Chapter 26

Christian POV

I let Ana walk away from me and look back at my mom angrily. "Really? Why did you do that?" I say, running my hand through my hair.

"What? It isn't my fault that you didn't tell her your past Christian, I just assumed." She said, looking hurt.

"I did tell her, it's just," I sigh. "She's run from me before. I just didn't want to hurt her, mom I don't know what to do. She can't run again." I feel myself panic. I've never loved anyone the way I love Ana, I can't lose her again.

"She ran from you? When?" My mom asks, curiosity and concern etched on her face.

Shit, I didn't tell her. The last thing I need is for my parents to dislike Ana because she's hurt me before.

"It was nothing. We both made mistakes. She ran, I didn't chase her. But we're ok now." I reply, taking her hand.

She pulls away, "Christian if she's hurt you are you sure she's the right-"

"-Mom, with all due respect you don't our relationship, you don't know her." I say curtly. Ana is a subject that I can't tolerate being spoken about negatively. Not even by my own mother.

"That's because you don't tell me things anymore Christian." Tears fill her eyes that she quickly wipes away carefully. Well now I feel like shit.

I pull her into my arms and sigh. "I'm sorry mom, it's just that Ana has had a hard life. She hasn't really had a real relationship before and she has a lot of demons. I've only just got her to trust me."

"How has she had a hard life?" My mom questions.

"Her sister was killed in a car accident and she was in the passenger's seat. Up until very recently she hasn't told anyone what fully happened. She's still in a dark place, but I like to think that I provide a little bit of light in her life." I see her face soften and her motherly protectiveness fade.

"I see. Poor girl. Sweetheart, She won't run. It's very obvious that she's in love with you, just go and explain and she'll listen. If she's done it before she'll do it again." My mom says, giving me a comforting hug.

I spend a while looking for her in the different bathrooms, when I get to the last one I go in and see Elena with a tear stained face.

"Elena? Are you ok?" I ask, walking towards her.

"Oh Christian thank god you're here. Ana just threatened me. It was so frightening." She cries.

I frown, "What?"

She comes towards me and holds my arms, "She is crazy Christian! She said she'd kill me if I spoke to you ever again! A-And she pushed me up against a wall!" She pulls me closer and starts sobbing uncontrollably.

I slowly push her off of me and shake my head, "What really happened Elena?"

She looks up at me with wide, innocent eyes, "What do you mean?"

I take a step back, "I've known you for years Elena, I know when you're lying. What actually happened?"

She rolls her eyes and the innocent look is gone from her face. "Fine. But she did threaten me. And she is crazy."

"Why would you try and make me think she's crazy? What's your angle here Elena? To break us up?" I ask, shaking my head.

"She isn't good for you Christian. She isn't even your type! All the tattoos and the piercings, it's like you're having a quarter life crisis being with her. This isn't you!" Her hands wave around and I know this means she's angry.

"Elena. I'm going to say something to you and you are not going to interrupt. Understand?" She nods hesitantly. "Ana is the best thing to happen to me. You and I just weren't meant to be, and you know it. Our life together would have been average at best. Ana lights up my life, and what I felt for you is a hundred times bigger with her. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is." I put my hand on her shoulder and give her a small smile. "I hope you're as happy with John as I am with Ana." I turn and walk out, still searching for her.

"Christian." I turn and see Elena. "I'm sorry." She glances to her right then back to me and wraps her arms around my waist. I hug her back, because I feel like we're saying goodbye for good this time. No more thanksgivings, or Christmases. But as I hold her in my arms it's nothing like when I touch Ana.

Ana POV

Fucking bitch.

I just threatened her and now she's in the arms of my Christian? Not today. She picked the wrong woman to fuck with.

I storm over to where they are but stop when I see Christian pull away, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Well, I don't think I'll be seeing you soon Elena. We had a good relationship, and I'll miss our friendship, but you threatened my relationship with the most important person in my life and I don't think we can recover from it." He says, and she hangs her head.

"But Christian you don't understand. She's crazy-"

"-Say that again and I'll tell John what you did to me the last three years of our relationship. I'm not kidding Elena, leave her alone." He says firmly and she steps back. He knew? All this time he knew and he never confronted her?

