I awoke, confused for a moment as to where I was before I remembered Christian. And then I remember the rain, and what had happened. I groan with embarrassment and throw the duvet away from me. I sit up on the edge of the bed wrapping my head in my hands. I want to pray to whatever god may be listening to make yesterday a nightmare from sleep, not a nightmare from my reality, but I know that is a futile wish. I inhale deeply, wanting the breath to cleanse my mind as I push myself to get up and head for the en suite. When I am done my morning ritual, I grab my robe, throwing it around myself as I make my way to the kitchen. I am hungry and embarrassed and though I need food, I hope no one is around so I can grab something and hide away from everything for just a little bit longer. I can smell the delicious workings of the kitchen before I am close to it, and I can see Gail working up a storm. I smile as she sees me, glad she is there, but still wishing I was alone.

"How are you feeling," she asks. I shrug, and she hands me a cup of tea. I wrap my hands around it not realizing how cold I still feel.

"Where is he?" She moves her head to indicate his office and I nod. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Miss Grey."

I walk to the tall double mahogany doors, pausing in front of them to gather my thoughts. I inhale deeply and then slowly exhale as I open the doors.

Christian is sitting at his desk, on the phone, his chair turned around facing the window so he doesn't know I am there. I smile seeing his completed model sitting prominently on his desk. I smile glad he had finished it. It was probably one of the best gifts Anastasia could have given him. It allowed his mind to calm and focus as he built it, and his thoughts to roll around without being hindered. He finishes his call and turns around in his chair, and I smile as his eyes find mine.

"Hey," I said. He gets up and walks over to me quickly. He holds me at arms length and looks me over carefully.

"Hey," he said as he pulls me close. "How are you feeling?"

"Stupid," I said quietly.

"I thought you didn't do that anymore." I shrug and he walks me over to the dark leather couch in his office. "Tell me what happened."

I exhale a long slow breath. "I just... I felt dirty inside. I just wanted to have the rain on me."

"During a electrical storm? In a skyscraper?"

"Like I said, I feel stupid now." He kissed my hair and held me close.

"What a pair we make, eh?" I snorted at that.

"Who were you on the phone with?"

"Florist. She starts work tomorrow at a new job and I wanted to send her flowers." I pulled back and looked at him.

"You... sent flowers?" He nodded. "Because she started a job?" He nodded again, a half smile appearing on his lips. "You sent her flowers... because she started a new job...?"

"I believe you asked that already." He grinned at me, his teeth glittering in the light. "Ummm, I should warn you... That bit of business in the rain... Flynn would like to have a conversation with you about it."

"I am sure he would," I mutter before taking another sip of the tea. I hate shrinks.

"Yeah, pretty much told him he has a better chance of ice skating in hell then you seeing him." I nod, my eyes closing at the thought of what I must have seemed like. "I... thought you didn't do that anymore," he said.

I let out a deep sigh, not wanting to talk about it. Didn't matter though. Christian would wait for a answer anyways.

"I don't do it mostly. But sometimes... I dunno. Sometimes I just have to," I shrug.

"What made you do it this time?"

"Elena," I whisper, a shiver running down my spine. I hate that woman. Christian looks at me, a question appearing between his eyes. "She came here, while you were talking to Flynn. She tried to take the stance with me that she belonged here, and that I couldn't stop her. She was wrong."

"Shana, she is my friend," he sighed, bringing his fingers to the bridge of his nose, rubbing it to keep what could be a oncoming headache from growing. "We do business together. You can't just-"

"I can, and I will," I say firmly and he looks up at me, his grey eyes turning colder. "Don't you even think about giving me that look, Christian. I made you a promise a long time ago, and despite all the pain and anguish it has caused me, I am still keeping it."

"Then why-"

"I am still keeping it, Christian. But I won't keep it forever." He looked at me then, those grey eyes now taking on a look of terror and pain. "Chrissy, I'm the only one that knows. I am the only one that has ever known."

I get up from the couch, and walk over to the bank of windows, looking out into the city of Seattle.

