A/N – DON'T HATE ME, BUT I'VE DECIDED TO SKIP AHEAD A FEW MONTHS. I NEED TO MOVE THE STORY ALONG A LITTLE FASTER. I PROMISE YOU WON'T MISS ANYTHING.

I WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY IN GETTING CHAPTER 53 OUT TO YOU. I HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS BUT I WAS ABLE TO WORK ON THIS A LITTLE EACH DAY TO GET IT TO YOU AS FAST AS I COULD. I WAS HOPING THAT THE LAST THREE QUICKLY WRITTEN UPDATES COULD HOLD YOU OVER UNTIL THIS CHAPTER WAS FINISHED.

THANK YOU FOR THE KIND REVIEWS THAT WERE LEFT AS WELL AS THE PM'S AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO PM'D ME JUST CHECKING IN TO SEE WHERE I WAS, HOW I WAS AND WHEN I WOULD UPDATE. YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT KEEPS ME GOING!

MOST OF THIS CHAPTER IS TOLD FROM CHRISTIAN'S POV AND IT DOES JUMP BACK AND FORTH A BIT. I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH FOR THIS CHAPTER TO MAKE IT AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE.

NOW, CHAPTER 53

CHRISTIAN POV

As I lay here on the couch watching the rain fall on this cold December day, I feel truly blessed. The first four and a half months of this year where just like all the others: I was just a bitter, angry man who didn't have a life outside of my work. But most of all, I was lonely, even though I never admitted it to anyone at any time. I didn't have anyone in my life, by my choice of course, to share my good fortune and my hobbies with. I was convinced that I didn't need anybody to love. I didn't know how to love and didn't think I deserved to be loved. When May rolled around, who knew my life would take the turn it did: I began living.

I'm thinking back about what has happened over the last three months since Linda and I got married. What a whirlwind it has been. After the wedding reception we found out that Elena was arrested for sneaking onto the grounds of my parent's home and violating the restraining order. I can't believe how stupid she was. I remember how Linda reacted upon hearing the news.

LINDA POV

Elena Lincoln is in jail. Those words are still ringing in my ears. I can't believe it. I can't believe she was stupid enough to try and sneak into the reception. Surely she had to realize that security would be tight. But then again, she would have to have a working brain to comprehend and understand common sense. I'm grinning ear to ear and Christian has his elbow resting on the door with his hand on his forehead, shaking his head back and forth.

"You're not joking with me, are you? She is really in jail right now?" I ask both Taylor and Luke. They both nod.

"Yes, she is. She is probably being booked into the King County Jail as we speak," Taylor says. I can still see him smiling in the rearview mirror.

"This I have to see. Let's go down to the jail now. I'm positive orange isn't her color and I'm sure the bars make her look fat," I say. Luke covers his mouth to try and keep from laughing and Taylor is shaking his head in amusement. They are both failing miserably at trying to keep their composure. Christian's head whips to the right so fast it could have flown off of his shoulders.

"You're not serious? We're not going anywhere near that jail." Christian looks at me like I've suddenly grown two heads.

"Damn right I'm serious. I've been waiting for this day for weeks now and I want to see for my own eyes that she will soon have a new home and bars for a door and window," I say with a large smile on my face.

"We are NOT going anywhere near that jail. She has made her bed now she has to suffer the consequences. We are going to go home and toast her stupidity. How does that sound?" Christian asks nicely trying to take the sting away of his refusal. He takes my hand and kisses it.

"Ok. So what happened?" Linda asked, sounding defeated. Taylor spoke up.

"Well, a large group of guests were walking through the gate when Luke spotted someone hiding their head with their coat and generally acting suspicious. Luke recognized her immediately, let her walk a few more feet then notified me. I told Luke to hold her and then I called the police and told them someone was on the property illegally and a restraining order was in place for this person. The police arrived and arrested her. Mrs. Lincoln didn't exactly go quietly but we got her out of here before anyone else noticed her."

"What do you mean she didn't go quietly? What did that bitch have to say?" Christian asks.

"Just her usual nonsense, Sir. Don't worry. No one heard her besides me, Luke and the police." Christian nods his head and Taylor catches Christian's eye and is silently telling him they need to talk when we get back to the penthouse.

CHRISTIAN POV

I spoke with Taylor and Luke after we returned to the penthouse about what Elena said. She was still convinced that Linda was trapping me into marriage and wanted to put a stop to it. Elena also spouted off that she wouldn't be surprised if Linda turned up pregnant on purpose. Wait until she finds out we are already expecting. She also threatened to expose my previous lifestyle and threatened to tell my family, especially my mother, about our six year affair, if I didn't reinstate my funding for her salons. I had one of my expensive lawyers pay her a visit at the jail to remind her that she had just as much to lose if she tried to expose me. She would be deemed a child molester because I had proof she has been seeing under aged boys, was a fraud in the public's eye and her reputation would be ruined, but most of all, I would have the satisfaction of personally destroying her. I would love to see her rot in prison. She eventually shut her mouth and backed away from her threats, hopefully for good. No one fucks with Christian Grey.

I slowly get up from the couch to stretch my legs and get something to drink. I pour myself a glass of brandy and stand at the window watching the rain fall harder. I love this view. I could look at it all day. My next thoughts go to Linda's singing career and her birthday. I was blown away when I first heard her song on our way back home from the reception. I've heard her live, but hearing her voice recorded is something else.

LINDA POV

"Is that your single? Hand it over. I still haven't heard it." I pull it out and hand it to Christian who then hands it to Taylor and he puts it into the car stereo system. I suddenly feel shy. What if he hates it? As the music begins then I start singing, Christian's head slowly turns to look at me. What is going through his mind? Does he like it? Does he hate it? The corners of his mouth are slowly turning up. He listens intently to the rest of the song. When it finishes, he pops the buckle of my seatbelt and pulls me to him. He brushes the hair away from my ear and leans in to whisper. His hot breath next to my ear is sending my body into a frenzy.

"That was the sexiest thing I have ever heard come out of your mouth. You know what's going to happen to you once we get home, don't you?" He kisses me behind my ear then bites my earlobe. I have a pretty good idea.

"So you like it? It doesn't make me sound trashy?" I ask.

"I love it and it makes you sound fuckable, not trashy," Christian whispers into my ear then kisses me softly and gently then deepens it. I remember that Luke and Taylor are in the front seat and quickly push Christian away. I'm sure they have seen much worse over the years but I don't want to put on a show.

"Sorry. When I'm around you, I can't help myself. You know that," Christian whispers again. I slide back over and buckle my seat belt again. Taylor looks at me from the rearview mirror and smiles.

"Well done, Mrs. Grey. I think that song will be a hit," Taylor says as Luke hands me the CD. I'm still not convinced.

"Thank you, Taylor. We'll see what happens with it. It's just being released locally at first then it will be released into a few more markets next week. New music is usually released on Tuesdays but Mr. Huff wants to release it Monday to the radio stations around Seattle. I'm going to be a nervous wreck all day." Christian takes my hand again and kisses it.

"Monday is going to be an even bigger and longer day for you then." I look at him, confused. Christian rolls his eyes then laughs.

