"I must say, Christian, you look like a different man than you did before I left."

Smiling wryly, I drop onto the couch across from John Flynn. He's been away in England for the last several weeks taking care of his sick father and while we've corresponded via email a few times, I haven't had the chance to bring him completely up to speed on things. "I feel like a different man, John," I admit honestly. "A lot has changed."

"Well, let's start with the basics," he says, resting an ankle on his knee. "How are you?"

"I thought you said 'the basics'. There is nothing basic about how I am right now." I know the floor is completely mine when he just tilts his head to the side, waiting expectantly. "Ana and I are together again." I can't help the smile on my lips at the thought, because I still can't believe it. Not really. "You were right about telling her how I feel about her. It was liberating in a way to finally say it out loud and the look on her face when I did made it seem as though I'd given her the best gift in the world."

"Perhaps you did," John interjects. "From all I know about Anastasia, she is exactly the type of girl to treasure requited emotions rather than material possessions."

"That she is," I murmur thoughtfully. "Unfortunately, it took her getting drugged for me to get enough nerve to finally open up to her."

John sits up in his chair, startled by my words. "Drugged?" he repeats incredulously. "I heard about a shooting, but not..."

I nod. "Long story short, Ana was out at a bar with some co-workers and someone slipped Rohypnol into her drink while her back was turned," I relay, still fucking pissed that it happened to her. Twice. But at least the second time Taylor caught it before she actually drank it. "She managed to stumble from the bar to my apartment before collapsing. We're still unclear about what happened between her leaving the bar and getting to Escala since she doesn't have any recollection, but as everyone kept telling me, it could have been much worse."

"How is Ana taking that?" John asks, looking as concerned for Ana as my family had that night. I sometimes forget that just about anyone who meets Ana develops an immediate affinity for her.

"All things considered, she took that very well," I answer. "Naturally she was concerned that someone had..." I swallow hard, still not wanting to even think about what could have happened to her that night. "That she had been raped. She hadn't, thank God, or I might have really lost it. I think I took it worse than she did to be honest."

John's head cocks to the side again. "Why's that?" he prompts me, sensing there is more to it than what I'm telling him.

I sigh, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. "Because until she stumbled into my apartment, drugged, I hadn't seen or spoken to her in close to a week. There was an incident at one of my parents' benefit dinners that started because my idiot brother and his fiancée who can't keep her nose out of anyone's business decided to set Ana up with a dick friend of Elliot's—he's a serial womanizer who ignored her all fucking night and when he worked out she wouldn't be as easy a lay as he'd hoped he went after a friend of my sister's." I summarize the rest of the incident up to Ana catching me walking out of the boathouse with Lily and her immediate conclusion jumping and how she just took off without letting me explain exactly what had happened. "And then I was pissed about her being pissed at seeing me with another woman, even though nothing had actually happened, because what fucking right did she have to act jealous and possessive when she was the one who ended us to begin with and refused to give me a second chance?"

"Have you since asked her what prompted those feelings?"

"I don't need to anymore," I say honestly. "Even though she and I never discussed the possibility that one of us might eventually move on, I never stopped thinking of her as mine and I don't think she stopped thinking about me as being hers which made me feel like a fucking idiot for not pushing harder for us to get back together because I realized we were both too afraid of being rejected to make a move. She still thinks she can't be what I need her to be, that I need the BDSM bullshit like I did when we first met. I thought she'd gotten past it. She was protecting herself from another scene like what happened in the playroom last year; if that happened again, it would have killed her because she'd not only lose that side of our relationship, but our friendship as well."

"Is that what you were afraid of?"

I nod. "On some level, yes," I answer. "But also because I'd finally begun to realize that I'm in love with her and friendship is better than not having her in my life at all. And if I had tried and she'd turned me down again..." I shake my head, realizing there is no use thinking like that anymore.

"How have things been between the two of you since then?"

Huffing a humorless laugh, I lean back into the couch. "Up and down, like it always was with her. But mostly up." Once again, I summarize things for him—the photos, flying to New York to see her when I concluded business at the shipyard, surprising her in her hotel room, the amazing sex, dinner with her co-workers, and the second drugging incident at the bar. "I'm only glad I was there this time and that Taylor caught it."

"Has the culprit behind the drugging been found?"

