Shedding Some Light

"You don't understand why we're against adopting Isaac?" Carla concluded after Christian gave them a run down, leaving out all the unnecessary details.

"I do, but he doesn't," Anastasia told her mother. She and Ray had been quite the past fifteen minutes when Christian relaid everything and Carla asked the all the questions trying to dig deeper. "I tried to explain it to him but he just…" she didn't know how to explain his confusion because she didn't know what was it that he didn't understand.

Propping her legs up in Christian's lap, she settled into the corner formed by the back and the arm rest of the loveseat. That was her attempt at relaxing herself. She had no idea why she was so nervous about this entire conversation that has yet to happen. She didn't even know what she was afraid of. Christian had already cam to accept that the Steeles wouldn't adopt Isaac, he was only here to make himself understand them better for future references.

"Why are you two so worked up over this whole thing?" Ray observed, blinking his eyes rapidly showcasing his confusion after Carla did her best to make Christian understand their point from another perspective.

It was a lot of effort to make someone who kind of got used to living in the elite society for Christian to grasp the actual challenge and difficulty that was associated with raising a child, let alone an adopted one. He wasn't the elite bachelor with this empty title, he truly was the elite in practically all ways.

Ray's question lingered in the air. It wasn't that he didn't understand their dilemma, which came from a good cause, but he just felt that something was missing and the young duo might be missing the point. He was aware the Christian had omitted a lot of details when he recounted everything, but Ray believed that the young couple may be led a little astray by their personal experiences.

"Christian feels like he owes it to Isaac," Anastasia spoke up. She understood that her boyfriend may have trouble expressing his genuine thought, so might as well just help him out.

"How so?" Ray's eyes darted from his daughter to her lover.

"This feels like a session with Flynn," Christian muttered under his breath that only Anastasia had heard, who chuckled. Taco would've completed the reenactment if he hadn't been brought out the doors by Taylor and Sawyer, and they were going to be out for a very long time until Taco dragged them back; which would probably be never.

"Elena did the same thing to Christian," Anastasia outed, it wasn't like that wasn't public news already so there was no reason for her to hide it any longer. "Well… other than the adoption part. She's also the Greys' family friend. Carrick helped push the adoption process through, and Grace as a pediatrician didn't detect a single thing that was off about Isaac. It was a pretty embarrassingly ugly stain for her professional career since the exact same thing happened right under her nose, twice!"

Christian laid a hand over her knees, rubbing circles into her joint in an attempt to calm her because she was getting worked up again, and not getting to her point.

Anastasia paused a bit after Christian's silent reminder that she was getting off topic, and concluded in one sentence. "Elena just wants to get Christian, so Isaac really is just the unlucky kid that got chosen by a pedophile and got stuck in a war between two people who had a history."

"You think you're the reason that Isaac got victimized?" Ray just wanted to have a clearer message.

"Something like that. I mean, it's not my fault that Isaac got abused, but I do feel kind of responsible that Elena wasn't exposed sooner. I was just too brainwashed by her. Besides, more importantly, I feel like I have the means to ensure that Isaac doesn't endure what I had to." Christian spoke for himself, caressing up and down the pair of legs in his lap to sooth and provide comfort for himself.

"And, what have you been through?"

"A long period of time believing that what she filled my head with wasn't bullshit. I don't want Isaac to live in her shadow."

"Do you think he will though? From what you've told us, that kid certainly sounds like he's got a mind of his own. He didn't buy the horse shit that Elena tried to fill his head with."

"He is stronger than me," Christian bowed his head and Anastasia glared at her father for implying that her adult boyfriend was weaker than a sixteen year-old kid. "But I still want to do something to help him with the abuse."

Ray nodded, he still thought Christian got his footing wrong, and was somewhat determined to get him to see that it wasn't his responsibility to care for Isaac.

"Daddy, move on," Anastasia interrupted, shooting him another glare. She was wary of Christian's mental state and just how much he could endure before he lashed out. She may not be too concerned with him having a mental breakdown but she feared that he might reduce his thinking and mindset back to the pessimistic one he used to have. The last thing she wanted was for him to have a setback.