"Have you forgotten that your birthday is Monday as well?" CRAP. I had forgotten.

"I did actually forget. I've had a lot going on lately if you haven't noticed. Celebrating my birthday has never been on the top of my list. It's just another day to me."

"No it isn't. It's your first birthday as my wife and I intend on spoiling you." Now I roll my eyes.

"Please don't. I'd like to keep it as low key as possible. I just want a normal day."

"Define normal," Christian says with a smirk on his face. "Look, I want to celebrate your first birthday being my wife. Please don't deny me. I love taking care of you and I intend on showing you how much." He takes my hand and kisses each finger, stopping at my pinkie to bite it. I laugh and smile.

"Who am I to deny my husband? Just please don't go overboard. I know you don't do anything on a small scale. Remember, I'm still getting used to this lifestyle," I say and he nods.

"Agreed." He caresses my face and smiles his sweet, shy smile. "You never cease to amaze me. What I just heard proves you can do anything you put your mind to. If that song becomes as big as I think it will, you are going to be insanely busy and more popular. I'm not looking forward to sharing you with everyone. With you working full time and being pregnant you can easily overextend yourself and that isn't good for your health. I want you to promise me you will take care of yourself."

"Ok, ok. I promise to take care of myself, and I promise not to overextend myself. Anything else, Sir?" Christian narrows his eyes at me and I can't help but laugh.

"I'm sure I can think of a thing or two. Did I tell you that you looked stunning in your wedding dress again? I love this dress on you as well." After the reception, I changed into my new dark purple Diane Von Furstenberg dress and dark purple gladiator sandals after the reception ended.

"No, but thank you. It felt strange wearing it again but since you and I were the only ones to see it on our wedding day, I guess it was alright. You looked handsome as usual in your dark suit. I can't wait to see the pictures that were taken of us tonight, especially the ones down by the water," I say.

"Me either. In fact I'd really like to have one enlarged and hang it in my office at GEH and one in my home office as well. I can't think of anything better to brighten my day than looking at your shining face," Christian says with a tilt of his head.

"You're getting sappy, Christian." I pulled her into my lap again and held her there for the rest of the drive back into Seattle.

A large clap of thunder hits and it startles me momentarily out of my thoughts. I sit down on the floor, lean back against the couch and finish my brandy and think back to Linda's birthday. The look on her face when I presented her main birthday gift to her was priceless.

Linda's birthday turned out amazing. When she woke up that Monday morning, I immediately gave her one of her birthday gifts. She had been wondering what happened to her necklace that I gave her on our three month anniversary. I ended up taking it to Japan with me and it was a little worse for wear when I brought it back home. I sent it back to Cartier to have the diamonds removed and replaced with sapphires, her birthstone. I also had the necklace itself replaced. I handed her the red Cartier box and when she opened it, she let out a gasp. She loved it.

"Oh, Christian. It's beautiful. Thank you. This looks something like the necklace you gave me for our three month anniversary. Will you help me put it on?" She moves her hair to the side and I placed it around her neck.

"I have a confession to make. I ended up taking the other necklace to Japan with me and the chain broke. I wanted to give you something that resembled the old necklace but still new. The setting is the same and these sapphires were hand-picked by me. There. It looks beautiful on you. Happy Birthday, baby," I pulled her to me and looked into her bright green eyes. I get lost in them every time.

Later that day, when she arrived home from school, I surprised her by already being home early myself. The main birthday present was delivered this afternoon and I'm blown away by how it turned out. I'm a little worried about her reaction to it but I think she will love it. I hope so anyway.

"What are you doing home so early? Is everything alright?" she asks sounding concerned as she enters the penthouse. I texted Luke and told him to go back down to the garage after bringing Linda upstairs and get her present ready to bring to the front of Escala. I kiss her and naturally we can't control ourselves.

"Everything is fine, baby. I came home early so we can start your birthday celebration this evening. I have something I want to show you. Come with me." I take her hand and lead her back to the elevator. We exit into the lobby and I walk her out front doors of Escala. She looks up at me with her "what the hell are you up to?" look. I can hear Luke coming around the block with the car. I hide Linda's eyes and she turns her head to where the throaty engine sound is coming from. I uncover her eyes and she sees Luke pull up to the curb. The look on her face was priceless.

"What in the hell did you do? I thought we agreed on keeping things SMALL?" I shrug my shoulders.

"I already had this in the works when I made that promise. It's a 2014 Audi TTS Roadster, dark red in color. I had it redone from top to bottom inside and out, including having remote controlled Lamborghini doors installed to help you get in and out of the car easier. The instrument panels operate by touch. Punish me for it later if you want to. I'm actually looking forward to it. Happy birthday, baby. I hope you like it." I pull her into a deep kiss.

"You are one over-the-top man. I'm speechless. I really don't know what to say," Linda said as Luke climbs out of the car and hands me the keys.

"Happy Birthday, Mrs. Grey," Luke said. Linda is still speechless and just nods with a huge smile on her face. We climb into the car and I then took her out to dinner along the waterfront to El Gaucho.

While we are enjoying our dinner, we kept noticing people staring towards our table, mainly at Linda. At first we couldn't figure out why but then we both remembered that her song was released today here in Seattle. We have both been so busy that we didn't listen to the radio today. Two women approached the table.

"Pardon the interruption, but aren't you Linda Morrison?" Linda nods.

"We have heard your song all day on the radio and we love it. Can we have your autograph?" Linda looked surprised and I think a little bit shocked at the request.

"Sure," she said and the women handed her napkins to sign.

"Thanks. We can say we met you and got your autograph on the same day your single came out. Congratulations." The two women walked away and went back to their table. Linda still looked shocked and surprised.

"That was weird and something I would never have expected. I'm sorry they interrupted our meal," Linda said while going back to eating.

"Don't worry about it. But I'm confused about something. Why did they ask if you were Linda Morrison and not Linda Grey?" Linda hung her head a little and sighed. I have a feeling I'm not going to like her answer.

"Well, Dann Huff suggested I use Morrison instead of Grey since I'm already an established musician using the name Morrison," Linda says softly.

"But I don't like it. Your name isn't Morrison anymore; it's Grey. I want everyone to know you're mine. How are they going to know that if you don't go by your MARRIED name?" I emphasized married on purpose.

"Look, I argued the same thing. I wanted to use Grey but there are many, many women around the globe who don't go by their married names because they were established artists or athletes under another name. I agreed to use Morrison for the release here in Seattle and in Oklahoma. If he decides to release the single in another market, where no one knows me, then I will insist on adding the Grey name. I don't even know how it will even go over and I may not have to do anything else. I've hurt your feelings. I can tell. That's the last thing I ever wanted to do. I love you dearly and I cherish your last name, but this is just about business. Please say you understand?" Linda rubs my cheek softly with her hand. I sigh.

