Urgh, I'm really struggling with what to write this time. Not because I don't know what to write, but because I do. I know how virtually this entire story will play out, so it's really hard to know what bits to share and where. Plus, I keep changing my mind about things; which does not help, at all.
Ana's POV
I stop on the sidewalk outside the hospital, which causes Christian to turn around and look at me funny. Fuck! I thought I could do this; it's been nearly four years. That should be long enough, right? He's staring at me like he can see what's going on inside my head and I can't breathe. Shit! It's been six months since my last panic attack, and I thought, hoped really, that they were gone. But, damnit, it feels like there's an elephant on my chest.
Christian's mouth is moving, but I can't hear what he's saying over the blood rushing through my ears. Pull yourself together! It's just a fucking hospital, and a broken wrist. I should be fine. It's not the first time I've done this. But, it's thishospital; it's like I'm back to being the scared seventeen-year-old who woke up here.
"It's ok." A hand settles on my left cheek, pulling me from my head. "Hospitals used to freak me out as a kid, but they are not that bad, really." He whispers to me as his eyes never leave mine. But something in the way he says it makes me aware that he suspects there's something more to my fear. "How about I hold your hand and you can squeeze it so hard that you break it. Then you will have something else to do besides stress out." He says it in such a manner that it makes me chuckle. And, just like that, the panic attack is gone before it really had a chance to start.
"Nah, then I'd just feel like an ass for hurting someone else." I say as he slips his hand back into mine.
"Ouch." He says clutching his chest with his other hand with a chuckle. "Way to make a guy feel bad."
"You should, you broke my wrist!"
"We don't know that, yet." He says but even he sounds less convinced this time.
"Name, please?" A voice from my right says, dragging my attention away from Christian. How the fuck did we get inside?
"Err… Anastasia Steele." Even after all these years, I still stumble over that part. I go through all the necessary details of getting checked in, before going to sit down in the waiting room. Only when we are seated, do I realise we are still holding hands. I find myself reluctant to let go.
Given it's the middle of the day, we aren't waiting long before my name is called. I get up to follow the nurse back to the exam room and I'm surprised Christian doesn't release my hand when I stand. Instead, holds it tighter and follows both me and the nurse to the exam room, never once relinquishing his hold.
It's not until we are in the room that we are forced to separate, as the chairs are on opposite sides of the room. I feel a strange sense of loss when he lets go, which surprises me. As most of the time, I do whatever I can to avoid touching other people. Especially anyone I don't know well. The nurse tells us to wait and the doctor will be in shortly.
Only once we are in the quiet of the room does it hit me that I've got no idea what he should be doing given that it's the middle of a weekday.
"Don't know why it didn't hit me till now but what are you supposed to be doing today? Because taking me to the ER, I guess was not quite what you had in mind."
"Not much really, I just finished college so I'm off for the summer 'til I start working full time at my Dad's firm in the beginning of September. And, you?"
"Oh cool. I was just waiting to pick up Ben, then I was going to take him home and chill before work tonight."
"Oh, and who's Ben?" He asks, looking puzzled.
"My dog; he was at the groomers."
"Oh, shit do you need to call someone to get him picked up before they close?" He stammers out, going all over-protective and helpful in about two seconds flat.
"No, no it's fine. I guarantee someone has already picked him up by now."
"I've been with you for the past…" He pauses looking down at his smart watch. "Nearly two hours, and you haven't called anyone, so how would they know?" He's words come off almost rude, but I know they aren't; he's genuinely confused.
"Erm, it's just that they have other people's numbers for him, so if I didn't come back, they would call them." He doesn't seem convinced of my answer, but thankfully he doesn't push. I'm saved from making anymore small talk when in walks the doctor, but it's not just some random doctor. It's the same doctor who I know will have seen to it that Ben is taken care of. I know, because he's one of the closest people I've got to family.
"Ana honey, what happened?" He says bending over to hug me from where I'm sitting on the bed; before he looks over and spots Christian sitting in the chair over the other side of the room.
