AN: As always…..I do not own these characters. All rights go to E.L. James

"Saving You, Saving Me"

Chapter 21

On Friday evening, Ana slipped her feet into a pair of black satin heels. She wasn't used to wearing heels, but they were more comfortable than she remembered. A good thing, because tonight she would be so far out of her comfort zone with everything else going on, and she was glad she wouldn't be complaining about her feet. She was almost ready for the hospital's fall gala. She smoothed a hand down the front of the dress in a attempt to settle the nervous flutters in her stomach.

Rather than risk another trip to her apartment, Christian had insisted she and Kate pick up dresses at a nearby boutique. Ana had chosen a basic black, floor length gown with a boat neck collar and sheer long sleeves. The dress fit like a dream and made her feel beautiful. She wondered what Christian would think of the dress.

The minute the thought formed, she realized how much she hoped he liked it…like her in it.

With shaky hands, she twisted her hair up into a knot, leaving her neck exposed.

A knock sounded on the bedroom door.

Anticipation sent a fresh wave of flutters through her. Christian? "Come in."

"Almost ready?" Kate asked as she entered and closed the door behind her.

Disappointment shot through Ana. "Yes. Almost. That dress is stunning on you."

Kate twirled. "I feel so young in it."

She'd purchased a stunning silk, red, off the shoulder dress that fell just below her knees. She wore black, low heeled sandals that would allow her to chase bad guys if the need arose. Her blond curls cascaded like a waterfall from a silver clip. Ana admired the petite woman and was thankful she was here.

With quick steps Kate crossed to the bed and sat on the edge. She slipped off her shoes and rubbed at her feet. "I've only had these on for five minutes and already my feet hurt," she complained.

"The price of beauty," Ana commented. A price she usually didn't care to pay. Sure, she had a few pieces of vanity. Her red rubber soled pumps that she normally wore at work had little bows, but they were still practical. But since Christian had come into her life, she wanted to look good, to feel pretty.

Kate's mouth quirked. "We do look great."

Ana wished she had Kate's confidence. "I'm nervous," she admitted. Through she wasn't sure if her nerves were more from the dangers ahead or because Christian would be her escort.

This wasn't a date, she reminded herself. But she wished it were. She wished they were just a normal couple headed to a fancy event where she'd give her speech then they'd leave and head somewhere quiet to have coffee and talk.

But that wasn't the case tonight.

She'd agreed to be bait. To appear in public in hopes her would be assassin would show himself.

"Christian had made arrangements with Detective Clark for a visible police presence and for undercover cops to pose as part of the wait staff," Kate said. "Sawyer and I will mingle among the guests. If anyone tries anything, we'll take'em down." She pumped her fist.

Ana remembered that Christian had referred to Kate as a firecracker. The woman was definitely feisty and fierce. "I wish I was as brave as you."

"I know this has been hard." Kate pinned her with a compassionate look. "You're doing really well."

Ana wasn't so sure. She was having a hard time keeping her guard up and not letting the fear overcome her. She could feel the fissures in her composure. "I'm close to cracking."

"You won't crack. You're strong." Kate slipped her shoes back on. "Besides, Christian won't let anything happen to you."

"I know he won't." She'd seen him in action, knew what he was capable of doing. She trusted he'd do everything in his power to protect her.

But would he be able to protect himself, as well? She was afraid for him. She might be the bait, but he wouldn't hesitate to step in front of her and take the hit. The thought of anything happening to him rocked her to her core.

All she could think about was him. So strong. So kind. So handsome. Her heart pounded an odd mixture of fear and attraction. She was falling for him. Maybe she'd already fallen. That frightened her as much as what might happen tonight.

She wanted the killer found and arrested. But she didn't want Christian to go away. But that's what would happen once the case was solved and she was no longer in danger.

"If this doesn't end tonight, how much longer can this go on?"

Kate made a face. "Hard to say. Long enough for you and Christian to get cozier."

"What? That's ridiculous." A flush started to spread from Ana's neckline upward while an excited thrill danced down her spine.

"No, it's not." Kate gave her a knowing look. "You both have it bad. I've seen the way you two look at each other. The way you each anticipate the other's moves and practically finish each other's sentences."

Hoping her rising blush wasn't noticeable, Ana shook her head and busied her hands by putting on a pair of earrings. Her first line of defense was denial, both to herself and Kate. "I don't know what you mean."

Kate's chuckle grated on Ana's nerves as she fumbled with the earrings.

"There's nothing cozy about being targeted for murder," Ana said.

"You're right there," Kate said. "However, I'm not talking about being lax or even relaxed. I'm talking about L-O-V-E."

Ana stilled. Love?

Her heart pounding in sporadic beats, Ana turned to face Kate. She tried to squelch the rising hope. "Look, I know you mean well, but you're way off base. Christian and I…He's doing a job. I have to trust him. Anything else would be disastrous."

Kate gave her a searching look. "Why?"

Words tumbled out of Ana and anxiety swelled in her chest. She locked her fingers together to steady herself. "We have very different lives. We both have demanding careers. He's leaving when this is over. I'm not his type. He likes to play the field. It wouldn't work." I won't risk my heart again.

