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A complete wreck
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On the contrary... 'I'm not leaving you behind' were words that held a promise, one that he was planning to keep.
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Four days after Christian brought Ana to the hospital, she was finally healthy enough to go home.
"Dad, help me with my bags, please?" she asked, while carefully getting out the hospital bed.
"Careful, honey" Ray said in a worried tone." Watch your step"
"Don't worry, it's not like I underwent a heart surgery, dad" Ana teased, making her dad roll his eyes at her.
"Just be careful, dear" he told Ana, and grabbed her bags and phone.
"Should I call the nurse to help you in a wheelchair?"
"No! I can walk, you know" she countered, and demonstrated to her dad by walking effortlessly to the door.
"OK, if you say so" he replied, and then they walked towards the elevator.
"Ana, who was the man who helped you with your injuries?" Ray asked, his brows furrowed." A stranger?"
She nodded in response." Yes"
"Well, can I meet him?" Ray asked, while pushing the elevator button.
"I don't know."
He scrunched his brows together." What do you mean, you don't know?"
It was then, when Ana explained to her father that Christian had brought her to the hospital four days ago, and she hasn't seen him since.
"Well, that's strange"
Ana chuckled at that." You think he's strange now and you haven't met him yet…"
"He didn't hurt you or do anything…" Ray began, but she cut him off.
"No, no no, dad… he was the perfect gentleman since day one" Ana said in a convincing manner." A little weird, but a gentleman indeed."
Ray was relieved to hear that, but was still concerned about Ana.
As they stepped into his car, he gave her a concerned look. "Sweetie, I feel so bad for not being here for you"
Ana shook her head." I'm OK, don't worry about me." she told him." I can take care of myself."
"What about that criminal who attacked you and left you for dead?" Ray said, while holding the steering wheel tightly.
He was pissed!
"We're going to the Police Station right away, Ana" Ray said, and stepped on the gas pedal." He thinks he can get away with assaulting you?! Clearly he doesn't know who your father is…"
Ana sighed deeply, and watched her dad." Calm down, please"
"Calm down?!" he exclaimed with his eyes fixed on the road." How do you expect me to calm down, Ana? He hurt you!"
It was heartbreaking to see her father this way, making Ana choke up.
"You're an adult, I know that." Ray said, his voice trembling from anger." But, you're still MY little girl"
Ana wiped away her tears, and placed a hand on his upper arm." I know... and I don't say this enough, dad." She confessed." But I love you"
"Love you too, kiddo" Ray said, while trying to swallow the lump in his throat.
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As they walked into the Police Station, Ray whispered in Ana's ear." If you see the 'stranger' ever again, Ana. Will you thank him for me?"
Ana smiled at Ray, and nodded." Of course I will" she promised.
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After Ana pressed charges against Jack Hyde, they drove to her apartment.
"How is it at work, dad?" Ana asked, while walking into the apartment building.
Ray sighed at that." That's what I wanted to discuss with you."
Ana furrowed her brows in response." What is it?"
"Let's go into your place first"
"OK"
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Ray had placed Ana's bags in her bedroom, and walked back to the living room.
"Here you go, dad…" Ana said, and handed him a bottle of water.
"Thank you, sweetie"
They took a seat on the couch and that's when Ana asked." What is it that you needed to discuss with me?"
Ray took a swig from the bottle and locked eyes with Ana." I'm worried about you… about your safety, Ana"
She shook her head, and smiled." You don't have to… I'm safe in my apartment, dad."
"I'll be out of town again tonight, sweetie" Ray replied, while giving her a worried look." Work has been hectic lately, especially now that the CEO is on maternity leave"
Ana shook her head." If you gotta go, then you gotta go"
Ray grabbed her hand and squeezed it." I have a suggestion… While detective Sawyer handles your case against Hyde, why don't you ask one of your friends to live with you? Until I'm back from my business trip."
"No." Ana countered." It's not necessary, dad"
"I'm afraid, sweetie" he said, his voice trembling." If something bad happens to you, when I'm not here, I don't…"
But Ana cut him off gently." I'll be fine, dad…" she insisted, and gave him a kiss on the cheek." Thank you anyway for your concern"
Ray pulled her in an embrace, and held her tightly.
"I love you so much, Ana" he confessed." Since the divorce, you're all I have"
Well, that made Ana tear up.