"Then, what made you thought of us?" Ray gave his daughter a nod in acknowledgement then continued down his line of inquiries.

"I suggested my parents," Christian answered since Ray fixed his gaze on him. "Ana said that Isaac wouldn't trust them given the history of their previous encounter."

"Do you think your parents are capable of raising Isaac?" Ray did notice that he was focusing on what Anastasia had said.

"I don't know," he replied pondering. "I didn't come into contact with them much since before the major scandal broke out. Deep down, I think I have my doubts but I am still very grateful for what they've done for me, so I didn't really consider too much about the wavering trust that I felt for them."

"So, you don't trust them completely? Not the way you do Ana."

Christian wanted to say the trusts were different in kind; but, where they? "No."

"So, when Ana vetoed the idea of him going to your parents, you suggested us?"

"She did."

"Why?" Ray turned to his daughter, he was finally understanding the root of the problem, and from the looks on Carla's face, he was sure she got it too. Now, it was up to them to decide who was going to be the bad guy here.

"I grew up in a very loving family. You to have so much love to give and are so in love, so loved up all the time. I thought this kind of warmth is exactly what Isaac needs, because this is certainly what I think Christian lacked growing up."

"Ana," Carla shook her head slightly; she was going to be the one to break the news to her, saving the impressive reputation that Ray had in their daughter. "You need to realize that you aren't that important in this case. You cannot dictate another person's life and this certainly isn't your business. You can't decide what Isaac wants and you can't deprive other people of their chances to mend their mistakes, and redeem themselves."

Anastasia already disliked her mother's educating tone, but she was expected to sit there and listen until she finished the lecture. And, she knew it would e a while.

"It's not up to you where Isaac goes because this whole thing related to the young boy. Has absolutely nothing to do with you. It's about Christian and his family. Not you, Ana."

Ray watched his daughter take in Carla's lecture. He thought Carla had already been less expressive than he would be, but Anastasia still appeared defiant and to him, she just was just acting like she was spoiled too much lately. He could see that she was seething on the inside with noncompliance and scoffing at her mother for not understanding the situation.

"Honestly, Annie," Ray stepped in feeling the need to be hasher than Carla, reminding her of her own worth. "This whole debacle has made you misread your self-importance. You were given the power and the staff during the events, but now that it's over, you need to realize that you are no longer so important."

"Your father's right," Carla continued since Ray had always been a man of a few words. "Don't become someone who's power-hungry now that you have had a taste of being in charge. You are just Ana, you don't have the capability to dictate what happens next—you aren't in the position to make these decisions, and what you want won't be guaranteed to happen. Sure, you are important to us, to Christian, and we will all grant your wishes to the best of our abilities, but you can't continue to act as if you to make a decision for Isaac and veto others that you don't see fit. It's not your business."

Anastasia huffed and shot up from the couch. Throwing one last glare at her parents, she left the living room. This felt like the first time her parents had talked to her like she was still a kid. She wasn't spoiled! Or, had she really started to behave that way?

Christian made a move to stand up and follow her out to the garden when the folks spoke again.

"Son, a word," Ray requested and Carla took over once again.

"While I don't condone the way we talked to her earlier, and I'm sure we've offended you with the harshness toward her from the scowl evident on your face, we do feel the need to knock her off of her high horse and get some sense into her. It is important that she understands that your parents should be given a chance to make peace with the past and redeem their mistakes. This may happen in the way of adopting the troubled kid, or in other ways, but they should have this choice if they want to."

"I really don't appreciate the way she was just spoke to, even though the rational part of me do understand."

"You really shouldn't be spoiling her like that, Christian."

"I don't think telling you that she shouldn't be talked to in that manner is called spoiling her, Carla." Christian defended. "Even if you're her parents."

"You are just overprotective. We all know that, but you can't shield her from everything. You have been trying to do that four years ago."

"I have been spoiling her in every way possible since the incident in July." There was nothing to argue with what Carla had just said, so he went back to the original subject. "I just can't bring myself to say no to her; she's done so much for me. I don't want to disappoint her."