Kate rose with a shrug. "Sounds like excuses to me." She opened the bedroom door. Then paused to say, "I've known him for several years, and I've never seen him this way with anyone else. "He's smitten, even if he doesn't realize it. And I think you are, too, and even if you won't admit it to me, you need to acknowledge it to yourself." Her delicate brows lowered. "And just to set the record straight, Christian is not a player. He's as solid as they come. Sure he's dated, but he's not a womanizer."

With that Kate departed, leaving Ana reeling. She slowly sank onto the bed as she absorbed Kate's words. Christian was smitten with her? He wasn't a womanizer?

She was smitten with him?

A laugh escaped. Yes. She was smitten. More than smitten.

She loved Christian.

The admission welled up from a deep place within that went beyond logic and reason. She loved him.

Joy bubbled, but she tempered it down with reality.

What she'd said to Kate may have sounded like excuses, but the underlying truth of the reasons remained. And she didn't know how they could change the facts, even if they both wanted to. They lived in different cities. He had a dangerous job that required him to put his life on the line. She was a workaholic with no taste for danger. She couldn't imagine spending the rest of her life constantly worrying that something would happen to him.

Excuses. Kate's voice rang in Ana's head.

Maybe. But she was a realist. And a coward. She couldn't put her heart at risk.

She needed to get through this nightmare in one piece.

Anything more was beyond her. When this was over, she'd say goodbye and get on with her life. Without him.

Her heart ached at the thought, but she was determined to stay resolved.

She realized keeping her resolution through the night would be difficult the moment she and Kate joined Christian and Sawyer, both dressed to impress in traditional black tuxedos and stunningly handsome.

Her gaze was drawn straight to Christian. His gray eyes widened, and an appreciative grin lit up his face. Her insides clenched.

"You're beautiful," he said with something like awe in his tone.

"So are you," she said, liking the way his tux fit across his broad shoulders. He'd combed his hair into submission away from his face, emphasizing the strong line of his jaw and chiseled cheekbones. She wanted to kiss every angle and plane of his face. She tightened her hold on her evening bag.

"Come on, let's hit the road." Sawyer, looking like a James Bond candidate, picked up the duffel bag with their weapons. "Time to get this show going."

They arrived at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel thirty minutes later. They were escorted to the Grand Ballroom. The vast space was set up with white linen covered tables, a stage and podium at one end and fresh cut flowers everywhere. Even the balconies were decorated with ivy intertwined through the railings. Huge gilded baskets filled to the brim with exotic blooms hung from the ceiling on clear string, making them appear as if they were floating in the air.

These events always were torture for Ana. But tonight, her anxiety level went through the roof. Making small talk was difficult for her. Add in a potential murderer, and she was a bundle of nerves. However, she soon discovered that Christian was a master at carrying the conversation as he moved her through the crowd, stopping to say hello and introduce themselves to complete strangers. Ana caught sight of Sawyer near the main entrance. He seemed to be scrutinizing those entering the ballroom. Kate floated about the room, mingling sporadically like a red pixie. Ana doubted anyone realized the diminutive operative was scoping out possible bad guys.

By the time Christian led Ana to a table near the front of the room, Ana's shoulder muscles screamed with tension. With every brush of Christian's arm against hers, every time he placed his hand to the small of her back, all her nerve endings tingled, making it hard to concentrate on anything other than him.

Ana and Christian were seated with some very wealthy patrons of the hospital. The woman on Ana's left wanted to talk health care reform, a subject Ana had plenty to say on. She was thankfully able to shift her focus away from her troubles for a few moments.

The emcee approached the microphone on the podium. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for joining us at our tenth annual fall fundraising gala. We have several guests here tonight, including two of Northwest Hospital & Medical Center's finest physicians. They will speak later this evening. But first we have a special treat for you tonight. Please give a big welcome to country music star Jason Aldean."

Christian leaned over to whisper in her ear, "You doing okay?"

His breath tickled her neck and sent delicious shivers sliding over her. She leaned closer to whisper back, "With you here I am."

He drew back to hold her gaze. "Good to know."

Pulse skittering, Ana was glad they weren't alone, because the longing to explore just what the look in his eyes meant squeezed her in a tight grip. A waiter stepped between them to refill her water glass. The buzz and chatter of a full banquet room rose. She took a cooling sip of water and focused on making polite conversation with the others at the table.

An hour later, a prickling of unease made Ana stiffen. The waiter hovered near her elbow. She drew back slightly to look at him. He met her gaze. Cold brown eyes bore into her. His face looked familiar. Bold features, broad forehead and shoulder length hair. Ana knew she'd seen the man before. His image bounced through her memories but never settled.

"Coffee?" he asked.

With the beat of her heart sounding in her head in time to the country tune being sung at the front of the room, she shook her head. He moved on to the next table.

Spooked, she tried to remember where she'd seen the guy.

Christian laid a hand on her arm. "Everything okay?"

"I thought I recognized one of the wait staff," she whispered.

"Which one?"

