No One's P.O.V. (only for this chapter)-

"What do you mean you don't know where he is?" You need to find him now!" "We're working on it." "Is the whole department on the case? Can you call all the departments in the city? The state?" "Believe me, I want to find him just as much as you do, Christian." Christian's eyes grew. This was the first time Paul had referred to him by his first name; he sort of liked it. The detective sat at his hospital bedside, where Christian was on the bed with the red rose bouquet in his lap. He'd been out of his mind with worry since Elena informed him about her ex-husband and his undying "love" for Ray's dead wife, Carla. Paul coming to tell him that Eric had managed to get away didn't help anything either.

"What about Elena?" "Who?" "This woman who used to work for me; she was the one who came here to tell me all about Lincoln. Can't you arrest and interrogate her?" Christian pressed. Paul's face fell downwards onto the floor sadly. "It's not a good idea. She has connections with the mob world if she knows about what's going on. I don't want to accidently incriminate Ana or Ray in the process of finding witnesses." "Paul…." Christian's lips parted a sliver. That's right; he knew as well. He was also there at the warehouse; he also heard and saw everything…

"You don't have to worry….. I've already taken the liberty to destroy all evidence pointing to Ana to the underworld," Paul uttered in a low voice; he knew he was breaking the law, but he didn't see as he had much a choice. Not if it would protect Anastasia… "Thank you, Paul; I can't tell you how grateful I am." "I could say the same…." Paul flashed Christian a soft side-grin. This whole experience slowly, slowly brought the two egoistical yet deeply caring men closer together; at least they weren't fighting all the time anymore. A little, tender laugh erupted from the detective's lips.

"It's sounds crazy, but… I wish it was me in that bed; I wish it had been me that saved Ana. I've always wanted to do something for her…. to be there for her." "Paul!" Christian did the right thing and let him continue; he looked as if he had more to say. "I guess I always wasn't this protective over her. But back when we were high school, maybe fifteen I think, she got hurt trying to help this elderly lady and kid on a staircase. I was going to meet her at the top and I saw her grab the woman just in time… Ana went tumbling down and broke her arm as a result. It was then that I knew she was different, special… I wanted to protect her, to make sure nothing like that ever happened again. She was always secretive of her family and never invited me over; we developed this weird dynamic. I treated her more like a little sister, getting mad and yelling at her a lot… Heh, she actually confessed to me in our last year of high school, but I turned her down. Now… now," Paul's hands pressed together as they were resting clasped on his kneecaps. His eyes lowered in the softest way imaginable. "I can't believe it took me this long to realize… I love her… I love Ana in the most hopeful, most helpless way."

Christian just watched the man for the longest time, not saying anything. He should have felt jealously; it would be rational for Christian to have been jealous. But he wasn't; he felt sorry for Paul- nothing but pity for the cop. It was like Paul rejected Anastasia's love in the past, and now it was too late for him, for them. Christian was certain that they'd be nothing more than dear friends going forward. Anastasia clearly adored Paul, but not in the way he loved her. It was different now. I want him near me….. I don't care how; I just want him in my life. Different, but maybe in a good way.

When Paul didn't speak for a minute or two, Christian felt it ok to say something to the dejected detective. "Thank you, Paul…. Thank you so much for going to her, for finding her. I trust you; I trust you to protect her," in his absence, of course. Paul's gaze met his and the two men looked at each other. "Thanks, Grey; I trust you too, obviously…." His eyes rolled down to the bandages around his waist. "Allies?" Christian smirked while sticking out his hand. Paul chuckled. "Friends too much of a stretch?" "For the time being, but I know you're on her side, and that's the most important thing to me right now." Paul eyed him for a moment before steadily shaking his hand. "Yeah, me too."

Right as their hands parted, the hospital door opened; neither man was surprised to see Odo come inside, shutting the door behind him. "Hey, Odo. Any word yet?" Paul asked first; Christian still didn't know his name. "Not yet; I've got all the Dollars out trying to sniff out the asshole." "So it's true, then? Anastasia handed the metaphorical Dollar title over to you?" Christian leaned back in his folded-up bed. Odo considered before responding, eventually nodding his head; he didn't like discussing the Dollars with non-mobsters. This whole "being in a gang" thing was new to him too.

"How is she?" Paul asked the newly appointed mob lord. "She's fine- packing. Steele's booked her a plane ticket for this weekend; he's going to destroy her American passport the moment she lands in Britain." Christian and Paul looked at each other, letting a brief pause fall over the room. "Did you want to talk to me about something, Odo?" With a very stiff lip, the detective blinked back to the mob lord. "Not you- him," Odo pointed to Christian before shoving both his hands back into his pockets. Christian seemed surprised but not too surprised to hear this.

"Steele's asked me to tell you to keep your distance from the princess until she's settled in York." Christian's mouth immediately shot to retort the request, but he carried on. "He knows you visited her in Florence. Oh yeah; you don't think he installed a monitor in her phone before she left? This is a big change for her; she's leaving America and will not be returning- ever. Even for visits; she's moving to Europe where she's going to stay. Course she needs time to digest all this," he brought his arms into a fold.

Neither man replied right away. Their stares simply wandered into nowhere for what felt like eternity, though it was only a few seconds. Then Paul wordlessly looked back at Christian. His lips parted once again, though it took a while before any words came out. "Ok." "Christian?" Paul blinked in mild astonishment; he expected the CEO to at least put up a little more fight than that. But Christian's expression was firm and truthful. "I will respect Ray's wishes, so long as he understands that I don't intend to stay away for too long." Paul peered back to Odo, who merely gave a single nod in understanding. "Got it. I'll let him know," he then turned to head back out the door.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta get back to the princess," he didn't like being away from her this long. Christian stopped him on his way out, however. "Odo!" The mob lord paused for a second, glancing back at him from over his shoulder. Christian stared in a sincere fashion, a kind yet straight smile appearing in the corners of his lips. "Thank you…. thank you." Odo didn't reply for a moment, watching Christian with wide eyes of his own. Eventually he too smiled….. he smiled at the men inside the room. "Don't thank me; she's my headache too."

The best kind of headache anyone could ever have.