This is not a new story. It can be found at bluesky5678 as well. However, due to a computer glitch, that page will no longer accept new stories. Thus, all stories 21+ can be found at bluesky5679 as well as a few I'll be transferring from 78 to 79.

Hello, everyone. Here is #12. Nothing to do but write. Pandemic, don't ya know?

Grocery store, swimming at the YMCA, dinner with a friend on a restaurant deck once a week, keeping 6 or more feet between us. So busy, busy, busy I trust that everyone is wearing a mask. I wear mine for you and you wear yours for me. Thank you. Covid kills and it's a nasty way to go. If you survive, you're quite likely to have permanent liver, kidney, lung and even brain damage. Please take care of yourselves and all those around you.

Lost and Found is composed of chapters 1 thru 49 including an epilogue.

The characters belong to E. L. James. Thank you for sharing, Ms. James.

Christian Grey had it all until his fear and selfishness cost him his happiness and almost his sanity.

LOST AND FOUND

CHAPTER 1

Rose Cartwright sat on the porch swing of her cozy yellow bungalow, sipping on a lemonade as she watched the movers load the contents of the house into the moving van. It made her sad to see. Tomorrow she and her daughter Belinda would spend their first night in their new home outside of Seattle, WA. It was a necessary change but both hated to leave the house and the town they'd called home for the past five years.

Rose watched as her little girl and her best friend sat together on the lawn with their arms around each other. They'd done a lot of crying but were now quiet and somber, worn out. They'd known each other since they were babies. Rose smiled at the memory of Belinda and Mary toddling full speed toward each across the lawn when they first learned to walk. The vast differences in their intellects and development meant nothing to them. They were too young to know that Belinda was highly gifted and Mary was a child of Downs Syndrome. It was, in fact, that difference that brought them together. Other children didn't understand Belinda or Mary but they accepted each other. They were both different from "normal" kids and they helped each other navigate a world in which neither quite fit.

Belinda had been tested for kindergarten and Rose had been dismayed to learn that their township had nothing to offer someone with her intelligence. She needed a special school to help her reach her full potential. Leaving town meant Rose giving up her job as editor of the city newspaper as well. To add to her chagrin, the best school for her daughter was in a small, elite suburb just 17 miles north of Seattle, a place Rose had hoped to leave behind for the rest of her days.

Belinda and Mary jumped to their feet and raced to the curbside to greet the older gentleman both knew as grampa. He swooped the two tiny girls up into his arms and greeted each with a loud kiss on their cheeks. Rose waved to her father from the porch as he lowered the children to their feet.

At least Belinda wouldn't lose her grandfather but Mary would lose him, her friend and Rose. Rose wondered how much Mary really understood. She kept asking how long they would be gone. Rose sighed. She had hoped that they'd never have to return to that place.

"Hi, sweetheart, how are you doing?" George sat down on the swing and put his arm around his daughter.

"Oh, I'm okay, daddy. Just feeling sad, you know, especially for Belinda and Mary. Ironic, isn't it, that Belinda's being so blessed means so much heartache?"

"Yeah, Mary's grandmother is pretty worried about her. She's tried to explain the situation to Mary several times but she doesn't think that Mary gets it yet. Of course, she's also worried about Mary's future. This town doesn't really have programs to help Mary either."

"I already told her that should it come to that, we'll take Mary. She just tells me that Mary is her responsibility and she doesn't want us to worry. Belinda has been teaching Mary and her grandmother how to skype. We'll keep in touch."

"Are you concerned about, you know….?" asked George.

"Some. However, we won't be traveling in the same circles. We have new names and appearances. We'll just have to be careful." Rose replied. "Worst case scenario, I get a new job and we move on. Please try not to worry, daddy. We made it this far and he doesn't want to find us anymore than we want to be found."

CHAPTER 2

The trip had been tough, start to finish. Tears, a long drive, everything strange…but finally Rose had gotten her daughter to settle down…mostly from exhaustion. Rose dreaded the coming days as everyone began their adjustments. Belinda would have to begin school testing. The staff wanted to pinpoint her skills in all areas. She would be meeting a group of the sort that she'd never before encountered…children as smart or smarter than her.

Rose had been lucky enough to secure a senior editor position at Crossfire Publishing. It was a big outfit in a field of no interest to those in the tech sector. She'd always wanted to be an investigative reporter so no one would be looking for her in book publishing. Again, she'd no reason to believe that anyone would be looking for her at all after all the time that had passed.

She lay in her bed that night, sleepless and staring at the ceiling. She wanted to listen for Belinda, anyway. She was a happy girl who didn't have bad dreams but this was a disturbing new situation.

It suddenly occurred to Rose to wonder if he still had those nightmares without her there.

Flashback

His face was almost purple with rage. For the first time ever, she was afraid of him. He secluded himself in his study and spend the evening throwing breakables against the walls. He'd said things to her that she never dreamed he could think in his very worst moments. He accused her of deliberately getting pregnant in order to force him to marry her. That she found ironic. He'd been asking her to marry him for weeks all while she urged caution. He blamed her for the pregnancy even though Dr. Greene had been adamant that the Depo injection had failed, the result of a bad batch of vaccine. He demanded that Ana book a termination as soon as possible. The child they'd created meant nothing to him.

He swore to her that he loved her so very much and just wanted to have her and her alone for as long as possible. He said that if she truly loved him, she'd end the pregnancy. She countered that since she truly loved him, she could never kill his baby. They went round and round and things became so heated and irrational on his part that she began to fear that he'd drug her somehow to cause a miscarriage.

As the weeks went by and her second trimester approached, she saw a side to Christian that made her stomach roil with anxiety. She tried to convince herself that once the baby arrived that he would fall in love with his child but she'd begun to see that he would only resent it more. They'd always had a deeply loving, passionate and affectionate relationship but he rarely touched her as he used to and their lovemaking became rough fucking. It was filled with anger. She asked him if he still loved her. She asked him if he still needed her. He didn't answer. He only slammed the door behind him as he secluded himself in his study.

That night he accused her of no long feeling love or need of him. She'd gotten what she really wanted…a wealthy man to take care of her and her spawn. After he walked out on her one night to drink with Elena, overcome and ill, she spent an hour retching in the toilet. When he returned, she lied to him. She told him that the hell he'd put her through for weeks had weakened her so much that she miscarried. She showed him a stick that she'd run under the water and he was easily and gratefully convinced that she had, indeed, lost the baby.

His demeanor toward her changed immediately. He took her in his arms and comforted her. Oh, god, how she'd missed his love…his strong arms holding her. Then he told her that someday, way in the future, they'd probably have a child. Meanwhile, he was going to get a vasectomy to make sure that she didn't have any more "accidents".

That was the last night that they spent together, making love the way they used to do it. It was wonderful but she'd had to hide her feelings. The next morning he left for a weeklong conference in Spain. Ana packed her bags, told security that she was going to stay with her father for a visit and she would return when Christian did. They insisted that she needed her CPO with her but she also insisted that she needed to spend time alone with Ray. Somehow they bought it and even though Christian wasn't happy about it, he went along with it in the interest of peace between them.

Ray and Ana had prepared for this. He'd already sold his charming house in the woods by the water. He used his contacts in the government to change their names. They drove south to Northern California and had the good fortune to stumble on the little house on Charles Avenue in Rose Ellen Township. They rented for a month before deciding that this was the best place. In her sixth month, Ana found a copywriter position with the local paper and Ray began building furniture in his new workshop. They did okay.

CHAPTER 3

Ray's years with the CIA had served them well. He'd had an outstanding record and many admiring colleagues who were eager to help him disappear. They understood the terrain and they didn't question his decisions. He and Ana were soon issued new identities and backstories. A story was invented for Christian's security detail.

When Taylor and Welch began looking, it seemed as though Ana and her father had vanished off the face of the earth. In due time, they learned, Ana had returned from traveling Europe and had then met a nice man Canadian fellow named Raphael Dean. Ray's helpful contacts had even worked up a photo of Ana and a man posing with their infant in front of a wooded background. Grey stared at Taylor as he relayed this information. Then he nodded and shut himself up in his study. He returned to the empty life he'd lived before Ana. Periodically, Ray's contact would update the information and Welch would relay it to Taylor who mostly kept it to himself unless Grey asked.

Ana and Ray had laughed at the photo. Later, alone in her room, Ana had crumpled and cried. Hurting Christian hurt her and she knew that she'd broken his heart.

Meanwhile, Rose Cartwright, a widow, lived peacefully in Rose Ellen, California with her father and her daughter, Belinda. She rose to the position of editor of the Rose Ellen Gazette and, aside from sad dreams and a desperate longing for the man she still loved, she was basically fine.

Belinda's new birth certificate gave her birth date as 14 months after Ana left Seattle. Should Grey ever stumble on the truth, he would be informed that Ana had actually married a nice man named Tim Cartwright who worked with Ray. Their marriage had been short lived, sadly, due to pancreatic cancer. The CIA had been quite thorough. There really was a Tim Cartwright who'd died of cancer and was buried in the Rose Ellen Memorial Garden, beloved husband and father of Belinda.

Ana had spent many nights sitting on her porch, unable to sleep, fearful that Grey would find them. The time that she'd spent with him had convinced her that even the CIA could not protect her but as the years passed with nary a hint of his interest, she relaxed and sadly accepted that he had quickly adapted to her absence. He wasn't a man to let go of what he called "mine" but he was proud and he wouldn't interfere in a marriage either.

Indeed, life had finally settled into a peaceful and pleasant existence for Ana. Their house was filled with love and laughter and good neighbors and friends. Even though Ana suspected by Belinda's first birthday that she was an exceptional child, she didn't really give much thought to the future. Sure, her little girl was walking at 8 months, reading her story books to her mother at night at 14 months, playing with math at 2 years and playing piano with ease at 4, but Ana just thought that she would always be the head of her class. Preschool teachers warned her but it wasn't until the pre-testing for kindergarten that Ana had to face that her daughter needed a challenging educational environment or she would be bored. Even pushing her ahead wouldn't suffice. Ana wanted Belinda to have friends, a social circle. She needed to be with other gifted children her own age.

Ana recalled Christian, a gifted child, regretting attending school with "ordinary" children and having behavioral problems due to boredom. He had trouble making friends as well with students with whom he had little in common.

Ana, herself, had a high IQ so why she wasn't prepared for a gifted child, she didn't know. She supposed that she'd just wanted life to be simple for her child…but it wasn't going to be.

Thus, she began the search for the best school. When time and again the Seattle Bridges Academy emerged from the pile of papers she read, she finally had to accept that this should be Belinda's place. Perhaps when she was ready for high school, they could move away again. The Bridges Academy didn't advance students by grade but by knowledge and achievement so it was even possible that Belinda would spend only a few years in Seattle. It was an expensive school but they were always eager for students who could raise their academic scores and the school's profile so getting a scholarship for Belinda was no problem.

Explaining that Belinda needed a new school was a problem. There were tears and bad dreams and begging for Mom to reconsider. Being so young, Belinda didn't understand why Mary and her grandmother couldn't come with them. She understood that she knew things her classmates didn't and she complained of the tedium of going at the class's pace when she could go so much faster but still….such a move was so difficult for a small child to completely grasp.

"Belinda, I do understand how you feel and I don't want to leave my job and my house either but you are a very smart girl and you need to go to school with other smart children. Please be patient and trust me. You know that I wouldn't lie to you."

Ana looked at her with a straight face even though she'd been lying to her since she was born. Someday, Ana would have to tell her the truth and she didn't know how she was going to do that. How do you tell a child that her father thought she was dead and that made him happy?

Finally, Belinda threw her arms around her mother's neck and hugged her hard.

"Please don't cry, Mommy. We'll be okay. I trust you."

CHAPTER 4

"What if the kids don't like me?" Belinda whined as Ana zipped up her raincoat.

"Not like you?!" huffed Ray. "Impossible! You are the sweetest little pea in the pod. They'll look into those crystal gray eyes and fall in love."

Normally, Belinda would giggle but not today. She understood kids better than grandpa. They'd think her unique eyes were odd and they'd make fun of her hair. That's what kids were like. She looked up into the anxious face of her mother and decided to be brave. She didn't want her to be afraid for Belinda. Besides, mommy had to go make new friends today, too, at the publishers.

"Mommy, how come you're wearing a wig?" This was different, like too many things lately.

"Oh, I just wanted to try short hair….and this way I don't have to cut it or dye it. How do I look with sandy-colored hair, eh?"

Belinda didn't like it at all. Her mommy had beautiful dark brown hair that shone in the sunlight. This light brown was boring and dull…but she'd never tell her mommy.

"It's okay."

"And because I can wear a wig, I don't have to mess with my hair and tonight I'll have time to make my extra-special grilled cheese sandwiches and perhaps a cherry pie."

This news made Belinda beam. Her two favorite things. They were Mary's favorite things, too. Thinking this made her start to cry again. She'd feigned cheerfulness on skype last night but she was feeling so lonely without her best friend and Mary was the brave one.

"Well, grandpa, we're off on a new adventure and tonight we'll have lots of stories to tell you over dinner. I know that I can't wait to hear Belinda's."

"Now, little darling, you just fake it…." Ray began…'til I make it," Belinda laughed. She kissed Ray and took her mother's hand. Yes. A new adventure. Who knows what could happen?

.+.

"Mrs. Cartwright! Welcome to Crossfire Publishing. I just finished reading your book last night. Are you certain that you want to edit and babysit whiny writers? You're quite the writer yourself."

"Oh, it's just a hobby but you're very kind. I'm looking forward to finding good work to publish.

That's far more difficult than writing my own work. Quite a lot of responsibility and I like to work hard. Besides, I prefer the hours. At this time in her life, my daughter needs regular hours and not a mother with writer's block."

Ana smiled at the handsome gentleman. He had blondish hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a striped shirt with a tie and a gold clip that was inscribed with a marine insignia. His office was filled with memorabilia from his 20 year service career. His bright smile was sincere and kind. Ana felt safe with him.

"I've been to the human resources office and completed all my employment forms so I am ready to work," Ana assured her boss, Jack Hyde.

Jack smiled down at her. He thought that she had an exceptionally pretty face. He liked her soft brown eyes and her little pixie haircut. It was perfect for her delicate face. Her plain gray suit was professional but dull. It made her look older than her 28 years. However, all that was neither here nor there. She was talented and experienced and a good employee was always a find.

He led her down the hall to her new office, three doors from his own. In the office between them was that of Owen Woods, the 20 year veteran of the publishing wars who had expected to be advanced to the position of Senior Editor and was resentful that the job had been given to a pretty girl instead. It wasn't fair or good practice, he felt. She'd run a rinky-dink newspaper in a tiny town in California. What could she know of sussing out talented authors? Of course, he couldn't admit to himself that that hadn't been his forte either and, thus, the failure to advance.

Ana had been expecting a cubby against a back wall and was happily surprised to find that she'd be ensconced in a large corner office with big windows…windows that opened! She had a big wood desk, a swivel chair, a wall of bookshelves and, good grief, an assistant sitting just outside.

"It's all rather well-used, I'm afraid. The building is old and so are the furnishings. Some people prefer modern and shiny but the publishing business isn't as lucrative as it used to be."

"Oh, no, Mr. Hyde. This is wonderful. Just my style. I'm very pleased. Thank you!" Ana beamed.

"Is this a closet over here?" she pointed to a door on the side.

"Ah, no. That is your personal lavatory." Ana opened the door to find an old and quite charming toilet and sink with a medicine cabinet and mirror.

"This is much more than I expected."

"Good. I'm glad that you're pleased. Now, this is your assistant, Dolores. Dee, this is Mrs. Cartwright, our new Senior Fiction Editor."

Dolores was a tiny lady with bright eyes who instantly warmed Ana's heart with her smile and her firm handshake. "I am at your service. Don't be afraid to ask me for anything. Clearing the way for you to do your job is my job."

"Please, call me Rose. I have a daughter, Belinda, who is attending Bridges Academy. Should she or the school call, put them through immediately no matter what I'm doing. Other than that, we'll play it by ear, okay?"

Hyde left them to discuss matters and returned to his office. Ana and Dee sat for hours going over the work left undone by Ana's predecessor and the new work to be begun. They had an instant working rapport and when Dee finally left to pick up salads for lunch, Ana was euphoric. Yes, this was all going to work out perfectly. She hoped that Belinda's day was going half so well.

CHAPTER 5

"Andrea! Where the hell are the Jackson files!? What did you hide them under!?"

Andrea was having a rough first trimester and her boss's foul temper and constant churlishness were making her consider a long, long leave of absence.

"Did you open the file marked Jackson, Inc.? The one on the screen in front of you?"

"Never mind," Grey responded sheepishly.

"How's his mood today?" asked Ros, his COO. Andrea just shook her head wearily.

"He has only one mood…has only ever had one mood," she sighed.

"Not true. Remember a few years back when he walked into the office, whistling?" smiled Ros.

"Oh, yes. We discussed having him committed. It was a nice break. I wish it had lasted. In the end, it not only didn't last…he was worse when it was over. I don't know, Ros. I'm coming to the end of my patience."

"It's just the double trouble of Grey and your pregnancy."

"Perhaps…but what about Grey and motherhood?"

"That man cannot do without you, Andrea. Just lay down the law."

"Do you know how many times I've laid down the law over the past 13 years? Let's not kid ourselves, Ros. He was bad before but with she-who-shall-not-be-named long gone, he's getting worse as time goes on. Dave and I have had some serious discussions about me retiring until the baby goes to school."

Andrea cringed a bit watching Ros's face fall. She knew what a burden she'd be leaving with Ros. Andrea was the only person at GEH besides Ros who was not terrified of Grey, who could handle him and do things at least somewhat correctly in his eyes. Every assistant PA Andrea had found over the years had infuriated him until he exploded and they'd run for the elevator, never to return.

It was simple. Andrea was irreplaceable.

Ros looked at her beseechingly. Take pity, her face seemed to say. Don't leave me alone with him. Gwen, her wife, hated Grey and often urged Ros to take up one of the many offers she received from Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and other mega corporations that offered huge salary and benefit packages. Ros and Gwen wanted to adopt and the cost was high. To get her, Google had offered adoption and parental leave packages as well. However, Ros had been with Grey from the start. She was immensely proud of the work they'd accomplished and the philanthropy they'd backed together. She even liked Grey. If he had anything resembling a friend, Ros was it.

Now he sat in his office, just staring out the window. It was that time of year again…the time when he'd arrived home from his business trip to Spain to find that Ana had not yet returned from her father's house. He was mildly irritated and disappointed. He hoped that she wasn't still sulking from her miscarriage. It was really for the best. She'd even agreed with him about that although they'd made love the night before he left for Spain and he'd felt that something was off. Well, seeing her father had probably helped which was why he let it go when she refused protection for the week. In hind sight, of course, he should have had a covert on her.

She hadn't even left a note to explain. It wasn't until he talked to his mother that he found out why she'd left. On his own, he couldn't put 2 and 2 together. He immediately called her dad…only to find out that he'd sold the house and left no forwarding address. Taylor and Welch hunted for her and he almost wished that they hadn't found her…then he could have kept looking and entertaining the hope that he could bring her back home. That's what Escala was with Ana there….a home. Now it was just a place to sleep….a place to lie and stare at the ceiling…to think about Ana and her husband and their child. He had to keep looking at the picture of the happy family to convince himself that it was real. While he lay there alone, Ana was in the arms of some lumberjack. It wasn't right. She belonged to him.

It had taken a lot of therapy to get Grey back on track…that is, to make it possible for him to work. He did little else. Elliot would find the occasional rando for his brother but it was never any good for him. It wasn't even a physical release. He might just as well have rubbed one out in the shower for all the real pleasure he got out of it. He hated himself. He'd thrown his life away. When he told his mother how he'd reacted to Ana's miscarriage, she'd gasped and thrown her hand over her mouth in her horror at his callousness. That was when the light began to dawn. What the hell kind of man was he?

Well, he was a lonely one now, to put it mildly. Hard as he tried, he could not return to the unfeeling, emotionally numb man that he had been before Ana entered his life. At this time of the year, he tried to think about how they'd met, fallen in love and pledged to never leave one another. Lord, she was so beautiful. Petite, lush mahogany hair, brilliant blue eyes…soft, kind eyes…loveliest of faces and a body he couldn't keep his hands off. Everything about her was wonderful and not just her physical beauty but her mind and her heart. She was perfection and somehow she loved a black-hearted monster named Christian Grey. Not his money. Not his gorgeous physical being. Not his sexual prowess. No, just him.

