The Meeting

Ana looked out over the city while she contemplated her next move and tightened her thin brown jacket closer to her body. She was scared, alone and had no one to turn too. If only she knew how to find Ray. He would help her. He would save her. Tears began to slide down her cheeks as she thought about what happened earlier that day. Husband number 3 was becoming more violent and less subtle about the attacks on her. It used to be just a slap here or shove there but now it was full on beatings. This last incident because she was late coming home, left her with visible bruises on her face and arms as well as some type of damage to her left leg. Not that she could go to the doctor to find out what's wrong. She heard a noise and turned around to see a group of kids walking along the bridge. They were all well dressed and looked as though they came from money.

"Oh great. Just what I need" She murmured to herself. Praying they would just pass her by.

"Hey, you alright?" Came a voice from in front of her

"Yeah I'm good. Thanks"

"You don't look like it." He said with concern in his voice.

Irritated Ana looked up into the most beautiful gray eyes she had ever seen. He was wearing a black leather jacket, with dark distressed jeans and a thick dark blue scarf. Her breath caught in her throat and her mouth opened but no words came out.

"That bad huh?" Gray eyes said with a smirk on his beautiful face

" how old are you? Should you be out here alone?" He said to her

"I'm 15 and I'm fine. Please leave me alone."

"COME ON CHRIS!" Someone yelled from further down the bridge.

Christian looked down at them and then back at the girl wearing a too thin jacket for this chilly night not sure what to do. He ran his fingers through his thick copper hair and took a deep breath.

"Go on. I'll catch you guys tomorrow" he yelled down to his friends.

They all yelled back, but he couldn't make out what they were saying since they all yelled at once, but he could tell by the fingers flying they were not happy with his decision to stay.

"So little blue, what has you so blue?" Christian said with humor in his voice

"Little Blue?" Ana asked looking up confused.

"Well, your pocket sized and don't tell me nobody has ever mentioned those beautiful blue eyes before? They are very distracting"

Ana continued to look confused. She had never heard the word beautiful used as a reference to anything dealing with her before.

"No, you would be the first. Can you please go I would like to be alone"

"Can I ask what happened to your face?"

"No, you may not"

"May I asked what you are doing out here"

"No you may not"

"Look kid, my moms a doctor, if you don't answer my questions I'm going to have to call her and tell her you need help"

"No. Please don't" Ana said with panic in her voice

"Ok then. What happened to your face. Girls can be so caddy. Is that it? You got in a fight with some jealous girls"

"Are you on drugs?" She looks up into his concerned eyes utterly confused. "Who would be jealous of me?"

Christian cocked his head to the side and looked at her bewildered.

"Have you never looked in a mirror?" Why would I need a mirror? She thought to herself? She had stopped looking at her sad reflection long ago. Her silence is his answer.

"Well, ok I give. What happened?"

"I was late, I'm supposed to come straight home from school but I was late. My step dad does not tolerate disobedience."

Now it was Christians turn to stare mouth open with nothing coming out.

"He hit you? Your step dad? He hit you? In the face?"

"He hits me everywhere. He does not discriminate" Ana said with a small chuckle

"What are you going to do?" Christian replied. Truly at a loss for words from what she just said

"I'm going to end it." Ana said pulling out a knife and pressing the tip into her pointy finger.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean" he said frantically looking from her to the knife. "Please tell me this is some kind of joke? You can get help. I can help if you let me"

Ana paused for a second taking in his words 'help'. She smiled ruefully at the beautiful gray eyed boy before saying

"Nobody cares about me. I matter to no one. Why would you help me?"

Christian looked deep into her powder blue eyes searching for some semblance of hope, but all he found were beautiful lifeless eyes begging to be free.

He took a deep breath and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said "I want to help you because everyone deserves someone to care, someone to fight for them. Even if that someone is yourself." Christian couldn't help to think back over his own past and how he once felt how she is feeling now. "If you want to go turn this asshole in for hurting you, I will go with you. Hell we can even go tell my mom and dad, they would help you. You're not alone Blue" he said looking at her with hopeful eyes.

