How could she let him touch her like that? How could she go back to him? He didn't deserve her. Ana was an angel. Everything about her was pure and innocent. Until Christian Grey came into her life. Now she was tainted. Now her mind was corrupt. He had to save her! He had to remove the evil from her life. Anastasia needed a saviour. And Jose Rodriquez was going to rescue her from the devil that was Grey.
Meanwhile, Ana, Kate and Mia had returned to the dance floor. Ana needed the time away from Christian before she threw him down on the lounge floor and had her naughty way with him. She somehow always managed to let her inhibitions go when she was around him. She was practically giving him a hand job in front of his sister for God's sake. Not that she didn't enjoy having his hands on her, seeking her now wet, aching core, but logic told her to wait.
It was inevitable that they would have sex eventually. Christian Grey had that control over her body that no one else ever had. He just had to look at her and she would find herself wanting him. He was an expert and he did things to her that she couldn't describe. She knew that people longed for the type of chemistry that they shared and the sexual tension that sizzled between them. But the logical part of her knew that it was wise to wait. Especially after her first sexual encounter in college.
She remembered it like it was yesterday. Scott was just a friend. They never shared any real connection but everyone else around her was having sex, hooking up, getting laid. She was never one to submit to peer pressure before, and she really had no intention of giving it up, but, somehow she did. She recalled getting drunk at a party that Kate took her too. She recalled seeing Scott and going into a bedroom with him. She recalled making out with him. Then one thing led to another and the next thing she knew, she was having sex with Scott Kleypas. To say it was a let-down, would be an understatement. If she hadn't experienced sex with Christian Grey, she would have gone all her life thinking sex was overrated. Scott wasn't really a good lay. Which was a shame, considering the fact that he was decently hung.
Kate had convinced her that sex was better than her first experience. Most girls first times weren't what she had read about in her romance novels, so she gave Scott a second chance and, miraculously, he managed to bring her to orgasm. So she give him a few more tries until she really couldn't stand it anymore. He wasn't bad. But he wasn't good either. And it felt like too much work for her for the few minutes of pleasure that he brought her. If he managed to anyway. So she lost her virginity and a pretty decent friend in one semester of her third year of college.
She didn't blame it on the sex. It was definitely her poor judgment that led to that horrible time of her life. Which is why she certainly wasn't about to make any hasty decisions and just jump into bed now. She wanted to take her time where Christian was concerned. She wasn't about to let lust control her. She wanted to do everything right this time around. She wasn't going to give her heart easily. That pain she felt when he broke it was far too much to bear and she couldn't repeat it. So this time around, her guard was up, her eyes her opened and her legs were closed.
Christian watched her as she danced. She was such an enchantress. Her beauty was what first captured his attention all those years ago, but it was her quick wit, her intelligent mind, her kind heart, her gentle touch and her generous, loving persona that kept him coming back to her. She was such a bright spot in his life. Just her presence made him happy. She made him see life in a different way. He had come to appreciate his family because of her. She was the only person who knew every dark aspect of his life, yet she chose to be his. She chose him. She said yes to him. He however, hadn't chosen her. He left her.
His first session with Flynn had made him realise how cowardly he was with regards to her. He wasn't the least bit surprised that Flynn chose to talk about her, their failed engagement and his determination to fix himself as their first session.
"So Christian, I have to ask, are you here for a few sessions just to get Ana back?" questioned the old man with the heavy British accent. Christian had known for far too long. When you started thinking of your shrink as a second father figure in your life, you knew that you had known that shrink for far too long!
"No John," said Christian as he narrowed his eyes. He wasn't going to admit that it had occurred to him to just see Flynn for a few sessions, made sure Ana knew that he was seeing him then stop when he got her back. But he knew deep down, that it would never work. In order for his relationship with Ana to work, or his life in general, to be easier, or at least less fucked up, he had to be consistent with his actions. He had to be committed to being better. Not just for Ana's sake, but his as well.
