I can hear Christian calling my name as I run for all I'm worth toward the exit. I'm glad I'm wearing my jeans and sneakers, and I'm praying I don't trip.

Once in the parking lot I notice a large, expensive looking SUV blocking my car in it's parking spot. Crap. My apartment is only a mile from here. I can run that far. I take off again. As a make my way down a back road toward my place I check to make sure I'm not being followed. Christian was wearing dress shoes, so I doubt he's chasing me.

I turn the corner and see my building's front door. Relief washes through my body. I reach into my purse for my keys. As I pull them out I hear his voice behind me. I spin around. There is the SUV from the grocery store parking lot, and he is standing next to it. He has my address.

I start to hyperventilate, a panic attack setting in. Combined with having just run a mile at full tilt, my vision starts to tunnel and my knees start to buckle. Before everything goes dark I see Christian running toward me, calling my name. "ANA!"

*****teenage dreams*****

My head is killing me. I groan as I try to open my eyes, but they feel glued shut.

"Hey, your awake," a gentle, familiar voice murmurs. For a fraction of a second I smiled. Christian is here. CRAP! Christian is here!

I sit straight up from my position on the sofa. "Whoa, take it easy there. You've hit your head pretty hard." I feel queasy for a second as I get my bearings. I take a deep breath and decide it is time to face the music. My eyes find Christian's piercing gray eyes as they gaze worriedly back at me. "What are you doing here?"

"Would you believe I was in stopping to grab a gallon milk on my way home?" He replies with a smirk. He's trying to make me laugh? I give him a half smile to let him know I appreciate his attempt to lighten the mood. "You were really trying to avoid me. I don't think I've ever seen you run like that before. I don't suppose there is something you would like to tell me?"

I sigh. "So you know, then? About Frankie?" He nods his head yes. I close my eyes and bow my head. I can't look at him when ask my next question. "Are you going to take him from me?"

"Ana, why would I take him? Are you abusing him in some way?"

"NO!"

"Then I think you're fine in that department. I just want to meet him." He seems earnest. And not nearly as angry as I thought he would be. "Here, drink this." He hands me a cup of tea. He remembers how I drink it. And he's still bossy. After I take a sip of the tea he leans forward and pins me down with a steely gaze. "Now, why didn't you tell me. Is that why you moved to Georgia after I graduated?"

With a sigh I set the cup down and rub my hands on my thighs. "That's part of it, I guess. You were about to head off to Harvard. You have always been meant for greater things than being stuck with your high school prom date. I was right, too. Look at you. Business mogul. You wouldn't have been able to do that with us holding you back." His incredulous expression tells me he thinks my reasoning is faulty. "I was a scared teenage girl who just found out she was pregnant. Logical thinking went out the window. How did you find out?"

He smirked at me again. He's still a smug bastard. "Your new friend, Gail, is my housekeeper. She mentioned meeting you. I looked you up."

"I see. The same way you looked me up on my first day at Seattle Prep?"

I was his turn to squirm for a second. "Maybe."

"When did you find out?"

"About a week ago."

"So you have had time to calm down and assimilate the information?"

"Yes." I always wondered how this conversation would go. This is not at all how I pictured it.

The clock on the shelf next to the tv chimes 4 o'clock. "Well, he'll be back any minute. Just...don't tell him your his dad yet, please. I know the idea of kids always made you nervous back in the day. I don't want him to get too attached to you if you decide you can't do this."

"It may be a little late for that. I told my mother. She wants to meet him too. She doesn't have any grandkids yet. She's excited." I smile at the thought of Grace Grey. She was amazing when I was a kid.

Before I can respond I hear a jingle of keys in the door. In stepped my dad with Frankie. My beautiful baby, who reminds me of Christian more and more every day. Christian gets up and quickly moves to sit on the sofa perpendicular to the one I'm sitting on.

Ray, my dad, zeros in on Christian and is immediately concerned. "What's going on? Is everything ok here?" Ray, of course, is one of the only people who knows Christian is Frankie's father. I've never told anyone except him and my mother.

Before I can answer Frankie pushes past him and runs over to me. "Mom! Guess how many we caught." I smile at his enthusiasm. Papa Ray took him fishing today so I could go to job interviews and run errands. I cringe when I think about the grocery cart I left, full of groceries, at the store. We needed that stuff.

"A hundred," I guess, trying to match his enthusiasm.

"No, Mom," he sighs, exasperated. "5 big ones."

"Oh, my. How big are these big ones?"

He holds his hands up, measuring a distance that I'm sure is an exaggeration. "This big."

"Well, goodness, that sure is big. Who is going to cooking and cleaning these huge fish you caught?" I glance back at Ray, who has made his way into the apartment and parked himself at the dining room table, not taking his eyes off of Christian. Ray has been trying to convince me since I moved back to tell him. He was hoping I could get some financial help for child care while I was in college, but I managed. It helped when Frankie started school.

"Papa Ray already cleaned them. He said if I asked real nice you might cook them for us, so please, please, please will cook my fish for me." He folded his hands in front of his face and smiled a gap toothed grin from his recent tooth fairy visit. His shaggy copper hair flopped over his pleading gray eyes.

