APOV

I waved emphatically to each of the smiling faces that I saw on the screen before saying goodbye to the old woman there.

I was just finishing up my video call with Dembe, an update on what is going on but also checking in and chatting with my friend. She had excitedly told me about the corn that now grew, a food most had never seen. She was also happy to inform me how much enjoyment the children had been having at watching my alpaca's through the camera I had set up at home.

As I turned around, I chuckled at the mostly stunned faces before me.

"That is how a little can achieve such a lot" I spoke to my class who for the first time had been shown the work I'd done in Africa, seen for themselves through the magic of technology how the crops out there had grown in such a barren land.

"Professor, how is it that crops can grow in that… I was going to call it soil but it looks more like dust, dirt" Ashley asked quietly as she engaged with the group for the first time.

Ever since our conversation when she had admitted why she was here, Ashley had spoken to me often during class but this is the first time she'd asked out. My other troubled student Henry, just grunted as if her question disturbed his nap.

"You have all learned, well most I would say" I spoke, looking to Henry before I gave the rest of my class that did want to learn the attention they deserved. "You have studied, learned how to find out the Ph level of different soils, learned what will grow in each but when you have tested soil, dust, dirt that states that nothing will grow in it, you have to manipulate it over time so something will. You could take a bag of compost with all the perfect nutrients in, dig it into the ground but quickly with no nourishment in the soil that surrounds it, what you've dug in will soon become just like all the rest. Start small, one area, treat that, make that one area flourish and eventually, it will start to bring nourishment to the areas around it which are then treated as well."

"Professor, we've been learning about what results can be achieved with the land here at the university. Will we learn how to help the ground flourish, I mean my back yard looks as barren as that" a young man asked, pointing to the now blank screen.

"Well, my work on that has already been published through the university, and read and downloaded not just in this country but around the world" I smiled, knowing unless he lived in the desert, his backyard couldn't possibly be as bad as the land at the orphanage when I first started. "The knowledge of what you ask about is already out there for you to read. Do not worry though, it is one of the main parts of the course I teach. By the time you graduate, you will not only have learnt and grown crops which naturally grow in the land here, but you will learn how to manipulate the soil to grow crops all year round. Believe me, eating fresh corn cobs in the summer will be worth all the hard work you put in."

I heard laughter at my words, received many smiles too as the bell went signally the end of the day. I was soon on my own, picking up the papers that had been left on my desk to mark. I wouldn't be heading straight home to do that though, I had some work to finish in the greenhouses.

Eventually leaving the campus that night as the light started to fade, I had no clue to the storm I would be facing when I left the next day.

…

I got up as I normally did, early. I fed the animals while grandma made breakfast, also making sure that the shop was stocked up before we sat down to eat.

I had been messaging Luke back and forth during the day as we threw about ideas for a charity event we had briefly spoken about on the boat for my birthday. One idea in particular I liked was a ball. One that not only brought in Seattle's business money side, people who Christian knew, but the celebrity side of it also, the Seahawks, the Mariners as well as those on tv. This would not be a ball where people just opened their wallets to attend, no, they would have to do something in the community, something to help others to earn their seat and in the process, be sponsored. Their own wallets and purses would only be allowed to open once they were in and with some of the auction prizes we had been speaking about, I suspect they would be open all night.

When in class, my lessons throughout the day had gone just as they had in the days prior, the students listened and learned as I taught.

It was in my last class of the day, as we were in the far greenhouse, moving a banana tree that had been struggling to grow now it was shaded by another when we all heard the noise from outside.

"Is someone having a party?" Jasper asked, calling out over the noise of raised voices.

"I don't know" I replied. "Stay here and put the banana in and I will find out what's going on."

I left the greenhouse before he could protest, heading through the large room of glass that connected them all before colliding with Penny who had come rushing my way as I stepped out into the autumn sunshine.

"Ana, go back" she pleaded.

"What" I questioned, struggling to hear over the noise what she was saying.