"No," I answer darkly. "It's still being investigated. At first, we thought it might have been her former boss; he's always had an unhealthy interest in her and I've kept an eye on things in case he went too far, but Ana insisted over and over she could handle him. I still say I should have dropped him from the fucking Space Needle from the beginning." Actually, that's still tempting. "Anyway, some revelations have come to light that suggest that on that point, he was innocent."

John frowns. "So you have a suspect?"

"We don't know. At the moment, we believe the drugging, the photos, and the shooting are all connected. Hyde is currently in jail after breaking into the penthouse a few weeks back. No one was hurt, thankfully, but by the time my security team found him, he was standing just inside my and Ana's bedroom where she was fast asleep and vulnerable. Evidence has been presented that suggests his intent was to kidnap her. I don't know if it was for ransom or if he just went fucking nuts and decided to be more proactive at getting his hands on Ana. Either way, the fucker is lucky he's surrounded by cops 24/7, otherwise I'd have to pay him a visit."

"It has been a few busy weeks for you, hasn't it?" John asks in almost a tone of awe.

"To say the least," I agree.

"What about the shooting?" John says. "What do you know about that?"

Even though Ana is mostly recovered, the shooting is still difficult for me to discuss, and for her, too, I assume. I don't know if she's avoided talking about it because she doesn't want to upset me or if she's still upset herself. "I know that I walked into her apartment, found her in her bedroom, and thought she was dead," I begin. "I know that the moment I realized she could be dead, the rest of the world ceased to exist and I could feel my whole life snuffing out. I know that I started thinking about things I never would have thought about otherwise, like how I wanted more from our relationship than what we already had—marriage, a future, kids... And it was nothing short of torture when I realized there was a chance I'd not only ever see her again, but that the future I imagined for us was nothing but imagination."

John smiles sympathetically. "I can't possibly imagine walking into a scene like that."

"You don't want to," I reply emphatically.

"No, I wouldn't," he agrees quietly.

"The worst part was that my security team believed they identified the shooter as Leila, the submissive who popped up last year to cause trouble. Naturally, my first thought was that I'd caused her pain; if not for me, Leila wouldn't have gone after Ana because she wouldn't have known Ana even exists. So, being the dick that I am, I thought the only solution was to leave her to avoid anything more happening to her."

"How did that go?"

I roll my eyes. "It was futile," I say wryly. "I thought that once she realized how dangerous I am for her she'd get over me. The day she was released from the hospital, though, she got a hold of Taylor and talked him into bringing her to Escala without telling me. She read me the riot act, saying more to my face than she ever has before. There was a time she only would have said what she did through email and with three thousand miles between us. I was stunned to the point that even if she'd allowed me to say anything, I wouldn't have been able to. For once, she was fighting for me—for us and what we could have together. That meant the world to me because she was saying all the things I felt for her, showing me that she loves me as much as I love her."

John smiles. "You still seem a little stunned by that," he observes.

"I am. That wasn't even the biggest thing to happen to us by that point. The night Jack Hyde broke into the apartment, I was away on business in New York. I'd been gone a few days already and while I was there, I purchased an engagement ring for her."

I smirk at how suddenly John's eyebrows shoot up. "That was quite soon..." I can't tell if his tone is one of disapproval or just surprise.

"Soon?" I repeat. "John, I have spent a year trying to figure out a way to get us back together without fucking everything up again. Her being shot changed the way I think about things; I realized just how quickly we can lose everything we hold dear and the thought of not asking her to be my wife seemed foolish. I'd almost lost her once; I wasn't risking it again.

"Anyway, when we got the call about the break-in, Taylor and I left immediately. I was already worried about Ana; she'd sounded odd over the phone that day but claimed she just had a headache. When I got home, she was there, safe and sound, but something was still a little off with her mood. It wasn't until the next evening that she told me what the problem was." I pause, noting that John is practically sitting on the edge of his seat. "Ana's pregnant."

For a split second, I see what I must have looked like to Ana when she told me—like my brain was momentarily short-circuiting. "How did you react to that?" he asks, though I get the feeling he already knows the answer.

"I had to walk away," I say, still feeling ashamed for my behavior that night. "I didn't know how I was going to react when it finally registered in my mind that she's pregnant and I didn't want to subject her to my temper if that hit before anything else. I walked for a while, ended up on my boat, just thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

I shrug. "Everything. My first inclination was to call you and ask for advice, but I didn't want to pile my shit on while you were with your father. I thought about calling my siblings or my parents—hell, even for a brief second, I thought about calling Elena; I shoved that thought out of my mind. That wasn't a real option under any circumstances. Taylor ended up finding me and we talked for a while, which was a little strange because I've always maintained clear boundaries with all my staff. It was good, though; he told me how he was when he found out his wife was pregnant with their daughter and how nervous he was about it until he actually held her for the first time.

