I do not own FSOG

Note: Don't worry, I will update 'What am I to you?' this Friday. ;)

This is just a something, something... Lol. This little 2-shot is set in an alternate universe. (A/U)

(Eight months earlier, Christian saved his best friend and ex-fiance from the wildfire. However, when he went back to grab his most precious painting, the second floor collapsed, and he was trapped)

In this fic, Christian is a burn victim of the wildfires.

x

These scars

...

.

Ana had asked Christian the question he dreaded the most, since he returned from the rehabilitation clinic." Why don't you want to see Kate?"

Those words sent a gnawing pain through his heart, a pain that had consumed him, both during waking hours and in his dreams. While he was in the clinic, Kate was the one person he held onto. She was what had kept him alive... she was the one who had given him strength.

He waited all those months for her to come and see him... However, she never came.

His best friend Jack, did visit him, once. And after that, only his sister, parents and brother went to visit him at the rehab center.

It hurt him a lot, discovering that the ones he thought who had his back, were the ones who dropped him like a brick, the moment things got difficult.

Well, during those months, Christian found out WHO his ex-fiance really was. It was then, when he realized she didn't love him enough.

When Christian returned home, it was finally clear to him why Kate didn't visit him, not even once... she had moved on— yup, she moved on with his best friend.

It was hard enough to come back home with a face that ugly and scarred. But like always, fate had been cruel to him, as he found out that Kate and his 'best friend' were lovers.

Well, that's why Christian decided to sever his relationship with the two. How could he win her heart again if he looked the way he did now? Christian had an idea how Kate would react if she would see him. Yes, she would totally freak out if she saw how his appearance had changed.

So, to protect himself from all the heartache, he kept refusing to see either one of them.

As Ana waited for Christian to answer her question, she saw all kinds of emotions being displayed on his face. Her heart bled, as she saw him in pain. 'He still loves Kate,' she thought.

She and Christian were colleagues, and friends. They met in college and kept in touch, and both were surprised when they met years later, when Ana applied for the COO position at his company.

Well, of course he hired Ana; she had a brilliant mind.

"You still love her, don't you?" Ana asked, her voice almost a whisper.

To her, it was heartbreaking to see her friend hurting so much. So, Ana instinctively closed the gap between them in three steps and pulled him into a hug, while his eyes fell shut involuntarily.

As her eyes watered and the tears spilled, she held onto Christian tightly. The arms he felt around him made him feel so vulnerable and, still, those same arms made him feel like he could overcome anything. At one point, he felt that his shirt had gotten wet from her tears. Her face was still in the crook of his neck, as a soft sob escaped her lips.

"Ana?" he said, as his eyes fluttered open.

"Yes?" she replied, her voice a little muffled.

"Look at me, please?"

Ana locked eyes with him, blue meeting gray, and said." Yes, Christian..."

"Why are you crying?"

She sniffled and shook her head. "I just can't stand it, when someone I care about is hurting."

He nodded, and attempted to smile. "It's OK, Ana... I can take it." he promised." You don't have to spill your tears for me. I'll be alright."

Ana sighed deeply, her eyes fluttering shut for a few moments." Will you agree to a meeting with Kate?" she asked carefully, afraid that he would shut her out.

He shook his head in response." I don't know if I can. I can take the punishment, I can take the pain, but I'm not so sure if I can see her just yet." he confessed, his voice trembling slightly, while a huge lump formed in his throat." I haven't been faithful to her, Ana... While I dated Kate, I cheated on her once. So, maybe this is Karma giving me payback. I'm pretty sure I deserve it,"

"Don't say that! No one deserves to feel the pain you're feeling!" Ana exclaimed, as she cupped his face gently.

He shook his head, his hands clenching into fists." How can you care about me, Ana?" he barked." Look at me! I have this ugly face..."

In response, Ana threw him a deadly glare. "Christian Grey, you are not ugly! Get that through your thick head, will you?! You are NOT ugly."

"I can't see Kate, Ana... I… I just can't. What if she can't see pass this?" he questioned, referring to his burned face.

Ana smiled, while placing a hand on his chest and the other carefully on his cheek." She will… she will be able to look pass the surface, believe me."

As Ana looked at him with hopeful eyes, he nodded and decided at that moment to take a chance and meet Kate.

.

.

~ That evening ~

.

Kate was in her office, busy finishing up on a case she had been working on, when she heard a knock on the door. With a file in hand, she walked towards the door and opened it. Kate came face to face with a man whose face was burned, the scars were the evidence.

She was startled, and yelped aloud.

"Kate" she heard the man say.

She cleared her throat and asked with a trembling voice."Can I help you with something, mister?"

"Aren't you gonna let me in, Kate?" Christian asked, while his heart rammed against his rib-cage.

It was then, when she recognized his voice. She looked at him in disbelief, her mouth open slightly. "Christian? Christian, is that really you?" she asked, absolutely shocked.

"Yes, it's me." he pointed out, while observing her." Aren't you gonna invite me in?"

Kate was afraid of his appearance—that was a fact. He almost sunk to the floor, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks.

The woman that he loved was afraid of him...

"Of course. Come in," she countered, her voice shaky, while doing her best to act normal around him.

He stepped inside and followed her. She nervously looked at him and asked, "Do you want a drink?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm good."

"I need one, so why don't you take a seat, while I grab a beer," she said and hastily walked in the direction of the small fridge in her office.

He took a seat in a chair and waited. After a few minutes, she came back with a beer in her hand and took a seat. "So… uhum, how are you, Christian?" she asked, as she avoided his gaze by studying the beer bottle.

"I'm doing fine. How are you?" he asked softly.

He tried to make eye contact, but wasn't able to, because Kate deliberately avoided his gaze.

"Kate?" he asked.

"Yes?" she replied, still avoiding his gaze.

"Look at me," he demanded.

She cleared her throat in response, and finally looked him straight in the eyes. "Yes?"

He let out a deep breath and shook his head. He then stood up and looked down at her. "I don't know why you insisted on seeing me. You asked Ana to meet with me and now that I'm here, you avoid looking at me like I'm some kind of disease." he said, the pain in his voice evident and clear." I know that I don't look like befo…" he said, but stopped mid sentence, as he felt an unbearable pain shoot right through his heart.

"Christian… I uhumm…" was all she managed to say.

Kate wanted to meet up with him to apologize for her absence during his recovery, AND most importantly to apologize for hurting him by moving on with his best friend.

Yes, that was the reason why she wanted to see him, but the words were stuck in her throat...

He was so disappointed, and shook his head. "It's OK, Kate..." he told her, while tears pooled in his eyes." Ana was wrong, though. I don't think you'll ever be able to see pass these scars..."

In response, Kate abruptly stood up, but he had enough! "Don't bother, Kate... You're even more beautiful than I remembered, but I guess you and Jack really deserve each other..."

After saying that, he walked out the door without even looking back once.

Note: Thank you for reading, you all.

Like it? If yes, then tell me.

J