A.N
Wow, overwhelmed with the reviews for the last chapter! Sorry for the slight delay, I needed to make sure that they were proof read and everything was ready to go!
Here are the next two that I have promised.
Please be kind when reviewing and make sure you read BOTH chapters.
Much Love
K xx

11 Months Later

Looking to himself blankly in the mirror, dressed in his black suit, Christian kept adjusting his tie, a sigh passing his lips, but no matter how many times he adjusted it, it still didn't look right.

"Hey bro, you ready?" Elliot asked softly as he poked his head into his brother's bedroom, coming in more he slipped his hands into his own suit pants pocket and looked over to his baby brother, his heart broke every time he looked to him. He always looked so lost and unhappy. What he would give to see him smile one more time. Even when they celebrated Christian's birthday back in September, he didn't even crack a smile.

"Just a sec…my tie isn't sitting right." He mumbled as he kept fiddling with it, not looking to his brother. Truth was it looked perfectly fine, but deep down he was just prolonging the inevitable. He didn't want to be doing this. Not today.

"Come here." Elliot whispered as he moved Christian to face him and started to straighten it for him. Well fiddle.

"Is Kate coming?" Christian asked as he looked to his brother.

Elliot nodded a little. "She's going to be coming with her parents, I offered to pick her up but her parents will be coming too. They want to be there too. Offer their support."

Christian nodded a little. "How is she?"

Elliot shrugged and sighed a little. "She's okay. She has her good days and her bad days. She's doing really well." He smiled a little and tapped his shoulder. "Done."

"Good." He nodded before looking down to his tie. "Thanks. We better get going. I don't want us to be late." He straightened out his suit jacket before he grabbed the flowers off his bed and headed downstairs where the rest of his family, along with Ray who was waiting for them.

Upon seeing her sons, Grace offered Christian a soft smile. "Those flowers are beautiful Christian. Ana is going to love them."

Christian looked to his mother and gave a slight nod before he looked to Ray who looked pretty much how he felt. Awful. The last eleven months had been one word. Horrific.

"We better go. I know Kate and her family are going to meet us there." Elliot told the group as he looked to his brother before looking to his parents. "I'll take Christian and Mia in my car." He told them before he gently nudged his brother. "Come on bro." He whispered to him before giving a nod for Mia to follow them. He knew today was going to be a hard day for all of them, especially Christian and Ray.
Getting into his car he waited for Christian and Mia to get in before he started up the engine and headed out, making sure his parents were following in the car behind. The whole ride was silent and awkward. No one dared say a word and now and again Elliot would look at Christian but he was just staring out of the window aimlessly, clutching the flowers in his lap tightly. He was sure that his knuckles were turning white from how tightly he was holding the bouquet of flowers.
Pulling up to their destination, Elliot cut the engine before climbing out of the car. Seeing Kate and her parents pulling up, he headed over to Kate and offered to help.

As soon as they pulled up, Christian immediately got out of the car. He needed a few moments alone to gather his thoughts and emotions. Holding onto the flowers tightly he wandered to his destination, stopping as he reached it. Tears immediately filled his eyes as he looked down to the gravestone in font of him. For someone who rarely showed emotion, all Christian did these days was cry or shout at everyone. He was so angry at the world.
Kneeling down in front of the grave, Christian fingers traced the name written. Anastasia Rose Steele. Choking back a sob he gently placed the flowers down in front of him. "Happy nineteenth birthday baby." He whispered, the tears flowing freely down this cheeks. It had been eleven months since Ana was taken from him and each day it was getting harder and harder, not easier. "I'm sorry I haven't been to visit recently…" He whispered suddenly feeling very ashamed that he had not been to see her. "It's just so hard, knowing that you're gone. That I don't get to see your beautiful smile every day or hear you laugh, but you'd be proud of me. I'm following my dream like you encouraged. I've started my business and with Gramps help…well lets just say I'm probably going to be a billionaire before I reach twenty one. I'm not far off my first million and I'm not even twenty yet. I've been working my ass off and the company is already starting to be a major success. The figures are looking so good. Mom and dad still have doubts I think, but I guess in reality they still want me to go to college and get a degree but there's no way I'm going to Harvard without you. I just can't. I've bought a new place here anyway. A penthouse apartment in a building called Escala. I just needed my own space. It's beautiful, it's on the top floor, away from everyone and I've had to hire a housekeeper to help me because some days I work too many hours and then I can't be assed to cook or clean. She's lovely. Her name is Gail. You'd like her. She loves to bake. Though her chocolate cake doesn't rival hers. But I don't want to tell her that. I've had to hire security for me as well. Too many reporters are trying to get to me for interviews and such and getting in my face all the time. I thought it was the best thing considering one reporter gave me a black eye a couple of weeks ago with his camera. He's a great guy. Not that I would tell him that mind. Might make his head bigger. Jason Taylor but I just call him Taylor. He's an ex-military so you know I'm in good hands. Your dad actually recommended him. Knew him from his army days." He paused and took a breath before sighing. "Grey Enterprise Holdings…I'm building this company in your memory baby. You always encouraged me to follow my dream and I am. I promise I am. I just wish you were here with me. I miss you so much." He whispered, hiding his face in his hand as he cried. As he felt someone kneel beside him, he pulled his hand away and looked as he saw Ray kneeling beside him.