She thought that he was good! Not only good but kind and brave and thoughtful and a dozen other adjectives that described a great guy. Not even his family thought that well of him. They loved him, to be sure, but they saw all his flaws. Not until the night that Ana told him that she was pregnant did she see the monster. Even then, she was patient. She was sure that he would find his better angel sitting on his shoulder…right up to the point where he breathed a sigh of relief at the news that while he was out drinking in self-pity with his pedophile, Ana was alone in their bathroom losing their child.

CHAPTER 6

Ana had had a very full day. She'd eaten lunch at her desk and worked straight through to 5 p.m.

She was quite pleased that she'd gotten so much done. She was nearly caught up on the mountain of work left by the previous editor…who had left under a cloud and had, therefore, not been inclined to leave his work in good order. With any luck, she could finish it all tomorrow and begin anew. Jack Hyde had been by, immensely pleased to see the piles of papers reduced to one small stack. Owen had also stopped by, grunted at her and continued passing by. At 5 on the dot, Ana

had dropped everything and hurried to her car. Oh, please, she asked the goddess Athena, please let Belinda have had a good day.

On the way home, Ana stopped at a bakery and picked up a cherry pie, Belinda's favorite. If things had gone well, they could celebrate. If badly, they could sit in front of FROZEN, consoling themselves with cherry pie and ice cream. As she pulled into the driveway, Belinda came running out of the door and down the front steps and into her mother's arms. Ana looked up anxiously and then noted the beam of Belinda's sunshine glowing on her face. Oh, thank god. Her little girl was happy. Ana felt a sudden pinch of pain in her chest….the way she did every time Christian wasn't there for Belinda's moments.

"Mommy, wait 'til I tell you! It was great and I even made a couple of new friends! Was your day great, mommy?"

"Yes, it was! We both had great days, yay!" Ana picked up her darling and swung her around, fighting tears. This should be Christian, she thought.

The rest of the evening was spent with Belinda at top volume detailing, really detailing, her perfect day. Poor Ray had already heard every word but still he sat rapt at the retelling. Ice cream and cherry pie topped off the perfection of their day. Ana and her father exchanged a look…it was going to be all right. They smiled at each other and squeezed hands under the table. Joy and relief battled with each other for first place.

.+.

Taylor took Grey's briefcase from his grip without Christian even noticing. He would have carried his boss to the car if he were allowed. He knew how hard this day was for him. It was hard for Taylor and Gail as well. He had awakened to hear Gail weeping in the bathroom.

"I miss her so much, Jason." Ana and Gail had grown quite close over their two years together. Jason held his wife tightly. He didn't bother suggesting that they find other jobs. Gail would never leave Christian.

"Mr. Grey, I made your favorite dinner…pot roast, onions, carrots, peas and red velvet cake for dessert." Gail looked at Christian hopefully. He looked back at her with a soft expression of affection. He knew what she was doing and so he summoned the bit of humanity in him to express his appreciation. He ate as much as he could and then headed down to the pool in the basement. He swam lap after lap, hoping to swim to exhaustion, to forgetfulness, to numbness.

Unfortunately, the bimbo from the fifth floor, in her hardly-there bikini, was also present. She was particularly chipper tonight and full of cheerful conversation…which she carried on alone. He didn't even notice when she left, insulted by his disregard of her, which he also didn't notice. When he finally left the water, he was done in but it was more from heartbreak than exhaustion. He'd swum five miles. How the hell many laps do I have to do before I can't think anymore, he groaned. He didn't notice Taylor hidden in a corner watching…ready to rescue Grey from drowning.

Grey retired to his study and began his work night. His business was becoming a behemoth. He now had offices and factories in 50% of the States and had become a force to be reckoned with in all of Western Europe. He and Ros were now moving into the Asian markets. He was ruthless, tireless and determined. It was all he could control. He was a multi-billionaire and because of that, he was able to donate billions to charities throughout the world. GEH was making a difference, a big difference. Even before Ana, he'd established himself as a major philanthropist but if he were honest, now he hoped that the contribution of GEH to the world would be noticed by Ana. Maybe she would be proud of him.

It was not a night for working. He couldn't concentrate. He sat in his chair and stared at a picture of him and Ana, looking at each other. There was so much love in that picture. He'd no hope that he'd ever again find such a love. Ana was it. She was all. No one could ever approach all that she had meant to him although women always seemed to be trying. Every god damn charity gala that he had to attend, he was engulfed by hordes of women…some single, some beautiful and even some nice…who wanted to be with him but it wasn't his ego that had been wounded.

His heart was shattered.

CHAPTER 7

When Christian returned to his study, he found emails from his family and Elena. They were predictable. His family wanted him to know that he was much loved and Elena wanted to go out for a celebratory drink or ten. For five years he had been ignoring her request but she persisted. She wanted him to start up BDSM again…insisting that he'd feel better and once, not long after Ana had left, Grey was filled with so much anger that he accepted Elena's choice in subs. The woman had no limits and Grey took advantage of that. Canes, whips, belts, suspension, ball gags, anal, even breath play, which he'd never done before, but it was all useless. He sent her off with a generous parting gift while she pleaded for another session. She said that she'd never had such a good time with a dom. Crazy woman, he thought. He assured her that Elena could find her another sadist to satisfy her needs but she left with tears in her eyes.

After the elevator doors closed, Grey went to his playroom, sat on the couch and sobbed. When Ana came into his life and he tried to recruit her to be his sub, she took one look at the room and turned around and walked down the stairs. She was very sad when he told her that this was all he knew, that this was the way he was and that there could be no relationship without it. He knew that she already had a crush on him and figured that she'd take what she could get. Wrong assumption.

She'd kissed him gently and hugged his neck. Then she whispered her goodbye and walked into the elevator and out of his life. He stood there in shock. He tried to stand by his mantra: leave and there is no possibility of return.

A week later Ana walked out of her office building to find Christian leaning against his car. To anyone else, he appeared impassive but she already understood him. He was, she saw, a little embarrassed, a bit sheepish, even angry. He was in an unfamiliar position. No one said no to Christian Grey. He never crawled to anyone and he was flummoxed by the strange feelings he was having about this slip of a girl.

Still, he had to admit to himself that he was happy with Ana. He kept waiting for the pressure to build until he had to have a sub but it never did. Elena kept calling, asking if he was beginning to crack as yet and he'd laugh. He felt less stress than he had ever before in his life. Nothing upset him. He was always in a good mood.

Ana may have been a naïve virgin but she was curious, adventurous and giving. He'd never had better sex, he told Elena who huffed that surely he could not have forgotten their physical time together. His mother was still Elena's good friend and he and Ana often had to endure Elena's company at Sunday brunch where Elena would do her best to embarrass and torment Ana in subtle ways. She'd pretend to feel affection for Ana and would touch her…little hugs, grabbing her hand, stroking her hair. Christian spent the entire brunch getting between Ana and Elena.

Ana gently encouraged Christian to tell his family the truth about Elena…for everyone's sake, not just hers…but Christian still thought of Elena as his friend and urged Ana to learn to tolerate the woman. Ana never once harassed him about his priorities. Perhaps she should have because he tended to be clueless about other people's needs and feelings.

Although he was very protective of Ana, it was limited to her physical wellbeing. Sometimes, when she was sad or angry, he didn't notice or he didn't understand and he'd just try to ignore it by hiding out in his study. He'd also buy her things. She had no interest in expensive things and yet he'd take her to dinner and give her some diamond something or other. She'd smile, say thank you and he'd consider the matter closed.

They'd known each other only a month before he talked her into moving into Escala. She expressed her misgivings but he paid her no mind. He needed her with him and so he used all his charm to get his own way. Ana adored him and was well aware that he'd opened himself up to her to an extent that no one else had ever experienced. One month after he'd packed his closet with the clothes he'd bought for her, he'd staged an elaborate setting in the great room with flowers and candles in which to purpose marriage. Again, Ana felt it was too soon but the hopeful, little boy expression on his face told her that saying yes would make him so happy and that was what she wished for him.

They were intending to be married in the backyard of Grey Manor two months hence when Ana discovered her pregnancy. She knew that he would be upset and she herself was not happy…she was only 22… but his extreme reaction was unexpected. Elena jumped right in with her opinion and approved Grey's anger…hinting that Ana was using the pregnancy to solidify her hold on Grey. He wasn't thinking straight and only needed time to adjust but Elena made certain that he never had a moment's peace to reconsider his objections. She just kept stoking the flames with texts and emails…even letting herself into the penthouse on a couple of occasions to urge Ana to have a termination. Between her fiancé and his friend, Ana was swept up in a whirlwind of toxic emotions.

When he announced his trip to Spain, he wanted her to come with him. He hated being away from her even when he was upset with her. She begged off on the grounds that the pregnancy was making her so ill every day. She already had a plan in place…to fake a miscarriage and then to run, run for her child's life. Neither she nor her baby stood a chance of being happy with this man. Her first responsibility was to the baby. She knew that he would not let her go and that she would have to go to extremes to be free of him. That was where Ray came in. He plotted their disappearance from Seattle. Taylor and Welch were experts in their fields but they had nothing on Ray Steele.

Of course, as Grey lay in bed the night of their 6th anniversary of estrangement, he knew nothing of the truth. He didn't dream that his daughter and Ana were living just 35 miles from Escala in a small shoreline village just north of Everett, WA. Nor did he know that Ana's office was just 10 miles north of Grey House. They may as well have been living on Mars.

CHAPTER 8

As Ana made the 30 minute drive to the northern edge of Seattle to drop Belinda off at school, the distance to the center of Seattle seemed too little. And when she reached her office, she grew even more nervous. The 10 mile gap between hers and Grey's work building did not seem enough even though she knew that Christian had no reason to drive that far north. Grey Manor was to the west and the marina was to the east. The north held no interest unless he had to go to Portland but he made that trip by helicopter so the chances of sighting her as she walked to her car after work were infinitesimal.

She wondered if Christian ever thought of her. And if he did, was it only with anger? She knew that he'd been in love with her and that she had blown up his life without so much as a goodbye note. She sometimes fantasized about walking into his GEH office with her beautiful copper haired, grey eyed daughter holding her hand. Her fantasy always ended with Christian looking at both of them with cold eyes and then whipping out his checkbook and demanding "how much?" before sending them on their way.

And what if he had a picture on his desk of his wife and their child? Could she hold it together for even 5 minutes before she crumbled on the floor? What would she say to Belinda? She couldn't lie and say that they were visiting an old friend of mommy's. Belinda would look into the grey eyes exactly like her own and she would know.

Belinda had asked once about her father and Ana had choked. What had she been thinking?...that her daughter would never notice that other children had fathers…that she would never be curious about her own. But there she was, 3 ½, making an unemotional, straightforward inquiry into the identity and whereabouts of her father.

Ray had saved Ana that night. He picked Belinda up and sat her on his knee.

"You know how Mary lives with her grandmother, not with her parents?" Belinda nodded.

"And that fellow across the street is raising his two sons with no mother around?" Belinda nodded again.

"Well, not having a mother and a father is the way it is for a lot of kids…for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes, a person isn't meant to be a mother or father…they just aren't good at it or they don't want to be a parent or something has happened to them. It doesn't mean that the children aren't wonderful, like you, for instance. It's just some adults aren't very grownup. That's kind of like your father. He was a silly man who just didn't know how to be a father and your mother made the very hard decision that it would be better for you to not be around someone like that, someone who would only hurt you."

"Would he hit me?" Belinda asked with wide eyes.

"No, no. Not that kind of hurt. The kind of hurt that makes your heart ache. Someday, when you're an adult and, if you're interested, you could go see him but do you trust your mother and me that now isn't the right time?"

"When will I be an adult, grampa?"

"In about 20 years."

"Okay." And that had been the end of it. Belinda had never asked again or shown any interest in other parents. Now she knew a girl at school who had two mommy's. She didn't think anything of it.

Ana prayed that Belinda didn't fail to wait 20 years before making another inquiry. It was possible, if they stayed in the area, so Ana would move them on as soon as necessary…though she wondered how she'd keep the name and the face of Christian Grey out of Belinda's life when he was so often in the news.

.+.

"Well, I think that it's a good picture. With that frown and slight snarl to your lip, you look quite intimidating….a perfect Dom." Elena smiled with satisfaction. She'd created that look, she believed.

"I'm no longer a Dom, Elena. It's been six years and my playroom was dismantled long ago. So give it a rest, will you? I have no desire to return to the life." Christian was weary of always arguing about this with Elena.

"Oh, you're still a Dom, all right. You just aren't a practicing Dom. Someday you'll come to your senses."

"ENOUGH!" yelled Grey, slamming his fist on his desk.

Elena smiled again, this time to herself. She felt a rush when her pet displayed his anger and dominance. This master of all he surveyed was her creation.

"I have a meeting in 5 minutes. Get around to why you're here. I know it isn't just to flash the latest Forbes cover in my face. How much?" Grey sneered.

"The business has been suffering since this little recession began…" Elena started to say but Grey was out of patience with her same old, lame old excuses for coming for his money.

"HOW MUCH?!"

"$75,000 would do it but $100,000 would be better." Grey swiftly gave Andrea an order to transfer $75,000 to the Elite Salon account. Elena grimaced a bit. Her pet was being stubborn and she didn't appreciate it. She had trained him to bow to her but he increasingly treated her without the respect due her. She reflected grimly that he'd grown more disdainful toward her since Ana left him. Perhaps she had miscalculated? No, her expertise was flawless.

"Well, I certainly hope that your mother is in a better mood during our lunch than you are right now. I trust you attended brunch last Sunday. Otherwise, I'll have to hear all about it." Elena stood, checked her lipstick in her mirror, and patted her brassy hair. Then, blowing Grey a kiss, she strutted to the door and waited for Christian to open it for her. Instead, he turned his back on her to stare out the window. She thought of yelling for Andrea to come open it but reconsidered. She knew that Christian wouldn't tolerate her attitude toward his employees today. She walked out and past Andrea without a word. Andrea watched her go with relief.

CHAPTER 9

Grace ordered a chilled Sancerre to sip on while she waited on Elena who was late again.

Once a month Elena would arrive late and her excuse was always the same.

"Your son can be a real chatterbox, Grace. I told him that I had to get a move on but he complained that he only speaks to me in person once a month at our business meetings so…"

Elena raised her hand, snapped her fingers at a server and demanded a scotch.

Christian. A chatterbox. Why, Grace pondered, was her morose, monosyllabic son so talkative with Elena? She didn't understand but thank god he had someone to talk with because, jealous as she was, Grace didn't want him to be alone. She also wondered sometimes how he ever got a word in edgewise with Elena because Grace sure didn't.

"How is he today, Elena? He didn't come for brunch last weekend. It's that time of year again, you know."

"Well, he was pleased with the article in Forbes. He was pleased with how well the salon is doing. If he was disturbed because it's been six years since that gold-digger ran out on him, it certainly didn't show today. Of course, maybe his mood is different with other people than it is with me."

Elena's not-so-subtle nod to her own importance in Christian's life was like a knife to Grace's heart but she'd long ago had to accept that her son trusted her best friend more than his own mother.

"Did he say anything about Ana?"

"I asked him how he was doing and he just shrugged. He said that he was fine, very busy. He has a big deal going on and he's rather preoccupied with that right now. He doesn't avoid any discussion of Ana. He just doesn't have anything to say about her any more. You know, my dear Grace, it's been a long time. She's living in the woods with that guy who cuts down trees for a living while she keeps house and raises their child. It's clear that the country mouse and an urbane man like Christian weren't truly compatible. I should think you'd understand that by now and stop torturing yourself with what-ifs," Elena said kindly as she reached for Grace's hand.

"I guess having seen them together, so in love, so happy and the misery he seems to have been in since she left…well, it's just hard to reconcile that picture with the current reality. Besides, while he talks to you and seems fine with you, he still mopes about with his family. It just doesn't make sense to me, is all."

Elena chuckled inside her black heart. And it never will make sense to you, Gracie, as long as I pull the strings.

"Well, suppose we change the topic for a bit, hmm? How are preparations going for the gala?"

Elena loved the Coping Together charity ball that Grace and Carrick threw every year. It was a night for Elena to shine. She loaded herself down with jewels. She wore two layers of Spanx under a very tight black mermaid-style gown. She added an extra layer of hair to her bouffant wig. She jingled as she walked from all the bracelets and the layers of gold necklaces. Her long graceful fingers with her long graceful nails in a brilliant shade of red perfectly matched her vibrant red lips. Yes, she didn't miss the admiring stares of every man in the place and the equally envious stares of their wives. She only regretted that none of the men were able to summon up the courage to approach her. It was the downside of being so stunning.

"As always, Elena, I could use help with the preparations," Grace hinted. "It is such a big job."

"I know, dear, and I would love to help if I could get away from the salon but this year, with the new salon going up in the Bravern Centre, I am simply drowning in startup chores. I'm lucky to get away to join you for lunch on Tuesdays…but I'm certainly not going to give up my one delight of the week even if it means that I'll be up until midnight working on the books. I sometimes regret my decision to try to make my own way in the world instead of taking alimony from Eric."

"You were too proud and you didn't want to have any connection to him. I think you were right about that. He was crude and violent toward you and having to pay you alimony every month would have only given him an excuse to see you and, possibly, harm you again. I'm proud of you for going your own way. You've done quite well for yourself and all on your own," beamed Grace.

Grace didn't know that Elena's ex-husband had refused to give her alimony after he caught her having sex with Grace's child. She didn't know that Eric had forced Elena to assume the mortgage on their mansion. She didn't know that Elena had bled Christian for a million dollars over the years, calling him her silent partner when they both knew that it was blackmail. What Grace didn't know kept her out of jail for slicing Elena's throat.

Grace believed in Elena's friendship and overlooked her flaws. Her outlandish apparel, her fake hair, her table manners…my god, she shoveled food into her mouth before it could get away from her. And, always, just as the server approached the table with the check, Elena needed to pay a visit to the ladies lounge, expressing surprise upon her return that Grace had already paid the bill. Thereafter, she insisted on paying the tip. Had Grace ever turned to see the couple of dollars Elena left on the table, she would have been mortified.

No one could understand their friendship. It was clear to one and all that Elena wasn't fit to shine Grace's shoes. The servers respected Grace and had tried to think of some way to trick Elena into paying the bill or to let Grace know that Elena was a shamelessly poor tipper. All of Grace's society friends were repelled by Elena and could not understand why Grace made room for her every year at the Grey table at the gala.

Carrick and Grace's other children, Elliot and Mia, had been vocal about how repulsed they were by Elena's presence at their family dinners but Grace simply thought that Elliot and Mia were jealous of Elena's preference for Christian...and Carrick? Well, his dislike was hard to understand. Grace thought that perhaps it was because Elena was rather gauche and talked too much. Grace thought that rather petty of her husband. Whatever, she wouldn't hear a word against her dear friend.

Meanwhile, Grey continued to pay off Elena just because he was too rich and too weary to bother trying to get rid of her. He didn't want to put his family through any trouble or threaten a loss of business that would affect all the people depending on him for employment. Besides, he didn't care about the money. Once upon a time it had mattered to him but now…

He fought the urge to call Welch…to have him check up on Ana…but he stopped himself. God knows, he'd hurt her enough. How could he not have seen how devastated she was to have lost the child she was carrying inside her? If not for his mother's gentle explanation, he might never have understood. Grace herself had endured three miscarriages and she had impressed upon Christian the pain of those losses…losses she wept over still.

Instead, he had listened to Elena...and thrown away his one chance to keep Ana. If only he'd wept with her, showed her that he understood rather than expressing his relief that he would not be a father after all….made it all about himself.

He slumped in his chair and stared dully out the window at the gray and the rain of Seattle.

CHAPTER 10

"Rose, you've done it again!" exclaimed Mr. Hyde. "Henry Vanasse is a real find. You were right about his book. I stayed up all weekend reading it. Funny, mysterious, thrilling and a unique style.

Four months and four new authors who are sure to bring us four best sellers. I'm very pleased."

"Thank you, Mr. Hyde. I'm glad. It's been fun finding these treasures buried under the piles on my desk."

