A/N: Happy Birthday Ana! :) Does everyone like this story? Please tell me! 3 :D

Chapter Twenty-Five

Birthday Surprises

Sunday, 10th September 2017

Christian

I wake to the alarm blasting music and reach to switch it off. It's 5am. It's really early, and maybe hard for Ana to wake up this early on her birthday, but I really want to take her out to see something that will arrive just before seven. We have about an hour to get ready and drive to the destination.

Today will be a busy, however relaxing day, and I am boyish with excitement. Firstly, I will take Anastasia up to Alki Beach Park, we will watch the sunrise, take walks, and relax on the sand and bask in the sun. She won't be able to swim yet because of her injuries, but I hope it'll still be fun. Following that, we will eat breakfast at IHOP.

Lastly I plan to take her out on our boat, The Grace, and we'll spend time on there in the Puget Sound. Then we'll find some place to eat lunch and dinner. I'm not sure whether we'll go home to sleep or stay on the boat for the night – it's all up to Ana. But I plan to spend the entire day with her.

I have already arranged for Taylor to take the kids to my parents' house to be babysat. They will like to have their grandparents' company for the day and night if Ana and I decide to stay on the boat. We might come back so our kids can give their mother presents, wish her a happy birthday and eat more cake. We don't know if we'll get Ana to blow out another cake since she did so yesterday, so I'm thinking cupcakes or muffins instead.

I look over at Ana and still see her peacefully sleeping. I grin. It's amazing how she can sleep through the alarm. She must be so tired. She looks too beautiful and adorable to wake so I decide to let her sleep for a little longer. I cannot stop grinning as I get up and head for a quick shower.

All dry, as I pull on a shirt, pants and sweater, I am still smiling. It's now 6:22. Time to wake Ana up.

"Baby," I softly sing into her ear, shaking her gently awake. She stirs and mumbles. "Come on, Ana, wake up."

"No," she whines and her eyebrows crease.

"Wake up, baby." I start to pull the duvet off her.

She moans and clutches the sheets to her. I chuckle.

"Come on, Anastasia. I want to give you your presents."

"I want to sleep," she grumbles, making me grin wider.

"I am going to turn the bedside light on." She groans a protest but I turn it on and she blinks awake in the light. She finally opens her eyes fully and peers up at me. I smile warmly at her and kiss her on the lips.

"Good morning, beautiful," I croon, showering her face in sweet, gentle kisses. She giggles and tries to push me away. "Happy birthday."

"Oh," she says and seems more awake as she remembers.

"Yes. You're now officially 28."

"Oh. Good morning."

I laugh at her still partly disorientated expression. "Come, on, sleepyhead, get up." I gently smack her behind and she gives me a look. "We don't have long; it's already 5:32 am."

"Ugh, why so early?" she groans, sitting up carefully. "It feels like 3am."

I chuckle and kiss her again. "I know, baby. You can get some rest later, okay? I have a few surprises for you today."

"Hmm," she mumbles, rubbing her eyes from sleep. She yawns and stretches. "Ow." She holds her shoulder and winces.

"You okay, baby?" I wonder in concern. "How are you feeling? Because if you're too sore, we don't have to go out."

"No, no, I'm fine," she smiles warmly at me, though she still looks sleepy. "I'd like to go out, too. Just not so early." I chuckle and she giggles. I love her laugh – music to my ears.

"Here," I reach for the glass of fresh water and Tylenol I brought and pass it to her. "Take these. The doctor said to take two now and then to help with the pain."

"Okay." Two swallows and she's done. Luckily, Acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, is okay to take while pregnant.

"Good girl." I smile and help her out of bed. Although she protests, I pick her up and carry her into the bathroom to do her business.

"I'm not going with you in here." She flushes with embarrassment. "Go away."

"No, Ana, I can't leave you. You are disabled right now." I pull her pants down then gently lower her down onto the toilet, careful of her leg and shoulder.

She winces as I do and looks at me, pleading.

"Just go, Ana," I urge gently. I lean against the shower and wait, watching her.

"Could you at least turn around?"

I sigh in frustration but turn so my back is facing her and I finally hear her release. She exhales in relief and I turn back around to help her up when she's finished.

"I could've done that myself," she grumbles as I pull her pants up.

"I don't care if I see you, baby," I whisper and kiss her forehead. "I crave intimacy with you, you know that."

"I know." She rolls her eyes and I narrow my eyes at her. She smiles at me sweetly as I carry her over to the sink and she washes her hands. "Can I take a shower?"

"It'll take too long. Have one later, okay? Let's just give you a quick wash."