She pulled back from the hug, and smiled through her tears." I'll ALWAYS be your little girl, dad"
He was just about to reply, when they both heard a knock on the door.
"Who could that be?" Ana said, and got up.
"Be careful" Ray warned." I'll open it. You stay here"
"Dad, don't be so paranoid…"
"Ana, listen to me" Ray told her, and walked over to the front door.
"Who is it?" he said aloud.
"Miss? Are you in there?"
When Ana heard his voice, her eyes went wide.
'Seriously?! It was Christian?'
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… The next day, Ana was joined by Christian in her studio.
The evening before, Ana introduced him to Ray.
Well, Ray had a dozen things to say to Christian and also fired a dozen questions at him.
He tried answering them all, the way only Christian does; short and without too many details.
At one point Ana noticed how uncomfortable Christian looked, so she decided to lighten things up by telling the two men that she was hungry.
Ray ordered food, and so they had an awkward, but nice dinner together.
Ana felt embarrassed by her dad, and had even whispered to him to tone down with the questions, and what does he do?
Out of the blue, Ray asked Christian if he could look after Ana, while he was abroad.
"Dad! You cannot ask him that!" she scolded him, giving him the 'eyes'.
"I bet Christian wants to go back home to Oregon…" Ana told Ray, her eyes locked onto his.
Then she looked over to Christian." Don't listen to my dad… you were planning on going home, weren't you?"
Christian shook his head in response." No, I wasn't." he told Ana, his gray eyes locked onto hers." If you need my help, I'm available, Miss…"
(Ray had also told Christian about the assault charges against Hyde… Ana and even Ray himself didn't know why, but he had a gut feeling that he could trust the 'stranger' with protecting his only daughter)
When Ana didn't respond, Christian repeated what he just said." I'm available, Miss"
She rolled her eyes in annoyance. Now her dad made Christian worry about her safety also!
"No, I'll be fine, Christian" she told him." I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my life. And also, for bringing me to the hospital. But I'm OK now… you don't HAVE to do this…"
Ana said it in such a convincing manner, and yet it didn't change Christian's mind." That man could still be after you. Especially now that the Police is involved." He insisted." And I know I don't HAVE to do this, but I want to"
In response, Ana groaned aloud.
Nope, the way Christian was looking at her right now, meant just one thing:
He had made up his mind and was going to stay to protect her no matter what she'd do or say…
Ana was busy with painting, when Christian walked up to her.
"You are a very talented artist, Miss"
Ana rolled her eyes at him in response." My name is Ana…" she told him, and went further with her work.
"I just wanted you to know I found your work fascinating" he countered, and walked away from her.
For the rest of the day, Christian was like a shadow. When they weren't alone, there was no sign of him. It's like he vanished into thin air. However, she knew and felt that he was somewhere inside the studio, keeping the promise that he made to Ray.
'Keep her safe for me, please?' Her father had said to Christian, before he left.
Ana's friends and acquaintances dropped by the studio to ask how she was doing, and also asked her about her upcoming art exhibition.
Well, the more they asked Ana about it, the more nervous, anxious and angry she got.
Why? She was way behind her schedule! She lost so many workdays, because she had been assaulted, stayed in Oregon for five days and was in the hospital for four more days.
At the end of the day, Ana was a complete wreck!
It was almost 6 PM, when Christian walked inside Ana's 'sanctuary'.
"It's getting late, Miss." He told her in that monotone voice." Shouldn't we go back to your apartment? You must be famished."
Ana groaned aloud, and threw her paint brush at the wall." I'm so fucking screwed!" she shouted, while tears pooled in her eyes.
He looked at Ana, those piercing gray eyes locked on hers, brows furrowed." What exactly are you trying to say?"
In response, she began to grab her bag and phone and stormed out the room." You are so hopeless!" she hissed." Let's go"
Christian followed her, and asked." Excuse me, Miss?"
When they reached the front door of the building, Ana turned her head and faced him." I'm not going to meet my deadline! My exhibition is just around the corner, and I don't have the amount of pieces needed." She said, while tears rolled down her cheek." And then this fucking thing with Hyde, and also my thigh, it hurts when I'm cold!"
As he looked at Ana, he felt this strange tug at his heart.
He felt sorry for her.