I decide enough is enough so I walk over to them with a grin plastered on my face. "Elena, I'd like to dance with my boyfriend now. Buh-bye." I slip in between them and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. He walks us backwards and onto the dance floor, where we spend a few minutes dancing to the jazz band.

"You know, seeing you jealous is pretty hot." Christian says with a smirk.

"Listen, I'm still angry at you. How could you not tell me you were engaged? That's a pretty big thing to miss out." I say, disdain in my voice. He sighs and takes my hand, pulling me out into a balcony that overlooks the entire city.

We stand there in silence for what seems like hours until he eventually says, "I used to look out of here and see the lights of the city every night. It seemed like the whole world had figured out how to be happy, but no one was letting me in on the secret. Until you came into my life with your wit and your free spirit, and you showed me." He said, glancing sideways at me with a beautiful grin plastered on his face.

"Showed you what?" I questioned, turning to face him.

He turned and cupped my face in his hands, soft and warm. "How to be happy."

You know when you see a movie and the girls all 'melt' because of this one amazing guy. I always thought it was a cop out I mean, what dignified woman would melt over a man?

Well, I just turned into a human version of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

And then he follows it with a mind blowing kiss that almost makes me forget why I'm mad in the first place.

Oh yeah, that's right. He didn't tell me he was engaged to a bitch that tried to threaten me.

I pull out of his grasp, "Stop trying to change the subject. Tell me the truth. Please Christian." I plead.

He sighs and runs both his hands through his hair. "I've always been honest with you Ana. But I knew this would hurt you so I didn't tell you. And I'm sorry for that. But if you want the full story then here it is. I was head over heels in love with Elena, we were perfect for each other and we would have had a good life together. I did want to marry her and spend my life with her-"

"-you're not really selling yourself Christian." I growl, my fists clenching at the thought of them being together.

"You didn't let me finish." He takes a step towards me and reaches his hands out to touch me slowly, then when he sees I'm not backing away, his soft hands caress both my cheeks. "I'm not going to tell you that I didn't feel any of those things, because I did. I loved Elena. But nowhere near as much as I love you." I look up at his grey eyes and see nothing but sincerity in them. "You awaken a fire in me Ana, and I am completely obsessed with you. When I'm with you, it's like I can't see straight, your touch sends fireworks all around my body." He presses his forehead against mine so that his grey eyes are all I can see. "So you see, there's no reason for you to be jealous of Elena. Because what I felt for her is only a smidgen of what I feel for you. She is a star in the sky, but you're my moon."

"I love you." I blurt out. God, that feels good.

His eyes widen in shock and his mouth drops open. "You, you what?"

"I've been trying to tell you all night. Different things kept getting in the way, then when Elliot cornered me I-"

"-Elliot cornered you? Why?" He says, his brow furrowed.

"He told me to stay away from you." Anger flashed in his eyes and I place my hands either side of his face. "He's just trying to protect you Christian, don't be mad at him." He nods. "I've hurt you a lot Christian, most of the time without meaning to. So I'm making up for it right now. I'm trying to tell you what I couldn't then. The world is new when I'm with you, and I love you. With all my heart."

The most beautiful smile crosses his face and I fall more in love with him than I already was. It's such a strange sensation, loving someone and knowing they love you back. It feels like a million butterflies orbiting your heart, and Christian is the one to calm them down.

He pulls me into his arms and I close my eyes, "I love you too Ana. I always have." He whispers.

We stand holding each other for at least ten minutes before Mia bursts through the balcony doors. "What the hell Mia!" Christian says, startled.

"Ana, it's your sister." She says, not an ounce of joy in her voice like there was when I first met her.

"What happened." I say, knowing in my gut that someone wasn't right.

"Your family they, they got into a car accident on the way here, your sister is in surgery. Everyone else is ok, but she got the full force of the car." She says glumly.

I don't hear anything after the words, "car accident". My legs collapse from underneath me, and the world turns black.

A/N: Hi Guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Before you all start virtually shouting at me, NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO DIE. Just thought I'd get that out there.

As always, review, follow and favourite, it's what keeps me going! Thank you again for all your support with this story, I am eternally grateful to all of you.

Sophie xxx