"You didn't hurt my feelings. I was just surprised, that's all. I didn't know what had been decided. Let's just take this one week at a time and go from there. I'm just so very proud of you and I want everyone to know that you're mine." I take her hands and hold them across the table, rubbing my thumbs across her knuckles. I think I surprised both of us, especially me, by remaining so calm about this. We finished the rest of our meal and were only interrupted five more times before we walked out of the restaurant to a few photographers. I'm used to all of the attention and I know Linda still isn't. We get into Linda's new car and drive away from El Gaucho's. Linda turns on the radio and changes channels. After skipping through a few, we recognized her song starting. We listened to it while driving back to Escala where she doesn't know it, but the whole family is waiting to surprise her with a small party. I look over at Linda and she is smiling from ear to ear while listening to herself on the radio. I can tell she is still in shock and is nervous about hearing herself.

"Baby, relax. You're amazing and now everyone else in Seattle is going to know how good of a singer you are. Just enjoy it." We arrive back to Escala and park in the parking garage. I press the door remote and it's awesome to watch the doors open up instead of manually opening them outward. I love my R8, but this car is awesome. I press the other button to lower the doors and set the alarm. Linda is still looking back at the car as we walk to the elevator.

"Do you really like it?" I ask her.

"Of course I do. I love it. I've only seen cars like this at custom car shows or on TV reality shows. Thank you again." Once we are in the elevator she thanks me in my favorite way. We're all lips, tongues and hands as we make our way up to the penthouse. I open the door and usher Linda inside with the family greeting her, yelling "SURPRISE!" The rest of the evening was spent opening presents and eating birthday cake. Chocolate, of course.

After the success of her single, Dann Huff wanted Linda to go ahead and start working on a five song EP in October. To say I got mad is an understatement. We got into one of the worst arguments we have ever had since my reaction to her pregnancy.

"Linda, this is ridiculous. I thought you only agreed to do the one song? Now you're telling me you're going to be putting in long hours at the recording studio, not being home in the evenings until late and most of all: YOU'RE PREGNANT! You're supposed to be taking care of yourself, slowing down and resting. I still don't like the fact that you're still teaching. I told you before that I don't like for you to be around the kids with their germs and colds and god knows what other diseases they have."

"Don't go all sanctimonious on me, Christian. You put in long hours at the office, come home at all hours of the night, but do I ever complain or say anything? No, I don't. It's what you do. It's your career, as teaching is mine. This singing gig is just part-time. I told Dann that I didn't want to put more than two hours at a time in the studio recording. I thought that would make you happy. Besides, didn't I tell you that he wanted to do a five song CD?" Linda tried to pull her sweet little innocent routine on me. It wasn't working.

"No, I guess you conveniently kept that little bit of information from me. Now I know why. You knew how I would react to the fact that you would be putting long hours in at the recording studio after teaching all day. I don't like it. I think you should wait until next year to release this CD, EP or whatever the fuck it is." Linda closes her eyes and I swear she is counting to ten. She can count as high as she wants to. I'm not backing down.

"Christian, women for thousands of years have been pregnant and have continued on with their lives and their jobs. Hell, women in the 1800's were out working in the fields tending to their crops. That was hot, back-breaking work. Sitting in a chair at school and sitting on a stool in a recording studio isn't strenuous work. I know how much my body can take and when to take a break. Thank God you don't see what else I have to do at school." As soon as Linda said that she immediately wanted to take it back. She's obviously hiding something from me.

"What the fuck does that mean? Maybe I need to come unannounced one day and see what you're hiding from me, or better yet, I will just ask Luke. So help me, if you're putting your health or the health of our son in jeopardy, I will pull you out of that place so fast your head will spin and I will shut down the recording of this CD. LUKE!" He enters the great room from Taylor's office looking a little sheepish and wondering what's wrong with me now.

"Sir?"

"Obviously I can't trust my own wife to give me a straight answer, so I'm asking you. What can you tell me about her routine during the day? What does she do, specifically?" Luke shifts back and forth on his feet, looking back and forth at Linda and myself.

"Well, Luke, out with it. I don't have all fucking day."

"Sir, I'm not in the building with her during the day. You have had me stationed outside of the school near the front door since the first day. I have a better vantage point of who is entering and exiting the school. Besides, the principal doesn't want me on the inside. She thinks it upsets the children knowing I'm packing, Sir."

"Well, that is going to change. I want you sitting outside of Linda's classroom from here on out and don't make it obvious you have a gun. I'd rather you leave it in the vehicle anyway, but I understand you must carry it." I turn to Linda and if looks could kill, I'd be dead right about now, but I don't give a shit. "And as for you, I'm only going to ask you this question once and I want a straight answer: what is your daily routine?" She throws up her hands and rolls her eyes.

"Putting out tubs each morning, doing morning duty, taking kids to the bathroom, sitting at a table during small groups, walking them to the library twice a week, playing with the kids sometimes during center time, walking them to lunch, doing cafeteria duty or playground duty, nap time, snack time then bus duty after school," she rattles off to me. Nap time? That means cots.

"Nap time? What do you have to put out for them to sleep on? It better just be a little vinyl mat of some sorts," I say with force.

"They have those but they don't sleep on those on the hard floor, Christian. They have little plastic cots that we put out daily for them to sleep on. They only weigh 2 lbs. at the most and I only put out one at a time. My teacher has already said when I start showing more she will put them out. I already have it taken care of. Happy now?" I narrow my eyes at her.

"Don't get flippant with me, Linda. You and our child are my responsibility and it's my job to look out for your safety, as well as Luke looking out for you when I'm not around." She is giving me her fuck-off stare. I could care less. That face doesn't work on me. I learned that line from her. "Quit looking at me like that for heaven's sake," I said.

"Need I remind you that I'm the one carrying this baby? I know what I can and can't do and I don't need your controlling attitude dictating what I will and won't do at my job. I know my limits and I have everything taken care of. Will you please trust me?" She isn't yelling at the top of her lungs but she isn't talking softly either. I put my hands on her shoulders and slowly walk her backwards until her back is against the wall. I glance over at Luke and he quickly heads back to the security room. I take Linda's face in my hands and sigh.

"You know how I am about control. I can't give it up. I have always trusted your judgment and I never have to worry about your safety, but it's just not you now and I want to do everything in my power to make sure that this pregnancy goes smoothly for us. You already have a problem with high blood pressure and you're seeing an OB/GYN specialized in high risk pregnancies. I'm a natural worrier; you know this. I don't want anything to happen to either of you and I really don't know what I'd do if something did happen. Don't give me any more reasons to worry about you, please?" I ask almost begging. She sighs.

"Christian, I know how over protective you are and I love that you look out for me, but you have to trust me that I know how much I can and can't do. I'm not trying to give you a hard time. I know I don't have to work and I'm preparing myself for maternity leave starting in March, a full month before the baby is due and I won't even be going back to work until next school year, if at all. I will ask you again: do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, baby, but I'm not going to apologize for looking out for your best interests. I'm glad you told me about the cots. I don't want you picking them up or putting them down anymore. Let your teacher do it. If you will do that, I will let this go. Deal?" For the first time since we began this argument, a small smile appears on her face.

"I can go along with that on one condition: I don't want Luke sitting inside the school all day. I really agree it would be too big a distraction for the kids. Sitting outside is a much better option." I rub my face with my hands then run them through my hair. I think for a minute then nod.

"Alright. Luke can continue sitting outside the school. I agree that he can see people coming in and out better than he can if he was sitting outside your door every day but I still may have him go inside once in a while to check on you. But so help me, if you do anything to put your health in jeopardy or put the baby at risk, I'm pulling the plug on you working and your singing career. Understand?" She nods. I'm glad that's over.

