Grace still looks very upset after a couple of hours so I go over and give her a supportive hug.
"That terrible woman won't leave us alone, she rings and e-mails me and I don't want anything to do with her Ana" Grace dabs her eyes in far contrast to the laughing tears earlier.
"Have you told Christian about this?" I suspect she hasn't.
"No dear I haven't, he has too much on his plate right now and I have an awful feeling he might do something silly" I agree with her.
"Perhaps I can have a quiet word in Taylor's ear and see if he can do anything" hoping that might make her feel a little better, she nods, dabs and takes a deep breath.
Christian comes back looking slightly less agitated than before and tells me a newer member of security allowed her through by mistake as she gave a false name and reason for visiting. It doesn't appear anyone got fired but I am certain she won't get through again.
"What was that all about?" tentatively I ask.
"I said I was going to sever ties with her and this is the first step, it just takes longer as I have to push everything through legal to be checked and double checked. I have pulled out financially but 'gifted' the salons to her as I never, on paper paid her back for the $100.000 she lent me to start up GEH. Legal have drafted a document to that effect and is on its way to her as we speak. That's the major agreement taken care of which leaves a few smaller, less problematic issues to deal with" I don't think anything to do with Elena Lincoln is easy.
Everyone is a little unsettled for the rest of the afternoon. I excuse myself and head upstairs for a nap, the afternoon laughter and visit from Elena has totally exhausted me. Christian pops in to see if I am ok and I start to cry, I am not really sure why to be honest. He lies next to me stroking my forehead until I settle and fall asleep. He wakes me a couple of hours later and I feel much better.
I meet Kate going down the stairs, she has had a nap too and we giggle about how pregnancy has changed everything including sleep patterns. I ask her how she and Elliot are getting on living together and she tells me she is waiting for the bubble to burst as she has never felt happier and she in turn asks me about life with Christian. I tell her it's been great and having Mrs Jones to help is a godsend but I also tell her about the threat that Christian received and that has made us both nervous again. No further leads have developed either, I tell her in confidence that I believe Samantha and/or Elena has something to do with this and Kate agrees.
Christian, Elliot and my Dad are getting ready to fish, Carrick has offered to take them out on his boat for a few hours this afternoon as the weather is good. I wish them good luck and tell them we will be waiting to eat what they catch and then laugh as I don't hold out high hopes of them catching much, let alone anything edible from the lake.
Gramps and Nana have gone home, my Mom and Frank have gone for a look around the grounds which leaves Grace, Mia, Kate and I at the house. The conversation is thick with baby talk, Kate tells us what she has done with my old room, they have opted not to find out if it's a boy or a girl so have decorated in neutral colours and only bought a few essential pieces of clothes also in neutral until he/she is born. I comment Elliot's efforts in our babies rooms is great, the storage space is now huge and he assembled all the furniture after decorating the room a pale yellow. He assembled two of pretty much everything, cots, rocking chairs and changing stations and stacked a whole wardrobe full of nappies.
Grace has delayed supper so the men can fish for a little longer but their scheduled arrival time comes and goes, I don't worry at first as they have probably lost track of time or are catching a bounty but an hour after they should have come back there is no sign of them and I begin to worry. I call Taylor to the house and ask if he has had any contact with Christian or anyone on the boat.
"No ma'am nothing here" he looks concerned.
"Would you mind finding them Taylor? We are getting worried" I admit.
"Of course Miss Steele" he turns and heads towards the lake dialling his phone.
"Kate, I am walking to the lake" I say as I slip on my shoes.
"I am coming with you" Kate says "Me too" Mia chips in.
"Grace will you stay here in case they phone or my Mom and Frank come back and wonder where we all are" I ask.
"Of course dear, let me know if you hear anything" she almost begs. I nod and the three of us start the walk to the lake. There is no sign of them from the position we are standing.
I jump when I hear "Miss Steele, there is no sign of them this side of the lake and no communication either"
"Ok so what do we do now?" I can feel the bile rising in my throat.
"Miss Grey, is there a power boat anywhere here we could use to go further out?" he questions.
"Yes Taylor, the neighbours have a speed boat, let's go" Mia drags Taylor towards the neighbour's house and about 15 minutes later Kate and I hear and see him speeding away from us. Neither of us speaks what we are really thinking but I am certain Taylor will find them. Mia comes back to wait with us for any news. After what seems like forever my phone rings, I can barely hear Taylor but I hear accident, paramedics. My heart beats so fast, Kate has gone pale. I call the EMT's to Grey Manor with injuries and number of casualties unknown. I then call Grace as she is a doctor and can help whilst we wait for the paramedics. I think she must have flown as she is standing next to me in what feels like minutes with a bag of supplies.
