A lot of the reviews last chapter were disappointed that you didn't see the brunch scene between Isaac and Christian. You were always going to see it, but Dr. Flynn got in the way. Thank you all for continuing to read and review. I appreciate all the time your taking on my story.
Just as before, scenes in italics are flashbacks. I can't wait to hear what people think of Isaac.
Chapter 11 – Shared Compromise
"I wasn't that bad Ana, you're over reacting."
I wished I hadn't said it the second it was out of my mouth, but it was too late. She's getting Noah ready for bed as we have this conversation and she's already frustrated. Noah's supposed to be getting into bed but he's ignoring both of us. Instead he's running around pretending to be an airplane.
"You know for as smart as you are, sometimes I really question your common sense. You were that bad Christian. Also, just FYI, telling the woman you're trying to date that she's over reacting to something is never a good idea."
She gets up off the bed after that, walking over to grab Noah as he runs away giggling. He has his arms out while spitting, trying to make propeller noises.
I've only been here an hour, it was a long flight and the last thing I want to talk about is Isaac but it seems I have no choice because Ana has just informed me that if I want to take her out tomorrow, he's watching Noah. Adding that when he's here, I need to behave better then I did at brunch.
"First, I'm not trying to do anything. We are dating, or will be come tomorrow. Second, I don't understand why Ray can't do it."
I say in a huff as she picks Noah off the floor and hugs him.
"Okay bud, time for bed. Do you want to pick out a book to read before you go to sleep?"
She's ignoring my question and it's pissing me off. I don't ask rhetorical things.
Noah interrupts my thoughts by saying, "No seep mama, I Cistin pane."
Ana laughs and sets him on the ground and I can't help but smile too. I told him a few minutes ago that I got here in my plane and I guess it stuck. I'm still sitting on his bed waiting for my answer but instead Ana addresses Noah.
"You can be daddy's plane, but daddy's plane is asleep in its hanger right now and you need to be asleep in your bed."
Noah's yet to call me dad and I want to correct him when he says Christian but Flynn says not to. He keeps saying that Noah will get there in his own time and that I need to be patient. I swear to God, sometimes it's like he doesn't know me at all.
"Ana," I say clearly annoyed, "you didn't answer my question."
She continues to ignore me and says, "Go pick out a book Noah," and then turns to me, equally annoyed, saying, "I realize that. I'm ignoring your question because you already know why Ray can't do it. He's working tomorrow. Plus, I don't want to have this conversation with Noah here."
I do know Ray is working tomorrow, but I don't think that's the only reason he's not watching Noah. Ana has been ignoring him since she found out that he and I have been speaking weekly for the last few years. She wouldn't talk about it after I told her and she's yet to say anything to Ray either.
I've brought it up, and so has Ray, trying to get her to talk about it but she just ignores it and pretends we haven't said anything. Ray says that she's pleasant when he comes to watch Noah, thanks him and asks how the day was but that's it.
I know we need to deal with it, but there are so many things we need to deal with right now, I guess this one will have to take a number.
"That gives you about 15 minutes then Ana so enjoy it because we need to talk about Isaac watching him tomorrow. I don't like it and I wasn't that bad at brunch."
Noah and Ana both come back to his bed with a book about saying goodnight to the moon and Noah crawls into bed with me. As Ana begins to read, Noah snuggles up next to me and I begin to think about brunch last week. I've talked to Flynn about it and I don't think I was poorly behaved; apparently I'm the only one that thinks that.
XX
I tried to have Ana cancel this several times but she wouldn't do it. In fact, she wouldn't even consider the idea. This weekend has been stressful enough and I'm not sure how adding this brunch will help at all.
Ana's reaction to Ray and my relationship was not what I expected. After Noah went down for his nap, she came back out and said,
"So if that Monday wasn't the first time you've spoken to my father, when was?"
So…no preamble to this conversation I guess. I explained to her how Ray had called the first time, and then weekly after that. I explained that it wasn't anything that was planed, it just sort of happened. I said that Ray was trying, in his own subtle way, to make me see that I needed to step up and be a father, that I was capable of it. I told her how much his talks have meant to me over the years, and how much they continually mean, saying that I consider him one of my closest friends.
When I was finished, we both sat there quietly. Through out the entire conversation she looked stunned, and on more then one occasion, teary. I couldn't tell what she was feeling and it scared the shit out of me. I couldn't take it after about 10 minutes of silence and started to say,
"Ana, I'm sorry. I was selfish; I needed Ray's support and guidance. I never…"
She interrupts me by placing her hand on my knee and says,
"I need some time before we talk about this Christian. I wasn't expecting that and I'm…I need some time to think it through."