Ana was pleased herself. Belinda was doing quite well in school. She was skyping at night with Mary and not crying anymore. Ray's business was growing and Ana was making her employer happy. Four months and Ana was beginning to relax about being so close to GEH and Christian. Her assistant, Dee, was a fan of the Nooz and occasionally brought copies to the office when Grey was featured. Ana tried to avoid looking. It was painful…still. She couldn't admit to herself how painful. Every time she looked into her daughter's eyes, she saw Christian. At least, thank goodness, Belinda had her mother's face. Ana didn't know how she could have handled it if Belinda looked just like Christian.

Ana was also happy that Belinda was surging ahead of her classmates…if only because it meant that sooner rather than later, the family could pick up and move again…preferably abroad. Ana hoped that the farther away from Christian that she was, perhaps the less her heart would ache for him. She knew that she would never fall out of love with him. He was as present in her heart and soul as he had been six years ago. Still, with an ocean between them, maybe…she hoped…maybe. To be able to go straight to sleep at night without seeing his face looming above her. To be able to stop dreaming of him calling to her.

She suddenly realized that she'd been staring out of her window for some time and that her face was wet with tears.

"Rose?" Dee asked softly. "Rose, what's wrong? What can I do?"

Ana looked over to see her assistant observing her, alarmed at what she was seeing.

Ana quickly wiped away the tears and forced a smile to her face.

"I'm not sad, Dee," lied Ana. "I was just remembering Belinda's birth day. She'll soon be six and it's so hard to believe." Especially since she's only going to be five, thought Ana. I'm getting good at lying. Someday I'm going to have to explain that one, too. She'd lied to the two most important people in her life. Somedays Ana had a hard time facing herself in the mirror.

.+.

As soon as Christian arrived back at Escala, he went into his study and switched on his computer. It was what he did every night. Ana was his screensaver. He'd sit and study her face for a while before he started working again. Again he considered the idea of having Welch give him her exact location. He could go there and try to catch a glimpse of Ana and her family. Would she still be beautiful? Yes, age would not diminish her. She would always be beautiful. No, he couldn't go to her. He'd never be able to simply look. He'd have to run to her, hold her.

He wondered about their child. Wouldn't it be almost five now? Would it have been a boy or a girl? What would they have named it?

STOP! He screamed inwardly. You made your bed…now lie in it. Going over and over the same territory would only prolong the heartache. Prolong it? Who was he kidding, he kicked himself.

It would never end. He would suffer like this all his days…and he should. Ana deserved her second chance and he deserved to never know another moment of peace. It was only right after all he'd done to her.

There was no going back. There was no fix. There was only one way out and he could never do that to Grace. She'd saved his life and never given up on him. He gave her so little…a few hours of his miserable presence a couple of times a month. He let her go on believing that the harridan who'd ruined him was her best friend. Ana had urged him to protect his mother from Elena but he was cowardly…convincing himself that it would hurt Grace more to know what he'd become in Elena's dungeon. The truth would set all of them, his whole family, free, Ana argued but he said that it would only hurt them and ruin their reputations. He knew that they'd rather the truth but he lied to himself…to protect himself. This he believed.

Christian Grey's self-loathing knew no bounds.

CHAPTER 11

"Mr. Grey, have you forgotten your 10 am appointment?" Andrea inquired through the intercom.

"No, Andrea. Not exactly. What I remembered was that I hired you and you remember things and remind me of them," Grey growled back at her.

"I reminded you when you arrived this morning. I reminded you after your meeting with Ros at 9:15 and I reminded you when I brought you coffee at 9:55…ten minutes ago. Mr. Crawford is waiting for you in reception. Shall I sent him in or make another excuse?"

"When do you do go on maternity leave?"

Andrea walked in the door, narrowing her eyes at Grey and pulled in a gentleman behind her. Mr. Crawford looked quite nervous and his discomfort pleased Grey. He reached out his hand as Andrea introduced the headmaster of Bridges Academy.

"A pleasure, Mr. Crawford. Won't you have a seat?"

"Yes, Mr. Grey. Thank you, Mr. Grey," sputtered the squat, balding fellow as he adjusted his glasses. It wasn't as if Mr. Crawford wasn't accustomed to meeting people of wealth and prominence. It was just that Mr. Grey had a fearsome reputation and Mr. Crawford could feel the waves of disdain rolling off of him. He knew that to Grey he was no more than a bug to be squashed underfoot. He endeavored to summon the dignified and erudite educator within to go forward with his mission. He'd initially been hired because he had a reputation for fund-raising expertise but he'd avoided this particular billionaire for the past two years. Now, it couldn't be put off any longer.

"I wonder if perhaps your parents might have mentioned me and my school, The Bridges Academy, at some time?" Grace and Carrick had been generous in their donations to the scholarship fund which was necessary for almost half the student body.

"I don't recall. My parents are patrons of so many charities," said Grey, enjoying Crawford's discomfiture.

Crawford cringed a bit. He certainly didn't think of his school as a charity. It was the finest educational institution for gifted children on the west coast, indeed, west of the Mississippi.

"Bridges Academy is a school for gifted children and ours is the highest rated of such schools for thousands of miles around. People uproot their lives in order to move to the area so that their children can get the education they deserve. Unfortunately, it is quite expensive to operate such a school and almost half of our students need financial aid. My job as headmaster is to keep raising funds to help these families."

"I'm not unaware of your academy, Mr. Crawford, or its mission. My research has shown that your students would not benefit from an ordinary education and we need their exceptional minds to keep this nation moving forward. I am an admirer of your work."

Mr. Crawford was shocked and pleased at this unexpected praise. He'd expected that he'd have to beg for Mr. Grey's patronage.

"Now, what precisely do you want from me, Mr. Crawford?" Grey waited for the pitch. He was in a particularly nasty mood today and wanted to see Mr. Crawford squirm. However, he miscalculated. Mr. Crawford had lost most of his self-respect after 20 years of bowing before the moneyed classes. Thus, he was ready to go for broke.

"I would like you to visit our school and speak to our students at assembly. An inspirational speech from someone as young as you and as self-made would be quite a boost for our students. They also need to hear that it takes hard work to accomplish great deeds in this world. They are so smart that they think, that is…many of them do…that they already have it made. You are known as a philanthropist. You give back. I don't want them just impressed by your jets and your boat and your helicopter and your fancy building. I want them to admire the good you've done and try to emulate that."

Grey stared, flummoxed. Crawford hadn't asked for money…yet. He'd asked for participation, for Grey's time. Damn, thought Grey. I was just going to write a check and watch the guy crawl away.

"Huh. When did you have in mind for this visit?"

"Next Friday is the 50th year anniversary of the school's founding. We're planning to make a party of it and we're inviting parents and patrons. Getting you to speak would be the cherry on the top. You combine both financial and personal gain. We could get a lot of wealthy people to speak but, as I said, I want our students to be inspired to use their gifts for the good of all. What do you say, Mr. Grey?"

Grey was certain that he shouldn't be an inspiration for anyone. Still, he supposed that on the surface, he did appear to be a good guy. Maybe that would be enough. He wanted more than anything to refuse this honor but how could he explain to Crawford that he was a black-hearted bastard?

"I'd be honored to speak, Mr. Crawford, though I'm sure that you could find someone far better than me to inspire your students."

"Well," grinned Crawford, "we require a certain sort of person. There are, of course, any number of do-gooders we could call upon but they are all short a few billion. You demonstrate both the brains to make a buck and the heart and conscience to use those bucks to help others. Besides, Warren Buffet wasn't available."

Grey threw his head back and laughed. It was the first good laugh he'd had since Ana. He shook Crawford's hand and led him out to Andrea's desk.

"Make all the arrangements with Andrea and I'll see you soon, Mr. Crawford." Grey was still chuckling as he returned to his office. He took out his check book and wrote out a hefty amount for Andrea to send to the Bridges Academy. He wondered if his parents were invited. Seemed likely. He also wondered what they'd make of him being an inspiration to a small child when he'd contributed to the death of his own.

Pondering this, he slumped down into his chair again and put his face in his hands.

CHAPTER 12

Ana had had a difficult day. An author she had championed had defected to another and smaller publisher, SIP. She suspected that he'd been poached but was perplexed as to who could have possibly known about him and that his work was of value. She'd approached Jack Hyde for advice.

"It's possible that he took heart from your encouragement and offered himself to SIP. However, I doubt that they could have offered him much more in the way of a contract than we can so I don't understand the advantage he'd have to make the switch."

"Well, I'm going to contact him and see what happened," asserted Ana. She was furious.

"That isn't necessary, Rose. I don't blame you for this. It happens all the time in our business. Most writers are insecure and have endured so much rejection that they don't feel loyalty toward the outfit that finally sees their worth unless you kiss their feet. They're quite an egotistical lot, by and large. SIP may simply have treated him like the second coming. I'm sure that they didn't offer that much more money.

"Let it go. You found five gems in a row. The sixth got away and would probably have been a problem down the line. His actions show that he isn't a person of much integrity so good riddance. Now go find #7," he smiled kindly at her. He even stood and gave Ana a hug. She was surprised and not altogether comfortable either. He seemed to hold her a second too long.

As she returned to her office, she acknowledged to herself that Jack Hyde was a very good looking man. He was quite a bit older than her and unmarried but Ana was not at all interested in finding a man. Perhaps she'd given him reason to think that the two could be a couple? She couldn't recall anything that she might have done but she vowed to be more careful in future.

Her wrist vibrated. Her five o'clock alarm. She always left promptly at 5. Nothing was more important than getting home to Belinda by 5:30. Her little girl was always going to feel deeply cherished by her mother just as Ana always had by her father. Belinda would never know her grandmother, Carla, or Grace Grey. That second one was a shame but the first was a blessing. Carla had abandoned her when she was Belinda's age and her father did everything he could to help Ana with the loss. The children in her small town school teased her…telling her that she was so ugly and so nerdy that her mother had left her out of sheer boredom. She never let those kids see her pain. She held her head high until she got home where she crawled into her daddy's lap and cried. He always told her that he felt such pity for Carla. Ana didn't truly understand that until the doctor first placed tiny Belinda on her chest and congratulated her on her healthy baby girl. Yes, poor Carla. Poor Christian.

Ray had dinner ready when Ana arrived home…her favorite, pasta with grilled chicken and salad.

"Rose! How was your day?" he beamed at his beautiful daughter. He'd never told her how grateful he was to Carla…how he could never hate her. She'd given him Ana…twice. First when she was

born and second, when Carla left her with Ray.

"Hi, daddy. You know," she whispered, " it hardly seems fair that you're the only person in this family who has to remember two names for the same person."

"Yeah…and George…why did we decide on that?" he grimaced.

"It was your grandfather's name, duh," Ana smiled. "Where's Belinda? She usually greets me."

"She was excited about something when I picked her up and wanted to wait to tell you about it so she went to her room to skype Mary. I think she was afraid that she'd spill the beans before you got home."

"Huh. What do you suppose that could be? Certainly not a good grade. Those are nothing new to her. Not a new friend. She wouldn't rush to tell Mary about that. Well, now I'm excited. Belinda! Say goodbye to Mary and come tell me your news!" Ana hollered up the stairs.

"Soon, mommy. Be patient."

Ana and Ray laughed. How many five year olds tell their parents to be patient?

The stomping of baby elephant feet coming down the stairs heralded Belinda's arrival. She jumped into Ana's arms and hugged her neck. Ana held her tight. How she loved her little girl.

"Okay. Everyone sit down. We're having pasta la chicken and garlic bread and a salad," Ray announced. The three grasped hands and said thank you for the food and the hands that made it.

Ana and Ray began eating, deliberately saying nothing. Belinda looked from one to the other, waiting for them to urge her to spill her news. Instead, they began talking about politics. Several minutes later, Belinda exploded.

"Mommy!"

"Oh, yes. You had something you wanted to tell us. You must learn to be patient, sweetie," Ana grinned.

Belinda made a face. She knew what her mother was doing.

"The headmaster made an announcement today. Next week is the school's 50th birthday and we're all going to have a big party and guess what? All the parents are invited, too and we're going to have music and games and a special guest but we don't know who yet so you and grampa have to come. Can you come please?" Belinda stopped and took a breath.

"Well," Ray drawled out. "I promised someone I'd have their kitchen cabinets ready by the end of next week. Rose?"

"Well," Ana tapped her lip with her finger. "I don't think my boss will give me vacation time so soon after I started…"

Belinda knew she was being teased and she did not appreciate it. She crossed her arms and made an angry face. "That's okay. I'll just invite the neighbors…those people who always yell about our tree twigs and leaves littering their lawn."

Ana and Ray roared with laughter. Any other child would have run to her room crying but Belinda was one sharp cookie. They told her that they were really looking forward to the party and being seen with the prettiest and smartest girl in the school.

Belinda smirked at them and said that she'd think about it.

CHAPTER 13

Christian Grey. Honored speaker. Graciously taking time from running his business empire. Thrilled.

Ana sat her desk, holding the paper from her daughter's school and reading its contents over and over. Special guest Christian Grey. Her hands were shaking and her head was buzzing. She felt dizzy. She jumped up from her chair and ran to her lavatory, kneeling before the porcelain throne.

After, she lay on the cool, tile floor… panting. The previous evening Belinda had flown into her arms, holding the invitation. As Ana read the announcement, Ray stood on the porch watching. Belinda asked if she'd ever heard of Mr. Grey…that Mr. Crawford was so excited. He said that it was a real coup to get someone like Christian Grey to speak at their little school. A lot of the students knew who he was and were also quite excited. The older girls were all swoony. Many of their parents were regulars at the Grey's annual charity ball and were going to be so delighted to hear him speak.

Ana had felt herself go cold with fear, standing frozen in the driveway as Belinda bounced around her. She forced herself to say that she'd heard of Grey and now Belinda should go get washed up for dinner. She picked up the lumps of cement that were now her feet and shuffled toward the house. She made it as far as the porch steps before her legs gave out and she had to sit. Ray sat down next to her and put his arm around her.

"Honey, you're beginning to hyperventilate. Try to slow down. Breathe with me."

Ana struggled to get her anxiety under control.

"Daddy, what are we going to do? There is no chance that he won't notice her. She stands out in any crowd."

"I know you won't like this…but… maybe it's time."

Ana looked at her father with wide eyes. "When she was an adult and could handle the disappointment of his rejection, that was supposed to be the time. She isn't even six years old yet."

"Maybe it's you who doesn't feel up to handling it…hmmm?"

"I don't know what to expect, daddy. Will he hate me? I don't think I could stand that cold, angry stare of his. What if he threatens to sue for custody…just to punish me? He doesn't want her. She'll know. She'll be so hurt. I don't know how to protect her."

"You're starting to hyperventilate again, Ana. We'll get through it…somehow. We're a strong family. Let him bluster and rage. We'll stiffen our spines and look him dead in the eye. And Belinda is tough. She may get hurt but she'll take it and go forward. She knows she has us."

"Are you guys gonna come in? I'm getting hungry," Belinda complained through the screen door.

Two days from now, Ana thought, I'll see him again. It's been almost six years. I'm not 22 anymore. Maybe he won't think I'm pretty anymore. She was just vain enough to want him to still find her attractive. Her "perfect" figure wasn't anymore, either. She had a small pouch where her baby had grown and no amount of crunches and sit-ups had flattened it. Maybe Christian would bring his latest girlfriend with him and she would be so beautiful that men would gasp.

Ana had never believed that she was beautiful even though Christian told her all the time. She remembered the way he used to gaze at her and the way he couldn't keep his hands off her. He told her that she took his breath away. Now he would probably look at her with disdain and disgust. She had run away from him and he didn't like to lose what he called "mine". For that alone, he would hate her.

She pulled herself up from the lavatory floor and splashed water on her face and swished water around her mouth. Ray was right. She had to get through it and go on. The important thing was Belinda. If necessary, Ana would threaten to expose Christian's BDSM life. She didn't know if she could hurt him like that but if it was the only way to protect Belinda, she'd do it. She'd set fire to his life.

.+.

Christian sat…looking at the Seattle skyline from 30 floors up. Even though his office was soundproofed, he could still feel the stillness that came over the building after 5 o'clock. He looked at the information in his hand…arrival time, introductions, speech, Q & A….this little engagement of his would require almost three hours out of his afternoon. His mother had called and 'assured' him that his family would be there for him. This baffled him. Why did his family think that he needed them at some appearance at a school? He wasn't giving the commencement address at Harvard, for god's sake. His parents were patrons, of course, but Elliot and Mia? Elliot had to leave the latest site of Grey Construction and Mia had to leave her gourmet bakery shop in the middle of the day.

That they wanted to see him, talking, never occurred to him. After all, they seldom heard him do more than mumble at a Sunday brunch. They figured that he'd be speaking whole sentences at this gathering and they wanted to be there for that.

Andrea had cleared his schedule and nothing important was being set aside so the three hours wouldn't be a great loss. Still, he was unaccountably nervous about being surrounded by children and gaping parents. The fathers would want to talk business and the wives would want to smile coyly at him. And why, oh, why did men always ask him for stock tips? He owned his business. He didn't buy or sell stock. When he told them politely at every Coping Together Gala that he didn't know anything about hot stocks, they'd look disappointed...like he wasn't willing to share.

He'd have to write a little speech…an inspiring speech, no less. An age appropriate inspiring speech. Lord, what could he possibly have to say to 75 pre-teens? He turned in his chair, opened his laptop and forced himself to begin to compose.

CHAPTER 14

Ana studied herself in the mirror. It would do her no good to wear the wig or the brown contacts. Nor did she want to dress in her usual dull work clothes. She'd also no intention of hiding in the little girl's room at the school. Belinda would want to drag her all over to meet everyone and that would probably include Grey. Ana had always been reserved but Belinda was an extrovert. There was no hiding. Today was going to change everything so she might as well try to look good.

She pulled a rarely worn pale blue suit from her closet and a pair of shoes with kitten heels. A couple of inches of standing on her toes was all she could tolerate. She tried various attempts at makeup but finally gave up…donning only a bit of mascara and lip gloss. Her hair. Up? Down? Up and down? She finally decided on down, with the ends curled. In her ears were the diamond studs that Christian had given her. She didn't notice them anymore. She stepped back from the mirror and decided that it was as good as it was going to get.

"Wow, mommy!" Belinda stared up at her mother as she descended the stairs.

"Wow is right!" Ray exclaimed. "Darlin', you are a vision."

"So I look all right?" Ana asked shyly.

"You look so beautiful, mommy. Mr. Crawford and my teachers won't believe that you're my mother. I can't wait for everyone to see you," Belinda beamed with pride.

"Oh, you're both biased, don't you think?"

"Nope," they concurred.

Despite her nerves, the morning flew by for Ana as Belinda dragged her and Ray around the carnival-like party set up by the school. There were dozens of games to play…ring toss, go fish, darts and balloons, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey…and even a go-kart track. Tables of food set up everywhere. A photo booth. The entire event was well-attended and Mr. Crawford busied himself meeting and greeting.

Meeting and greeting Mrs. Rose Cartwright was a real shocker. At first he looked confused. Then he looked at her face, then Belinda's and then Mrs. Cartwright's face again. Oh, this was Belinda's mother all right.

"Mrs. Cartwright, Mr. Landon, I don't understand and it isn't my business either but this is certainly a surprise," he gaped, pumping Ray's hand.

"I apologize for the subterfuge, Mr. Crawford. I can't explain but I assure you that no illegalities are involved."

"Never occurred to me. I know Belinda," he smiled, as if that explained everything.

They had to go through the same thing with parents they'd previously met and their children and, of course, Belinda's teachers. Ana could feel eyes on her the entire time tho' it was more than surprise at the difference in her appearance. It was the fact that she was stunning. More than one wife poked her husband in his ribs.

While the morning's activities had helped somewhat to distract Ana, a post-lunch commotion alerted her to the day's primo event and what she felt was her world about to collapse. While Belinda tried to pull her forward, Ana pulled Belinda toward the back of the crowd. Ray tried to help by hoisting Belinda into his arms so she could see better.

Mr. Crawford mounted the steps to the stage and stood behind the podium, calling for everyone's attention. When he had it, he made a little speech about their guest and what an honor it was for the school to have him visiting and how everyone should give him a big hand. By now, the children were both souped up on sugar and somewhat tired so they were ready to sit quietly and listen to Christian Grey.

As he stepped up to the podium, shook Mr. Crawford's hand and turned to face the crowd, Ana softly gasped. He looked a little older, rather tired and pale but he was still devastatingly handsome. Judging by the faces of other women in the crowd, Ana wasn't the only one who thought so. The heart ache she'd kept in check all these years surged within her. His gray eyes were still as brilliant as ever. His voice was deep and strong and she could hear him commanding her to cum for him. Maybe he'd speak and then she could get Belinda out of there as the crowd surged around him as it surely would.