I undress her carefully and rinse her body with a washcloth. I dress her in panties, tracksuit pants as she has a cast on, and a beautiful blue blouse with a fluffy white coat. It will be cold at sunrise. I help brush her hair and brush her teeth, seeing as she's not hungry now and we will eat later. I help her into her one sneaker – she has a cast on the other leg – and put on mine. We are ready to go.

"You look lovely," I say and kiss her. She smiles back up at me and responds.

oOoOoOo

"Mr. Grey, Mrs. Grey," Taylor says in way of greeting as he opens the door to the family SUV for us. We both smile and nod at him and I pick Ana out of her wheelchair and into the car. Buckled in, and chair packed in the back, I hop in and Taylor starts the car and heads out the gate. I hold Ana's hand and kiss it, stroking my thumb across her knuckles.

"Where are we going?" Ana wonders, flushed with excitement.

I grin, way too excited. "Surprise, baby. You'll see soon. I want today to be very special for you."

Ana smiles and kisses my cheek. "You spoil me too much."

"I know," I breathe and nuzzle my nose into her hair, kissing her head. "I love doing it."

"I love you doing it," she agrees and she looks out the window as the trees and buildings pass. "I love you this excited." She turns to grin up at me and I peck her lips.

"I do, too. I want you this excited, too, especially for your birthday."

"Thank you."

"You don't know where I'm taking you yet," I chuckle and she nods.

"I know, but I know it'll be a good surprise."

"I'm glad." I kiss her and we snuggle into each other's warmth in the cold of the morning as Taylor drives to our destination.

As the song Too Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith blasts from the car stereo, I watch, fascinated, at Ana who is nodding her head to the beat and looking out the window at the early morning light and sunrise. It's a beautiful image, both the sunrise and her. I simply cannot take my eyes off her.

She began to sing along with the song, and it blows my breath away. I love to hear her sing. It's music to my ears. I sing along with her and she whips her head around to smile at me. I'm not really comfortable singing around people, but I always feel relaxed singing around Ana. The kids love hearing me sing, too, and Ana and I sometimes sing them to sleep.

When we reach Alki Beach Park, Ana's expression changes from confused to excited to realization when she sees the water stretching out to the horizon, and very few people walking around the park and up and down the shoreline on the beach, this early in the morning. The reason why I prefer to go early or late, so there aren't crowds.

Anastasia whips around to look at me, her eyes wide, and face stretched into an ear-splitting grin. I grin back at her and kiss her hand.

"The beach?" she says. "That's what we're doing?"

"Yes," I say, filled with excitement myself. "First present."

"We haven't gone here in ages." She looks out the window again then looks back at me. She cannot stop smiling, and neither can I. "And it's something I'll be able to look at, even in a wheelchair. Oh, it's beautiful," she says, referring to the sunrise. "Thank you, Christian."

"Anytime, baby." She kisses my cheek as the car comes to a stop. Taylor comes out and opens Ana's door. I tell her to wait and hop out the other side, and come around to her side. I slip my arms underneath her body carefully, and she wraps her arms around my neck as I take her out of the car. Taylor already has the wheelchair out and set up so I place her in it. She pouts adorably but lightens up when I kiss her on the lips.

"No pouting," I command, and start pushing her. I nod at Taylor and he takes the car to park it somewhere else. "It's your birthday. Smile."

"Wow," she breathes. "Christian. It's so beautiful."

As we touch the sand, we gaze at the sunrise along the horizon, lighting up the sky with a gorgeous mixture of pink and orange. It's a nice view of the Puget Sound and Mount Rainier in the distance. It will be so much more relaxing on The Grace.

Anastasia asks me to take her for a walk along the beach with the amazing view. She has to be pushed in the wheelchair, so it's not exactly a walk for her, but I let her out and sit her onto the sand where she sticks her right foot – seeing the other one is wrapped up in a cast – in the sand and shallow water. I also take off own my shoes and socks off and copy her. I cuddle her to me as we watch the sun wake up.

Ana is embarrassed about being in a wheelchair around other people though I had no idea why. There isn't that many people around. She's only injured and it isn't temporary.

Though, later that morning, as more people arrive, many stare at us and I'm not sure if it's because Ana is in a wheelchair or whether they know who we are. It's hard hiding from the outside world, being famous. It's rather tiring sometimes, but also has its benefits. I don't want to sound cocky, but I love being first in lines for food or going to the movies or something else. Being rich is pretty amazing aside from all the hard work involved and the fame. Ana and I hate paparazzi.