That was an epic battle, and in the end I knew she wouldn't do more than she could handle, but I still worry. I can't help it. I've always had a fear of abandonment. I'm still nervous and terrified about being a father but the thought is getting easier every day. I look out towards the Sound and it is still raining pretty heavy. Out of nowhere, Maggie comes running in and jumps up on the couch, scaring me to death. She's giving me that look like she has to go outside.

"Can't you see it's raining, you dumb dog? Do you really want to go outside? It's raining cats and dogs." She cocks her head to one side, thinking about what I've said. I laugh and roll my eyes when she looks towards the glass doors and back at me and wags her tail. I shake my head and get up to open the back door and let her out. I'm not in control of my household anymore.

I did make a surprise visit to the school a week after our argument and hung out for half of the day. Sure enough, Linda was true to her word. She was sitting in a chair most of the time working with kids at a table and the teacher was the one putting the cots down at nap time. What a monotonous job that is putting out and picking up 20 cots each day. Just before Taylor and I walked out of the school, someone caught my eye: a tall, skinny man with long reddish hair pulled back in a ponytail. The man looked me up one side and down the other before walking towards me and Taylor.

"You're Christian Grey, aren't you?" I didn't answer and just stared at him.

"I'm very fond of your wife. She is a nice, beautiful person and is really good with the kids. The kids here in the school are like baby birds when they are around her. They flock to her for motherly support. Speaking of, I hear congratulations are in order. She will make a great mother."

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," I say deathly quiet and step closer to him.

"Jack Hyde or as the kids say, Mr. Jack." He extends his hand out for me to shake but I don't take it. There is something familiar about him but I can't put my finger on it. I definitely don't like him being so forward with his compliments about my wife.

"Mr. Hyde, I'd appreciate it if you kept your comments about my wife to yourself. They aren't appropriate." Taylor notices my fist is balling up at my side and steps up, standing next to me.

"I didn't mean anything by them, Mr. Grey. We are all very fond of Mrs. Grey and we wouldn't want anything to happen to her or to her baby." Was that a threat of some kind? What the fuck is this guy's problem? I take another step towards Mr. Hyde and we are almost nose to nose.

"Look, Mr. Hyde, I'm only going to say this one time: stay the fuck away from my wife. She isn't any of your concern. Good day," I say and turn to leave with Taylor on my heels.

"I don't trust that fucker. I want a deeper background check done on him," I tell Taylor.

"Already on it, Sir," Taylor says as he dials Welch to get him on it ASAP. A day or two later Welch gets back with me about Jack Hyde. Apparently, he was born in Detroit and moved to the west coast when he aged out of the foster care program of the State of Michigan. He went to Stanford and graduated with a degree in English. Seems he is a bright boy. If he's so bright, why the fuck has he been working as a janitor for the past two years? There is a gap in the time between his two previous jobs and now. Welch is digging deeper.

In November, two weeks before Thanksgiving, we were given the green light to move into our home along the Sound. Of course there is still construction going on, but Elliott said it wouldn't be a problem. Linda and I both took off work on a Thursday and Friday to begin packing up what we wanted to take to the new house. The only furniture going to the new house is my piano and our bedroom furniture; the rest would stay here at Escala, including my desk. I bought an even bigger one for my new office at the house. I guess I should also make arrangements to have my old playroom dismantled. I don't know why I haven't done anything about it, or even thought about it, until now. I certainly don't need anyone wandering in wondering what the fuck all that equipment was for.

We packed up the library and my office, as well as the media room. Linda wanted to take the pool table but I argued that it was too big and too heavy to move. Besides, she doesn't know that a new one is being delivered this weekend, as well as revealing my surprise for her. Elliott and I have been working on a special room in the house just for Linda. There is a room at the opposite end of the house on the first floor that sits at an angle and it catches the sunlight and you can see the Sound through the floor to ceiling windows. She had mentioned that she would like to have that be a sitting/reading room. It will be, but I have another plan for it as well.

As we are moving our belongings into the new house, Linda tries to open the door to that room and notices the door is locked. She tries to open the door again but can't. I sneak up behind Linda and make her jump. I put the box down I had been carrying and lean against the wall in front of her.

"Stay away from that door, Linda, until I say it's time." She leans her head to one side.

"But why is it locked? What's going on in there? These boxes are to be put in this room. Could you please open it so I can put these inside?" She just won't give up.

"Will you be patient, please? I swear your patience has gone by the way side since you became pregnant. Just wait." We could open it now but I love messing with her. She gives me that adorable pout and rolls her eyes.

"Roll those eyes again and you won't see what is behind those doors. The choice is yours," I say then kiss her nose.

"You're a pain in the ass. You know that, don't you? Fine. I will wait until it is permissible to enter the room, Sir," Linda says sweetly, but sarcastically. She puts the boxes she had been carrying down by the door that is locked then walks off. I laugh then pick up my box and take it to my office.

On the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I flew the family to Aspen to spend a couple days there to unwind and relax while Gail and the rest of the security crew finish unpacking at the new house. Linda has been working almost nonstop recording and releasing her five song EP CD. I'm still worrying that she is pushing herself too much, but she has kept to her word that she will only work with Dann Huff no more than two hours a day recording the EP. Her single, "Maybe", went to #2 here in Seattle. When the single was released in Oklahoma, it went to #1 in Tulsa and #3 across the rest of the state, as well as here in Washington. She was beyond excited. I, of course, am still worried about her health as I could tell she was getting tired easier and being four months pregnant didn't help, but she insists she is alright and is pacing herself accordingly. I have to trust her.

While we were in Aspen, the family went skiing on the first day and I stayed behind with Linda to go snowmobiling and to do other snow activities you can do here in Aspen. Later that evening back at the house, my Mom noticed that Linda had started developing a slight cough. She pulled me aside one day to talk to me about it.

"Christian, I don't like the sound of that cough. It may not be much of one right now, but it could easily get out of control. Being in this altitude isn't helping it, I'm sure. Has she been coughing long?"

"On and off for a couple of weeks. It started before the move. She says it is just allergies but I'm wondering if it could be due to singing or it could be a combination of both. If you remember, I made her sit on the couch and take it easy while we moved boxes inside," I say to my Mom. She nods.

"I remember, but please keep an eye on her. If it starts becoming more frequent or it suddenly worsens, take her to the doctor immediately. Being pregnant, her immune system is down anyway and a cough like that could turn into a nasty cold or worse. I can prescribe her something to take for the cough that is safe for the baby as well."

"Thanks, Mom. I appreciate you looking out for her as well. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to her." My mother rubs my arm and smiles. No matter what a complete ass or bastard I was growing up and then on into my twenties and thirties, my mother was always there for me, loving me know matter what.

Aspen was a lot of fun. Linda finally talked me into doing some skiing. I didn't want to leave her, but I think she wanted me away from her for a while since I'd been hovering over her since we got to Aspen. When we were together, we shopped, ate, took gondola rides up to the top of Aspen Mountain and then sat by the fire in our bedroom at night. It was a different atmosphere than when she and I were here in June after the plane crash. I shudder when I think about that. Elliott, of course, found a new girl every night we were there. I grabbed us a couple of beers one night and I pulled him aside to try and talk some sense into him.