It took me a few moments before I could figure out what was happening, before I could hear a single voice in the noise and find out what was going on. It was as I heard that single voice, all others became clear, their words and questions especially.

"You were asked to leave," Michael said, standing next to the Dean. "Ana go back inside," he told me but I couldn't move for a moment as their questions filled my mind.

T. R. Grey is Christian Grey's baby, you got pregnant to trap him, didn't you?

We know you got rid of the baby when he didn't give you any attention.

At the age of seventeen, are you sure he's the father with how much you slept around?

Is that why he's with you now, are you pregnant, did you trap him again.

I felt myself being lifted from my feet before a scream left my lips. I was about to hit the person who was moving me before I looked to his face, seeing it was Ryan.

I had seen him in the crowd, pushing them back with Reynolds too. Now I let him take me away as I was unable to stop the tears streaming down my face.

I expected some to question who T. R. Grey was and for us to explain in our own time, our child if we had to. Some of the questions they were asking though, some of the information they had, could have only come from one person, her.

A car had pulled up behind the back of the greenhouses I think I was told as back on my feet I was led that way. Campus security was dealing with the mob out front but out here, there were a few too. A few of my students had also gathered after being let out of class, none were looking my way though but at their phones, shock filling all of their faces.

"Ana" Jasper whispered, approaching me.

"Look after them," I said, nodding to the students, having no clue with what was going on if I would be able to return soon.

At present, I didn't even want to think about things like that as I got into the car and only once the car started to move did the real tears flow.

….

CPOV

It would've been comical as Taylor and Welch crashed through my door together, both trying to squeeze past the other if it had not been for the serious looks on their faces.

"What is it," I asked as Taylor produced a tablet, one that contained a story he said was spreading like wildfire over the internet.

I knew there was a risk, questions would be asked when I started the T. R. Grey foundation. I was so stupid not to realise that those in the past, those or one in particular we thought was gone would show their face, that one being her.

"It started with a photo of you and Ana as children on Twitter, tagging not only the news agencies, newspapers from Seattle, all of Washington but has been repeatedly tagging agencies across the country. From that picture which didn't name any names as it didn't need to, you could tell it was you both on there, a story has broken which has revealed a lot more than that."

"I need to call Ana," I said, dialling her phone which just rang out.

"Sir, I received a message from Ryan just before I came in here, he has her and the press were there also. It seems they had been tipped off, told they would be in the perfect place to gain an exclusive before the story broke if they turned up."

"And they did blindly," I asked angrily.

"It's about you, whatever it is, to them, it would be worth publishing."

"When did the story break," I asked, tossing the tablet back to him having only read the headlines before getting my keys from my desk drawer, those for my helicopter, not the car. I was going to Vancouver, to Ana and if any press did get in my way while I was there, I was in the right mood to land on top of them.

"The photo about fifteen minutes ago, the story, that's only just gone out," Taylor replied rushing after me as we headed up to the roof. "The press office looks for anything with yours and now Ana's names tagged into them and pick up anything that does to look into further. It wasn't them that ALERTED ME" he shouted now over the rush of wind.

"WHAT."

"AN URGENT CALL CAME IN FROM KATHERINE KAVANAGH," He said, causing me to turn around. "HER NEWSPAPER WAS ONE OF THOSE TAGGED INTO THE ORIGINAL POST, SHE'D TRIED TO GET HOLD OF ANA BUT WAS UNABLE TO AS HER PHONE MUST BE OFF SO SHE CALLED HERE."

"I WANT ADDITIONAL SECURITY DOWN AT ANA'S" I called to Welch getting inside the helicopter with Taylor soon taking the seat at my side. Before we left the ground, I had him call Ryan's phone.

It had only been minutes since they had entered my office but without hearing Ana's voice, it felt like years.

"Where are you," I asked Ryan who sounded like he was in the car driving, it was the sobs coming from close by though that broke my heart.

"I'm close to RoseAna's sir, just a few minutes away now."

"Ok, please put Ana on," I asked, hearing a few words spoken before the heartbroken voice of my girlfriend filled my ears.

