JUNE 1984

"Hello," Carrick whispered at the sight of the baby in William's arms.

"This one is wide awake, his mother though is dead to the world." William only had eyes for the tiny thing in his arms and Ella. Ella was curled up in the bed fast asleep. The rest of the family filed in after Carrick.

"Oh my, look at him." Carol Grey said in near tears. "What a handsome little thing." The entire Grey and Trevelyan clan had taken to Ella in ways Grace never imagined. The young lady had stolen hearts, especially William's, who was determined to be the only man in Ella's life apart from her son.

"Has she given him a name yet?" Grace enquired.

"Yep, meet Christian Richardson." William looked too proud for words.

"Wasn't that the name you recommended?" Theo chuckled at the sight of William puffed out chest. Ella had asked them for a name, as she couldn't think of one. William had suggested Christian.

"Yeah." He answered staring down at the tiny bundle of joy. William was determined to be the only man in the boy's life come hell or high water.

"Look at those eyes, I hope he gets to keep it." Grace murmured.

"Me too." Christian had his mother's eyes. Though Christian had barely any hair the small amount they could see was obviously close to red in color. The color clearly came from the teen that had gotten Ella pregnant. Ella hadn't divulged much about the boy in question, and no one had asked.

"I have nightmares wondering how she would have fared had she not run into you," William told Grace. The thought had crossed all their minds. More so than ever as Carrick and Grace were in the process of adopting a toddler whose mother was lost to drugs. There was hardly anything out there for teens and young adult that fell pregnant. Most were abandoned by families and left with nothing to live on more or less supporting a child as well.

"We should look into it." Carol Grey said. She moved over her son's shoulder to stare at Christian. "She was sure Christian would come to see her boy as his father one day. William was a determined individual; if he set his sights on something he achieved it.

A few hours later Ella woke up to find William asleep in the chair. She peeked in the crib to find Christian asleep as well. She lay back down and stared at William's sleeping form. In the last month, he had helped her move, helped her buy furniture and put it together. He had single-handedly put the nursery together. He had spent every waking minute with her and was with her when her water broke. He had calmly driven her to the hospital and stayed with her when she had the baby. William Grey was everything she didn't expect but was extremely grateful for.

"Hey." He whispered when he noticed she was awake.

"Hey." She responded with a smile.

"How are you feeling?" He stood and moved closer to the bed.

"Like I just gave birth to an eight-pound baby." She quipped.

"I can't relate in any way." He laughed taking her hands in his.

"Thank you." She whispered. "Not just today, but for everything. It's inadequate, but all the same thank you so much, William. I don't know how I would have coped without you here today." A tear ran down the side of her face.

"You never have to find out." He leaned forward and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. "Rest, I will wake you when he wakes up." He settled back in the chair and shut his eyes. He had always thought he'd follow in his dad and big brother's footsteps by going to Harvard, but in the end, he had opted for Michigan because there was no way he was moving away from Ella. He'd elected to go into medicine instead of law, and well Michigan was one of the best universities to study pre-med and medicine. He was so caught up in his thoughts; he didn't hear Grace enter the room until she was by Ella's bed looking her over. "She just fell back asleep." He murmured.

"Good, she needs to rest." Grace moved over to the other chair and sat down. "What were you thinking about?"

"College." He sat up and stretched his sore back. "I'm also hoping that maybe in a couple of years Ella can start college. By then Christian would be old enough to have a babysitter or start preschool."

"Couldn't agree more," Grace whispered.

"One day that boy is going to be a Grey." William murmured as he stared at a sleeping Christian. The two continued to talk quietly as mother and son slept or at least they thought Ella was.

"Spill." Ana took off her seatbelt and turn to him. "Something is bugging you that much is obvious. As much as we've had fun this weekend, something is still eating away at you. It can't still be Kate because you know where I stand regarding her."

"No, you are right. I was under the impression she was your best friend, and if I know one thing I know boyfriends not liked by friends don't last."

"I have seen it enough times," Ana admitted with a giggle. "You also have to know a lot of the time, it is nothing but jealousy." Christian nodded. In this case, it was also jealousy on Kavanagh's part.

"No, I now know nothing she says or does will change your mind regarding me."

"Nothing... anybody says or does will change my mind. I agreed to be your girlfriend today. Was I the least bit unsure of you I would have said no outright, but that didn't happen. So what is it?"

"It is easy to be dismissive of something when it's not in your face. You had the foresight of knowing the woman at José's show was lying, but it is unlikely the next one would be. Despite the NDA's, there is more than likely one woman who's anger means you..." Ana's loud sigh cut him off.

"You are worried about nothing," Ana looked away from him then. "But I'm guessing my words aren't enough. What would you like me to say to assure you of that?"

"No, Ana... this isn't about you."

"Except it is. You won't believe me when I say your past doesn't matter, so it is about me. Whatever past experience you've had with other women is just that, your past. Yeah, our past doesn't always stay there, but so what. Are you seriously going to let it hung over us like this? Honestly, at this rate Kate isn't the problem, you are. I am telling you, it doesn't matter who comes up to me, what they say it doesn't change anything for me. Don't you think I considered all this before I agreed to give you a chance?"