It wasn't apparent and Ana was sure that no one else noticed but she could see that he was slightly nervous. This, of course, was not his usual audience. He looked down at all the children sitting on the floor and began to speak but then stopped. He looked at his papers and then shoved them back into the pocket inside his jacket.

"I had prepared a speech as per your headmaster's request. Something inspiring, he told me. But I think that maybe I'll tell you a story instead. It's a story about a very rich man and his life. Would you like to hear that story, do you think?" he smiled at the children who were by now mesmerized.

75 heads bobbed up and down enthusiastically. Then Christian stepped down from the podium and sat on the edge of the stage floor.

For the next 30 minutes, he told the children why he'd worked so hard to become rich. Ana was sure that the reporters in the room were thrilled to have this story. A desperately poor little boy, living in a grimy slum with his drug addicted young mother and being tormented by her mean boyfriend. The whole room gasped when he told of the man burning him with cigarettes. How after his young mother had died, he'd been adopted by Grace and Carrick Grey and given a brother and sister and a safe, well-to-do life. An idyllic life that he hadn't really appreciated. He explained that he had not become rich to help others with his money. He'd become rich to protect himself from ever being a victim again. He said that he'd had to grow up a bit before he realized that being rich enough to buy jets and boats and penthouses was not enough. He needed to help others with his money. He knew what it was to suffer, to do without and, therefore, he had to do everything in his power to keep other children from suffering. That, he said, was what kept him going. That is what gave him the strength to work long hours…to provide jobs for his employees and to be able to fund soil research programs so that farmers in third world countries could cultivate more land….to be able to send tanker ships full of food to countries in turmoil, like Darfur.

He finished by saying that he hoped that one day all these children would work hard so that they could help others…with their money and with their skills. That is why they were gifted because being able to help others is the real gift.

Ray handed his handkerchief to Ana who had tears running down her cheeks. This was the man with whom she'd fallen in love. The rest was just icing on a beautiful cake. His heart was so good…though he didn't believe it.

The applause was deafening. The children had gotten up from the floor and were jumping up and down. They crowded the stage and hugged him. Ana could see him laughing and actually enjoying all the touching. Being here to see this made all her fear worthwhile. Then she saw Christian look toward the back. She turned to see that Belinda had crawled unto Ray's shoulders, 6' 5'' in the air. Belinda with her long lush copper hair and her gloriously shining gray eyes. As all the children embraced him and their parents reached out to shake his hand, Grey froze…staring at the beautiful little girl with his hair and his eyes…and Ana's face.

CHAPTER 15

Christian's heart was pounding. His hands began to tremble. He tried to give his attention to all these children and their parents but he was struggling to stay on his feet. Grace was alarmed. She turned to Carrick to see him looking toward the back of the auditorium, his mouth hanging open. She followed his gaze and then she saw it, too. A tiny Ana with copper hair and gray eyes sitting on the shoulders of Ray Steele. By now, Elliot and Mia were staring as well.

Christian climbed back up on the stage. Mr. Crawford approached him to congratulate him on a wonderful speech and to thank him profusely. He saw that Grey was staring toward the back at Belinda Cartwright. Well, that didn't surprise him. Belinda was both unusual and lovely.

"Mr. Grey, I'd like to introduce you to one of our newer students and probably our brightest. I can see that you've already spotted her back there on her grandfather's shoulders. She's truly a special child among all these special children. Come."

As Ana watched Mr. Crawford lead Christian to her and Ray and Belinda, she felt her father's arm wrap tightly around her slender shoulders. Belinda was clapping at this anticipated introduction and she looked like the cutest thing on the planet. She climbed down from Ray's shoulders and he lowered her to the floor.

"Mr. Grey," Belinda beamed up at the man towering over her. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I thought that your talk was excellent." She held up her tiny hand to shake his giant paw. Grey knelt down before her, still having to lean over to look at her. He shook her hand gently and Ana could see that it was shaking. Belinda saw it, too, and was perplexed but said nothing.

"Mr. Crawford, would you introduce us?" Christian requested, in a tremulous voice.

"Yes, of course. This is Belinda Cartwright, soon to be seven years old. This is her grandfather, George Landon and her mother, Rose Cartwright."

Christian stood up and reached out to shake Ray's hand. Ray's grip was strong and firm…a warning. Christian then reached for Ana's hand. She hesitantly took his and both felt the same electric charge they'd always felt.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. Your daughter looks just you, Mrs. Cartwright."

Ana blushed as Belinda spoke up. "Everyone says that we're twins…except for our hair and our eyes. You and I have the same hair and eyes, Mr. Grey." Belinda looked pleased but didn't understand how rare their coloring was in the world. Grey couldn't stop himself from putting his hand on Belinda's head.

"Did you get your hair and eyes from your father?" he asked…just in case.

"I don't know. Mommy, did I?" Belinda asked, looking up at her mother.

"Yes, dear. Yes, you did."

"I always thought I looked a little weird, Mr. Grey. I've never see anyone, even on TV, with hair and eyes like mine so this is really neat."

Christian knelt down again and took her hand.

"Yes, it is really neat, Belinda. You have no idea how wonderful this is."

Belinda just beamed. "I read up all about you in Forbes and the Wall Street Journal and Business Weekly and the internet but all that personal stuff you told us about is new. I think that it was very brave of you to share that. It made a big impression. The other kids were all talking about how you were going to tell us how to get rich like you but instead you told us how to use your riches. I liked that a lot."

Christian beamed right back at her. "You've no idea how it pleases me to hear you say that."

"Well, mommy always says that I'm very discerning and then grampa says that I could stand to be a little less discerning," laughed Belinda. Just then two other students came up to ask Belinda to take a photo with them. She reluctantly ran off, promising to return soon.

Christian stood up. Ray noticed that he was still shaken. That pleased him.

"Well, I'm going to eat more cake. I'll leave you to talk. Honey, if you need me, just call." He leaned down and kissed Ana's head and left for the cake table.

Ana and Christian simply looked at each other for a few moments until he invited her to sit with him. Neither noticed anyone else in the room…not even his family watching intently from across the auditorium.

"She's breathtaking, Ana, just like her mother," Christian said, his hands still trembling.

Ana hurt to see Christian so disturbed so without thinking, she reached out and put her hand on his two. He stopped shaking almost immediately. She smiled sweetly at him and he felt a tear brimming.

"I don't know where to start. Ana, is she really mine, really?"

"Yes, of course, Christian. Just look at her."

"What does she think happened to her father?" He cringed, waiting to hear that he was dead or, worse, that he was a deadbeat dad who'd abandoned them. Not far from the truth.

"Ray told her that some men aren't good at being fathers or they aren't ready to be fathers. Belinda accepted that and that someday when she was grown, she could go find you. She doesn't hate you, Christian. She said that she feels bad that you aren't sitting at dinner with us. She doesn't understand grownup relationships and dating and such so she assumes that you're always alone."

"I am always alone, Ana. I tried to date, briefly, after you left and I was angry, but I didn't make it far. I work. About once a month, I foist myself on my family for brunch but otherwise, I spend my nights in my study."

"You never went back to BDSM?"

"No, I dismantled the playroom soon after you left. Meaningless sex with strangers is worthless. Elena has never given up trying to get me to return to the fold."

"Oh, Elena is still your friend?" Ana looked sad.

"She's my blackmailer. Once a month I pay her off and she goes away again. She still feigns concern for my health and tries to send subs but…." he trailed off. "I know you're ashamed of me for never freeing my mother from her. When you left, you took my courage with you."

Ana didn't respond to that. They'd been over and over the subject and she didn't want to think about Elena Lincoln right now.

"I'm sure that you have a lot of questions about Belinda…or maybe not. I've kept her hidden all these years because you didn't want her and I didn't want her to have a father who just sent checks. Daddy has his own workshop and I'm the Senior Fiction Editor at Crossfire Publishing. Figured I'd save you the trouble of speed dialing Welch," Ana smiled.

Christian chuckled. "You know me so well. You know me better than anyone ever has.

I would like to get to know my daughter and I'm so grateful that you kept her. I've thought about her every year around the time that you supposedly had a miscarriage. I'd think…this year she'd be three….this year, she'd be four. I regretted my stupidity every year. All too late, I thought, I wanted her/him. And, Ana, I've never stopped wanting you. I've just been whistling past the graveyard since you left.

"Your father hid you brilliantly. When I saw the picture of you and your lumberjack husband and child living in the wilds of Alberta, Canada, I gave up the search. Every once in a while I'd look at the picture to get it through my thick head that you'd started a new life… that it was too late."

He wrapped his large hands around her small one. "I have so much I want to say to you. I have so much I want to know about you, who you are now. I look at you and you haven't changed at all. You certainly don't look any older. It's hard to believe that Belinda is going to be seven."

"Six, Christian," blushed Ana. "We changed her birth certificate so that you would think that I became pregnant after I left you. Belinda was born seven months after I left Escala. She'll be six years old on her next birthday. I suppose we'll have to fix that now."

"Six…of course." Christian put his hand to his eyes.

"Christian, are you crying?" Ana was alarmed.

"I've missed her birth, her infancy, her first steps and words. Almost six years of her life. And it's all my own fault. There is no one else to blame. It's a loss I can never recover."

"You weren't ready for all that. If I'd thought for a moment that you'd change when you first saw her, I'd have stuck it out. However, I couldn't take the chance that you'd treat her like a thing in the way, messing up your life. I'm sorry, Christian."

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for, Ana. It was all me and my senseless heeding of the venom of Elena Lincoln. You've taken wonderful care of our daughter. Look at her. She's perfect.

"Ana. It's your call now. Where do we go from here?" Christian looked at her beseechingly.

CHAPTER 16

"I see your family watching us from across the auditorium. They've been very patient. Perhaps we ought to take Belinda to meet them. You go over first and prep them. Remember, I'm Rose Cartwright and daddy is George Landon. I'm not ready for Belinda to know the truth just yet."

Grey nodded agreement and got up from the chair. He had to look at Ana once more before leaving her for even a minute. Ana waved to Belinda who ran to her mommy to show her the picture that she'd had taken at the photo booth. Ana explained that Mr. Grey wanted to introduce her to his family. Would Belinda like to meet them? Of course, the answer was yes. Holding her grandfather's and mother's hands, Belinda skipped across the room.

"Hi!" Belinda smiled brightly up at the people that she didn't yet know were her family. They all knelt down to her level and reached out to touch her. They all had tears in their eyes. Belinda reached up to Ray and asked for his hanky. Then she dabbed at the tears on her grandmother's face. Grace, of course, was all but bawling. After she wiped the tears from her cheeks, she patted her face.

"I'm sorry I made you cry." Unable to stop themselves, all four people enveloped Belinda in a big hug. Belinda was patting people and telling them that everything was all right. They didn't have to cry. They retreated and began apologizing for being so forward.

"Being forward?" Belinda tapped her lips and thought for a second before she broke into a smile and defined the phrase. Then she assured the people that she didn't think that they were being forward. She told them that she had a friend who was always hugging everyone and some people didn't like it but Belinda thought it was wonderful.

The family hung on every word while she told them about her best friend, Mary, and how they were different together except that here at the school there were more people like her and now she was sad because Mary was alone but that they skyped every night.

As Belinda ran on, Christian watched and smiled. He looked ten years younger, thought Ana. He wasn't pale anymore and he didn't look tired. He, in fact, looked lit from within. Unconsciously, he took her hand.

"Mr. Grey, you're supposed to introduce us, aren't you?" Belinda scolded.

"Yes, yes, I am. Folks, this is Belinda Cartwright, her mother, Rose and her grandfather, George Landon.

"Belinda, this is my mother, Grace and my father, Carrick…my brother, Elliot and my sister, Mia.

Did I do that correctly, Belinda?"

"Yes, Mr. Grey. Thank you. Mommy, is it showing off if I tell them what their names mean?"

"Oh, no, dear. Please do," said Grace. Ana nodded.

"Carrick means 'rock' and its Scottish. Elliot means "With Strength and Right". "Mia means 'mine' and Grace means 'gracious'. Do you want to know what Belinda means?"

Heads bobbed up and down.

"Belinda means 'beautiful'. I went through this phase when I was four of wanting to know what

names meant. I got pretty obsessed, didn't I, mommy?" Belinda laughed.

"Yes, it was an interesting few weeks. Dad and I kept her busy. We'd point at things and she'd run off to investigate."

"Well," Elliot began, "With Strength and Right" sounds like me. Wouldn't you say, Chris?"

"You're in construction and one hopes you're getting it done right so I suppose it fits," Christian sneered.

"I don't care much for 'mine'," whined Mia.

"Mia is a really pretty name," consoled Belinda, "so it's kind of a trade-off." Mia beamed.

"It's getting late, honey. We'd better get home. It's been a big, busy day." Ray hoisted Belinda up to his shoulders. Ana looked at the picture Belinda had taken and then asked Belinda if she would mind if Mr. Grey had it. Belinda looked at Christian and saw the hope in his face so she took it from her mother and handed down to her father.

"You could have it blown up into a wall mural," Belinda joked. Ana just shook her head at her silly girl. She knew Christian and a mural wouldn't be big enough for him.

Everyone said their goodbyes and Christian asked if he could walk them to their car. The family stood stunned and smiling and waving goodbye. As Christian walked them out, Ana suddenly realized that he'd been holding her hand for quite a while and that it felt so natural and so good. She warned herself to take things at her own pace. She knew that this man could steamroll right over her without her even knowing it.

The minute that Christian saw Ray's rusted old truck, he wondered how he could get Ray to accept a new one. The odds were not in his favor. And what was Ana driving around in? And with his daughter, no less? At least, he noted, there is a car seat for Belinda. As Ray buckled his granddaughter into her seat, Grey pulled Ana aside.

"This is my personal cell phone or you could call GEH. I'll leave instructions that any call from Rose Cartwright be put right through. I don't want to pressure you…not this time. Just know that I want to see you and my daughter under any terms you decide upon.

"Oh, and I'm more in love with you than ever."

With that, Christian opened the door for Ana and then stepped back to watch them drive off.

Ana was breathless. Belinda was chattering on about all that had gone on today. She was a bit put out that she was not allowed to go-kart race but quite pleased that she won a good prize at the fishing booth.

.+.

Christian watched the truck until it was out of sight. He determined that he would not have Taylor and Welch get pictures of his daughter's home. He would not have Crossfire Publishing vetted, either. He would not interfere…this time. He wanted his family back and he had to change to be worthy of them.

What if Ana was dating someone? Oh, god. Okay, that would change things. He would have to vet that jackass.

His family ran up to him, excitedly yattering about Belinda and Ana. Grace was beside herself at knowing that she had a grandchild.

"She's so special, Christian. No ordinary 5 year old talks like that."

"Well, mother, she is attending a school for the gifted so…." He smiled at everyone marveling about his daughter. She certainly was gifted, all right. And so was he. Somehow he'd found Ana and somehow he had a daughter.

He didn't want to die anymore. Life was just getting good.

CHAPTER 17

Conversation at Sunday brunch was loud and lively and all about Ana and Belinda. They couldn't believe that this remarkable little girl was theirs. Nor could they wait until she knew this. They pestered Christian to quickly resolve the situation. Christian tried to get them to understand that this wasn't his call to make.

"Look, this has to be on Ana's timetable. It must have been difficult for her to come out from hiding. Crawford told me that he barely recognized her when she first walked into the party. She's been wearing a wig and brown contacts and dowdy clothes to disguise herself. She changed her name. She was afraid that I could find her and after the way that I behaved…."

"Bro, you were scared. Boy, if one of my girlfriends told me that I was going to be a dad, I'd have freaked out, too," said Elliot.

"No, Elliot. I was a total son of a bitch. I raged at her, called her a gold-digging whore. I saw the fear in her eyes. I terrified her. I deserved every bit of hell I've been through since she left me. I'm so incredibly amazed and grateful that I have a second chance, at least with my daughter, that whatever Ana wants, Ana gets.

"I know Ana. Her heart is so good. She won't deny me or Belinda the chance to know each other. I don't know if she'll be able to take me back, however. She may have a new man in her life, anyway. In fact, it's quite likely. She's beautiful, inside and out and I'm not the first man to realize that. I may have to accept that I blew it."

Grace smiled at Carrick. "We saw the way she was looking at you, Christian. That girl is still in love."

"She may have old feelings for me. She isn't the type to go cold on someone…but that doesn't mean that she doesn't have a boyfriend."

"She wasn't wearing an engagement ring, Christian," piped up Mia.

"Please, everyone, stop. I have to concentrate right now on my daughter. I can't get my hopes up for me and Ana…though, lord knows, if she whistled, I'd run."

.+.

"How's it going, daddy?" Ana came out to watch her father hanging the porch swing. The weather was warming and she missed the porch swing in Rose Ellen. It would be sad to sit there and not see her daughter and her best friend playing in the front yard but at least they could soon watch the fireflies at night.

"Almost done. Pretty soon you and your boyfriend can sit out here at night, cuddled up in afghans, smooching," he teased.

"Daddy," Ana's tone held a warning.

"Just sayin', my dear," he grinned. "You give any more thought to your daughter's father? I saw him hand a business card to you. I know that he wants to see her. The man was almost in tears, looking at her….and you."

"Of course, I'm going to allow him to see Belinda. Don't worry. I don't think that we have to run anymore. We have some changes to make…our names, her birth certificate, school records."

"I'll get on that first thing Monday morning. How do you want to explain matters to Mr. Crawford?" Ray patted the now secure swing and invited Ana to sit.

"I don't plan on it. He'll ask questions and, if I can, I'll answer them. However, he is obviously a big fan of Christian's so I'm not concerned with any disapproval of his daughter. I'm more concerned about walking into work on Monday as me."

"You know, I'd tell Mr. Hyde that you wanted to be judged on your work accomplishments…not on your appearance or connections. You've been real good at your job and it was time to trust that he appreciated you for your work."

"Mommy! Mommy! I need you!" Belinda yelled from upstairs. Ana sighed and went inside. Ever since meeting Grey, Belinda had become a bit of a diva. She was well aware of being singled out by the handsome man that all the older girls swore that they were going to marry one day. Now they were jealous and Belinda felt that she needed to upgrade her 'look'. She had to wear a uniform at the academy but she wanted a new hairdo, pierced ears, makeup and so on.

Ana walked into her own room and found Belinda had somehow piled her hair on top of her head in what she thought was a sophisticated updo. She had mascara smeared all over her eyelids and cheeks…lip stick that made her look like the joker and some ancient eye shadow.

"Mommy, can you pierce my ears?"

"Yes, in about a decade from now. Let's get your face washed. You know, Mr. Grey liked you just the way you are. This clown look will not impress him."

Ray sat lazily swinging back and forth, feeling grateful that handling this particular problem was not in his bailiwick.

Or was it?

"Grampa! I want to look pretty and mommy won't let me. She wants to wash my face. Will you pierce my ears with one of your drill bits?"

Ray was struggling to not laugh at the creature before him or her suggestion that he pierce her ears with his drill.

"Do you think that your mommy is pretty, sweetie?"

"Mommy is beautiful! I want to look beautiful, too!"

"Do you ever see your mommy wearing makeup?" Belinda frowned. Well, grampa had her there.

"She has all this makeup in her drawer," she protested.

"It's all very old and she never touches it because she knows that clean, fresh skin is beautiful…not pretty skin covered in goop. From the way that he was looking at her, I think Mr. Grey thought that she was beautiful just the way she was."

Belinda tapped her lips, thought it over and sank onto the swing beside her gramps.

"He probably thinks I'm too young for him anyway, huh?"

"Well, he does have about three decades on you so…." Gramps conceded. Belinda sighed and gave up the fight. She retreated to the bathroom and scrubbed her face clean.

"Well done, master grampa," Ana praised her father. "I'm thinking of inviting Christian to dinner." She looked at her father as he looked straight ahead. He reached an arm around her and sighed.

"I've spent so many years being furious with that a**hole and now I have to welcome him into the fold," Ray grumbled. "One wrong move and I take him out."

"Agreed," Ana giggled.

CHAPTER 18

"Mr. Grey, there's someone by the name of Mrs. Cartwright on the…."

"Put her through immediately!" Grey's heart jumped into his mouth and he didn't care what he looked like to all the people packed around the conference table.

