Ch 11: Choose each other

Once Ana and Christian left the diner, they were headed to the office. They had a silent ride which wasn't good at all. The newlyweds pulled into the parking lot and the two of them headed inside. They stepped off the elevator and walked into Christian's office. Ethan saw his brother and greeted them as they came in.

"Hey you two!" Ethan said to them.

"The honeymooners back safe and sound," Junior said as well.

"Are you two okay?" Ethan asked.

The both said they were fine. Ethan explained that they were worried sick about them, but Ana assured them they were okay.

"What about the yacht? Did it survive the storm as well as you did?" Ethan asked.

"It's in dry dock. Now answer me one question, what the hell you're doing in here?" Christian asked his brother.

"Bro, relax a bit," Ethan replied.

"Why? Are you headed back to Arizona anytime soon?"

"Not yet. I hitched a ride back on the family jet. I wanted to see some of the old places and look up a few friends."

"And the office is one of the old places you wanted to see?"

"Yeah sort of. You know take a stroll down memory lane."

"After hours?" Christian questioned him even more.

"So?" Ethan challenged.

Christian changed his stance with his brother saying, "Look, I'm going to be blunt. This is my office and I really don't appreciate you rummaging through my stuff without me. Next time, get my permission."

"I see. I didn't realize I needed permission to be in here."

"Now you do." Christian stated, his eyes never leaving Ethan's as the two had a stare down.

"Junior, you'd think I'd get a warmer welcome considering this use to be my office when I ran this company."

"Used to be. Not anymore." Christian stated firmly, looking him in the eyes.

XXXXXXX

Back at the diner, Carrick was flabbergasted about what happened. His son walked out on them after Ray turned down Christian's check.

"Are you happy now?" Carrick asked Ray.

"Not bad."

"Not bad," Carrick repeated. "Your pigheaded pride is threatening to ruin your daughter's marriage to my son and all you can say is not bad?"

Rebecca went off on Carrick on trying to use his daughter against Ray. But Carrick pointed out that Ray did the same thing to him. She blasted him for doing the same thing to her when he wanted her to give up custody of her children to her ex. Ray was enjoying the fact that his wife was standing up for him. It made him realize just how much she does love him. Carrick accused Rebecca that her marriage to Ray was a joke. However; the couple started sweet talking each other in front of Carrick as they started kissing and making out. Carrick left the diner angrier than ever.

XXXXXX

Ana and Christian came into the office and he saw his brother in his office. He told his brother Ethan that he didn't have permission to be in his office especially after hours.

"Christian, I really didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry if you thought otherwise."

"Fine. Don't worry about it. I'm just not in a very good mood right now. Dealing with our dad gets me that way."

"Pain in the neck sometimes isn't he?"

"You can say that again," Christian replied, walking past him.

"Are you talking about his involvement in Advantage Systems?"

"Ethan, level with me. Did you have anything to do with AS?"

"What?" Ethan asked surprised by that line of questioning. "No! You saw his reaction to me asking him about it at your reception."

"Yeah, he was pretty angry," Christian replied.

"What I find amusing about this whole thing is that I came upon it accidentally. I didn't know it was supposed to be a big secret."

"Yeah, okay. I get it. I really don't need to hear anymore about it." Christian sighed as he asked, "What's going on with you? What's on your agenda? How long do you plan on staying?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure at this point."

"Well as much as I love seeing the brothers bond, I have to get back at the hospital. Ana good to see you again,"Junior said as he was leaving.

"I'm right behind you." Ethan told his friend. "Christian thanks for the use of the office."

"Just don't make a habit of it," Christian told him.

"Ana, good to see you again." Ethan told her when walking out.

As the two best friends walked out, Ethan sighed a bit. "Was it tense in there or was it just me?"

"Yeah, your brother did seem bothered you were in the family business office."

"I need to keep an eye on him for sure," Ethan replied as they left.

Christian and Ana were finally alone. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I guess. You did try to help so that should account for something."

"Not the fact that your father turned down the best possible solution." Christian stated.

"Yes, but that wasn't his choosing. He didn't start this."

"Honey, I gave Ray a way out and he totally dissed me. He could have been free and clear but he turned it down."