That was it, she got up from the couch and went to clean up the kitchen and we've not spoken about it since. I tried a few times, and she just looked frustrated and ignored the question.
So here we are, going to brunch with a man I have no desire to meet or get to know at all. Just what I want to do today, I can't fucking wait.
We're going to some restaurant on the water, which is apparently one of the only places to eat on the water downtown. I do not understand that at all. Charleston is basically surrounded by water, how is that even possible?
Both Sawyer and Taylor are with us at Ana's request. I was shocked when she asked that they come, apparently she's worried about my behavior. I've been extremely lax out security here. Ana and Noah still don't have CPOs. When they go out, Keller the guy that's been doing surveillance for years is not far from them but they have no personal protection right now. Ana and I talked about it and she met Keller and liked him, so she agreed to have him around if she needs him.
That will have to change once he meets my parents, and the media in Seattle get a hold of the story, but I don't want that for them. They're happy here and I want to keep it that way for as long as possible.
Isaac's already there when the hostess shows us to our seat and that annoys the shit out me. One look at him and you can tell Ana clearly has a type. He's sitting there pompously staring out into the water with a drink in his hand. He stands as we get to the table and I see he's my height and build, with blue eyes and darker blonde hair. We almost have the exact same clothes on, dark jeans and light grey button up shirts, cuffs rolled. His clothes are clearly expensive and one word out of his mouth tells me that he's a Londoner, and clearly from money.
I don't know why I didn't notice this when I met him the first time, probably because I was too busy wanting to kill him. I'm already annoyed, just looking at him, and then Noah sees him and tries to jump out of my arms to run to him. He's just squirming at first, but when I don't let him down he says,
"Down Cistin, I need get down. I see Issic,"
It has never hurt for him to call me Christian instead of dad, not really, but it does in that moment. I want so much for him to want to say with me and call me dad. It was physically painful for me to set him down and watch him run excitedly to Isaac.
Isaac bends down to pick him up and says,
"Hey there Ace, you alright? I've not seen you all week. I've missed you."
Intellectually, I know that Isaac asking Noah if he's 'alright' is just an English way of saying 'how are you' but it pisses me off anyway. I want to punch him and it's only been 1 minuet. Of course Noah is okay.
He stands up with Noah in his arms extends his hand saying,
"Isaac Michelson."
His voice is sharp, so I reply in kind.
"Christian Grey."
Ana looks between both of us and rolls her eyes. Isaac leans in to kiss her on the cheek and I see her freeze. It's clear from his reaction that this is how they normally great one another, but with me here Ana doesn't seem to know what to do.
I put my hand on her lower back to try and keep her from leaning it but it doesn't work. He pecks her on the cheek as Ana does the same and that prompts me to instantly pull her back into my side. She looks between the two of us and says, with a fake cheerful smile,
"I would like to remind both of you that Noah is here, and that you are both successful, well educated adults who should act accordingly."
As we sit down, Isaac keeps Noah in his lap, with them on one side of the table and Ana and I on the other. I want her as far from him as humanly possible. Everything he does only serves to piss me off further. When the waitress comes to get our drink orders, he asks her to bring a highchair for Noah. He's my son; I should be taking care of him. Next he starts asking Ana about her week at work they happily chat about classes and students. He's a fucking English Lit. Professor, or course he is.
Five minutes in and I want to leave. Actually strike that, I never wanted to come. It's a good thing is socially acceptable to have a drink at brunch.
Once he and Ana catch-up, he turns to me and says,
"So Christian, I'm glad we've finally get to meet, officially. Ana has told me a lot about you. Ana and Noah are really important to me, and I know they are to you too so I think it's good that we're getting to know each other. Don't you?
I don't like how he emphasizes 'a lot' and I start to wonder what Ana has told him.
"My family is extremely important to me. Ana has told me a lot about your relationship as well. I'm glad to know that they have good friends here to look out for them."
I can't help it, I smirk when I say it. He wants to play this game, fine I'll happily play.
"Christian," Ana says with a warning in her voice. "Let talk about something else, shall we."
We both ignore her and Isaac continues, "That's the thing Christian, I know how important a family is, and they were your family. What I don't understand is how a man that has a family, especially one as amazing as yours, abandons them for years. You ignored them once, how can I be sure you're not going to do it again?"
I can't believe this asshole just has the nerve to go there with me. He doesn't know me. He can go fuck himself. I start to stand up and tell him so when Ana puts her hand on my leg to stop me.
