*Christian's POV*

We're meeting my parents for brunch today. Usually Sunday's are for Grey dinners but I don't think we are ready for that yet. I want Anastasia to be comfortable and us to be able to make a quick exit after eating instead of feeling pressured to stay and make small chat. I can't help but feel like this is a business meeting. I invited Elliot and Kate hoping it will be less awkward.

"How's it going, angel?" She's been in her closet for awhile, seeming to hate everything she owns.

"Not well!"

I push myself off her bed and find her in her bra and black leggings. "I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard, but my jeans don't fit anymore and so I have to wear leggings and I can't wear a t-shirt with them cause then I'll look like a slob and most of my work shirts don't look right with leggings but I don't want to wear a dress..." She plops down on the chair in her closet, resigned.

I sigh. "You are putting way too much thought into this, Ana." I rub her back, trying to ease her tension.

"I just want them to like me, Christian."

"They will, angel." Trying to help, I look through her closet. It's a windy cool fall day so I look over her few sweaters and pull out a long beige sweater jacket. "What about this?"

She regards it. "Yea, that's cute. I can wear a black tank under it." She rummages through her drawers and finds what she's looking for. Putting it on, I see that it's form fitting and her 17 week belly is sticking out beautifully in it. I like that.

"I look fat." She pouts.

I shake my head at my hormonal girl. "You look pregnant. You're stunning, Ana. Show it off." I rub her stomach, loving her bump. It's hard to believe that I did this. I smile at the thought. I'll take every hormonal outburst she has because of it. I'll ease her in any way I can.

I help slide her sweater jacket on and watch as she looks at herself in the mirror. Her head cocks to the side as she situates her sweater and she smiles. "I like it."

I grin. "Yea?"

"Yea. You did a good job." She turns toward me and presses her lips to mine. "Thank you. I know I'm high strung right now."

"You're very welcome. It's my job to help ease you." This is a nervewracking situation and it is my side of the family making her so upset. I really hope today goes well. I help slip her feet into her black Vans and we're headed out. Taylor is driving us with Sawyer in the passenger seat.

When we greet my parents, I give my mother a kiss and shake my father's hand, but Anastasia stands beside me, quiet. I can feel the anxiety radiating off of her.

"Anastasia." My mother gives her a soft smile. "You look beautiful. How far along are you now?"

Ana smiles back at my mother and rests her hand against her stomach. "Thank you Dr. Trevelyan. I'm seventeen weeks now."

"Wow. Almost halfway already." My mother's smile widens.

I reach over and place my hand on her stomach, proud of the baby that's growing. "We have an ultrasound this week. Hopefully we'll find out the gender."

"That's wonderful." My mother looks like she could cry. "Oh goodness, where are my manners? Come sit. Get off your feet. Elliot and Kate should be here soon and we'll order."

I pull a chair back for my girl and my father's hand comes out in front of her. "I'm sorry." His voice is quiet and full of conviction. It makes my heart swell with hope.

She takes his hand and gives him a smile. "I just want a chance, Mr. Grey."

He nods. "You deserve one."

Once we're settled in our seats, I see my mother's look of determination as she takes a sip of water. I can see her urge to squash this issue and I'm thankful for it.

"Anastasia..." My girl's eyes jerk up from their spot in her plate. "I want to apologize for my horrendous behavior from before. I am so embarrassed of myself."

Ana gives her a small smile. "I appreciate that."

"Elliot and I had a talk and he explained to me that Christian was being... well, in his words he called him a horse's ass..." I laugh. I can't deny that. "And that you and Ethan have never been in any sort of romantic relationship. Elliot knew he could extort Christian by using his jealousy issues, so he and Kate planned it to try to get Christian's head on straight."

I sigh and shake my head. "Well... it worked eventually, I guess. Mom, you have to understand that she only ran out of the house in a panic over what I did...er... said. I threw my weight around and scared her off. I can't take back what I did, but we've moved on and I hope that you two can forget that evening. You didn't get a good first impression of her because of me."

"We'll forget that evening if you can forget the one that where we acted like fools." My dad gives us a soft smile.

Ana smiles back at him. "I think we can do that. A fresh start."

My parents both agree.

*Ana's POV*

"There's my baby." Kate and Elliot just arrived and Kate already has both hands on my stomach, talking to baby bear.

"Your baby?" Christian asks, beside me. "I don't remember you being there."

His comment makes Kate laugh. "But Auntie Kate is their favorite." She pats my stomach affectionately and I can feel myself beaming. When she turns to greet the others, Elliot's large hands cover the entirety if my bump, making me laugh.

"You going to try to steal my baby, too?"

He gives me a wink. "I'll give them back when they need changed or cry."

"Gee thanks." I roll my eyes playfully at him.

"Mom?" Christian's voice makes both of us look across the table at Dr. Trevelyan. She's teary-eyed while Mr. Grey rubs her back.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so disappointed with how much we've missed. Everyone seems to have bonded so much and we've missed it."

"Oh, Mom. There's still time." Christian reaches across the table to squeeze her hand.

