A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!
"I woke up and you were gone." Christian turns his attention from the living room window and on to me with a tiny smile. I pad across the floor in my pink bunny slippers so I can try to find out why he's up at six thirty on a Saturday morning. "What's wrong?"
"I turned my phone on and had a message from my mom." Wanting to focus on just us, we turned our phones off and shut out the outside world last night, but now seeing the expression on his face, I'm wondering if it was a good decision. "She wants to have dinner...tonight. I haven't spoken with her or my dad since I told them about Elena so I have no idea what to expect."
"Maybe now that they've had a few days to ponder things, they're ready to move on. It's what all of you deserve."
"I love your optimism, but what if their days of pondering has led them to the realization that I'm a bigger disappointment than they though?" He pulls out his hair and staggers to the sofa, pulling me down with him. "Maybe I'll call and tell her that you and I already have plans and can't make it."
"Oh no you don't.", I scoff. "I'm not going to allow you to use my name to get out of it, especially when I think you should go. What are you going to do, avoid them for the rest of your life?"
"I could try.", he shrugs. "But something tells me you're not going to let than happen."
"You would be correct Mr. Grey. You want to know why?" He taps his chin as if he's contemplating.
"Could it be because you love me?" I ease from my seat and into his lap where my lips graze his for a moment before I pull away and nod. "Fine. I'll go, but you're coming as well. The invite was for both of us."
"Ok. I'll be happy to go with you."
"I'm sure they're still sleeping so I'll hold off a bit before I call them. In the meantime, do you want to go back to bed?" His hand moves to the sash of my robe as he kisses my earlobe.
"I'm actually no longer sleepy.", I giggle. "Why don't we get dressed and go out to breakfast? Do you like IHOP?"
"What kind of a question is that? Doesn't everyone like IHOP? It's the ultimate pancake haven. I literally could eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner there and still not be tired of it."
"IHOP it is then."
"Hey you. I was wondering if I was going to see you today or any this weekend for that matter.", Kate says as I return to our apartment following breakfast with Christian. She sighs and points to the small notepad on the coffee table. "I'm making the dreaded grocery list. Is there anything you need or want?"
"Uh, will you get some pop tarts, the frosted blueberry ones." She smiles and jolts down pop tarts. "Kate, are you ok with me not being around as much?"
"Ana, I'm fine with it. I wanted you to get out and have a life which you're doing. I just thought you might be spending the entire weekend at Christian's." I kick my shoes off and sit down on the opposite end of the sofa.
"Both of us have some work to do, but we're having dinner tonight. What have you been up to?", I ask. "Did Elliot stay over last night?"
"He did but left early since he's trying to take advantage of the pleasant weather by finishing up on a house. After he left, I went to the kitchen and opened the fridge for some juice but there's none. I then noticed some more things we need, and as much as I despise going grocery shopping, I'm going to take the plunge and go. I was going to wait until Ethan got here so I could ask if I could get him something, but he called me about an hour ago from Max's where he spent the night. It seems my brother may have found an apartment."
"That's cool. I'm going to miss having him here, but I know he's been wanting to find his own place. Did he say where the apartment is?"
"No. He just said that he's going to look at it today."
"I'm going to work on my music festival article for a while." I stand up and start heading to my bedroom, but the sound of laughter and the door opening stop me. In walks Ethan and Max who continue laughing as they plop down on the sofa next to Kate. "Are you going to let us in on what's so funny?"
"Ms. Herron next door was being her usual nosey self. She asked Max if he's your boyfriend or Kate's. I don't think she was expecting me to say that he's mine.", Ethan chuckles.
"I've been saying that she needs a boyfriend so she can stop worrying about everyone else's lives.", Kate says. "Tell us about the apartment."
"I really liked it. It's in a great location and is the perfect size for me. I'm going to take it."
"Congrats. Where is this great location?", I ask. Ethan and Max each point upwards. "Where?"
"On the floor above us. The apartment is in this building."
"It's not too late to get back in the car and leave.", Christian says on the way up Carrick and Grace's sidewalk.
"We're staying." I kiss him before pressing the doorbell.
"Christian, Ana, come in.", Carrick says with a welcoming smile as he opens the door. He steps aside and waves us inside. Although I attended the Coping Together Ball which was held in the backyard, this is the first time I've been inside the residence. The living room is decorated in warm colors, giving it an inviting and comfortable feeling. "Have a seat. Grace is the kitchen but will be in here shortly. Can I get the two of you something to drink?" Christian places his hand on the small of my back and leads us to the oversized dark brown leather sofa.
"I'll have a scotch.", Christian answers. "Ana?"
"Just water please." I begin scanning the room and see photos of the Grey family lining the walls. While Elliot and Mia are beaming in all of them, there are only a few in which Christian is smiling.
"I wasn't a happy child.", he whispers into my ear before Carrick hands us our drinks.
"This is a very lovely home.", I tell him.
"Thank you. I can't take credit though. Grace decorated it herself."
"Only because you kept picking out mismatched furniture.", Grace laughs while striding into the room. I look at Christian whose body tenses up. "Christian, dear. It's good to see you." He stands up and steps into the embrace she has offered.
