Disclaimer: Most of the characters in this story are those from the Fifty Shades Trilogy. They remain the rightful property of E L James. Recognisable brands, places, music or films remain the property of their owners. No copyright infringement is intended.
Ina – Thank you! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this one too. Much Love x
DoloresDeeHowe – Thank you! I hope your prays are answered in this chapter! I hope you like it! Much Love x
Ali Bain – Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. Yes, I am evil but I promise that was the last major cliffhanger of this story! Much Love x
Reds77 – Thank you! I felt bad for Leila too. She was vulnerable already and Elena preyed on her. You'll find out who survived in this chapter but I can say one thing: Taylor is a cat with 9 lives! ;) I hope you like this chapter! Much Love x
SuzB – Thank you! I hope you had a great holiday! I really hope you enjoy this update. Much Love x
Camillehenley3g – Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Ana will definitely feel the impact of what her actions have caused. We'll see her feeling a lot of guilt. I hope you like this chapter! Much Love x
Kim – Thank you! I hope this was worth the wait! Much Love x
Labella – Thank you, my lovely! It really doesn't bother me if readers prefer to post their reviews in their first language, Google Translate helps me to figure out what they're saying. :) I'm happy to see anyone read or review, it's a great motivation on my end. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Much Love x
Hello Lovelies!
Thank you so much for the love on the last chapter. I did warn you that the climax would be explosive!
I really hope you enjoy this chapter. More is coming soon! (You can rest easy, there will be no more huge cliffhangers, I promise!)
Much Love,
Chelsea x
I had no idea what day it was. I had no way of knowing if it was morning or night, couldn't even decipher where I was.
Time had stopped for me. I was suspended in limbo, just a low hum of machinery swirling in my ears. Seconds, minutes, hours… they sank into one another.
I forced myself to wake up, willing my eyes to open and my fingers to twitch.
Finally cranking my eyelids open, I slowly adjusted to the yellow light surrounding me. It was harsh against my senses. I dropped my gaze and glanced around the room. It was small and square, each wall beige and stale. I inhaled a shaky breath and almost choked on the heavy scent of disinfectant.
"Oh –"
I jerked my head to the side, turning towards the startled voice. My hand crept up to my throat.
Sitting in a chair, hiding behind a newspaper, a pair of deep blue eyes stared back at me. An uneasy smile spread across full lips.
"Did I wake you?"
He dropped the newspaper to his lap and quickly ran his hand through his blonde hair.
"E-Elliot?" I gulped, squinting my eyes, unsure if what I was seeing was true. I glanced at the closed door over his shoulder. "What… Where is –"
"I was just keeping you company," he blurted. He clumsily folded his newspaper and stood up from the chair.
I looked around the room, attempting to push myself up onto my elbows but struggling. My muscles were weak and my pulse began to race under the excursion.
"I'll, um… I'll go get Christian," Elliot nodded, jumping into action.
He bolted to the door and yanked it open, quickly disappearing out of it. I tentatively reclined against the pillows behind me, trying to make sense of my surroundings. I was wearing a light blue gown, a white band around my wrist, and an IV buried deep into the back of my hand.
Lifting my head I followed the IV up to a saline bag, a monitor just beyond it. I watched as the lines spiked and plummeted in time with my heart.
"Ana!"
The door flung open and he was at my side before I could blink.
Christian's familiar scent filled the air and instantly brought tears to my eyes.
"Oh, Ana," he sighed.
He circled the bed and dropped onto the edge. He swooped me into his arms, lifting me to his chest. I didn't protest, didn't voice the pain I felt rushing through my head. I needed his touch. I needed him.
"Baby."
His throaty groan crushed me. My barriers collapsed and a hard sob burst out of my chest, an unrelenting cry shuddering through me.
He held me close, cradling me as I expelled the anger, fear and grief that had settled in my lungs.
"I'm so sorry," I sniffed, digging my face into his shirt, gripping the hem between my fingers. "I'm sorry…"
"Shhh," he hummed. He tightened his hold, his lips whispering against my temple. "Jesus Christ, Ana. I leave the room for ten minutes and you decide to wake up. Typical…"
"You were here with me?"
He leaned back and stared down at my face. He smiled as he stroked his fingers along my cheek.
"I've been here the whole time," he confirmed.
"Elliot was here?"
"He's been here with me," he nodded. "Kate's here, too."
I frowned. All three of them are in the same building?