We have an amazing time on the beach, as much as she can with a sling and bandaged leg. I loved seeing her laugh and her eyes widen at the gorgeous view of the sun lighting up the sky, shining down on the water and causing it to sparkle.

After the walk on the beach, I take her out for breakfast. Another surprise that makes her grin when we enter IHOP, get seated and ponder over the menus. I already know what I want, and I'm watching Ana as her eyebrows pull together in a frown. She is clearly indecisive this morning and it makes me chuckle.

"What?" She asks when she looks up from her menu. I shake my head. "Tell me."

"Your expressions are just amusing." She rolls her eyes. I nod at the menu. "Have you decided yet? Because I know what I want." And I pin her with a dark, lusty-eyed look. She gasps and I see her shift in her seat. I imagine her pressing her thighs together under the table.

Yes. I want you, baby.

"Um…" She is clearly dazed from my gaze. My lips can't help twitching in a smile. She shakes her head and blinks to get rid of the sudden tension in the air. "I think I'd like pancakes with strawberries, banana, maple syrup and ice cream."

I grin and scratch my chin, contemplating. I finally decide I'd like what she wants and I gesture to a waiter to take our order. A waitress with bright red hair tied up in a bun walks over to our table all flustered as she watches me.

Get over it woman, they're just looks. Plus, I'm already taken.

"Um…h-hello, I'll be your…waitress for t-today…this mornin'. How may I help you?" She has a heavy Irish accent and I want to roll my eyes as she stumbles on her sentence.

"Two servings of pancakes with strawberries, banana, maple syrup and ice cream. Two glasses of orange juice, a coffee, and English Breakfast Tea with the bag out."

The lady writes all that down and then stares at me, paying no attention to Anastasia.

"Is that all, sir?" she breathes, fluttering her eyelashes.

I just nod my head and give her a cool stare which sends her off. Thank God.

I roll my eyes after her and Ana giggles. I turn to look at her, smirking.

"Are you laughing at me, Mrs. Grey?"

"I am, Mr. Grey." She smiles at me sweetly, and I can't resist leaning forward and pecking her lips with mine. Her cheeks flush when I pull back and she bites her lip to hold a smile back.

"Ana," I warn and she looks at me, momentarily confused. I narrow my eyes at her, smiling. "Don't bite your lip. Only I can do that."

She grins and tries to look innocent, but doesn't let go of that lip. I shake my head at her in frustration but otherwise drop it. I start up a conversation about today, what she'd like to do after her next surprise, and she tells me she wants to spend time with the kids later on. She thinks it will be nice to go out to a restaurant for dinner with them, and I agree. I guess we won't be staying the night on the boat, but that's fine by me. Whatever makes her happy. Perhaps we could order takeout for lunch and eat on the boat for a change…admire the scenery as we eat.

The waitress comes back with our food and places them on the table in front of us. She walks away and then sets all our drinks on the table. She flutters her eyelids at me again and I set my teeth. She's getting on my nerves.

"Is that all, sir?" she asks sweetly.

"Yes," I reply coldly, not looking at her.

"Enjoy your meal." I turn to glance at her to give her another cold stare so she leaves quicker but see she's already leaving. She's waving her derriere side to side in an attempt to look seductive. Oh hell… I'm glad she's leaving – nothing about her is appealing at all.

"Admiring the view?" Ana asks me with a slight edge to her voice, her eyes following the woman. She's a little jealous.

Oh, baby. You have nothing to be jealous about.

I smile at her, my eyes sparkling. "I am, actually," I reply, because I haven't taken my eyes off of her aside the quick glance at the waitress. Ana's eyes meet mine. "You're gorgeous today, Ana."

She blushes and smiles. "Thanks." Then she looks challenging. "So, I'm pretty today, but I wasn't yesterday?" She cocks her head innocently.

I roll my eyes at her. "You're gorgeous every day, baby, you know that. And don't be jealous. You're the only woman that will ever catch my eye." I reach across the table and take her hand, giving it a squeeze. I bring it up to my lips and kiss it sweetly. I run my nose along it, causing her to catch her breath, before placing it down on the table.

"Eat," I say.

I pick up my knife and fork and take a bite. It's delicious. Ana does the same, and we stay silent as we eat, admiring each other. We start up many light and happy conversations, laughing a lot. It's good not to fight or worry, and laugh with her.

oOoOoOo

After breakfast, around 10am, I lead her back towards Puget Sound, and along the dock towards The Grace. Mac, my friend who helped me build her, still helps me with her even after all these years, and takes good care of her.

As soon as we reach The Grace, I see Anastasia eyes go wide and her face breaks into a smile. I smile too; I love seeing her so happy.

"We're going for a ride?" she wonders.