"Christian, that's what your father wants you to think. I know this isn't all my father's fault. So you won't believe what your father told you."

"Ana- my father came out and told me the truth at the hospital."

"That may be true, but that doesn't excuse his behavior."

"You're missing the point here. My father did come clean all on his own."

"Fine, so he confessed. But, my father didn't do anything wrong here."

"Let's face it, your father is very prideful and stubborn and those two combinations don't always work in his favor. If he was so destitute why did he refuse mine and my father offered? I mean turning down that kind of money has no logic at all. It just doesn't make sense to me at all."

"Now, wait just a minute, Christian. You're starting to scare me as all you can see is money."

"That money could have served its purpose in the neighborhood."

"Those people are going to lose homes," she told him.

"If they accept buyouts they could buy new homes, better ones."

"And what about those who rent? They just get tossed out on the street?"

"Those people always find a place to live."

"Oh my goodness! I can't believe what I'm hearing," she said back to him, pulling at her hair in frustration. "Now you're starting to sound just like your father."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Christian questioned his wife, coming from around his desk, standing before her. "I know my father has had his moments and people see him as the big bad wolf, but he has done good. I'm trying very hard to see his good side here. Besides, our family had worked just as hard for our company too. I'm just trying to see it from my father's point of view."

"I know you want a relationship with your father, I get it. I'm sure it hurts."

"Yes, it does. But the thing is, I can't give up on him now. I mean, look at what he did with Jose when we were imprisoned in the lighthouse. We owe him a lot."

"We owe a lot to other people, my father and brother included."

"Yes, but were they there saving us in the middle of the ocean. Ana, my father came out in the middle of the storm to save us. How can I give up on him now after that?"

"You want to save your relationship with your father, I understand that. But he was the one who started this whole mess with my dad and family."

"And he tried to make amends with a huge offer," Christian pointed out.

"Exactly. That's how he always handles things with money! He just throws it around like it's nothing to him!" Ana yelled to him.

He looked back at his wife. He really wanted to make this right between them. "Look at me, Ana. We're acting just like them. Why does there have to be a winner or loser here? Why can't we just be happy?"

"How can there be a happy ending with something like this?" Ana asked him. "Look, I know you don't want to see this, but your father wants to destroy my father."

"I don't see it that way."

"You can't or you won't?"

"I see my father trying to make amends. That's what I see."

"And that's exactly what is upsetting me the most here. You used to see your father in the same way I did. Carrick has always done other people wrong, that's how he works. Don't defend him anymore, I don't want to listen to it," she said, backing away and opening the door. Carrick appeared. "Well this day just keeps getting better and better." He entered into Christian's office.

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I was hoping that I would find you two here. Ana, I know this is very difficult for you," Carrick told her.

"No, I don't think you know the half of it," she replied back.

He walked passed Ana and walked towards his son. "I know we can work this out…"

"Dad, please, this isn't the best time right now," Christian said, his patience running thin.

"I tell you what, I'm not going to stop the two of you. Why don't you two bond as much as you want. I'm getting some air." Ana told Christian as she started walking out the door.

"Where the fuck do you think you are going? Get back in here and close the door!" Christian barked.

Ana turned back to her husband, not liking his tone of voice. "Excuse me. Was that an order?"

"You can call it what you damn well like, but you're not walking out on me," he stated firmly, his eyes not leaving hers. Christian approached Ana, pushing his father aside. "We don't run away from our problems. We never have and never will." Christian told his wife.

"At least you acknowledge that their is a problem, that's a start," she replied.

"Sweetie, you can't blame all of this on my father, not this time."

"Christian, if I wanted us to have an argument in front of an audience, I would have at the diner."

Carrick tried to but in by saying, "Why don't I take you out to dinner do we can discuss this calmly. I don't want this to become between you two."

Christian looked back at his father angrily. "Dad, please. I don't need you right now, okay? This is between me and my wife. Ana and I have each other," he pointed out, looking back at her.

"Sometimes I wonder," she replied, walking out his office door.

Christian chased after her. "Ana! Ana!" he yelled. "Wait a minute, don't you dare walk out on me," his voice firm.

