Chapter 9

I do not own fifty shades. I do not own the characters. All rights belong to E.L. James.

Yes it's been almost a year but I'm back at this story. I hope you all enjoy and I will try to keep updating but due to having young kids and other personal stuff I can't make promises.

And so we continue in the present time with the golf game.

Anastasia's POV

"So who did you say was going to win Elliot?" I hear Christian say behind me after I hit the last hole in one of the game.

"Yeah yeah. So you guys won." I almost laugh at how pouty he sounds, almost like a child whose favorite toy was taken away.

I walk back to Christian's side and he wraps his arm around me. I can't believe that Steve left town. He's never given up this easily. I hear them talking about lunch but I can't ignore this gut feeling that something is wrong. Like I'm being watched somehow.

"Ana?"

"What?" I answer and realize Christian was talking to me.

"I said I reserved a table at my club for a late lunch. Would you like to ride with me or Kate?"

I think about it for a second then say I'd love to ride with him. I greet his security guard Taylor again as we get in the car. After we pull away from the car Christian can't wait to start talking.

"I can't believe you have been my brother's girlfriends roommate this whole time. I've looked for you everywhere."

"You have?" I ask in disbelief.

"Of course." He says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world."It's like I said last time Ana there is something about you. I can't stay away from you."

"And I don't want you to." I answer automatically. "So what all have you been up to the past two weeks Christian?"

And that is what gets him started really talking. He tells me everything that happened. I laugh at the whole Shrek comparison thing although I pretend not to know what the darkest part of him is. I want him to tell me in his own time. He tells me about the blonde, who I now know is none other than Elena Lincoln, the fucking pedophile.

He tells me that his sister is coming back from Paris tomorrow, he's really excited about that. You can see how much he loves her in the way he talks about her. He invites me to a bar-b-que his parents are having tomorrow in her honor. I accept and offer to bring desert but he tells me it's not necessary, oh well. He continues to talk telling me now about things that are happening at his work. Honestly I'm kind of lost so half of my mind starts to wander.

I still haven't gotten over the feeling of being watched and now we are at his club. Holy crap. He OWNS the mile high club? As he grabs my hand to get out of the car I feel something, almost like an icy feeling comes over my whole body warning me something is wrong. This has only ever happened once before when I was 8 and lived in Texas with mom and Steve. I knew not to go in the house.

Mom had taken me to the park just around the corner but like before when it came time to leave she was gone. Mom had always had a habit of leaving me alone but it was mostly at home. I start walking towards the street Steve lives on. My legs aren't tired yet and when I reach the street I can still the see the park. I know he lives in the third house on the left...no no right. Yes right because I write with that hand. I don't see mom's car in the driveway but I see Steve's car.

I reach for the doorknob and I shiver from the cold. I don't know why I did since it's so hot outside. I open the door and close it behind me like mom says to so I don't let the cold air out from the AC. The TV is not on so maybe Steve is asleep or down in the basement. I'm not allowed to go there so I just go sit on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. I grabbed an apple from the bowl and was about to take a bite when I heard the scream from the basement.

It feels like my legs move by themselves to the door. The screaming has stopped so I don't know if I'm allowed to open it. My hand is still at my side as the other is still holding my apple when the door opens and almost hits me. Steve. His white shirt is red. I back away from him and run to my room. I close the door and sit on my bed.

"Red."

Christian freezes when I say the word and so do I. That day. That is the one that made Ty and Ray move around a lot. That day is what made mom lose her custody over me. Red is what I heard in the scream from the basement. Red was what was on his shirt.

I get out of the car and look around. Christian still hasn't moved and part of me wants to reach out to him. But I can't, because now I see what caused this feeling all day. A tan Toyota parked on the opposite car of the street. Crap.

"Christian?" I turn to him and say gently. "Christian please. Christian?" Nothing. He's still frozen. I need his help. I need him because I want to tell him everything. I need to tell him everything. I need to start at the beginning. "Sometimes you find your saving grace and it's when you least expect it."

I watch his face after I say those words. I watch the emotions as he starts thinking, remembering. Confusion, anger, protectiveness, and then shock. He looks at me and steps closer to me than he was. "It was you. The little girl in the airport was you?"

"Yes. I was 8 and..."

"And you left your stuffed animal in the car. Family drama happened after that guy left a mark on your arm. I was flying to Colorado with my mom and her best friend to meet the rest of my family for a trip. I heard you but then you ran into me, when I saw you I...something was different, like everything made sense. I knew I wouldn't see you again but then when you almost spilled your coffee on me it happened again." He explains more to himself than to me but I hear the disbelief in his voice.

I smile at him. "Yeah, I felt that too. I'm surprised you remembered. You changed my life that day you know."

He smiles. "Well I'm glad you remembered. Why didn't you tell me two weeks ago?"

"I didn't remember two weeks ago. My brother-"

"Ana!" We both hear the guy yell my name at the same time.

We turn to see where it's coming from and I see Brett. He's running towards us with Cassie right behind him.

"You know these two Ana?" Christian asks me.

"They're-"

"Old friends." Brett says before I can say anything. "I'm Brett and this is Cassie. Look I'm all for big reunions and all but we gotta get inside now."

"Inside? Why?" Christian asks dumbfounded.

Before anyone can answer another voice rings out. "Anastasia!"