"But, denying her or rejecting her demands aren't going to disappoint her. She may be upset, and that's completely normal, but she shouldn't be disappointed; and, I'm sure she won't be."

"You need to stop feeling like you owe it to her," Ray summarized. The one sentence that struck him to the core. "Now, I believe you've got something else to talk to us about."

"I do, but I think I should check on her first."

"She'll be fine," Carla assured. She admired Christian's devotion to her daughter, and felt very lucky for her daughter that she had found someone who would cherish her and protect her; albeit a little overprotective most of the time.

"She's over twenty-five years old," Ray reminded to bring Carla's point home. "With a career of her own. You don't need to constantly coddle her."

Christian wanted to argue but decided to get the next phase over with—the faster he got it done, the quicker he could reunite with his girl. Said girl was probably currently pissed off by her parents.

"I think you know what I'm doing here," he faced the folks.

"Oh, I know what you're doing. You're asking for my daughter's hand," Ray grunted gruffly, volunteering the information. He had already decided to toy with the young ambitious man a bit because in his head, his daughter was no longer his responsibility long ago, so to speak.

Christian could tell that this was clearly not Carla's show since she had shown a little difficulty at schooling in her expression.

"Yes," he still answered hoping to seek comfort from their facial expression, but none of them gave him the reassuring face that he was looking for.

"Well, don't fret and give me the speech about how you love her, or promise that you will cherish her for the rest of your life, or bullshit along the lines of that. She went out of her way to save your ass. So, the answer is no."

"What?" This was the completely opposite of what Christian had anticipated, he thought it was going to be easy.

"Now, tell me, son." Ray continued, totally ignoring the reaction from the young man now sweating bullets across him. He wasn't before the previous comment. Ray knew that. He was tempted to shove him into the lake next door to cool him down, or an ice-bucket would suffice. Still, he was enjoying this. "Would you have changed your mind and not marry her if I don't give you my blessing?"

"Well, no," Christian gulped. He was going to do it one way or another, that was non-negotiable.

"That's exactly what I thought you'd say, so why the hell did you even bother coming to me? Do you live in the nineteenth century or something? I may be old, but I'm not old fashioned, and definitely ore classy and modern than your parents." Ray jested, earning an elbow from Carla who was secretly grinning at the prospect of Christian proposing. She was already swooning over this sweet man that her daughter brought home, and it was a nonissue to her if he become her son-in-law.

Christian snorted a laugh, and let out a breath of relief. His parents may be younger than the two before him in age, but they came from old money, which meant they kept most of the old-fashioned tradition, like asking for blessing from the girl's father before proposing; it was still very much patriarchal. However, Christian knew for sure that there wouldn't be a single trace of traditional segregated roles in his and Anastasia's household, because he would probably be too whipped to be in charged. And, Anastasia wasn't bossy, so it wouldn't be a matriarchy either.

His parents kept emphasizing in their children's education that they would not allow any grandchild to be born out of wedlock. Whereas Ray and Carla had given him the impression that they were much more liberal. They even believed that the notion was ridiculous and not applicable in the modern era.

"You just want to go through the process, because I do believe that you were taught that way. Nonetheless, I do also believe that my answer won't make a difference to you or defer your actions. So, what's the point? I clearly don't have a say in this , and it is my daughter who is going to enter a marriage with you, not me. Though, I am happy that she didn't choose anyone less worthy of her. Thank you for informing us prior to the engagement, so come to me for my congratulations after you've proposed. I am confident that she'll say yes."

Christian gaped at the old man who was now laughing in in utter content and felicity. It was like his life couldn't be more perfect at the moment.

"Well, I honestly have no idea how this works, so thank you for making it easy for me, I guess."

"I don't think I can stop you from marrying my daughter, so my opinion of you really doesn't matter. Though, you did leave a positive impression since we first met. I don't think I've ever seen someone so nervous to meet the father of a friend."

"She was clearly no friend of mine since the beginning. But, I didn't know we'd be heading toward marriage back then."

"I'm sure you just didn't realize that, but you need to go look for your girl now," Carla smiled kindly and motherly at him. She was ever the romantic and Christian often wonder how a tough man like Ray could ever have her heart.