I nod in enthusiasm myself and kiss her cheek. After I hop onto the boat, I help Ana by picking her up and placing her on a chair in the boat. I take the wheelchair, with some help from Mac who I had asked this morning to meet us here, and we set that on the boat. I pick Ana up again and place her back in her wheelchair. I thank Mac for helping set up The Grace and he leaves.

I push her inside the cabin and stop her next to the couch, where I help her onto it. It's only the two of us on the boat today, but I am fine managing the boat alone. Thinking about what else we can do for the rest of the day, I head to the kitchen and fetch each of us a glass of juice and a bowl of grapes to share as a snack. I didn't get wine seeing as Ana is now pregnant. Thankfully, to my delight, Ana takes it without complaint and begins eating.

Good.

She studies me with curiosity as I pull open the draw in the coffee table, and pull out a wrapped present, handing it to her. I sent it to Mac to place it in here, so Ana could sit down here and open it. Ana smiles instantly and bites her lip as she eyes the package in her hands.

"Open it," I breathe, hoping she'll like it.

She slides off the ribbon and rips the paper to reveal lots of clothing. Her eyes widen and she squeals in delight, picking up a plain white baby t-shirt that has a striped blue tie. A matching one sits on the two pairs of black pants. There is another two pairs that are sailor-themed, and know will look adorable on our twins once they are born. I bought a few plain onesies in black and white and different shades of blue with captions on them.

One says, 'Born first' with an arrow pointing sideways, the other identical one says, 'Show off' with an arrow pointing at the other onesie. Another two have arrows pointing to each other as well, with the caption 'He did it'. There are two more that has 'Twin baby' on both; one has a highlighted A, the other a highlighted B, as in saying Twin A and B. I also got a couple of pairs of jeans, pants and t-shirts with cars, trucks, dinosaurs, dragons, animals and other prints on them.

When I shopped for them yesterday, I could not decide on just two pairs of clothing, so I ended up getting many. I grimace.

"Oh, my, gosh, Christian," she sing-songs, marveling at the clothing. She sorts through them all, thanking me for each and laughing at what they say. I grin at her expression, relieved she likes them.

"I know it's not the best present but I –"

Anastasia cuts me off suddenly with a kiss.

"It's an amazing gift, Christian. You've done enough for me already. I don't expect anything more."

"I'm glad you like them."

"Like them? I love them. I love all your presents." She frowns as she glances back down at them all. "You said you were giving me a present. This is much more than one."

For about half an hour we sit together on the couch, studying the clothes, talking about our future and past memories, laughing and just snuggling in the peace and quiet. I am so happy to have her with me, at this moment. The gentle whoosh of the waves and the squawking of the seagulls makes it even more pleasant.

For about three hours we spend out on the sea, enjoying the peaceful air, clear blue water and the beautiful scenery beyond. Ana leans over the railing of the boat in her chair many times as I steer The Grace around the Seattle waters. I even let Ana steer sometimes while helping her seeing as she only has one good arm at the moment. She seems to enjoy the time despite her limited actions.

I end up cooking freshly caught fish and chips in the mini kitchen inside the cabin and we eat that around 1pm. Ana's eyes light up and she congratulates me on a job well done, one that I'm not talented at. I feel warm inside when she kisses me for something I'm still learning to do. But I have to agree; I love the fish and chips myself. I am rather proud of myself and Ana seems to love my boyish nature, like she always does.

oOoOoOo

Later that day, we lean against the boat rail outside, sitting on the built-in couches, when my phone rings. Ana is looking out at the sea and the landscapes beyond but turns to me in question as I fish out my phone from my pocket.

I grin when I see the number and answer it.

"Hey, Elliot."

"Hey, Christian," he greets me cheerfully. "How's your day with Ana been so far?"

"It's been great. Ana's happy. Is the room done?"

"That's good to hear, and yes the nursery's done. It looks amazing. It's all painted and furnished. I must say we did a great job, especially Kate. Her style is amazing."

I can't stop grinning. "Well, I can't wait to see it. I hope Ana loves it, too."

"She will. You can't not love a present from the Kavanagh-Grey's."

I chuckle at Ana who is staring at me nonplussed.

"Well, I better go. We're heading home now, so we'll see you soon."

"Cya!"

I hang up and slip my phone back into my pocket.

"What was that about?" Ana asks.

"Nothing you need to know just yet."

"What, why?"

I laugh. Her face can be so comical. "It's a surprise, Anastasia."

"Another surprise?" she wonders, raising an eyebrow. "Christian, I've had way too many!"