"Ana, hello!"

"I hope that I didn't call at a bad time."

"No. Nothing that couldn't be interrupted." The group of businessmen and their lawyers all lifted their eyebrows as a group. They'd been discussing the final details of a very big deal.

"How are you?," he beamed like a loon at the phone. "Is Belinda okay?"

"Yes, funny story but I'll tell you later. I was wondering if you'd be able to come to dinner Saturday night around 6 pm. I know that's earlier than you're used to but little girls can't wait until 9 pm."

"I'd be delighted. Thank you. Is there anything I could bring? Wine?"

"Family dinner with a five year old, Christian. You want to argue with her about why she can't have any?"

"Oh, geez, what was I thinking? New territory. Anything else?"

"No, we'll have it covered. We eat child-friendly meals in this house so don't expect steak and broccoli. Probably spaghetti and meatballs, peas and ice cream for dessert. Don't bring your sophisticated palate with you," Ana giggled.

He hadn't heard that giggle in six years and it nearly did him in right there. As it was, he was relieved that he was sitting down behind a dark wood table.

"I'll be there with bells on. Just text me the address."

"We don't text. Transfer me back to Andrea and I'll give her the address. See you Saturday."

After she rang off, Grey just stared at the phone until he heard a cough. Ros was staring at him as if he'd lost his mind. He quickly made apologies to the crowd and continued with the meeting. It was hard to concentrate. In six days, he was going to see his daughter again and her beautiful mother. His heart was racing.

.+.

Ana walked into Crossfire Publishing on Monday morning in the same blue suit she'd worn to the party, wearing kitten heels and her long hair in a ponytail. The receptionist dropped her jaw and her pen. Dee jumped to her feet and followed Ana into her office…just staring. Ana smiled hello and said that she'd be back to explain but that she would have to speak first with Mr. Hyde.

His reaction was subdued but only because he initially did not recognize Ana. It took him a minute before his jaw also dropped.

"I know this is a shock, Jack, but hear me out." Ana then proceeded to use the explanation that Ray had suggested…at least, as far as her appearance went. Jack took that pretty well. He even seemed to understand.

Then she had to explain that her real name was Anastasia Rose Steele. She explained that the subterfuge was necessary to protect her daughter and that was as much as she could tell him. A situation that had haunted them for years was now resolved and the family could come in from the cold. He did not seem pleased. He explained that lying on an employment application was grounds for dismissal. Ana gulped, said that she completely understood and rose to leave.

However, Jack continued, he would be crazy to use that against her and then lose the best editor that he'd ever had. Was there anything else she needed to confess? he asked. No, she said. He handed her a fresh application, told her to backdate it and replace it in the file.

He shook his head back and forth as the formerly dowdy but now quite beautiful woman left his office. This, he thought, might take some getting used to.

As Ana walked by Owen's office, he casually looked up, down and then his head shot up again. She smiled and said good morning. Well, that was kind of fun, she thought.

Back in her own office, she sat Dee down and explained that a family problem had compelled her to disguise her true identity for several years but it was now resolved and she was reverting to her actual appearance and name. Dee so wanted to intrude further but instinctively knew that she should not further question "Ana" so she bit her lip. Maybe someday they'd go out for a drink after work and she could loosen Ana's tongue. She did ask if Ana had been running from the mob but Ana just laughed her out of the room.

Now Ana had to explain the change to her pet authors. It could be a long week, she thought.

Earlier that morning, she'd had a short meeting with Mr. Crawford who had already seen the real Ana but, on this occasion, learned that school records regarding names and birth dates would have to be changed. He agreed to have a talk with Belinda's teachers and that all within the administration would keep the information to themselves. No one would tell the children. That would surely become complicated.

Now, Ana thought, I have only my daughter to whom to reveal the truth. That was going to be the toughest talk of all and she didn't intend to have it very soon. First, she wanted to get through daddy Grey's first dinner.

CHAPTER 19

The week was interminable. At GEH, Grey's moods swung from grizzly bear to lamb. Everyone had decided it was best to simply be elsewhere. That is, except for his #2, Ros Bailey, who took crap from no one, least of all her boss. Grey began to look forward to Ros's daily lectures. They broke up the day. She had a knack. Just when he thought he was really going to lose it, she'd pop up and tear into him. It was as if she was his dominatrix: there to torture him, relieving him of all responsibility for a time. He'd sit back in his chair, stare at her and listen while she tore him a new one. He found it relaxing. Then, because he seemed to have calmed down, Ros would consider her visit to have been successful and she would retreat to her own office. After she left, Grey would be impassive and reasonable for almost an hour before the clock in his head started ticking again…42 hours and 41 minutes until he could see his daughter and Ana again. The highly agitated grizzly would return.

Finally, he found himself tearing through his closet, wondering what one wears to a meeting with a child and spaghetti. No, too formal. No, too casual. He was goldilocks, searching for just the right thing. He shaved. Two hours later he shaved again. He skipped lunch and Gail fretted. He considered driving himself but Taylor vetoed that plan on the grounds that he was too antsy to be trusted behind the wheel. Grey laughed at Taylor using "antsy". Finally, it was decided that Taylor would drive him, parking a discrete block away.

And, then, they were on the road. The longest thirty minutes of his life…not counting the last six empty years. He kept urging Taylor to go faster, like a little kid. Taylor kept calmly replying "No, sir", prompting Grey to sulk in the back seat.

.+.

"Mommy! No, this way! Grampa, that's wrong!" Belinda had been a fireball all day, dashing around preparing for their dinner guest. Most of her "help" involved correcting the work of others. The sauce needed more oregano. The piano needed tuning. The ice cream was the wrong kind. The chairs weren't spaced correctly.

Much of the day she spent cleaning her room, over and over. She ran around the house plumping pillows and straightening pictures.

"Belinda, come here, please," Ana called softly. She gathered her little girl into her arms and rocked her.

"Everything is done. We're going to have a lovely dinner party with Mr. Grey. And we have to make him feel welcome and calm. So we have to be calm. Now, we'll just sit here for a while and snuggle. Better yet, we'll go out on the porch and wait to greet him, okay?"

Ray threw her a grateful glance and went back to fixing dinner. He'd never seen Belinda so excited. He wondered if somewhere deep inside of her, she knew that Mr. Grey was special. Ana hadn't yet discussed the situation with Ray. He guessed that she didn't yet know what to do about it. The feelings between her and Grey were obviously still there but he'd hurt her so badly. How could she ever truly trust him again? Her first concern was, naturally, what to say to Belinda and how to help her daughter become Grey's daughter. Could she trust Grey with her little girl? Would he destroy her heart like he'd destroyed Ana's?

Ray found himself getting worked up as he recalled Ana's pregnancy. She'd called him, crying, and told him that she'd faked a miscarriage and Grey was happy about it. She loved him so much but she couldn't stay with him. Ray told her to pack just what she needed and meet him at the diner two blocks down from Escala. They'd leave Grey's car there and drive away in Ray's beat-up truck. He was prepared and he knew of a place they could stay until the baby came. Ana cried hard the whole way. Ray wanted to beat Grey to death…mess up that pretty face of his. He tried to convince Ana to hold Grey's feet to the fire. He needed to contribute to the baby's expenses and provide child support but Ana was adamant that she didn't want her child to know that her father didn't want her.

She had a rough pregnancy, partly because of her health and partly because of her depression. Enduring a tough labor, several times she called out for Christian while Ray let her crush his hand. Once her baby was placed on her chest, her joy overcame all her sorrow. Thereafter, she buried her broken heart and concentrated on giving Belinda the safest, warmest, most loving home possible.

And, now, Grey wanted back in.

CHAPTER 20

"He's here, he's here!" Belinda jumped down from the swing and ran to greet Grey as he walked up the sidewalk with a big grin on his face. Belinda ran into his arms and he picked her and swung her around as if they'd greeted each other that way a hundred times before. He carried her up the steps and said hello to Ana, telling her that she looked lovely tonight.

"See, mommy, I told you to wear the blue sweater!" Belinda crowed. Ana just smiled and shook her head.

"Thank you, Christian, and good evening. Is Taylor going to just sit down there in the car?"

"That's his job. Besides, I wanted to drive myself but he refused. Don't worry about him.

He has his music and a good book and Gail made him a bag of food. He figures that for a couple of hours he won't have me on his hands."

"Okay, then. If he's happy. Otherwise, he's welcome to join us."

"He knows that." Christian shrugged.

"Mr. Grey, Mr. Grey, do you want to see my room?!"

"Well, that would great. Lead the way," Grey smiled down at his little girl. As Belinda ran ahead, Christian turned to Ana and beamed. "I'm going to see my daughter's bedroom."

"Do you like Pepto Bismal?" Ana grinned. Christian gave her a questioning look and then moved to catch up to Belinda.

The walls, the ceiling, the floor, the bedding, the stuffed toys…it took a second or two for Grey to recover from the overwhelmingness of pink. The only other color in the room was a white bureau, bed and lamp shade. "I bet I can guess your favorite color," Grey teased. Belinda giggled…just like Ana did. His heart clenched a little.

He sat on the bed with his little girl and looked and listened. By the time Ray called them down to dinner, Grey had learned the names of every stuffed toy. He was a bit dazed. In his adult life, he'd never spent more than a minute or two in the presence of a child. Now he had one of his own. He could barely catch his breath.

Ana came into the room, finding Christian sitting with a lap full of stuffed animals, his eyes kind of glazed over.

"Belinda, go wash up for dinner and then help your grandfather set the table. Go on now."

Belinda grumped but obeyed. Ana unloaded Christian's lap and took a seat beside him.

"You okay, daddy?" she gently smiled.

"I think I've gone blind," he grimaced. He turned to face Ana, the woman who was always his strength. "You'll help me do this, right?" he pleaded.

"Of course, but you'll have to make mistakes, Christian, and then learn from them. That's the way this works. Parenthood is a whole new world for you but I know that once you put your mind to something, you succeed."

Christian nodded…he didn't say that he'd put his mind to getting Ana back as well.

.+.

"Ray, this is delicious. I'm sure that Ana told me once that you could grill fish, venison and make toast. When did you expand your repertoire?"

"When Ana was pregnant, I did all the cooking…trying to find something that she could keep down."

Christian nodded and looked down at his plate. Ray had taken care of Ana. That should have been his job.

"Grampa breaks all the spaghetti sticks up into small pieces so I can eat them with a spoon on account of I used to try to sniff them up my nose," Belinda informed Christian who almost spit out his dinner while Ray and Ana laughed.

"I wondered why we didn't have forks. Actually, that's pretty smart. Eliminates all that slurping. You should have to watch my brother eat pasta. This garlic bread is great, too."

"Ana makes all our bread. Honey, show Christian your guns," teased Ray.

"Mommy has real strong arms, Mr. Grey. I bet she could beat you at arm wrestling."

Ana was shaking her head and blushing. Ray took note of the adoring look she got from Christian.

He was pretty sure that blowing snot out of her nose would charm him.

"Okay, for dessert we have Neapolitan ice cream."

Grey didn't usually indulge in sweets but he didn't want to be disagreeable about anything tonight so he dug in with Belinda coaching him. He discovered through her tutelage that one starts with the chocolate and then mushes all the strawberry and vanilla together to make berrynilla.

Dinner conversation was mostly provided by Belinda who had a lot to say and a lot of questions to ask. They were intelligent questions, too…about his business and his charities and how come he didn't have a dog. Belinda wanted a dog but her mother was a meanie. Ana smiled and shrugged.

Christian eyeballed Ana sternly and asked why she wouldn't permit Belinda to have a pet. Ana narrowed her eyes at him as Ray chuckled. "That's my call. I'm not spending my days off on dog doody patrol…and don't tell me that you'd be out there picking it up," he said to Belinda. "You vomit at the sight of a dollop of bird poop."

Ana giggled and said that potty training Belinda was difficult because when she saw what she'd left in the potty, she'd throw up.

"Mr. Grey is trying to eat his ice cream," Belinda chided her mother.

Mr. Grey was trying to keep from laughing with his mouth full of ice cream.

After dinner, Ray volunteered to wash up while Belinda played the piano for their guests. Grey was amazed. She was good. And what a coincidence that she'd started at four years old just like he had. Then she asked him to play. Even though the piano was out of tune, Grey played a passable rendition of the Frozen theme song with Belinda singing along.

"The piano came with the house," said Ana, "There is no tuner in this little town so…." Even as she said it, she knew that a piano tuner would show up at their door tomorrow. She'd have to warn Christian that a baby grand had better not show up instead. Over-the-top was his middle name.

As soon as Belinda was ready for bed, Christian asked to read her a bedtime story and was informed that Belinda had been reading bedtime stories to her mother and grampa since she was two but tonight she'd make an exception. And, so, after urging Christian to sit on the bed so Belinda could lean against him, he read the latest chapter of Tom Sawyer. Christian's deep and sonorous voice lulled her into sleep. Ana watched from the doorway as Christian put an arm around his daughter and a kiss on her forehead.

Then he tucked her in and turned out her light. He walked over to Ana and with a tear escaping from his eye, he held her fast and said thank you.

The two descended the stairs together and went out onto the porch to sit on the swing. They didn't say much at first…just held hands and looked out at the night.

"Ana, do you remember what I said to you last time we saw each other just before you drove away?"

"Yes, I remember."

Christian didn't ask anything more. He just said, "Good."

Ray stuck his head out of the door and said that he was going to turn in now. They said good night and Christian said thank you again.

"I guess I should go…even though it's the last thing I want to do. I don't suppose you'd like to sit out here all night with me."

"I think that Gail is probably looking for Taylor," Ana replied.

"May I kiss you goodnight, please?" Christian asked.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Ana started to say before Christian's lips were on hers. It was a soft, gentle kiss. Then Christian stood up with Ana and led her to the door.

"I want to be sure that you're inside and the door is locked before I go," he whispered.

He watched her go and then he floated down the street to the car.

CHAPTER 21

Ana sat on the bottom step of the stairs. She felt dazed…and oh, so happy. It was the loveliest kiss. It was the loveliest evening….making it even harder to keep her head. It would be, of course, the easiest thing to simply fall in love again and move to Escala and pick up right where they left off. That was the thought that stopped her cold in her romantic tracks. Where they had left off years before was a terrible place. Christian was controlling and demanding and he always got his own way. Their early relationship was all romance but as time went on, Christian had more and more demands. She had loved her job but he insisted that she quit so that he didn't have to travel without her. When he was in town, he wanted her to be home when he finished work which often wasn't until 8 pm. She only had Gail for company all day unless she went out for the day and allowed herself to be trailed by a small contingent of coverts. However, it wasn't just the protection officers who followed her, it was paparazzi…hordes of them who flashed photos of her the entire time. It wasn't frightening. It was just annoying and claustrophobic. She longed for time to just be herself, wandering idly through a store. But being a multi-billionaire's girlfriend brought a multitude of new responsibilities and complications. She never quite knew her place or purpose.

"Ana?"

Ana looked up the stairs at Ray, looking down at her with concern etched on his face.

"I thought that you went to bed a while ago, daddy."

"I couldn't sleep. This thing seems to be moving awfully fast, Ana…just like the first time." He walked down the steps and sat beside her. He saw the glow about her.

"I'm aware, daddy. I think that I forgot for a bit. I want Christian to be a good father to Belinda but I know that he wants more than that. I know that I have to be careful. I can't let my feelings for him become the most important thing here. I look back at what we had before I left, even before I became pregnant, and I don't want that anymore. I think he and I need to have a serious talk soon. I promise you, daddy, my first priority is Belinda and I have to be certain that she is Christian's first priority, too, before we go any further. He's got to want her without me."

"Good. That is a relief. Got any timetable in mind?"

"No, it's too soon. They met. They had dinner together. I don't know, daddy, when I should tell Belinda the truth. It's going to be tough to tell that her mommy has been lying to her all her life."

"You have always been an exemplary mother. I trust your instincts, Ana. You'll know how to proceed and when." Ray kissed her temple and went back up to his room.

Ana continued to sit on the steps, wishing that she had such faith in herself because she truly did not know how to go forward.

.+.

"Sir, may I ask how your evening went?" asked Taylor.

"Could not have gone better, Taylor. My daughter is a dream come true. I'll bet she and your daughter would get on like gangbusters. They're close in age and Sophie is quite bright herself. I'm wondering if I should invite the Steeles to dinner at Escala and you could have Sophie over and we'll all have dinner together. How does that sound to you? Do you think that you could get your ex to agree to dinner next weekend?"

"I can certainly put in a request, sir. Of course, she thinks that you're the devil incarnate since you had your little talk with her some years ago," chuckled Taylor.

"Good, I certainly did my best to put the fear of god into her but the devil will do as well. Perhaps you could politely remind her that I pay for her daughter's private school. If necessary, I'll have another chat with her. She doesn't let you have near enough time with your own daughter. Sophie would probably love to stay over at Escala with you and Gail. She has her own room, after all."

Grey stopped talking and stared out the window. Yes, that would be a great night. It would give him a chance to just observe his daughter play with another child. It would also give him a chance to spend more one on one time with Ana. Taylor could talk military with Ray. He wondered how long it would take to convince Ana to tell Belinda that he was her father. He wasn't insensitive. He knew that that would be a heavy conversation. He would have to be patient, something that he'd never been good at in his life.

If he could have his way, Ana and Belinda would move into Escala as soon as possible. He yearned for them to be a family. And, oh, how he wanted to kiss that woman again.

CHAPTER 22

On Monday morning, when Ana dropped Belinda off at school, Mr. Crawford asked to have a private word with her. He seemed nervous, as if he wondered about the wisdom of this conversation.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cartwright. How are you today? Did you have a good weekend? Did you enjoy the school's party?" he blithered for a while. Ana assured him that she was fine, had a good weekend and enjoyed the party. Then she simply sat and looked at him.

"Well, I'm not sure how to proceed," Mr. Crawford began, hoping Ana would help out but she just continued to look at him questioningly.

"Okay. I'll get right to it then. Your daughter's resemblance to Mr. Grey did not go unnoticed by, well, anyone." Ana continued to simply stare at him.

"It was also clear that Mr. Grey was startled to see her…as in the first time." Ana looked Mr. Crawford straight in his eyes.

"Mrs. Cartwright, is Mr. Grey the father of your daughter?" Even as he asked the question, he regretted it. Ana narrowed her eyes at him and then stood up.

"Mr. Crawford, is the answer to that question in any way relevant to your education of my daughter at Bridges Academy?" She inwardly smirked at his discomfort…the ass.

"Ah, no, I suppose it isn't. I'm very sorry to have intruded. I don't know what I was thinking."

"I'd advised you, Mr. Crawford, to refrain from asking that question of Mr. Grey, should that occur to you. You would find his response to be far more unpleasant than mine. He treasures his privacy.

Good day." With that, she turned on her heel and marched out of his office. He wondered if anyone would notice if he spent the day hiding under his desk.

Ana steamed all the way into the city. The week after the party she had discussed a change in some of Belinda's information with Mr. Crawford but he apparently wanted her to confide in him. Well, he could just find out if she ever needed to tell him. The last thing she needed was an anonymous source chatting with the Seattle Nooz. She considered that she probably should have warned him that his school would be inundated with press if it got out that Christian's Grey daughter was a student. No, he couldn't possibly be that stupid. He was probably just considering what a financial boon Christian's patronage of the school would be.

This would be her second week as Ana Steele at Crossfire Publishing. All of her co-workers had gotten used to her new look last week and a few of her authors had met with Ana Steele as well. This week she was meeting with Roma Barton, one of her discoveries. She hoped that this meeting would go well.

"Good morning, Dee. I'm expecting Roma at 9 am…is that correct?"

"She's already here," Dee whispered. "And she's already tried pumping me for information about the new you. I gave her the same explanation that you gave everyone but something else is going on with her. Be careful."

Roma had left her previous publisher, feeling underappreciated. It was possible that she'd feel duped and that could be a problem.

"Roma, I hope I haven't kept you waiting long. I thought our meeting was at 9 am."

"I wanted to get here before you changed out of your latest disguise, "Ana"," Roma snarled.

"I'm the same person, Roma. My life circumstances changed so that I was able to look like myself. I had no intention of fooling anyone, however, about who I am."

"It's quite a change, I must say. You were such a dowdy woman and now you're glamorous."