"Dude, this is supposed to be a family trip and you're bringing a different flavor of the day home every night. Your dick is going to fall off if you're not careful," I say to him quietly away from everyone. I hand him his beer and he begins drinking it.

"Look, just because you married your first girlfriend doesn't mean I have to follow in your footsteps and stop at just one. Lighten up. I'm just enjoying myself. Just so you know, I'm keeping it covered so it won't fall off as you say." Elliott sighs and takes a long draw of his beer. He really has no idea of my past.

"For your information, Linda isn't my first girlfriend. I've dated plenty. There just wasn't anyone special enough to bring home to introduce to mom and dad. I kept my relationships private if you must know. When are you going to man up and find someone to settle down with?" I take another drink of my beer. Elliott's expression when I told him I've dated before is priceless. I know what he is thinking.

"You dated and you kept that information from me? Dude, you know I have to ask. . .?" I shake my head emphatically. God. Not this again.

"No, they were not guys. That has never been my scene. I'm just saying that I wasn't celibate." Elliott raises an eyebrow.

"So how many are we talking, two, three, four women over the years?" God. He is going to shit himself if I tell him. It's a number I'm not proud of anymore.

"I'm not going into a specific number but it was more than four. Just leave it at that. This conversation is supposed to be about you, not me. Isn't there anyone that has caught your eye back in Seattle?"

"There have been a few that I thought could have been the one, but I'm not the settling down type. Never have been and probably never will be. Before I forget, I put in a bid to do some renovations at Waldorf and won it. Maybe Linda can introduce me to some of the teachers there. I've never fucked a teacher before." I roll my eyes and finish my beer.

"I'm glad you won the bid. I'm proud of you, but don't drag my wife into any of your sexcapades. She is not a matchmaker."

"Lighten up, Christian. I trust Linda's judgment. You want me to try and settle down and what better place to start looking than at a school full of single, available teachers. You scored well. Maybe I want the same thing," Elliott says. That's the first sensible thing to come out of his mouth in a long time.

"Alright, fine. I'll warn Linda that you're on the hunt. Just please don't disgrace the family name. My wife has to work with those people," I say pointing at my horny older brother. He raises his hands in defense of himself.

"I promise to be on my best behavior. Now, back to you. I can't believe you hid girls from me for years. How many, Christian? It's driving me fucking crazy." I pat his face and smile. If he wants my number, so be it.

"79, but who's counting?" I say then walk away to find the only woman that matters now: my wife. I turn back to look at Elliott and his mouth is hanging wide open. I finally shut him up. I find Linda sitting on the couch in the living room with my mother and Mia and decide to sit down with them. Dad is putting another log on the fire.

We left Aspen Wednesday morning to return to Seattle. Mom had already arranged to take the rest of the week off to prepare for Thanksgiving the next day. I really did like celebrating the holidays with my family even though most of the time I acted like a complete asshole. I would always promise to come but for a few years, I'd cancel and say something work-related came up. If I did show up, I would stay for a little while and then make excuses to leave early to return to Escala where I usually had a sub waiting for me. God, I really did lead a pathetic life, but no more. This year I can't wait to sit down at the dinner table with my wife and family. I can't wait until this time next year when my son will be here. It still freaks me out that I'm going to be a father, but less so every day. I wonder if he will look like me or take after his mother?

Thanksgiving Day arrived and Linda insisted on making a Sweet Potato Casserole to take to my parents. I tried to convince her that Mom always has plenty of food and didn't need anything, but she insisted.

"Baby, my mother always has enough food leftover for an entire week. She's not expecting you to bring anything," I say as I put on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved V-neck sweater.

"I already talked to your mother about it and I told her I wanted to contribute. This recipe that I have has been in my family for a very long time. You'll like it. You may need to run a couple extra miles after eating it, but it will be worth it." I roll my eyes and my nose takes in the aroma that is coming from the kitchen. Damn. I have to admit: It does smell good. Ever since we moved, Linda has prepared our meals on the weekends and occasionally once or twice during the week. She really is a good cook.

"I'm going to go get dressed while the casserole is in the oven. No sampling," she says as she turns to go to o upstairs to our bedroom to change. After finding a fork to try some of the casserole, I make my way upstairs only to hear Linda from the bedroom. "Crap." I go in the bedroom to find her lying down on the bed trying to pull on a pair of olive green skinny jeans. Her face is telling a story and I already know the ending.

"What's wrong and why are you lying down on the bed? I thought you were getting dressed?" I ask. Linda gives me the dirtiest look I've ever seen. I try very hard not to laugh.

"I can't get these pants on! I just bought them two weeks ago and now they don't fit. Your son is getting bigger every day." Ever since we entered the second trimester, her body has been changing weekly. If this keeps up, she will deliver a nine pound baby. I go into her closet and find another pair of jeans for her to try on. We both have our own huge walk-in closets in our bedroom. I like having my own closet space again, but I miss getting dressed alongside Linda. We would always talk while getting dressed. I still find myself taking my clothes into her closet to dress.

"Here, try these. I'm sure they will fit fine and they will still look good with the top you have on. Also, don't forget to take something semi-formal to wear for dinner. Mom always insists on everyone dressing up to eat." She rolls her eyes at me.

"Great, now I have to find another change of clothes. Thanks for the warning, Grey." She got the jeans on that I found for her and then went into the closet to find a dress for dinner. She comes out with a dark green knee length dress that I have never seen before.

"That's nice. You will look sensational and the color will bring out your eyes," I say while pushing a strand of hair away from her face.

The second week of December I had to make a business trip to New York. I always go to my New York offices of GEH once a year to check in and sign off on projects and other mergers and acquisitions. I like to keep management on their toes. I've always enjoyed taking this trip in December as I like Christmas in New York, but this year my memory of the trip will include the fact that my wife and unborn son almost died.

I was scheduled to leave on a Sunday evening since I had meetings first thing Monday morning. Linda had been fighting a cold and seemed to be doing better so I decided to go ahead with my trip. Linda is sitting on the bed and I'm in my closet beginning to pack for my trip when I hear Linda starting to cough again.

"Baby, are you sure you will be alright while I'm gone? I can postpone my trip to stay behind with you," I say. She coughs again. This time it sounded deeper. I walk out of my closet and stand in front of her.

"Christian, I'm fine. It's just a winter cold. People get them all the time. You don't have to postpone your trip. The faster you go, the faster you will be back. I'll miss you like crazy but I have plenty to do to keep me busy, and besides, Luke and Gail are here to keep me company. Your mother is nearby as well. Please don't worry."

"I always worry and I'll hate being away from you for so long. Why don't you come with me? We can do some Christmas shopping and you can see what Christmas is like in New York. Have you ever been?"

"No, I've never been to New York and I've always wanted to go, especially at Christmas time, but I can't go. Christmas break is in a couple of weeks anyway. Maybe we could go then?" Linda does bring up a good point.