"It's not just from me – it's from Kate and Elliot, too." I smile at her and kiss her head. "Let's head home now and meet them. They're dying to give their gift to you. I only helped with the planning."

"Oh?" Ana's eyes light up and she smiles excitedly.

I smile and head to the station where I turn the boat back on. I head to the steering wheel and turn us around to face north. Ana watches me as we pick up speed and I marvel at her laughs and big smiles.

We finally make it to the dock closest to home and head to the car. We greet Taylor as we hop in, and he drives us home.

"How has your day been, Mrs. Grey?" he asks her.

"I've told you to call me, Ana, Taylor. Please. It's been amazing, thank you." She has a bright smile on her face, one that I love to see. "How has yours been?"

"I'm glad to hear that. And good, thank you." He smiles and passes her a small gift with a bow.

Ana gasps and says, "Aw, Taylor, you didn't have to."

"But I did," he chuckles. "Open it."

"Thank you, Taylor!"

"You haven't opened it yet," I laugh and rolls her eyes at me as she opens it.

"Yum!" she squeals in delight, marveling at the two blocks of Cadbury chocolate. "Thank you, Tay!"

Ana likes to call him Tay sometimes for a nickname. It usually makes him blush for he isn't used to it. I laugh when he does.

"No, problem," he says shyly.

A few minutes pass and I see Ana biting her lip nervously, glancing between Taylor and the window multiple times. I frown and take her hand, giving it a squeeze to catch her attention. She turns around in question.

"What's wrong?" I murmur.

She shakes her head and shrugs.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine I'm just…" She takes a deep breath and looks back at Taylor. "Um…Tay?"

He perks to attention, surprised that she wants to ask him something.

"Yes, Ana?" He still sounds shy under the professional mask and it makes me laugh internally.

"Um…I just wondered how you are." Ana says hesitantly. "After the whole…episode."

I see Taylor's body stiffens at the memory and he frowns.

"You don't have to answer. I'm sorry to pry," Ana apologizes quickly, hoping not to hurt his feelings.

"No, it's okay. I'm…shaken but coping okay. I'll be fine soon," Taylor babbles through his emotion. He is very good at keeping emotions in check. The poor man – I wish there is something I could do for him. I can tell he is still in shock from killing someone, even if that someone was a sadistic ass.

"I'm glad." Ana still looks guilty for asking Taylor and I squeeze her hand in support. "I'm so sorry all that happened."

"Ana, it's fine. Don't worry about it anymore." He gives her a small reassuring smile and Ana smiles back. "You should be worrying about getting better."

It's good that Taylor and Anastasia has a more friendly relationship now, not just professional. I'm glad for Ana to have more friends, especially Taylor. I know Taylor is a person that prefers to be alone and just focus on work. But he is a very kind, friendly man behind his professional mask. I will never get rid of him as my driver and guard, frankly for the fact that he is a good friend, whether he states that himself or not.

oOoOoOo

When we pull up at the house, Anastasia is literally begging with hands clamped together to get cleaned up before we go out again. Laughing, I tell her she can once she meets up with Kate and Elliot and sees our combined present.

It took a little bit to plan and set up what with not knowing what Ana would have and with her being comatose in the hospital. Neither of us had wanted to leave her side. I'm glad I could get Ana out today, so that Elliot and Kate could finish off the nursery.

I help Ana into the wheelchair and wheel her into the house once Taylor opens the door for us.

Instantly we both hear Kate's and Elliot's voices ringing out upstairs, and it sounds like they're arguing about something.

"She'll be here any minute, just put it there!" Kate shouts frantically at her husband as I lift Ana up from her chair with a smirk and slowly take her up the stairs. She's looking at me, confused, but I put one finger to my lips. Taylor helps us by carrying the wheelchair up the stairs for us.

"Are you sure it looks fine here? I think –"

"Yes! Just put it somewhere, I hear footsteps." Kate gasps suddenly, realizing. "Oh! Shit, they're here. El, clean up that mess! I'm going to meet her."

"Fine, alright," Elliot grumbles, and I can imagine him rolling his eyes.

Kate bursts out of the old guest room with a huge grin on her face and hugs Ana awkwardly while I'm still holding her. I place her down in her wheelchair when Taylor sets it down and we thank him as he leaves.

"Happy Birthday, Ana! How has your day been?"

"Oh, wonderful! Tiring from my body still healing, but it's been remarkable. We went for a walk on the beach, went on the boat in the Puget Sound, and ate pancakes. He also gave me lots and lots of clothes for the twins. And Christian still thinks it's not enough."

"Oh, you spoil her too much, Grey!" She grins at me and winks, knowing that she's done as much herself.