Ana laughed. "Glamorous! Roma, you flatter me. I'm as plain as Rose Cartwright but with different hair and eye color. Now, let's get down to business. I've gone over your first chapter of your new book and I'm very pleased with it. I could find barely a sentence to edit. It is a good piece of work. I'm really looking forward to more pages to entertain me this coming week."

Ana's compliments worked on Roma just as they did on every other author. Ana had hopes of writing another book herself one day and she wondered if she'd develop the same kind of ego and insecurity as all of her writers.

She worked with Roma for an hour and all was well it seemed by the time Roma left. Roma's ego was properly plumped and fluffed and she was off to write more brilliance with which to dazzle the world. Ana sank on her sofa with a cup of coffee to recover.

Owen popped into her office as he'd been doing every day since the new Ana had appeared last Monday. It was clear that he was interested in her despite all her attempts to discourage him. He'd bring a donut…offer a lunch date…a dinner date…a nice chat. She gently rebuffed every offer put forward. She'd already learned the kind of man he really was during her first weeks there when she was dumpy Rose Cartwright who'd stolen his promotion.

"Would you close the door on your way out, Owen? I need to get some work done without any further interruptions. Thank you," she smiled sweetly. Disappointed, Owen frowned and went on his way. Ana took a seat and began to dig through all the new proposals on her desk. She swore that they'd bred over the weekend.

Her personal phone rang. Christian. She considered letting it go to voicemail but she knew it was a possibility that Grey would just barge into her office the way that he used to before he made her quit her last job.

"Hello, Christian. I'm terribly busy. How can I help you?"

Christian was disappointed in the lack of warmth in her voice but he forged ahead.

"I was hoping that you, Ray and Belinda could come to my place this Saturday for dinner. Taylor is going to get a weekend visit with his daughter. You might remember Sophie? She and Belinda would really get along, I think. They could even go swimming in the pool downstairs."

"Belinda doesn't swim, Christian. We've never had access to a pool."

"Well, that's okay. We have float belts and a lifeguard. And Ray and Taylor could discuss their past careers while you and I discuss what's next."

"I truly don't know what's next, Christian…and I don't know when I will know. There is quite a lot of ground to cover and I don't know where to begin. However, I do think that we need to start somewhere. What time did you want us to arrive?"

"Well, we'll have dinner at 6 again. Is that all right? We could eat earlier if Belinda would prefer."

"No, 6 will be fine. It will be nice to see Gail again. See you Saturday. Goodbye, Christian."

Ana looked at her phone, feeling nervous. Christian looked at his, not knowing how he should feel.

Ana was at her office. There might have been colleagues listening. She had to sound professional. After all, what did he expect? Giggling and endearments?

CHAPTER 23

Escala…the beginning and the end of it all. The building hadn't changed. It was still shiny and posh and suited to Christian but Ana much preferred her simple little house with its front porch swing.

Christian's apartment had always struck her as cold and sterile. There was little color to it except for some paintings on the wall…all oddly portraying mothers and children. When Ana moved in, she'd been repelled by the white leather and chrome couches and chairs, glass end and coffee tables, that ridiculous mega chandelier hanging over the foyer. Christian told her that Elena Lincoln had found the penthouse for him and decorated it in what she thought to be elegance. He allowed Ana to replace all the great room furnishings with warm and comfortable sofas and chairs and the chandelier was also removed. It wasn't necessary anyway and rarely used because it was too much light.

When Ana arrived, she was surprised to find that the elevator code was the same as it had been. Christian greeted her and when she asked why he'd never changed the code, he said that he'd always hoped that one night, Ana would come home. She didn't reply that Escala had never felt like home.

Christian immediately reached for Ray's hand to shake, kissed Ana's cheek and pulled Belinda up into his arms. Belinda giggled and hugged his neck. Ana wondered if her delight would change to chagrin when she learned that he was her long-lost father who hadn't originally wanted her. To accept that would require more wisdom than ought to be expected of a five year old.

Taylor emerged from his lair with Sophie and Gail. Ana and Gail ran to each other, embracing with joy and chattering all at once about missing each other. Taylor was actually smiling as he saw how happy the reunion made his wife. Sophie and Belinda were introduced and, as Grey had hoped, immediately hit it off. They were only a couple of years apart in age and were soon talking and smiling and laughing. Sophie told Belinda about the pool and Belinda was thrilled. She'd always wanted to swim in a pool. Ray had once taken her to a fishing spot and held her as he walked into the water but he wouldn't allow her to get down.

Gale announced that dinner was served…mac and cheese, salad and red velvet cake with ice cream for dessert. There were squeals of delight from Belinda and Sophie. Christian and Ray looked at each in mutual understanding. They wanted steak. Man food.

As they moved into the dining area, Ana noted that the leather and chrome and glass had returned to the great room. The chandelier was back as well. She wondered how long it had taken Christian to erase her presence. She found that it hurt to know that he was so anxious to return to the furnishings that the pedophile had chosen. He called her the blackmailer but her influence was still apparent.

Dinner was comfortable and fun. The girls were already great friends. Ana and Gail were right back in sync and Ray and Taylor were already sharing old stories. Christian merely ate and watched. The whole scene was so warm and charming. Everything was going so well. As soon as the girls finished their desserts, they raced off to Sophie's room to don bathing suits and drag Ray and Taylor down to the pool with them. Gail refused Ana's help in the kitchen. She declared that she'd finish up and go down to the pool to watch the girls. She knew that Christian and Ana had a lot to talk about.

"Well, any idea where we should start?" asked Christian. Ana wanted to start with the decorating but felt it was trivial. Before they could even begin, the elevator pinged and out stepped the haughty, disdainful presence of Elena Lincoln herself.

Ana remained seated but was rather bothered that Christian leapt to his feet.

"Elena, I wasn't expecting you. I have guests and no time to talk."

"I can't believe what I'm seeing. I thought, or hoped, that you were dead," Elena sneered at Ana.

Ana sighed and got to her feet. "I'll get Belinda and we'll be leaving."

"No, no. Ana, please stay. The girls are having fun. Elena, I don't know what you want but I'm sure that it can wait until another time."

"Relax, boy. And don't treat me like some trash that just walked in off the street," Elena growled as she stared pointedly at Ana.

"But, Elena," Ana replied sweetly, "you are the trash that just walked in off the street."

Elena closed in on Ana who held her ground. Christian reached out and grabbed Elena's hand before she clawed Ana's face.

"Are you going to let this little tramp talk to me that way?" Elena protested.

"Yes." Then Grey took her arm and half-dragged her to the elevator. "You'll leave now, Elena, or else."

"Oh, really! What "or else" would that be, pet?" Elena snarled. "Shall I show you now?" said Christian. Elena thought better of forcing his hand, jerked her arm away from him and walked into the elevator with her brassy head held high.

"I'm not done with you, missy." She glared at Ana as the doors closed.

Christian was afraid to turn and face Ana. It was not going to be good.

"Is she the reason that you again have leather and chrome and that hideous chandelier?"

"After you left, Ana, I barely functioned,. I don't remember when the furniture changed. I didn't notice or care. Without you here, I spent all my time in my study. Your desk is still in the library and I locked the door so that no one could go in there. That was the only room I cared about. It was months before I slept in our bed again."

Ana just nodded and sat down again. "Elena is a good starting point, Christian, for our talk."

"I was afraid of that. Just tell me what you want. I love my daughter. I love you. I'll do anything to get you back."

"Elena has to go…for good. Change the elevator code. I won't take the chance that my daughter ever comes into contact with a pedophile."

"Done." Christian sent a text to the security office and then showed a text of the new code to Ana…Belinda's birthday.

"You have to sit down with your family and tell them the truth about your relationship with her. You have to free your mother from the web that Elena has ensnared her in all these years. I won't have Belinda being a topic of conversation at your mother's lunches with Elena. I will not have Belinda near anyone who has anything to do with a pedophile."

Christian turned a shade of red. He wanted to scream "NO!" but he knew the stakes. He could be humiliated and shunned by his disgusted family or he could lose Ana and Belinda. It was no contest.

"I'll have to find a way to tell them. It might take a while to work up to it."

"No. I won't see you nor will Belinda until this is done. I know that you want us to attend Sunday brunch but that will never happen as long as there is the possibility that Elena could drop in…and you know, she will. Living next door and watching your car arrive…it's like a bug to a light.

"Tomorrow, I will go to brunch with you. Belinda will stay at home with Ray. I'll take no chances. I will help you as much as I can but if you fail your daughter…again…that will be it for us. No excuses."

The resolve on Ana's face made it clear to Christian that this was indeed his one and only shot at getting his family back. He might lose his parents and his siblings but his woman and his child had to come first.

CHAPTER 24

As Ana and Ray drove home, they listened to Belinda talk about Sophie and the pool. She wanted to know how soon they could install a pool in their backyard. Ray laughed and said that pools involved a considerable amount of maintenance. The pool at Escala had professional building maintenance looking after it. Ana and Ray smiled at each other as Belinda decided to sulk the rest of the way home. Ana was grateful that Belinda didn't press them about visiting Escala again soon.

Depending on how tomorrow's brunch went, they might never return to Escala. Ana was rather pleased that Elena had walked in because she hadn't realized until that moment that Christian's dependence on her was their first and biggest issue. She had little confidence that he'd be able to do what needed to be done. In her heart, she'd come close to accepting that their reunion would never be and Belinda would never be Christian's daughter.

"Daddy," she whispered, looking behind her at her daughter's drooping head, "I'm going to Grey Manor tomorrow for brunch. Christian is going to tell his family about his history with Elena Lincoln. I'm going as moral support…although I'm not sure how much help I'll actually be. I told him tonight that getting her out of his life is the first step to getting us back into it."

"I know that she was there tonight. Grey texted Taylor. He did kick her out anyway."

"He was kind of under some pressure to do so. He's always been weak where she's concerned. If he can't come clean tomorrow, he hasn't a chance with me and I'll never let him near his daughter ever again. I made it clear that I'll not have a pedophile in her life. So, I guess we'll find out tomorrow who matters more to him."

"I'm proud of you, honey. I know how much you still love him."

Ana bowed her head, tears dropping unto her shirt.

.+.

Christian stared at the ceiling. He could see Ana's face. He could see Belinda giggling at him. He could not lose them no matter what it cost him. He tried to imagine how tomorrow's reveal would go…how his mother would react to such horrendous news about her best friend of 20 years…how his father would react to his son being a pervert…how his siblings would take it. He couldn't imagine them supporting him but the important thing was that Ana would hear him 'fess up. He would tell them that Belinda would never be a part of their lives if they continued to allow Elena in. They would be furious. They would hate Ana.

Elliot and Mia had always loved Ana but his parents had always had their doubts. Elena had filled Grace's head with suspicions about Ana's intentions. Their son had never brought a girl home to meet them and, indeed, they'd never known him to have any interest in women. They thought that he was a sweet, sad, naïve boy who might be easily duped by a beautiful girl who only wanted Christian's fortune. Elena claimed to have sources who warned her about Ana, a country girl who had deliberately arranged a meeting and seduced him with sweetness. They tried to give her every

chance but when your son is a man of unimaginable wealth, one needed to be quite careful of the company he kept.

They'd almost gotten to the point of trusting Ana completely when she ran out on him without warning and hid from him. It broke their hearts to see him so destroyed. And then suddenly she'd arranged to be at that party with a child that was obviously his, a child she'd kept hidden from him for almost six years.

No, Christian thought, it wasn't going to go well. He couldn't kid himself that he and Ana would leave with their blessing. And even if his family was willing to overlook all their doubts for the sake of a relationship with Belinda, he couldn't let Ana suffer. He wouldn't stand to watch her smile and endure his family's disdain. He thought back on all he'd put her through the last time she was in his life…his parent's sideways glances, the whispers, the questions. She'd put up with so much for his sake and then later he'd hear her crying in the bathroom late at night. He'd let it go on like that for over a year…thinking that eventually his parents would come around. Yeah, all Ana had to do was tolerate the pain until his parents decided to trust her.

What an ass I was, he thought. I didn't protect her. I should have taken a knife to the heart for her but instead, I let her bleed. And all the ill treatment she suffered from Elena and yet he told her to be patient and pay no attention.

Finally, the baby. His own child. He lost her because he was an immature, selfish brat who wasn't worth a minute of Ana's time.

Now, thanks to that sniveling headmaster, thanks to a one-in-a-million chance, he had another shot to be her man and his little girl's daddy. He wouldn't blow it. He just wouldn't. The only alternative was that cliff he nearly drove off five years earlier.

He remembered sitting in his R8, gunning the motor. All he had to do was lift his foot from the brake pedal and the sports car would leap forward into the canyon. If the crash didn't end him, the explosion would. There was no reason to go on. Ana was happily remarried, with a child. She was never coming back to him. What, he asked, was holding him back?

Grace, of course. She didn't deserve this. She had saved his life. He had no right to take it away from her. The pain in his heart was so intense, so heavy and hadn't lessened an iota in the past year. Still, he would destroy Grace if he destroyed himself. He had to keep going as long as she lived. He didn't know how he'd manage it…but he had to stay alive.

He took his foot off the accelerator and eased the car into reverse. He drove slowly back down the road toward his empty life.

CHAPTER 25

At dawn, he was still staring at the ceiling. He'd been thinking about a future with Ana and his daughter. He wanted to buy a real house. A house with a big yard, with a pool, maybe a pony and a dog. He laughed at himself. Before Ana, such thoughts would have been anathema. All those things were the last things he'd ever want. He just wanted subs and weekends of beating women who looked like Ella. He actually thought that he had a great life. He thought that he had a great sex life. He pitied those men who married and had one pussy the rest of their lives or at least until their second marriage. He even secretly mocked Elliot and his never ending series of one night stands. BDSM was so satisfying. He had the occasional beer with his brother but mostly his only friend was Elena Lincoln who supplied him with submissives. He was the exulted leader of his own kingdom and he was closing in fast on being a billionaire. He could have anything he wanted and anyone he wanted.

One day he wanted that petite brunette with the brilliant blue eyes who smiled shyly at him. He was surprised to find that he wanted her so badly that he was willing to give up BDSM. He was stunned to find that sex with a virgin who knew nothing of how to please him was incredible and gave him orgasms that nearly knocked him unconscious. And finally, he was beyond dazzled to find himself in love.

And now he wanted a child. And maybe a second child, a boy. He wanted to leave the office at 5 instead of 8 so that he could get home in time to play with his children before dinner. He wanted to read them bedtime stories. And he dearly wanted to hold his wife in his arms as he drifted into sleep.

.+.

At 11 a.m. the elevator pinged and, for just a second, he forgot that he'd changed the code and his heart froze.

"Good morning," said a soft voice and he melted. He twirled around on the stool at the breakfast bar and took in the vision of his beautiful Ana. She was wearing a delicate white dress with a pink ribbon as a belt and little cap sleeves on her slender shoulders. No stilettoes for his girl…just pink ballet slippers. Her hair was flowing over her shoulders and her smiled was only for him.

He strode up to her and enfolded her in his arms. He buried his face in her shoulder and inhaled her scent. He wanted so badly to kiss her deep and true but he understood that he didn't yet have that right.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured.

She stepped back from his embrace. She couldn't let herself weaken and it would be so easy to do so.

"What time are we expected at Grey Manor, Mr. Grey?"

"Anytime. Did you have breakfast?"

"No. Too nervous. Wouldn't want to arrive, say hello and then retch in your mother's powder room."

"Did you sleep?" he asked.

"Not much. You?"

"No. Ana, I want to promise you that no matter how they take all I have to say, you and Belinda are my family now. You come first. I don't have a lot of faith that they'll even believe me."

"You're afraid that they'll feel the same way they did six years ago…that you're being duped by a sneaky country girl looking for a way out of poverty."

"Yes. This time, though, I won't fail you. I won't expect you to be patient with them. I never again want to wake missing you in the middle of the night only to hear you weeping in the bathroom. When Mom argues that Elena would never lie to her…when Dad delicately wonders whether my wealth might have something to do with your feelings toward me…I won't argue back. We walk.

"Any questions as to why you left me, I'll answer, okay? And any suspicions about how you turned up in my life again, I'll have only one thing to say….by the grace of god and more good luck than I'll ever deserve.

"Never again will I let them harangue you while I sit there all hangdog, leaving you on your own.

I'll just want to borrow a little of your courage, if you don't mind, by holding your hand, okay?"

Ana leaned up and kissed his cheek and nodded agreement.

CHAPTER 26

"I'm so relieved that you had time to come over today, Elena. I'm very nervous about this visit."

"Oh, dear Grace, you know that I'm always here for you…no matter what. I have unpleasant memories of that awful time six years ago and what that girl did to Christian and, for that matter, to all of you."

"Well, I have a lot of questions about her behavior then…and now. And I'm heartbroken that she kept our grandchild from us all this time. Wait until you meet this little dear. She is really something special and simply stunning as well."

"Grace, have you seen…oh, hello, Elena," said Carrick. "I wasn't expecting you this morning."

"Well, I came to support my best friend. This could be a difficult brunch. That woman has a lot to answer for and I don't want Grace to be bamboozled. As I recall, Ms. Steele is awfully good at twisting the truth."

"Elena, we have a grandchild now and for the sake of peace in the family and continued contact with her, we don't want to antagonize her mother. She holds all the cards," Carrick reminded her.

"Of course, Carrick. I'm afraid that is the truth. However, as a lawyer, couldn't you do anything legally to ensure your rights to have a relationship with your grandchild?"

"That would be quite a fight, Elena, and would quite possibly be a losing one, at that. Getting along with Ana would be the path of least resistance."

"Will Elliot and Mia be joining us?"

"They went out clubbing last night but they should be down soon."

"Oh, I hear a car. They're here!"

Grace was so excited that she raced to the door followed by Carrick. Elena smiled manically and lowered herself onto the sofa. Oh, she thought, this is going to be such fun. I can't wait to watch Christian's and Ana's faces when I hold their little brat on my lap. They'll probably turn purple trying to restrain themselves from letting Grace and Carrick know that they don't want me touching their spawn.

Grace threw open the door to see Christian and Ana holding hands as they approached the house. They saw her face fall as she realized that her granddaughter was not with them. Christian squeezed Ana's hand. She was far more scared than he knew. She reached out a hand to shake Carrick's who reciprocated and Grace gave her a middling embrace before clutching her son to her bosom.

"Is Belinda feeling all right?" asked Grace.

"Yes, she's fine. Today she is staying at home with grampa."

"I…I was hoping to see her again."

"Well, mom, there is a special reason for our visit today. Perhaps next time," Christian said.

Suddenly there was a great galloping of heavy feet coming down the stairs and Elliot rushed up to Ana and picked her up in a bear hug. "Ana banana, it is good to see you again," he said as he whirled her around. She squealed in delight at his warm greeting and then, as he set her down, Mia crushed her in her arms. "Oh, Ana, I am so thrilled to have you back in my life. Gosh, how I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too, Mia, and thought of you often."

As the family came into the living room in a great clump of Greys, Christian and Ana froze.

Elena smiled up at them triumphantly. They stared at her. Christian looked at Ana, as if to ask if she wanted to leave. She squeezed his hand and shook her head.

"Christian," Grace beamed, "look who's here. Isn't it wonderful that Elena could make it today? She always has so many engagements that I was afraid that she wouldn't be free."

Elena sought to take advantage of Grace's presence in order to greet Christian with a kiss and a hug. As she closed in on him with her red talons and several layers of red lipstick, Ana stuck out her hand between them and grabbed one of Elena's hands, pumping it furiously.

"Why Mrs. Lincoln, how nice to see you again so soon. It was just yesterday that Christian invited you to leave his home immediately, wasn't it?" Ana loaded her smile with saccharine.

"Yes, it was," agreed Christian. "I didn't expect to have to see you again so soon after you threatened Ana but here you are."

As everyone stared in confusion, Elena tried to save face. "Well, my dear Christian, I was only trying to keep you from being hurt again. I'm disappointed that you didn't bring your daughter with you. I'd have loved to have met her and I know that your mother is disappointed as well. However, we understand that, for the time being, Ana makes the decisions regarding Belinda and who is allowed to see her."

"Oh, I'm not upset that you're here. Today is a very special day. Today is the day I claim my freedom. I'm taking my life back from you, Elena. So, please, sit down. I hope you've had breakfast as I don't know if you'll feel hungry when I've finished with you. Everyone, sit," he commanded.

And so everyone did. A bit of Christian's former Dom was coming to the fore.

"I'm certain that I am not welcome in Ana's presence so I'll take the high ground and leave now."