…

"Where's my puppy?" Anastasia rounded the house to the door of the front yard.

Christian wanted to chuckle because Taco was clearly not a puppy, but he refrained. Instead, he just texted Taylor repeating the question.

"On his way back," Christian laid a hand atop of hers stopping her from exiting.

She was still chewing over the lecture she received earlier, so she didn't even jump when his sudden appearance startled her. When she looked up, she could see that there was a giant dog with an equally giant tongue dangling from side-to-side as he headed her way, dragging two panting men in running gear as they tried to keep up with the pooch.

The unlatched door was threw open as the hound leapt up upon spotting his two owners waiting for his arrival by the front. Both of them had to turn their heads to avoid the dirt flinging their way as his front paws were lifted off of the ground.

"Tucks, no!" Christian was quick to intercept the hug before his dirty paws could end up ripping Anastasia's stitches further apart, after giving him a rough greeting. He was still full of energy even after being out running all morning.

Anastasia bent down to sooth the now sitting dog, who was still sweating from his run and was tempted to jump on her. She took off his collar along with the leash and told Christian to retrieve the hose so they could wash his feet.

"Ana, you need to tell him no sometimes," Christian told her gently as the both of them worked together to get a very uncooperative Taco's feet washed. He really wasn't in the best stance to lecture her since he had probably only said no a handful of times to her. Sawyer stood by the switch to control the water while Taylor took Taco's stuff back inside.

The couple didn't speak since Anastasia didn't respond to his comment earlier. The both of them were extremely bothered by what went down earlier in the house with her parents. Him being troubled by the way they delivered the message; her being the unfair accusation they had tossed in her face. Once she had simmered down, she might have an entirely different opinion regarding what had occurred lately; but, right now, she just couldn't bring herself to face her parents after the way they had embarrassed her.

"I'm going to go take a walk," Anastasia announced once she got Taco settled back inside with Christian's help. "Do you want to come?" She offered over her shoulder knowing that he was right behind her. Their pooch went wandering around like it was his first visit.

"Sure," like he would turn down any opportunity to be alone with her in any way shape or form.

They shot Taylor and Sawyer both a quick text, instructing them to keep an eye on the naughty dog who was already sniffing for his next target around the house at the moment. Her parents were nowhere to be seen, and it was evident that both parties needed time to cool off.

At least, Christian got his other objective ticked off. He could start brainstorming about the ring design before thinking about whether he could actually afford a custom made one.

"We need to buy groceries," she told him as they stepped out into the porch with Taco staring at them expectantly, as if they had forgot about to include him in their romantic afternoon stroll; despite him only just came back from spending his entire morning outdoor playing and running unleashed.

"You just did that before… brunch," he struggled with the correct term, and it wasn't like he had had much experience with starting a day so late and lazily.

The both of them waved at Taco who appeared determined to knock them over so he could squeeze through the door and wait for them outside, that way he would't be left in the house.

"Taco!" Taylor called from a room connected to the living room, but the dog glanced back to find the man was't visible, hence decided that Taylor wasn't whistling for him; he must be calling for someone else with similar pronunciation as his name.

Shaking their heads in silent laughter, the couple ruffled him behind his ears affectionately and told him once again that he wasn't coming with them. Still, Taco didn't relent and continued to beg them through his round brown eyes; they were sometimes hazel when he was under the bright sunlight.

"Taco, wanna eat?" Sawyer appeared behind said canine while making noises with a plastic wrapper and a single corner of bread inside. The smell and the noise clearly warmed their way into Taco's heart, because he was immediately drawn to it. Sawyer clearly knew Taco better than Taylor, and it helped that he was a dog-lover himself, whereas Taylor was actually not bothered at all; and, this bothered Gail.

Christian closed the door behind them and watched as Anastasia lock it, even though it was slightly unnecessary, he still loved that habit of hers. With his hand over the small of her back, they headed out the door previously busted open by Taco.

