Chapter 1: Leaving

"I'm going to have to go out of the country on business." Christian said with an anxious tone glancing at his blackberry.

"Wait, when are you leaving?" Ana asked looking out the window of the SUV, seeing this wasn't the route back to the apartment.

"Immediately. Taylor is driving me to the plane and then taking you back home." Christian answered Ana's question while still looking at his blackberry.

"For how long?" Ana asked, nervous for the reply.

"It's going to be a while. There was an incident in Taiwan that require my immediate attention." Christian spoke weary to Ana as she glared at him.

"I cannot believe this Christian! Ray is in the hospital and you are going to run off to Taiwan for a while!"

"Ana please understand this is business I have to go. I can't just run away from the problem! And besides Ray is on the mend, I talked to my mother this morning." Christian spat back angrily.

Ana just looked at Christian dumbfounded as sat in the back of the Audi SUV, silence filled the air. She looked away from Christian, out the window before the tears started to fall.

How am I going to tell him now that I'm pregnant when he is running off to Taiwan? Ana asked herself. Maybe now I won't have to tell him..

"I know the timing is bad Ana, but you don't need me here." Christian spoke, interrupting Ana's train of thought of little blip.

Ana risked a look into Christian's beautiful gray eyes while tears were streaming out of hers. "No Christian the timing is awful, but like you said I don't need you here. And because I don't need you here, I won't be here when you get back." She spoke with as much confidence as she could muster. She decided here and now that she wasn't going to tell Christian about little blip, he wasn't ready to be a father and this was his way out.

Christian looked at Ana as if she had lost her mind. "What do you mean not be here when I get back?"

"It means Christian if you get on that plane" Ana glanced out the window seeing they had pulled up to the airport. "I won't be waiting for you when you get back."

Christian looked out at the plane and glanced back at Ana. Seriousness written all over her face. "Ana you cannot make me choose you over work. This isn't something anyone else can take care of. I have to get on that plane."

"That's fine Christian, but than this is goodbye."

Christian saw Ana glance at her left hand. She look off her wedding ring and placed it in Christian's hand. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and turned around looking out the window again.

Christian sat there speechless. He knew Ana wasn't going to take the news well, but he didn't think that she would end their marriage because of this. She promised she would never leave him and that is exactly what she is doing. But wasn't that what he was doing, running?

Everything that had happened with Ray put everything into perspective for him. He got nervous seeing Ana so broken and he couldn't do anything to help her so he jumped at the chance at going to Taiwan to get a clear head.

Christian's thoughts were shaken from his head as Taylor opened his back door. Christian stepped out of the vehicle, looking back at his wife for the final time.

She didn't look at Christian until she heard his door shut. She saw his retreating figure walk up the stairs of the plane. Taylor in front of him, carrying bags.

Sawyer entered the driver's seat and started the car. "Where to Mrs. Grey?"

Ana stared at Christian standing at the top of the plane, he slowly turned around and looked back at the SUV. Christian raised his hand and waved goodbye. Ana's eyes went another round with tears spilling over the edge.

Ana sighed, "Home Sawyer, take me home." Ana placed a hand over her stomach to cradle little blip.