Disclaimer: I don't own Fifty Shades of Grey. All credits to E.L. James.
PROLOGUE
The Steele's
Raymond Steele and Eamon Kavanagh grew up in Seattle Washington. They were best friends because their parents were best friends. They lived next door to each other, going through elementary, middle, and high school together. In 9th grade Ray fell in love with Carla Wilkes. They were totally in love. Eamon was a playboy. He didn't date anyone, but he slept with everyone. Ray thought he was just struggling since he lost both of his parents in a car accident. He was living with Ray and his parents.
After high school Ray, who had planned his future around the military by joining JROTC and ROTC, did exactly that. Eamon went to college, he had to in order to get his inheritance. He had his own dreams to start his own media company. So Ray was sent off to boot camp while Carla and Eamon attended the University of Washington. In 4 years lots had changed.
Ray was diligent and moved up the ranks quickly, everyone was impressed. He married Carla after two years while she was in college. Carla's mother was sick with cancer and Ray wanted her to see her baby married since it was always just the two of them. Eamon of course was the best man. Eamon was making his own waves. He finished his college career in 2 and a half years and opened his own company called Kavanagh Media. He was smart, he didn't wait until he finished school to start getting it off of the ground. By the time he finished, he was ready to make millions. He was even giving dating a chance.
Life was great, Ray and Carla made a home in Seattle. They wanted kids one day and he didn't want them following him everywhere. Plus he knew his best friend was there to help. Things were about to change drastically though. Ray was home on leave and got the call to report to duty immediately. They were going to war. Ray wanted to stay calm and positive for Carla. He told her he would be safe and no matter what he would come back to her.
He asked Eamon if anything happened to him, to please take care of Carla. He didn't have to ask him, because they were all friends. About six months passed and Carla received the knock she was dreading since he left. Two officers stood at her door and told her the worst news ever, Ray was dead from an explosion. Eamon stood by her as she buried her husband and he buried his best friend.
An entire year went by and Carla struggled so much. Some days she wouldn't even leave the bed. She was heartbroken, but not alone. Ray's parents grieved so much, they died within that year. That caused Carla more pain. They were like her second parents. Eamon struggled in his own way, but he threw himself into work. He had an idea to get Carla back on track, she had a business degree after all. He picked her up everyday and showed her every single detail of his business.
They spent a lot of time together and they both had lost so much. It was their bond and in their grief they did what adults do, they began having sex. Carla didn't love him, but she was sad and alone. Eamon felt guilty every single time, but he just wanted the old Carla back. He thought Ray would be so hurt. It was eating at him so much. He was in a board meeting, which Carla always attended. She was his second in command. Eamon dropped dead of a massive heart attack and died.
Carla had two surprises after that. One Eamon left her everything. He left her his house, his money, and his company. Two he left her his baby. Carla wasn't feeling well and she ignored it, thinking it was stress and loss, but it wasn't. She was over three months pregnant before she even figured it out. Luckily the baby was healthy, she couldn't take another blow.
She never moved into Eamon's house. She couldn't bear leaving the home she and Ray built, but she never sold it. She ran the company and did well. No way would she lose another thing. At eight months she took leave for her health and the baby. She was having her one cup of decaffeinated coffee and trying to eat. Eating was her biggest struggle the entire pregnancy. She heard a knock on the door. She hated hearing the knocks, it also reminded her of that day.
When she opened the door, she saw two officers standing in front of her and she fainted. When she woke up she was in the hospital. A nurse was standing over her, checking her vitals. She welcomed her back and told her she gave everyone quite a scare. When she sat up and looked across the room she saw the back of a man looking out of the window. When he turned, she saw it was Ray. She almost passed out again, but he flew to her side.
She cried for an hour. She cried for the loss that wasn't anymore. She cried for the pain that she had to somehow realize wasn't there. She cried at the fact she was carrying his best friend's baby and not her husband's. She cried and explained and cried some more. Ray just wiped her tears and as she begged for forgiveness, he said there was nothing to forgive. None of this was on her or Eamon. He cried with her for the loss of his best friend.
He was in an explosion but he wasn't in the tank, everyone else was. The blast threw him away from the bomb. The enemies took him and held him hostage for months. He was found by military soldiers that invaded the area he was being held in. He received the shocking news that his family was told he was dead. He was shocked, but he wasn't. He promised to be the baby's dad no matter what.
Carla had a baby girl right before Christmas. Ray described her as a gift from Eamon. She looked just like him. She had strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. They went back and forth with a name but named her Katherine Kavanagh Steele. Katherine was Eamon's mother's name and they had to use his last name even though she would hate her middle name growing up.
Ray talked Carla into moving into Eamon's home and selling theirs. It was huge and in a gated community. He thought it would be better for them especially since she owned his business. Ray was given a full medical discharge and he agreed to stay home with Kate.
Ray, Carla, and Kate all had doctor's appointments on the same day. Ray was still dealing with some medical issues. Carla was being cleared to resume full activities, and Kate had her first wellness checkup. They decided to divide and conquer. Kate was doing great and gaining weight. Carla was healed and able to get back to normal. She was unsure when her doctor asked about birth control. She didn't want to go on anything without talking to Ray.
