FSOG strange days

by deaconlost

Thanks for the suggestions on where to lead this plot line: The first meeting of AS&CG. just a flyt of imagination while reading two other FSOG stories. AS and CG meet when CG is most vulnerable. The family's exam the choices they made to arrive here. I hope this starts to close the open-end chp1 left. story just bounced in my head.

4. Chapter 4 Storm before the calm

Chp04 strange days

Storm before the calm

Xxxxxxxxxx

Storm Ending By jean Toomer

Thunder blossoms gorgeously above our heads,

Great, hollow, bell-like flowers,

Rumbling in the wind,

Stretching clappers to strike our ears . . .

Full-lipped flowers

Bitten by the sun

Bleeding rain

Dripping rain like golden honey—

And the sweet earth flying from the thunder.

xxxxxxx

Gail-pov

I bring health food for the family to eat, the hospital cafeteria can do coffee and tea, but the rest is still hospital food. I spent the time baking. Lots of baking. I manage to drag Mia and Andrea here to help me a couple of times during the last four days. I watch the birds float by the window.

I know Jason and Christian will be mad at me. For forcing Christian to move forwards. I decided to act with Andrea and Barneys help; the playroom is gone. It's now the luggage, and miscellaneous store room. I worry that it will cost me my job; but the video of Christian and Miss Steele is so telling.

Looking at the seagulls, my reflection in the window. I see Karen the first submissive I met. I wonder how a bright, intelligent woman with a good job would want or let a man beat her. First impressions can be very deceiving.

Karen walk into my house, like she owned it. She entered the staff quarters to demand I help her cook Mr. Grey's dinner. He was late returning home from a video conference call to Italy. She wasted the afternoon away doing beauty and playing on her computer.

I helped her get some pasta in marinara sauce ready with a salad. Till I looked what she was doing online. She was looking for jewelry, cloths and things for Christian to buy her. I asked about it. She laughed, "A girls got do what a girl wants to be pampered." The greed and avarice were so bad. I left the kitchen.

She burned the food, spilled the salad. When she demanded trinkets. Christian let her go and good riddance. Very few of the sub's lowered to her greed level. Most were even more over the top. I worried about Christian.

As the months and years when by I developed deep feelings for Christian. I loved Jason with all my heart. But Christian had hold of me too. I began to see him as my son. I treated him as a son. Helping to smooth the waters of his troubled mind. I would leave piano music sheets on the piano. He would many times play the sheets I left, then the sad stuff that wallow his pain.

I added soothing scents to his bed linen, had chocolate cake on stand by for difficult days. Spiked several expense wine bottles with Everclear. For when the Bitch Troll showed up, or he had lunch with her. I made him feel cared and loved as best he could realize it at the time.

I stare at the oven door, waiting the ding-ling of the timer. The day after Christmas two year ago: I found him naked on the floor under the piano. Sweating, crying, anguish unparalleled in our experience. I laid down and let him cuddle into me. After a while I looked up to see Jason sitting near bye. I nod him over.

We got Christian to bed, he was so out of it. He never reacted to us touching his chest and back. He slept for 30hour. Remembering nothing of what had happened.

Christian walks into the kitchen, seems lost. A little unsure what is going on. I put a coffee on the breakfast bar, taking a seat. He looks like he wants to say something, but doesn't.

"Christian, what is wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Christian you slept for thirty hours, you were drunk under your piano. Curled up in the fetal position. You don't remember any of that do you?" I say. He buries his head and shakes. I move around touching his arm, letting him know I am here for him.

"Everything was normal, till Elliott and his date started talking about a ski trip to MT. Hood, tomorrow, I mean on the twenty-six; then Eliana started to needle me about not having a submissive. And everyone was demanding I tell them something about my private life. Acting like I was a doll for them to torment." He shakes and whimpers. I squeeze his arm.

"What do you want Christian?" I ask; afraid of the answer.

"I want someone to trust, someone to do things with. Not just the playroom. But normal things. Stuff Elliott does. I have to buy my sex partners, he just has to smile and act goofy."

I realize his pain is loneliness. He needs a hobby, friends, girlfriend. Not a submissive, but an honest real person to challenge and force him to have emotions and feelings. For now, I must think on what to do; to be his friend, his pseudo-mother. Oh My GOD; where did that thought come from. He has a loving caring mother. He isolates himself from his family. Why?

I talk with Jason that night. He believes as long the bitch troll is around, Grey will not reconcile with his family, develop friends and even try a normal relationship with a girl. We take steps to lessen and frustrate that evil woman. It began to pay dividends. I rope Andrea into helping us.

xxxxx

Leia has broken him. She lasted the longest, the least submissive, till she when nuts. He sat on the couch in Escala: drinking and self-loathing we feared he would take his own life. He mutters over and over "I am doing right now? Should I die? Will it stop the pain?"

