HI EVERYONE.
SORRY THIS IS LATE. I HAD A MAJOR COMPUTER MALFUNCTION AND LOST MY ORIGINAL CHAPTER 10 AND THE EPILOGUE SO I HAD TO RE WRITE THEM AND ANY AUTHOR WILL TELL YOU THAT IS SUCKS WRITING A CHAPTER TWICE.
THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. I HAVE LOVED WRITING IN AND I HAVE LOVED THE REVIEWS AND THE DEBATES ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE LOL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS STORY.
I WILL BE BACK SOON AS I HAVE ANOTHER STORY I AM WRITING WHICH IS 100% FLUFF AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER STORY WHICH IS MOSTLY ANGST.
SEE YOU ALL SOON.
CHEERS
GG89 XOXOX
ANAS POV
Within a few hours of getting to Kate's house, I am packed up, boxed up and on my way to the house on the sound.
This is going super fast but...I want Christian.
We should already be in the house. We should be married. If our insecurity's hadn't of gotten the best of us then this is where we would be so moving in with him is a no brainer.
We are stronger together. When Christian and I were good, we were very good. But when we were bad, we were very bad.
This year apart has done us the world of good. We have both matured and both learned some harsh lessons.
I think the biggest lesson that we have learned is that Yes, we can live apart from each other. We can get on with our daily lives and go to work and function like the seven billion other people on the planet.
Yes, we can live without the other, but it's not really living.
It's like when your street has a black out. You get up and you tentatively find your way in the dark. You know where everything is and you can manage for a while. But when the lights come back on and you can see the world again, that's what Love is.
I love Christian and I know he loves me. Yes we both made mistakes but we have learned from it. Dealt with it. And now we move on.
Whats the point in living in the past?
I am going to embrace this time with Christian. We are working on our More. Moving into the house is a big step but its an inevitable step.
It's like Christian said. We have failed twice. This is the third time and if we can't make it work this time...then that's it.
That's why we are going to put our all into this. We will succeed. I know we will.
"We're here, Baby" I am stirred from my musings by Christian.
I completely zoned out and it's only now that I see the House.
It's even more beautiful than I remember.
When Christian first showed me this place it was a bit of a shambles. The out side was a murky brown color and the plaster was peeling everywhere. Now it's painted a nice creamy gold color and it has flowers all around the bottom of it springing up from the flower beds.
Christian gets out the car and then comes and opens my door. He helps me out and then we both stand wrapped around each other as we stare upon our house. Christian told me on the drive over that the house is in both our names.
Normally I would have protested about me not contributing to it's cost but Instead I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and said thank you.
"Are you ready to go inside?" Christian asks me.
"Lead the way, Mr Grey"
He takes my hand and then walks us up to the double doors. He opens it and when we step in I gasp.
The inside is completely renovated. It has double sweeping staircases that lead to a very big balcony that looks over not only the foyer but also the family room which I can see from where I am too.
It's absolutely breath taking.
"Do you want a tour?" Christian takes my hand but I stand firm in my spot.
"You can give me a tour later. Right now, all I want to see is our bedroom"
He looks a bit shocked but then lust clouds his eyes.
He scoops down and picks me up bridal style and then runs as fast as is safe up the stairs to our waiting bedroom.
I lay across Christians chest trying to get my breath back.
The love making that we have indulged in this afternoon is like nothing we have ever shared before.
At first we were both a little nervous but as soon as we were both naked its like instinct over took us.
We took the first time slow and my hands re explored the territory that is now and has always been mine. Christians chest. I planted little kisses all over it and when he was deep inside me I ran my nails down his back and that's when we both found our release.
We made love three times and it's like we could not get enough of each other.
"I've missed this. Missed you, so much" I say and then kiss another of his scars.
"I've missed you more than words can say, Anastasia. I love you so much and I know that this last year was hard on both of us but this, right here, what we now have? It was all worth it"
"I agree. I feel...I don't know...more grown up? I finally feel like we are in a grown up relationship. Does that make sense?"