"I'd postpone my trip until then but I have people coming in from out of the country and this is the only time we could schedule this meeting. But you bring up a good idea: why don't we go for a few days after Christmas? The tree in Rockefeller Center will still be up and lit and all of the other decorations around the city will still be around. I really want you to see the penthouse there. The view of Central Park is incredible." She smiles.

"Could we? I would like that. Thank you. But, wait. I thought you had to go back to Japan this month?"

"No they are coming to New York on Wednesday. I asked them to rearrange their schedules to accommodate me. I can go to visit the shipyard in January if needed." Linda smiles.

"Good. This way, we can spend our first Christmas together uninterrupted. Thank you."

"No thanks necessary. I'm your husband and I'll do anything for you. As much as I'd like to stay in your arms, and hug and kiss on you, I really need to finish packing and wrap up some business here before I board the jet in a couple of hours. That way we can spend some quality time together before I leave, ok?" Linda looks up at me with those big green eyes and I immediately feel guilty for leaving her. Linda wraps her arms around my waist and I kiss the top of her head.

"I will begrudgingly leave you alone to finish what you need to do. Quality time, huh? You might be able to find me downstairs in my beautiful music room. Have I told you lately that I really love that room?" Those eyes are killing me.

"As a matter of fact, you have told me about a hundred times. Quit thanking me, but you're welcome. It's my job to keep you happy and satisfied," I say with a smirk and a wink. She is really making this hard to get anything done.

"Quit looking at me like that. I'll come find you when I'm done. Go," I say turning her around and gently pushing her out of our bedroom and giving her a swat on her ass. She turns and laughs then walks downstairs and leaves me to finish packing. I spread my garment bag out on the bed and pull out three suits and five dress shirts from the closet and slide them into the bag, my workout gear, a few t-shirts, my shoes and other necessities went into the suitcase. After one final look around, I put the garment bag over my shoulder and picked up my suitcase and made my way downstairs. Taylor takes my luggage from me and puts it by the front door. I go off to my office to finish some work that needs my attention.

As I walk down the hallway to find Linda after finishing answering e-mail, I hear her before I see her. She is playing the piano. Ever since we moved, she has been playing more than she did when we were at Escala. I quietly opened the door and she is sitting at her piano, a Boesendorfer just like mine, only in white. She is so into what she is playing that she didn't notice me enter the room and sit down behind her on the piano bench.

"Remember when I did this in Aspen? I sat behind you and put my hands on top of yours while you played. That was sexy," I say as I move her hair from her neck and lightly kiss it, sending shivers through her. She leans in to my touch.

"Yes, I do remember that. If I remember correctly, the aftermath was pretty awesome," she says. I remember the aftermath as well. Making love on the white shaggy rug in front of the fireplace was special. That was so intimate. We've come a long way since then. I look at my watch and unfortunately I have to leave. I move her hair away from her neck and slowly plant kisses all over. I have my arm wrapped around her and she looks at my watch and sighs. I stand and pull her into my arms and hold her as long as I can.

"Please promise me you will take care of yourself and don't work too hard. Gail and Luke have already been instructed to keep a closer eye on you. This is going to be the longest we have been apart since we've been married. I'm going to miss you so much, baby." I hold her tighter as we make our way to the living room.

"I promise to behave myself. Please don't worry. I'm going to miss you too." Taylor comes into the living room and clears his throat indicating it's time to leave for the airport. He picks up my bags and takes them out to the SUV.

"Walk me out," I say as I take Linda's hand and we walk out the front door towards the SUV.

"I love you," I say one more time and kiss her as long as I can.

"I love you more. Be safe and I'll see you Friday night." She kisses me once more. If I don't climb into the back of the SUV now, I never will. As we pull away from the house I look back and wave. She gives me a small wave then turns to walk back inside.

After flying for five hours we finally land. Taylor thought it would be a good idea to fly into the Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey instead of JFK. This airport is smaller and is designed for private aircraft. Less paparazzi and more privacy make it an ideal airport. We exit the jet and Taylor loads our luggage into the waiting SUV to take us to the penthouse that overlooks Central Park. I paid an insane amount of money for it but I look at it as a good investment. Rosa, my housekeeper and her husband, Joseph, manage the place for me. They live here year round. The private elevator takes us quickly up 31 floors to the penthouse. I step off of the elevator and Rosa is there to greet us.

"Good evening Mr. Grey," Rosa says, "It's good to see you again. Hope you had a good flight," she asks with her thick Spanish accent.

"Good evening, Rosa. It's good to see you too and yes, I did have a good flight. Thank you." Joseph takes my luggage to the master bedroom.

"I'm going to change clothes, Rosa. I know it's late, but I'd like a bite to eat if it isn't too much trouble?" Rosa keeps the place well stocked with food and she is an amazing cook.

"It's no trouble at all, Sir. Would you like a sandwich or maybe a Spanish Omelet?"

"Whatever you fix, Rosa, I will eat. I will be back in a few minutes." I walk towards the bedroom to go change into my pajamas. I sit down on the bed to send Linda a text telling her that I've arrived in New York. She texted back telling me she was taking a bath and it was too bad I couldn't see her wet, soapy body. Fuck me. She is going to be the death of me. I head back out to the living room.

"It's a shame Mrs. Grey couldn't join you. I'm anxious to meet her. I'm so happy for you," Rosa says with a smile as I reenter the living room, walking towards the kitchen.

"We're planning on returning in a couple of weeks. I want to show Mrs. Grey New York City. She has never been here before," I say as I sit down at the breakfast bar in the kitchen and begin eating the Club Sandwich Rosa made for me.

"Oh, good. She will get to see New York looking its best with all of the Christmas lights and decorations around. It really is a magical place, isn't it?" I nod.

"Can I get you anything else, Mr. Grey, before I retire?"

"No, Rosa. Thank you. This is perfect. I will finish this and I will turn in as well. Good night."

"Good night, Mr. Grey," Rosa says sweetly then turns to go towards the staff quarters. I finish my late night snack, clean up and turn out the lights before heading to bed. I know I won't be sleeping very well since I'm alone. It's surprising how one can get used to sharing a bed with someone when I slept alone for so many years.

By Wednesday, I'm going stir crazy. The Japanese officials I met with this morning gave their report on production at the shipyard and to say I was livid was an understatement.

"What do you mean you won't be able to have the first cargo ship retrofitted before the deadline? Your shipyard has been working on this project for almost a year before I bought it. What the fuck is the hold up?" Mr. Mishima flinches. He should.

"Mr. Grey, we are very sorry that we won't be able to meet the deadline, but it is because of the work stoppage that occurred a couple of months ago. We have been working non-stop, 24 hours a day to get the first ship ready for transport but it just isn't possible. We should only be delayed a month or two at the most," I cut him off.

"That is not acceptable, Mr. Mishima. You personally guaranteed me that your shipyard would complete the ship in time for the first shipment of food and grain to go out in February. I only fired a few lazy fuckers who weren't pulling their weight to begin with and were not productive at all. If we need to replace some crew members I'm more than prepared to do that to get this finished on time." I look over the production reports and see that about fifteen workers are simply not producing.

"These fifteen workers that I have highlighted are to be fired and replaced immediately with more competent, as well as efficient, men. I'm counting on you to take care of this for me, Mishima. You shouldn't have allowed this to get this far." Mishima looks like I yanked the rug out from under him. He's lucky that's all I've done to him.