I sit next to him, carefully avoiding his back and chest hug him, I turns in putting his head on my breast. Letting loose with tears to cleanse his woes. Jason sitting on the arm of the couch, rubbing Christians hair. We will bring him back to sanity and our love.

xxxxxxx

The fourth Christmas comes much better than the last few. Jason jammed a wedge in the submissive with Susannah betrayal, Welch discovery of the Bitch Troll's betrayal. Cemented the fracture of that evil woman from his life.

Everything was headed to a normal till Elliott brought the Male escort slash stripper to Grey House. That led to the brawl at Grey Manor. Christian came home and played his piano till his fingers bleed.

Despite that, the new year herald's a shining hopeful note. I get Jason and Luke to spend more time doing Guy things.

I get Andrea to smack Elliott up side his thick head; and direct his action to beneficial pursuits. They began to go to ball games, beer nights out and best of all no new submissive and no Bitch Troll. Jason helps him grow, work out his frustration he used to beat his submissive to attain.

He even accepts Elliott movie night meeting. I moderate the movies otherwise Christian would have stop it. He is surprising me not one bit is in love with Musicals. He loved the Rogers & Hammerstein collection. It surprised me the one he most liked and hide from Elliot was Carousel's. He is most in love with the 1956, starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones.

I find it strangle fitting this tale: The 1945 adapted of Ferenc Molnar 1909 play Liliom, transplanting its Budapest setting to the Maine coastline. The story of Carousel barker Billy Bigelow, whose romance with millworker Julie Jordan comes at the price of both their jobs. He participates in a robbery to provide for Julie and their unborn child; after it goes tragically wrong, Billy stabs himself with his knife; Julie arrives just in time for him to say his last words to her and die.

He is given a chance to make things right. Billy can get himself into heaven if he helps his self-loathing outcast daughter, Louise. After Louise woes and trails, at her graduation the keynote speaker Dr. Sheldon advises the graduating class not to rely on their parents' success or be held back by their failure they all sing "You'll Never Walk Alone". Is sung: Billy, invisible, whispers to Louise, telling her to believe Seldon's words, when she tentatively reaches out to another girl, she learns she does not have to be an outcast. Billy goes to Julie, telling her at last that he loved her. As his widow and daughter join in the singing, Starkeeper grants Billy's heavenly reward. (Wikipedia)

I catch him singing the musical songs: when he thinks no one can hear him. His beautiful tenor voice lightens my heart with "If I Loved You", "June Is Bustin' Out All Over". I cry when I hear him nearly whispering sing watching the movie "You'll Never Walk Alone" I can hear the longing in his voice to believe someone out there is waiting for him.

I stand in the media room, as the film plays. The Starkeepers words as Dr. Sheldon. Shakes me how did I get here; was I watching the film. Why does Anastasia Face float over Louise? I believe Grace is right she is his one. I smile walking back to check the muffins, I pull my phone; Jerry and the Pacemakers British version blare. I sing along, I've memorized the words:

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of a storm
There's a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark

Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone

Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone Songwriters: Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers

I pull the muffins out, dancing to the words and my heart lift. He will never walk alone again. I feel arms around me, looking up into the window. No one is there. I start to look away. I see a ghostly image of man and woman surrounding me. I look in the window glass I see Christian and Anna dancing around the kitchen making breakfast. Him in pajama bottoms; Anna in a dress shirt, all Shania Twain. I see my mother and husband smiling at me; with a vision of Jason, Christian, Anna, and me eating dinner. laughing and having simple fun. I set the muffins down and hug myself in glee. Was these vision of thing to come? Hopefully dreams. I hope they are. Because, somewhere up in heaven a Starkeeper is granting wings to an angel. They just have to wake up.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anna-pov

I scream in frustration. "Please Wanda baby, just a few more blocks. Please baby." Five miles from the exit to downtown, Wanda coughs and backfires and goes madding slide into lower and lower speeds. Why did Kate's BMW have to blow a radiator this morning? I barely make the exist, As Wanda refuses to break forty-MPH.

The city is even worse, the pedal is flat to the floor. And still she creeps. Just creeps, I plead, beg, threaten, pray and scream. I'm bouncing in frustration and I can barely get her to do 15mph. I take nearly a block to get there. "Please Wanda! Just a few blocks. Then you can rest. I'll even get you a nice car wash and wax." I look in the mirror.

