A/N I want to thank everyone for the awesome reviews I have gotten so far. And a special thank you to the guys who have pm'd me and given me some great feedback and tips for the story. You know who you are xxx

I know it's been a good few days since I've updated but I hope to get a couple of chapters up this weekend.

Christian POV

'If the patient's blood sugar gets too high they can feel woozy, sick, thirsty and maybe even quite hungry, but they cannot eat as this will further raise their glucose level and they may have a seizure and/or go into a hyperglycaemic coma.'''

'If the patient's blood sugar gets too low they are also at risk of coma and need to eat straight away to raise their glucose levels.'

'Levels must be checked multiple times a day.'

'Depending on the dosage and type of diabetes the patient may need to take multiple shots every day.'

'Regular check-ups and contact with a doctor is a must to control a patient's diabetes.'

'Patient's must be careful any open wounds do not get infected.'

'Unconscious…coma…death.'

Dropping my head into my hands I feel utterly hopeless. How does Ana deal with this illness every day?

I have spent the last few hours sitting on the floor of Ana's bedroom while she slept looking up diabetes on my laptop.

Once she finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep on the couch I put her to bed and at first I went back to my office but I was so worried something would happen to her without any supervision I just had to come keep an eye on her.

Luckily for me she was deeply asleep so I snuck in and took a seat on the floor leaning up against the floor to ceiling windows of her room.

Looking at her now she looks so tiny and fragile almost hidden under the comforter. What am I going to do with her? She obviously can't be out on the street by herself but I also cannot make her stay here. I want to kick myself for my fucking temper and the fact that I frightened her. Will she ever listen to me long enough for me to offer her help?

If I read one more thing about this fucking disease I'll fling my laptop across the room. The fact that it is incurable is killing me. I'm going to have to look into how the research is being funded, maybe a sizeable donation or two can help speed things along a bit. Sighing, I close my laptop and lean my head back against the window. Jesus Christ I'm so fucking tired.

How do I get her to believe how sorry I am for the way I've acted? Will she ever listen to me again? ''God Ana, I'm so sorry,'' I say quietly into the dark room, my voice cracks a little with emotion.

''It's okay,'' a soft whisper.

Ana POV

I awaken slowly to a darkened room and a warm bed. I must be back in Christian's spare room again. What time is it? I'm so comfortable I don't want to move. I'm just lying there with my eyes half open when movement by the window startles me.

I almost scream when I see a figure but my eyes are focusing in the almost dark and I can make out Christians features in the dim light of a laptop.

Should I say something? No, I decide if I stay quiet he might just go away. Watching him I see he's frowning and grumbling softly to himself. What is he looking at that is pissing him off this way? Suddenly he closes his laptop and leans back against the window. I can still see his face faintly from the city lights.

He looks so tired. Why isn't he in bed? My breath catches when he speaks. ''God Ana, I'm so sorry.''

Does he realise I'm awake? He's sorry? I knew he thought I was on drugs and he genuinely seemed to be panicked when I collapsed in the lift. Is that why he is sorry…for frightening me? I feel kinda bad now that he is beating himself up over a misunderstanding, even if he did lose his temper. I bite my lip, should I say something? I don't want to anger him again.

But ultimately it's the way he sounded so forlorn and that his voice was pained with emotion that convinces me to speak, ''its okay.''

He sits up suddenly and looks at me sharply. Shit. I scoot under the covers.

''Ana, no, don't hide its okay. I'm just surprised is all, I thought you were asleep.''

I peek out from under the covers and he's relaxed back against the window again, even if his relaxed pose seems a bit forced now.

''How are you feeling.''

I shrug and the comforter moves slightly, ''okay I guess.''

''You're not dizzy or sick? Should we check your levels again? I can get Taylor to…''

''No, honestly I'm okay.''

There's an awkward silence now as neither of us know what to say. Christian breaks it, he leans forward. ''Jesus Ana, I'm so sorry for earlier. For what I did…for what I said.''

I can hear the genuine remorse in his voice, ''it's alright, you made a mistake in judgement. I know all about misreading a person's character.'' I add wryly and I know we are both thinking about Jose.

''No.'' his voice is harsh and his fists are clenched on his knees. Shit, I made him angry again. Why can I not just keep my mouth shut? I have been told often enough how much I irritate people so why do I insist on opening my big mouth?