"Yes, Mr. Grey. I will get right on this. I will have the names of the replacements to you by the end of the business day tomorrow."

"The sooner, the better, Mr. Mishima. I want this major fuck-up corrected immediately. If there isn't anything else, this meeting is adjourned." I get up from my chair and walk out of the conference room and go back to my office. I take my jacket off, loosen my tie, and sit down in my chair to look out at Manhattan. God, what I wouldn't give to be home now. The last two nights I've talked to Linda she sounded tired. She promised she wouldn't overdo it while I was away. I confirmed with Luke that she has been taking it easy. He even said she came home yesterday and took a nap. That's not like her to sleep that late in the day but she needs her rest.

By Thursday afternoon, my mood has lifted considerably. Mishima fired the people he needed to and hired more competent men to hopefully get us back on schedule. I warned him that his job would be next if he didn't get this done. As I'm sitting at my desk I glance at the clock to see it is almost time for my next meeting then I can head back to the penthouse. It is just with my east coast executives to go over end-of-the-year business and projections for the next year.

As we are about to wrap up the meeting, there is a knock on the door. Taylor comes.

"Sir, a word."

"Not now, Taylor. We'll be finished soon," I say to Taylor hoping he will take the hint and leave. He doesn't.

"Sir, it's imperative I speak with you."

"I will be finished soon. Now please leave and close the door." He is still standing in the conference room. The other executives notice and turn to look at me. I get up and motion for Taylor to walk out with me.

"What the fuck is so important that you had to interrupt my meeting, Taylor?" I ask sounding irritated.

"Sir, I just got a call from Luke saying that he took Mrs. Grey home early from school. She wasn't feeling well." Panic suddenly goes through me. I grab my phone and call Luke myself.

"Luke how is she? What's wrong? What happened?"

"Mrs. Grey sent me a text about 45 minutes ago saying she wanted to go home because she wasn't feeling well. On the drive back to the house she actually fell asleep in the SUV. She woke up as I was pulling into the driveway and I helped her upstairs and walked her to the bedroom door. I had Gail look in on her just a minute ago and Mrs. Grey was asleep." Something isn't right.

"How did she look? Was she breathing alright and how is her coughing? Has it worsened?" I'm running my hands through my hair at a record pace.

"She looked a little tired, seemed to be breathing a little shallow to me and she did cough a few times in her sleep on the ride back to the house."

"Have Gail check on her every half hour and call me immediately if either of you notice anything out of the ordinary, even if you think it is something minor, I want to know."

"I will, Sir. Goodbye," Luke says then hangs up. I put my phone back in my pocket and run my hands through my hair again and sigh. Taylor is looking at me with concern.

"I'm sorry for giving you a hard time earlier, Taylor. Thanks for pulling me out of there to tell me about Linda. Luke drove her home from Waldorf after she texted him saying she wanted to go home because she wasn't feeling well. She's asleep right now and Gail is going to keep an eye on her."

"She is in good hands with Gail and Luke, Sir. They will keep a watchful eye on her until we return to Seattle tomorrow. She hasn't taken a day off at all this year. It sounds like to me that she just needs some rest to finally shake her cold. I know this is easier said than done, but try not to worry too much. Luke will call your mother if the need should arise." I nod in agreement.

"I know but I can't help but worry. Mom told me a while back that this pregnancy wasn't going to be easy for Linda. I didn't fully understand then what she meant, but I do now. Any little cold or virus could spiral out of control without warning. I'm going to go back into my meeting and try to wrap this up as fast as I can. If Luke should call back, barge in again and hold up your phone. I will know what you want."

"I will, Sir. Again, try not to worry too much. She's in good hands," Taylor says as he goes back to the security office. I go back into the conference room to finish my meeting. I'm trying to pay attention to the end of the year projections but I'm having a hard time concentrating.

An hour later I wrap up the executives meeting and walk out of the conference room to make my way back to my office. I see Taylor on his phone just outside of my office door. I'm almost in a sprint to reach him. He turns around as he hears me coming up behind him and ends his call.

"Any word from Luke?"

"That's who I was speaking with just now. Mrs. Grey is still asleep. Gail has been in to check on her and she said Linda looked like she hadn't moved at all since coming home," Taylor tells me.

"She is a pretty sound sleeper and doesn't hardly move at all during the night. Thanks for the update. I have just a little bit more work to finish and then we will head back to the penthouse. I'll let you know when I'm ready to leave." I open my office door and walk inside to pour me a drink to help calm my nerves. I just have this nagging feeling deep inside that something is wrong. I hope I'm wrong.

After arriving back at the penthouse here in New York City and eating dinner, I settle in my office to wrap up some final mergers and sign off on some acquisitions. Luke has called every half hour and the report has been the same each time: Linda is still sleeping and has been for almost six hours. It's coming up on 11:00 pm here in New York, 8:00 pm in Seattle. I turn off my desk lamp and head off to bed hoping that everything is alright back at home.

I'm not sure what time it is, but I'm awakened by a panicked Taylor entering my bedroom and turning on the bedside lamp.

"Sir, I'm sorry to wake you but Luke called. He has taken Mrs. Grey to the hospital." That got my attention as I quickly jump out of bed and put my clothes on and grab my bag and quickly pack it.

"I've already called Stephan and he is getting the jet ready as we speak and I've already called for a driver to take us to the airport." I hear everything Taylor is saying but I'm having a hard time comprehending it. All I can think about is Linda and what is going on. After making our way downstairs and climbing into the waiting SUV does my ability to speak return.

"Talk to me. What did Luke say? What happened?" My voice cracks slightly.

"Gail went into the bedroom half an hour ago to check on Mrs. Grey again. When Gail made it to the bed she could see that Mrs. Grey was sweating profusely, was cold and clammy to the touch and seemed to be having difficulty breathing. She said she could hear wheezing and crackling from her lungs. She yelled for Luke to come and help her get Mrs. Grey out of bed to take her to the hospital. Gail called Dr. Trevelyan-Grey and explained to her what the situation was and what Mrs. Grey's symptoms were. She advised Luke not to wait for an ambulance and to just get her to the hospital as quickly as possible himself. They are in route now." I'm glad I'm sitting down or I would be down on my knees right about now. I dial my Mom's number as we are speeding towards the airport. She answers on the second ring.

"Christian, Luke just called me and said they are about five minutes away. We'll need to make this short. How are you dear?"

"A nervous wreck, Mom. What do you think is wrong with her?" My voice cracks more.

"I really don't want to speculate or say too much without seeing her and examining her first, but from what Gail told me, my gut is telling me it could be pneumonia. Are you on your way back to Seattle now, Christian?"

"Yes, Mom, we are. We're almost at the airport as we speak. Pneumonia is bad, Mom, especially for someone five months pregnant, right?." I put my head in my hands.

