As soon as they hit the tarmac at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Ana tensed up, she could feel the panic and anxiety hitting her full force as she struggled to stay in the present moment. Jesus, I haven't even seen him yet and I'm a mess. Christian's hand shot out and gripped her hand softly as he slid his aviators on to the top of his head, his brows furrowed as he took in the anxiety on her face. "It's okay to be scared Anastasia, you've been through a lot and you're going to have to face your attacker and that's hard but I will be right here the whole time." He squeezed her hand and smiled softly," this is going to be tough I won't lie to you, but I will do everything in my power to make sure that this won't break you. You're stronger than this and definitely stronger than this asshole."
Anastasia smiled halfway and held on to his hand as she willed her heart to slow down and breathed in slowly counting to herself. 1…2...3...4…5… out…6...7...8…9...10 in, she repeated this process a few times before the panic receded and she could be completely in the present and remember where she was. Looking down at where her hand was in Christian's, she gasped in horror and pulled it back once she noticed the half-moon scars she'd left on his hand during her freak-out. "Christian I'm- "
He shook his head and smiled "Don't worry about it, I've definitely had worse." He stood up and gestured toward the exit. "Shall we get this show on the road? I could definitely use some food and a nap." Anastasia nodded and stood up grabbing her purse and crossed her arms across her chest and hurried toward the exit.
Christian took a deep breath as he slid into the car next to Anastasia and took in her tense posture in the passenger seat, inwardly he was battling with himself she was scared and something in him was greatly angered by this. The caveman part of his brain wanted nothing more than to lock her away in a room while he pummeled this idiot in to the pavement, which made no sense because this was just his irritating neighbor that bickered with him nonstop. Shaking his head at the thoughts rattling in his head, he turned his head to Anastasia, "so food, I was thinking we hit a drive through and then collapse into our beds at my villa"
He knew it wasn't good when she grimaced and shook her head," unfortunately the 'festivities start today and we have to go to lunch with my mom, well I do, you don't. You can hit a drive thru and go take that nap but I-." He shook his head and smiled, "Lunch with the mother it is, wherever you go that involves this, I go."
When Christian pulled up the address Anastasia had typed into the GPS, he loved immediately, it was a classic white farm house with a big porch and a large yard that encompassed the place. He surveyed the driveway as he parked and noticed that there were cars everywhere, Anastasia tensed up as she looked around at the various cars. "Hey," He put his fingers under her chin and turned her head to face him "I know that I'm just this annoying neighbor who shoved his way into this trip, but I'm here for you, you say the word and we leave there's nothing that says that we have to stay because of this dickbag thinks that he got away with hurting you." She smiled and chuckled as she patted his face placidly. "Thank you, irritating neighbor I appreciate your irritatingness." She undid her seat buckle and braced herself as she got out of the car and when Christian joined her he grabbed her hand with a reassuring squeeze.
The front door of the home flew open and a petite blonde woman stepped out, her brown eyes sparkling and the laugh lines on her face growing and she grinned at the pair before throwing her arms around Anastasia. After the brief hug, she stepped back and held out her hand to Christian, "Carla Wilks, and if my eyes aren't mistaking you would be Christian Grey correct?"
Christian Chuckled and shook her hand before sliding it around Anastasia's waist, "yes ma'am that would be me, it's a pleasure to meet you." She stepped back and gestured towards the inside of the house. Upon stepping past the threshold Anastasia immediately tensed up and wrapped her arms around Christian's middle as she nodded at a thin young girl standing inside the door grinning at Anastasia her blue eyes taking in Christian appreciatively and he just barely held in the eyeroll that threatened to come to the surface. When Anastasia's grip grew tighter around his waist and she forced a smile on to her face, he connected the dots and registered that this was the sister dating her attacker. Walking up behind the sister was a rail thin Hispanic man with deep-set eyes as Ana started to tremble slightly against him he turned and kissed the top of her head.
He nodded toward the couple and smiled tersely, "Christian Grey, it's nice to meet you." The girl grinned at him and winked "I'm Skylar, Anastasia's sister, I had no idea my sister was dating again, let alone dating America's most eligible bachelor." She gestured to the man that was now wrapping an arm around her waist but was shifting between glowering at Christian and checking Anastasia out. " This here is Jose, my boyfriend." She giggled and settled into his side while eyeing Christian and he nodded in the man's direction before leaning down to whisper in Ana's ear. " Just say the word and we'll leave, or I could get one of my security team members to take him out and make it look like Santa Claus did it." She smiled and turned her head into his shoulder and cuffed his left arm lightly with a giggle. "I'm fine, let's just go find my step-dad.'