"My name is Ana, although I prefer Blue to what I'm called at home." She smiles up at him.

"I'm Christian. Christian Grey"

How fitting she said in her head.

They sat in awkward silence for a while before Ana stood to walk away from him.

Christian grabbed her arm and pulled her to him whispering into her ear. "I know what it's like to feel alone, to feel like you have no one. Please believe me that you are not alone and there are people to help you when you are ready, but until you are... fight. Fight for yourself, because you are worth it. Promise me" He said removing his thick scarf wrapping it around her neck.

Ana takes a moment to revel in his words and the scent of the scarf invading her senses and commit it to memory.

"Promise you what exactly?" She murmurs while taking in his warmth.

"That you will fight for a good life. That you will ask for help when you're ready"

"Thank you Christian Grey. I hope we meet again someday." She says kissing him on the cheek with a sad smile.

Christian steps back releasing her from his embrace.

"What's your last name" he says in a whisper.

"Steele"

"Yes you are Blue and don't you forget it"

Ana turns to walk away but then bounces back around and says "I promise" as she takes the knife in her and places it on the rail of the bridge.

Walking into her house Ana takes a deep breath before waking into the kitchen to get started on her chores.

"Come hear duckling" Ana heard from behind her as she put the dishes away.

"Yes Sir"

" Oh God Duckling did you even put a comb through your hair today?"

"Yes Sir"

" You just love to displease me don't you?" He spat from his chair glaring at her with cold eyes

" No Sir"

This was Steven her mothers third husband and the cause of the hell she had been trapped in for the last three years

"Is my dinner ready? Steven said to her while licking his lips

"Yes Sir" Ana replied while keeping her eyes downcast not knowing what mood he was in today

"Well go get it, the plates not going to make itself duckling"

Ana hated when he called her that. Duckling, Ugly Duckling. How creative. She limped to kitchen still with her head down. He didn't seem too bad tonight. Ana began to make his plate. Grilled Chicken, mashed potatoes and broccoli which is what the note he left on the fridge said she was to make for dinner. With shaking hand she went back into the dining room and put down his plate. She stood there awaiting instructions.

"So Duckling, do you have something to say to me?"

"Sir?" Ana replied looking up at him with a confused expression on her face

"Last night you made me punish you, made me lose my temper. Someone could have heard you could have seen us. "Was that your intention? To get me into trouble?"

"No Sir"

"Look at me." He said through clinched teeth

She look up hesitantly

Steven put his middle finger to his thumb and thumped her in the nose.

"Don't lie to me" Tears came to her eyes but she dare not let them fall, dare not make a sound or a move a muscle.

"I should have shipped you off the day your mother left. You've been nothing but a pain in my ass since the day I met you. Maybe that's what I'll do ship you off. Then maybe you will appreciate how good I am to you, how much I take care of you".

Ana looked up hopeful

"You can send me back to Ray. I'm sure he would..."

Silence..., silence..,, is all Ana could hear other that the ringing from the blow Steven had just given to her head.

She lay on the dining room floor holding her head praying for the ringing to stop but hoping she passes out so she can sleep through what's next. From the corner of her eye she can see Steven pacing the room.

"Sleep Ana Sleep Sleep" she mummers to herself, but the ringing stops and the cloudiness in her head subsides until Stevens voice comes through.

"RAY, RAY, RAY. I TOLD YOU NEVER TO SAY HIS NAME DUCKLING" Steven stomps over to Ana who is still splayed on the floor.

"Your mom left you. Ray does not want you. All you have is me. All I do for you. All I've done and you still don't get it. I'm all you've got. I'm all you need" he yells at her while he drags her up to her feet with his hands around her throat.

Ana's mind begins to whirl. She thinks back to happier times with Ray, fishing, singing lessons, dance class, and being young and silly and fun. She begins to think maybe she shouldn't fight back this time. Maybe she should just let him end her, end the nightmare she has been forced to live. Then her mind goes to the boy on the bridge and the promise she made. She had to fight. She would fight.