Ana's voice is quiet, but deadly serious when she looks at us and says,
"That's enough. This is supposed to be a nice brunch. I understand that this is difficult for both of you but you're both important to Noah and I so you need to learn to get along. If you want to fight it out, do it on your own time."
The waitress comes with Noah's highchair as well as some crayons and paper for him and takes our order, effectively diffusing the situation. It last for about 30 seconds until she asks what we would like for Noah. Isaac speaks up and starts to order for him but I'm not having it.
"I think Ana or I should order for our son." I say interrupting him.
I don't know who this asshole thinks he is, but this is my family. Part of me knows that I should be thankful for him. He was here for them when I wasn't. I know that that's how I should feel but in this moment I don't. This dick is trying to take my place and that's not going to happen.
He concedes saying, "Please, by all means."
He's smiling when he says it, probably because he knows that I've not been around long enough to know what Noah will eat. Thankfully, I'm not that easily flustered and turn to Ana, rubbing her back gently and saying,
"What do you think we should get him babe?"
She's had just about enough of this and rolls her eye at me as she orders for Noah.
Things go fairly well as we eat our meal. Ana has given me the evil eye enough to know that I need to try and play nice, so I ask Professor Pompous where he's from in London and what brought him to the states, and then promptly ignore him as he answers.
As we finish eating, Noah is sitting in his highchair coloring and he asks Isaac to hand him a blue crayon that is just out of his reach.
Isaac picks up a red crayon and hands it to Noah who laughs.
"No Issic, that red."
"Oops, sorry Ace, how about this one?" He hands him the green one.
"Nooo, that geen"
"You're right, you're so smart Ace. Here's the blue one."
I hear Ana ask Noah if he can tell Isaac thank you, but I'm focused on other things. I've heard him call Noah Ace a few times and each time it angers me a bit more, I hate that he's closer to my son then I am. Hate it, even if it is my own fault.
I've tried to be quiet after our initial blowup but I'm at my limit when I say,
"His name is Noah, perhaps you could learn to use it."
When he replies, he's thoughtful but to me it just sounds like condescension.
"I've called him Ace since the night he was born. I'm not sure how it started. He was so good, right from the beginning and was born about 1 am. I think I joked that he was aces and it just stuck." He pauses and says, "Do you remember if that's when it started Ana?"
He rubbing it in that he's been there the whole time and I haven't and as much as I want to kill him for it, I'm actually more hurt then angry.
Ana realizes what he's doing too and I see her eyes narrow at Isaac before saying,
"Okay you guys, that's enough for one day. I know this isn't going to be easy, but you're going to have to learn to get along. Christian, we should get Noah home for his nap."
She gets up to pick-up Noah and both Isaac and I say, at the same time, I'll get the check. There's no way I'm letting this guy get the check. Never going to happen.
After she gets Noah out of his chair, Ana hands him to Isaac and says, "Say goodbye to Isaac buddy, we'll see him this week." She then turns to look between Isaac and I and continues, "I took care of the check before we got here. I've met both of you, there was no way I'd put Noah and I through that fight."
I stand and take Noah from Isaac saying curtly, "Isaac."
"Christian," he replies equally as coolly.
Ana leans in and hugs him and says,
"I'll see you later in the week. Thank you for this, I know it wasn't fun for either of you but I think it's important that you guys try to get along."
Thank Fuck, it's finally over. We leave, heading to Ana's apartment with me thinking that I deserve some sort of metal for not hitting that fucker.
XX
I'm brought out of my thoughts just as Ana finishes the book. Noah is out cold, sleeping peacefully against my shoulder.
"I think I'll just say in here with Noah for the night," I say with a grin.
She shakes her head and says, "I don't think so Mr. Grey, you wanted to talk about this so let's go."
She's standing on my side of the bed and offers me her hand to pull me out of bed.
"Come on Gramps, having a hard time getting out of bed?" She's smiling now, as she extends her hand and pulls me up.
Before lying down and reading with Noah I wanted to have this conversation. After thinking back to brunch, I'm not so sure I do. I kiss Noah goodnight and then follow Ana out of his room.
"Ana," I whine, "it's been a long day and I've only just got here. Do we have to talk about this now?"
She turns around and laughs at me, "You look just like Noah when you pout and you're kidding me right? You're the one that said, 'that gives you about 15 minutes then Ana so enjoy it because we need to talk'."
She does her best impression of me when she says it and it's ridiculous, and adorable.