To make this even worse, an asshole is tailgating me, screaming at me; making me nervous. "Back off ASSHOLE! I'm trying my best." I curse him, I can hear his cursing me: does he not realize both of our windows are down? His by choice in that expensive sports car. Mine is stuck open since Tumwater on Interstate-five. I'm soaked by the thunder storm near off ramp for Ft. Lewis.

This day is getting worse and worse. I bet the asshole CEO I have to interview because my roommate caught a cold from her Yoga class or maybe the last boyfriend and theirs bar-crawl Saturday. Worse and worse, just like the conceded asshole riding my bumper. I see the right street ahead.

"one more block, baby. Please one more block." Shit the light turns yellow. I pull to a stop. The light turns red. I see a monster SUV charge into traffic, side swipes a car and heads right for me. ME! All the training Ray taught me kicks in. I floor the gas pedal. Right hand for the seatbelt release. Left on the door handle.

Shit they both stick, GOD PLEASE! I slam my shoulder against the door. I see the contact is coming, it will crush the VW Bug to a shoe box. I have to get out of here.

CRASHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I look up at the grey clouds, tinted red. I hear gun fire. Like Ray at the gun range. I wonder what is happening. My leg hurt, my shoulder hurts. I HURT!

I look thru the red tint into an Adonis with puppy dog eyes of grey, deep green speckled grey eyes. His arms hold, me. lift me. He sees inside my soul. We are met to be. I feel everything and crave the man holding me. The pain has disappeared.

Touching his chest and face. Whispering words of wonder and love. I see a rugged man, like Ray. He is screaming. What his he saying? I think something about cover. I look at the monster SUV. Men are shooting at us. I look into his grey eyes. "Duck."

He lowers us and duck walks to behind the sports car. A blonde guy, pulls us behind another SUV. My man, is lost in my eyes. Blonde guy with gun. Steps on the side walk. The cannon in his hand flares and spits a large fire ball. I know someone is dead.

My man rises and walks onto the sidewalk: We pass the dead gunman. He carried me across the street; past the carnage. I see the bright three-foot letters of 'Grey House'. I giggle, my man smiles and kiss me again. I am supposed to be here to interview the CEO. I don't care. I just want my man to kiss me and love me.

I want him to feel my love. We walk thru the madhouse of the lobby. We enter an elevator; people are screaming at us. I don't understand or care. My man is holding me, whispering word of love and forever.

We arrive on a high floor, I feel everyone's stunned silence. I rub his chest to help him thru the pain in his eyes. We sit on a very expensive white sofa. Dripping blood; A blonde enters with a large first-aid kit. Perfect ice princess stepford wife model. followed by a Fiery red head in a very expensive power suit.

We are dripping blood on the white sofa. Neither seem to care. I ignore them. Touching and holding my man. I feel strange air bags (plastic air splints) surround my legs. The ache lessens. The red head wipes his face and the blonde wipes mine. She finishes and goes somewhere, I don't know where. He is even more fine-looking, even with only half his face cleaned. I touch his clean face. Pulling him down into a kiss.

We whisper secrets and dreams. Lost in his eyes and heart open soul. The Red headed woman stands, moving toward the yelling man, holding my purse and phone. I don't care: I don't want to move from this heavenly embrace.

I hear the red headed power suit "They are talking like lovers, who is she and why have we not met her before?" I zone out forgetting the world. It's just us. My lover and me.

Xxxxx

We soar over the city, like birds: are we dead, angels floating higher and higher. We drop and I worry are we purgatory bound? No, it's a hospital; we must be alive but damaged. I feel his heart beat in sync with mine. We exist the Helicopter. What did Ray call them? Oh yea? Dust-offs. We just got dust-off-ed, medevacked, Aerial Ambulance.

My man wants to carry me inside. The white coats and the people wearing green, like on Grey Anatomy. Or the goofy show we love. Scrubs, yea! The green things are scrubs; what hospital workers wear. I smile, he smiles and melts my heart.

"put me on the table" he kisses me, laying me on the gurney. As I am wheeled off the landing pad. I feel the distance; the pain and loneliness. A mask turns the lights off. I feel him, I must get to him. I must be near him. I can't calm down; till he is near enough to feel my love and devotion. I feel his love and devotion to me. I laugh and smile as we merge and mingle in the ether swirls about us on this Astral plane.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Taylor-pov:

I pace the hallway, Day two is fading into dawn. Welch is pounding our plan for the bitch troll. I watch the two-family Steele and Grey merge into one. Elliott is lost without Kate. Ray is lost without Grace and Mia. Cary, is holding everything together. The adults are more shaken, they seem lost in the past. I dread if they put the pieces together about the playroom and bitch troll.