"Christian" she sobbed. "They were asking about our baby. They knew how old I was and said that I'd got pregnant to trap you."

"We know the truth Ana, we know what happened between us. Besides your age and that we share a child, the rest is a lie."

"I know" she whispered before letting out a sob.

"Ana, I'm on my way."

"Christian, they're here as well" she cried. "They're blocking the way into my home. Oh shit..."

"Ana, what is it, speak to me."

"Grandma, she's on the porch. She has the shotgun out and she's aiming it at those around, shouting at them to leave."

"Ana, baby, listen to me. Get out and take grandma inside, let Ryan and Reynolds deal with the press" I told her, eventually hearing her ok as a reply. "Please put Ryan on."

I could hear her pass the phone back over to him before my instructions were given for the police to be called, for them to do a quick sweep of the back of the property where the animals were to see no one had gone around there and for him to then with Reynolds, stay out front with guns drawn if they have to until back up arrived.

Ending the call was hard because I wanted to speak to Ana, know she was inside and alright. Alright, I don't think either of us is that especially with the lies floating around the internet but getting to her now, was a priority.

"Sir" I heard Ryan say before I was about to end the call.

"Yes."

"Professor Lambert is inside, taking a very reluctant grandmother with her. I think she was hoping to stay outside so she could shoot someone." I had to smile at his words, knowing Rose wouldn't hesitate if it protected the only family she had. "Professor Lambert said her phone and purse are still at the university in her locker so once back up has arrived, I will leave and retrieve her things."

"That's fine Ryan… Please look after them."

"Will do Sir," he replied.

…

For every mile we flew closer to Vancouver it felt like we were being blown twice that backwards. I was impatient to get to Ana but even though I was travelling faster than I normally did, it was far too slow for me.

Seeing the landing site come into view was when I think I took my first real breath. I was one step closer to Ana, one minute closer to holding her even though I knew once I did tears would be shed.

The car was where it always was kept, filled up with fuel like it was for each time I visited. Arriving at the farm, you could see Barnard's angry face looking down on the many people who were gathered here, being held back by the police in attendance.

It was one of these police officers who knocked on my window as we stopped, probably getting ready until he saw who it was to tell the occupants of the car to turn around. He didn't though and it was his actions of letting us through that had camera flashes going off, the light bouncing off the car and hopefully blinding those who held a camera in the process.

Stopping outside, I left Taylor with Ryan as I ran for the door of the house, ignoring the questions that were being shouted my way. They knew nothing about my love for the woman inside or the child that we lost. They knew nothing of the circumstances that surrounded that, they only knew the lies.

As I entered the house, I followed Ana's voice toward the back and the kitchen where she was speaking to someone on the phone. As she heard my footsteps that had been quiet on the carpet now echoing on the stone floor, Ana turned my way and quickly abandoned the phone to grandma before she rushed towards me.

I caught her, her sobs filling my ears, her tears soaking my shirt. I was unable to stop my own tears at seeing the woman I love in such distress as she cried in my arms.

"The lies" she sobbed.

"I know Ana."

"Very few people knew about what happened and the only one who would say something and make it worse by lies would be her."

"I know Ana, when I find her" I replied angrily.

"You can get in a queue for her son," Grandma said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

I held one arm out to grandma, knowing she too needed someone at the moment and as she stepped under that arm, her arms going around Ana and me, many tears were shed.

…

Ryan had retrieved Ana's phone and purse from the university, having to fend off the many questions that were asked there. They were not private questions as the press who had left now Ana had done had asked, they were questions of concern, of to how she was from her colleagues and friends.

"Upset" was the only thing he could say, it was the only thing any of us could reply.

Ana had been speaking to Luke when I had entered and I had just finished a call with him, my family too before that as I watched Ana with Mike, Sully and the others, checking especially that the younger generation was doing alright. Out of all of them, it was Barnard who shadowed Ana, on alert to a danger he didn't understand at sensing Ana's distress just as he had been with the danger he had faced in the barn, the coyote who had thankfully been unable to return.