Elena stood up from the sofa and attempted to leave but Christian pushed her back down.

"Christian, what is this all about? You're being rude," chided Grace.

"Mother, I love you and the only reason I didn't take my life any one of the last several years is because I felt I owed mine to you. But, now, you will sit still and quietly listen to every last word I say without interruption, understand?"

"Now, see here, son…."began Carrick.

"You, too, dad…Elliot and Mia. This story is a long, long time in coming. It begins when I was only 15 years old.

"Oh, Christian, what has this woman done to you now?" Elena said sadly.

"Given me reason to save myself. Now, shut the fuck up," he ordered.

"Elena Lincoln is a practitioner of BDSM…bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism. Very little masochism, actually. Mostly bondage and sadism. She brought me into the practice when I was an angry, horny 15 year old who couldn't stand to be touched. She taught me how to fuck. It was my reward for allowing her to beat me with canes, whips, belts. She put ball gags in my mouth to stifle my screams and if I took the beatings, got good grades and didn't get into fights at school…all information she gleaned from her Tuesday lunches with my mother…I'd get to fuck her. When I was 21 and tired of being her submissive, she taught me how to be a dominant so that I could do to women what she'd done to me and god only knows how many other children over the years. I practiced BDSM until I met Ana who gave me a choice and I chose Ana.

"This infuriated Elena who still had a hold on me. I had no friends and I couldn't turn to my family because she'd brainwashed me into believing that you would all reject me if you knew about my kink. She did and said everything she could to keep her hold on me. Part of that hold was to blackmail…hundreds of thousands over the years…and part of that hold was psychological which lead me to let Elena treat Ana like dirt while I consoled patience with my "friend". Ana tried to tell me that I was the victim of a pedophile but I could not let myself believe that I was ever a victim. Elena convinced me that "people like us" didn't know how to love and knew that it was for fools. She also convinced me that I didn't have a heart and could never love a child.

"When Ana told me that the Depo shot had failed, I became enraged. I didn't want to hear that it was a bad batch. I believed Elena when she told me that Ana was trying to trap me into marriage even though I'd been begging her to marry me for weeks and Ana was cautioning me to take my time. Ana considered seeing it through and hoping that I'd love the child when I met her but she finally realized that she couldn't take the chance that I'd reject her and so she pretended to have a miscarriage and then left. I don't know if I would have changed my mind or not so I don't blame her for protecting my daughter.

"That day that I met Belinda at the school party was a horror show for Ana who could only prevent me from noticing her by keeping her little girl home and forbidding her to go to the party. I can only imagine her relief to see that I had changed and was delighted with my daughter.

"Now, Ana and I have a lot to work out and I will wait as long as I have to because I know that everything she does is to protect Belinda. Her first priority was that her daughter have no exposure to a pedophile which certainly seems reasonable to me. Elena has blackmail material on me that could ruin me and embarrass all of you. I'm sorry but Belinda comes first. I don't know how we're going to handle that especially since, knowing Elena as I do, she will do everything in her evil power to expose me and my child to public embarrassment but, if necessary, I will use my money to destroy Elena.

"Do you hear me, Elena? Hurt my daughter and Ana and you will gain nothing but a lifetime of regret. Never again approach me or my family. I'm sure that you will try to convince Mother that Ana has somehow pulled the wool over my sad, naïve head again. Allow that, mother, and you get to keep Elena and I hope that she will be a comfort to you when you know that you'll never see your granddaughter again."

CHAPTER 27

The room was deadly quiet. There was no tension, no embarrassment, no fear…just an airless nothingness. Ana and Christian held each other's hands tightly. Neither could think of anything to add. Christian had been very thorough. Even Elena was struck dumb. To be sure, matters had not gone according to plan for her but her cunning brain seemed stuck for a way to proceed. Her fight or flight response had kicked in and flight was winning. She got up from the couch and walked quickly toward the front door. Just as she arrived at it, a great paw reached out and flipped the deadbolt shut and then the rest of Elliot blocked the way. Elena gulped.

She turned around to face the room and found everyone staring at her. She saw no malice…only shock, except on the faces of Ana and Christian. Remarkably, she heard her voice.

"I'm sorry to say that you have ended our long and deep friendship, Christian, but I do understand

that your loyalties have shifted. How clever of you, Ana. Your lies have won out. I underestimated you. Now that you have secured the prize you've so long sought, I beseech you to treat him well. Don't take advantage of his good nature."

Grace seemed to come to life. With her face full of sadness, she walked to her old friend. Elena extended her arms to share a woeful farewell with her oldest friend. For the sake of Grace having a relationship with her granddaughter, she would have to believe her son and say goodbye.

As Grace approached, she brought back her arm and cold-cocked Elena right across her jaw.

"Son, undo the deadbolt and throw out the trash," she said lightly and turned back to the room.

"Mom," Christian began…

"I'm all right, son. I won't be after a while but for right now, I'm all right. Now, we have a brunch to eat. Ana, dear, I hope that you have an appetite."

"I think that I could eat now," Ana replied.

.+.

"You've been awfully quiet since we left your parents," Ana remarked.

Christian said nothing for a bit before sighing. "Ana, tonight wasn't the end of anything with Elena.

She doesn't back down. She is driven to win. She is unstable as well."

"What are you trying to tell me, Christian?"

"For starters, Elena will follow you home tonight to find out where you live…if she doesn't know already. I'm going to have security follow you and another security follow Elena. I'm going to have a covert on your house at all times and another security on you and one on Belinda."

Ana just stared out the window. Christian reached over and clutched her hand.

"I'm sorry. I know you hate all that."

"Yes. I guess I kind of forgot about some of the complications that come with you. As soon as word gets out about Belinda, we'll have to move. I don't know what we'll do about school."

Christian became very quiet. "You know, Ana, that I want us to be a family more than anything but maybe you and Belinda would be better off without me."

"Okay," Ana said, as Christian momentarily lost control of the car. He pulled over to the side of the road and looked at her. "You know, I'll give you anything you want but…."

Ana giggled. "You're full of shit, Grey. I know you from way back, remember? What were you gonna do if I really agreed with you?"

"Throw up," answered Grey. "I'm sorry, Ana. Even without Elena in the picture, there will always be the paparazzi. You've had all these of years of normal life and now I show up to drag you right back into the same old shit. It kills me to see you deprived of your privacy but Belinda is just a little girl, my little girl."

"She's a tough kid, Christian. She'll understand and she'll survive. Maybe we should start thinking about telling her the truth about you. She's already crazy about you so her accepting you won't be an issue. Explaining why I've been lying to her all her life will be, however."

"Doesn't seem fair to you. I vote we go all in…the whole truth. That's fair for everyone."

Christian pulled onto the road again just as a text came through. He asked Ana to get it.

Elena Lincoln tailing you.

"Elena is on us already. Maybe if I go up to your apartment instead of straight to my car, she'll think that I'm staying the night."

Thirty minutes after Ana and Christian arrived at Escala, Elena was still sitting in her Bentley outside the building. They concluded that she'd stay there all night if need be and then follow Ana to work. She wouldn't give up. Sooner or later she'd find Ana's home.

"Two choices…neither one will please you, Ana. I'm sorry. I always seem to be messing up your life." Christian looked sad and guilty.

"I can guess my two choices. Either I allow my house to be surrounded by coverts, fixed up with alarms, bullet-proof windows and put my kid in a Kevlar vest OR Belinda and I move into Escala."

"I don't know what else to do, Ana…except to keep apologizing."

"Do you think that your security team can hold her off tonight? I know she's wily but she won't see anything coming tonight. It'll give me a night to think."

Ana is leaving now. Do whatever it takes to keep Elena from following.

Sawyer, Reynolds and Baxter blocked Elena's car while Ana drove off down the street in the opposite direction of her home before circling back. Elena was standing in the street, screeching her displeasure and demanding to speak with Grey. Reynolds offered her a ride to her home since it seemed that her tires had been slashed while she was lingering outside Escala.

When Ana arrived home, Belinda flew into her arms.

CHAPTER 28

"Mommy, where were you? It's dark outside. I was really scared. Grampa was, too."

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry. I got caught up talking with Mr. Grey and didn't notice the time. Sorry, daddy."

Ray also looked concerned but downplayed it for Belinda's sake. After they put her to bed, Ana sat at the kitchen table and told Ray about her day.

"Good lord! You certainly had a full day!" Just then, Ana's phone began to ring.

"Excuse me, daddy. It's Christian.

"Hello? Yes, I'm fine. Ray and Belinda were very worried because it was so late. We just sat down to talk. Okay. That buys us some time. She doesn't know where I work so she can't follow me from there. No. Please don't come here or the school or my office. She'll try to follow you. I know. I'll call you tomorrow. Good night.

"Daddy, remember that life I used to live…followed everywhere by security? Well, it's going to be my life again and Belinda's and yours. I'm so so sorry but I don't see any way around it and it just makes me sick to think of living that way again. Christian even volunteered to drop out of our lives but even if I agreed, I don't think that that would keep Elena from coming after us."

"Darlin', we'll adapt."

"You could go back to Montesano, daddy."

"No. I'm in too deep. I'd be too lonely anymore without my two girls."

"Daddy, we have to find a way to tell Belinda that Christian is her father, that she has more grandparents and an uncle and an aunt. I'm just afraid that it will all be too much for a 5 year old to understand. She won't forgive me for keeping her from her daddy and how can I tell her that her daddy didn't want her then?"

"Ana, try to calm down. You're beginning to hyperventilate and you're complicating things. We will simply tell Belinda that she has a daddy who loves her very much and is very sorry that he hasn't been with her all this time but he had some growing up to do. That you have been out of touch with him since before she was born but he wants so very much to be with her now.

"From there, we brace ourselves for questions and do our best to answer."

"Christian said that he'd like to be here when we tell her the truth. I thought that might be a good idea. Do you agree?"

"Yeah, why not? Let him take some of the heat," Ray chuckled.

Ana called Christian. She knew that he'd still be awake.

"Ana? Everything okay?"

"Yes. Dad and I talked it over and I'm calmer now. Do you think that you can come to the house next Friday night for dinner and then we can all sit down together and talk this through?"

"Next Friday? Ana, baby, that's a whole week away," Christian whined.

"I know it's a whole week, Christian, but I don't want to lay all this on Belinda and then send her to school the next day. I'm exhausted. Try to get some sleep now. Good night."

Ana could hear the yearning in Christian's voice. He didn't try to disguise his longing for her but she had to keep her head clear. She knew that she must sound nonchalant about him being back in her life and she didn't want to hurt him but it wasn't a simple matter of becoming a couple again.

She was a different person now. Six years older and five years a mother had matured her. When she was with Christian, she was meek and amiable. Christian was strong-willed and still at-heart a Dominant. She was so in love and vulnerable that she did whatever he wanted. Now, Christian had had six hard years of barely hanging on and he was the one who was vulnerable. How would he deal with a strong-willed Ana who wanted things her own way?

And how would Ray handle having to share daddy-duties? He was used to Belinda running to him for comfort and wisdom. Could he give up that place in her life to a man who didn't want her six years ago?

Baby steps, Ana, she told herself. This was going to be a long transition and require a lot of patience. And she had no choice but to travel the road.

.+.

How many nights had Christian spent staring at his bedroom ceiling? The two people he loved most in his life were so close and yet so far. He longed to kiss his daughter good night and retire to his bedroom to make love to Ana and then sleep with her in his arms. Did Ana lie in her bed and long for him?

You can't rush things, he told himself. Everything is different now. It's going to take a long time and a lot of talking to….ah, hell. What am I saying? I don't want to be reasonable. I just want my girls. I'll get Ana to tell me what she wants, what she wants me to be…and then I'll give her that and I'll be that and then we can all be together. I told her that I love her but she hasn't said anything to me. Oh, my god…what if she doesn't have feelings for me anymore? No. She has to still love me. I won't be able to handle it if she doesn't. Why did I think that she would still love me? I did nothing but hurt her and really badly at that. Maybe there have been other men. Maybe she got over me.

Christian rolled over, burying his face in his pillow. Can't think like that. She's everything to me. I can't be nothing to her. If she doesn't love me, I'll have to find a way to make her love me again. I thought it was so hard to give up BDSM to keep Ana but that was a cakewalk. She already loved me. Geez, I had it all then.

CHAPTER 29

Elena was thoroughly soused by noon. Her car was sitting out front with four flat tires. She'd have to get a garage to bring new tires to the house but she was having trouble getting her inebriated brain to operate. And that wasn't her only problem. Her salon had called to report that something was wrong…all morning long women had been calling to cancel their appointments, beginning with the Greys. She'd had to shut down for the day. This was Grace's doing…just like the massive bruise on her jaw. And after all Elena had done for her over the years. She didn't suppose that she'd be receiving an invitation to the Coping Together Gala this year…or, let's face it…any other society functions. Grace would see to it that Elena was blackballed permanently. The bitch.

However, at root, Elena knew that it was all Anastasia fucking Steele who was the source of her troubles. It had always been that dull, skinny, jealous little shit's fault. Until Christian had set eyes on her, he'd belonged to Elena…body and soul. She had to admit to herself that she'd never get him back again…now that Ana had a child to hold over him.

Elena felt a searing flame of agony burning inside of her. Even copious amounts of alcohol didn't begin to drown the raging fury destroying her insides. Only sending those who wronged her to hell could begin to bring her peace. She would find Steele and her brat and end them…that would end Christian which would end Grace.

Elena knew some real rough trade who could do the job for her. She wanted Ana raped and tortured and left dead in front of her home while the house burned behind her, along with her daughter. She pictured Christian curled into a ball of despair on the sidewalk, his life in ruins. Yes, that was a pleasing image.

She determined to make the necessary calls just as soon as she sobered up a little. Currently, she was having trouble seeing clearly enough to dial.

.+.

"Mr. Grey, Mr. Taylor wishes to speak with you. He says that it's urgent."

"Send him in, Andrea."

Taylor looked as grave as Grey could ever recall seeing him. Taylor said nothing. He just tossed some papers on Grey's desk.

Grey perused what appeared to be transcripts of a call between Elena Lincoln and an unknown male. He turned ashen as he read.

"How did you get this? Do we have her place bugged?"

"Yes, sir. I've already sent security to Bridges Academy. Lincoln apparently read the article in the Nooz about your visit to the school and then she had someone follow Ms. Steele to her office and then follow her home. After Sunday's humiliation, she decided to seek revenge and soon. As you can see, she's urging flame throwers, bombs, nothing subtle. We're not taking any chances. I suggest that you get Ms. Steele out of her office, your daughter out of class, and then take the helicopter to their home to collect Ray.

"Once they're safe, we'll wait for the men to show up and try to stop them before they do any damage."

"Good lord, she's out of her mind. Can we show this to the police and have her arrested?"

"Evidence illegally obtained. Besides, I have other plans for Mrs. Lincoln, sir."

"Taylor, I can't sanction murder. I wish I could but I can't."

"No killing, sir. Just a relocation…a change of living quarters, if you will."

"You do what you have to do while I go pick up Ana at Crossfire."

.+.

"Good meeting, Brian. I'm looking forward to your next chapters. Thank you for taking this critique so well." Ana smiled at Brian as he left her office. The morning was going very well.

That is, until her door flew open and Christian rushed in.

"Grab your things. We're leaving now. We'll pick up Belinda on the way to Escala."

"What! I'm working here, Mr. Grey. I have another meeting in 10 minutes. I know that you want what you want when you want it but the good old days are no more. You'll just have to wait until Friday."

Christian grabbed her bag off her desk and threw her over his shoulder while she loudly protested. When Jack stepped out of his office, Grey apologized for the disruption but assured him that it was a matter of life and death. Jack and Owen stood with their mouths hanging open, stunned.

Christian hustled Ana into the back seat of the Audi SUV and Baxter tore into traffic and down the road. As Ana continued to protest, Grey pushed the transcript in front of her. She huffed in outrage but caught enough to gasp, throwing her hand over her face.

"Please hold it together, honey," Christian begged of her. "The school is covered and we'll have her out of there in 10 minutes."

"Ray is in his workshop. He won't hear the phone," Ana spoke in a quavering voice.

"After we get Belinda, we'll go back to Escala and get the helicopter. We can be at your house in 30 minutes. Meanwhile, it is covered in coverts."

"But…but…flamethrowers, bombs…"

Christian took Ana's face in his strong hands. "Do you trust me, baby? We'll get him out in time."

He put his arms around her and held her fast. Ana had forgotten how safe he always made her feel. Christian could always get things done. She tried to stop shivering.

CHAPTER 30

Elena had sobered up enough to think a bit more clearly. It was late afternoon. Within a couple of hours, she would have her revenge. She'd already arranged for her alibi. As soon as she received the call that the job was done, she'd walk over to Grey Manor…ostensibly to ask forgiveness for her heinous behavior. She did not, of course, expect a polite reception but when the police came looking for her, what better alibi than she was next door when the crime occurred.

She was practically giddy at the thought of the pictures in the news the next day…and not just the print but television. She was so glad that she'd purchased that 80 inch flat screen a while ago. The house in flames would look wonderful on her wall.

She set to work dressing for her interrogation by the police. She added an extra pile of yellow hair to the top of her head and a pair of earrings dangling to her shoulders. She'd wear her slinkiest peignoir and redo her makeup to perfection. When they knocked on her door, she'd throw it open all the way so as to be visible for photographs by the paparazzi. With any luck, in the morning she'd be in the Nooz above the fold.

She congratulated herself on her genius ability to turn things to her advantage.

.+.

By 4 pm, Christian, Ana and Belinda were landing in a field behind Ana's house. The coverts were already rushing Ray across the back lawn to the helicopter. Christian and Ana had kept their fears from Belinda so she was wildly excited at this change in her routine. Ray climbed aboard and embraced a still trembling Ana as Christian lifted Charlie Tango into the air. He wanted to be out of sight before Elena's hired killers arrived. Ana looked back down at her beloved little house. That made it two houses in six months that she'd had to abandon. Christian reached for her hand and held it firmly.

Christian had warned Taylor that the coverts should take no chances with their own lives. He wanted everyone to make it out alive. The sky was darkening. He didn't want Belinda to see her home explode so he intended to reach Seattle quickly.

"See that tall building sparkling with blue lights, Belinda?" he asked.

"Yeah. It's really pretty."

"Well, that's where we're going. We're going to land on the roof. It's pretty windy so you stay in grampa's arms until we get inside the elevator, okay?"

"Okay. Will you hold Mommy so she doesn't blow away?"

"Always, Belinda." Belinda giggled at the idea of Mr. Grey holding her mommy. She thought that her mommy and Mr. Grey should date each other. She'd have to have a talk with them.

Slowly and smoothly, Grey landed his bird on the roof. An attendant ran up to open the passenger door but Grey raced around to be sure that he helped Ana out of the helicopter. He wrapped his arm around Ana while Ray carried Belinda. The view was stirring but it was quite windy. The attendant, Joe, made sure that the chopper was secured to the roof.

As the elevator doors opened to the grand foyer, Belinda screamed with delight again at the sight before her through the glass walls. Ray sat down to read the transcript that Ana had handed to him while Ana noted that all the warm and comfortable furniture that she'd purchased for the penthouse six years before was now returned and the glass and chrome and cold leather was gone. She looked up….no chandelier. Just a few lamps here and there.

"Did you have it all in storage?"

"No, Elena dumped it. Now her choices are in the dumpster. Are you okay, sweetheart? You're still shaking."

"I think that I'm still in shock. Daddy, where are you going?" Ray was striding purposefully toward the elevator.

"I'm going to kill the bitch. Don't try to stop me," Ray growled.

"Ray, Taylor has plans for her. He seemed quite pleased with them and I don't think that he'd appreciate you spoiling his fun," Christian said as he attempted to light the mood and dissuade Ray from attempting murder.

Gail appeared out of nowhere and offered dinner for everyone. Ana wasn't hungry…no news there, Christian thought. He whispered to her that she needed to be a good example for their child. She sighed and nodded. Ray had skipped lunch so he was ravenous.

Gail had made a hearty beef stew and even Belinda liked it. Gail figured that she would have to start figuring foods to suit the palates of both children and adults. Everyone ate while listening to Belinda chatter on about the excitement of leaving school early and flying in a helicopter and looking at all the lights. Ray was subdued after reading all that Elena had planned for his evening. Ana just pushed her food around.

Christian instinctively knew that Ana was not happy to be back at Escala. He would have to get her out of here and into a home-like house as soon as possible…even if he wasn't invited to live there, too.