"I asked Elliot to sit with you while me and Kate went for a coffee," he explained.
"How long have I been here?"
"Three days."
My jaw fell open.
"Three days?"
I've been asleep for three days!?
"You've been in and out of consciousness," he said, reading my thoughts and expression. "The doctor gave you strong pain relief… How are you feeling?"
"Tired," I sighed.
"That'll be the drugs," he smiled. "Do you want me to get a nurse to come and check you over?"
"I'm okay," I shook my head.
He eased me backwards, urging me to lie down again. As I settled my head against my pillow, I winced. A stabbing pain pierced through my skull, starting in my temple and radiating down my cheek.
"My head hurts," I admitted in a whisper.
"I'll get a nurse –"
Christian was about to slip away but I grabbed his forearm, digging my fingers into his flesh. He snapped his head back to me, concern working its way over his brows.
"Don't leave me," I begged him. "Stay."
His shoulders rose as he inhaled a slow breath. He nodded and took my hand between his, smoothing his thumb over my knuckles.
"The doctors have been monitoring you regularly," he explained, his eyes glued to our hands. "They took you away from me when we first came here. They needed to do hundreds of tests."
"What's wrong with me?"
"Nothing serious. Thank god," he sighed, gently smiling. "You have a bad concussion and a lot of bruising, but with some rest and TLC you should be back to normal soon enough."
Something passed through his eyes. I think we both knew that it would be a long time before normalcy greeted me again… If ever.
I reached up with my other hand and tentatively touched my cheek. It felt warm under my touch.
"It'll fade," Christian whispered, pulling my fingers away.
"How bad is it?"
He studied my face and pursed his lips.
"It'll fade," he repeated himself.
My stomach clenched and I closed my eyes, a shiver coursing down my spine. I made a mental note to avoid all mirrors for the near future.
Mirrors.
In an instant my mind was throbbing, my throat shrinking as my heart jumped into my mouth. I gulped air and pushed up, trying to kick the sheets away from me.
"Hey, hey, hey –" Christian grabbed my shoulders and held me steady. He slid his hand up to my face, fixing my gaze on him. "You're okay. It's okay, baby."
"I…" I shook my head. "I need to get up. I need to know. I need to know what happen –"
"No, you're not going anywhere." He shook his head, his voice clipped and forceful. "You're not getting out of bed."
"But I need to see them," I begged, my eyes stinging again. "What happened? I need to know what happened."
I could hear the mirrors shattering, the roar of the fire…
"Tell me," I squeaked, my chest shuddering. "Tell me everyone is okay."
Christian pressed his lips together, his jaw twitching. He ran his hand down his face, hesitating.
"Just tell me," I pressed him. "I need to know."
"Taylor got Sawyer out first," he began, letting out a hard sigh. "Sawyer is okay. He had a deep cut on the back of his head, but luckily he didn't sustain a fracture. He was allowed home yesterday."
"Is Taylor okay?"
"Not a scratch on him," he nodded. "The man is invincible. He was still inside when the roof came down but he managed to find shelter."
"He wasn't hurt?"
"He'll need a new suit but he's completely fine," he assured me.
"What about Cal? José?"
"Taylor got Caleb out," Christian hummed. "When the roof came down, one of the beams fell on him. He was rushed straight into surgery when he was brought in."
"Oh my god –"
"He had internal bleeding but the doctors managed to stem it," he quickly added. "He's okay. He had some broken ribs and his nose is fractured, but he's fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Ana," he sighed my name. He cupped my jaw between his hands and brought his nose to mine. "Ana, I will never lie to you. Never. Okay?"
I searched his grey eyes and saw only sincerity in them. I knew he was telling the truth, every ounce of his being open and earnest with me.
"Caleb is going to be fine," he promised. "I went to visit him this morning. He's back to his usual, annoying self. He's loving the attention he's getting from the nurses."
"He is?"
"He can't wait to see you," he nodded.
"When can I see him?"
"When the doctors say you can get up," he said. He gave me a small smile and then dabbed his lips against mine. "The doctors don't want you to be crowded. You're only supposed to have one visitor at a time, so I had to put up a fight for me and Kate to be in here together."
"You've been here together?" I frowned again.
"We haven't left you," he nodded. "Well, not until about thirty minutes ago. We both needed a break, so Elliot agreed to sit with you. I didn't want you to be on your own."
"Where is Kate?"
