Abe had no idea how to console Anna. She hadn't really spoken when he'd got her back to the hotel, only giving him a brief summary of her talk with Klara. He'd taken her to their room, holding her whilst she cried and let it out.

It pained him in so many different ways to see her in such turmoil. He had wanted to throttle Hans. The minute he'd seen him, he wanted to squeeze the life from him. How could he have ignored her all of these years? Was it truly because he had seen them together and realised she was happier with him? Or was it because he was honourable enough to know that Anna would be torn between the two of them, and it wasn't fair to upset her.

Abe's heart hammered in his chest. He glanced up at Anna now, who was putting their things away. She was checking through the emergency baby bag Ma had insisted they take just in case the baby decided to make an early appearance. Abe couldn't shake the way they had looked at one another from his mind. Did she regret not talking to him? Did she still miss him? Did she still love him? That thought cut him so deeply. He got up from the bed, now wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek.

Anna stopped what she was doing, lacing her fingers with his and sitting them on her bump. She let out a long breath, nestling herself into her husband's embrace.

"Everything accounted for?" he mumbled, both of them glancing at the bag.

"Yes," sighed Anna. "She's packed everything under the sun."

"You know what she's like," he said, Anna managing a small smile. There was a pause, both of them knowing it was time to talk about what had happened. "Are you okay, baby?" he asked, turning her to look at him.

"I don't know," she admitted, her gaze focused on the floor.

"It's gonna have been a big shock," said Abe slowly, Anna nodding in agreement.

"I'm not sure how to feel about it all," she said quietly. "I suppose we will need to talk at some point-"

"But when you're ready," insisted Abe. "This has gotta be on your terms."

"He's waited years to talk to me."

"Fuck him. That was his choice."

"Abe-"

"I'm serious," he reiterated. "He has no right to expect you to welcome him with open arms."

"I don't think that's the case," she mumbled. There was another silence. He could see that she was torn, and he truly hated it.

"Do you wanna see him?" Abe asked quietly.

Anna sniffed, tears brimming in her eyes again. "I-" she started, choked by her emotion.

Abe cupped her face, Anna kissing his fingertips.

"I feel like I'm back in the camp again."

"What d'ya mean, baby?"

"I can't explain it," she managed. "I feel so uneasy, so unsure of myself. I felt like it the minute we stepped off the plane. I'm going to see Ernst again, and it's been eating away at me. And knowing Hans is here only makes it worse."

She was really crying again now, Abe's brow furrowed in angst. "This is just like when Hans left me behind... when I first heard his voice on the telephone. I feel so betrayed and angry. But it felt so good to see him-"

Anna hung her head in shame, her tears spilling onto Abe's fingers. "I haven't seen him since the day he left. I suppose I wanted to look up and see the man I had missed. But I didn't. I just saw the man that left my sister to die... the man that abandoned me." She pulled Abe in closer, rubbing her nose into his chest for comfort. "I hate him."

Abe let out a small sigh of relief, rubbing her back in comfort. "Of course you do," he murmured. "He was a coward."

"How am I supposed to face him, Abe?" she asked earnestly, looking up at him.

Abe wiped her tears away, kissing her nose. "You ain't alone no more, Anna," promised Abe, their eyes locked. "I am here beside you, every goddamned step of the way. We are gonna get through this together. And then we are gonna go home... to our little Elli Belly... to Ma. We're gonna have a baby... it's all gonna be all right. I promise!"

She sniffed again, stretching up on her toes and kissing him on the mouth.

"I love you so much," she whispered, Abe resting his forehead on hers.

"I love you too, Anna. You're my world." They kissed again, both so grateful for each other as they tried desperately to ignore the sorrow pressing down on their hearts.

***

Abe was snoring loudly as Anna awoke with a start. She was breathing heavily, drenched in sweat. She rested her head back, staring at the ceiling as she tried to calm herself down.

The nightmare had come back to her again. It had been years since she had had it. Seeing Hans was clearly too much.

Anna glanced at the clock. It was only ten past eight in the evening, but her entire body was thrown off by the time difference. They had been travelling for so long, and in Missouri it would be one in the afternoon. She was so unsettled.

She looked over at Abe. His mouth was wide open, one of his arms up behind his head. She smiled a little. He was clearly wiped out from their journey and was in too deep to feel her wake up. Not wanting to disturb him, she took her time getting out of bed before she went to the bathroom.

Staring at herself in the mirror, her nose wrinkled in irritation. She looked awful, everything about her tired and drawn. She drew herself a bath, tying her hair up and sinking into the hot, still water. Her child squirmed inside her bump.

Anna gave a huffy laugh and rubbed it tenderly. "You're such a fidget," she whispered, hissing through the pain as they dug into her ribs. As they calmed down, she lay her head back, letting out a long breath.

Anna listened to the sounds of the small hotel, the steam wafting around her as she let the hot water soothe her aches and pains. She couldn't help but wonder what Hans was doing now.

Was he thinking about her too?

Of course he was; she knew him. He'd be planning what to say to her. She wished she hadn't run away from him earlier. She simply couldn't face him then, but she'd need to. She had so many questions for him, and she was sure he would for her as well. She sank further into the water, her mind drifting to another time. She was starting to remember him as he was... as the man she had loved. Their nights watching the rain, of him playing his cello, of the feel of his hand pressed against her lower back crept back into her head.

She let out a long, irritated sigh. That wasn't going to help things either. Eventually, she climbed out of the bath, drying herself and pattering back into their room.