"I only brought things for brunch and replaced the broken ones, we still need to buy stuff for dinner and other things that we might want." She removed his hand from her back and grabbed it in hers, soon she was hugging his arm and leaning into his side as they made their way down the block and onto the busier streets in Montesano. "Besides, we've got all afternoon to clear our head, might as well look around. I already forgot what is cheapest at which store."

"Why are you looking for the cheapest?"

"That's how normal people live," she quipped. "We need to live economically even if you do become a multi-billionaire one day. Also, we are spending my money today, so of course I have to choose carefully."

"Why can't we use mine?"

"You've got millions right now but they're not in cash. Do you not realize that you've got less spendable money than I do at this moment?"

"You are technically richer than me. All things considered."

"Yeah," she snorted. "I'm not going to accept the fact that I am the majority shareholder until maybe if we're married."

"When we're married, it's only a matter of time."

She hummed but didn't comment further. She honestly had no idea what made her want to separate their finances so clearly this time, she didn't even do that back when they were faking it over a contract. That urge probably came from the fact that she still felt like she owed the Rodriguez a shitload of money.

Guess she really did need to sort her shit out. She's getting weirder.

"Your mom doesn't shock me as the military wife type," he mused aloud, changing the subject when he sensed that she didn't want to talk about their assets and marriage.

"She's not," she looked up briefly but resumed her previous position with her head on his shoulder just as quick. "she's from a middle class family in the UK."

"UK?" He stared at her, well, more like the side of her face and mostly her hair.

"Did you not detect her British accent?"

"No, she just doesn't sound exactly someone from the West Coast, but nothing like an English accent."

"Guess you didn't do your research well enough."

"I didn't research on your parents, I only had your background check, which by the way, is still sitting in my email inbox unopened."

"My mom doesn't sound posh, but you'll know what native Brits sound like in Brighton once we visit them. My grandfather is an American. He's a New Yorker, from an upper-class family; at least upscale. When he met my grandmother, he got lured to Brighton across the ocean. Luckily for him, during the times when transportation was shit, he was the very last living legacy of his family line. So, he took everything and moved."

Christian listened with morbid fascination. He never really knew too much about her family, even though they weren't even private like him—they kind of tell anyone anything if they were asked. He didn't say anything, so she resumed her story telling. He didn't stop her, believing that she might need to say those words to alleviate her mind from the brutal lecture earlier.

"My mom is the only one that didn't take too much after her mother, accent wise. She still has that British tone but not posh like my grandmother or other maternal relatives who tend to pretend they were posher than they actually are. My father had an ex-wife."

"He was married before Carla?"

"He had a military wife when he was stationed in South Carolina."

Christian nodded but his interest had already waned, he only put up with her because she needed to talk to distract herself, and he needed to do something to distract himself, too.

"They married before he was deployed. He claimed it was young love and they were kind of rushing into marriage. Then, when he was discharged, he came back and met my mother when she was on holiday with her family in Arizona."

"Love at first sight?" Christian guessed. He really was only curious about the part about how her parents were so compatible with one another since their background seemed so different.

"My mom would say it was; she is a hopeless romantic after all. My dad would say otherwise, because he was still married when they met."

"Have you met the ex-wife before?" He asked, forcing her to fast forward with the story so he wouldn't get called-out for showing morbid interest in her parents' love story.

Before this entire incident, Christian had believed that Anastasia was like a replica of Carla inside out, but now he realized that he just didn't know her well enough because they were so different starting with their appearances and the way they carried themselves. He thought he wanted the love like Ray and Carla, but now he knew that it wasn't just for them.

They were a unique pair.

"Yes, when I was very young. She's supposedly a pediatrician in Arizona. In Tucson, I think."

Christian nodded, she was now deep in thought with her brows furrowed and he had just decided that he he was going to get to know her extended families when he met them in person. With that, he ceased anymore thoughts on the families, and instead stared ahead of him and wondered where exactly they were.

"Oh, shit, it couldn't be," Anastasia muttered to herself.

"What?" Now he was worried.

"The ex-wife…"

"Son of a bitch."