I walk, looking in the waiting room, Ray is on the floor. Mia and Kate hold him as tears pour. The breaking heart pain of a injured daughter. I leave for some fresh are and check the perimeter security.

Watching the greed avaricious paparazzi, I daydream back about Leia and Susannah. The two submissives that broke Grey. Leia delusions matched his own about the reality he lived in. Susannah the most gold digging, self-serving of all the submissives.

Once caught telling the Bitch troll about a scene. She quickly cut a deal to save her own neck. She never saw the overseas gig as my hand removing her from our lives. She may be able to return to the states in ten or twenty years.

The other submissives folded once their betrayal of Christian was uncovered. I insured they will never darken our door. Several will regret their betrayal forever. Dreams destroyed, like the troll destroyed a frighten fifteen-year-old boy. The digging has turn up a lot of underage boys she has destroyed. Within days she and her evil ex-husband will never harm another boy or girl.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The last day of January; Grey has a meltdown at work. I fear he will call a submissive, go to a club. Jump off the Space Needle. A major merge has tanked, mostly the last strike of the bitch troll's insider information. Another company has swooped in a take the prize. Some eight thousand workers will be starving before the month is finished.

The million aside I know the lost jobs twist a knife in Grey. I believe he blames the loss of a job, the fragile people crashing into homelessness and worse, especial women and their children. As what created him. That drove his mother into prostitution and drugs. That allowed the pimp to torture him.

I follow him as he wanders. He seems unhinged, without thoughts or purpose. He kicks off his shoes, drops his suit coat: jumps in the water's at Montlake Playfields swimming in the remains of his three-thousand-dollar suit under the Portage Bay Viaduct to the Seattle Yacht Club. He has a locker there. He changes into sweats and runs down the road aimlessly.

We after an hour arrive at the Space Needle. Shit! I jump out of the car and chase him. If he boards the Needle: I will need to shot him. He doesn't go to the needle: He walk to the Chihuly Glass Museum.

I follow his slow, snail like pace thru the halls. Inside benches; he sits and stares deeply into the sculptures and art. Like he is hoping the reflections talk to him.

He sits for several hour in the Garden. The Museums closes, I bribe them to let us stay. Gail arrived with food before heading home. I want to go home, have a beer and love my woman. I stand near the exit gate in the garden.

After a while, I take the food to him. We sit and eat. Not talking at all. I see his desperate need for one on one interaction. His hunger for connects is overbearing in the night lite glass garden. "Christian, let's go home, Bayern Munich is playing Mainz. We can catch the second half?"

"Ok. Let's go. Sorry about this afternoon." I take his arm and lead him, he seems so lost and broken, a fragile little boy, to the car and home. In the morning the old boss will be back. Shit! I don't want the old boss: I want the new boss he is becoming. Gail is right as usually. We need to fill his off time with normal activities.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Easter Sunday at Grey Manor. The family is in force, including the manic Mia Grey. Gail tease me about her crush on me. Today, she is quietly mute about me. I walk around the grounds making sure the troll doesn't get in. I have Luke at the entrance. My ear buzzes, she jumped the fence and is headed from the south garden area.

Parks backs me up, as I tackle the bitch, cuff her. Stuff my handkerchief in her mouth. I have Parks take her out to the boondocks of Riffe Lake north of Mt. St. Helens. No phone, no money, and no one care how she gets back, or even if she doesn't. I have reached my quota of mercy for this evil thing blighting our lives.

Walking back into the kitchen, wiping off my suit. Mia is staring sadly at me. "Jason, please don't be cheating on Christian." What the hell does that mean?

"What?" I ask

"We see how you guys are going out and doing things. Please know we love you both, your part of the family. If your gay, we don't care: we just want Christian happy." Mia says in honest earnest.

They think I'm Christians Beard? Do I give off that vibe, does Christian, Luke or Parks? I need to stomp this fantasy before she is picking china patterns for our wedding.

"Mia, I am not gay, never have been. None of the guys are. I am marrying Gail in the Fall. We are trying to get your brother into healthier activities."

She tries to process the information. "What was his unhealthy activities?" shit! I forget she has a brain, hidden in pink ruffles. She won't let that bone go. She will be frustrated for sure.

"No comment."

"OMG no! that bitch. Please help him. I need to go" she runs away. What the hell was that about. I look out the window, she runs full clothed into Lake Washington. I run outside to the dock. Large bubbles break the surface.

She comes up and down several times: I think she is screaming underwater. She wades to shore. Looking about. It's only me. "I want her out of my brother's life, and any of her minions. Jason I'm counting on you and Gail to help him and keep my family ignorant."