"Oh." At that moment Ana realized that hadn't remotely occurred to him.

"Wait a sec, did you think I hadn't considered any of that?" She looked positively amused.

"Actually, I did." He looked a little sheepish. "I just thought you'd accepted it, but hadn't taken into account what it could mean."

"I thought about nothing but your past. I spoke to José and Eve for hours on end about it. Even after the date I still had that on my mind. Jack and Elizabeth have had their ears burnt with that subject. I have considered your past and made my peace with it. As far as I'm concerned your past is your past no matter what bitter, sad, pathetic excuse of a woman shows up to rattle my cage. Bitches will be lucky if I don't put a bullet in their asses." He lost it then. Ana practically stared at him for five minutes while he tried to compose himself.

"You gon bust a cap in a bitch's ass." Now it was Ana's turn to laugh. It sounded so wrong coming from him.

An hour later, they were still in his SUV talking and laughing. Neither one wanted the night to end, but it had to. She could see the weight off his shoulders. His relief was palpable.

Christian felt more relaxed, and he also finally understood the power of communication. "I have to go," Ana sighed.

"You have to." He admitted still holding her hand. "I will drop you to your door."

"You can drop me to my bedroom if you wish."

"You want to rub this in Kavanagh's face don't you." He chuckled.

"Don't' you?" Ana questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Let's go." Christian said finally letting go of her hand, and getting out of his car. Yes, he was looking forward to rubbing Kavanagh's failure in her face.

Ana opened the front door to find Kate on the couch with a slice of pizza in hand. "Kate, when did you get back?" Her smile had nothing to do with her roommate and everything to do with the man struggling to keep it together. Kate's hand was frozen midway to her mouth at the sight of them. It was clear she was struggling to comprehend the sight before her as it was the last thing she expected.

"Friday night. I called you, but your number is disconnected."

"I got a new phone and number. I left it on a post it on the fridge." She finally managed to say.

"I missed it." She did because she genuinely believed Ana's line had been disconnected because she hadn't paid her bill. She never considered she'd gotten a new phone.

"Christian, it is my roommate, Kate."

"I'm guessing to you were too angry the morning of your graduation to notice that Elliot introduced us," Christian teased.

"I forgot." She shrugged.

"I have to admit I was surprised when you didn't turn up for the interview. Must have been really unwell to send Ana."

"It was unfortunate." Kate murmured.

"Not for me it wasn't. I would not be with this beautiful woman had it not been for that." He wrapped his arm around Ana and kissed her briefly. "Well, I have to get home." He sighed. "I had the best weekend of my life, and that is saying something. I will call you tomorrow after work."

"Look forward to it." She giggled for no reason. She just felt giddy and who could blame her. Christian Grey was a catch, and she could understand why the bitches would come out of the woodwork to try and run her off.

"Before I forget. My mother will not say a word and will never ask unless I offer, but I know she is eager to get to know you."

"It will be great to officially meet her."

"Excellent, they are having a barbecue for my sisters this weekend before they start preparing for the move to New York. It's a sort of a going away party."

"Yeah, sounds great."

"I will pick you up at midday or thereabouts. I should have a firm time sometime this week, and then I will let you know." Christian leaned in and kissed her. There was nothing quick about it nor was it for Kavanagh's benefit. "I better leave before you decide to jump me again. My willpower will soon fade, and I will give in to your incessant attempts to get my pants off." He teased earning a raised eyebrow. Despite her getting carried away with their kissing, it was all it had been no matter how hot and heavy it got; it ended at kissing and a little groping.

Ana could see his reluctance to leave. She couldn't help her smile as she headed back to her bedroom. "Where do you think you are going?" Kate intoned cheerfully. Anastasia Steele was book smart, maybe not so street smart, but that didn't matter in the land of Katherine Kavanagh. Ana could read Kate like a book, but it was a little knowledge she had kept to herself and was at that moment happy to have done so. Kate to anyone else looked delighted for her friend, but Ana knew it was a look she put on when she didn't want to show her true feelings.

No, Katherine Kavanagh was not happy for Ana, she was fuming and hiding it well, or so she thought.

"Unfortunately, I have a ton of laundry to do, my room to clean and a few things to get done before work tomorrow."

Kate ignored all that. "So you and Christian Grey, when did that happen?"

"We went to José's show, and things went from there," Ana said dashing to her room before Kate could ask any more questions. Oh, Ana had every intention of telling her every single detail about her weekend, but just not yet. She wanted Kate's imagination to run wild before she put her out of her misery.

Kate turned back to the TV with little interest. The minute Ana headed for the laundry room she was going to call Caroline. The woman had clearly failed, but worse, had unable to see it. Either that or she outright lied to Kate. Either way that promised ad was not going to happen.

Her family could never get an invite to the Grey's many events, and somehow Ana after a few weeks is invited to a family barbecue. Kate was determined to drop enough hints to make sure Ana invited her. If not she would have to call Elliot. Maybe it was time she sent him a text to say hi.

