AN: You all are amazing. Thank you!

Chapter Seventeen

Ana sat on the couch in the great room trying to work her way through a couple of manuscripts that Elizabeth had sent her. It had taken a couple of days for her to find the courage to call her boss, she had worried how Elizabeth would be with her when she had not been in touch in so long, but thankfully Elizabeth had just been relieved to hear that she was on the mend and had been happy to start sending her some work home so that she could start getting back into the swing of things.

Christian was working out of his study, not wanting to leave Ana for long periods of time yet. He was partly anxious that she would run again while also wanted to remain close in case she needed or wanted him. So, it made sense for him to work from Escala for now.

"Hey Ana, can I get you anything to eat?" Gail asked popping into the great room, she knew that Ana needed to eat at regular intervals and she had a copy of Ana's plan to help ensure she stuck to it. Glancing at the clock, despite knowing Gail was asking because she was due food, she realised she'd been working non-stop for nearly three hours.

"Yes please." She said tagging the document she was working on so she wouldn't lose her place.

"Anything in particular you're fancying?" Gail asked, again following Ana's plan of giving her the choice while also knowing not to put pressure on Ana to decide.

"No." Ana smiled as she stretched out. "I'll go ask Christian to join me."

"Ok, it will be ready in ten." Gail smiled and Ana nodded before hurrying off towards the study. She knocked softly on Christian's open door and he glanced up at her before dipping his head back to the document he was working on.

"Gail says lunch will be ready in ten." Ana said softly.

"Come here." He said moving the document off into a tray on his desk. She walked round to him and he spun his chair to face her. "Come here." He pulled her onto his lap, so she was straddling him. She smiled as her eyes met those grey eyes that brought her so much peace and she couldn't resist bending down and capturing his lips in her own. His hands stroked up her tank top covered back, she was still thin but he was confident she was gaining weight again. "How are you feeling?" He asked as she pulled away.

"Glad to feel useful again." She chuckled. "It's nice to have something to do with work again."

"I'm glad." He smiled. "Come on, let's go and get some food and then how about we go out for a walk or something this afternoon? Get out of the apartment?"

"Sounds good."

Gail had made them a chorizo and tomato salad and with it, Ana was having a fruit smoothie, which she knew contained an additional calorie boost that had been blended in. Ana felt just slightly sorry for Gail who had to ensure she was getting enough calories with every meal but Gail seemed to have taken it in her stride, she thought it was amusing to be counting calories to know if more were needed rather than counting calories to try and reduce or lose weight. Ana was not allowed to count the calories herself, that was a strict no because while she didn't suffer with anorexia in the traditional sense, her avoiding food and starving herself when stressed and out of control was still an eating disorder and had to be closely monitored. Replacing refusing food all together with counting calories would have been replacing one bad habit with another which could easily spiral out of control.

"So where would you like to go for a walk?" Ana asked as they ate.

"I don't know. Louisa Boren lookout?" Christian suggested and Ana nodded, she was happy to go anywhere with Christian and she knew getting out of the apartment would do her some good too. "So what's the manuscript you've been working on?" He asked.

Ana launched into a dissection of the first chapter she had just been working on and Christian listened carefully to her. He loved the way her eyes lit up and she became animated while she spoke, showing how much enjoyment she'd had out of the book and out of her work. By the time they had finished eating, Christian wanted to read the book to find out more, Ana had sold it to him.

"I'll need to change before we go." Ana said signalling her pyjama shorts and Christian chuckled just as Ana's phone began to ring in the great room. She frowned but dragged herself over to answer it.

"Hello?" She answered and Christian smiled at her as she frowned. "Seattle PD?" She asked as she turned towards Christian who was immediately on his feet. "Ok I understand. So I just need to wait to hear? Ok… no that's fine… Thank you for letting me know."

Ana came off the phone and shivered as Christian walked over to her, concerned about what they had just said.

"Uhh…" Ana turned to him and he took hold of her shoulders, tipping down to catch her eye. "They're about to raid Elena's house."

"What now?"

"As soon as they're confident she's there. She will be arrested and they have a search warrant." Ana explained, her voice shaking. "Christian I'm scared." She admitted.

"I think we should call my parents." He said and Ana nodded in agreement. "Sit down… I'll get Taylor or Gail to come and sit with you…" He shot a text off and it wasn't seconds later when Taylor walked into the room. "Right, I'm going to call my mom and dad."