"Yes, It does. It feels...real this time"
I lay myself flat over the top of him and he gently cups my ass in his hands.
"Want to know something, Mr Grey?"
"Always, Miss Steele"
"I missed you. I missed making love to you. I missed fucking you but do you know what I missed most of all and what I have fantasized about this last year?"
"Whats that?"
"The back rubs you always give me after a long sex sessions" I giggle and then he flips me over so I am on my stomach and then he proceeds to give me what I have been dreaming of this last year.
When he is finished, he gently kisses my spine and then whispers in my ear.
"My turn now" He flips himself off of me and lays on his stomach and I sit on the back of his thighs but what I see makes me scream and laugh at the same time.
"CHRISTIAN! You have a tattoo of my name on your ass!"
He turns to look at me shyly.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot that was there"
"How long have you had this?"
I trace my fingers over the bold Italian script. Its of a Grey colored Rose and written up the stem is my name, Anastasia.
"I've had it for about eights months. Do you get the meaning?" He asks me as I explore it a bit more.
"Yes. Anastasia and then a Steele Rose. Anastasia Rose Steele. It's beautiful"
He rolls over so I am sat on his thighs and then he pulls me forward so I am once again laying in him.
"I was really down one night and Elliott decided that we needed a Bro's before Ho's night. He basically took me out and got me plastered. I woke up the next morning with a bandage on my ass and when I peeled it off I saw the tattoo. I was shocked because I had always been anti-tattoo but it's so beautiful that I kept it. That same night Elliott got a tattoo but instead of having Kate's name he had Yosemite-Sam tattooed on his pelvis" He chuckles.
"That's is such and Elliott thing to do"
"It is. Now, not that I don't like you sitting in me naked but I am starving so why don't we go down stairs and order Chinese food and then come back up here for round two?"
"Sounds like a plan but I want my round two now, then we can eat, then we come back up here for round three which is technically round six" I start kissing up his chest and before long we are indulging in another round.
CHRISTIANS POV. MONDAY MORNING.
The weekend was the best I've ever had. When Ana agreed to move into our house with me I was ecstatic.
I love Ana. Deeply. She's it for me and even though I was with Cassie for a few months, she doesn't hold a patch to Ana.
When Ana and I have sex, even if it is a rough Fuck, it's always making love. Having that connection with another human is brilliant.
This morning, waking up with Ana and then making love to her in our bed and then the shower was outstanding.
We had breakfast together and because I had to go to work before her, she saw me off at the front door with a kiss and a slap on the ass and a "Have a good day, dear". She kissed me so good that it want until I was in the parking garage of Grey House did I realize I forgot my briefcase.
As I walk into Grey House I have a spring in my step. I even say good morning to the overly flirtatious blond on reception.
However my mood takes a downer when I walk into my office and find Cassie waiting for me.
"Morning, Mr Grey"
"Cassie, what are you doing here? We don't have a meeting scheduled"
"No we don't but I came to give you this" She hands me a letter and when I read it my eyes dart to her.
"Your letter of resignation?"
"A few months back I was offered the position of Department head at Amazon. They head hunted me and I turned them down. After what happened over the weekend I know that our friendship must come to an end so I called them up and asked if the job was still going and they said yes. I start three weeks from today"
"About what happened on Saturday night..."
"It's OK, Christian. It was a misunderstanding on Kate's part. I was not flirting with Elliott in any way, shape or form. You're my friend...you're my only friend and now that Ana is back there is no room for me in your life which I understand. It's time for me to move on and maybe make some new friends. Hopefully fall in love and one day have a family" she tells me sadly.
"You're a great girl, Cassie. Any man that you fall in love with will be very lucky. You've been a good friend to me and m sorry that it had to end this way"
"Yeah, me too. I just hope that Ana knows what a good guy you are and I hope she doesn't mess up again"
"I Have no intention of messing up again but if I do I know Christian and I will be able to work it out. Together" Ana says from the door way.
When I turn to look at her I see she has my briefcase with her.
"Ana, I was just telling Christian goodbye" Cassie tells her.
