Anne didn't know what to do.

She lay in the meadow amongst the wild flowers, gazing up at the hazy blue sky. She tried counting clouds or spotting birds or listening to the crickets but absolutely nothing could distract her. All she could think about was Joseph.

She was morally obligated to tell somebody about what he'd done that awful stormy night - He had tried to steal the wagon of goods and he'd lied about it belonging to him, just so she would help him take it. He had hurt the two riders and didn't seem shy to kill them if he deemed it necessary. He was dangerous and clearly a criminal. He had to be stopped. What if he went back to the forest and found the wagon? He would steal the goods and kill anyone who challenged him.

Anne couldn't tell anybody though - Joseph had threatened her along with everybody she loved. If she told anybody the truth about what happened then she'd be putting everyone in mortal danger.

In books this type of conundrum always seemed dreafully exciting but the reality, Anne realised it was terrifying. She wished it to be over and for life to return to normal. She was so afraid.

But Anne was the only one who knew the truth of what happened that night. She had to tell somebody, she had to report him... It was her duty to the town to stop this dangerous criminal. He could go on to do more terrible crimes - but she would put everyone she loved in danger.

Anne tried not to cry. She knew she needed to be strong if she was to fully recover. Her wound was still aching and she wouldn't be healed for at least a month or so. She found it frustrating being so physically inhibited.

She heard footsteps and sat up, wincing at the strain. It was Jerry. She rolled her eyes. Of course it would be him who interrupted her quiet time. She found him so irritating. He always managed to annoy her, no matter what the scenario. Even in matters of life and death he turned up uninvited to disturb her.

It was noon and he was almost finished work to stop for lunch. He was surprised to see Anne here in the sunny meadow - despite her dehailitating injury he expected her to be keeping busy. It was unlike her to lie around, unless she had free time and was imagining a fantasy world and acting, or more likely in this case - her mind was tormented by something.

"You're still here?" Jerry asked. He carried a pitchfork and looked dirty.

"Yes, well I do live here." Anne answered disagreeably.

Jerry chuckled. "I'm surprised you're not on one of your adventures. You're always running off, finding trouble. Or at least doing chores..." He commented, looking down at the stubborn girl in the flowers. "If you're not keeping busy, you must be sad."

"I'm not sad." Anne said instantly, feeling defensive. "I'm perfectly fine. Not that it's any concern of yours, of course."

"You always mope like this when you're sad." Jerry shrugged. "You seem to be, as you would say - fallen."

"It's pronounced forlorn, Jerry." Anne huffed impatiently. "I'm certainly nowhere near forlorn. It will be difficult for you to even begin to understand the complexity of my whirlwind myriad of emotions, but to put it simply, I'm frustrated. Firstly, Marilla won't let me go to work. She told me I have to rest and there's no arguing with Marilla. When she gets her mind set, there's nothing to be done - even for somebody as determined as me. She won't even let me go to school, as with this injury I can't walk to the church where the lessons are held and Mathew is using the cart and horse so he can't drive me. I'm also in pain constantly and I am totally conflicted about what to do concerning--" Anne stopped suddenly.

She was rambling and she almost let slip the truth. She didn't want to tell anybody about Joseph or she'd put them in danger. It was too much of a risk. Even Jerry who annoyed her regularly, didn't deserve that risk. She did care about him enough to keep him safe from that nightmare boy Joseph.

"Conerning... what?" Jerry prompted, his brows furrowed in interest and perhaps a small hint of concern.

He was used to Anne's ranting, her expressive monologues explaining all of her woes and her current emotional state. But he could tell something was up. She didn't usually sound so defeated. Usually, nothing in this world could knock her down without her jumping right back up again.

"It's nothing. I can't tell you."

"I'm interested, you have to tell me now." Jerry chuckled lightly.

"It's not funny." Anne said, her voice laced with emotion.

Jerry ceased his mocking. He saw that Anne was really shaken up. She was not normally this upset. Strong emotions were not uncommon for the dramatic girl, but her clamming up and hiding things from people - that's when he knew she was really in a bad way.

Jerry had to find somebody to help her.

Anne needed to let it out and talk but she would never open up to him. She was obviously on bad terms with Marilla if she was keeping her at home to rest against her wishes. Mathew would probably not know what to do about a big problem like this, or not have the initiative to fix it.

Who could he turn to? Who was clever and kind and likely to be confided in by Anne?

...

Diana Barry had spent the entire morning searching for something.

It was an heirloom pin her mother Eliza had given her on Diana's 10th birthday and it was very precious to her. It was ornate gold fashioned into an heart shape, inset with a shimmering opal. It was always locked away in Diana's keepsake box. Nobody was allowed to look in the special box, the only person who she'd ever shown it's contents to was her bosom friend Anne.