"Ok." She said wrapping her arms around herself.

"Stay with her." Christian told his security who gave a firm nod before taking the seat beside Ana.

Christian headed down to his office, it wasn't just his mother he needed to call, he needed to see if he could speak with Mary too and get some advice about how to handle Ana while they waited for news. She'd done so well at the police station, Carrick had said she'd handled it amazingly and then while she'd struggled in the evening and she'd battled panic attacks and nightmares, she'd worked her little socks off to keep on her programme and he couldn't have been prouder of her. He was worried now though, they would literally be waiting by the phone for news that Elena had been arrested and he didn't know how Ana was going to stick to the programme while waiting for news.

First, he called his mother who said that she and his father would be over as soon as possible. Then he called the shrink.

"Hi Mary it's Christian Grey."

Is Ana ok? She asked, immediately getting concerned.

"She's fine. Uh Ana went to the police and made a complaint and it all went really well but we've just had call to say they're about to raid and arrest madam… Elena… Ana's on edge and I'm really worried what waiting is going to be like for her."

I can be there in about an hour…

"No… you don't need to or have to… well I guess I'd appreciate you here but I'm just wondering what I can do to try keep her calm, make sure she eats and takes her meds and that…" He ran his fingers through his hair as he was becoming anxious knowing that Ana would possibly go through a tough time.

Just be there for her Christian. She's come so far, trust her ok. Try and get her to drink some tea, keep her away from coffee, and use the calorie powder as a milk substitute if she won't eat but I am hoping you've just had lunch…

"Yes, she had lunch and I think she had the powder in her drink." Christian replied, he knew how important it was to make sure Ana was getting the calories.

So, I wouldn't worry too much about eating right now, the idea of that powder is to make up for when she doesn't manage snacks and to boost the calorie intake of a meal. Just be there for her Christian, and I'll be there in about an hour.

"Thank you." He breathed and without saying goodbye he ended the call so he could go back to Ana.

She was sitting with Taylor's hand in her own, her little legs bouncing up and down and her eyes glazed. He knew this was going to hit her hard and he was glad that he'd made the call to Mary and she was going to join them. Taylor met his eye and gave a nod, letting go of Ana's hand as Christian came to her side.

"My parents and Mary Griffith are coming over." He told the security guard, Mary would need to be let in as she wouldn't have the code for the penthouse.

"Sure." He said before leaving the couple alone together once more.

Christian sat down on the couch beside Ana and pulled her into his side, she was shaking softly but she didn't pull away and he was grateful for that, he needed to hold her as much as she needed to be held. This was it, Elena's downfall. Once she had been arrested he would be able to make the call he'd wanted to make as soon as his mother had told him the news. The plans to financially ruin her were in place, he just needed to give the nod.

They sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts until Grace and Carrick arrived. They were calm but Christian could see that they too were anxious.

"I called Elliot and Mia, told them to keep an eye on the news." Grace said as Gail bought some fresh tea from the kitchen. "Ana how are you holding up sweetheart?" She asked as Ana finally pulled away from Christian to greet his parents.

"I'm ok." She partly-lied. She was ok, she knew she was ok but she was also anxious and that made it difficult. Her mind was racing and she couldn't focus on one thought over any other.

"You need to think about taking your meds soon." Christian said gently while noting the time. Ana was trying to move her meds to dinner time, so that she wouldn't need an afternoon nap when she went back to work but it was a slow process, shifting them by half an hour each day.

"I can't sleep till I've heard." Ana said shakily as Grace handed her a cup of tea. It was Grace's answer to almost everything, a hot cup of tea.

"It could be hours…" Christian started but one look from Ana made it clear, she wasn't budging on this today. "Ok… we'll wait and see." He said deciding Mary could deal with this better than he could.

An awkward silence fell in the room, Gail ensured everyone had a cup of tea and didn't need anything else before making herself scarce and Carrick turned the TV on and put the news channel on, just in case.

"Mia is thinking of having a Halloween party this year." Grace said deciding to try and break the silence, there was no point them sitting there pondering when, as Christian had said, it could be hours.

Ana peeled herself away, cup still in hand she went over to the glass wall to look out over Seattle. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and Ana knew if she and Christian had made it out on their walk as they had planned, they would be wrapped up in coats and scarves and it would be that crisp autumn day, her favourite kind.