"I know. I heard most of it from the door. Good luck at Amazon" Ana tells her not unkindly but rather sternly and then she holds the door open for her.
Cassie turns to me and I can see that she wants to either hug me or shake my hand goodbye but she does neither.
"Good bye, Mr Grey"
"Goodbye, Miss Martin and Good luck"
With a small wave and a sad smile, she walks out the door and out of my life.
Ana shuts the door behind her and then walks over to me.
"She was in here when I came in. I didn't..."
She stops me with a finger to my lips.
"I know. I trust you"
She leans up and kisses me gently on the lips.
"I brought you your briefcase. You left it in the table in the foyer at home"
"Home. I like the way you say that" I pull her close to me and then kiss her deeply.
"I have to go. Have a great day at work, Mr Grey"
"You too, Miss Steele. I'll see you at home later"
"Yes, you will. Later's Baby"
She winks at me and then walks out of my office.
God, I love that girl!
ANAS POV
I get back to the house before Christian and I decide to cook for him tonight.
I walk into the kitchen and have a quick chat to Gail and then tell her to take the rest of the day off.
I start preparing a couple of steaks for us and then I throw in some roast potatoes and some vegetables.
I love cooking and I have missed cooking for Christian. He is so appreciative of anything on his plate and it makes my heart hurt to image that little scared four year old boy who had no food.
While everything is cooking I make my way up to our room and put on some leggings and Christians Harvard sweater. I make my way back down the stairs and when I pass his office I see the boxes that are stacked in there waiting to be put away.
We packed most of our stuff away on Saturday but we still have his office and a few small things in a few of the spare room.
I decide to help him by packing away his stuff. If I put it in the wrong place then he can just change it around later.
I start by putting all his business books on his shelf. I put them in volume order and then place a few of his nic naks like his awards between the books.
I open another box and start putting his stationary in his desk but when I open his bottom drawer I find a lone box.
I recognize that box!
With trembling hands I pick the box up and open it.
Tears instantly fill my eyes when I see the bracelet nestled in the velvet.
It's such a beautiful bracelet but I remember the morning he gave it to me.
It was after a major fight we had. I had forgotten one of my pills and he basically dragged me into the bathroom and made me take a pregnancy test. I know he didn't mean too, but he bruised my wrist pretty badly and when he gave me the bracelet, in my mind it was like a "I'm sorry I marked you, here's something pretty to cover it with"
I remember giving it back to him without even really looking at the bracelet and telling him to donate it to charity.
He kept this the whole time?
I take it out the box and examine it. It really is very pretty. Little rows of blue and pink diamonds nestled into white diamonds.
I flip it over and the words that stare back at me steal the breath from my lungs.
"Anastasia, will you Marry Me? I want to get a baby started on our honeymoon. Love Christian xoxo"
He asked me to marry him and have a baby? He told me that he never wanted kids. It was always a big fight between us because every time I would bring up the subject of kids he would blow me off.
Not that I wanted Kids back then but in my future I always wanted to be a mother and Christian was adamant that he didn't want to be a father. That was one of the reasons why I never said yes to his marriage proposals.
It always felt like a deal breaker. If we had gotten married and had to watch all my friends have kids and become mothers, would I have resented Christian? Probably.
But now, looking at this inscription, he changed his mind about kids?
I hear the front door opening so I quickly but the bracelet back where I found it and then run out of the room.
I see Christian putting his briefcase down by the door and as he turns I run and jump into his arms and kiss him all over his face.
"Wow! What a welcome home!"
"I love you, Christian Grey" I whisper into his neck
He pulls back a bit and looks into my eyes.
"Ana, have you been crying? Your eyes are all red?"
"Yeah I had a little tear but I am a girl in love with a beautiful man living in a house fit for a queen. I am allowed to become a bit emotional"
"You are a Queen. My Queen"
"And you're my King"
I kiss him softly and then we make our way into the kitchen where we share a fabulous meal and talk about our days.
Cassie's name does not get mentioned once and I know that she never will be again.
