It was Monday evening as he walked through the penthouse for the first time with the interior designer. His thoughts drifted to Ana again, all he could think about was if she would love it. He had surreptitiously found her taste in everything and was going to incorporate all her ideas into the penthouse. Taylor and Sawyer were now settled in the staff quarters, which didn't need any work done. An hour before coming to meet the designer, he read Welch's report on Elliot. Just as Christian had suspected, Elliot had taken a quarter of a million dollars from Elena for his silence. He had stolen almost that much from her and therefore knew how much you could do with that amount. As far as he was concerned it wasn't nearly enough to buy someone's silence. A part of him wondered if Elliot's silence was bought, or if he sold it.

Elliot had lost three and a half million dollars in a scam. The idiot had tried tripling his trust by investing in a deal that wasn't legal from the get-go. Elliot had been led to believe the scammers had insider knowledge and therefore he could not lose. He had transferred his entire trust into an account, then the people vanished. He had fallen for one of the oldest confidence trick in the world.

What surprised him the most as he spoke to Ana was the fact that he didn't care. Now more than ever he knew he was loved, it took him loving Ana and her loving him back to realize that. His grandparents loved him, Mia loved him, and so did Ros and Gwen. When he thought back to everything they had done for him, he realized it wasn't out of obligation. They did it because they loved him and wanted the best for him. He had love and acceptance and didn't give a shit what those Greys did then or now.

It was Tuesday morning when the Greys turned up at GEH only to be escorted out by security. They were warned if they stepped foot in the building again they would be arrested. Whether that got through or not remained to be seen. He hadn't heard from Mia, so he knew they hadn't called her… yet.

Apart from his nightly phone calls with Ana, the rest of his week went as it always did. He would begrudgingly admit he liked having a CPO, he liked not having to drive himself to work, even better not driving home. Jason Taylor was a man of few words, and he also managed to do his job without imposing. It wasn't until that morning that he realized the Greys had made several more attempts to get to him. He could honestly say thanks to his security team he hadn't been aware of any of them, except for their futile effort on Tuesday.

...

"Apparently, you've got goons that visited them in their room and told them to get out of town," Mia tells him struggling to keep the humor from her voice.

"I do?" he genuinely didn't know that his security team had done that. "They need not worry about my goons because any more attempts and I'm getting a restraining order.

"Well, I'm about to board so I will see you soon."

"Looking forward to it." He thumbed through his emails answering a few, as he wanted a work-free weekend.

"Sir, I'm afraid your threat to get a restraining order will soon be put into effect. The Grey's just pulled up outside your apartment building."

"How the fuck…"

"Hold on, sir," Taylor said as he pulled out his Bluetooth out and put the phone on speaker.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grey, I'm afraid unless we have the express permission of the resident, we cannot give away their details." He heard George tell them. George had been made aware of them, if they were speaking to George, then they hadn't been allowed past the front doors.

"Can you tell me if he lives here?" Carrick begged.

"I'm sorry, I can't. Please leave before I am forced to call security." George warned.

"How did we get this?" Christian asked surprised.

"Welch has Reynolds following them. We also put listening devices in their coats… all of them." He really was beginning to like having security. "A Robert Sadler, I believe gave them your address," Taylor added.

"Thank you, Taylor." He got a sharp nod in return. He decided to wait until he was in his apartment before he called Robert. All he had to do was threaten to pull all GEH contributions from any event Robert handled, and Robert would no longer be handling any events. He gave his address away that alone was breaking the rules regarding donor information. He didn't have to worry about seeing them, built in the seventies the building fortuitously had underground parking.

When he and the old man first started he used to walk to work, but then he appeared in Forbes and his walking days were over. Nineteen months after starting GEH he was able to buy the office building in Bryant Park. The old man had purchased a few floors in the eighties when no one wanted to go near the place. A decade or so later it was worth more than he could ever imagine after it became one of the signature examples of the revival in the city.

"He tossed his keys on the breakfast table, took his coat off and called Robert Sadler. "Good evening, Mr. Grey." Robert greeted. "I was sad to hear…

"Robert, care to explain why you gave my address to the Greys." There was silence on the other line.

"I… I… know you are estranged from your parents…"

"Yes, and do you know the circumstances surrounding that?"

"No," Robert whispered.

"And yet, you thought it prudent to give away the address of one of your biggest contributors. How long do you think you will have your job if it became common knowledge that GEH will longer contribute if you are in charge of organizing any more charitable events." He'd never take away from charities, but this he could not let stand.

"Mr. Grey, your parents…"

"They are not my parents. Hence the reason I want nothing to do with them and you gave away my one place solace. I do realize they gave you your start, but that did not give you the right to hand over my address. Either you fix this or find yourself another line of employment. I was willing to forgive you keeping their names off the guest list to aid their planned ambush, but this… I will not forgive."

"Mr. Grey…" he didn't wait for the half-assed response he knew was coming.