"She's finishing her coffee," he smiled. "She'll be back soon."
I nodded and tried to swallow past the lump in my throat. A crushing breath built in my chest.
"And José?" I whispered. "Is he okay?"
Christian dropped his eyes, the sombre look working over his face making my bottom lip tremble.
"Is he dead?"
"No, he's alive," he croaked. "But he's not doing great."
"Where is he?"
"He's in the critical care unit," he said. "Taylor got Caleb out but he couldn't go back inside for José. It was too dangerous, the fire was out of control and the building was falling apart. The fire department found him in the end."
"H-How serious are his injuries?" I asked, though my heart didn't want to hear any more. Christian was quickly turning to a watery blur in front of me.
"He's in a coma," he nodded once. "He was severely malnourished and they're worried about smoke inhalation… He has some burns, too."
I winced at the image conjuring in my head.
"I need to see him," I shook my head.
"You can't," Christian told me, squeezing my forearm in a bid to stop me from getting up. "Baby, you can't see him."
"He's in a coma because of me!" I yelled, the words bursting out of me in a rush. He was startled by my eruption. "She dragged him into this because of me. He had his problems but she… It's my fault. People have been hurt because of me…"
I dropped my head into my hands as heavy sobs sucked the life from me.
Christian moved quickly, wrapping me into his arms. His palms flattened against my back, his lips pressing into my hair.
"It was my fault."
"She did this. This was not your fault," he grumbled, hugging me harder. "Do not blame yourself for what she did."
"She wanted you," I hiccupped. "She wanted to get rid of me to win you back."
His grip tightened.
"She hurt him," I gulped. "She hunted him down and hurt him… she was going to pin the blame on him."
"I know," he sighed.
"She planned everything."
"I know."
"Detective Wright –"
"I know," he groaned. I slowly lifted my head and glanced up at him, feeling confused. "I already know."
"How?" I sniffed.
"After you left my office," he said, letting out a shaky breath. His hands maintained their firm hold of my back. "Welch came to see me. He had been following up on a few things and he started checking out Wright's partner, Tomovic. Welch began digging into the alleged corruption he was being investigated on and he didn't think it sounded legit. Welch spoke to Tomovic and he said that it was Wright who framed him."
"He was her submissive."
"Welch started diving into Wright's past and he found some footage of him arriving at other clubs with her," he explained. "I had no idea he was Issac."
"You knew about him?" I frowned.
"I knew she had a sub called Issac, but I had no idea what he looked like." He shook his head. "I've never met any of her subs before. I didn't give a shit who she was fucking."
I ran my finger across my lower lip.
"He looked like you," I muttered. "Not completely, but –"
"If I had known who he was, I would have killed the bastard with my bare hands." His lips curled into a snarl. "He came into my home and lied to my face."
"He's dead," I whispered. I could still smell the accelerant in my nose, could see the flames ripping over his body.
"I know," Christian nodded. "I'm glad."
"Leila killed him," I said. "She started the fire and then… and she…"
"I know," he repeated. "Caleb said he was coming in and out of consciousness throughout everything. He said he saw Leila throw a lighter. He can remember some things."
"I can remember it all… until the explosion," I whimpered, my lip quivering. I ran my hands up my arms. "I can still see it."
"I wish I had got to you sooner." He buried his hands into my hair, lightly combing through my tangles. "I should never have let you leave."
"I'm sorry," I shook my head. "I was stupid… If I hadn't left –"
"Don't blame yourself for what she did," he interrupted my train of thought. "She would have found a way to get to us. She wouldn't stop until someone got hurt."
"How did you know? How did you know to come looking for me?"
"I felt it." He pulled his left hand out of my hair and brought it to his chest. He smoothed his palm over his heart, rubbing it hard. "I felt it in here. It's like a pain I've never had before. I knew something was wrong. Taylor happened to look out of the window and he saw the car outside the club. We ran as quick as we could."
Thank God the club was only a short walk away from his building.
"I've never prayed in my life but when I was running to you, I prayed that you would be okay," he mumbled, his throat bobbing as he gulped down his upset.
My heart clenched with guilt. I had seen the terror in his eyes, he was crippled by fear.
"Don't ever do that to me again," he sighed, fixing me with his stare. "Don't ever leave me. Please. I don't think my heart can take it."
"Never," I shook my head.
I circled my hand around his neck and pulled him to me, needing his lips against mine.
"You scared the life out of me," he whispered.