She heard him mutter when her body collided with his, almost emptying the air in her lungs from the crash, and all her thoughts about finishing that sentence from earlier vanished on impact. She had no idea what happened because she was too engrossed in recollecting who exactly was that woman that was once married to Ray. She only knew that she was about to take step after the light changed but her foot never got to touch the ground.

"What?" She spluttered when he led her across the street with an arm snaked around her waist protectively, almost fixing her to his side.

"You were saying?" He pulled her by the shoulders even closer to him and brushed his lips over her temple muttering against her skin. They were now continuing their stroll as if nothing had happened. There was a supermarket or some kind of store in their line of sight, but he had no idea if that was where they were headed, or even what it was called. He couldn't remember the last time he was shopping at a grocery store.

"What just happened?" She asked. She was having trouble grasping her last line of thought, and she was slowly starting to believe that it wasn't important. Not enough for her to remember, at least.

"Nothing, just a speedy mother fucking cyclist who's trying to get run over by cars."

"Pfft, I thought someone was stalking us or there was some kind of threat. Your heart does seem like it's going to pop out of your ribcage at any given moment." Her hand hand landed atop of his heart to steady herself when she was pulled to him earlier, and she could still remember that strong rapid beat against the center of her palm.

"I just don't want anything to happen to you anymore."

She wanted to call him out on how unrealistic he was, but she could sense his urgent need to protect her and make sure that she was unharmed. So, her mind returned to the train of thought that occupied her mind earlier; at least, she thought that was what she had been thinking.

"The ex-wife might be Candy Crush lady, but that'd too much of a coincident to be true…"

"Why are you still hang up on this?" He chuckled amusedly.

He knew her thoughts were jumping around but be didn't know it would be back and forth. They made their way through the entrance, and before them was a busy supermarket, with mostly elderlies and housekeepers or housewives. He had now finally grasped how far away a life from normal people he had lived ever since he was adopted.

There was still an immense psychological impact on the two of them after the Fourth of July, and he was seeking active help from Flynn; however, she wasn't receiving any kind of professional help, having rejected the service at the very beginning.

And now, he was slightly concerned about her mental state. She had obviously been trying to quash any thoughts on the traumatic experience to the back of her mind but he knew that firsthand, it wouldn't suffice long-term. They needed to do something about her feelings, through therapy or whatever other method that would help; because he could feel that even though it seemed disconnected, but her increasing odd behavior and mentality had been related to her psychological trauma that she wasn't willing to acknowledge.

"I don't know," she said carelessly, still being careful when she made the shrugging movement. "They're going to Brighton for this Thanksgiving. I think it's mom's turn."

"What are you talking about?" Even if he had listened to every single word she had uttered, including the mutters under her breath when she bumped into another person as they walked down the narrow aisle in between fully-stocked shelves. He thought it was a small but very diverse store, but what did he know about groceries.

"My parents," she told him as a matter of fact, but it wasn't to him. "They only care about Valentine's Day and the New Year, sometimes Christmas, but all the other celebrations were nothing to them. They would always spend the time with family. Remember when I told you that they'd be in DC, they call it a romantic getaway, but that was actually for my dad's family. My parents call anything a romantic getaway when I'm not with them."

"Where do you fit into all of this, then?"

"I spend every holiday studying, working or with Kate's family."

"So, does that mean you're going to start adding me to your holiday to-do list now that we're a couple again?"

"Are we really a couple now?"

"Yeah," he stared at her slightly affronted, wondering where that comment came from. "That's what you told your parents."

"To get them off of my back."

"You did say you want to be with me."

"Well…" she honestly didn't know why she was so reserved either. It wasn't like she didn't have feelings for him, because that man could still make her feel priceless at her lowest point. Though, that was when he was being sweet, because he could turn into a class-A asshole in a matter of seconds if the right keywords were spoken.

"Do you not want to be with me? Did you think I was forcing you into everything?" He fired off his questions rapidly, and she could sense his insecurities starting to creep in, not that it wasn't there to start with.

"Technically, you didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"Do you feel obliged to take care of me because you feel guilty about what happened?"

Thank you so much for the views and reviews! I hope you also liked this chapter. Next update coming in a few days but you can still ask for a teaser.

X