Diana searched on, getting increasingly frustrated. She wanted to wear it to her birthday party the next weekend. She was going to invite all of her friends and many of the other pupils who went to her school and lived in neighbouring towns. She had originally wished it to be a small gathering, but after the recent stressful events she changed it to be a large garden party.

Her father had wanted to ground her after her escapade the other night, but her mother changed his mind fortunately. Diana and Gilbert had found and saved Anne, after all.

"Where could it be?" Diana sat down on her window seat, feeling hot and flustered.

She missed her best-friend Anne and wondered how she was. She hadn't seen Gilbert for three days, since she left him at the Tilderly's farm house. She hadn't returned to school all week as there was trouble with one of daddy's wagons and he needed her to stay at the house to help her mother with all of Diana's birthday preparations. He had sent all of their staff to town for some reason, so nobody was around to prepare for the party.

There was a sharp knock on the window. Diana was surprised. Her window was second-story and the only way to reach it was via a large old apple tree. Only Anne had ever been brave enough to climb it and that was through a dare. When Diana peered out of the glass, she was met by a grubby-looking face around her age.

It was Jerry Baynard - the Cuthbert's farm hand. Diana had seen him the last time she went to visit Anne a few months ago. Her grandma Mrs Barry was paying for his work at the Cuthberts out of her own money and kindness. She was fond of Anne, just like Diana was, which was a large contributing factor to why she funded his work.

Jerry was perched securely in an upper branch, holding on carefully and waving to her. How he had gotten over the tall walls that enclosed the Barry grounds, she didn't know.

Shocked, Diana pushed the large window open slightly.

"Diana! Bonsior - Anne's dearest friend, I'm soulagé to see you." Jerry said, his English dropping in his haste.

"Jerry? What are you doing here?" Diana asked, frowning in concern.

"Anne needs you." Jerry told her. "She is completely forlorn, she won't tell me what's wrong."

"Well she's been through a lot, are you sure it isn't just the ordeal she's endured?"

"It's more than that! You know Anne, a stab to the side wouldn't make her this sad. She'd - how do you say? - brush it off."

Jerry was right. Anne was stronger than that, even a painful injury wouldn't upset her so much that she'd result to moping. She had been through a lot and bounced back. She must have something else on her mind, something terrible to upset her this much.

"What can I do?" Diana implored.

"She needs to talk - She's gotta tell somebody." Jerry explained. "She's bottled it up and it will eat her away on her insides."

"On the inside." Diana corrected quietly.

"Will you come? You're her best-friend. She will tell you." Jerry said.

"Alright." Diana nodded. "I'll try."

...

Joseph rode through the tall pine forest, furious and humiliated.

He despised Mr Bines. He couldn't wait to run away from Mr Bines and live free and be independent. He had to frame this whole thing on Anne, then escape with his loot... Make a new life for himself.

First, he stopped off at the crash sight and searched the wreckage before finally discovering the torn pieces of fabric from Anne's dress. They were bloody and fraying, but distinctive. He smiled. Just what he was looking for.

Joseph spurred the horse and steered off track, riding through the lush forest until he reached the location where he had concealed the salvaged loot.

He gave the horse he'd stolen from the Tilderlys some food he'd brought from Guardinia Cottage. He also poured a drink of water from his flask into a golden platter found in the loot. He wasn't sure what to do with the Tilderlys' horse. It was distinctive and they were sure to miss it. He had best set it lose and instead use the horse he took from Mr Bines' stables for his escape. The horse was stolen from the steamer they came to Cavendish on, so it was not easily tracked to its owner. It was a safer call.

When the Tilderlys' horse was finished, Joseph set it free and watched it gallop eagerly away and disappear into the woods. Joseph sighed. He hadn't thought everything through, it was true. But he was determined to figure it all out so it would end well for him. Never mind what Mr Bines said. All his threats fell on deaf ears, Joseph was used to them. He would prove him wrong.

Next stop on Joseph's journey was to hide a small chest of gold in the forest far away from the loot's hideaway. In his plan, this chest was one of the main things that would tie Anne to the hiest. He planted the fabric on the chest and around the area, as though she had been injured while trying to steal the chest but staggered away, still wanting to hide the chest. He planned to tell anybody who now asked that she attacked the riders and stole the chest and one of the riders attacked her to defend themselves.

Once the condemning chest of gold was planted, Joseph left the woods for the last location on his journey... The Barry estate.

A/N what did you think of this chapter? What do you think he's going to do at the Barry's house? Comment!! Vote :)

This is not up to my usual standards I'm sorry if it's bad! I've not edited it much

Also sorry for the update wait - I've been in Post Infinity War Depression