"It's good to see you too Mom.", he murmurs with a cracking voice. When they break apart, I see a single tear in each of their eyes. Grace then holds her arms open and nods at me. I stand up and hug her.
"Ana, I'm glad that you could join us tonight. It means a lot having both of you here."
"Thank you for inviting me."
"The brisket has about forty-five more minutes to go so why don't we sit down and wait." Christian and I sit back down while she sits down in the chair next to Carrick. You can hear a pin drop with the silence in the room.
"I've got to say that I was surprised to get your message.", Christian finally says. "Considering our last conversation."
"That last conversation is one reason why we wanted the two of you to join us.", Grace replies with a softness to her voice. "You have no idea how many times I picked up the phone before last night to call you."
"I don't blame you for not doing it. I disappointed you and Dad, end of story."
"No sweetheart, the only disappointment lies within me. I should have been a better mother and seen the signs of what Elena was doing. I'm the one who invited her into my home and let her near you. I'm the one to blame.", Grace murmurs. Carrick shifts in his seat so his hand is able to reach hers. "What kind of a mother am I?"
"The best.", Christian answers. "You and Dad have done nothing but love and support me even when I was shutting you out. You took me in and gave me a life. What took place with Elena and my...other relationships is in no way a reflection on the way you raised me. I made the decision to pursue that lifestyle."
"I'm going to interrupt this back and forth between the two of you and give my two cents.", Carrick sighs. "Grace, you're blaming yourself while Christian is doing the same, but neither of you are responsible. Only one person is at fault, Elena Lincoln."
"I'm going to agree with Carrick. Elena was more than old enough to know better. She knew damn well what she was doing was wrong but kept going."
"I don't know why I was ever friends with her.", Grace adds. "She's called several time, but I've ignored her. I'm building all my strength so I can turn loose on her when we next meet." As Grace is talking, the doorbell rings.
"I'll get it." Carrick gets up and walks to the front door. "What are you doing here?", he hisses at whoever is at the door. "This is the last place you should be at the moment."
"Why? I've been trying to get in touch with Grace, but she won't answer my calls. Is she not feeling well?", Elena asks. Grace, Christian, and I turn our heads and find the bleached blonde troll trying to look past Carrick. Her eyes land directly on me. "Oh, you have company. Can I come inside and say hello to everyone?"
"The answer is hell no."
"What has gotten into you Carrick? You've never been so rude to me before."
"Carrick, let her in.", Grace tells him. "Elena and I have some catching up to do." Carrick reluctantly moves so Elena can enter the room. She's about to sit down on the other side of Christian, but Grace holds her hands up. "Don't bother sitting. I'm rather fond of that sofa but would have to burn if you placed your fake ass on it."
"Are you and Carrick drunk? I came by to check on my dear friend, and this is the response I get?", Elena scoffs. "Christian, darling, can you believe the audacity of your parents?"
"Actually Elena, I believe my parents are acting calm given the information they learned the other day.", Christian replies.
"Which was?"
"How you took advantage of our son.", Carrick snaps. "Don't try and deny it with one of your classic bullshit lies."
"I'm not. Christian and I shared something very special. We understood each other."
"What you shared was wrong. Thinking you were a friend, I confided in you about his troubles. You would sit and tell me, "It'll be ok Grace. He'll come around.", Grace snarls at her friend. "The entire time you were plotting your little game."
"I helped him. I showed him that control was what he needed in his life. It was me who helped him turn his grades around. I stopped him from getting into fights."
"By getting him to punish women?"
"He loved every bit of it." Elena smirks at Christian who's shaking his head. "Didn't you? But little Anastasia had to come along and ruin it. Can't all of you see that she's nothing but a gold digger?" Christian is up on the floor before I have a chance to stop him.
"Ana is the one who helped me, not you.", he fires back. "She's shown me than I'm more than a shell of a man. Her love has inspired me and shown me that I have a heart. I'm capable of loving others."
"Love is nothing but a useless four letter word." She tilts her head and glares at me. "Are you happy? You've disrupted multiple relationships with your goody two shoes attitude. Things were fine before you came along." I roll my head back on my shoulders before standing. Although I take a step towards her, I refrain from doing what I truly want to do, slapping the hell out of her.
"You wouldn't dare hit me."
"You're right. I'm not going to waste my time hitting a shriveled up whore who thinks she can stay eternally young by preying on guys old enough to be her son."
"You little bitch.", she sneers, raising her hand only to have it caught by Grace who smacks Elena across the face so hard that it echos throughout the room.
"Luckily I had some time to waste.", Grace shrugs. "Now then, Carrick would you please escort the trash..I mean Elena out?" Carrick laughs and steps beside Elena.
"Elena, your visit is done. Let's go."
"All of you are going to regret this. You'll see."
"I don't think so." She scurries to the door, turning around with fury painted across her face. "Out you go." Carrick slams the door shut after she finally leaves. "That's settled."
"Thank you Mom and Dad.", Christian stammers. "Thank you for standing up for me and loving me. Ana, baby, you continue to amaze me with your confidence in me. I love you."
"I love you too."
"Putting that woman in her place made me even hungrier.", Grace giggles.