Chapter 4-Saving Grace

Christian.

I press talk and my heart rate increases with each ring. "Hello, this is Dr. Grey. How may I help you?" I finally hear my mother's professional voice on the fourth ring.

"Mom." I try to hide the quiver in my throat, but I know she can tell.

"Christian, honey? Where are you? Whose phone are you calling from?" I hear Grace asks, her voice immediately becoming one of concern.

"Mom, can you and dad please come and get me. I need to tell you guys something." I say and feel my own voice shake. Ana gently rubs my back (Why do I find her touch acceptable?)

I think I hear our front door closing. "Yes, honey, of course, stay where you are ok? Your father and I are on our way. Just send us the address and hang tight. We love you, ok?" Grace says and the sound of Carrick slamming the Audi door shut travels through the phone. He never learned to close them gently.

"Love you too." I whisper back out of habit. Last time you are going to be saying those words, Grey.

"They're going to hate me." I say as Ana takes my hand. "No, they're not. They love you Christian. You just need to trust them." Ana says, giving my hand a small squeeze.

"What's your last name?" Ana asks and I was momentarily confused until I realized she needed a way to address my parents.

"Grey." I answer and Ana smiles.

"Like your eyes." She says, still lightly rubbing my back.

We both hear the knock on the door and sweat breaks out across my forehead. Ana hops up and opens up the door to my mom and dad. They are both dressed in jeans and t-shirts, probably house work.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grey. I am Ana, please come in." Ana smile brightly at them and I can already tell that Grace is taking a liking to her by the way she smiles back and Carrick gives her his usual firm handshake.

"Christian." My mother says, quickly approaching me as her trained doctor eyes scan me over for any signs of injury.

"Mom." I manage to say, but the word catches in my throat. You are going to ruin the only person that cared about you, happy with yourself?

"How did you end up here? I thought you were at Ben's house." My mother asks and Carrick cocks a single eyebrow at me.

"That's a long story." I mumble just high enough for Grace to hear. I shoot Ana a pleading look and her blue eyes also turn sadder. They are going to finally realize what a fuck up I am. You need to do this for them, they deserve to know so they can all move on with their lives, without you.

Ana takes the hint and she offers them a seat on the couch while getting up to retreat a single folder, handing it to Carrick. Smart Girl, my dad would probably take this news better than my mom. Carrick's parakeet green eyes observe Ana's every move as he takes the folder, weighing the couple pieces of flimsy paper in his hand.

"Mr. Grey. I don't know how I can explain this in words, but your son is an abuse victim. I found out in my own club. The report shows all the evidence and background check on the abuser as well as information about the um…nature of my club. I want to help Christian and I can assure you I already fired the security who let him in, as he is a minor." Ana speaks, her voice calm.

I watch in horror as my dad flips open the pages and his calculating green eyes scan over the material, I watch his Adam's apple move in his throat as he swallows hard, I watch the white pages of the report curl and bend because he's gripping them so tight. God, this is it. Grey, did you really think you could survive in this perfect family when you are so imperfect?

The room is ghostly quiet and Carrick finally speaks. "You own a BDSM club?" he asks and Grace's caramel chocolate brown eyes widen in shock as she breaths in loudly. Ana nods her head solemnly. "I wish I can tell you I didn't, but I do. That's where I found Christian yesterday." She says, secretly squeezing my shoulder but before she can pull away, I grab her hand and she sits down beside me.

Carrick hands the report to Grace. I stare at the floor; I didn't want to imagine Grace's brown eyes, filled with disappointment. You finally have the truth, mom.

"Christian, darling. Can you tell me the whole story?" my mom asks, her voice going back to that cold January night when she first found me at four years old, her voice even more gentle than one of the angels I use to imagine as a little boy.

So I tell them everything-how Elena first slapped me when I went to work for her, how I became her sub after that, how I constantly lied about going to different friend's houses and about all of my kickboxing "accidents", how I went to the club yesterday and how I met Ana.

I finally steal myself the courage to look up when I am done and Grace has tears in her eyes. "But how did she know about your drinking problem?" I shoot my mom a pointed look.

"Oh my gosh, it was me, wasn't it? I told her about all of your problems. Right?" Grace asks and Ana hands her several tissues.

"Mrs. Grey, if I may interrupt. You shouldn't be too hard on yourself. My story is one similar to Christian's and my mom didn't find out until three years later. People can be cruel and manipulative, as I am sure you guys are finding out." Ana says, still handing my mom tissue after tissue.