She went home and made Ray's favorite dinner, chicken pot pie. He came home in a great mood. He had burns on his torso that were healed enough not to need any more surgeries. When he got home, he gave Carla the great news and when they kissed it was like old times. Things had been weird between them. Carla was even starting to wonder if they were forcing something that wasn't meant to be anymore, but that kiss changed everything. Since Kate was asleep, that kiss also lead to some very passionate sex. Neither of them were thinking.
Carla realized she should have taken birth control, because she ended up pregnant again right away. Carla had another baby 9 months later. Anastasia Rose Steele was born in September. Ana had dark brown hair and blue eyes, she was the opposite of Kate. Kate wouldn't turn 1 for another 3 months. Carla did go on birth control after Ana was born. She figured she was fertile and needed a break. Kate and Ana were so close and because of the months their birthdays fell on, they entered kindergarten together.
In the summer after the girls finished their first year of school, Carla and Ray found out they were pregnant with their final baby. It was a boy and he was born the following March. He had dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. They named him Ethan Raymond Steele. Ethan was Eamon's dad's name. By then, Ray was in charge of security at Kavanagh Media, while Carla still ran the company. They had an excellent live-in nanny and the kids adored Elizabeth.
The Grey's
Carrick Grey and Eric Lincoln were best friends growing up. Carrick was always the calmer, more level headed of the two. Eric always found trouble. Carrick's parents were kind and hardworking. They both worked two and three jobs to provide for their family. Carrick learned to work too, in school and out of school. Eric's dad owned Lincoln Timber. It brought in lots of business and money. He raised Eric completely on his own, but he was so busy, he never focused any attention on him. He didn't have to work hard, he knew his future was in his dad's business.
In high school they met best friends and their future wives, Elena and Grace. They had been friends forever. Carrick fell in love with Grace. She came from money. Her parents had money as well and Grace herself had a trust fund. They expected great things from her and Carrick fit right in with his work ethic. They didn't care that he didn't have money. Elena didn't have money, but she fell in love with Eric because he did. In their senior year of high school Elena became pregnant and Eric's dad forced him to marry her.
After high school, Eric and Elena got married and stayed in Seattle and he ran the business. Unfortunately she lost the baby. It was devastating for her. She didn't even have her best friend. Carrick and Grace both went to Harvard. Carrick was majoring in Pre Law and Grace was majoring in Pre Med. Carrick won a partial scholarship and Grace's parents paid the rest. The separation made Elena jealous.
Eight years passed before they moved back to Seattle to settle down. Grace was a pediatrician and Carrick was a lawyer. They actually moved next door to Eric and Elena, who seemed to be happy even though they had not had any children. They got married after school and immediately started a family. Grace became pregnant easily. She and Carrick welcomed Elliot Carrick Grey at the end of May.
Elliot fell at preschool and the school called Grace. She took him to the hospital to X-ray his injured arm. While they were waiting she noticed a little boy that was brought in holding his mother's hand. Grace knew by the codes, he was clinging to his dead mother. He looked malnourished, beaten, and scared. They put him in a bed next to Elliot. The nurses knew Grace well. They explained he was found with her and an unidentified man who was also dead. They also said he only knew his name was Christian, but refused to eat or talk.
Grace saw Elliot wave at him. And Christian waved back. They were fitting Elliot for a blue cast when Carrick got there. They asked Elliot to see if he would eat and Christian copied everything he did. While the boys talked and played, they learned Christian was the same age born 2 weeks later in June. Carrick watched his son and wife fawn over little Christian. He talked to Grace about taking him and went into lawyer mode. He pulled a lot of strings and Christian joined their family as Christian Trevelyan Grey. Grace's parents loved him immediately, but he clung especially to her father, Grandpa Theo. Their final child joined the family, Mia Grace Grey, making them complete.
The kids grew up happy and loved. Elliot and Christian were always close and always together. The more their family grew the more Elena secretly hated them, so she went after Elliot and Christian. Elliot and Christian had their normal joint birthday party. They were only 2 weeks apart. They snuck away from the party to the Lincoln's pool house. Elliot was with Gia and Christian was with Susan. Elliot liked blondes and Christian liked brunettes. They were giving the boys a very personal birthday present. Elliot was more advanced, but this was Christian first oral.
Elena who had watched them the entire time busted them and blackmailed them. She called the girls little sluts and said she was telling their parents. Elliot and Christian were good kids and it scared them. She turned to leave and they begged saying they would do anything, but please don't tell. In their 15 year old minds, they meant yard work, pool cleaning, things like that. Elena had them. She began that day physically and sexually abusing both boys. She would hit them with belts and straps and she would have older girls do things to them sexually while she watched. She even filmed it.
This went on for over a year and their behavior changed dramatically. After a suspension, Carrick and Grace sat them down and told them they better tell them what was going on or they were going to a private military school. They did what scared teenage boys would do, they lied. Truth was they were terrified, Eric and Elena were both involved in BDSM and abusing underage girls and boys. Both boys kept it a secret and never told anyone.
The abuse continued, but after high school Elliot and Christian both attended Harvard together. It was their getaway. They couldn't be touched. College was a must to get their trust funds. When they finished they opened a company together called Grey Enterprise and Holding in Seattle. They became millionaires in just a year and their business was only growing. Grace and Carrick were proud of all of their children. Christian and Elliot were torn about coming back, but they loved their family.