She's not relenting as she walks into the kitchen to pour us glasses of wine. Without a word, she hands me both glasses and follows me back to the couch. Once we're both seated, her glass of wine in hand, she scoots close, putting her head on my shoulder and leaning into me.
Once she's comfortable I say, "It's going to be kind of difficult to have a serious conversation like this, don't you think?"
She looks up at me and grins saying, "I'm counting on it."
I'd love to tell her she's wrong, but we've just tucked out son into bed and are now essentially cuddling on the couch. If we were having sex right now, I'd have everything I'd want.
"I don't want him watching Noah, Ana. He wants to take you and Noah away from me and I'm not dealing with him. I know you think I was an ass at brunch, but he was too. I don't want him near either of you. We've talked about this before, it's like me asking you to spend time with an ex-sub."
Surprisingly, her voice isn't raised when she answers me but she's talking to me like I don't understand English, slow and controlled.
"First, he doesn't want to take me away from you. Isaac and my relationship wasn't just hard for me Christian, he wanted to end it too. We're more like siblings now, imagine how you would treat Mia's ex if they had the history we do. He was hard on you at brunch but can't you understand why? He lost his family and had no control over it. You and I voluntarily gave up ours. He always been upset with me about it too."
She pauses but clearly has a lot more to say. I think she's wrong about Isaac, but this isn't the time to bring it up. When she starts again I see a lot more emotion in her face. Whatever's coming next is difficult for her.
"Second, you did ask me to spend time with an ex-sub, her name was Elena. I let that go when you first said it but I'm not letting it go now. You told me she was your closest friend and it was important to you that I try to understand that. Now I'm asking the same thing of you. You don't have to be friends with Isaac, although I think you would be if you guys could get over yourselves, you just have to be pleasant."
I know she's right about Elena but I'm having trouble being reasonable about this when I say,
"I asked you to understand about Elena and look how that turned out. I was never in a real relationship with Elena, it was just sex. It kills me that he's so close to you and Noah."
Ana interrupts and says, "It turned out so bad because Elena was a psychotic bitch. Isaac's a nice, normal guy. It's not the same, she was your first Christian, and your longest relationship, can you imagine how much that hurt me?" She pauses and then says, "We're getting off track and I don't want to. I know I'm asking a lot, but I'm still asking. From what you've said, you and I are going to be gone a good portion of the day tomorrow. Noah will be happiest with Isaac so I would like him to be the one to watch him."
She's right, Noah clearly loves him and will be happy with him while we're gone, and I know the Elena thing killed her. I would do anything to be able to change it, but there is nothing I can do.
"I don't like it, and long term we need a different solution. I don't care if the solution is finding a nanny for when the two of us are out, or Gail coming with me on weekend but we need something else. I guess if I want to go out tomorrow I have to agree to it this once, but I loathe that you're putting me in this position Ana."
She set's her wine down on the table and then leans back into me saying,
"I know you hate this, thank you for trying."
I'm leaning back on the couch, with Ana's head on my chest and one of her arms around my stomach. I'm tense after this talk and I want to change the subject.
"You know, we never really talked about dating before Flynn brought it up. The first time I was here we touched on it but that's it. I know what I want Ana, I want us to get back together and be a family with Noah. I've missed so much already with both you and Noah and I don't want to miss anymore."
Ana's other hand goes around my back so that she's hugging me and laying on me at the same time. This is dangerous because I know she wants to go slowly and I'm not sure I can with her in this position.
"I want us to work towards being a family too but I want to date and take it slowly. We went so fast the first time and I think that was part of the problem. I know I'll need to compromise between my need to take it slow and your need for warp speed, and I'm willing to do that, but I want to enjoy the progression this time. I don't want to feel like we're rushing to get to some end goal."
She's right; there will have to be some sort of compromise. It's been 5 weeks already and we're just now beginning to date. The first time around I was just about to ask her to marry me after that amount of time.
I don't say anything to her; instead I reach down and put my hand on her chin, bring her face up to mine. The kiss is slow and intense. I consciously don't deepen it; I want her to know that I heard her. We stay on the couch like that, slowly making out for a while until I turn so that I'm fully lying down and I pull Ana on top of me. She pulls a way for a second saying,
"Christian, I'm not sure this is going slowly."
I'm kissing my way up her neck to her mouth when I reply.
"Sure it is, making out on the couch is a normal part of dating, remember? You taught me that." I see her smile and then I add, "You're in control of this Ana. You decide when we stop. I promise I'll end up back at the hotel tonight if that's what you want."
She doesn't answer, instead she runs her hands through my hair and resumes kissing me.
