Chapter Fourteen:
I slowly open my eyes, it's now dark outside, I know I must have fallen asleep at some point, telling Christian about my past wore me out, I feel exhausted but I also feel like a weight has been lifted, I know I can trust him, I trust him with my life, I know he will keep me safe no matter what. I sit up and look around, I realise I'm in a bedroom, Christian's bedroom I think but where is he? I look at the alarm clock that's on the bed side table, it reads 4am. I know I should probably go back to sleep but first I need to find him, after everything we've both revealed to each other, I need to know he's okay. I quickly get out of bed, it's then when I hear a piano playing in the distance, I know it's him, he's playing a piece so sad and lonely, my heart breaks for him, he's always there for me, I should stop running away and let myself be there for him. I make my way out of his bedroom and back through his penthouse, I spot him straight away sitting at his piano, he plays beautifully much like the beautiful man I know he is, inside and out. I move closer to him and it's then when I must be catch the corner of his eye as he looks up at me, our eyes lock immediately. He looks so sad and exhausted, I quickly walk over to him still not breaking eye contact and sit down next to him, and straight away he stops playing.
"Why did you stop? That was beautiful…"
"I'm sorry if I woke you"
"Have you been asleep at all yet?" I ask him, he shakes his head.
"Why?"
"I don't find sleep easy, and when I do…I have nightmares. So I try and avoid going to bed as much as possible" he watches me as I reach for his hand and entwine it with my own, he sits and stares at our hands for a moment before looking up at me again. I suddenly let go out his hand for a second and stand up, he's watching me warily.
"Come on, you need some sleep" I tell him holding out my hand again.
"Ana, I'll be…"
"Fine, I know you will be but you still need sleep, come and sleep next to me" he studies me for a moment before looking at my outstretched hand then back to looking at me before taking my small hand and proceeded to stand up. Once he's fully stood up I keep hold of his hand and walk us back to his bedroom, half way there he stops me and turns me around to face him, I look up at him and into his eyes, I always found them beautiful but tonight they look incredibly beautiful, he let's go of my hand and then wraps his arms around me tightly and pulls me into his chest. I inhale his scent and close my eyes, this is home. We stand there in the middle of his penthouse in the early hours of the morning holding onto each other.
"Thank you…" I hear him whisper so softly to me.
"What for?" I whisper back.
"For coming into my life, for not walking away from me…"
"I will never walk away from you Christian, you are stuck with me"
"You promise?" he asks.
"I promise you, now come on, someone needs their beauty sleep and I am not talking about me, you look ready to drop to the floor at any moment" I grab hold of his hand again, he grasps my tiny hand in his and we both walk back to his bedroom. Once back in his bedroom I let go of his hand and make my way back to his bed, he just stands still and watches me.
"Christian, what's wrong?"
"I, I need to tell you something…"
"What is it?" I ask, he's silent for a few moments before shaking his head.
"You know what, it doesn't matter, it turns out I need my beauty sleep after all" I smile at him and then proceed to get under the duvet. My eyes are closed as soon as my head hits the pillow, I can hear him moving around before the bed dips and he slides in next to me. I turn so my back is facing him, he must think I have fallen asleep because what he does next makes my heart stop, but for a very good reason. He pulls me to him and wraps his arm around my waist and holds onto me tightly, I feel him bury his face into my neck, I want to smile and turn around to look at him so I can kiss him properly but I keep still and keep my eyes closed so I don't ruin anything.
"You are the most beautiful girl in the world Anastasia Steele and you mean the absolute world to me," he whispers so softly and so quietly into my ear. I want to tell him just how much he means to me but I don't, I have a feeling that his little confession is a secret so I'll keep it that way, instead I move my hand so it's resting on top of his and pull him to me closer, it doesn't take long before sleep takes me.
I don't know what wakes me up the next morning but I reluctantly open my eyes. The first thing I do notice is that Christian is still fast asleep with his arm wrapped around me tightly. I look at the alarm clock at my side of the bed, it's almost midday. Shit! At some point I'm going to have to get up and leave, I'm working at the club tonight so I've got to get myself back to Portland and somehow I don't think this sleeping beauty next to me is going to take it well but first I'm going to make him breakfast or lunch perhaps. As slowly as I can, I peel myself out of Christian's arms and quietly leave his bedroom, I'll come back and wake him up in a little while.
I make my way out of his bedroom towards his kitchen where I stop dead in my tracks, it turns out we've got company, they don't see me because their backs are to me, I spot Taylor appear out of the corner of my eye just as he spots me, we smile at each other before I turn my attention back to Christian's guests. Two of them I don't recognise at all but the other makes my blood boil and anger rages through me! What the fuck is Elena Lincoln doing back here! Before I can react, Taylor is stood at the side of me.
"Don't Miss Steele, I had no choice, that's Mr Grey's Mother she's sat with…" he pauses as my mouth pops open.
"Is Mr Grey awake yet?" I shake my head.
"I'll go and wake him up, I don't want to be seen by that evil woman" I turn and hurriedly make my way back to Christian. Once I reach his bedroom door I take a deep breath and open the door, to my surprise he's awake, the rage that was bubbling up inside of me disappears at the sight of his smile, a smile I have never seen before, I grin back at him.
"Good morning Miss Steele"
"It's no longer morning Mr. Grey…"
"True, I can't remember the last time I have ever slept that good, in fact I don't think I ever have, I guess I should thank you for that too"
"You don't have to thank me for anything Christian, but I do need to tell you something".
"What is it?"
"We've got visitors, or should I say you've got visitors, your Mom is here, along with Mrs. Lincoln" I almost feel like spitting out those last words, I look at Christians face, his beautiful smile has disappeared and now he looks pale and tense, I walk over to him so I'm standing in front of him.