Telling her story to the police had been easier than she had imagined, but she hadn't let her mind drift to what would happen after. Detective Taylor had said some of their options and said they would get in touch but she hadn't imagined what it would actually mean. A raid would be public and she knew from what Grace had said she'd told Mia and Elliot to watch the news, so she figured it would be big news. Would they know it was her? She shivered involuntarily and decided she needed to go and put something warmer on having been completely distracted by the news, she suddenly realised she was still in her pajama shorts and a tank top in front of Christian's parents.

She took her cup through to the kitchen and then popped to the bedroom so she could change into something more comfortable, she didn't need to be hanging around in a tank top and shorts while they had guests, not that they cared what she looked like. Also, she'd heard Christian say Mary was coming by and she needed Mary to see that she was coping and doing ok because she didn't want the shrink to think she needed any additional meds or the hospital or anything like it.

Ana knew she was doing ok, she'd been doing so well keeping on top of everything and with Christian, Gail, Taylor and Sawyer and then the family on top, she really started to believe that she could have that normality she'd been dreaming of. However, right now, it felt completely out of reach and everything felt as though it was slipping through her fingers once more.

"Ana?" Mary called from the bedroom door.

"I'm in here!" She called back as she popped the button on her jeans closed, Mary slipped into the closet through the door.

"Swanky." She commented signalling the closet which was a whole room in itself, making Ana giggle. "Are you ok?"

"Yep." He replied before biting her lip. "I'm terrified." She admitted and Mary signalled the pouffe in the centre of the room and Ana knew to take a seat.

"Listen, this is going to feel completely out of control." Mary said and Ana nodded, she was already feeling that and all her survival instincts were beginning to kick in. "I think the best thing you can do right now, is take your meds, have a sleep so you're not having to think about all this."

"I need to be awake when they get her." Ana replied hurriedly. "I need to know that they've got her."

"And you will, we'll come and wake you as soon as there is news." Mary replied, she was worried about how Ana would cope with this because everything that was going on was in someone else's hands. "Ana normally I wouldn't suggest taking a pill and sleeping while feeling out of control as a coping mechanism but this is happening so soon after you've come home from hospital and you need to take your meds…"

"Ok!" She said her hands flying up to show she was giving in, there was no point Mary talking her around in circles, she knew she needed to take her meds and she honestly didn't know how she would cope with waiting around anyway. Taking her meds if anything, was the easy option.

They headed back into the great room and Mary went over to Christian and the family at the couch while Ana went into the kitchen to get her meds. Gail gave her a sympathetic smile as she loaded the dishwasher, it was hard for them all right now but she knew it was hardest on Ana.

Ana took her meds but stayed in the kitchen a moment, she didn't want to be around her anxious family while she too was anxious. Christian had been right, they had told her on the phone they wouldn't do the raid until they knew Elena was at the property as they were going to arrest her. They hadn't mentioned Eric Lincoln. Ana remembered his name because he had once said it to her. He hadn't meant to, it hadn't been deliberate, but with all those other memories that one too had come back. When it came back to her at the hospital and she googled his name, she knew she was right. Her Mister had been Elena's husband.

Suddenly another memory hit her. She saw herself sitting on the floor, a battered old book in her hand. The book was so familiar, one she had loved and cherished but it had been loved before. It was as though a lightbulb came on for Ana, she practically ran from the kitchen to the bedroom, unaware of the attention she drew to herself as she whipped through the great room.

"I'll go." Mary said hurrying after her. Everyone was anxious, especially knowing how fragile Ana was and Mary was very glad that Christian had thought to call her so she could be there to support them all through this.

She found Ana back in the closet pulling an old shoebox down from the top shelf. Her father had bought it up for her when she had been in the hospital and she'd asked Christian to return it to the closet ready for when she came home. This box had always been important to her and she took it wherever she went in the world.

"Everything ok?" She asked as Ana slowly dropped to the floor with the box in her hands.

"Yeah." Ana muttered, not even looking up at the shrink while she focused on the item in her hand.

It had been years since she'd looked in this box. While it travelled everywhere with her, the only time it was ever opened was to put something in it and not ever to remove anything. Even the necklace from Grace had remained in the box since she'd come home because she couldn't face opening it to pull anything out of it.

"What's that?" Mary asked taking a seat on the floor right opposite Ana.