"How could I refuse such a sweet request from such a handsome young man."

"YES!" He pumps his arm in the air. Then he notices the stranger sitting on the couch nearby. Christian is watching him, amused. "Mom, who's that?"

"That is my old friend Christian. Why don't you introduce yourself."

Frankie walks up to him and sticks his hand out. "Hi. My name is Franklin, Franklin Steele. It's nice to meet you." He does take his manners seriously.

Christian takes his offered hand and shakes it. "It is very nice to meet you Franklin. I'm Christian Grey."

Just then, my roommate, Kate swung the door open. She stopped short when she saw we had a guest. I watched her process the scene. "Christian Grey? What's Christian Grey doing..." She looked between Christian and Frankie, still holding hands as the pieces fell into place. "Holy shi...rts should be recycled into dust rags." She corrected, before she cursed in front of Frankie.

"Nice save Aunt Katie," Frankie said, laughing like a soon to be second grader at the slip.

I leap up from the couch and shove Kate back out the door. I have to nip this in the bud. "Is that...is he..."

I pin her down with a death glare, "Off the record Kate. You can't tell anyone"

"Ok, you got it. Whatever you want," she agrees quickly. "But, when this does go public, can I have the story? That would be incredible." I sigh and chuckle at Kate's audacity.

"We'll see."

When we go back in the apartment Frankie is sitting next to Christian talking animatedly about his fishing trip. Apparently Ray nearly fell in and it was hilarious. He had Christian's rapt attention and was eating it up. They were adorable.

"So, Dad, where is this famous fish? I've got fish fry ready to go." I walk into the kitchen and find piles of groceries sitting on the island. It's all the food from my shopping cart, plus what was still left on my shopping list. Christian did this, but I'm not sure how exactly. I turn to see him still sitting with Frankie, but watching me out of the corner of his eye. I take a deep breath and ask, "Christian, would you like to join us for dinner? It won't be fancy, but you are welcome."

His face seems to light up. So does Frankie's. They look so much alike, it's unsettling for a moment. Kate can't quit staring. "Please, mister Christian. Stay. Mom's the best cook ever."

"I would be delighted. What's on the menu?"

"Fried fish, obviously, Kraft macaroni and cheese, and canned green beans," I hold up the items from the pile of groceries and give the macaroni box a shake. Dad comes back in the house with the catch of the day and begins filleting it for me while I get the skillet ready.

"Sounds good to me, is there anything I can do to help?" I almost laugh, remembering the couple of times he tried to help me in the kitchen in our youth.

"That's alright, why don't you keep Kate and Frankie company. This won't take long."

Fifteen minutes later the fish is nearly cooked. "Frankie, will you come set the table please?" I call.

"Yes, ma'am." He really does have nice manners. Such a sweet boy. Both Frankie and Christian come into the kitchen. It's a tight squeeze. Frankie points out the cabinet with the plates and gets the forks out of the silverware drawer. They then set the table together, like they did this every night. Kate grabs classes and napkins.

"Can I offer you a drink, Christian? We have iced tea and red koolaid. It's an excellent vintage," I joke, holding up the pitcher.

He smirks back at me. "The tea would be lovely, thank you Miss Steele."

Dinner passes with easy light conversation. Ray is quiet, watching Christian. Frankie is animated, enjoying the attention. Kate is on the edge of her seat. Christian is absorbed in Frankie. Not the reaction I thought he would have, but he was always very indulgent of his sister. She was only 3 years younger, though.

We finish and stack our plates in the sink. I look at the clock and am surprised by the time. "It's late, Frankie. Time to get ready for bed."

"Aww, Mom. Can't I stay up a little longer? We have company."

"Actually, it's about time I got going, too, buddy. Your mom is right, it is getting late."

Frankie pouts, but complies. "Okay." He stands up and goes to shake Christian's hand again. " It was nice to meet you. I hope you come back. It was fun to talk to you."

"I had fun talking to you, too. We will have to go fishing together some time." Frankie beams at Christian. I frown. I don't want him making promises he can't keep.

Frankie drifts to the bathroom and I hear the water start running. Christian stands up and heads for the door. I follow him.

"Can I talk to you outside for a second?" He asks. I nod and slip out the door, closing it behind me. "Will you meet me for coffee tomorrow? We have a lot to talk about."

I sigh. "Yeah, that would probably be a good idea. I'll see you tomorrow."

He gives me a half smile, reaches for my hand, and rubs his thumb over my knuckles affectionately. "It's really good to see you, Ana. You have no idea how much I've missed you." He releases my hand and puts his hands in his pockets. "Oh, I had Taylor get your car and bring it back when I sent him to retrieve your groceries. The keys are back in your purse."

"Oh, um, thank you. Who's Taylor?"

"My driver." Of course. "Good night, Anastasia. I look forward to tomorrow."

"Good night, Christian." My hand is still tingling where he touched me as I turn to go back in my apartment. I'm in so much trouble.