"Hey, I can't help it," I say. "Now, are you done in there? We're dying to see the finished touch."

"What is it? Do you know what it is?" Ana looks up at me.

"Yes, but I haven't seen what they've done to our plan."

"Oh, just show me already!" Ana demands, pouting. "This suspense is maddening."

We all laugh and Kate goes to opens the door when Ted and Phoebe come bounding up the stairs and hugs my legs, giggling at our arrival.

"Happy Birthday, Mom!" they both say, grinning up at her.

"Thank you so much, sweethearts. I can't wait to spend it with you."

"We got you presents! Open them, open them!" Teddy shouts, handing one to her while Phoebe hands another over. "We bought it with our own pocket money."

Seeing as we are quiet rich, we don't see a problem for our children to start saving up now. Especially for Theodore since I vision him taking over my business one day. Practice with money will be good for him.

"Oh, guys, you didn't have to do that! Thank you so much." Ana grins and opens up Teddy's which is a box of Lindt chocolates. "Ooo, yum! Thank you, Teddy Bear." They hug each other briefly before she opens the other one, which is two books. "Oh, my, gosh I've been looking for these! Thank you, Bumblebee." They hug and soon we all are having a family group hug.

Kate clears her throat and we break apart, grinning. She knocks on the door and after a few moments of shuffling about, Elliot finally opens the door to let us all in and we get a proper view of the room. What meets our eyes is absolutely wonderful. Just like I had planned, but even better.

Ana's gasp and lit up eyes are worth it all.

The nursery is a baby blue, with painted white clouds covering the ceiling. Waves and a lighthouse on a rock are painted on the wall behind the two cribs that are amazing on their own. They're both brown with extra wood attached, shaped like a boat. A mast with a flag comes up at the front and a higher one at the back. A section of wood covers the bottom of the crib doors, where painted circular windows are portrayed. The bed sheets are both a mixture of light blue and electric blue, representing water. A teddy bear in a sailor outfit sits in each of the cribs.

More soft toys cover the shelves on the walls and the bookshelf near the corner. By that corner sits a rocking chair with a blanket over the arm and pillows set up. One lamp stands behind it. A dresser is pressed against another wall, which is also a changing table. There is also a window seat with blankets, pillows and soft toys. Two nightlights which are small red and white lighthouses sit on shelves either side of the cribs. Floorboards cover the floor though rug shaped like a shark with a smile evens it out. Another one, plain pastel blue, lies underneath the chair in the corner.

It is truly magical.

It's up there with Ted's and Phoebe's rooms. Phoebe has a fairy themed room with detailed painted walls and a bed made of branches and flowers. Theodore has a helicopter themed room with planes hanging from the ceiling over his bed which is itself a helicopter with his name as the number plate. Although his walls are a plain baby blue, painted clouds cover the ceiling. He absolutely loves it and doesn't need anything added.

Anastasia and I want to make their lives magical and even though we do spoil them a little too much, it's too hard not to, especially when you have almost all the money in the world. We do tell them no several times whenever we go out somewhere, because we couldn't always give them things. They have to learn to be grateful with what they have. We actually teach them by buying several toys and other items and giving them to charities, to children and people who don't have much and need them. They pick the toys out themselves and fill the trolley up.

"Oh, my God," Ana says in shock, breaking into my reverie.

"So, what do you think?" Katherine asks with a grin, clutching her hands together excitedly. Elliot just leans casually against the doorframe, smiling at their job well done. The kids are excited, running around the room and looking at all the toys. Typical.

"I…I…um…" Ana just blinks, looking around the room over and over. She had tears in her eyes, completely overwhelmed. She's utterly speechless, as am I. It makes me chuckle. "Let me just say that you guys are freaking amazing."

Kate squeals in excitement and claps.

"You bet we are!" Elliot grins.

"Wow. This is amazing. I…I don't know what to say. Thank you!"

"Don't say anything!" Kate gushes. "We're happy to help. And all of your expressions are worth it all."

Ana laughs and reaches out for Kate and Elliot to give her a hug which they do.

"Thank you so much, guys. This is…just wow."

"I'm glad you like it."

"Like it?" Ana's eyes and grin widens. "I love it!"

"Okay, Christian, I think you better take Ana out before she spends the night in here," Elliot suggests with a grin, "Well to be honest, she is the baby of the family." He laughs, earning a smack from Ana. "Ow! Hey!"

Ana glares up at him and he tries not to laugh.

We have a little chat and one more look around the room before giving goodbyes to Kate and Elliot before they leave.