"She didn't see me, neither of them did. Taylor got to me before I could go and throw her out by her hair myself, I'll stay here whilst you go…"
"No Ana, I want you to meet my Mom, she's going to love you"
"Christian I don't think I'll be able to control my anger towards…especially when you still..." he cuts me off.
"No Ana I don't, I did a hell of a lot of thinking last night, I don't want her here but my Mom doesn't know anything and it will break her if she ever found out. Please Ana, I want my Mom to meet you"
"Okay, I trust you Christian"
"Good" he whispers before kissing my forehead. Before I can even think about changing my mind he drags me out with him towards his Mom and the devil herself.
CPOV:
I woke up with a smile on my face, something in which I have never done. Ana wasn't here so I guessed she was in the kitchen, I looked at the time and I couldn't believe it, I don't think I have ever slept for so long, just as I get up Ana walks back in, she stops when she's me awake and out of bed. I look at her and those beautiful eyes, I swear my heart skips a beat, a heart I'll admit I thought I didn't have until Ana fell into my life but now Ana is so close into stealing that heart and making it hers but would she want it? She grins back at me which only makes me smile more, I think back to the words I whispered to her whilst she was asleep, she really is the most beautiful girl in the world. I think back to everything we confessed to each other last night and the realisation I had whilst she was sleeping, I was so angry, I was seeing red everywhere and normally when that happens I had a submissive to help me but that never entered my head last night, I realised I didn't need one anymore, I had Ana and even though we aren't together, she's still the best thing in my life. I also thought about my past with Elena, I was fifteen years old, fucking fifteen years old, I was already fucked up so she took advantage of it and made me a complete monster, a monster in which Ana wants to spend time with. I know I needed to change for her, she needs me just as much as I need her and I won't let anything ruin that.
But then I knew my mood would sour as Ana tells me Elena is in the kitchen with my Mom. I realise in that moment that I want Ana to meet my Mom, something in which I have never done before but with Elena being there also, I know Ana wouldn't be able to keep quiet, not that I want her to either but I don't want my Mom to find out about my fucked up life, it would break her heart. I plead with Ana to come and meet my Mom and she reluctantly agrees. Before she can change her mind I drag her out there to meet the woman I call my guardian angel.
We walk out together, Ana still slightly behind me, before she can even think about running away, I make my presence known.
"Mom" I say, I can feel Ana's glare at me from behind, I stifle a laugh. My Mom turns around along with Elena but I don't even acknowledge her presence. I swear I hear my Mom gasp as she spots Ana behind me. I make my way over to my Mom ignoring Elena completely and kiss her cheek as l always do.
"Aren't you going to introduce me Christian?" she scolds me, I don't even get a hello now she sees a girl standing in my penthouse.
"Yes of course" I reply as I make my way over to Ana who is still standing where I left her. I stand behind Ana and put my hands on her shoulders to move her forward slightly.
"Mom, I would like you meet Anastasia Steele, Ana this is my Mom Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey."
"It's nice to finally meet you Dr. Grey"
"There's none of that dear, call me Grace Ana" I feel myself relax as Ana grins at her. I can tell my Mom loves Ana already, I can't say the same about Elena though, I quickly glance at her and I can tell she is livid but I don't care, Ana is in my life and will be staying in life. I turn my attention back towards Ana and my Mom and see them smiling and laughing, I can hear my Mom asking Ana all sorts of questions and I can't help but smile at them, I hear her ask Ana over for dinner next weekend at their house as my sister is back from Paris, I hear Ana say yes and I can't help but smile some more, we aren't even a couple, well not yet anyway.
Ana doesn't even acknowledge Elena's presence and I'm glad, she keeps to her word and stays quiet. Soon though, my Mom along with Elena turn to leave as they head out to lunch together, they invited us both but before I could speak Ana tells her she needs to get back to Portland because she's working tonight. What the fuck! I keep quiet until my Mom and Elena leave before turning to Ana.
"You're leaving?" I ask.
"No Christian I am not leaving in that sense, I am however working tonight so I do need to get back to Portland"
"It's not safe working there Ana" she rolls her eyes at me and my palm slightly twitches.
"Christian, it's my job. You know me and Kate plan on moving to Seattle soon but we first need to find a place to live so for the time being, Portland is where I live and it's where my job is, please understand this?"
"I do understand that Ana but you should not be working in a nightclub, it's not safe for a girl…" I want to ramble on at her explaining why it's not safe but she cuts me off.
"I am much tougher than I look Grey, you should know that by now" she snaps at me and with that she turns and leaves me standing there. I stand there for a few moments before going after her. I find her in my room sat on my bed with her head down. I move and sit down next to her, she doesn't look up at me at first but when she does there's tears in her eyes.
"Don't cry Ana, I'm sorry…I just want you safe and protected, I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you, you could say I'm very protective over you" I tell her as I wipe the first tear away.
"I didn't mean to snap at you, I'm sorry but you have to understand I have to go back to Portland I have to work"
"I know, I'm sorry" and I do mean it even if I don't want her working there.
"Thank you" she smiles and I smile back.
"Come on, get dressed, we'll have something to eat and I will drive you back to Portland" I say standing up.
"You will?"
"Of course I will, now come on! I'll leave you to get ready" I pull her up on her feet and then leave the room. As I leave the room I check my phone, I find I have quite a few missed calls from Elliot, I quickly ring him back whilst Ana gets ready, he answers almost straight away.
"Christian!" he shouts down the phone.
"What?"
"I've gone and done something incredibly stupid" this does not surprise me, he's known for it.
"What have you gone and done this time?" I ask him.
"I've slept with Kate!" he shouts at me and for once my brother has left me speechless.