I'm stunned does she know? "What do you know?"

"I know what she is into, and how she looks at my brother. I fear the leap of faith: I can't make. I don't want to make. It would kill my parents if I killer her and when to jail. I kicked her ass day after New Years day in Nieman's dressing room. Her and two subs. I only look innocent."

"Our you?" I ask afraid of her answer.

"No, but Lily is. and she can't keep her mouth shut about it" she says pissed off.

"I am going to Paris to finish my cooking course. When I return in June, I want her permanently out of his life and I mean forever. Otherwise I will deal with." She says with a look I've never seen on her face. She has a dark side. She never finishes the sentence as she walks away. like her dog, cat, and everyone just suddenly died. The crushing weight of knowledge; your brother is in pain, and your family is on the brink of implosion.

I think the Doc has one two. Her friend Redmond is walking a tightrope. I hope her part of this stay's hidden for Grace's god daughter sake. I watch her enter the house. She is a Grey an she will go all out to protect her family. Her brothers.

Xxxxxxx

As day four takes off, Welch has put in motion something that should remove the Lincolns'. Several groups of parents are anonymously informed of the Lincoln assault on their families. Several of her former under age submissive suicided. The parents are very unstable. We will try to keep them out of jail.

I watch the Lincoln house. As the parents converge. I see an underage naked, beaten boy hustle to a car. Several Parents come out and high five. I wonder what is going on. The police arrive and began to rope off the area. I drive around the block, taking a farther away watching position. Luke updates me, the Doc is leaving Redmond's club; she beat the shit out of her former friend. Broke the heart of her goddaughter. I have Welch move them out of the state, and remove the club.

I watch the coroners van arrive, they both must be dead; otherwise an ambulance would be here. I will have to wait for the pictures. No way I am or any of my people or the Grey's are going in there. Not after the mountains I moved to isolate the Grey from this and them. I see a car pull up behind me. I get out and walking around the front of my car intercept Grace and forces her back into the car with Luke. He drives us to Grey Manor. I had Welch send Cary to the house.

After getting them settled. I meet Welch, SPD deputy chief of Detectives in a coffee shop around the corner from SPD-HQ. He passes a cell phone with crime scene pictures. I smile, Linc is strung up, gagged and beaten; looked like all night. Eliana did that I am sure and so are the cops. Eliana is laying over the whipping sawhorse. A bright smile on her face; To bad her head ends jaggedly behind her ears. The rest is splatter across the St. Andrew Cross and Chesterfield Sofa.

The gun lay next to her, clearly, she ate the gun, a massive 357… Linc has a massive hole in his chest, you can see the stippling. I smile at their demise. I want to laugh at her crushing reality that her sin's have found her and exacted karma.

"The witness says, they enter the dungeon. Eliana was whipping the boy. Most of the parents rescued the boy. Eliana produced the pistol, its register to Linc. She backed them to the door. Shot Linc, then started a rant at them. How she saved their wrenched sons. She back up as they started for her. She stuck the gun in her mouth, you can see the damage of 357. Magnum pre-fragment-soft-lead-hollow-points. They left the house and called the police. The first group had called the police about the boy."

"A now?" Welch asks.

"The parents are cleared; a camera system was on in the dungeon. It shows their version. They walk. The city and everyone will bury this nightmare. The Lincoln estates will be liquidated and disturbed to the victims. Strangle four of the parents are demanding the cremated remain of the Lincolns. I have reliably heard talk of a cesspool of a diary down near Tillamook in Oregon. The DA is disposed to grant the request." SPD says

"This closes the doors. The Grey name get tied to this. You understand how we will react." Welch makes a threat. Even I fear from his tone and meaning. The SPD chief takes our meaning to heart, nearly pissing himself. Agreeing and leaves a fast as possible. I expected him to run to the headquarters building three miles away, then slow down to get his car. He drives away.

"Now what?"

"I have a couple of friends to clean any loose ends. The fifteen are gone, the trolls, and Redmond is already landing in Austin, Texas to start anew life as a college romantic language professor. I arranged the daughter to an exclusive all girls Montessori High School. Grace is mad right now, later she will make amends to the daughter for sure, the mother possibly never."

I nod, Grace really doesn't blame the children for the sins of the parents. She will make amends to her Goddaughter. I rise to leave.

"Jason, you guys have done a damm good job. Everything the best we could. Grey doesn't need to ever know about your coup de 'tate."