Luke had touched upon Ana and I giving a live interview, one unedited, one that no one could say was full of lies and was staged, one that would reveal the real truth.

Asking Ana to go back to that painful place, one she had been in all alone was a lot to ask of her. To not ask though, the press and questions would only continue or get worse as the speculation continues.

"You've not asked her yet son?" Grandma said as she stood at my side as we watched Ana, my arm coming around her shoulder as I kissed the top of her grey head.

"About the interview?"

"No, about being your wife."

"No, not yet. I'm sure you would've been the first to know if I had. I've designed her ring which I was due to pick up tomorrow and I was going to propose when she came down this weekend. I had it all planned, asking her to marry me surrounded by flowers on the boat, it will have to wait now."

"Love should never have to wait, son. A ring is important yes, especially as a symbol to show others your love, to show the world that you're committed to each other. To show each other how you feel though, that's done with a touch, a smile, with words spoken that mean something to you both."

"I love her so much."

"I know son, that's why the pain she feels at the moment, you also feel in here" she spoke, placing her hand over my heart, one that was breaking more with each tear Ana brushed away.

I realised as I walked to Ana to speak about doing the interview that I hadn't flinched when Rose had touched my chest. She just like Ana had a beautiful heart and I knew there was nothing to fear here.

…

"I'm nervous" Ana whispered, resting her head against my side as we sat on the porch, trying to ignore all that was going on around us.

"Don't be, this is just us having a chat like we usually do," Kate said, smiling at her friend.

I never thought I would ever see Katherine Kavanagh in a good light but after what she had done yesterday, trying to warn Ana, getting through to Taylor to warn me what was going on, what I thought of her had changed.

Yes, she was nosy and prior to Ana and me being together, she probably would've asked, as she did in that interview anything to get a reaction from me. Now though like me, she wanted to see that smile back on her friends face and that would only happen once the truth had been revealed.

We were here to do that, Kate would be doing the interview as Ana had asked her to, knowing if she had to speak about these things, she would rather do it to someone she knew even though there will be countless people watching as it was filmed live. Luke was here also, the moral support we both needed on this Saturday afternoon and my family were around the property too.

"Boo, do you want a drink," Luke asked, coming from the kitchen.

"A strong whisky" she replied.

"You can have that later, we all know you barely drink. You would be pissed during the interview if you had that now" he told her.

"I know, I was only joking. I will have a strong cup of tea please."

It was my mother who made the tea, telling grandma to take a seat as she too seemed as nervous as her granddaughter. Ana was about to speak about things she had locked away so long ago and to see Ana hurt, hurt Rose too.

When Ana had her tea in hand, my coffee placed on the table in front of us, we watched as Kate spoke into the camera, her words broadcast not only on Kavanagh News's website and Grey enterprises, but this interview was also beaming live across the world thanks to social media which already had more people tuning in to hear what we had to say than the story that had originally been put out.

The camera turned as Kate introduced us and then just as it had done what felt like so long ago, the interview started, hopefully with no gay questions this time, although come to think of it I would rather answer questions like that than hear the pain in Ana's voice as she started to speak.

"We met in Montesano when we were children" Ana spoke as I squeezed her hand. "Luke lived on one side of me and Christian the other."

"You were the rose between two thorns," Kate asked, as we heard Luke scoff off camera.

"No, she was Boo between two monsters" I replied, seeing a smile appear on Ana's face as she looked first to me and then Luke. Two monsters who will always be by her side, through the good times and bad.

"Yes, my monsters" Ana agreed. "We were thick as thieves, always sat on one porch or another, chatting, singing, laughing long after the sun had gone done on the few days we were allowed." When she'd forgotten I was even out there, Ana continued although it was so quiet, I doubt anyone else heard.

"You've heard the rumours, that you got pregnant to trap Christian, that when you didn't get what you wanted, you chose to end the pregnancy," Kate said angrily.