During the meal and late into the night when our bodies are both exhausted from our love making, the bracelet pops into my head and gives me and idea.
I smile while I look down at my sleeping king. I have made mistakes just like he has, but I have something in mind that will prove to him once and for all that I am committed to him.
I fall asleep thinking of my plan and dreaming about our future.
TWO MONTHS LATER. CHRISTIANS POV
I hate being away from Ana.
Ros was supposed to come to the New York office to oversee a new merger but she gave me some bullshit excuse so I had to come instead.
I have only been away from Ana for a day but I miss her like crazy.
These last two months have been the best of my life.
Ana and I are in a routine which I love.
We wake up, make love and then have breakfast together. We ride to Grey House which is where we both now work because I merged banner publishing with Grey Publishing and it's now housed on the 18th floor so I get to see my girl during the day.
We have lunch together when our schedules permit it and then we ride home together after work. When we get home we have our dinner and then spend the next few hours just hanging out with each other and then we make love or fuck long into the night.
On weekends I dismiss Jason and just have the coverts watching us which Ana loves. I know she used to feel suffocated with always having someone in the car with us or attached to our hips so this way we are safe an can just be us without the third wheel.
We make the most out our weekend and we go sailing and gliding. Sometimes we go hiking or for picnics. We sometimes go dancing and a few times we have been to the local bowling ally where we both had way to many margaritas which left us with major hangovers but it was really fun.
I miss my girl so bad that I pull out my phone and ring her but it goes to voicemail. I know she has a big meeting today and tomorrow, that's why she could not come with me so I leave her an "I love you and miss you voicemail" and then get on with my day.
Later that night I am putting on my tuxedo for some gala that Andrea called me about today that I simply must attend but she forgot to mention before now when my phone rings with Ros flashing on the screen.
"Grey?"
"Christian, I just spoke to Micheal McGregor and he said that you forgot to sign one of the papers for the merger?"
"What? No I didn't! What is he talking about?"
"I'm not sure but he said he is going to the same Gala tonight so he will bring the contract and his lawyer and you can sign. It's no big deal"
"Ok. I am positive I signed all those pages. I don't fuck up like that Ros and you know I don't"
"Christian, we are all human. It's just one page. You will both be in the same place tonight so it's no biggy"
"Ok. Night ros"
"Night Boss"
I have never forgotten to sign a page before. Never. Something is fishy about this so I will make sure Taylor is on his guard tonight.
"Andrea didn't say that the gala was at the Empire State building"
"Must have slipped her mind, Sir" Taylor shrugs and we both get into the elevator.
"Why did you just push for the observation deck, Taylor?"
"Ros texted me and said that Mr McGregor thought you would have more privacy on the deck instead of at the Gala. He is waiting for you up there now with his lawyer"
"Something is not right about this, Taylor. This to me screams "Throw the billionaire off the building"
"I will stay with you, Sir"
Why is he so calm?
When the doors open to the observation deck I know something is wrong. The place is covered in rose petals and candles. I step out the elevator and when I turn around to talk to Taylor I see the doors closing and he just smirks at me as he is carried back down the building.
I walk around slowly because I am still not sure what this is but my heart stops when I see my very own brunette goddess, wearing my favorite plum dress, looking out over the glittering city.
She must sense me because she turns and gives me a dazzling smile.
"Hello, Mr Grey. Glad you could join me"
"Ana, what's going on?"
What is all this?
She smiles at me and then makes her way over to me.
She gives me a quick kiss on the lips and then she does something that I never thought she would do.
She gets down on one knee in front of me. She takes a big breath and then looks up into my eyes.