"If he asks, I wouldn't lie or sugar coat it. but something tells me: he never will ask. He will be too busy moving forward with Anna." I turn and leave. first to update Gail and then the parents and Mia.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Day six:

We ride up to the floor with lunch. Gail and Luke are joking about Mia Grey's sudden obsession with one Luke Sawyer. The Elevator doors open to a madhouse of screams and noise. Luke and I rush down the hall, past the nurse station, sliding into the cross hallway to where the Grey's are. I hesitate for a second before drawing my gun and clubbing the attackers. I see cameras and video recorder scatter the floor. At least fifteen men are in various state of injury and fight.

Ray power slams a burly fat goatee asshole near thru the floor. Elliott is elbow and knees in the that savage Legionnaire Savate close combat style. Mia has a female dressed as a nurse kneeing her face into pulp. I notice all the attackers are dressed like staff and patients. Roz and her wife are hammering assholes with metal bedpans.

Cary has another fat guy, this one ponytail against a wall, slamming forearms to his ribs. Grace has another female dressed as patient ripping her hair out. Kate has a young guy maybe twenty in a vicious tendon tearing arm bar, twisting it. Parks is on his knees grabbing a guy's legs. His head is bleeding. Luke wades thru the crowd, clubbing down assholes till he gets to Parks. I find Lewis my other CPO on the floor, the taser probes still in his chest. I hear a scream behind me. Gail is Tae Bo-ing some asshole dressed as a doctor. I smile.

It takes only a few more minutes before the paparazzi horde is on the floor, secured and waiting transportation to the ER and then to a out of town hospital: because they are damm sure not staying here.

Xxxxxxxxx

Mia pov

I watch my brother play the piano, I sit playing with my doll. Tomorrow I go to kindergarten. I enjoyed the half days of Preschool. The Teachers are shocked how advanced I am. I smile, listen to Christian play just for me. Mommy will be mad, I stayed up; but he had a nightmare, and playing helps him get back to sleep.

"What's the song?"

"Grieg - Nocturne 54 op 4"

"Why so sad?"

"I just am."

"Elliott says your remembering your birth mother, and the bad times before us."

"Lliott talks too much."

"so, it's true?'

"yes."

"will you play something happy? for me?

"ok, but you can't tell anyone ok?"

"Pinky swear."

"pinky swear" Christian hooks my pinky. And kisses my head.

"remember it our secret." He smirks and softly plays, then he sings to me. I stare awe struck. My brother loves me.

Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"
Birds singing in the sycamore trees
Dream a little dream of me

Say nighty-night and kiss me
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me
While I'm alone and blue as can be
Dream a little dream of me

Stars fading but I linger on dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger till dawn dear
Just saying this

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me

Stars fading but I linger on dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger till dawn dear
Just saying this

Sweet dreams, till sunbeams find you

Gotta keep dreaming leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
You gotta make me a promise, promise to me
You'll dream, dream a little of me dream a little dream of me. Songwriters: Fabian Andre / Gus Kahn / Wilbur Schwandt

I cry for my brother; I know he never cries. Elliott says because he lost all tears before he became a Grey. We shouldn't push him to cry. We have to be careful touching his chest and back, protect him from mean people. I stand and quick hug him. I am the only Grey who can hug him. I kiss his cheek.

He takes my hand and tucks me in bed. Placing dolly in my arms, kissing my forehead. He leaves, I hear no more music that night. Three weeks go by before he plays after midnight. He never sings again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I sit reading to Christian and Anna, a romantic tale about a divorce escaping to Tuscan, finding love and friends. I think Mom has the movies on DVD. Its after midnight on day three well I guess day four now. I stop as I remember the fight.

I was nine-years old, Christian was fifteen. He just got expelled for the third time. I found him drunk in the boat house. It reeked of burn something. like Andre from school before the Child Service people took him away. Elliott called it Pot, or something like that. Mom said his parents neglected him, and used drugs.

"Damm it! Christian! The Child Service people aren't taking you away" I grab the bottle and toss it out the window. He swipes at me. I punch his jaw, like Elliott taught me. he falls on the floor. I kick him in the balls. He grunts and stumbles after me. I run to tell the parents. He stumbles chasing. I burst into the kitchen. "MOMM! CHRISTIAN IS DRUNK AND DRUGGED!"

Everyone piles into the kitchen; mom grabs Christian, checking his eyes and smelling his breath. She cries. As Dad take Christian upstairs to his room. Elliott grabs me, holding me. He carries me to the Movieplex in the mall. We watch two movies, one after the other. Then dinner at IHOP. Its near midnight when we get home. I check on Christian, he is sleeping.