"He looked at his watch even though he knew he had hours to go before he could call Ana. He decided after wandering around the apartment for almost an hour to head up to the penthouse. He wanted to see how the work was coming along. It was better than what he was doing now, which was nothing. He shrugged his suit and tie off and headed for the door just as the doorbell rung. Thinking it was Mia he didn't bother looking through the peephole. He yanked the door opened and was rendered speechless by the sight before him. "Hello, baby." Ana crooned with a giggle. "Surprise." She sang biting her lip waiting for him to get over his shock. Next second she off her feet and his lips were on hers. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he pinned her against the wall in the corridor kissing her with all he had.

"Christian." She whimpered when he started grinding his cock into her.

"We… are… good." He said between kisses. Ana ripped his shirt open just as the elevator doors opened.

"I thought we were good." She whispered as they froze. They both turned their heads to find Mia and Sawyer staring at them with amused expressions. He set Ana down and cleared his throat.

"Is it that time already?" He gave up trying to button his shirt when he realized there were no buttons.

"Hello, I am Mia, the little sister." Before Ana could respond, Mia barreled into her with a hug. "It's such a pleasure to meet you." She forced the words past the ball of emotions that had been bubbling up since Christian first mentioned Ana.

"Nice to meet you too… and for standing by him when at your age it would have been so easy to agree with your parents." Ana whispered, but by the look on Christian's face, he heard it.

"Okay, let's get this inside before we all start crying out here," Christian said picking up their luggage.

"Really, you had no problem humping your girlfriend out here." Mia teased making Ana blush. "He didn't tell me you were coming, I would have made some plans for us," Mia added excitedly.

"He didn't know, he expected me next weekend." Ana says as Christian wrapped his arm around her."

"You are a Godsend, Ana." Mia gushed.

"Try not to put me a pedestal." Ana teased.

"Too late." Both Christian and Mia chorused.

Oh great." She groused.

"Don't worry I will still love you even if you fall off." He quipped planting kisses along her neck.

"I love you too." Ana was all smiles as was he. Mia just rolled her eyes at the pair, but in truth, she couldn't have been happier for them.

"How was your flight?" He led her to their bedroom and shut the door.

"Speaking of flights. Do you know anything about the automatic upgrade I got?"

"Erm… no." He said avoiding eye contact.

"You are a terrible liar." She giggled at his hurt expression. The minute he entered the bathroom she sobered up, he could never look her in the eye when lying. How could his parents have missed that, he had a tell when lying. If he lied about the pedophile it would have been obvious to her, so why wasn't it obvious to the people that raised him.

…

After a month of trying to reach her parents with no results, Grace Grey went to their house. They were going to see her if it was the last thing she did. Thanksgiving was only a week away, and she wanted to spend it with them for the first time in years. They made a mistake and were asking for forgiveness she felt she deserved from especially her own parents. She knocked on the door and was surprised when it opened. "Dr. Grey." Agnes, her parent's housekeeper was clearly surprised to see her.

"Agnes, how are you?" She asked pleased to see the woman who had helped her parents around the house for the better part of two decades.

"I am well Dr. Grey, thank you. How are you, it has been a long time." She said politely.

"I've been better." Agnes, of course, knew about the rift between parents and daughter. "Are they in?" she finally asked.

"I'm afraid they are not, they went on a Caribbean cruise three days ago for their anniversary." She had forgotten her parent's anniversary was that week.

"Do you know when they will be back?"

"Yes… give me a second." Agnes went into the house and got a sheet of paper. "Here it is… they will be back on the third. They decided to stop off in New York for Christmas and ring in the New Year." Grace nodded and walked back to her car. Christmas and New Year in New York meant Christmas and New Year with Christian. She took a deep breath and held it together. She had over two hours before her next appointment. It was two years before she realized all the time her parents had been spending in New York was with Christian. The day her father made it clear he believed Christian, she had lost it and said some things that will forever haunt her. Worse, she wondered if Christian was there and heard any of it. Her father had obviously helped Christian start his company. A move she was now grateful for even it resulted in her estrangement from her parents.

She made the drive to Gig Harbor in just over an hour, she stopped off at the Devoted Kiss Cafe for something to eat and kill a little time.

Ten minutes before her appointment she arrived at her destination with some trepidation. Thanks to the connections she'd made with Coping Together she had managed to get a visit and a private one at that. She was led to an empty room with four grey walls, and a small window so high up it wouldn't really be classed as a window. She didn't have to wait long when Elena Lincoln was led in cuffed at the wrist and a chain going around her waist. The chain was removed, but her hands were handcuffed to the table.

When Grace finally looked at the woman she had considered her best friend for almost twenty years she saw a smile that could only be described as cruel. Elena looked a little worn-down, her trademark platinum blonde hair now had brown roots with streaks of gray. She had accepted a plea bargain and was given twenty-five years. Had she dragged it out in the courts she would have died in prison. "Why?" Grace whispered.

Elena chuckled. "Because I could." Grace's jaw dropped in astonishment. "What did you expect… did you think there was some elaborate answer as to why I did what I did? No, Grace… the answer is rather simple. I did it because I could and got away with it for over a decade. Hell, getting caught never even crossed my mind…" She smiled. "But of course, I was caught, and instead of my world falling apart, my victim's did."