"I'm here for the long haul. I've got a shit load of stuff to fix in my life." Came Christian's dry reply.
John rubbed his hands together as he said, "Ok, let's get started then."
Christian recalled how hard it was to talk about his feeling, his fears, and his insecurities. He was sure John was on the verge of throwing something at him. It really was like pulling teeth when it came to his first session, especially when John asked the one question he was dreading.
"Christian, would you have found another reason to call off the wedding? Do you think there is any truth in Ana's statement, that you called off the wedding to protect her physically, but yourself emotionally?"
Christian licked his now dry lips and reached out for the bottle of water on the table between them. He knew that John would have asked this. He just didn't want to answer it. He was scared to admit it to himself.
"Honestly, John, I don't know. I wonder about it every single day."
"Why?"
"I don't know! I love her but is that enough? Would she have realised that she deserved more. I mean I loved her as much as I could then. But even then, I didn't give her my whole heart. She knew things about me that even you don't know yet at the same time, I held so much of myself back from her. I loved her. God knows I did. But what if that wasn't enough? What if she woke up and realised how much of a fuck up I was? I could have given her anything she asked for, bought her anything, and carried her anywhere. So why couldn't I give her myself completely?"
"You tell me. Why is it you think she would have left? What is it about yourself that you think is so repulsive that even Ana wouldn't be able to take?"
"I dunno, she says I'm stubborn, I keep things from her, I'm a workaholic, I curse like a sailor. There are a lot of things I do that can drive her away."
"Christian, she knows that you're stubborn. But so is she. You may say workaholic, but everyone else sees a driven, successful young man. The cursing you may want to work on though," said John with a laugh before continuing, "But these are all stuff that Ana knows about you. She knew it about you and chose to say yes and be with you."
"She didn't say yes the other day when I asked her to be with me," said Christian petulantly.
"So, what is it about yourself that she may not be able to handle?"
Christian took a deep breath before he answered. Only one answer came to mind. He knew that no matter how much Ana may love him, this one particular issue was a lot for her to handle. Especially since he himself was still having problems confronting it as a major issue. If he hadn't met Ana, he would have thought nothing about it. He would have gone his entire life believing that nothing was wrong with what happened to him.
"She may not be able to accept that I still can't see Elena as a rapist," said Christian in a whisper.
"Why is that? Why don't you consider her a rapist?" question Flynn. Christian knew that the question held no judgement. Flynn wasn't asking him to get an answer for himself, he was asking for Christian to admit his feeling aloud.
"If Elena raped me then I become the victim."
John nodded as he said, "And?" He waved his hands as he urged Christian to continue.
"And, I am not a victim," said Christian with such determination that John immediately knew the root of Christian's problem. Everything he had done so far, all of his actions, denying the rape, denying his birth mother's existence, running from love, giving up on Ana, turning his back on his family, giving up on therapy was to prove to himself that he wasn't weak. He wasn't a victim. He cut himself from anyone or anything that triggered feeling of vulnerability. Love left him vulnerable. It as a weakness. He turned his back on it before it could cause him pain.
Christian was pulled back to reality when Elliot nudged him. He hadn't realised that he was basically staring into space. He no doubt looked like a crazy person to his brother and Ethan.
The boys watched the girls dance. Each had their eye on the woman they loved. The only difference was that Ethan and Elliot could just go on the dance floor and join their girl for a dance without the fear of rejection. He couldn't. He didn't know why Ana had danced with him earlier but, there was no guarantee that she would do it again.
His thoughts were interrupted when he saw some random guy approaching her. He saw red when the guy leaned down and started whispering in her ear. His fists clenched when he saw Ana push him off her but he just leaned into her more. His hands gripped her waist and he started grinding into her, while Ana fought out of his hold. He saw the fear and anger in her eyes as he surged to his feet.