"If anyone is at fault about that night and what happened after it's me" I spoke up, feeling Ana squeeze my hand as she shook her head. Placing a kiss upon my hand she looked to Kate and then the camera.

"To know the truth, you need to know and understand how life was back then for both of us…. I grew up in a house of fear most of the time, the only light back then was the only man I knew as a father and my boys, Christian and Luke. My… mother, if you can call her that, to her, I was a burden, one she did not want to be around and when I was there, she took pleasure in my misery. She had no qualms about pulling me away from everything I knew, it was like some sick game to her. I had been dragged from pillar to post and when I finally left, it was through fear of her, and the men she brought into the house. Now I know some will say that has nothing to do with what happened between Christian and me but to go through that abuse, it plays with your mental state, makes you cling and hold onto that light."

"I drank a lot back then" I stated. We were in this together and we would tell it together, I would not have Ana doing this alone. I would not have people thinking she had seduced me when it was the other way around "I wasn't exactly the easiest person to live with back then. I was adopted when I was young and for a long while, that affected my mindset and the way I lived. Despite now having the best parents anyone could wish for, I was terrified people would find out that I was born the son of a crack addict and prostitute, acknowledge with the scars I have that I too had been a victim of her abuse. I felt that I needed to prove I was better than the boy I'd been born to be, needing to fit in so I became someone who I was not."

"What do you mean," Kate asked me.

"To anyone who wasn't family, a best friend," I said, feeling Ana squeeze my hand again. "They saw only the mask that easily slipped in place. Everyone's seen that mask, many have written about it too thinking that's the way I chose to live my life, a different woman every night on my arm, to share my bed. That was another lie. They were all paid to be there, paid to put on a smile and then quickly sent home at the end of the night. Whether as a boy or a man, whether with pennies or billions in the bank I found it hard to banish the lie, finding it easier to continue as it had become to norm to be someone I was not."

"Can I ask about T. R. Grey?" Kate asked quietly, knowing out of all the questions that she'd asked previously that speaking about them would be the most painful of all.

"T. R. Grey, was, no is, our child" Ana spoke softly. "Theodore Raymond, or Tilly Rose, which we don't know because I lost them before I had a chance to even realise, they were there."

"How old were you," Kate asked Ana.

"Seventeen."

"Were you two together."

"No, not in the sense you're asking. As I said we were best friends back then, along with Luke. What we shared then was only one night" Ana stated.

"A night you created your child."

"Yes," Ana whispered. "It was a night of need for both of us, a night we both needed comfort and things went further than they should've done with how emotional we both were but there were no regrets."

"From you," she said, receiving Ana's nod before turning to me. "And you."

"I have so much regret in my life but I don't regret creating our child. The actions after yes, but I will never regret them. I was an idiot at the time, telling the one person that I loved most in the world that what we had shared was a mistake. I'd gotten so drunk and high after, that when I woke the next morning remembering very few details, what I did remember brought nothing but panic. That panic and shame caused me to stay away from Ana, ignore her which in turn upset her so much that she felt she had no choice but to leave."

"No choice," Kate asked Ana.

"Have you ever felt so low that if that cliff edge was before you, you wouldn't hesitate in stepping from it. As I said my boys were my light and thinking I had lost that, along with the constant mental abuse from a parent who should love and protect you, I didn't know where else to turn. I felt the pain she caused me could in no way compare to the pain I felt inside at losing those so close to me so I agreed to live with her, just one of the many mistakes I made upon the way…. I miscarried my baby, our baby as her words of disappointment, of being called a whore filled my ears. If I'd felt low before, it was nothing to how I felt then."

I know the cameras were still recording as I pulled Ana to me, her tears, her feelings still raw as the day our child left our lives, she told me as she cried. I could hear Rose's sobs, my mother comforting her.

If these people spreading lies over the internet, the press fuelling the fire with articles that didn't report an ounce of the truth, if they wanted to know what really happened, they knew that now. I hope wherever Carla is, she's watching this and is wallowing in misery to know that no matter how many tears she causes, she will never be better than the beautiful woman in my arms. She's only done this because her daughter is happy, only done it because like always she's jealous of the person Ana became. I will find her wherever she is and make her life a living hell but being addressed as she is now after Kate asked what Ana would ever say to the person who started this, has got to hurt too.