"That's Taylor!" Kate shouts "Where's the boat?" Grace and I scan the horizon and I shout when I see 'The Mia' crawling along with smoke billowing from somewhere. Taylor reaches the dock and Grace is rushing to see what's happened and who's involved.
I see Carrick step out of the speed boat clutching him arm, Grace is fussing, checking something when I see Christian lying in the boat. I all of a sudden feel woozy, sick and my legs feel weak, I lean on Kate who does her best to support me. My Dad is guiding the boat into the dock. Elliot and Ray secure the boat and rush over as Kate signals she needs help.
Dad reaches me and shifts my weight to his arms rather than Kate's "Ana, we're here sweetheart" I hear his voice and blackout. I start to come around, look over and through the haze I see Christian being loaded into the ambulance.
"Whas happning?" I slur.
"It's ok Ana, just a precaution" I don't recognise that voice but I feel familiar feeling of a cuff going around my arm and a sharp stab on the tip of my index finger. Some quiet muttering between people I hear blood sugar normal but BP raised, what would you like us to do Dr Grey? Ah Grace is here and I am relieved, if either Carrick or Christian had been seriously ill she would have gone with them.
"I will bring her in, you go on ahead and I will see you there" I hear Grace say.
"Grace, Grace, what happened? Where is Christian and Carrick?" I plead for information.
"Just a moment dear" she turns to Elliot "Elliot will you take Kate back to the house and inform Carla and Frank what has happened, and then come to the hospital"
"But I want to come" begs Kate.
"Kate dear, you are pregnant and you don't need any extra stress, please stay here and I or Elliot will call you as soon as we have anything to tell you" she says firmly but nicely.
Where's Dad?" I mumble "He went in the ambulance with Carrick and Christian dear" Grace is so calm even though two members of her family are injured.
Elliot helps Grace bring me up towards the house, around the side and into the car before going back into the house to talk to my parents. He said he will follow us as soon as possible.
Taylor followed the ambulance and I see Sawyer getting ready to follow us and I guess Peters will have Elliot's back. I close my eyes in the car to try and stave off another bout of nausea.
"What happened Grace? Please tell me" I beg.
"The engine exploded, Carrick and Christian tried to put it out; beyond that I don't know" she tells me.
We arrive at the hospital but outside the maternity unit. Grace helps me out of the car into a waiting wheelchair, she tells the OB/GYN what's happened, then apologizes and hurries over to the ER department to see about Carrick and Christian. It is driving me nuts not knowing what is going on, I am fidgety and a little unco-operative until the doctor tells me that unless I calm down soon I will send myself into early labour and that could be disaster. I make her promise to find out what is happening with them as soon as possible.
Elliot comes into my cubicle, my heart starts to race and blood pressure rises again.
"Miss Steele, you need to calm down, this is not helping you or your babies" the nurse chastises me.
"I will as soon as I know how my Fiancé and his father are" I snap at her and then apologise.
"Ana, calm down" Elliot comes over to my bed "Dad is ok, broken wrist and burns to the same arm so he is having dressings and antibiotics etcetera. Christian has a concussion and burns to his left leg so he will stay for twenty four hours and then dressing changes and antibiotics"
"Oh phew" I let out a sigh "that is a relief, what happened with the boat?"
"Not sure Ana, but there was an explosion in the engine room which knocked Christian out cold and pushed Dad over where he broke his wrist. Your dad eventually got the fire out while I started first aid. We tried to radio and phone but it wasn't until Taylor got closer in range that we could hear him and direct him too our location" At that point Dad comes into my room, Elliot tells me to behave and will call Kate and let her know what's happening.
Dad throws his arms around me "Glad you are ok sweetheart"
"I'm glad you are ok, sounds like you had a really frightening time on the boat" I hug him tightly.
"It was scary for a while but Elliot was brilliant and Taylor really took charge when he arrived" he recalls.
"It sounds like you did your bit too Dad" I smile.
"I didn't do much" Modest as always. Grace comes in, looks at my results.
"We need to keep a close eye on you Ana, you have more protein in your urine and blood pressure is too high although it looks like it is dropping now. Christian is going up to the ward shortly so I will wheel you over there to see him before settling you in for the night" Damn I have to stay too.
"Thank you Grace" Dad says "I will leave you now and come back tomorrow, I had better fill your mother in otherwise she will give the nursing desk an earful" I chuckle.
"Bye Dad, love you"
"Ok Miss Steele, you just got the go ahead to see your fiancé, let's get you in the chair and we will head up to the 4th floor, I am Alex your chauffeur for the night" I smile at the porter who has just pushed an empty wheelchair into my room.
"Can't I walk Alex?" I am not incapable "Not unless you want me to lose my job" he replies.
"Ok, Ok I will sit in this thing but under protest" he laughs.
Off we go to the 4th floor.
A/N: Hope you are enjoying in the the story so far. Let me know you thoughts, I love hearing from you.