"Okay, how about you guys go play?" I say to Ted and Phoebe who grin and clap. "We must get cleaned up, then we'll dress you up and we're going to go out for a birthday dinner. How does that sound?"

"Yay! Restwant!" They both squeal simultaneously, jumping up and down.

"Okay, calm down, you two," Anastasia laughs, rubbing their heads before they run off to their own rooms. "Restaurant it is then."

"It doesn't have to be."

"I know. I want it to be." She smiles then looks at me seriously. "Now help me get washed up because there's no way I'm doing anything else without a shower or bath."

I smile and kiss her hand. "Your wish, my command."

oOoOoOo

"Can I have a bath?" she asks once I set her down on the bathroom bench.

"Um…no." I look at her awkwardly.

"No?" She raises her eyebrow. "Isn't that safer with only one working leg?"

"No, it's actually not." I grimace. "You're not supposed to soak the gunshot wound. Otherwise it'll unstitch and it'll hurt."

"Oh." She glances at the shower with worry, biting her lip.

"Ana," I whisper, pulling her chin, commanding her to look at me. "It's okay. I'll help you."

"Okay," she agrees after a long moment, letting me undress her and get her into the shower. We use a shower seat I had ordered so it's easier for her, and even though she winces at the water against her sore skin, she's braver than I expected.

"I always underestimate you," I say as I rub shampoo into her hair delicately, massaging her scalp.

"Oh?" She peers up at me in question.

"You're even braver than me the majority of the time."

"That's not true. Why would you think you're not as brave?"

"Just from what has happened over the past months. You've dealt with it more easily than I have."

She reaches up with her good hand and strokes my face. "You've done the best you can. Everyone deals with things differently. Besides, you're overprotective and love me to death." She smiles, her eyes sparkling. "You can't help that."

"No," I chuckle, kissing her tenderly. "I definitely can't help that."

It's silent for a time as I rinse her hair under the water. We relax in the precious time together, happy to be by each other's sides. Ana sighs suddenly, bringing my eyes down to her face, waiting for her to speak.

"I just noticed…" she begins with a smile my way.

"What?"

"No sex until I'm healed."

Realizing that, I groan and we both chuckle. "Definitely not."

"No Christmas sex." Ana pouts and I have to kiss her protruded lips.

"I know. It'll be hard for us. But we can spend time together some other way…watching movies…and stuff."

"And…stuff. And stuff? What do you suppose that 'stuff' may be?" She waggles her eyebrows.

"Hey, don't you get any thoughts, missy," I scold playfully. "Just…stuff. I don't know what."

"Mhmm," she hums knowingly.

"Ana," I warn.

"What? I'm not doing anything."

"Don't tempt me."

"Fine."

It's silent but the silence is perhaps worse. Ana can't stop smiling which ends up causing me to smile and ends in us laughing for no real reason at all. Laughing is contagious and it's just good to do it together, no matter what it's about. Even if it is about nothing.

oOoOoOo

"Table of four?" the waiter asks, looking directly at Ana as he says so. I tighten my hold onto the wheelchair handles and place a hand on my wife's shoulder, giving the young male a look that says to back the fuck off.

The restaurant, Osteria la Spiga, is dimly-lit, cozy and welcoming, a few people lost in conversation. This is one of our favorite places to eat out.

"Yes, thank you," Ana replies to the waiter politely with a smile, ignoring the clear jealously wafting off of me. Ana takes Phoebe and puts her on her lap on her good leg, while I hold Theodore's hand and push the wheelchair. The waiter leads the way to a cozy corner in the back of the room where we are seated in a booth. Perfect.

The waiter passes us our menus and smiles. "I'll give you time to order and will be back shortly."

Please, don't.

He eyes Anastasia a little too long for my liking before walking away.

"Hey, Mr. Grumpy," Ana calls my attention with a smirk. "Don't get all grouchy. It's my birthday."

I roll my eyes, smiling, and look down at my order. Teddy is sitting next to me, facing his sister who is sitting next to her mother. He looks at his menu and grins, shouting, "Pasta!"

Phoebe decides she wants the same thing as her brother, nodding vigorously.

"Which one?" Ana asks, placing her menu down, obviously contempt with her order. I do the same, craving a pepperoni pizza.

"Um…Spaghetti!"

"Yes!" Phoebe agrees with a grin. "Me too!"

Instantly, Teddy goes back to playing games on his tablet. He's been playing Fortnite on his computer most of the day at home, played games in the car and now he just has to play again.

"Hey," I say, taking the tablet away. Teddy yells and pouts at me. "You've gamed enough, don't you think?"

"No." He grins.