He hadn't realised that he was moving. He hadn't realised that he was approaching the guy but the next thing he knew, he was behind the prick who had the audacity to put his arm around Ana and he tapped him on his bulky shoulder. His swung his arm and the guy was on the ground, his hands cupping his bleeding nose.
"The lady said NO! Keep your filthy fucking hands off her!" he said as he shook his hand out. His knuckles were bleeding but he didn't care. How dare the prick touch her!
Ana screamed out as Taylor and Sawyer rushed to diffuse the situation. He pulled Ana into his arms. She was trembling. She held onto him and buried his face into his chest. Taylor and a bouncer lifted the man from his back and escorted him from the club while Sawyer followed everyone back to the lounge area.
They waited for Taylor to return. He came back just a few moments later, looking stressed. He quickly approached Christian and whispered in his ear, "Sir, we have a situation. Paparazzi have blocked the entrances as well as the emergency and back exit. Someone must have tipped them off that you're here with Miss Steele. The only way out, is through them."
"Fuck!" bellowed Christian.
He looked at Ana's trembling form in his arms and looked at Taylor. She needed to get her out of here.
"Ok, Ethan and Elliot will cover the girls. Me, you and Sawyer will cover Ana. Where are Reynolds and Ryan?" he questioned.
"They just arrived. Prescott is with them Sir."
"Good. Have Prescott drive. Ryan and Reynold will cover our front and back. Is there anything I'm forgetting?"
"Sir, with all due respect, you're the most obvious target. You shouldn't be so exposed."
"Taylor, I don't give a fuck right now. Just keep Ana safe. If it will make your job easier, I will stay close to you. Just don't let go off Ana. No matter what."
He turned to Ethan and Elliot to fill them in on the situation while Taylor called Reynolds and Ryan inside.
Meanwhile, Jose was smiling. Christian Grey didn't know what was coming his way. He made a beeline for the exit. He had to retrieve it from his car. He needed the one thing that would remove Ana from the devil's clutches. He needed to get his gun.
The Grey Company were slowly making their way out the club. Ana was positioned directly in the middle of Sawyer, Taylor and Christian. Sawyer was so close to her, she felt the heat radiating off of him. Taylor was also very close to her, but he kept moving so that Christian's back was not exposed for more than two seconds. The three of them kept their hands on her at all times.
The flashes of the paparazzi was blinding. Their screams and shouts were deafening. There wasn't much room to move. They didn't even part ways for Elliot and Ethan who both held on to Kate and Mia tightly. They kept closing in on them. Shoves came from all sides. Reynolds pushed as much as he could, together with the bouncers from the club, but it was obvious that the paparazzi, as well as any admirers weren't scared of the threat of prison. As long as they got their pictures, their quotes, their glances of the alleged couple, they were happy. Their aggression and determination to see her, made Ana scared.
Jose relished in the chaos. The noise, the confusion, the crowd was just what he needed. He lifted his hand and aimed the gun. The devil didn't deserve her. He was going to save her.
Without a moment's hesitation, he fired, twice.
Christian's head whipped in the direction of the sound. He saw the gun. He saw Jose and the sadistic smile that flashed across his face. He didn't think before shoving Ana to the side.
The bullet hit skin. It found a target. Ana screamed out as Sawyer pulled her and covered her with his body. Christian collapsed as Taylor pulled his gun out and aimed it in the direction from which the bullets came. Jose was nowhere in sight. Ana struggled out of Sawyer's hold when she felt the wet, sticky feeling on her. Sawyer was hit in the arm. He tried to pull her back, but she was too fast. Ryan knelt before him as did Kate when Ana screamed at her to look after Luke.
She crawled over to Christian who lay on the floor bleeding from what appeared to be his stomach. The paparazzi had scattered. Some had remained to capture footage of the bleeding prince of Seattle. Others actually had some self-preservation.
Elliot, Taylor and Ana knelt over Christian. She took Elliot's jacket and held it to his abdomen. She didn't know where the bullet had penetrated. She felt the tears running down her cheeks. She heard her cries, but she wasn't aware that it was her.