"But I am a doctor, I am trained to look for signs of abuse, but I still handed my own son over to the devil." Grace cries, tears running down her soft cheek and Carrick wraps her in a hug. Ana gives me a small, sad smile while nudging me. "Go give your mom a hug." She whispers in my ear.

My feet somehow stand on their own and make their way over to my mom. "Don't cry, mama bear." I try joking and Grace immediately leaves Carrick's arm and head straight into mine. I try my best to hush and calm her as she lays her head on my shoulder and sobs. I rock from side to side, petting my mom's back. Her hands never once touched my chest and I hate hugs but this, this feels really nice.

My mom squeezes me really hard and I try not to hiss, but still a little strain leaves my lips. "sorry." I mumble and Grace quickly lets me go. "Christian, sweetie, can I see your back?" she asks as I sigh.

Ana quickly steps in. "Mrs. Grey, please pardon me again but here's arnica cream. It helps sooth the skin, I already applied it twice on him, but more applications won't hurt and you're probably best suited for the job. I'll step out for 15 minutes." Ana says, a little bit rushed and embarrassed.

"Thank you, Ana, and please call me Grace."

"Alright Grace." Ana smiles before disappearing down her hall way.

I shrug off my shirt and hear both my parent's visible gasps. "Oh, my poor baby boy." Grace mumbles to herself as her feather like fingers softly trace over some of my cane welts. I wait until she finishes rubbing that weird but amazing cream on me before putting my shirt back on and I notice the way Carrick's gripping Ana's arm chair, his knuckles going white. Grace still has tears trickling down her face as I envelope her into another big bear hug and to my surprise, my dad also joins and I am officially sandwiched between them. I couldn't help the warm, fuzzy feeling that started in the pit of my stomach as it unknotted all of my previous worries, spreading all the way out to my tippy toes. My mom really was my saving grace.

Ana comes back out with me still in Grace's arms. "Told. You." She mouthed to me, a sly smirk spreading across her face.

"Thank. You." I mouth back.

We all sit back down and the atmosphere is much easier; I breath in and out more easily and Ana smiles at me but shifts around in her seat.

I think Carrick senses this and he addresses her with a rare warm smile. "Ana, thank you for taking care of Christian and letting us know." Carrick and Grace both smile at her. She is such a nice girl, made of flowers, hearts and all things nice, but also mixed with a little bit of fire and ice.

"It was my pleasure Mr. Grey." Ana is polite as always.

"Please, call me Carrick." My dad says and Ana shakes his hand.

Ana seems comprehensive to approach the next subject and I can tell she's trying to tread carefully. "Carrick…um…I hope you understand that since this happened in my club, I have to report Elena." She says and I sag.

Carrick nods, seemingly understanding her struggle. "Don't worry, Ana. I will take care of all the legal matters as I am a lawyer myself. You don't have to worry about anything. Elena will get what she deserves." Carrick says, green eyes darkening into an emerald green and I shiver. I would not want to be Elena.

Ana twiddles with her thumbs. "yes, and it's from my understanding that her husband is abusive, right?" she looks at me and I nod.

"If it would be possible, could you somehow break the news to the authorities without her husband by her side." I am so glad that Ana is saying this piece of information, I know she couldn't care less if Elena is beaten to death or not, but I do. I hate to admit it, but she's still my only friend, except now I have Ana too.

"Yes, I will try my best." My dad answers and Ana beams. "Great. I am glad I could be of help. And if you guys ever need anything, please don't be afraid to contact me. We don't all bite." She says, winking at me as I smirk back.

Grace gets up with me and I thought we were going to leave, but instead of heading to the door, Grace heads straight to Ana, throwing a very, very shocked Ana into one of her classical tight hugs. I have to laugh at how Ana's blue eyes widen and how her arms hang awkwardly in the air before they gingerly wrap around my mom and she smiles.

"Thank you." I hear Grace say.

"You're more than welcome, Grace." Ana says back, still unable to escape my mom's hug.

"Would you please come and join us for dinner next Sunday, consider it as a thank you." Carrick asks and Ana looks even more surprised. Yes, my family are all this friendly and don't judge people.

Ana's features morphs back into her big smile. "I would love to." She says as Carrick also pulls her into a hug.

I wave to Ana standing on her balcony as we pull out of her garage and she waves back, leather jacket draped snugly around her. I think I just made the coolest new friend.