"Miss, I cannot help you with your work. But, right now all I know is that we need to go." Christian told her." You need rest that much I know, and you need to be fed."
"I'm not hungry!" she countered." All I can think about right now is my upcoming exhibition"
"I can see that." Christian told her." But, that doesn't take away the fact that you need some rest, a bath maybe and food in your belly… let's go. I'll make some dinner for you."
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Approximately twenty five minutes later, Ana walked into her bedroom, while Christian was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for the two of them.
(On the way home, they stopped at the grocery store, because Ana literally had nothing in the fridge.)
She locked the bathroom door, and looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Crap! She looked like crap!
As she let out a deep breath, Ana pondered how the hell she was going to finish all of her work.
Nope, she still had no solution for it. While wiping away the tears from her eyes, Ana decided to suck it up. She took off Christian's leather jacket, and placed it gently on the counter.
(It was only a ten-minute walk, so they walked from the studio to her apartment. And when it got a bit chilly, Christian lent Ana his jacket)
Within minutes she stepped inside the bathtub. As the warm water enveloped her cold body, she let out a deep breath." Oh, God... so good." she mumbled.
The warm water felt amazing! As her eyes fell shut, Ana took in the wonderful feeling. It was then, when she realized that she hadn't taken her medication.
'Argh!' She got up, and walked towards her jeans. She was relieved to see the two bottles inside the pockets. The subscription said to take in two pills, but she decided to take three instead. It was going to help her relax more. After that, Ana sank into the warm water once again.
'Yes... this was better.' she thought.
Ana lightly massaged the sides of her head, slowly tumbling into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, Christian was waiting for Ana at the dining table. His stomach was growling violently; he was famished.
"What is she doing?" he muttered under his breath, and walked up the stairs. As he stood in front of the bathroom door, he knocked on it.
"Miss? Are you OK in there?" he said aloud, and when she did not answer, Christian huffed.
She hated it, when he called her 'Miss' instead of Ana, and he knew it. So, he decided to call her by her name. He imagined how Ana sat in the bath tub, annoyed by him not calling her by her first name.
"Ana?" he tried, and knocked on the bathroom door." Ana?! Are you OK in there?"
He waited, but didn't receive an answer from the woman with the long, chestnut-colored locks. As he listened closely, he furrowed his brows.
" What the... ?" he said, and knocked harder, almost breaking down the door.
When Ana didn't react to the loud pounding on the door, Christian made a split decision and broke it down with one swift kick. As he stepped inside, he saw her in the tub completely submerged in the water.
"Oh, no. Ana!" Christian shouted, and grabbed her roughly on her upper arms.
As he carried her out of the water, he kept calling out her name." Ana! Wake up! Ana!"
Christian gently placed her on the bathroom floor, and immediately covered her body with the first towel he saw. At the sight of her pale lips and face, his heart rammed wildly against his rib cage.
" Ana!" he called out.
No, no, no, no… "I will not lose you!" were the heart-wrenching words that slipped from his lips." I've lost too many lives already"
The sight of her lifeless body in his arms and her pale lips, almost made him panic. However, Christian demanded from himself to save this young woman's life!
"Damn it! What did you do, Ana?" he exclaimed, and when he still didn't see any reaction from her, Christian began performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on her.
He knew what fear was; he knew it all too well. But at that very moment, he was beyond terrified. He couldn't let her die. No, not on his watch!
He didn't save her life then to lose her now! Seconds passed, but to him it seemed like hours. And then finally, Ana coughed up all the water that she had swallowed.
Thank Goodness!
As a sigh escaped Christian's lips, his eyes fell shut for a few seconds.' She's alive.'
When he opened his eyes, Christian watched as she carefully sat up with the towel around her body. Ana looked up at him, her eyes filled with confusion.
"Wha- what happened? Why am I lying on the bathroom floor?" she asked, as her eyes welled up." Christian? And why is my bathroom door damaged?"
As those words reached his ears, Christian's eyes landed on the two bottles on the bathroom counter. Well, that angered him…
'Did she do it on purpose?!' he thought, as he clenched his hands together.
"Christian? Tell me?" Ana asked, still confused about the whole situation.
In response, he locked eyes with her." You almost drowned, Miss…What did you do? Did you do it on purpose?" he asked, his clear, gray eyes filled with anger and disbelief...
Note: Thank you for reading and the reviews. :)