"Please don't die Christian. Please please please. I love you. You can't die. I love you. I love you. You hear me?" she sobbed.
Christian heard it all. He wanted to shout it out to the world that he loved her, but he could find the strength. He wanted to wipe her tears away and hold her, comfort her, but he couldn't even open his eyes. He felt his strength fading and the last thing he heard was the sounds of approaching sirens.
Elliot watched as his brother passed out. He watched as Ana cried over his body and had to be physically lifted off his body for the paramedics to get to him. Mia stood crying in Ethan's arms as Kate moved back from Sawyer's body to let the paramedics to their jobs. Taylor was all over the place. Extra security and a man he knew as Welch was now standing around. The cops didn't look happy but Christian Grey was shot in the open. They didn't have to be happy. He pulled Ana to him as she fought with Ryan.
"He-he-he has to live. Elliot, I – I c-c-cant l-lo-lose him. Tell me he'll be a-a-alright. T-tell m-me he'll live."
"Ana, I'm scared too ok. But I know my brother. He's strong. He's a fighter!"
They watched as they lifted Christian and Sawyer into waiting ambulances.
Ana pulled herself out of Elliot's hold and approached Taylor.
"We're riding with him. Don't argue with me on this. We'll only waste time," she said in a surprisingly clear voice. Her hands were shaking and covered in his blood. Her knees were buckling and her blood was roaring in her ears.
Taylor nodded once at her. She approached the ambulance but turned back to Kate and Mia. They were holding each other. Kate was no doubt being the source of comfort for Mia. "Can one of you ride with Lukey? Tell him I love him. Tell him that if anything happens to him, I'll kill him myself."
Kate nodded as she put Mia in her brother's arms. Ethan held her as Kate climbed into the ambulance that already held Reynolds.
Elliot, Mia and Ethan then followed them in the waiting car. Prescott and Welch sat upfront, their faces expressionless. The press would no doubt be waiting at the hospital. Elliot pulled out his phone and dialled his mother. He didn't want her to hear this from anyone else. His hands were shaking. He just witnessed his baby brother getting shot. How would he ever forget this feeling? This fear?
"Grey residence, Grace speaking," came his mother's greeting.
"Mom," said Elliot on a sob.
"Elliot, darling, what is it? Are you ok? Your brother? Sister? What happened?"
"Christian was shot mom. He's on his way to the hospital. Sawyer too. Ana and Kate are riding with them."
Elliot was full on crying now. He felt the tears on his cheek.
"We're on our way," said Grace. Elliot could hear the tears in her voice. He heard his father ask, in the background, what happened, but he dropped his phone as the sobs shook his entire body. Mia was in a similar state. Ethan had tears running down his face as well. He was never close to Christian, but he knew that he was a good man. Seeing him interact with Mia was all he needed to know. Christian Grey loved his sister.
Two doctors were waiting for the ambulances when they pulled up at the hospital. They introduced themselves as Dr. Bridges and Dr. Stone. They separated and busied themselves into tending to the injured men. Ana held unto Kate as they stepped back to give the doctors room to work. Sawyer's injury wasn't as bad as Christian's. The bullet when through and through for him. They rushed him to X-ray however, to ensure that no fragments remained.
Christian was another story altogether. He was still bleeding and the bullet was lodged in his abdomen. The doctors called ahead to have an OR prepped. Ana saw her opportunity as the nurses prepped him for surgery.
She approached him and gripped his hand, "I Love you Christian. I want to spend the rest of my life with you baby. I want to be with you, share a life with you. Don't leave me. Don't die. Come back to me."
She whispered, "I love you," one more time into his hand as she kissed it. They wheeled him off to surgery as Ana watched. They pushed through the double doors as Ana stepped back and put her hand to her mouth. She was crying again. The only man she ever loved was being wheeled into surgery.
He was being rushed to surgery because he saved her.
He took a bullet meant for her.