"When I went back home to Ana, I was ready to tell her that yes, I was fucking terrified about being a father, but if that was where our life was taking us, so be it. She thought I was going to tell her I didn't want a baby and that I wanted her to have an abortion—she never actually said that, but I could see it in her eyes. John, she was prepared to leave me if I didn't accept the baby. She said she could never terminate her pregnancy and that she didn't want to. I think she would have walked away completely and not asked me for a single thing if it came down to it. She was shocked when I told her I wanted her no matter what and that in time I would adjust to the thought of becoming a father. It's still a fucking shock, to be honest, but we had an ultrasound and since then, I couldn't imagine things being any different." I reach into my pocket for my wallet, removing the black and white scan I've been carrying around with me since it was given to me, handing it to John.

He smiles as he takes it and looks. Even I know there isn't much to see at this point, it still fascinates me to no fucking end. Ana and I made that and eventually, we'll have a baby in our arms to raise and love and care for. "I have to admit," John says, passing the photo back to me, "that this is not something I ever foresaw for you, Christian. But it seems you're taking to all in stride."

"Trying to," I agree. "And incidentally, I asked Ana to marry me. I bought a piece of property not long after she told me about the pregnancy and took her there to see if she liked it, and to propose. She said yes."

"Congratulations," John says sincerely. "I have no doubt that you and Anastasia will be very happy together."

I smile. "Thank you. I certainly hope we will be."

"But something is still bothering you."

One of these days I'll remember that John is a therapist for a reason—he is almost annoyingly astute. But it's also one of the reasons I trust him as I do; he doesn't beat around the bush or allow me to skirt over the real issue. "Like I said before, my security team thought they had identified the person who shot Ana through eyewitness accounts. We didn't have any surveillance on her, but the description matched Leila the last time we saw her. And then the police found Leila dead in a motel—she'd shot herself. We thought that was the end of it, but we were wrong. The other night, I was going through old files, getting rid of all the ones on my submissives including the photos I had of them for insurance purposes. Ana walked up on me while I was looking at Leila's file and asked who she was. I told her and she argued with me about it, telling me that wasn't who shot her. I was hoping maybe Ana was mistaken—Leila looked like a ghost of herself, not at all like she did in the photo. We're still looking into it, of course, and I'm afraid because I don't know whether there is someone still after us and now Ana is pregnant, and I have to keep them safe."

"Have you any thoughts on who might have been behind all of this?" John asks quietly.

I shake my head. "None," I whisper. "I would have thought Jack Hyde originally, but now I'm not sure. Ana has wondered whether Elena was involved somehow, but even Elena wouldn't stoop to that level. Nevertheless, we are looking into the possibility," I add quickly when John takes a breath to speak. "Thankfully, Ana has been fully cooperative with the security measures. I know she hates being shadowed, but as things stand, I'd rather make her a little uncomfortable than see her hurt again."

"I think as long as you're open with Ana about what is happening around you, she'll cooperate. Newly pregnant as she is, motherly instinct kicks in quickly; she'll do whatever it takes to keep the baby from harm." I nod in response, really hoping he's right about that. John sighs. "So we've talked quite a bit about Ana and what she's been through; what about you, Christian? How are you coping with all of this change and drama?"

"I don't know," I reply. I've been so caught up worrying about Ana that I honestly haven't given much thought to myself. "I'm scared, of course, about what could happen. I'm fucking pissed off that once we finally get back together, trouble starts popping up. I want this shit sorted yesterday. I can barely focus on work because I'm focused on everything else. I'm just waiting for the nightmares to return; I haven't had one since Ana showed up at Escala after her release. Part of me wants to just take her away from all of this until it blows over. It's not an option and I know it because we both have work commitments and my brother is getting married on Saturday, but that doesn't stop me wishing otherwise."

"Perhaps the two of you can find some time to get away after the wedding?" John suggests. "Have either of you told your families about your engagement or the baby?"

I grin, shaking my head. "Not yet. We were at least going to announce the engagement at my parents' fundraiser over the weekend, but circumstances didn't allow it." I really don't want to discuss Elena's presence or the conversation she and I had regarding the dissolution of our friendship and business partnership. Ana knows all about it and as far as I'm concerned, the subject has finally been well and truly buried for good. "I suppose we could drive down to see Ana's father in Montesano. He and I had a good conversation when she was in the hospital and we seem to have bonded a bit. Maybe he won't shoot me on sight for knocking up his daughter before marrying her."