"Well, I think you have. It's Mom's birthday. We're supposed to be having a nice family dinner out and you're being antisocial. Mingle."

Teddy groans, rolling his eyes. "But that's boring!"

We laugh at his reaction.

"Why don't you sing?" I suggest.

Teddy hides his face in his hands, shaking his head. "There's too many people."

"But you're good!" Phoebe says excitedly. "Do it, do it, do it!"

And it's true. Teddy can sing very well for a five year old. We've even started videoing him a couple years back and put them up on YouTube. He is now fairly famous for his talents of piano, guitar and vocal. He amazes us all. However, we haven't posted one in quite some time due to what's happened this year.

Teddy contemplates for a while, slouching in his seat to hide, but grinning all the same. He is such a shy one.

"You know, there is a piano over there. You should ask if you can play. I'm sure they can make an exception."

"Really? Where?" Teddy perks up in excitement, looking all over the restaurant until he spots the grand piano and grins. He glances between Ana and I. "Can I?"

"We'll order first then ask, okay?" I compromise and he nods.

That got his attention.

Just on cue, the waiter comes back and takes our orders. We talk while we wait for our drinks to arrive, and once they do, we take a sip, before Teddy and I stand up. I walk him over to the counter where you pay and wait. A female walks over and smiles at us.

"How may I help you?"

I look down at Teddy, encouraging him to ask. He just hides behind my leg, unsure. I chuckle.

"My son would like to play on the piano over there. I wondered if that would be okay."

The woman smiles and contemplates for a while. "Hmm…I think you might be allowed. Just a moment, I'll check."

She walks away to talk to a bloke that must be the manager and I see him nod, sending a smile our way. The waitress comes back and says, "Yes, you may. Hope to hear something good!"

I thank her and lead Teddy to the piano. He practically races for it, sits down on the bench and instantly begins to play a Bach piece. I grin when almost the whole restaurant is stunned into silence. There are whispers, "aww's" and cheers filling the room, enjoying the entertainment of watching a young boy play.

Teddy suddenly stops and begins playing The Scientist by Coldplay which he began singing to. It's amazing how well he remembers the words along with the sheet notes, timing them to perfection. Even more gasps and cheers filled the room and I swear it was completely silent now.

When Theodore finishes, he stands up and does a dramatic bow, while everyone else laughs and cheers. I congratulate him and I follow after him as he races back to our table.

I'm glad the food is out, because I am starving. The rumble in my stomach says it all. It makes me uneasy whenever I'm hungry. It actually took not long at all to make, for which I'm glad. Usually they'd make you wait about half an hour with your drink before serving your meal so that you'd buy another drink. Never mattered with us, for we have enough money, but it's still irritating, especially for impatient people.

The dinner is wonderful. So is the food and the family bonding time, chatting about many things, and listening to the kids ramble on about their day, the future and what they're looking forward to, like Christmas. We always love Christmas. The whole day is in fact wonderful. I love spending time with just Anastasia, and spending time as a family. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if they all weren't here with me today. I could not survive without them.

oOoOoOo

"Good night, baby," I whisper to Anastasia as we lay down in bed, cuddling, after putting the kids to bed. "Happy Birthday, darling. I hope you enjoyed today."

"Thank you." She smiles at me and yawns. "It was amazing, Christian! I loved every minute of it. Still do. Despite everything that has happened, it's been an amazing year. And I know next year will be spectacular, with the kid's futures ahead of them. We don't have to worry anymore. Not over much anyway." She takes a moment to chuckle and I can imagine her thinking about worrying about our kids as they grow up, the same as my worries. But those worries, I could handle. Just as long as they are safe, happy and with us. That's all I ask for.

"We also have two new additions to arrive next year. So that's definitely something to look forward to." We both grin and kiss each other gently, savoring the moment of just being together. We pull apart and stare into each other's eyes before I kiss her head and switch off my bedside lamp. "Sweet dreams, my Anastasia. I love you."

"Good night, my Christian. I love you, too," she breathes sleepily, cuddling close to me. I shift and wrap and arm around her gently, careful not to hurt her arm.

I see her gaze at me in the darkness, a soft smile on her lips, and watch her as her eyes droop shut. I watch her sleeping peacefully for a while in the darkness; the moon the only light, shining through the blinds of our window. I watch her for I don't know how long, savoring the feeling of her being there with me, of me being able to watch over her like a guardian angel.

I smile, thinking about today, and thinking of how many more years there are to come, out there to surprise us all. I don't know how long it is, but I find myself losing into oblivion, into dreams filled with light, happiness, my children growing up, Anastasia, our new children, and the future…