I lay in bed, wondering if I did the right thing. Mom comes in and lays with me; explaining how I was helping him. Watching my brother in a coma; I wonder if I did? After the last few months. I worry I forced him to turn to the bitch troll. Did me ratting him out, allow her to hurt him?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I pout at my idiot brother as he tries to ignore me. I sit in the newly complete Grey House. Bugging my idiot brother to come home to his birthday party Saturday. Last year: he claimed a business emergence and left for a week in Taiwan. This year I'm not allowing it; period.

"Christian!"

He looks at me, anger on his face. I worry about him. I know he is very unhappy and lonely. I even needle Jason to see if Elliott supposition of him being gay is correct. I don't care. I really don't; I want to see my happy brother, like before high school. I want my brother to heal.

"Christian you are coming to your party Saturday!"

"I will think about it."

"NO! YOU ARE COMING OR ELSE!" that got his goat. He hates being challenged. He looks like he wants to kill me, cut me up and boil fava beans. But he doesn't intimidate me. I stick my tongue out and roll my eyes.

"Fine, Christian. I am going to stay at Escala. Be with you every minute till we are at Grey Manor celebrating your birthday." That put a look I've never seen. It's almost like I stole his favorite toy. He turns back to his work.

"Fine MIA! I will be there. I promise. You know I don't like celebrating my birthday." He whines like only he can. I stand, walking to him.

I grab his tie, pulling him to my nose. "The party is in your honor, its really for Dad and Mom. They love you and want to show you how much they do." I release his tie.

"They feel obligated, I disappointed them my whole life. They got a dud. Should have given me back. They faking everything." He mutters. I stand shocked, truly shocked at his loathing self-hate.

I stand stunned as Christian looks at me. His face reddened by my slaps. I think I hit him three or four times. I shake with rage. Now can a smart guy like him, not see or feel our unconditional love. How can he believe we feel that way? Where did this hate come from? I want to grab him and hug him till he understands. I want to kick his ass till he crawls to me, begging to be part of the family. What has happened to my brother.

"You will be at the party. You will smile, and accept we love you, care about you. the next time I hear that bullshit about being a dud or we should have sent you back. I will beat you within an inch of your life. And once for all solve your touch issue. AM I CLEAR CHRISTIAN!" I turn a run out of the room, building, city, the damm state.

Till I sit at the riverside park in Portland. I sit watching the ducks and geese move about the Willamette River. I wish I could heal my brother. I wish I could make him not be sad and hurting. Someone must be telling him these things. That the only solution. I can't believe Gail, or Roz. Jason? His he really with Gail, or with Christian. Are one of the others with Christian.

What if it was someone else. He is very closed off, just family and Roz and Gwen. No one else has access to him, to feed this shit. I stare out, lost in reflection on our family. When a fake cougar jogs by in an outfit too tight, too showing, too desperate. Face so stiff she must be near OD'ing on Botox.

Eliana Lincoln! That the only other person who has access to Christian. Would he be hitting that dried up cunt? Did he ever hit that Botox skank? I will watch, be more vigilant before I go to Paris for cooking school.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Something is happening with Christian after the gay fight with Elliott. He makes a effort at Christmas. I really fear he is suicidal. I have never seen him in worst shape. Physical and mental; Gwen called me to voice concerns. She knows I'm the only one who can move the family right now. Everyone is stressed.

I think deep before I return to Paris to complete my degree in cooking. I already finished the hospitality part of the BA, I'm just finishing the culinary requirement. I need to get some thing at Nieman's before I head out. The French capital fashion is great. Their idea of winter coats, gloves, hats and winter leggings are not. I am lost in thought sitting waiting for Carol to return. A trophy wife had a meltdown about her babe bump taking away any flattering dresses.

I sit sipping a glass of white wine. Great Eliana and two girls, looking like twins walks in. She makes a bee line for me. I brace for something. She wasn't at any parties or events over the holiday. I know mom was frustrated at Eliana phone and txt problems. She even asked Christian to have Barney fix it.

I was stunned when he said no. Him telling mom no is rare like never. So, she asked Jason, he said he would look into it. Eliana problem seemed to get worse. I wonder why that thought peaks my mind. I remember my musing in Portland before his birthday last year.

"Mia, I need you to call Christian now and tell him to see me." she barks like I need to scream how high. I sip the wine, looking at her. For the first time I see her pitiful, desperate need to have my brother. Have him how. The twin's smirk and look mean.

"No, if you make appointment with Andrea. I'm sure he will consider it." I see the rage, I hit a sore spot. Is Christian causing this or are his friends making sure this dried-up witch stays away from Christian. She grabs my arm.