"Why would you tell anyone? To hurt me?" I spin around quickly and see him, his face once again that of the hurt, lost little boy. I walk back over to him, taking his hands in mine and I search through his eyes.

"Chrissy, why do you think I don't stay here?" He shrugs. "I don't, cause, it hurts, to be near mom, or dad or Mia or Elliot. It's so painful, when mom has a party and invites over her best friend, and I have to sit there while you two carry on your masquerade, hiding from the people that love you."
"Sha, if they knew, they would hate us. Mom would lose her friend." His hands grip mine tighter, and I sigh, shaking my head.

"Chrissy, they wouldn't blame you. You have to believe me when I say that. And, yeah, mom would probably cut all ties with Elena. But that is for her to decide."

He stood up from the couch, walking back over to the windows I had just stood in front of. He was quiet, but his body told me he was tired. The shoulders were slumped, and his head bowed. I walked over and stood next to him, together we quietly watched the view.

"You promised to not say anything," he said, his voice barely that of a whisper.

"I know." The silence between us stretched, but neither of us made a move.

"Ana knows," he whispered. "She's not like the others."

"So you have said." So has everyone, I thought.

He nodded. "We have... talked. A lot. About a lot of things, and, she asks these questions. I feel compelled to answer most of them. She's so... different." I felt a vibration in my pocket then from my BlackBerry, and I reached in to check the messages. It was from Taylor.

From: Jason Taylor
Subject: A minute?
Date: June 7 2011 12:42
To: Shana Grey

I need a minute of your time.

Best to not let him know yet.

J. Taylor

I put a hand on Christian's shoulder, patting it lightly. "Hon, I gotta go deal with something. I'll be back shortly." He nods but does nothing else. I turn, leaving him to stare into the grayness of the city.

Leaving the office, I spot Taylor talking quietly to Gail in the kitchen. I approach and Gail makes herself scarce. I look over my shoulder and can see the office doors quite easily, so I beckon Taylor to follow me, and we go to the foyer.

"What's up?"

"Sorry to disturb you," he begins, and I raise my hand to him.

"Look, Jason, I know how good you are, and what you can accomplish. If you interrupt something, I know there is a damn good reason for it. So, don't apologize to me. Ever. Okay?" He nods in the quick curt way all military personnel do.

"With everything that has been going on, I thought it would be prudent to keep tabs on Miss Steele, and do background checks on the people she is now working with." I nod, surprised but rather pleased at his initiative. "There are a few flags that have popped up, Ma'am."

"Oh?"

"The position she has taken... It seems to be vacated more often then is usual in the industry." I raise a eyebrow, waiting for him to explain. "The assistants to Jack Hyde... last maybe three months. After that they kinda disappear from the radar."

"What are your thoughts?"

"Well... I would like to track down and talk to the past assistants, see why they left." I nod in agreement. "But, I should also mention that all of his assistants have been women."

"All of them?" Taylor nods. "That seems... unusual, doesn't it?"

"Yes Ma'am." He looks at me, and I can see that there is something else on his mind.

"What is it, Taylor?"

"I... had a thought." I nod, waving my hand in a effort for him to continue. "You are very keen on people, and can read a person like a book. You spot issues before anyone else does..."

"Yes... and...?"

"Ma'am, she doesn't know you, and I was thinking you could, maybe take a visit there, get a feel for this Hyde character. Maybe... make sure she is okay." Ohhh...

"Jason, are you worried about her?" He looks at me, his breath steady, his pulse rate firm. He nods. "She really is different, huh?"

"Ma'am... Shana, she really is. We need to get her back. He really needs her." If this were any person besides Jason Taylor standing in front of me, telling me this, I would have blown him off completely, maybe even docked his pay for stepping out of line.

But this is Jason Taylor.

"Thank you Jason. Set me up a reason to be there and I will go for a visit." He nods, turning away from me. "Jason... use my married name." His eyes grow wide for a fraction of a second and then he nods before going about on his mission. I head back to the office to see Christian sitting at his desk, his head in his hands. I slowly back out, closing the doors again.