John chuckles. "If he's seen the two of you together, I doubt he'll be under any delusion about your intentions towards Ana. You may have done things a bit out of order, but sometimes it happens that way. I understand your stress and your fears, Christian; the circumstances may not be typical, but I imagine anyone would feel just how you do. I don't see anything wrong with how you're coping. You know yourself; you know how to control your more extreme urges. But you must be patient with Anastasia, even if the two of you begin butting heads about security or whatever else crops up between you. Communication, Christian. Make sure it's there."

Promptly at 5:30 that evening following my lunchtime session with John, I'm walking into SIP to get Ana to bring her home. It's not particularly necessary for me to actually go into the building—more often than not, I wait in the SUV wrapping up last minute business on my BlackBerry while I wait for her and Sawyer to join us—but today, I don't want to wait on her. I want to see her now, even if she isn't finished with her workday. Of course, I get a lot of nervous glances from the staff assuming I'm here for a surprise visit. I ignore them and pretend I don't hear Jerry Roach calling for me as the elevator doors shut. Taylor smirks at the look on Roach's face. I've gotten the impression my head of security doesn't particularly care for the man. Neither do I, to be honest, but until I make some changes to the staffing and perhaps a change to the company name, I'll put up with him.

I find Ana sitting at her desk engrossed in what I assume to be a manuscript. Taylor heads down the hall to meet with Sawyer while I approach my fiancée, sitting in the chair on the other side of her desk while she reads. It amuses me that it takes close to two minutes for her to realize I'm here, but the smile of happiness on her lips makes my wait worth it. "Good evening, Miss Steele," I say huskily. "Have you had a good day?"

The air between us crackles and Ana's lips open fractionally to accommodate her increased breathing. "It seems to be improving quite a bit now, Mr. Grey," she replies, her eyes looking me up and down. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was undressing me with her eyes. Only fair, since I'm doing the same to her right now. "Yours?"

I shrug. "Same. Are you nearly finished? I thought we'd eat out tonight. I made reservations."

She blinks several times, apparently only now realizing the time. Marking her place in the manuscript, she slides it into the messenger bag I gave her when she was promoted to editor. It's much easier than carrying loose papers everywhere she goes as she did before. "Yes, actually," she says. "Sorry, I got caught up..."

"No problem. I like watching you read. Did you know you play with your lip when you're concentrating on a manuscript?" I ask her, leaning over the desk to rub my thumb over the skin she was gently pulling on with her fingers. "It's very distracting; I could watch you all night..."

Flushing, Ana shuts down her computer for the evening and I help her into her jacket, taking her bag and her hand to lead her out to the car.

"So what were you reading that was so fascinating?" I ask on the way to the restaurant.

"Oh, it's a story about a girl who wakes up from a six-month coma to find out her entire life is drastically different than it was before. She meets this guy—a private detective—who is so opposite from her ex-fiancée and her family and friends, and it's mostly about them getting to know each other," she rattles off. "It's kind of sad in some parts, but it's funny, too, as she starts to open up more to him. It's got a bit of mystery and some love story and heartbreak. So far, it's got potential, I think."

I love seeing how passionate she is about her work and how much she loves spending her days reading. My little bookworm. I wonder how she'll react when I reveal my plans for SIP...

Over dinner, just as I'd hoped, we talk like we're not afraid of some unnamed threat lying in wait for us. Instead, I mention the idea John had about getting Ana away from Seattle for a few days after the wedding. She resists at first, citing her need to be at work, but I can see just how appealing the suggestion is, particularly when I tell her about inviting Ray with us to Aspen. She didn't get much time with him while she was in the hospital; not long after she woke, Ray had to return to Montesano because he had no one to cover the hardware store he owns out there.

Much to my surprise, she agrees to the trip without much more than a token protest. Maybe John was right and that motherly instinct he mentioned is reminding her that she needs to stay relaxed as much as she can for the sake of our baby. I'm not fool enough to question it, whatever her reasons. I love seeing her relaxed and happy; I don't think there is anything I wouldn't do for her to remain that way for the rest of our lives. The last thing I want is for her to be afraid and looking over her shoulder wherever she goes, but for now, I'm not sure I have a choice in that matter. All my precious control is being ripped away from me by this unknown person and I really fucking hate it.