He calms a little before going on. ''Don't make excuses for me Ana, the way I spoke to you was inexcusable. Instead of asking you what was going on I jumped to conclusions, as usual.''

What do I say? I'm afraid I'll make him angry if I tell him not to worry about it. I decide silence might be the best way to go here.

''I'll make it up to you Ana, I promise.''

Make it up to me how? He doesn't owe me anything. If anything I owe him as he got me away from Jose. Besides, I'll be gone long before he has a chance to make amends, not that he needs to. It was a misunderstanding, that's all.

''Are you gone back to sleep?''

Shit. ''Um n…no,'' I hate the way my voice always gives away my nervousness and causes me to stutter.

''Are you afraid?'' it's barely a whisper.

''I…I don't want to m…make you mad.''

I can see his head cock to the side, ''I'm not mad.''

I allow my silence to do my disagreeing. ''Okay, maybe a little. But I'm not mad at you, how could I be?''

''You were mad at me…before,'' shut up Ana!

Christian sighs, ''there's a lot about me you don't know Ana. I have…issues, with anger…with trust, I find it almost impossible to let anyone in.''

''So…it wasn't me you were angry with?'' I ask sceptically, it sure felt like it was.

A heavy sigh, he doesn't answer my question. ''My mother was a crack whore.''

My breath catches, ''oh.''

''Yeah. Oh.''

I don't know if he's going to elaborate of if that is all he's going to tell me. We must sit in silence for a solid minute before he continues.

''When I saw you in that alley, I knew you didn't want to be there. I thought if I didn't help you then the next person to come along might…well, you know.'' He looks up at me.

''Yeah, I know.''

''There was no one to save her though, I wasn't strong enough.'' Christian confesses into the dark bedroom. ''I don't even know if she wanted saving, in the end. I'm sure there may have been a time when someone could have stepped in. Did she not have anyone who cared?''

He looks at me now and I know he's silently asking me how I ended up in that alley with Jose. Did I have no one who cared enough about me? ''Some people just aren't blessed with a family who loves them.'' For some reason it's easier to admit these things into the darkness. ''Some people aren't worth loving.''

Christians breath is a sharp exhale, ''don't ever let anyone make you believe that Ana. Everyone is worthy of love.'' He halts towards the end and I'm wondering who he's thinking of when he seems to disagree with what he's saying. Is he talking about himself?

''Even you?'' no answer, I don't press the issue.

We lapse into silence again, both seemingly lost in our own thoughts. What is it about being awake in the dead of night that seems to bring out your innermost fears? Things that it would never even occur to you to consider during the day, plague your mind in the darkness of the night.

''I'm not a prostitute,'' I need him to know this.

''I know.''

''And I don't do drugs.''

I think I see a hint of a smile but I can't be sure in this dim light. ''I know.''

''Good.''

''What happened to your mother?'' I need to know.

''She killed herself when I was a child.''

Oh no. ''I'm so sorry.''

He shrugs off my attempted words of comfort, ''doesn't matter, she didn't care enough to fight. I was only four…I remember though, bits and pieces. Flashes here and there. I was with her for days before we were found, that I do remember.''

He looks up and must see the horror on my face. ''it was a long time ago Ana. I was one of the lucky ones, I was adopted by a loving family. I'm over it.''

Somehow I doubt that very much.

Christian gets to his feet but doesn't approach me, ''try and get some sleep, there's a doctor coming to see you in a few hours. She will have my ass if I don't let you get your rest.

''She?''

Christian stops in the doorway and rubs the back of his neck rather bashfully, ''yeah, my mother.''

With that said he opens the door and the room floods with light from the hall blinding me for a split second before he shuts the door behind him.

Christians mother, Grace, is a sweet lady, she reminds me of an angel. All soft words and gentle touches. She obviously sensed my apprehension when she came in to see me but she is just such a nice lady I couldn't help but be calmed by her.

She asked me a few questions about my diabetes and took some blood samples. She checked my levels and for dehydration. She frowned a few times while checking me over when she saw my multitude of bruises, curtesy of Jose.

She questioned me at length about my wrist, she didn't seem to believe it was an accident but didn't push the issue when she saw it made me anxious.

She is the kindest doctor I have ever met. I wonder what Christian told her about me? Obviously not the truth or she certainly wouldn't be so nice to me.

