, kept the burden of guilt to herself (although she expressed this to Mrs Hughes that also tried to convince her that she was not to blame).

Oh, Uncle JuJu. What happened to no more secrets? What happened to secrets only hurt?

Thank you for writing this scene. Head. Canon. Accepted.