It's not until we return to Escala that reality slaps us in the face again. Taylor is waiting for us in the foyer, having taken the service elevator so he could check out whether the security measures we demanded have been installed to his satisfaction. Beside me, Ana stiffens, noting the impassive expression on Taylor's face.

"I'll try not to be long," I promise Ana before I follow Taylor to my study.

She nods, though I can see in her eyes that she wants to protest and ask questions.

"Make it quick," I say to Taylor. I lean against my desk while he stands in front of me.

He sighs. "To cover all our bases, Welch ran a more in-depth background check on Jack Hyde to see if he has any connections to anybody we think might hold a grudge against you or Miss Steele. One thing popped up and I think it might go a long way in explaining a few things."

"What's that?"

"I'm sure you remember Sarah Fuller?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

My stomach drops. "Of course," I mutter. I think it would be impossible for me to forget the woman who somehow flew under my security team's radar so she could stalk me. "What of her?"

"It seems they're involved romantically."

Throughout my life, I've learned that coincidences are rare occurrences. If it seems too coincidental, it probably is. Most of the world operates with intent, sometimes of the malicious sort. I have no doubt that this is one of those times. A few things begin falling into place, though more questions present themselves. "Do we know Miss Fuller's whereabouts?" I ask quietly.

"Here in Seattle," Taylor answers. "Welch is working on tracking her exact location, but for the moment, we're operating under the impression that she is somehow involved."

"This is getting fucking ridiculous," I say tiredly. "It's been close to four years since I fired her; why now?"

"Who knows? It could be because she's been keeping tabs on you all this time and now she's decided to make herself known."

I think back on what I know about Sarah Fuller, which admittedly isn't much. Once I realized what she was up to, she was gone and I didn't think to look any deeper than that, though I clearly should have. One of the odd things about Sarah was that she fit the type of woman that attracts me almost perfectly. Ana once pointed out that I seem to only hire blonde women to work in my building. I can't say I gave it much thought before, but I suppose she's right. Sarah was the exception to that rule and I overlooked it because she excelled in her job and despite physical appearances, I wasn't attracted to her. It wouldn't be difficult for Sarah to look like Leila or any of my submissives, to be honest. What are the chances that she learned about Leila and disguised herself as Leila when she went to Ana's apartment? If we're correct in believing Leila's death was a homicide rather than suicide, Sarah could have killed her to cover her tracks and throw us off. It's only because Ana walked into my office when she did and saw that photo of Leila that we even suspect someone else is behind all of this. On top of being troubled by all of the shit piling on us, I'm relieved that Ana made the observation she did, because we let our guards down before that and who the fuck knows what could have happened then.

"After my brother's wedding on Saturday, I'm taking Anastasia to Aspen for a few days. We're going to fly her father out so they can spend some time together. Send someone to secure the house and make the necessary preparations. I want updates of this situation the moment you get information. Clear?"

Taylor nods, looking a little relieved; he seems to approve of our plan to get away for a while. "Of course, Mr. Grey. We'll take care of everything."

With that, I head off to find Ana, working out what to tell her about this latest development. I find her in the bathtub—she's made it a habit to bathe on most evenings before bed and I've found I enjoy it just as much. "Mind if I join you?" I ask her, already removing my clothes as I enter the bathroom.

"Not at all," she says, smiling and leaning forward a bit so I can get in behind her. "You're tense."

I nod, wrapping her in my arms while I think. It's not that I particularly want Sarah to remain a secret from Ana—I did nothing wrong in that situation, after all—but she's always so doubtful that she is what I need at all times. "A while back," I begin, "years, really, a woman came to work at GEH. She started out as an intern and caught my attention over the months. She was competent, brilliant at her job, and had more potential than most people I come across. As it turns out, it was all a front. She joined my company to get close to me and she succeeded. I realized she'd been stalking me for a long time and fired her immediately. It was months before she was completely gone because she continued to show up wherever I might be—parties, restaurants, business trips... I haven't heard anything from her since then, but Welch made a discovery, a connection between her and Jack Hyde. I don't know how they became acquainted and frankly, I don't give a shit, but given what we know about the woman who shot you, Taylor believes she is involved somehow."

"Well, then," Ana whispers after a few minutes of silence. "What do we do now?"

