Sunday
Christian's POV
I still can't get over what happened at dinner last night. It sure as hell does explain why Taylor needed some time on Friday to 'run errands' while I was in meetings at GEH. Laying her beside Ana I don't really want to move as she looks so peaceful when she sleeps. Jackie will be here shortly so I better slip my sweat pants on. Leaning over I gently kiss Ana and brush the loose strand of hair off her face. She must have felt me because her eyes flutter open as she says good morning.
After leaving Ana in our bedroom with Jackie I grab a coffee and head to my study. I haven't long sat down when I hear a knock on the door. Enter I tell them and it is Taylor and he looks pissed off. Not sure I want to know but he wouldn't disturb me on a Sunday unless it was important.
"What's wrong Taylor?"
"Sir, there is an article about you on the Seattle Times website."
Fuck what kind of article. Taylor hands me tablet with the article loaded.
Billionaire Christian Grey steps out in Tears
Last night Christian Grey was seen entering the private dining room area at the Mile High Club. Not long after one of his security personnel was seen escorting a woman in a wheelchair into the private dining room area. When the mystery woman was leaving you could see that she had been crying. 15 minutes later Grey himself was seen leaving and he had also been crying. Photos are below.
Who is this mystery woman? Why was she crying and why was Christian Grey crying?
FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. Reynolds was recognised. Obviously who ever took these photos has seen Reynolds working for me before. Shit is has been over 12 months since I used Reynolds. I can see Taylor is waiting my instructions but right at this moment all I can think about is how am I going to tell Ana.
"Taylor, I need you to get that article removed from the website NOW."
Taylor nods and leaves my study. Well isn't this a fuck up and a half. Obviously someone has sold the photos and a little information to the Seattle Times. I can't seem to put my finger on why this article has my gut churning. I need to talk to Ana. Leaving the study I make my way to our bedroom and just before I reach the door it opens and Jackie comes out of the room saying her goodbyes to Ana. Then she heads to the elevator and leaves. I ask Ana to join me in the lounge room as I need to talk to her.
"Ana, someone took photos of us leaving the Mile High Club private dining room area last night and has sold the photos and some information to the media."
"What photos and information?"
"Hang on I will go get article and show you."
I head into the study and grab the tablet of my desk and thankfully the article is still on the screen. Taylor must be having trouble getting it taken down.
Ana reads the article and I can see the tears forming in her eyes. I explain to Ana that the reason she was identified as being with me was because of Reynolds.
"Christian, Kate works for the Seattle Times."
Fuck. Could she be behind this? She would know it was Ana in the photo. So maybe she didn't write the article or post the photos. Would she identify Ana as the mystery woman? Fuck I need to speak to Elliot. I grab my phone and call him.
"Elliot you need to get your arse over here to my apartment NOW."
Ana's POV
Holy hell they took photos of me and they are splashed over the Seattle Times website. Christian explained that he has Taylor trying to get the article and pictures removed. The look on Christians face when I said about Kate working at the Seattle Times is not a look I want to see again in a hurry. It was dark and cold look on his face. Hell it scared me a little.
I am actually starting to wonder if Kate has something to do with this. But she would have known it was me in those photos. Hopefully Taylor gets it taken down sooner rather than later. Would Kate sell me out? If she did would she be in breach of the NDA she signed? I can feel a headache coming on so I ask Christian to get me some Advil. While we wait for Elliot, Christian makes me a cup of tea and grabs me one of Gail's blueberry muffins.
Elliot's POV
Fuck Christian sounded rather pissed off when he called. I wonder what has happened since we spoke last. Taylor greets me in the foyer and takes me into the lounge room where Ana and Christian are sitting. I take a seat on the sofa while Christian is seated on the ottoman with Ana beside him in her wheelchair.
"Christian what is up?"
Christian hands me the tablet he was holding and told me to read the article. Holy shit no wonder he is pissed. I scroll back to the top of the website and I notice that I am on the Seattle Times website. Oh shit. She wouldn't would she?
"Elliot, was Katherine Kavanagh with you last night?"
"Yes she was Christian. Why?" Then the penny drops. He thinks Kate has something to do with this. After the shit she has pulled already I can understand why Christian thinks she could be involved.
Christian's POV
I ask Elliot if Katherine had access to a computer last night/early this morning. Elliot tells me Katherine had her laptop with her last night. He continues on and explains that last night he woke up and found Katherine sitting at the kitchen table working on her laptop but once she realised Elliot was heading towards her she quickly shut the laptop down. Sounds rather suspicious to me.
Now how the hell do we find out if it was indeed her? Elliot offers to try and find out any information he can as Katherine still thinks Elliot hates me. Taylor comes in and tells us that the article will be removed within the next hour. I am relieved. Let's hope that is the end of it. But before Taylor leaves the room I tell him to keep monitoring the internet for articles about me. I just pray that they don't out Ana as my mystery girl. She has enough on her plate without having the media digging around and into her life.
After Elliot has left I help Ana into bed as her headache hasn't gone. I join her on the bed and wrap my arm around her and she falls asleep. She looks angelic when she sleeps. I could stay here all day and watch her sleep. Eventually I drift off to sleep. I am woken up by soft lips leaving gently kisses on mine. What a way to be woken up. Slowly I open my eyes and see Ana looking back at me smiling.
"Hi. Do you feel any better?" I ask.
"Hi. Yes I feel a lot better now."