I let her pull me up, my right-hand surges up with the pull. I slam her teeth together, with a heel strike to the jaw. I twist her right arm to flip her on her ass. The twins attack me. I punch and kick. An make these skanks regret messing with me.

I don't stop till Carol rushes in. She has security drag away the trash. I sit gulping wine and icing my hand. Botox makes skin like rock. The only nice thing is once distorted by force, aka my fist. Is tend to stay distorted.

"Mia, I am so sorry. They know they are banned from here for non-payment." Carol says. When did she go broke? Why did she go broke? Christian is a silent partner in the Salons, or is he? Who were the twins? Carol is uneasy about that question. I get the cloths and leave; has I drive home. I stop at intersection. A homeless woman is begging.

Thunder claps, the earth opens up and swallow me. I pull over as soon as I can. Tears reap my soul. I know why the twins seemed familiar! I can remember looking at that picture all the time at home. It's on Christian cork-board over his desk. It's Ella his birth mother.

What has Eliana and two skanks that look like Ella mean. I grab my phone. I call an old enemy asking her for coffee. She is also desperate for my friendship and protection. Her and her family have fallen on hard time socially. After her mother's arrest for statuary with a sixteen-year-old girl. Lily will know about Eliana, is she living on the dark side.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Easter Sunday at Grey Manor

I'm home for Easter week. I confront Jason, praying what I know is not tied to Christian.

"OMG no! that bitch. Please help him. I need to go" I need to scream and not alert the family. I do what I always do at home when this happens. I jump in the Lake; scream underwater.

I get control of my rage. Wading ashore. Looking about. It's only Jason.

"I want her out of my brother's life, and any of her minions. Jason I'm counting on you and Gail to help him and keep my family ignorant."

"What do you know?"

"I know what she is into, and how she looks at my brother. I fear the leap of faith: I can't make. I don't want to make. It would kill my parents if I killer her and when to jail. I kicked her ass day after New Years day in Nieman's dressing room. Her and two subs. I only look innocent."

"Our you?" he asks afraid.

"No, but Lily is. and she can't keep her mouth shut about it" I spit out the knowledge

"I am going to Paris to finish my cooking course. When I return in June, I want her permanently out of his life and I mean forever. Otherwise I will deal with."

I can't finish the sentence, if I did. Eliana Lincoln would be dead. I would be on death row. I have to trust my friends to help end this and keep my brother safe. Even from himself. If this comes out how will I keep my family together. The pain is brutal. Worse I have to keep a happy face till I leave Thursday.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Mom, Kate and I are walking back to the rooms, Gail called she sending lunch. The Dad's are with Christian and Anna. Elliott is talking to Parks and Lewis. We smile. Standing outside we are comfortable. Elliott reach around shoving us aside and horde of camera wielding paparazzi rush us. "RAY! DADDY!" I scream murder.

Lewis is closes to them. He goes down, we see the taser probes in his chest. He flops about like a beached fish. I throw myself into the fight. Everyone is fighting. For the first time in days: I feel happy and satisfied. I'm going to town. I smile when I see Jason and Gail. I get so damm horney when Luke gets to me: all controlled violence.

I kiss him deeply. Screw optic and everyone else. I've been relying on him since this started. I know tonight I'm cashing in my V-card. He is everything I want and need.

Once the police and DA sort everything out. We turn to the door, behind which our future lay asleep. Everyone follows Jason into the room. Andrea sits next to Christian. Anna in his arms. Andrea feeds them ice chips. They are awake. We crowd around them. Happily.

Croaking like Kermit "Who are you guys?" Christian asks.

"Annie?" ask Ray.

"I'm sorry who are you?" she says; breaking our hearts.

"Calm down, they have only been awake few minutes. the doctors said they may be scramble for a while once they woke up.

"Christian, Anna these are your family. Ray is your Father Anna. Cary and Grace are yours Christian, with Elliott your brother and Mia, your sister." Andrea says

"Who are you guys?" I ask, afraid, but she's in his arms, petting his chest.

"This is my wife Anna." Christian says. Anna kisses his chin. Loving him with all her heart. We all gape at them.

"isn't that true?" ask Anna at our expressions.

"You're working towards your engagement. Rest. Everyone out!" Gail bellows we heard for the door. I see them looking at each other with such intense love. I can cut it from across the room.

"Anna. I'm Gail, Christian's housekeeper and friend. This is my fiancée Jason. Christian close protection Officer and friend. I will return tonight with doctor approved food. We look forward to your regaining your memories and moving forward in your relationship." Gail hits the nail on the head. We will help them move forward. Luke takes me in his arms. Tomorrow is bright, as my brother is healing and loving and feeling our love. The dark days are gone, best left in the past.

The end.