Her gaze sought the waiter with the cold brown eyes, but she didn't see him. "Shoulder length dark hair. Brown eyes. Not as tall as you." She shook her head, frustrated. "There's too many of them. I can't pick him out."

Christian stood and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be right back. You stay put."

A flutter of panic hit her stomach. "Where are you going?"

"To talk to Clark. Have him find the guy you saw. Half of the waiters are Seattle PD, but the others…"

…could be the one who wanted her dead. Did she recognize the man because he was a police officer?

Watching Christian weave his way through the crush of tables, she tested that thought, but it didn't jell in her mind. She tuned out the room and searched her brain. Where had she seen that man? The hospital? The clinic?

He'd been dressed differently, though. Not in the white shirt and black slacks of the wait staff. No, she could almost picture him in work boots and a plaid shirt.

Something clicked, and suddenly she knew why he looked familiar.

She'd seen him only once. Two years ago at the downtown clinic. He was a construction worker, if she remembered correctly.

He and his wife had brought in their son, who had presented with a splenic rupture. From a fall off his bike, the mother, a small, wispy woman with a soft voice, she said.

The spleen was the most frequent organ to be damaged in blunt trauma injury involving the abdomen. A fall off a bike, catching a handlebar in the stomach region, could have explained the injury. However, during the surgery to remove the damaged organ, Ana had noticed other bruises not consistent with a fall.

While the boy recovered, Ana had followed protocol and informed child protective services. Then she'd moved on to another patient.

She'd never seen the family again. Never knew what happened to the boy or his parents. She'd done her job and left CPS to do theirs.

Could he be the man who wanted her dead?

"Ana?"

Christian's touch on her arm jolted her out of her thoughts. She turned and looked into his concerned gray eyes. He slipped back into his seat. "Did you find the waiter?"

"No," he said. "No one remembers seeing anyone like you described. But Clark has his men searching. "I'm not going to let anyone get near you."

She clutched his arm. "I remember where I'd seen him. He's the father of a patient I had a few years ago. He abused his son. I reported him."

Tension came off Christian in waves. He rose. "We're leaving."

She moved to follow just as the emcee announced her name.

"They just introduced you," he said, his gaze narrowing. "Are you okay?"

She heard the polite applause, felt the expectant stares and forced herself to function. She was supposed to give a speech, but her mind was a complete blank.

Panic battered at her. "I have to give my speech." Mustering all her reserves, she forced the panic aside and fought for her control. "The only way to catch him is if he tries something. The only way that will happen is if I go up there."

Christian shook his head and tugged at her to follow him. "No."

She didn't move. "You'll be with me. Nothing will happen. You'll make sure nothing happens to me."

Praying the words of her speech would come, she headed toward the front of the ballroom. Christian let out a frustrated growl and followed with his hand at her back. Her gaze scanned the sea of bodies, looking for that man. She didn't see him. It had to be a coincidence that he'd be a waiter here tonight. Didn't it?

Christian made her pause before stepping onto the platform while he consulted with Detective Clark. Several of the wait staff had formed a barrier of sorts around the stage. These were Seattle police officers disguised as waiters. She saw Kate standing off to the left and Sawyer to the right. Both appeared to be alert and ready for action. Seeing them bolstered her flagging courage.

"Stay behind the podium," Christian whispered in her ear. "If I say 'duck,' you duck."

A boulder of fear pressed on her chest. So much for her courage. She drew in air and slowly let it out, trying to calm her nerves. At Christian's nod, she approached the podium. The glare of floodlights shining in her face made everyone in the room blur. She glanced at Christian. He stood onstage within reach if she needed him. Drawing strength from his presence, she began her speech.

Christian hated how exposed and vulnerable Ana was on the platform, standing behind a thin wood podium. Her strong voice filled the room as she spoke about the need for funds to advance the technology of Northwest Hospital's surgical department.

Every precaution had been taken. He was in constant communication with Sawyer and Kate through their earpieces. They were keeping a close eye on the tables and the wait staff. Clark had officers stationed throughout the ballroom. Christian had informed the detective of the suspicious waiter. He was looking for someone who matched the description Ana gave. If Ana's assassin tried anything, he'd go down quickly.

Still, Christian knew how quickly and easily even the best-laid strategies could be derailed.

Always plan for the unexpected, his CO used to say.

Lots harder to do in practice than theory. He scanned the balconies, looking for anything out of place, but the lights had been dimmed. He could make out only the silhouettes of diners listening with rapt attention.

A creaking noise, barely audible above Ana's voice, shot a spike of adrenaline through his system. He moved closer, trying to discern where the noise originated.

Ana ended her speech. The crowd erupted in applause. Just as she turned to leave the platform, Christian heard the snap, felt the swoosh of air as the hanging basket over Ana's head came hurtling down. A collective gasp rippled through the room. Someone screamed. Christian sprang forward, snagging Ana by the waist and diving off the platform, taking her with him. He rolled as they landed so that he took the brunt of the fall. Pain reverberated where his shoulder and hip connected with the floor. The basket crashed onto the platform, pulverizing the podium.

Three loud bangs sent a deafening shock wave through the room as an intense flash of light lit up the room. The ballroom broke out in pandemonium.