Nothing exciting happens for the rest of the day. I think the last few days have really taken their toll on Ana. At the moment all I want from Ana is her to be here by my side.
Monday
Ana's POV
Sam has been pushing me again today at physio. I told her about Saturday night and Christian's reaction. Since I have been doing so well with my resistance exercises with Luke Sam wants to put me on a machine to do leg lifts. I am sitting on the machine with my shins behind a padded bar that I lift using my legs. Sam starts me off with no weights. Sam explains after my session that she is going to start introducing new exercises to my regime. What really has me excited is working at the parallel bars. Does that mean she thinks I am ready to start trying to use my legs?
When we get home I start thinking about Saturday night and Christian's reaction to me standing. After the shock I could tell he was happy it was written all over his face. I want us to be able to share moments like that again. Maybe it is time I allowed Christian to come to my physio session so that Sam can show him how to stand me up. I want to be able to stand and wrap my arms around him occasionally and not have to rely on having Luke and Taylor helping me. Christian is the one I WANT helping me stand here at home. Now that I have made this decision I need to talk to Christian about it tonight.
Christians POV
Fuck why can't this Seattle Times shit just disappear. Taylor has just informed me another article has appeared on their website.
Christian Grey's mystery girl identified.
We have identified Christian Grey's mystery girl as Anastasia Steele. A source, who knows Miss Steele, identified her earlier today. Seattle Times reported 3 months ago that a Miss Anastasia Steele was in a car accident involving Mr Grey. Nothing was said from the Grey camp. Miss Steele was hospitalised after the crash but no other details are known at present. What does this meeting mean? Why would Grey be meeting with her when it was reported that the accident was caused by her.
After reading the article I am furious. Phoning Taylor I tell him to contact the Seattle Times and have the article removed before I sue their arses. Now how the hell do I keep Ana out of the spotlight? The only thing working in my favour at the moment is they don't realise that Ana is living with me at Escala and not in hospital. I wonder if that SOURCE was Katherine fucking Kavanagh. There will be hell to pay if I find out she is behind Ana's name being released.
I can't concentrate any more and it is just before 5pm so I call Taylor and tell him to get the car ready as we are heading home. Once home I go into my study and upload the article on the tablet so I can show Ana. I find Ana in the library reading a book. She smiles when she sees me enter the room but I can't return the smile as I know that what I am about to tell her is going to upset her. Crouching down beside her so that I am at eye level, I show her the new article. She is pissed off that she has been identified and I don't blame her. She explains she is not pissed off at me but at whoever it was who identified her. When she calms down she tells me we need to talk after dinner and that it has nothing to do with what I just told her. Thank fuck for that.
Ana's POV
After dinner I ask Christian to help me onto the sofa as I feel more comfortable and Christian can sit close to me. Ok here goes.
"Christian I want you to accompany me to a physio session with Sam so that you can be shown how to help me stand."
"Ana you tell me when and I will be there."
I explain to Christian that I want him to be able to stand me up and support me until I am able to stand on my own. There was something majestical about having Christians body so close to me and his arms around me without any barriers.
2 days later
Christian is meeting me at my physio session today. I have told Sam what I want her to show Christian explaining to her that I am not ready for Christian to know everything just yet. All Christian needs to know is that I am able to stand as long as I am supported. Sam agrees that telling Christian everything this soon could be devastating if for some reason I am unable to walk. Until Christian arrives Sam and Luke start with standing me up for 5 minutes then resting for 2 minutes. Every second time an extra minute is added to my standing time. When Christian arrives I am up to standing for 8 minutes with Luke and Sam's support.
Sam shows Christian how to stand me up before sitting me down on the bed and telling Christian to stand in front of me the way Sam was. I place my hands on Christian's shoulders and hold on as he slowly starts to stand me up. Once I am standing I look up and smile at him and mouth I love you. He smiles at me and mouths I love you too. Hell this feels so good having him standing with me holding my waist. After a few minutes Sam gets Christian to sit me back down. Christian can't stop smiling it is like he is the cat that got to eat the canary. Sam has Christian standing me up a few more times. Christian then asks Sam to show him how to help me stand like Luke and Taylor did on Saturday night. I am a little confused as to why he wants to know but Sam agrees to show Christian. Luke helps Sam show Christian. Then it is time for Christian and Luke to stand me up and sit me back down. Sam is happy with the way Christian in assisting me.
Christian's POV
"Sam, could a similar technique be used to get Ana in and out of her wheelchair?" What Sam doesn't need to know is that I already have my own way of getting Ana in and out of her wheelchair.
"Actually Christian the answer is yes."
Sam shows me how to get Ana from the bed that she is on into her wheelchair and then back onto the bed using what they call a standing transfer.. After watching Sam a few times she asks me to try and that she will be there guiding me. It takes a few goes before I am able to do it completely on my own. I still prefer my way of getting Ana in and out of her wheelchair.
Now that I am finished at Ana's physio session I head back to GEH. Taylor has been waiting in the car.
Ana's POV
Now that Christian has left I can continue on with my physio session. Sam uses the standing transfer technique that she just showed Christian to get me onto the leg lift machine. Today Sam has added some weights. Finally my session is over but before I go I ask Luke to wait outside for a moment as I need to speak to Sam in private.
"Sam, I want to be able to speak to someone about what my body is physically able to handle now and in the future."
"Ana, you should make an appointment with Dr Hayes and discuss this with him. If he can't answer your questions he will refer you to someone who can."
"Thanks Sam." I head out to Luke and we head back to Escala.