"Got knocked over in the park by him." I say pointing over to Christian. "He wasn't looking where he was going, and neither was I when I stood up. Christian this is Doctor Ramone D'Angelo and 'Mone, this is Christian, erm..." I pause realising I don't actually know his last name.
"Grey, Sir. Christian Grey. Pleasure to meet you, Doctor." Christian blurts out, I'm sure a little stumped as to why I know the ER doctor by his first name.
Ramone and I met almost 5 years ago when I was brought into the hospital, 'Mone is one of the best orthopaedic surgeons in the area. He almost single-handily rebuilt my bones when I arrived here for the first time as a scared almost 17-year old. Ramone is also one of the closest things I have to a father; but that's a story for another time.
"Oh, enough with the formalities, please call me Angelo; everyone but Ana does." Ramone chuckles as he shakes Christian's hand. Christian's eyes swing to mine and I can see the question in them. So, I look away because I know Ramone wouldn't want me to answer. "Ana, let's take a quick look at your wrist." Ramone says, turning back to face me before nodding to the privacy screen questioning silently if I want it closed, but not forcing me to say why out loud. I nod in response.
'Mone closes the curtain as I carefully pull my left arm out of my hoodie. Knowing that he's previously seen all my scars and won't ask any questions; I know that and it still makes my heart race and my breathing pick up. 'Mone examines my wrist and comes to same conclusion as me but sends me to get an x-ray to be sure. I pull my hoodie on before he opens the curtain and tells us he will see us in a bit.
I'm lucky that x-ray tech is one I've met before and therefore she doesn't comment on my scars. Once I'm out, Christian and I head back to the waiting room only to find Ray standing there looking less that pleased. I'm sure Christian thinks it's aimed at him for running into me or for holding my hand, but I know better, and honestly, it's my own fault.
"Anastasia." Ray pretty much growls at me, trying to keep his temper in check, but this time I'm not fazed by it because it's well deserved.
"I'm sorry." I whisper, before looking down at the floor knowing that it's not enough of an apology to anyone, let alone the man I owe everything. I brace myself for the lecture I know is coming, but instead, I'm crushed into his chest as he covers me with his 6'5" frame. Somehow, even with the force he using to hold me, he manages to keep all the pressure off my bad wrist. I begrudgingly release Christian's hold on my good hand so that I can wrap it around Ray. After a while, he lets me go before giving my body the full once over to check for any other injuries.
Just as Ray is about to launch into a speech that I'm sure I've heard word for word before, the only person that can save me happens to walk around the corner. I let out the biggest breath as 'Mone walks towards us. But, sooner than he can enter Ray's field of vision, Ray turns almost as if he can sense his partner.
"Hi Angel." Ray says to 'Mone with that lovesick grin that he always gets whenever his partner enters the room.
"Hey." 'Mone replies with the same blush on his cheeks he always gets whenever Ray calls him that. They stare at each other for a few moments before Ray leans in and places a gentle kiss on 'Mone's lips then turns to me again. Crap!
"Why did I have to hear it from him and not you?" Ray says, this time there is no growl or even a hint of anger in his voice. And in this moment, I've never been more grateful for 'Mone than I am right now.
"I was going to call you when I got home to tell you that I wasn't going to able to work for the next few weeks. At least not upstairs, but I could serve instead." I say still not able to meet his eyes.
"You think I give a shit about work?" Ray bites out his anger, I subconsciously go to take a step back only catching myself at the last moment. I look up at both of them to see if they caught it; but when I see the sadness in their eyes, I know they did. Fuck! "You just worry me, you know that. Anyone else and I wouldn't ever be worried, but it's you." He says this time with his voice much softer.
"I know, I know, but that's why I didn't tell you. It's only a broken wrist and I'm not alone." I say remembering Christian. "Ray, this is Christian Grey and Christian, this is Raymond Covelo, 'Mone's husband."
"Pleasure to meet you, sir." Christian says reaching out his hand to shake Ray's.