"Exactly what we've been doing. I have to trust that Taylor and his men can sort this out, because the only thing I want to worry about is you. The best thing we can do is go on with our lives as though nothing significant has changed. We'll go to Elliot and Kate's wedding, then we'll take the jet to Aspen and try to relax for a change. I think we both need that at this point."

She nods, resting the back of her head against my shoulder. I can't resist pressing a kiss to her neck. "Okay," she says with a sigh. "I can't wait for this to be over."

"That makes two of us, baby," I murmur, rubbing my hands down her arms, then up her torso towards her breasts. Distracting ourselves with sex probably isn't the best idea, but at this point, perhaps a distraction is exactly what we need. My hands find her nipples and I roll them slowly and gently between my fingers, listening as her breath catches in her chest and smiling when her hands find my thighs. She squeezes them, her nails pressing into the flesh with the perfect amount of pressure—it's a fine line between pain and pleasure, I once told her, and it seems she's figured out exactly where that line lies.

My lips, tongue, and teeth are at Ana's neck and she moans softly, rocking gently against the erection pressed against her backside. It's been a long time since we've done this in the bath; I think the last time was last year at my hotel room in Savannah. I smile, remembering how angry she'd been with me in regards to my relationship with Elena. I'd flown out to be with her because I missed her, not because I wanted to fight with her, and until she knocked on my hotel room door, I'd been considering just cutting my losses and going back to Seattle. I'm glad I stayed, though; that was when I'd taken her soaring and then to IHOP, and she told me I was giving her more even though I had no idea before then how to do it.

But now, it's just the two of us feeling more comfortable together than we did last year. "Turn around, baby," I whisper into her ear.

She doesn't hesitate to obey, bringing back lovely memories from the first couple times I took her into my playroom. I don't think about the last time we were there. With her knees on either side of me, she pushes herself against me, taking my face into her hands for a kiss that leaves us both breathless. One of my hands cups the back of her neck while the other moves between her legs, testing just how ready she is for me. And fucking hell is she ever... Vaguely, I recall hearing somewhere that pregnant women's sexual appetites increases as their pregnancy progresses. If that's true, I'm not sure I'll survive the next seven months in one piece.

"Do you want me, Ana?" I ask her, my fingers slowly moving inside her to make her gasp and whimper.

In answer, she reaches beneath the water, immediately finding my erection to stroke it at the same pace as my fingers. I will never tire of her touch; I will always crave more, even if I don't deserve it. If she's willing to give it to me, I'm sure as fuck going to take it. We're working each other into a frenzy until I can take no more and move her onto me, flexing my hips to push in as deeply as I can. Her forehead rests against mine as we simply enjoy the sensations between us. It's almost overwhelming at times, being in her like this. The emotions she makes me feel are a little frightening because they're so intense, but I can't get enough of her. The expression in her eyes mirrors my thoughts perfectly.

"I love you," I breathe as she begins to gently rock against me.

"I love you, too," she replies, her fingers sliding into my hair. "Sometimes I think I love you too much."

Yes, definitely reading my mind right now. "Not possible," I argue, groaning as she rides me faster. "I never want you to go, Ana. Don't ever go."

She nods as I feel her body tense. "I won't," she promises. "But that means you can't leave me either."

"Never." The word comes out as a growl and the slow pace she's been moving is no longer enough for either of us so I help her out, eventually pounding into her hard enough that the bathroom floor is covered in water, not that we care. She cries out my name, her muscles squeezing me. It only takes a few more thrusts and I'm coming long and hard, holding her so tightly against me that she pulls back just enough that she can breathe.

When my muscles begin to cooperate again, I take one of her hands resting on my shoulder, kissing each finger in turn. "You're beginning to prune, Miss Steele," I inform her. "And the water is getting cold. Perhaps we should go to bed?"

She hums an unintelligible response and I chuckle, managing to get us both out of the tub, dried, and curled up in bed without any trouble. By the time I switch off the light, Ana is fast asleep and I'm relieved that she can still look so peaceful even with the danger around us. Then it hits me that she really does trust me to keep her safe. She has faith that I won't let anybody else hurt her ever again. And that thought is comforting enough that I'm able to fall asleep much more quickly than I anticipated I would, the rest of the world be damned.

A/N: As always, thanks to everyone reading and/or reviewing. Lame as it is, the manuscript Ana was reading this chapter is actually a brief summary of one of my originals, Out of the Darkness, and if you feel so inclined to check it out, the link to it and my other original novels is on my bio page. Or not. Either way, more story coming soon!