"Anna, Anna!" Someone's calling my name but I can't distinguish who through my sleep. "Anna wake up." Now I'm being shaken so I assume it's Christian.

"What's wrong?" I yawn "Is it Aria? Does she need to be fed again? What time is it?" Christian's looking at me quizzically. "Well? Why'd you wake me?"

"Anna, you were having a horrible nightmare. Don't you remember?" I'm exhausted and honestly can't be bothered right now. Ever since Aria was born six months ago I haven't been sleeping because she doesn't like her crib and she makes sure when ever she's up, I'm up.

"No and I just want to go back to-" Aria lets out a blood curling scream. I glare at Christian who looks at me sympathetically. I sigh, roll out of bed and walk around to Arias crib. She quiets at the sight of me, tears still lingering on her cheeks. Somewhere inside of me there's a pang of frustration but, when she smiles that smile that the God's themselves couldn't recreate, I can't help but smile back.

I pick up the newest addition to the fast growing Grey clan and walk over to the rocking chair on Christian's side of the bed. It's weird when I think about the fact that Kate already has five kids and Mia and Ethan are expecting their first, a girl, to be called Hope. To say that Mia has had a difficult pregnancy would be the understatement of a lifetime. Little Hope went into distress several times and Mia almost lost the pregnancy at one point. That's how Hope got her name.

I've been so lost in thought I hadn't realized Christian made his way over to me. "Stubborn little one isn't she?" I look at Christian and he's standing over me gazing at Aria like she's a royal jewel. I will give him that. She's stunning. That's not just the obvious biological bias talking. She really is beautiful. Her eyes are a crystal blue, much prettier than mine, and her hair a shade of auburn that's almost red. She's the prettiest baby I've ever seen and everyone says so, even Kate. Though McKayla and McKenzie, her twin girls only one year old now, we're a pretty close second.

"I wonder where she get's that from." I mutter, almost to myself.

"Anna, do you really not remember your nightmare?" He asks still looking at Aria, who now is playing with my fingers.

"No," I look at him, "I don't remember having a dream at all."

"You were tossing and turning and going on about the children. Someone had to get the children." His focus never leaves Aria though I can sense the anxiety in his voice.

I shrug it off and put Aria, who's since fallen back asleep, back in her crib. "We should both go back to sleep Christian. We have a busy day tomorrow." Tomorrow is Phoebes fifth birthday and we're having a huge princess themed party for her here at the house. I wanted to do something small, just the family, but Christian cannot say no to his daughter. At only four she's already got the puppy dog eyes down pat. It's really impressive to be honest. She's such a daddy's girl and it's always been that way. Since she was old enough to realize who Christian was, she's had him wrapped around her finger. "We have to be awake in," I glance at the clock which reads four-thirty "an hour and half." I climb into bed and Christian snuggles up next to me.

"Thank you." He breathes into my hair.

My sheer exhaustion causes me to roll my eyes but I know he's being sincere so I give in and respond, "For what?"

I feel him shrug against me. "Giving me this beautiful family and staying and loving me when I was unlovable."

"I'll always love you." My eyes slide shut.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! It's my birthday! It's my party!" We wake to Phoebe jumping on our bed in her pink tutu, which I suspect she convinced Christian to let her sleep in.

"Good morning birthday girl!" Christian holds his arms out to her and she jumps into them.

While they're kissing their hellos Teddy walks into the room rubbing his eyes. "She's still a big baby." He teases his sister and sits on the bed. Sometimes I worry about them bullying each other but it always ends in laughs. I know Teddy loves his sister and to Phoebe, Teddy does no wrong. They don't hit each other, he doesn't steal her dolls and aside from Teddy knocking her over accidentally when she was two, he's never made her cry.

The alarm goes off and wakes Aria. "Well let's do this thing." I smile at Phoebe, who's still buzzing and Ted rolls his eyes. I'm sure a princess themed party isn't his idea of a great time but Phoebe hand delivered his invitation so nothing in the world would make him miss this party.

It's a good turnout. Phoebe invited everyone from her class, including her teachers, and everyone showed. The girls from her ballet class managed to put together a little dance for her. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. Christian really went all out. There's a petting zoo and ponies and a bounce castle and every princess Disney has managed to churn out is here and I'm sure her birthday cake costs more than our wedding cake did. To accommodate the adults, a bar is set up in the rose garden.

As extravagant as this is, it's really casual. I'm in a sundress thought Phoebe insisted that her party dress be "Pink and frilly and pink", her words exactly.

The men are wondering around discussing stocks. Kate, Grace, a very pregnant Mia and I are sitting at a table watching the kids run around. Kate looks glad to have a break from motherhood even if it's just a couple of hours.

"So are you and Elliot going to give me any more grandchildren?" Grace asks Kate and takes a sip of her wine.

"Oh no. I'm done thank you. After the twins the factory is officially shut down." Kate has a crazy look in her eyes just talking about having more kids. She takes a not so small sip of her wine. I think having Ava, just six, and Emily, five now, so close in age makes it hard for her. Little Connor is three and has the cutest lisp. When he says Uncle Christian my heart almost melts. "Ask Ana, she and Christian are on track to overtake me and have their own little Brady Bunch going."

"I don't know. I think we may have a few more," I glance into Aria's stroller and she's quietly asleep. "But not for a while at least. What about you Mia?"

"No offense Kate but I'd prefer to take this one child at a time." We all laugh and I get up to find Teddy and make sure all the pink hasn't scarred him too much. I find him standing at attention outside of the bounce house and I see Phoebe air born inside.

"Hey baby boy."

"Mom!" He protests his pet name, "I'm not a baby anymore!"

"You're right! I'm sorry. Seven isn't a baby anymore. I'm sorry. I just came to see if you wanted to eat."

"No I'm not hungry." I suspect he won't leave because Phoebe is inside. When he was just two and I was pregnant with Phoebe, Christian explained to him that he was going to be a big brother and he'd have to always look after Phoebe and make sure she was safe. It seems to have stuck. He doesn't really like going anywhere without her and I often times find him half asleep in our room watching Aria play with her toes or whatever else she can get her little fists around.

Instantly Christian is at my side, panic in his eye.

"What-"

"Take Aria to my mother and meet me in the kitchen."

I walk into the kitchen and Leila is there. She looks different, healthier, but still like me. I assume she sees the confused look on my face and speaks first.

"I'm really sorry to just show up here especially when you have company." Everything in my being is telling me not to trust her but she sounds... sincere. "I would have called but he would have found out." I look up at Christian and his eyes are narrowed and stuck on her.

"Why did you come here? Who would have found out? Found out what?" He spits the questions out rapid fire and I look back to her.

"Jack Hyde." I take a step back subconsciously and inhale sharply. "He's tapped all of your phones and he's planning something. I don't know what it is but it's big."