"I know who started the rumours, Carla whatever your name is now. I say that as you have been married so many times, changed your name to so many others trying to change mine too over the years that I doubt you or especially the poor man you have pulled in this time has a clue as to who you really are. I will not call you mother as you never were that to me… I know it is you with some of the details you revealed, those you knew would cause me the most pain. You can bring my tears forth, bring back memories of a painful time but no matter what you say or do, you will never beat me. With the love of others, my grandma who you told I had died at birth, Ray, my dad who even though I know is no longer on this earth he's still with me and lives here, along with my birth father" Ana spoke, putting her hand over her heart. "I've flourished, I've grown, I have a life of knowledge, one of peace, all things you never gave me. I have my boys back now and because I was weak in mind and body, something you played on, I allowed you to rip me from their lives once before, something I will never let you do again. Now, these are my final words to you Carla as I will never utter your name again. Wherever you are, stay the hell away from me. I will not allow you to dirty my child's name, a name we're both proud of, a name that heads the foundation Christian has set up, which will help many people here at home and across the world. You are not worth my time or energy to even think about because believe me if you continue your lies, it will not be me you will be dealing with."

"No, it will be me" Dad spoke up, coming into view of the camera which brought a smile upon Ana's face.

Carla would know who the man was with no introductions and she would also know just how much of a powerful lawyer he is.

After ending the interview, Kate asked us how we were both feeling at speaking out and what was next for us both.

"Big plans" I stated as Ana looked to me.

"More plans," she asked seeing my nod. "What are they."

"Plans for the future, our future," I replied getting to my feet before taking Ana's hand to help her up.

"Where are we going," she asked as I led her across the yard to our family tree. Under it, feeling those who were gone from sight surrounding us now as well as the family we had here, I got down on one knee.

I didn't have the ring with me yet but that didn't matter, I had the next best thing.

"Christian" Ana whispered, her hand coming to her lips.

"It took me ten years to find you Ana, ten years to tell you the truth."

"And what's that," she asked.

"That I love you, that I've always loved you and I want you to be my wife."

From my pocket I brought out a strand of Barnard's thick hair, one thankfully he had not protested to me taking when I had cut it from him. I had tied it into a makeshift ring, one that I now held against the tip of her finger.

"Anastasia Lambert, Professor. I love you more than I can say sometimes, my words getting muddled as you know" I spoke seeing her beautiful smile. "I want to spend every day with you, wake every morning with you even if that means I have to get up early and shovel alpaca shit just to be by your side."

My words brought her giggles, her words following too.

"You can only do that if you have the right equipment, especially dads hat."

"Of course, never forget the hat…. I want to give you the world, even though I know you would give it right back. I know you have no need for material things, all you want is to celebrate life, I want to be by your side for each accomplishment you make and be there to hold and encourage you if life gets hard. Ana, Boo, I love you and I would be honoured if you agree to become my wife."

I didn't have a chance to get up as the first yes reached my ears as Ana dropped to her knees in the dirt in front of me under the shade of the tree.

"Yes, yes I will be your wife" she spoke, giggling once more as I pushed the ring onto her finger.

My words of her real ring is ready to be picked up when we get back to Seattle were soon muffled as her lips met mine as the crowd around us celebrated, no doubt with the ones up high.

Only after did we find out that a camera Ana had previously set up on the alpaca's enclosure, one that was broadcasting through the university website and to Dembe in Africa so the children there could see the alpacas back here had captured my proposal. There were no worries about that as there was no more hiding to be done, our love, our child's life was out there to celebrate for the whole world to see.

Thank you for reading.

I know some of you would have wanted the big hearts and flowers proposal but I felt that didn't fit this Ana and Christian and the way and where he did it after listening to Grandma's words, was personal to them.

Until next time, take care.

Caroline.