"She would give you stick for being like this you know." Ray whispered as he looked to him.

"I know." Christian whispered as he hung his head. "It just hurts so much….all the time."

"I know kiddo and it probably will for a long time." He told him looking to him before he looked down to the flowers and smiled. "Annie always did love Tulips."

"They were her favourite." Christian told him with a little smile.

Ray nodded before looking to him. "She would be proud of you." He told him. "You're going to be twenty soon…the things you have achieved with this company…you're going to be helping a lot of people. But she wouldn't want you hurting for the rest of your life. She'd want you to move on."

Christian shook his head quickly. "Never going to happen." He told him looking to him. "She was the only girl for me. Love of my life. If I can't be with her, then I really don't want to be with anyone else." He told him before he got to his feet. He knew Ray meant well but the thought of being with anyone other than Ana made him feel sick. Ana was the only girl for him.
As he saw Elliot pushing Kate over in her wheelchair, he headed over to her. The accident really messed Kate up, both physically and mentally. He knew Kate blamed herself for the accident despite it being a drunk driver driving on the wrong side of the road. Kate suffered a serious spinal injury and doctors are still not sure if she will ever walk again, but breaking both legs had delayed any possible recovery time. Despite how unhappy everyone is, Christian knew Elliot was trying to be positive for Kate's sake. He was confident she would walk again, she just needed that extra push to get her going. "Hey Kate." He whispered as he bent down and hugged her.

"Hi Christian." She whispered hugging him back.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as he stood up properly and looked to her.

"Sore." She admitted. "I had a physiotherapy this morning. They're working me harder."

"Good." Christian told her with a little smile. "You'll be up and walking before you know it." He told her. "You're going to be twenty end of November. Good five months to get you up and ready to dance."

Kate smiled a little. "I like your optimism."

Christian shrugged a little to her before he then watched as everyone has their moment at Ana's grave. It had been the toughest eleven months of all their lives, but what hurt more was knowing that despite her having her own grave…her body was never found. The river was searched and searched and they couldn't find her. In the end they had to accept that her body was never going to be found. Authorities said that due to the current of the water, the possibility of finding her could be none, if the current took her into the Pacific…they'd never find her. The thought alone broke his heart. His beautiful girl, some creatures next meal. It made his blood run cold. She should be here, with him. Safe and warm.

"Christian…."

Snapping out of his own little world hearing someone call his name, Christian looked down to his sister. "Hi Mia."

Moving her arms around her brother's waist, Mia hugged her brother tightly. "I'm here for you, you know that right?" She whispered looking up to him.

"I know. Thank you." He whispered down to her as he hugged her back.

"Things will get easier." She promised as she looked up to him. "I hate seeing you in so much pain, but it will get easier."

Christian sighed as he looked down to her. "Everyone keeps telling me that…but it's not going to get easier for me. She was my everything, Mia. I'm throwing myself into work just so I can think of something that isn't Ana for just two minutes. I know you want to see me happy, but without Ana…I really don't know if that is possible." He admitted down to her before he shrugged a little as he stepped away and leant against a tree as he looked over to everyone paying their respects to Ana. Everyone saying to him that it will get easier…certainly wasn't going to make things easier for him.

"I know mom's away next week and you're probably busy with your company and gramps…but maybe one evening we can do something?" She suggested looking to him. "Maybe just a movie or something? Just the two of us."