Maybe she would be able to tell me where I can find a free clinic and a shelter here in Seattle, surely a doctor would know.

''Um, Grace?''

''Yes honey.''

''Do…do you know of anywhere I can go, you know, to stay for the night? I um, I don't know Seattle all that well and I was just wondering if…if you know of any decent shelters I can go to. I…I need to find somewhere to fill this prescription too b…because I have no m…money.'' Damn that stutter, but I am embarrassed admitting that I'm homeless to this woman.

Grace looks stunned for a moment but hides it quickly. She comes over and pats my hand, ''don't you worry about anything honey, we will sort something out for you.'' She leans in and kisses the top of my head in a very motherly gesture and I sigh in relief, hoping she can find me somewhere to go.

She tells me to rest and leaves the room. After a few minutes I'm snuggled under the covers when I hear raised voices in the living room. Someone is not happy. Oh no, what did I do?

Christian POV

''Christian Trevelyan Grey!''

Shit, my mom full named me, this is not good. I round the corner into the living room where my mother stands with her hands on her hips and she looks about ready to rip me a new one.

''Yeah.''

''Don't 'yeah' me! Who is that child and what is she doing in your apartment?''

''Child?'' I choke, ''how old is she?''

''Twenty one, now answer my question.''

I lean over with my hands braced on my knees, ''Jesus, mom don't do that to a guy, I almost had a heart attack.''

''Why would you be so worried Christian? You haven't touched her have you? Because I swear to G…''

''Whoa, whoa, whoa.'' I put my hands up in front of me as if I'm defending myself, which in a way I suppose I am. ''What the hell mom, did you not see how traumatised she is? I would never do that.'' I'm a bit pissed actually that my mom thinks so low of me. ''I was just worried I'd get into trouble for harbouring a minor.''

Mom moves to the couch, ''I know son, but please tell me how you wound up with a sick, terrified girl staying at your apartment?''

''Sick? Why didn't you say? What do we need to do, should we go to the hospital?'' I'm pacing around in circles. My mom raises an eyebrow at me. ''What?''

''Sit down Christian your making me dizzy.'' I plop down on the couch with a huff.

''Now listen without jumping to conclusions. Ana's levels are a little low this morning, probably from not eating last night after her shot, so I sugge….''

''GAIL,'' I cut my mom off. Gail all but runs into the room. ''Please give Ana a tray to her room, she's hungry.''

''Sir.''

Mom just shakes her head, ''Ana's diabetes can be monitored and controlled and we have to be very careful with her wrist as that cannot afford to get infected, I saw her bruises also,'' I wince, ''and I am honestly concerned for her state of mind.''

''State of mind?''

Ignoring my interruption my mother continues to question me. ''Does she have any reason to think you are going to throw her out onto the street Christian?''

Crap. My mom is eyeing me. ''There was an…incident, last night. I got a bit angry, but it was just a misunderstanding and I apologised.''

''An incident,'' she says slowly. ''Well, Ana just asked me if I knew of any shelters and free clinics in the area she can go to, today.''

''What? That's absurd she can't just leave with nowhere to go.'' I'm fuming now and struggling to not raise my voice.

''Yes well, I think in light of Ana's fear of anger and her illness, I have somewhere in mind that she can go. Just let me make some inquiries and I'll come back later.''

''What?'' I whisper yell. ''No way, no fucking way. Ana is staying here, you're not sending her off somewhere where god knows what can happen to her.''

I think I see a ghost of a smile cross my mother's face, but it's gone before I can be sure. ''Alright son, but you had better tell her that, because that girl thinks you are kicking her out today.

I think Ana and I need to have a serious chat about her near future, I take a few deep breaths to calm me down. ''Alright mom, thanks for seeing her today, Taylor will fill any prescriptions and I'll make sure she follows orders and eats properly.

''Okay son I'll leave a list of instructions that need to be followed to get Ana back on track over the next few days. Will you be coming to dinner on Sunday, we haven't seen you in weeks?''

''I'll see how Ana is, I don't want to leave her if she's not feeling well.''

''Bring her along too, there will be plenty for everyone.'' With that said my mom kisses my cheek and is gone. That went better than I thought it would.

A/N So? Do you think this was a turning point for our Ana and Christian? When I was planning this chapter I just kept getting an image of them taking in the dark so I decided to go with it.