"My worldly possessions." Ana replied dryly. "Before Christian, this is all I truly owned." Mary managed to hide her surprise, it wasn't completely unusual for children like Ana to keep mementos from their childhoods in this way. Even foster care children who were shipped around would have a box or a bag where they kept little trinkets to remind them of homes of the past.

"Why do you feel the need to pull it down now?" Mary asked just as Ana opened the box.

"Because I remembered something…" Ana replied and without glancing at a single other object in the box, she pulled out an incredibly battered copy of Alice in Wonderland. With shaking hands, she opened the first page and after a beat closed her eyes tight once again.

"Ana?" Mary questioned, worrying again about her client.

"I haven't looked at this in years." Ana said quietly. "Mister taught me to read with this." She explained. "After I left, it was all I had in the world, he let me take it with me to the park because I loved it so much, so when I ran away, I still had it." Ana explained and she opened the front cover again before handing it over to Mary.

Written in the top left hand corner was 'Eric Lincoln Christmas 1956'

"I've had the answer this entire time." Ana choked. "All these years… that book has sat in this box…"

"You weren't to know." Mary said quietly as she closed the book again. "You weren't to remember Ana and it's understandable why you didn't look again."

"I had the answer…" She wiped at the tears that spilled down her cheek. She was heartbroken for herself, all this time searching for who Mister and Madam were and she had the answer in her possession all this time.

"The police will want this." Mary said signalling the book. "As evidence."

"They can have it." Ana replied. "I don't need it… I don't know why I even kept it but… Mary I had the answer…"

"It wasn't meant to be Ana." Mary said. "You can't start blaming yourself now that you didn't remember that his name was in the book. You didn't remember what he looked like either until now, do you think that's your fault?" Ana shook her head, no she blamed the missing memory on them and all the trauma she'd been through. "This is the same. You weren't to remember." Mary said gently. "But let's put it back in the box for now and we can tell the police that you have it when they next contact you."

Ana put the book back in the box and closed it but she didn't bother putting the box back on the top shelf, there was no point if it was just going to be pulled down again. She led Mary out of the closet but decided she was too tired to go and sit with the family right now.

"I'm just gonna…" She signalled the bed.

"I think that's a good idea. We'll wake you if there's any news."

Mary rejoined the family in the great room with a reassuring smile, she couldn't tell them what Ana had talked about but she knew Ana would fill Christian in later on. It must have been excruciating learning all this new information about her past at every turn. Ana had said it herself at the hospital, it was as though Elena had opened all the filing cabinets in her mind and she was slowly trawling through each one, it was taking time but the memories were all there now.

"Mom… I've got a question for you." Christian said as he played with the mug in his hands.

"You can ask me anything son." Grace replied giving him all her attention.

"Did you… tell Elena things about Ana?" He asked nervously glancing at the floor before looking back at his mother.

"What? No…Jesus Christian, I'd never speak to anyone about the things Ana confides in us. You should know that." Grace was a little bit insulted that her son though that she might have blabbed, Elena may have been her best friend before the truth came to light but Ana deserved so much more than Grace going around telling her business outside the family. Even Mia and Elliot didn't know much of what had happened to Ana in the past.

"I went for lunch with her, a while back… she said things about Ana and said that you had told her." Christian said quietly. "At the time… I didn't really think much of it…" His voice broke and he pinched the top of his nose to prevent himself from crying.

"Christian people like that are master manipulators." Mary said softly, seeing how much this was getting to the young man. "She would have known exactly what she was doing."

"I know." He replied, not wanting to have his head shrank by Mary right now. He turned his attention back to the TV just as a breaking news alert came on. "Turn it up." He said hurriedly. Carrick grabbed the remote and turned the volume up so that they could all hear.

"Ok we interrupt the daily news coverage to bring you a breaking news story. Police have this lunchtime raided a property in East Queen Anne here in Seattle now we have got a reporter on scene to give us more. Hi John what can you give us?" The news anchor asked.

It was most definitely Elena Lincoln's house that sat behind John the reporter and Christian felt sick to his stomach.

"Hi Elaine, yes we are here in East Queen Anne where a raid has taken place and a search is in the process of being conducted in the house behind me. It was about an hour ago when local police and the FBI stormed the property, neighbours who were witnesses said that the police pounded on the door and demanded access before taking a battering ram to the door, declaring they had a search warrant. Now typically in these cases everyone assumes its drugs but there's no confirmation of that fact yet. Though the rumour is that this house is owned by one of Seattle's most prominent businessmen and his wife."

