Chapter Twenty-Three

Ana sat in the House of Commons Chamber playing with the silver necklace around her neck. Ever since it had been placed there she had this new-found confidence in herself. Of course, she knew it wasn't the necklace but the symbolism of the unity she and Christian now had. The silver necklace reminded her of it every time she touched it.

It had been three weeks of pure bliss. Living with Christian, being his submissive at home. She had finally returned to work after moving in with him, finding the strength she needed to face all her daemons. Members of her Party had avoided her, other than those who had been told to guide her. They didn't want to be associated with someone they considered to be a traitor to their message.

Ana had rebelled against those who had been instructed to guide her though. They were trying to manipulate her once more to be spreading the Conservative message. She'd had so many TV offers, between Question Time, Andrew Marr show and Politics Live to name a few. Plus, all the radio offers, LBC had even offered her a weekly slot but she'd turned it down. Ana knew it was the Conservative machine trying to get her to publicly support them. The truth was though, she'd come to realise more and more she didn't support them.

Every new plan, new Bill and the new budget told her that she didn't believe in what they did anymore. She saw the fatal flaws for working people in everything they did. Her heart bled every time she realised more nurses would be forced to food banks because of the ever-rising cost of living, more men would be homeless because the stock of community housing was being sold off one by one. It devastated her and she knew sooner rather than later she was going to have to do something about it.

As Elena Lincoln wrapped up her speech to the house Douglas Hall stood and responded, they would have their little to and fro before the floor was opened to the members of the house. Of course, some already knew that they would be invited to speak, others would start jumping up and down hoping that the Speaker would notice them and allow them to ask their question. Ana had a question today, she just hoped he would pick her so that she could ask it.

Douglas Hall had invited her to join the Labour Party, he'd opened her eyes and told her that what she believed in was more in line with what they believed in than what her own party did. It had been on her mind so much, she knew the risk was that she would lose her job at the next election if she dared cross over. That devastated her because she knew this job was something she wanted to continue in. While it was full of drama and she had to do as she was told, she still knew she had made a difference in her time in office. The foodbank in her community meant more people went to bed on a full stomach, while the beds for homeless initiative meant fewer people on the streets of Buckinghamshire at night. It had made a real difference. But of course, in an area where more people earned above the second tax threshold, they were not fans of the Labour Party. The Labour Party were the political Robin Hood. They would tax the rich to fund initiatives and projects for the poor, a fair distribution of the country's wealth but in the eyes of those who were rich why should they share their profits with those who made pittance?

She understood both sides, as an MP she earned a decent wage and Labour's tax system would always hit them in the pocket. Of course, she had enough wealth to go around. She didn't need the vast income being an MP gave and when she had been a Cabinet Minister she'd earned even more! Money she neither wanted nor needed and had happily donated to various charities.

Now that the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister had finished talking, the box of frogs game began. Ana would jump up to try and capture The Speakers attention. She just hoped when the time came for her to speak, she'd be making the right decision for herself.

Of course, she needed to be confident in herself with this more than ever. Christian's love and devotion to her had made her believe in herself. Without that self-belief, this would all be in vain. To succeed, she needed to be strong, confident and self-assured. With Christian's love, she felt as though she could conquer anything. He was the reason she was able to do this, while she didn't need him in the sense of requiring him to make decisions for her, she needed his love and trust.

This was tiring, jumping up every time someone finished speaking in the hopes of being chosen. As always PMQs had been an incredibly early start to the day, she'd had to be there early to mark her seat and to be there at morning prayers. In her foggy state of mind, she wondered if jumping up and down like this was the right way to go, maybe she should do a point of order instead because at least she wouldn't have to word that as a question.

Deciding that a point of order would be wiser she stopped playing the jumping game and waited patiently. Of course, it wouldn't be a valid point of order but Ana knew like most people asking for a point of order allowed you the opportunity to speak when one became available.

"Point of order!" Ana yelled just as the session was coming to an end. She hoped she wouldn't regret this.

"Point of Order Miss Ana Steele." The Speaker replied allowing Ana to rise to her feet. She gulped, there was no going back now. "Mr Speaker, for the last few months I have witnessed the devastating effects that this Government's cuts have had on every day working people. I have met nurses using foodbanks, homeless veterans and seen children who have been subjected to the most horrific of abuses." She huffed out a breath, her stomach was doing backflips as every eye was on her. She could feel the Prime Minister, who normally wouldn't stay for the points of order, glaring at her, silently telling her to shut up and sit back down. "It has been a deep regret for me, to know that I have been involved in the decisions that have caused these hardships and on trying to appeal to my Party to find some humanity I was ridiculed, punished and then even fired from the position of Secretary of State. I have given this a great deal of thought, and come to realise that I…" She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment before finding the kind grey eyes of the Leader of the Opposition. "that I can no longer call myself a member of the Conservative Party as I no longer have any faith or trust in this Party or the Government to protect the most vulnerable people of this society." Ana gave a nod to the Leader of the Opposition and started leaving her seat.

"Don't go."

"Ana… don't…"

"Don't leave."

"Join us! Join us! Join us!"

As she walked down the steps between the benches a round of applause rippled through the benches opposite, something that rarely happened in the House of Commons due to the fact it was against convention. The members of the Labour Party chanted for her to join them. She smiled as she walked towards the Leader of the Opposition, he gave her a polite and welcoming hug, surprising her as she had only expected a handshake.

She'd been surprised by the groans of those backbenchers on the Conservative side of the House, so many asked her not to go as she made her way to cross the floor. But she had made her decision, she needed to make a difference to real working people now and she couldn't do that from the Conservative benches anymore.

"Order! Order!" The speaker called bringing some quiet to the house. The Prime Minister shook her head angrily before marching for the door, she had to know she was to blame for this.

Ana was squished into the front bench next to the Leader of the Opposition and his deputy, they were showing the group opposite that they accepted her, that she was welcome on their benches and that they wanted her there. She, of course, wouldn't sit there for other business of the House, she would join the other party members on the backbenches. However, she knew she had made the right decision and she was looking forward to getting to know her new colleagues and making a real difference to some real people.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and slipped it out to look at it. A text message from Christian, and it simply read: I am so proud of you. Xx She smiled, she was proud of herself too. This was something she had decided for herself and she truly believed that this was the right path for her life now.

The end of Part 1