"Christian, I have loved you from the very first moment I met you. When I lived in this city without you, I was like half a person. I only existed but I was never really living. Moving back to Seattle was the best thing I ever did. Not because Seattle was my home, because any city in the world that has you by my side is my home. I know you asked me this question and I never said Yes but, Christian, we are two very different people now. We have both grown and learned from the past and I am confident that we will grow old together. If you say No, then that is OK but this is my promise to you. I promise to love you, cherish you and be your partner in good times and bad. What we have at the moment is enough and it will be until the end of time...But...I would love to tell people I am married to the worlds most perfect man. I would love to be your wife and the mother of your kids. With or without a Yes, I would love to have your babies one day. I know we wont always have smooth sailing or blue sky's but as long as we are together I know we can weather anything...so...Christian Grey, Master of my heart, King of my castle, my soulmate...will you do me the privilege of becoming my husband. Will you Marry me?"
She looks up at me with such love and devotion in her eyes that there is only one thing I can say.
"Yes. Yes I will marry you" She squeals and then jumps into my arms where I spin her around.
"I love you soon to be Mrs Grey"
"I love you too, Mr Grey. I have something for you"
She walks over to a small table and picks up a box that I recognize.
It's the box that holds that bracelet.
"I found this in your office a few months ago. I am sorry that I never looked at it and I am sorry I told you to give it away. I made a few adjustments to it that I hope you're OK with...but...well, here"
She hands it to me and I open it.
The rows of pink and blue stones are now rearranged and they spell out the word "Yes".
"I know I can never take back all those No's but I hope you know that I love you and if I had a time machine I would have said yes to you that first time you asked"
"Ana, this is perfect. What you just did. What we now are, We are perfect. I love how our story unfolded. And I am glad that I finally get to put this on you"
I take her wrist and place the bracelet on.
"It looks lovely on you. But the engagement ring I am going to buy you after this gala will look even better"
"Christian, there is no Gala. Andrea, Taylor and Ros were all in on this and helped you get here. We have the rest of the night to ourselves so we can do anything you want"
"Anything I want?"
"Anything"
An idea pops into my head but I am not sure if she will go for it. There's only one way to find out.
I get on one knee in front of her and she giggles.
"Anastasia, you asked me to marry you and I accept but now I have a proposal of my own. Marry me...tonight. Lets get on the Jet and fly to Vegas. I want to wake up tomorrow morning as your husband. What do you say?"
She walks forward and bends a bit to kiss me.
"I say call Steven and get the Jet ready"
"As you wish Mrs Grey"
MINI EPILOGUE
Eight hours later I married Anastasia Steele in the Little Chapel of Love. It was just the two of us and we planned to have a party when we got back to Seattle.
Over the years we grew as a couple and then as parents.
I once wrote on a bracelet that I wanted to get her pregnant on our honey moon and that's what happened. While we were sunning it up in Barbados we made love multiple times and one of those times resulted in our little boy.
Theodore Raymond Grey was born nine months after we were married. He was joined a couple of years later by his Sister Phoebe Grace and a few years after that we welcomed our twins, John-James Grey and Abigail-Amelia Grey.
We had our arguments over the years but we never went to bed angry and I think we have a very healthy marriage.
Kate and Elliott had a little girl but her birth hurt Kate so much she swore, never again.
Mia and Luke Married after a year of dating. The went on to have six kids and moved into a house I gifted them which is just down the street from us.
I never saw Cassie after that day in my office but I did hear through the grapevine that she got married a few years after leaving GEH and now had a few kids and lived in Ohio.
Elena Lincoln was released from prison after serving 12 years. She walked out the prison with only a few dollars and a few clothes. After being out of touch for over a decade she forgot some basic life lessons. Like looking both ways when crossing the street. She was hit by a speeding truck and that was that.
As the years went by my love for Ana only grew. She truly is the other half of me.
Sometimes the Lessons in life that you learn are not the ones that can be taught.
Sometimes the lessons in life are the ones you already knew but needed a bit of tweaking.
And sometimes The lessons in life are simple.
If you have a roof over your head, Food on your Table and Loved ones in your life you are truly very blessed so you should teach others the lessons you learned in order for them to become as blessed as you.
There is no point dwelling on the what if's or the could have, would have, should have's.
I am so thankful that Ana and I found our way back to each other.
Our road may have been rocky at the start but ever since we said "I Do" we have had plain sailing and blue sky's.
THE END