"Is it over now?" I asked, stealing kisses from him. "Please tell me it's over?"
"It's over," he confirmed.
"What happened to…?"
I couldn't bring myself to say her name. The word wouldn't form on my tongue, something deep inside me protecting myself from that torture.
"She's gone," he hummed. "She's no longer our problem."
"Is she -?"
"Dead," he nodded.
"Are you sure?" I gasped, peeling myself from him. My eyes were wide and my lips poised in an O. "Are you sure?"
"The fire department found three bodies in the club," he nodded again. "They found her behind the bar. They think she was trying to find her way out."
"It was definitely her?" I frowned. "What if it was someone else? Maybe she had others that I –"
"I know it was her." He cut over me, his fingers pressing into my jaw to stop me from rambling. "I know she's dead because I identified her body… Well, what was left of her."
"You saw her?"
"I needed to be sure," he nodded. "I don't trust anyone now. It wasn't enough for them to just tell me she's dead. I needed to see her with my own eyes."
He sucked in a breath and closed his eyes, stealing a moment alone in his thoughts. His face contorted with anger and I wasn't sure if it was from seeing her corpse or purely his hatred for everything she stood for.
"It was definitely her," he grunted. "They didn't want me to identify her, considering what she did to you… I was insistent. I've known her for over a decade, I worked with her."
I slipped my hand from his neck and rested it in the centre of his chest.
Despite the fact I was the one in the hospital gown, laid up in bed, Christian looked like he needed help more than me. He was beaten, defeated, completely exhausted.
"I'm glad she suffered," he mumbled to himself.
It was the last time he mentioned her.
I didn't ask him what he meant. I didn't need to know the details. I didn't care.
She was gone. For ever. I was never going to see her again.
While that should have brought instant relief to me, my shoulders remained heavy and burdened. It would take a lifetime of penance to lift the crushing weight I now felt.
After a few silent minutes, Christian raised his head and forced a smile. He leaned in closer and kissed my lips, soft and gentle.
"You should get some sleep," he hummed. "You need all the rest you can get."
"I need to see everyone," I shook my head. I knew I was in no way ready to get up, but I needed to see the four men who almost died at the bitch troll's hands. "I have to see them."
He pursed his lips.
"Okay," he sighed, relenting. "But only when the doctor says you're allowed to have visitors."
"You're a visitor…"
"I'm family," he smiled again. Genuine, this time. He pointed to the spot where Elliot had been sitting. Beyond the now empty chair I saw a small cot. "Kate and I have been taking it in turns to sleep. Neither of us wanted to leave you alone, not even for a second."
"Did you tell her I was here?"
"I called her as soon as we arrived," he nodded. "I knew you would want her here."
I nodded in agreement.
"You don't have to worry about me and Kate," he said. "Everything is okay now. It's water under the bridge."
"It is?"
"All we care about is that you get better," he nodded.
I slowly lowered back against the bed, feeling lightheaded and sleepy.
Christian moved with me, plumping my pillows and pulling the sheets around me. He shuffled higher up the bed and draped his arm above me, curling into my side, his fingers dancing in my hair.
"Get some sleep," he whispered. "I'll be right here with you."
"I want to go home," I sighed, my eyelids growing heavier by the second.
"I can ask Kate to bring in some of your things," he suggested. "Try to make it feel like you're back in your apartment?"
"Home with you," I shook my head. I rolled onto my side and pushed my nose into his chest. "My home is with you."
He had no response other than to hug me close to him. I felt my hair dampen with his silent tears and I fell asleep to the sound of his gentle mumblings.
I slept for a couple of hours before I was woken by a nurse and doctor coming to check on me.
Christian was true to his word, still nestled against me when I woke. The nurse chastised him for sharing my bed, but he kept his cool and simply rolled his eyes at her.
"When can I go home?" I asked the doctor as she waved her finger in front of my eyes.
"I want to keep you in for a few more days," she shook her head. She softened the blow with a smile. "You need to be monitored regularly. It's just a precaution to make sure we haven't missed anything."
"But I'm okay?"
"I'm confident that you'll be fine," she smiled again.
That was something, I guess…
"Can I get up and walk around?"
"As long as you feel well enough and you take it steady, I don't see a problem in you having a little walk every now and then," she nodded. She left me and returned to the foot of the bed. She scribbled something into my notes. "You need to take it easy. I can't stress how important it is that you don't exert yourself over the coming weeks."