She looked back at her husband. "What?" she snapped.

"You are my wife. That means we are lovers, partners, and it also means that we're friends. We cannot survive if we are apart. We need each other to be us. Am I making any sense here?" Christian asked.

She looked back in his eyes. "I love you."

"And I love you. But you can't walk away from me every time we may have a disagreement. Nothing will get solved that way."

"I just don't know what else to do. You don't see my father's side and I don't see yours."

"We don't have to choose between our families, we just choose each other. We will be okay if we work this out together."

Ana sighed to her husband. She knew on some level he was right. She's a grown woman now with a husband and can't go back running to dad when they have an issue. They stepped back into the office, as Carrick hoped they could work this whole thing out as a family.

"Look, Ana, I know this is a very difficult situation. But you can't allow this to become you and Christian, not after everything you two been through together. You just survived a storm on the ocean, Jose and now to have a family feud to tear you apart. What you two have is bigger and stronger than that."

Christian looked back at his wife. "He does have a point."

"Ana, you not only won my son's heart but the admiration of the whole family. I suggest that you build on that. Don't let my mistake, affect the future you two have together."

"Any ideas on how I can do that?" Ana asked.

"I realized that I messed up. But I do promise that I will never intentionally hurt either one of you again."

"Good. Because I think that your love has already hurt him enough," Ana stated to her father-in-law.

"Ana?" Christian said, trying to soften the blow.

"No, Christian she's right. That's one of the reasons I admire her so much. Its rare to find that kind of honesty and be out spoke like that." Carrick told his son.

"Yes, well, that they may all well and good. But nothing is solved here."

"Why don't we head to the house, get a good night sleep, and discuss this in the morning," Carrick suggested.

"I'm tired anyway. But, I'm not letting this go," Ana told Christian.

XXXXXXXX

Ethan had followed Junior to the hospital. They talked about the fact that Christian had newspapers clippings of his time living in Arizona. It was almost like he was watching his brother from a distance. And the fact that Christian was being cold to him, made him think he could be the one who set him up years ago.

"Thank you for coming to the Grey offices with me. I really appreciated it."

"No problem buddy. I got to get back to work."

Lillian, Ethan's mother -in-law was walking by and stopped to talk to him. "Hey, there Ethan, may I have a word with you?"

"Actually, I'm on my way out. I'm running late."

"Yes, well, you didn't seem to be running late when you were chatting with your friend." Lillian pointed out. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you're avoiding me."

"Lillian, come on, that's crazy," he told her.

"No, it's not. You've been here for a while and you have yet to tell me you were even here. What's going on?"

"Nothing. Everything is fine."

"Really?" she challenged him.

"Look, recently my brother and his new wife were stuck in the storm. They are fine now but it was touch and go. So I have not been avoiding you."

"I'm glad that they are okay, but I need you to tell me the truth."

"I honestly am…"

"I talked to Beth, yesterday. She and Lizzie miss you. They had to call me to see when you are coming back home."

"It's complicated."

"It shouldn't be. I want to know why you're not back home with your wife and daughter." He stood looking back at his mother-in-law like a deer caught in the headlights.

XXXXXXXX

Christian, Carrick and Ana all walked into the Grey mansion. They were greeted by hugs from Grace and Mandy, wishing them back home. Christian told the family he and Ana were pretty tired and they visit tomorrow. He lead his wife upstairs and into his old room/their room.

Ana got changed and ready for bed. She wasn't in the mood for talking as she didn't want to have another argument with Christian. So she got into bed, pulling the covers to her as she turned on her side, her back towards him. He noticed she wasn't speaking to him.

"It's good to be back in our own bed, isn't it?" he asked, trying to break the tension between them.

"It's better than drowning," she replied, still not looking back at him.

"Baby, I know you're hurting, I am too. But it doesn't mean we can't fight this together."

"Who are we fighting again? My family or yours?" she asked.

"Both," he answered.

"I'm going to sleep in tomorrow," she told him, her back still to him.

Christian leaned in and spoke gently to her. "I don't like this any better than you do."

She finally turned to him. "Like? I hate this. I can't live like this, Christian. I don't want our marriage to be like this."