Light was still peeking through the drawn curtains. They drifted on the light breeze of the open window, the sounds of the street below accompanying the impending sense of summer. She stared around the room. She didn't want to stay cooped up in here... and she was getting hungry. She pulled on some clothes, scrawling Abe a quick note which she left on her pillow. She kissed him goodbye, then headed down the corridor, towards Hollywood's room; she could do with some company, and he was the most likely to still be up.

Anna rapped her knuckles on the door, which opened almost instantly.

"Anna?" he said, confused. "I thought y'all were sleepin'?"

"I woke up," she explained. "Abe is out for the count. I wondered if you wanted to go and get something to eat? I'm starving-"

"Of course," he said with a smile, grabbing his room key and joining her in the hall. He offered her his arm, Anna taking it gratefully as they made their way down to the lobby.

To their surprise, Sam was sitting there, surrounded by papers, a bottle of schnapps beside him.

"What the hell you doing down here?" asked Hollywood, Sam jumping and looking up.

He sighed heavily, stretching as he got to his feet. "I needed to look through the business accounts, and the room felt too stuffy," he explained. "Plus, I wanted a drink."

"It's not like you to indulge so heavily?" said Anna.

Sam rubbed his eyes. "The receptionist was kind enough to bring it over," he explained. "She thought I needed it. It would have been rude not to have at least one glass."

"Well said!" exclaimed Hollywood, reaching over and helping himself to one.

"Where are you two off to?" he asked as Hollywood knocked it back.

"I'm hungry," explained Anna. "We were just going to get something to eat."

"Without the big fella?" asked Sam.

"He's snoring away happily upstairs," she chuckled. "I've left him a note in case he wanted to join us."

"Ah," said Sam. "Can I tag along? I could use a break."

"Of course," she smiled.

He gathered his things, running them to his room before they set out.

They chose a small restaurant just across from the hotel, so that Abe would see them if he needed to. It served all of her favourite, traditional foods, Anna suddenly hungry for everything on the menu. The boys made sure to keep the conversation light hearted, not wanting her to have to focus on today's revelations. They spent a nice hour or so, chatting and eating. It was the breath of fresh air that she needed.

As they made to leave though, her heart plummeted.

Klara was walking towards them. She had clearly noticed them going to leave and changed her direction to make for them. Hollywood stepped in front of Anna, Sam putting his arm around her protectively.

"I really do not think this is a good idea," said Hollywood in a low voice, Klara letting out a sigh of frustration. "It's been a very long day-"

"I know," sighed Klara. "And I'm sorry." She looked around him to Anna. "I just wanted to let you know which hotel we were staying at. In case you were ready to talk-"

"Which she isn't," reiterated Hollywood.

Klara looked disappointed, but simply nodded. "That's us across the way," she said, pointing to their hotel. "For when you're ready." She made to leave, but Anna spoke up.

"How is he?"

Klara looked at her, as well as Hollywood and Sam. "Angry with himself," she replied. "It's exactly what you'd expect of him."

Anna was breathing deeply, staring at Klara. She was feeling a tug towards her... and to him.

Sam felt her shift under his arm, glancing down at her. "Anna," he said softly, "do you wanna go see him?"

Hollywood looked round at her, his brow furrowed.

"I think so," mumbled Anna.

"Is this really the time?" said Hollywood. "We should go and wake Abe up."

"I don't know that this concerns him," said Sam gently.

Hollywood's eyes grew wide. "Anna, you're his wife! He's gonna want to go with you!"

"I'm not only his wife, Matthew," snapped Anna, Klara taken aback by her harsh tone. "There are things Hans and I need to talk about. And it's nobody's business but our own."

"Fuck sake, Anna," cried Hollywood, "that ain't fair on Abe!"

"This situation isn't about him," insisted Sam. There was a horrible pause, all of them at a stalemate. "Look," sighed Sam. "Why don't I escort Anna there. Give us twenty minutes. Then go and wake Abe up if we're not back."

"That would work," said Anna.

Hollywood was unconvinced. "Anna, this piece of shit ain't worth your time," he said, Klara glaring at him. "Why you gotta go behind Abe's back?"

"I'm not!" she insisted. "But I feel ready! If I don't go now, I might lose my nerve." Hollywood huffed loudly, rubbing his head with the heel of his hand.

"I'll keep an eye on her," promised Sam. "Just give her a bit of space."

"Fine," acquiesced Hollywood. "Twenty minutes. Then I go and get him."

Anna nodded, then turned to Klara. "Lead the way," she said, Klara nodding and doing as she was bid.

Anna's heart pounded in her chest as Klara led them through the hotel. She gripped Sam's arm tightly, trying not to lose her nerve. He held onto her in support, his mouth pulled down at the corners.

"What is it?" Anna whispered.

Sam let out a long sigh. "Battling my inner demons," he returned, looking at her now. "I'm trying to tell myself that this is not a betrayal of Abe."

"It isn't!" she insisted.

"I know," he promised. "I trust your judgement."

She smiled gratefully, then they stopped behind Klara.

Klara cleared her throat. "He's in the room at the end," she murmured, pointing to it.

"Thank you, Klara," returned Anna. "Would you both mind waiting here?"

Sam seemed apprehensive. "Perhaps I should at least let him know I am here..."

Anna shook her head. "I'll be all right, I promise," she said, retrieving her arm from his. She squeezed Klara's shoulder gratefully, then made her way down the hall.