"I'll make sure she rests," Christian chimed in. He was hovering at my side, his arms crossed and his expression serious.
The doctor smiled to Christian and nodded, making her goodbye and promise to return in a few hours.
As soon as the door closed behind her, I flung back the sheets and pulled myself upright.
"Jesus!" Christian rushed to my side. He grabbed my legs, pushing them back into the bed. "Did you listen to what the doctor just said? You need to rest."
"She said I can get up," I protested. I tried to shift my legs but it was no use. I was weak, no match for his strength.
"I don't think she meant right this second," he huffed at me. "Jesus, Ana. I know you want to see Caleb and José but your health is my priority, okay?"
He picked up the sheets and pulled them back over me, tucking them into my body, as if trying to seal me in place. I sighed and flopped back against my pillow.
"You are my priority," he whispered, bringing his face close to mine. "So you are going to stay in bed. You are going to rest. You are going to let me look after you."
The fight slipped out of me without hesitation.
"Can I see them tomorrow?" I asked. "Please?"
"Tomorrow," he nodded. He stroked his hand down my cheek. "But tonight you will get some rest."
I nodded and shuffled under the covers.
"Will Kate be here tonight?"
"Of course," he smiled. "She's doing something right now but she'll be back soon."
"Okay," I said. "Will you stay with me?"
"Until there's no breath left in my body," he promised.
I rolled onto my side and let out a sigh, stretching my feet as far as I could. I wriggled my cheek into my pillow and winced as the action sent a sharp pain through my jaw.
"Hey –"
I opened my eyes and found a pair of eager mint-greens staring back at me.
Kate smiled and pulled the chair closer to my bed, resting her arms on the edge and dropping her chin on them.
"Hi," I croaked.
I pulled my hand out from under the sheet and slipped it under one of hers. She linked her fingers with mine, giving them a tight squeeze.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Tired," I grumbled. I wondered if there would ever be a time I didn't feel tired. "What time is it?"
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone.
"Four in the morning," she hummed.
"Why are you awake?"
"I took over from Christian," she nodded.
Kate moved her head and allowed me to see past her, to the cot which was now occupied by Christian's tall frame. He was curled into a tight ball, hugging a pillow against his chest, looking far too big for such a small bed. He didn't look comfortable but at least he was sleeping.
"He's hardly slept since you were admitted," she observed, staring at Christian for a moment. She kept her voice low, mindful not to wake him. "It's like he's been too scared, just in case he misses something."
I wasn't surprised. Not in the slightest.
She returned her focus her to me. "We haven't called Ray yet," she revealed. "Christian wanted to but I wasn't sure if that's what you'd want."
"No," I shook my head. "He'll just worry if he finds out. I don't want him to be upset. He doesn't need to know what's happened."
"Okay," she smiled. "Whatever you want."
I was quiet for a few moments, glancing between her and Christian.
"I can't believe you two have been alone together," I shook my head. "You haven't argued with each other?"
"We really needed each other over the past few days," she nodded. "All of that shit, it's in the past. None of it matters now. We've talked and cleared the air. I apologised, he accepted. We're okay."
"What about Elliot?"
"He's been here too," she hummed. She shrugged her shoulders. "It's not been easy seeing him again, but we're both adults. We're here for you. From now on, everything is going to be okay. Better than okay."
Her words held greater meaning, I could sense something in them. I frowned.
"What do you mean by that?"
Her lips split into a wide smile and she shook her head.
"I'll say just one thing: your boyfriend seriously loves you," she nodded, taking another glance at Christian. "If I hadn't been such an asshole, I would have seen it from the beginning. I should have listened to you. He's a good man."
"The best," I nodded.
"He'd do anything for you," she said. "He'd walk on water."
"He ran into a burning building for me," I reminded her. The weight of his love consumed me, my heart starting to flutter. "I don't deserve him."
"You were made for each other," she shook her head. "You're two sides of the same coin. I realise that now, having spoken to him properly. He's your mirror."
"I love him."
"He is obsessed with you," Kate smiled. "I don't think you realise just how much he loves you. The lengths he'll go to just to make you happy."
I had a pretty good idea, but again her words were full of meaning that I just didn't understand. But I knew that soon enough I would find out what she meant.
The love of my life has always surprised me, has never failed to bring a smile to my face. I knew he would devote every second of his life to me, just as I would him. He is my everything.