"It won't be if we stick together. Ana, look at how far we've come? You and I had been through so much together for this to pull us apart now. When I said that I would love you forever, I meant it. We can't lose sight of what we have. Just think of this as the eye of the storm," he told her, making a light joke out of it.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Please, no metaphors."

"Okay, wrong choice of words. But my father is right, we can't let this stuff come between us now."

"Like I trust your father. He lies to you again…"

"Honey, I'm not asking you to trust him, I'm asking you to trust me. That no matter what, we will be there for each other, like we've always been."

"Your right. I do trust you, with my life," she replied to him.

"That's better," he whispered tapping her on her nose. "I love you, Ana."

"I love you too," Ana replied, as they began to make love with each other. She laid on him as the two began kissing and loving on each other. They were laying in bed as he held her hand in his.

"Home is where the heart is, it's where you're at," Christian told her.

"I think we should stay in this room and never leave it," she told her husband.

"Hmmm that sounds like a good proposition. But what would we do about food?"

"Take out?" she asked.

"What about work?"

"We have a fax machine in here and wireless connection."

"True. How about entertainment?"

Ana thought for a moment as she stated. "Hmmm we do have cable and I have you!"

"Oh man I'm sold on that one!" he told her giving her a kiss. Actually lots of kisses.

"Um...I hate to break this mood, but I'm thirsty," she told him.

"You are," he asked huskily, giving her another peck.

"Could you go get me a glass of water?"

"Sure, I can do that. You want anything else my lady? Such as gingersnaps perhaps?"

"That would leave crumbs in the bed," she told him.

"Yes, but you still love me. Okay fine, let me go get you some water," he said, climbing out of bed buck naked. As he was putting on his boxers he saw his wife smiling back at him. "See something you like?" he winked at her. He slid his robe on.

"But of course!" she replied, giving that phrase a double meaning.

He shook his head. "I'll be right back sweetie," he said, leaving the room.

Ana laid back on her pillow, basking in their recent love making. "Home is where the heart is."

Christian began coming down the stairs when he heard his father and sister talking about his AS project.

"You know father, that was stroke of genius for you to tell Christian and Ana about the project. You really are a master of the game."

"Yes, that was pretty good wasn't it. I figured it would be best to come clean as he would find out anyway. I also knew that if I told the truth, he's eventually side with me which he did," Carrick replied, cockily to his daughter. "I have Christian right back where I wanted him. It's the last thing he ever expected from me."

"I honestly didn't think it was going to work, but you father ,pulled it off!" Mandy told him.

"Just give me some time with Christian, I will convince him that the diner needs to be scratched permanently. After I win his trust it's only a matter of time when Ana is on board too." Carrick gloated. "We all will be gathered watching that wrecking ball crash into the diner! And I will take his daughter away from him too. It will be perfect."

"I'll be there!" Mandy told him, excited.

Christian couldn't believe what he was hearing! He actually defended his father to his wife. He silently came down the rest of the stairs and saying to his father, "I wouldn't count on that if I were you." He stated firmly to his dad. Carrick turned and saw his son standing before him. He knew his son heard what he told Mandy.

XXXXXXX

Back at the hospital, Ethan had just followed his friend back to his work. They said their goodbyes but he ran into his mother-in-law Lillian. She wanted to know what was going on between his wife, her daughter.

"You left her didn't you?" she asked.

"It wasn't quite like that." he told her. "Look, It's not that simple. I promise I will call you and we can talk about this more. We will have dinner soon, I promise."

Lillian had always liked Ethan. He was a decent and kind man and a very good father. She smiled back at him.

"I'm trusting you, Ethan. Call me, okay and we need to talk." She replied.

"I will," he said, kissing her on the cheek before he left.

A/N: Okay we we have learned quite a few things. Carrick wanted to take out Ray and take away his daughter too. Ethan is looking for a Grey who set him up years ago for fraud. And what is going on with his marriage? Does he have eyes for Ana? By the way I had a reviewer to ask if Ethan and Christian were brothers or step brothers? The answer is they are stepbrothers. I refer back to this earlier in the chapters. Also pics in my Karen Cullen Grey group.