"Why didn't you just tell us it was an affair like he said at first?" What she would give to go back to that moment and believe that. It was not rape, but she also knew it was not an affair. His lies also went to cement what she first suspected.

"Why would I when you'd already jumped to rape. I mean, I spent years telling Christian you wouldn't believe him if he ever told you I was beating and fucking him since he was fifteen. I never once actually thought it was true. I mean you came off as this mother hen who would do anything for her kids, so can you imagine my shock and surprise when you immediately jumped to rape."

"It was what I saw." Even to her ears, her defense sounded weak.

"Really." Elena tried leaning back, but the cuffs prevented it. "And what did you see that made you jump to rape. Did you hear me screaming or moaning with pleasure? Did you see me trying to get away from him? That boy knew how to fuck, the best I've ever had, even better than…" Elena stopped when she realized Grace had no idea about Elliot. Elliot's pictures hadn't been among the pile given to the police. She wasn't surprised he kept his mouth shut. She didn't buy Elliot's silence he blackmailed her, and that wasn't information he wanted out there. That was information she would keep to herself, maybe years down the line it would come in handy.

"Please…" Grace pleaded not wanting to hear what Elena did to her son. "You were tied up, a gag in your mouth, your back was red and tears streaming down your face." Elena chuckled in such a way that made Grace flinch.

"Oh Grace, you really are green when it comes to sex. What you walked in on was a scene. We were playing… your son for the first time was dominating me and doing a magnificent job of it. The tears… were tears of pure unadulterated pleasure, the likes of which you clearly haven't experienced. Carrick obviously isn't up to par in that department." Grace wasn't quite sure what she was going to achieve with this visit. Although she expected to see at least some semblance of remorse. Evidently, none would be forthcoming.

"I have spent years wondering why you were so quick to accuse a boy who had seen his own mother repeatedly raped of the same crime." The gasps that left Grace and tears that streamed down her eyes told Elena she had never made the correlation. "Oh my, his childhood trauma never crossed your mind, did it. How interesting, the doctor and the lawyer walked in on a scene and without looking at all the factors and parameters jumped to a conclusion that was so far from the reality it shocked a pedophile." Elena cackled. "Not that it would have made much of a difference because I have come to the realization that… Christian as a rapist was the lesser of two evils." Grace looked at her with disdain.

"You think I would prefer to have my son as a rapist than him being a victim of abuse." Grace barked her anger beginning to surface. Anger was so much better than self-pity.

"Yes, I do. As a pediatrician for three decades, how could you not see your own son was a victim of abuse again. I mean, you sent him to my house to clear rubble, and within days he's a changed boy... yet you never questioned it. No, the great Dr. Trevelyan Grey couldn't have all of Seattle knowing she had missed her son been abused for four years. That is surely not a good reflection on her celebrated career. She could live with questions about her parenting skill, but not the kind of questions that would impact her career."

"You are insane…"

"Oh please, protest all you want, but there was nothing about that scene that screamed rape. If you can't tell the difference between pleasure and pain… then again they are different sides of the same coin. No, you didn't even wait to access the scene before jumping to rape. Okay, let's forgive that. Why would you not listen to your son when he protested? He tried until he was blue in the face to tell you it was not rape, but you just wouldn't listen. Worse, Carrick nearly knocked out an already abused boy. You kicked him out allowing me to weave a story that went with your narrative. You gave me a way out, you gave me the opportunity to cane, whip and belt more young boys. Because of you, I had four more years of such pleasures bestowed on my body…" Grace stood up unable to take any more of Elena's diatribe.

"You are evil…"

"No more evil than the mother who turned her back on a boy so badly abused he suffered from night terrors years after the event. No more evil than the mother that tars him with the same brush as the man who tormented him and his birth mother for years. What did you expect coming here? Did you think I would take the blame for you labeling your son a rapist despite his protestation? Hell, he offered you proof, he offered to show you my dungeon, but you just wouldn't listen. Why not Grace? You didn't because it was easier to label him a rapist than to admit that the esteemed Dr. Grey missed years of abuse." Grace banged on the door unable to hear anymore because the more she heard, the more she began to believe it. "After all, unless I agreed to press charges, who would know your son was a rapist. You could make up stories as to why you were estranged from him… which I believe you did. Hell, you and Carrick paid me to keep quiet." The look on Grace's face told her she had gotten her point across. She smiled triumphantly at the look of utter dejection on Grace's face.

"That is not why we gave you the money." She protested weakly.

"Then why did you?" It wasn't a question she could answer because she really didn't know why they paid Elena.

She broke down completely in the car, she cried until she feared her heart would break. A big part of her will welcome death than to believe she had hung her son out to dry to save face in her career. She knew Elena had gone to the extremes with her theories, but at the same time, subconsciously that is precisely what she may have done. After all, she hadn't taken into account the abuse he had suffered before he was adopted. She had been so quick to label him a rapist. Since the truth came out, she had racked her brain trying to find out why. She refused to believe Elena was right, but what other explanation was there.