Christian looked to his sister and he couldn't help but smile a little as he gave her a little nod. "That sounds great Mia." He knew he had been neglecting his time with everyone at the moment but he couldn't face spending time with anyone right now, apart from his grandfather. His grandfather knew not to ask questions and he respected that but at the same time he knew if he was having a bad day and needed to cry it out, his grandfather would be there. Whether it was to be a shoulder for him to cry on or to offer him advice. But how he could he resist his sister when he knew she just wanted to be there for him? Pressing a kiss to her head he then looked up as his parents came over to them.

"Christian…are you ready to head back yet?" Grace asked softly to him. Grace had a small spread put out back at the house so they could still cherish Ana's memory on her birthday.

Christian gave a little nod. "I just need to say goodbye." He told her as he headed back over to her grave. As Ray gave his shoulder a squeeze, Christian could feel his heart hurting again seeing Ray's teary eyes. Bending down in front of the grave once more he took a breath. "I have to go now baby…mom's got a spread out in honour of your birthday. I wish you were here, hope you are having a party up there." He whispered. "I promise I will come by again soon. Keep you up to date with everything that is happening at GEH." He took a breath. "I love you so much." He whispered before getting up once more. Heading over to his brother he gave him a little nod to indict he was ready. "Kate are you coming back to the house to join us?" He asked looking to her.

Kate gave a small nod as she looked to him. "My parents will drop me off on the way."

"You can ride with us if you want?" He suggested looking to her. "I can get in the back with Mia."

"I don't want to impose."

"Don't be silly. Come back with us. I'm sure someone will drop you back…"

"I'll get my parents to pick me up. I know Elliot will want a beer." She smiled up to her boyfriend.

"I'll go tell your parents what's happening." Elliot told her as he kissed her head before heading over to Kate's parents.

"He's been so amazing." Kate whispered with a sigh. "I feel like such a burden at times."

Christian looked to her. "You could never be a burden Kate."

Kate looked to him. "Try saying that when you're the one stuck in a wheelchair."

"But it's not forever. You'll walk again. You just have to believe in yourself." He smiled a little to her before he then moved behind her and began to push her towards Elliot's car.

"Your dad said when you're ready just drop him a text and he will come and get you." Elliot informed Kate as he reached them at the car. Opening the passenger side for Kate he then moved Kate closer to the door so she could manoeuvre herself into the car.

As Elliot moved her closer to the car, Kate gripped the sides of the wheelchair tightly before getting to her feet. Her therapist said to try and be more mobile in everyday activities so she was doing her best to make sure she keeps to that. Holding onto the car door, she shuffled closer before she turned and sat herself down in the passenger seat, bringing her legs into the car.

Elliot smiled as he watched Kate. She was doing so well. Leaning down he pressed a kiss to her head and closed the door before he moved the wheelchair to the trunk and folded it down and put it in the trunk.

Getting into the back with Mia, Christian looked to his phone as he felt it going off in his pocket. His grandfather had been sorting out potential candidates to be his COO and there was one person who was standing out for both of them. Ros Bailey. She was emailing him back about the meeting he proposed.

"Everything okay?" Mia asked, seeing her brother staring at his phone longer than normal.

Christian put his phone away and nodded. "Yeah, just work stuff. It can wait till later."

Mia nodded as she then looked ahead as Elliot got in the front and started up the car. Resting her head on her brother's shoulder she let a soft sigh pass her lips. They should be celebrating. Ana should be here celebrating with them but she's not. Mia loved Ana, she always saw her as an older sister, same with Kate. She adored Kate, but she and Ana just had this bond. She looked up to Ana and she knew there wouldn't be a day that went by that she wouldn't think of Ana. Often she found herself visiting Ana's grave just to make sure that it all looked presentable and tidy. She didn't want Ana to have a messy grave or have dying flowers left there. She wanted it to be nice for when other people visited.

Christian looked down to Mia and smiled a little before he then looked out of the window as they headed home. It felt weird, they weren't celebrating Ana's birthday as such but more of her memory. She would have been nineteen today. This time last year he had asked her to marry him. He could still remember the look on her face. It was priceless. Considering he had asked her just after they had sex the morning of her birthday, wasn't his original plan to ask her but it just felt like the right moment. He was so glad he had booked them a room at the hotel cause they spent the rest of the night making love. He would give anything to have her back again. To feel her perfect body against his, but he knew now that the only way that was to happen again was in his dream. He had to face reality that he no longer had Ana in his life but he knew no matter what he would forever be remembering her. He would never forget.

A.N
Now I know a lot of you probably want to hurl abuse at me for killing off Ana, but please make sure you read the next chapter!

Much Love
K xx