Kate was still sat on the sofa, pizza abandoned trying to think of a way of scoring an invite to the barbecue when Ana dashed out with her overflowing laundry basket. "Wow, when was the last time you did laundry?" It was unlike Ana to leave her laundry undone for more than a week.

"I think I did it the week you left and haven't had time since. There is always some show to attend, some dinner party, a new club opening it's been a blast." Ana giggled and left the room. She waited for the elevator with a satisfied smile on her face. She entered the elevator only to turn back to find a sock on the floor. She rushed out before the door closed and grabbed the sock. She turned back then heard Kate.

"Guess what, Caroline?" Kate sneered. "Ana just walked in with Christian fucking Grey. You told me she cut the date short after you spoke to her..." Ana, unfortunately, couldn't hear the woman's response. "Well, obviously you read it wrong because he just brought her home. He kissed her goodbye, and there was nothing innocent about it. Then invited her to this family's barbecue party his weekend. THIS IS CHRISTIAN GREY INVITING A GIRL TO MEET HIS FAMILY. HE ISN'T PLAYING. Consider our deal null and void." She cringed when Kate let out a scream that would put a banshee to shame.

Pathetic, was the first thought that went through Ana's head. Katherine Kavanagh was a pathetic excuse of a friend, a woman, and a human being. For years Ana had made excuses for her, and now she found herself wondering why she put up with Kate's shit for years.

Christian Grey found a smile perpetually etched on his face, not that he was making an effort to get rid of it. His weekend with Ana had been topped off with a talk that allayed his fears and a fuck you to Kavanagh. Yes, there was no wiping the smile off his face. With lunch in hand, he knocked on his mother's door.

"Come in." Ella intoned mind more focused on the stack of papers in front of her. With the purchase of Doherty Industries now going ahead, she was knee deep in paperwork.

"Hey, mom, got time for lunch." She looked up at him and could have sworn she was looking at him in his early teenage years. He had his moments; the moments were all he wanted was his mother and nothing else. In the early years, she worried, because she feared William would feel rejected until she found out Christian also had those moments with him as well.

"Yes, I certainly could do with a break." She dropped her papers and sat back. "We haven't done this in a while." She murmured as he laid out the food.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to being home more often." In the last eighteen months, he'd spent five months at home. Ros had just gotten married, so he had taken on the bulk of their international affairs to allow her more time at home with her new wife.

"So will we see you this weekend or do you have more plans with Ana?" She asked nonchalantly, but he knew she was very interested when it came to Ana. His mother left him to his own devices more often than not, but for the first time, she had shown real interest in his personal life, especially in regards to a woman.

"I have plans with Ana, and you will see me this weekend." His smile got wider. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"How did you know dad was the one?" He had no idea what drew him to Ana or her to him. He was hoping maybe there might be something in her story that would give him an idea.

"Honestly, I didn't. I knew how William felt from very early on, but my head was elsewhere, and in truth, another high school jock was the last thing I needed. It didn't take long for me to realize he was not what I expected. He offered his friendship, and it was all he wanted in return, he knew I wasn't in a position to offer anything else. In truth, I didn't trust anybody considering all the people I loved had abandoned and betrayed me. Worse, my own parents wanted to kill my child without us even talking. They made the decision, and that was that. Before I knew it, I had come to rely on William more and more, he was in the delivery room with me." She chuckled. "I remember asking him to stay with me. He looked at me as though the idea of me thinking he would even leave was absurd. He came round almost every day, and on the weekends he would stay all weekend. Elliot, who Grace and Carrick had just adopted, loved you even though you didn't do much. He'd come with William most weekdays and just sit and stare at you."

"Elliot... Elliot Grey would sit quietly. Wonders shall never cease." Christian chortled taking another bite of his chicken.

"One and the same... anyway your grandma visited, and well, it wasn't an argument I was going to win." Christian knew about that. Carol Grey had paid for his mother's education and gotten her a job at Doherty Industries. "All of a sudden my biggest concerns were no longer concerns, and I felt I could finally breathe. For the first time since I run from home, I truly felt I had a home with the Greys and the Trevelyans, especially William. All of a sudden, I was looking at him in an entirely different light. He made me a promise and twenty-seven years later he has not broken it." She shrugged. "To answer your question, I don't know." Strangely that answered his question. He had no idea what it was about Ana, and maybe that was the answer.

His phone vibrated then, it was the woman in question.

'If it's possible, could you

come round at four. I need

you to cause a distraction.

Don't ask, I'm not telling.'

"I take it that is Ana."

"Yeah, she needs me to cause a distraction." Christian murmured.

"What distraction?" He showed his mother the text, Ella laughed. "Well have fun."

"I'm sure it will be." He stood to leave.

"Christian, I do hope that one bedroom apartment you were renting..."

"Long gone." He answered quickly. "Along with my phone." He'd tossed it in the incinerator in the basement. He watched the plastic burn and metal components sizzle.

"The little things make a big difference." She finally looked up from her paperwork.

"Yeah, I know. That aspect of my life is done and dusted there is no going back, so there is no need for me to hang onto them." She nodded with a smile.

"And if you are so inclined, I would love to know the distraction you caused." He chuckled as he left her office. Yeah, he was looking forward to it.