"Yes, Christian, it is. Look, Luke is coming in now. Just get here as quickly as you can. Goodbye," my mother says as she quickly ends the call. I stare at my phone for a few seconds before shoving it into my pocket. I lay my head back on the headrest and close my eyes. I've never been one to pray but I'm praying to God to keep Linda safe until I can get back to Seattle. We arrived at the Newark Airport in record time and quickly boarded the jet. Stephan knows we are in a hurry and got us an emergency takeoff. We quickly taxi to the runway and we are soon in the air heading back to Seattle.

As soon as we landed, both Taylor and I turned our phones back on. When we did, they were filled with texts and missed calls. I quickly call my mother to get an update as we get into the SUV with Ryan behind the wheel and speed away from Boeing Field towards Northwest Hospital.

"Oh, Christian. Thank God. Are you back in Seattle?" She sounds panicked.

"Yes, we just landed and we're on our way to the hospital. What do you know?" I heard her sigh. Oh God.

"Christian, I'm sorry, but my suspicions were confirmed: it is pneumonia. One lung is completely closed off and the pneumonia is trying to spread into the other one. Her oxygen level is dangerously low. This would explain why she has been asleep for so long. She has a fever of 103.7. I really don't want to say anymore to you over the phone. Please get here as fast as you can. The Dr. is wanting to speak with you. The whole family is here in the ICU waiting room. Enter through the ER and take the elevator up to the 10th floor. We will be waiting for you, dear. I'm so sorry, son, but she is in good hands with Dr. Davidson."

"Thanks for being there, Mom. It means a lot. We should be there in the next ten minutes, if not sooner." I hang up and immediately bury my head in my hands. My worst fears are coming true again: my fear of abandonment. Linda can't die. Our baby can't die. What have I done to deserve this?

We pull into the parking lot of Northwest Hospital and Ryan quickly drives around to the ER entrance. I'm out the door even before the SUV comes to a stop and run inside. Taylor is running right behind me. We quickly find the elevators and go to the tenth floor. Once the elevator doors open, we are greeted by my father who is leaning on the wall opposite the elevators. I'm trying to read the expression on his face. I reach out to shake his hand but he instead pulls me into a hug.

"Glad you made it, Christian. The Dr. just came out a few minutes ago to see if you were here yet. The family is down here in the waiting room," my dad says as we enter the ICU waiting room. My mom immediately jumps up and wraps her arms around me and I hug her back tightly. I look around to see Mia and Elliott standing, with concern showing on their faces. Just as I release my mother, a Dr. enters the waiting room.

"Mr. Grey. I'm Dr. Davidson. Could we talk somewhere in private?"

"Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of my family. How is my wife?" He nods then speaks.

"Mr. Grey, Mrs. Grey has pneumonia. It's only in one lung at the moment and we are working very hard to keep it out of the other one. Her oxygen level is what is giving us the most concern at the moment as it is dangerously low. We have had her on 100% oxygen for almost four hours and it hasn't risen much." Dr. Davidson continues to talk to me but I'm having a hard time concentrating on what he is telling me. Is he saying Linda and my son could die?

"Women who develop pneumonia in pregnancy are at increased risk of respiratory failure. If they experience this serious medical condition, it can put a serious load on the heart and other organs, in addition to requiring medical support like mechanical ventilation. Our best option is to put a tube down her throat to get more oxygen to her and the baby. This is why I have been needing to speak with you. We need your permission to do this procedure to give your wife and unborn baby a fighting chance. Once a patient's oxygen level reaches 62, we need to intubate. Mrs. Grey is already at a 59." I can hear my mom gasp. That must be bad.

"Yes of course you have my permission. Do whatever it takes to save my wife and son." I can't find anymore words to say. The Dr. hands me a form to sign and I quickly fill it out giving my permission to do the procedure and hand it back to him.

"The procedure itself doesn't take any time at all to perform. Once she is comfortable, you may see her after we are finished," Dr. Davidson says.

"I'd like to see her now if I can," I ask softly.

"Certainly, but we have to make it a short visit. Come this way." I follow the Dr. to the entrance of the ICU and we go in. Dr. Davidson is warning me what Linda looks like before entering her room in the ICU ward.

"She has a fetal heart monitor on her, as well as IV's in both arms, a blood pressure cuff and an oxygen mask. She is wheezing quite a bit and her lungs are crackling. You will notice that her lips and her nail beds are blue due to the lack of oxygen. Don't let all of that alarm you. She is getting the best care possible and to do that we have her isolated from the other ICU patients to minimize any complications that could arise and to keep the risk of contracting another infection to a minimum. You can stay with her until we are ready to begin the procedure then I will ask you to step out." I nod then open the door and make my way to Linda's bedside. I stop dead in my tracks. I can't believe this is Linda in front of me. I sit down on a stool and take her hand. She is so cold to the touch. I bring her hand up to my mouth and I kiss it.

"Baby, I'm so sorry I wasn't here with you and I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. Please open your eyes so I know you can hear me," I ask pleading. She doesn't open her eyes and I put my head down on her chest and I can feel myself trying to cry. I can hear her wheezing and the crackling in her lungs. I look up at her face again and ask her again to open her eyes. This time she opens them slightly. She locks eyes with me and I can see a tear forming in the corner of her left eye. I quickly lean down and kiss it away.

"Baby, you're going to be alright. Don't be scared. The Dr. is going to put a tube down your throat to help you breathe and to get more oxygen to you and to our son. I'm going to be here with you. I won't leave you, I promise." She softly squeezes my hand acknowledging me then closes her eyes again. There is a knock on the door and it's Dr. Davidson.

"Mr. Grey, it's time. If you will wait out in the waiting room with the rest of your family, I will be out to speak with you when I'm done. Don't worry. She is in good hands." Telling me not to worry only makes me worry more.

"She woke up for just a minute or two but then drifted off again just before you came in," I tell Dr. Davidson. He nods and I walk out to sit with my family and wait. My mother sits on one side of me, holding onto my arm and my father is on the other side with his hand on my shoulder. Elliott and Mia are sitting across from me. I look to my right to see Taylor and Luke on the other side of the waiting room with fear and concern written on both of their faces. I must remember to thank Luke later for getting Linda here so quickly. After 45 minutes, Dr. Davidson comes back out to talk to us. I stand and walk over to him.

"We got the tube inserted and have her on 100% oxygen. She will remain asleep for the duration the tube is in. It's better for the patient. The next 24 hours are critical to her recovery. That's all I have to offer you at the moment. Do you have any questions for me?" I do.

"How long will you leave the intubation tube in?" I ask the Dr.

"That's hard to answer. It just depends how fast her blood can absorb the oxygen. Once her levels start rising, I will have a clearer picture. My advice to you is to relax as much as possible and get some rest. Your wife is going to need you strong and healthy to help her recover from this. She has a long road ahead of her. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to have me paged." Dr. Davidson shakes my hand and walks back to the ICU. I quickly stopped him to ask if I could see Linda once again for a short time.

"Only for a few minutes. She needs her rest." I walk back into the ICU with him and enter Linda's room. You can hear the hiss of the oxygen and then I see the tube that has been inserted down her mouth and into her throat. All of my fears of the past few hours and my bottled up emotions came crashing down over me and I started to cry.

The next 24 hours were the longest of my life and I prayed to God to protect my wife and son.

A/N Don't forget to visit my Pinterest page! www dot pinterest dot com/ladymartin1965

Until next time!