"Do you expect to hear from law enforcement any time soon?" Elaine asked from the studio, Christian was watching the split-screen just hoping for something.

"We have had a brief chat with one of the officers on scene who stated that local law enforcement will be making a statement later on and we do expect to see an individual or individuals who were at the property arrested."

"I'd pay money to see her in cuffs." Carrick muttered and then he blinked as though he hadn't meant to say it out loud.

"I just hope they find something…" Grace started but it was interrupted by shouting on the TV.

"Just hold on Elaine…"

"We need CSU now! CSU now!" The camera that had been on John was now zooming in at the front door of the property and Carrick recognised Detective Jessica Taylor who was urgently shouting for help.

"Looks like they may have found something of interest Elaine as Crime Scene technicians make their way into the property from their van which was parked on the sidewalk."

Ana dragged her feet into the great room, even with the drugs she couldn't sleep right now, her mind was going a mile a minute thinking about the fact that the police were going to raid Elena's house and hopefully arrest her.

"Looks like someone's coming out Elaine." The reporter said and once again the camera focused on the door of the property.

Ana gasped as her eyes focused on the TV, there she was, Elena Lincoln being led out of her house in handcuffs, her head was down but not covered and her hands were cuffed behind her back.

"They've got her?" Ana said walking over to Christian. He held his arm out to her and she hurried into his side so she could feel him while they watched. "They've got her."

"They've got her." Christian breathed kissing her hair for his own and her comfort.

The family watched the tv replay the same news piece for over an hour, Ana snoozing in Christian's side until her phone rang.

"Hello?" She answered, her heart hammering away inside her chest.

Hi Ana, it's Detective Taylor, just wanted to let you know that we've got Elena Lincoln and we have found a substantial amount of evidence that will secure a conviction.

"And Eric?" Ana asked shakily.

In the wind I'm afraid, but we have got warrants out for his arrest, if he's on US soil we'll have him in no time, if he's out of the country, well… we'll get him Ana.

"Thank you." Ana replied shakily.

No probs, listen we'll be doing a statement tonight but you understand your identity will remain a secret unless you choose to reveal yourself right? There are laws in place to protect your identity.

"That's good to know." Ana replied breathing for what felt like the first time ever. Christian held her tight as she ended the call. "They've got her… and a lot of evidence apparently."

"Maybe she'll decide not to go to trial then." Carrick stated getting to his feet so he could stretch, they'd all been on pins and needles waiting for news and he was feeling it now.

"Eric Lincoln is in the wind." Ana added. "But Detective Taylor sounded confident that they'd still get him."

"How are you feeling baby?" Christian asked quietly, he was concerned about how she would handle this.

"Honestly? I think I can sleep now." She admitted before laughing a little, she knew she was safe again now and she knew she could rest.

"We'll let you get some rest Ana." Grace said already getting to her feet.

"Please don't leave on my account." Ana said hurriedly. She didn't want them to feel they had to go if they didn't want to.

"I think we're not going to hear anything else today." Grace shrugged and Ana nodded, figuring Grace was happy to leave.

"I best make a move too, I have some appointments this afternoon I can try to keep." Mary smiled. "I'll see you on Monday Ana."

Ana bade everyone goodbye before making her way to the bedroom, Mary left the apartment, which gave Christian a moment alone with his parents.

"Are you ok Christian?" Grace asked, her hand going to his cheek.

"I am." He nodded. "I mean, she's handling this well…"

"I mean are you ok." She repeated and he nodded in understanding.

"I'm fine." He nodded. "I'm just glad they've got her, I just hope she pays now for what she did… to Ana… to me…" His voice cracked again and Grace held her son while he composed himself once more. John had been supporting him through coming to terms with the fact what Elena had done to him was wrong, but it wasn't what they did that bothered him, it's that she did it to him only a few years after Ana had left her basement. If only he'd known then that his mother's best friend was hiding an innocent little girl in her basement…

"I'm ok." He said pulling himself together. "Are you ok?"

"I will be when I see her pay for what she's done." Grace smiled stiffly. That was the truth, while she was glad Elena had been arrested, it wouldn't be until she was locked up for life that she would truly be satisfied.