Elliot helps push my seat in as I sit and I smile fondly at the bond between Christian and his mother. His parent's apologies and regret seem honest and I hope that this is a fresh start for everyone. I want Christian to have both parents and I can't bear to be the reason why he doesn't. He has a bond with his mother that I don't have with mine and I don't want him to lose any second he could have with her.

I'm seventeen weeks along and my mother hasn't even bothered to text me about the baby. She's sent me a very angry text about the way I spoke to her, which took me a long time to reply. I explained to her how stressed I had been and how I should have responded to her in a more dignified manner instead of throwing a fit like a child, but that I couldn't forgive her for some things unless we actually talked them out and did some teletherapy together. She never responded. I took that as a no.

I wish I had a mother figure to talk to while I go through this pregnancy, but I am very blessed to have so much support from my father, friends, and Christian that I cannot complain.

I hope that Dr. Trevelyan and I can become close as time goes by. I can't deny that I am still worried that they think I might be using Christian for his money. His father was so worried I'd try to suck him dry and it hurts my feelings. I know I shouldn't care what others think, but it's my reputation at stake and I don't want anyone running around spreading lies about me.

"Angel?" My thoughts are interrupted by my handsome man. "What would you like to eat?"

I frown. My tummy is so sour from everything today. "My tummy is upset."

He gives me a concerned look. "What is it, baby? Morning sickness?" He rests his palm on my stomach.

I shrug, trying to keep my pregnancy hormones in order.

Leaning over, he whispers in my ear to tell me what's wrong.

"It's just a stressful day." I tell him quietly. "I'm so scared they won't like me and I'm going to ruin your relationship with your parents and I don't know how I can show them that I'm not after you financially and seeing you with your mom makes me sad that my mom cares more about her men than she cares about me and my hormones are all over the place and-"

He pulls me into him, stopping me. "Oh, my Ana. You've got so much going on in that head of yours. We'll get this figured out, okay? None of this is your fault."

"Christian is right, Anastasia."

I color when I realize his mother heard me, although I know I wasn't the most quiet talking to him. My anxiety is high.

"We don't think you're taking advantage of Christian. I'm sorry we accused you of something before we even knew you."

A tear falls down my cheeks, but Christian wipes it away for me.

"You don't have to talk about it, Anastasia, but what happened with your mom? Is she not around?"

I shake my head. "Not really. She has a drinking slash man problem where she only feels validated when she has a man and when they're gone, she drinks herself into oblivion. I resented her a lot for making me take care of her while she was black-out drunk and for embarrassing me in front of other people. She moved me all over the country until I called my Dad and told him what was going on. Then I moved in with him."

"He's good to you?"

I smile. "He's wonderful. I was always so worried I'd end up like my mother, but he was determined to show me I wasn't. I was so worried that I might, that I steered clear of relationships all together. Not that I had much time anyway. I was in college and had two jobs to keep myself above water. I didn't want Dad to have to worry about paying my way. So, really, Christian is my first real relationship."

"How did your dad take it when you told him you were pregnant?"

I hear Christian snort beside me, making me smile and he answers his mother. "Well, I'm still living, so it didn't go that bad. Nothing like saying 'Nice to meet your Mr. Steele, I'm the man who took your daughter's virginity and impregnanted her..' "

"Christian! That's no ones business!" I'm angry.

He winces. "I'm sorry, angel. I didn't- damn. I didn't think that through."

"Please don't be embarrassed about that, Anastasia. That is very respectable to wait until you're grown to make those decisions. Your secret is safe with us." His mother gives me a kind smile and I realize that his slip up might have made them like me a lot more. They see that I'm not some tramp sleeping my way through Seattle money.

Rubbing my back, Christian encourages me to eat something. My heart feels lighter but my stomach hasn't caught up yet.

"What about chocolate milk?" He asks me, giving me a wink. The memory of our argument over the milk makes me giggle.

"And hashbrowns." I add.

"And eggs." He continues.

I frown. Blech. I wasn't much for eggs even pre pregnancy. "What about a peice of ham instead?" It'll make me bloat but at least I won't have to choke down an egg.

He smiles and presses his lips to mine. "See? Communication."

XxXxXx

"That went well." I'm happy. We're on our way back home after brunch and Dr. Trevelyan even asked for a hug when we said goodbye.

Christian nods. "Really well. I am so relieved that my parents apologized. I know it'll take some healing for you, but I hope you all become close and slowly forget the disaster of what happened before."

"I'm optimistic about it. Ready to be past the awkwardness stage though. It doesn't mix well with my hormones."

Christian reaches over and brings my hand to his lips. "Thank you for calling my mother; for fighting for me. It would have been so easy for you to just let the rift continue and keep them from intruding, but you wanted my relationship with them to mend. That shows so much love for me, Ana, to worry about my happiness."

"I love you more than anything, you know that. I'll always fight for and with you. We're a team. Whatever you face, I face." I mean what I say. Christian deserves every second of happiness he has in his life and I'll do my best to give him more.

"I'm going to marry you one day."

I grin. He keeps saying that.

A/N: Big things happen in next chapter. Let me know if you'd like a teaser.