"Enough with that, as I'm sure my husband told you. It's Ray." Ray chuckles shaking his hand.
"Ok, now that everyone is caught up, shall we go get you set up in the exam room?" 'Mone says, ushering us all down the hall and back into the exam room. Once we are all situated, 'Mone explains that there is a small hairline fracture in my wrist and that I'm going to need a cast. Great!
'Mone goes to get all the supplies needed for the half cast. I'll need to get that before the proper cast can be put on a few days after the swelling goes down. Ray climbs onto the bed next to me while we wait for 'Mone to return. Ray loops his arm over my shoulders and pulls me to him before bending down to whisper in my ear.
"Don't worry, I'm not mad, neither of us are. We just worry about you, you know that. I'm sorry I scared you, I know better. I'm so sorry, doll." He says with such compassion it makes my heart hurt and my eyes fill with unshed tears. He presses a kiss to my temple, but doesn't let up his hold. I nod into his chest knowing my touch means more to him than any words could.
I look up into Christian's eyes expecting to see confusion, but instead, there's something I can't quite place, something that looks almost like understanding.
Once 'Mone is back with everything he needs for the temporary cast, he asks Ray to leave to avoid Christian getting suspicious as to why only he needs to be outside the curtain. 'Mone makes it seem like it's for privacy, as I need to take my hoodie off and all I've got underneath is a bra, given the weather. It's relatively chilly given the time of year today, so I could wear the hoodie. Most of the time, I would just go with a shirt or a blouse.
It doesn't take long before the half cast is in place. 'Mone puts on a sling, as well, to help with the swelling. Once my arm is secure in the sling, he helps me get my hoodie back in place and does it up for me before opening the curtain. Just as he is about to explain all the necessary information about after care, Ray gets a call and shoots me an apologetic look before leaving the room. 'Mone explains everything to both me and Christian, only once he is finished does Ray come back in.
"Sorry doll, I've got to go deal with something for Vin. Can you call him when you get in? You know he's worried about you, too. And, if he wasn't out of the state, he'd be here right now. Please?" Rays asks with a pleading look, knowing I won't want to call Vin, given everything.
"Fine, I'll call him. Okay?"
"Thank you. I don't want to see you at work tonight or for the rest of the week. Do you hear me? You show up and I'll take you home, personally." Ray says, bending down to kiss my hair before staring at me with his no-nonsense stare.
"Jeez okay, okay." I surrender knowing there's no winning with him, with that Ray leaves.
'Mone gives me all the needed information and books me in for my proper cast fitting later the following week before promising to check in with me later. With that, Christian and I are left alone, and I don't know what to say. How do I explain this all to someone who knows nothing about me? Or, my past?
"Shall we get you home? You must need to rest after all of this, today." Christian states.
I try to figure out how to say 'no' without sounding rude, but then it hits me that both Ray and 'Mone have left me alone with him. Two of the most over-protective people in my life left me alone with a complete stranger. Two people I know that have great instinct. That has to count for something, right? So, for once, I trust my gut and take a leap of faith.
"Yes, please." I say, standing from the bed. Christian gets up and walks towards me. I'm not sure what I'm expecting him to do, but he reaches down to my side and grabs my loose sleeve before tucking it into my hood pocket, so it doesn't drag beside me. That small caring gesture, that would mean nothing to most people, makes my heart warm in a way that I'm not sure I've ever felt before.
He takes my hand and walks me out of the hospital. We are barely a block away before he pulls me down an alley and gently pushes me against a wall. He leans his head towards me, so close that I can feel his breath on my skin. Almost as if he's about to kiss me, I'm about to pull away because there is no way I'm ready for that. When at the last second shifts so his lips rest against me ear and says six words that make my heart stop.
"Do you know we're being followed?"
So, there it is. Please let me know what you think, I love reading all the reviews. Or, if you have any questions, let me know.
Don't worry, you'll find out who's following Ana in next chapter.
Fearfully Brave.