CHAPTER 31

Reynolds sat in the SUV a block down the street. The other security wanted to wait inside the house and catch the arsonists in the act. They were really gung-ho to show Grey what badasses they could be. Working for Christian was a coup assignment…great pay, flashy on a resume…he hired only the best. Put in a few good years with Grey and you could pretty much write your own ticket when you moved on. Most wanted to head up their own agencies…send out other guys to do the dirty work. They knew that despite the image put out by the movies, guys over 40 couldn't keep up the pace. Besides, most wanted wives and families and to be home for dinner by 6 pm.

"No one goes near the house, understand?" Reynolds spat into his walkie-talkie. "We wait. The boss was clear. He doesn't want any dead coverts."

A few moments later, the wisdom of staying far away became clear as the house exploded in a fireball. The coverts ran to the neighboring houses and evacuated the occupants as sirens could be heard approaching in the distance. The coverts grabbed the neighbors' hoses and began to soak down the roofs and sides in an effort to keep the houses from going up in flames.

Meanwhile, the conflagration was already all over the news. Elena had just returned from Grey Manor. No one was at home but she knew that she'd be on their security footage at the exact moment that the house blew up. She fairly skipped back to her manor. She couldn't wait to check out the news coverage. The little shoreline burg that was the home of Ana and her brat was close enough to Seattle to be news.

Once inside, she doubled-checked her makeup in the foyer mirror and turned on the television. She cackled as she watched flames fill the screen. How long, she wondered, before Grey sent the cops to her door? She thought that she looked smashing. In the morning papers, she would look beautiful, shocked and innocent.

Oh, my, she marveled. Wasn't the picture brilliant on an 80 inch high definition screen? The flames were so bright it was almost as if her wall was on fire. Oh, crap. Now they were interviewing local officials. Boring.

"We don't know yet just what we're dealing with here. One of the nearby residents told us that this was the home of the Cartwrights…a woman and her daughter and the grandfather. We won't know if anyone survived until the firefighters tamp this thing down and we're told that it could be some time. If anyone was in there, their chances are not good."

Elena leaned back in her chair and threw her hands in the air, screaming with delight. That's when the doorbell rang with its signature tune, Pomp and Circumstance. Hmm…thought Elena, didn't take Christian long to call me a suspect. She fluffed her hair and threw the door open wide. It wasn't the police and there were no photographers.

"What the fuck do you want, buzzcut?"

Taylor grinned at her.

.+.

Ray had taken Belinda into the media room to watch a children's movie and to keep her away from the TV. Gail, Ana and Christian were glued to the TV in the great room. Ana was still in shock. Just when she'd begun to calm down, the news channel switched from the upcoming weather to a screen ablaze. Ana put her hands over her face and gasped. Christian pulled her into his arms and held her tightly as she sobbed. It didn't matter to Grey that he wasn't directly responsible for this. It just seemed that every bit of trouble in Ana's life could be traced right back to him.

Ryan, who'd been manning home security, came into the great room and gestured to Grey. Reluctantly, Grey shifted Ana into Gail's arms as he followed Ryan into the security office.

"Sir, we don't have a definite confirmation on this yet…just a visual and a suspicion because of the way the house blew up…."

"Get to it, Tom."

"Well, sir, it appears that the blaze was started when the house was bombed."

"Well, we did kind of expect that, didn't we?"

"We weren't expecting a bomb dropped from a drone flying by, sir," Ryan grimaced.

"Holy shit! What kind of people does Elena know?" Christian exclaimed.

"Drones aren't difficult to get ahold of, sir. Arming them on the other hand takes some special skill. May cut down on our suspect list. Mrs. Lincoln didn't hire ordinary thugs who knew how to throw gasoline around."

"Where is Taylor, Tom?"

"I'm not at liberty to say, sir. It's for your own sake, sir…your deniability." With that Ryan went back to his monitors. "Police pulling up to the building, sir."

Christian went back to the great room. "Gail, the police are on their way up. Please take Ana into my bedroom and stay with her. I'm going to have Ray keep Belinda in the media room."

Gail nodded and helped Ana to her feet, leading her gently back to Grey's bedroom.

"Ready, Tom." A couple of minutes later, the elevator pinged and two officers and a plain clothes detective walked into the room to find Grey seemingly distracted by the news.

"Mr. Grey. Mr. Grey!" Christian looked up as if surprised and stood up to greet the police.

"Yes, detective, officers. How can I help you?"

CHAPTER 32

Grey did his best to appear dazed and disturbed. He offered the officers a seat and a beverage.

"No, thank you, Mr. Grey. I see that you've been catching up on the latest news. That is, in fact, what I'd like to talk about with you. You are familiar with Mrs. Cartwright, are you not?"

"Quite, yes. In fact, she and her family are here tonight…thank god. They were safely here having dinner. I was getting ready to call the fire department to let them know that the family is safe. We just turned on the TV a short while ago and didn't realize at first that this fire was, in fact, at their home. Ana is hysterical. My housekeeper had to put her to bed. I'm afraid that questioning her right now would be futile. Her father is with her daughter, hoping to keep her in the dark for a while. I'll answer any questions if I can but, well, we're all kind of in shock here."

"Did you know that the fire department suspects arson?" asked the detective.

"Ah, I think the newsman might have said something like that but I don't know why anyone would want to burn down the house of a woodworker, a child and her mother. I mean, these are simple people who live ordinary lives. It makes no sense."

"We'd really like to talk to the homeowners, sir," insisted the detective.

"We're all in shock, detective. They don't know why or, for that matter, if they were the target. Call tomorrow. Perhaps they'll be in better shape. Right now, they're just too wrecked to be of any help at all."

The detective was not appeased. He wanted answers but it was clear that he wasn't going to get any tonight. He didn't quite buy that Grey was an innocent bystander. He was a multibillionaire…he had enemies.

"Very well, Mr. Grey. We'll call again tomorrow in the afternoon. I hope that Mrs. Cartwright and her family can get some rest. Please extend our condolences on the loss of her home."

"Yes. Thank you for being so considerate. I don't know that we'll have any answers for you tomorrow but we're certainly interested in any that you have for us. Oh, could you get the word out that the family wasn't home and they're all right? It's a pretty tight knit neighborhood."

After Christian said goodnight to the police, he looked in on Ray and Belinda, both sleeping through the end of the movie. He covered them with afghans and turned out the lights. Then he headed for his bedroom. As he began to cross through the great room, the elevator pinged again and Taylor walked in.

To anyone who didn't know Taylor like Grey did, he would appear to be stolid and impassive. To Grey, he looked like the cat that swallowed the canary.

"Do I ever get to know?"

"Good night, sir," Taylor responded.

Grey was too tired to press for an answer…one he wouldn't get anyway. He sighed and walked back to his bedroom. Gail was sitting on the bed watching Ana who'd collapsed and was sleeping fitfully. Gail left to be with Taylor and Grey wondered how he should proceed. Ana was still fully dressed. She'd never liked to sleep wearing bedclothes but he didn't think that she'd appreciate waking up naked next to him. Therefore, he removed her shoes and her outer clothes. Then he removed his own clothes leaving just his boxers. He knew he had no right to get into bed with her but he couldn't stop himself.

He climbed in and pulled Ana close against him, his arms around the front of her and his face buried in her hair. It was the first time in nearly seven years and he thought that he would burst with joy. It might be the only time he was able to hold her like this ever again. He was so worn out but he didn't want to sleep, didn't want to miss out on a minute with this woman. Despite his determination to stay awake, his body betrayed him.

He had just enough strength left to say what he always wanted to say. "I love you, Ana. I love you."

CHAPTER 33

Elena felt uncomfortably warm and she was lying on something hard and stiff. She didn't want to open her eyes. She tried to remember the previous evening but it was as if she'd been roofied. Blank, it was all blank. All she could recall was a pair of eyes, black and piercing. Who had that been?

Suddenly, someone was shaking her and yelling at her in a language that she didn't understand.

She sat up and realized that she was completely enveloped in a heavy tent. She couldn't see. There were hands pulling at her and at the material in which she was trapped. She tried to get out from under the tent but hands slapped her and continued yelling. Then the tent was moved from around her eyes and she could see a bit. It was rather like looking through a small screen.

There were several women in a room with her, all seemed to be chattering at once and with great impatience. The room was strange…plain stone walls, some kind of stove in a corner, a doorway covered by a rug. Everyone seemed to be angry with her. How dare they treat her this way? Did they not know with whom they were dealing? She was Elena Lincoln, premier dominatrix and Seattle socialite. Still, every time she opened her mouth to protest, she was slapped and knocked to her knees. Finally, someone pulled the tent off of her to reveal a small, adobe-like dwelling. Without the garment, she wasn't as hot. A bowl of some kind of mush was shoved at her. She watched the other women sitting about on the floor, eating the mush with their hands. When she attempted to pour it into her mouth instead, they all laughed at her.

No one spoke any English. All she knew, in fact, all Elena would ever know again in her life was that she was in a desert town in the middle of nowhere with people who considered her to be a servant. Her life would be lived out in this dingy room. She would always sleep on this straw mat. When she was allowed to venture out to collect water from the well, she would wear the tent with the screen. If she could have understood the language, she would have known that she was now living in a Taliban-occupied settlement in the Middle East. Sometimes, she would be beaten… for what she didn't know. There didn't have to be a reason. She was a woman. She was worth less than a donkey.

.+.

Ana knew before she was even fully awake that Christian was with her. She knew because she felt relaxed and safe and much too warm. She reflected that it took weeks of sleeping with Christian to adapt to his embrace and the heat of his body. Neither of them had ever slept with anyone but for Christian the adjustment was almost immediate. After that first time, she had offered to go back to the other bedroom but when she tried to get up, he pulled her back down and entwined himself around her. Within seconds he was evenly breathing and she was still staring at the Seattle skyline.

It seemed, in fact, that almost everything to do with living together came as naturally to Christian as breathing while Ana struggled to grow accustomed to cohabitating with another human being. It didn't help that their home was really Christian's and that their schedule was built around his work. Even sex depended upon when Christian was finished with his work day which was often quite late. Ana would be sound asleep when she would feel Christian nuzzling her neck or sucking on her breasts. She rarely minded. She loved making love with him but she rarely was free to initiate because Christian was busy. She was often lonely. After he demanded that she quit her job so that she could accompany him on business trips, she found that those trips didn't really seem much different from their day to day lives. Christian would leave early and come home late and Ana's only company would be whichever covert had been assigned to her that day. At least back at Escala, she had Gail.

Now, as she carefully rolled over unto her back, she turned to look at Christian. Oh, she loved him…yes, she did…but she just didn't know if she could go back to that life she lived with him because she didn't love that life.

Christian pulled her unto her side, facing him and snuggling into his chest…cocooning her in his arms. He was mumbling something in his sleep but it was unintelligible. Ana smiled to herself and went back to sleep.

Christian stood across the street from the little house on Apple St., watching as some object dropped out of the sky in slow motion and unto the house. He ran toward the house, his feet encased in concrete shoes as he tried to reach the house. Suddenly, the house seemed to detonate and the force of it knocked him back across the street. The structure no longer looked like a building. It was just a shapeless hulk of flame. Whatever the thing had been and whatever its contents, they were no more.

Christian lay on the street, struck dumb, overcome with shock. He could hear a roar in his ears but above that the triumphant and gleeful cackle of Elena Lincoln. He saw her down the block, clapping her hands together and doing a victory jig. He tried to reach her but was again unable to swiftly move his leaden legs.

Suddenly, he shot up from the bed, sweat rolling down his face and his pillow soaked. He instantly felt Ana stir in her sleep. He fell back against the wet sheets and endeavored to get his body under control. Now he remembered. He'd gotten them out in time….just. It had been too close. He propped himself up on his elbow and watched Ana breathing peacefully. She was safe, he kept telling himself.

They were all safe but it had been by minutes. Ana hadn't woken with a nightmare. She was better. He could breathe again. Never again would he take a moment for granted. He wanted to check on Belinda and Ray but it was too early and he might wake Ana if he got up. He lay again on his back and gave thanks to whomever on high for giving his life back to him. He knew that if he'd lost them this time, he and his R8 would be a fiery wreck at the bottom of the canyon. Instead, he had a second chance. How many people, good people, not people like him, ever got a second chance? Not for a moment did he feel that he deserved his incredible good fortune. There must have been some confusion with the heavenly books but it was too late for change now. He'd won.

CHAPTER 34

"If everyone would please take your seats, we can get this meeting started." The official-looking woman in the gray suit waited until she had everyone's attention before she began to explain the reason for the meeting.

"My name is Ros Bailey and I am the COO of Grey Enterprises Holdings. The CEO of my company is Christian Grey, a close friend of the Cartwright family who had their home destroyed a few nights ago. They lost everything but, of course, most of the items can be replaced. What cannot be replaced are family photos and other quite personal items.

"They are also concerned about their neighbors' losses. Mr. Grey's brother, Elliot, is president of Grey Construction. He is taking his crews off of all other projects to devote them full time to reconstruction necessary for the homes affected by the fire. This includes, of course, the houses on either side that suffered fire damage and a couple of homes with roof damage due to the flying embers.

"Mr. Olsen, Ms. Cartwright was concerned about your beautiful flower garden that was destroyed by the flames. Thus, a professional horticulturalist will be coming by after the structure is repaired to help you replant your garden. We realize that many of the plants you cultivated over the years were shade-loving and now, without a house next door, the garden will have to be redone with sun-loving plants.

"Are there any questions?"

"Why did someone bomb that home? They were lovely people."

"Right now, lacking any obvious motive, the police are wondering if the perpetrators simply got the wrong house…maybe even the wrong town. It is all quite the mystery, I'm afraid."

"How is the family doing?"

"They are still quite shaken, of course, but so very grateful to have been elsewhere. They were scheduled that night to have dinner in Seattle with Mr. Grey, missing the bombing by perhaps 10 minutes."

"The Nooz is saying that Ana Cartwright is actually Ana Steele and that Belinda is Grey's daughter. What the hell?"

"Well, this is the Nooz you're talking about," Ros laughed. "I'm afraid that I don't have any personal information to share with you. Mr. Grey will probably release a statement at some time. "Meanwhile, his first concern is Mrs. Cartwright's apprehension about the ill effects of this event on her neighbors. We think we've covered everything. We assure you that no expense will be spared to set things right for you and there will be no cost to you."

"Will you pass along a message that we're all concerned for the family and we miss them. They weren't here long but they were proving to be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood."

"I will certainly see that they get that message."

"What about the plot of land? Will they rebuild?"

"As I understand it at this time, there are no plans to rebuild. The land will be cleared, tidied and sodded into a plain grassy area. Perhaps the neighborhood would like to have a community garden there. However, future plans are for the family to remain in Seattle."

"Are they going to live with Christian Grey?"

"They are currently under Mr. Grey's protection but that is as much as I can say about that. To conclude, all involved parties will be contacted by a Grey representative in the next few days to discuss moving forward with repairs. The neighbors who could not live in their houses as is have already been moved into other quarters. Please let us know if those quarters are not suitable.

"Thank you for your attention this evening. Please do not hesitate to call GEH directly with any concerns." At this, Ros smiled and took her leave. It had all gone much better than anticipated. The questions could have been much more intrusive and demanding. It was too bad that Ana couldn't continue living on sweet little Apple St.

.+.

"Mommy, when we going to go home? It's nice here but Mr. Olsen was going to teach me how to plant stuff."

Ana stroked her daughter's soft cheek and tried not to let her sadness show. Belinda would never learn to garden from Mr. Olsen. She would never return to Apple St. either. Ana and Christian had not yet found the moment to sit down to talk with their daughter about all the important things they had to tell her and they and Ray were dodging questions all the time.

"Darling, I have some sad news for you. You liked riding in the helicopter, didn't you?"

"Yeah, that was great. What sad news, mommy?"

"Well, the reason we were flying in the helicopter was because it was the fastest way to get to the house and get grampa safely away. You see, some bad people were going to set our house on fire."

CHAPTER 35

Belinda's eyes popped open and she just stared for a moment. Then in a soft voice, almost a whisper, she asked if the bad men had actually set a fire. Ana nodded yes and, she was very sorry to say, the fire had burned the house up completely. There was nothing left. The good news was that no one was injured.

"Are all my toys burned up?"

Ana nodded sadly. Belinda went on to ask about the rocker her grampa had built her when she was born. Her pictures on her nightstand. The kitchen, etc. Yes, answered Ana, everything had been burned up. Grampa would build her another rocker and a new kitchen table. They would take new pictures. Ana held it together until she realized that she had no pictures of Belinda as a baby or a toddler. Then she hung her head and wept. Belinda crawled into her mother's lap and

hugged her neck. She told her mother that she was only 5 and there would be lots more pictures of her to come.

Christian watched with aching heart from the doorway of the study. He texted Taylor.

Tell me that whatever you did to Elena is worth what she's done to my family.

Yes, sir. She's living out her miserable existence in a slice of hell from which there is no escape.

Delete these texts, sir.

The phone rang in Grey's study so he turned in and closed the door.

"Ros, good morning, how did things go?

"Pretty well. Just a few tricky questions that I put down to my personal ignorance. They'd already read the Nooz. I told them that you'd be releasing a statement soon. How are things going at your place?

Ana and I are determined to come clean today with Belinda. She's already asking when they can go home."

"Well, you know what they say? A coward dies a thousand deaths, a brave man dies but one."

"I hope that I get to use that on you one day."

"Doubtful. You're much better at getting into big complicated trouble than I am. Good luck."

Grey looked out into the great room again where Ana was still trying to help Belinda make sense of things…without telling her the truth. It was time to be brave.

"Ana, I was thinking that perhaps now would be a good time. What do you think?"

"A good time for what, mommy? What does Mr. Grey mean? Is this a grownup thing? Should I go be with grampa?"

Ana looked at her beautiful daughter, into her brilliant grey eyes, and then up at Christian. She nodded. Christian walked over and sat down with the two and took a deep breath. He dove right in.

"Belinda, mommy and I are your parents. That is to say, I am your father." Cold sweat trickled down his back. "I wasn't with your mother when you were born and I didn't know of your existence until that day at Bridges Academy when I saw you on your grampa's shoulders."

He sucked in a quick breath and waited for Belinda's reaction. She stared at him. Then she ran out of the room and they could hear her yelling for Ray and asking if Mr. Grey was her daddy.

Ana looked alarmed and wondered aloud why Belinda hadn't turned to her for an answer. "She doesn't trust me, Christian," Ana wailed. Christian endeavored to reassure her that Belinda simply wanted an unbiased answer. "It probably won't be the last time she thinks her parents are crazy."

Ana laughed and Christian's heart flipped. I made her laugh, he marveled. He felt ten feet tall.

Ray and Belinda walked back into the room and sat down on the couch opposite Ana and Christian. "I guess we're finally doing this, eh? Okay. Yes, Belinda, Mr. Grey is your daddy, your real daddy. Remember when you asked about your daddy and why you didn't have one and I said that you did but that before you were born, he was kind of stupid and immature and not ready? Well, he did grow up and he admits his mistakes and he's thrilled to be your father."

Ana and Christian smiled gratefully at Ray. Then they looked at Belinda who was still considering what Ray had said.

"We met at the school party and that was the first day that mommy didn't wear her disguise. Was that because she wanted you to recognize her?"

All eyes turned to Ana. "When you brought home the announcement about the party and its special guest, I knew that your daddy would recognize me and I also knew that he'd see your eyes and your hair and he'd know. I couldn't hide you anymore. He'd know my face. No disguise would work. He'd look at you and he'd see me."

Belinda considered this for a moment. "Why did you hide me from Daddy?" she asked accusingly, with a tinge of anger to her tone.

"I'll take this one. It's on me, Belinda. I was a selfish man back then. I always got my own way. I had been convinced that I couldn't marry, I couldn't be a husband or a father. So, when your mother told me that she was going to have a baby, I behaved very badly. I raged. I sulked. I threw things against the wall. Think of a terrible way to behave and I did it. Your mommy was very much afraid…and rightfully so…that I would indeed be a bad father and maybe never change. She didn't want you to be raised by a father who'd ignore you, snarl at you, and never love you. So, she did the only thing she could do. She ran away to protect you from me. And I don't blame her. I suffered greatly without her. I missed her so that I started to truly appreciate her."

"What about me? Did you miss me?"

"Well, Belinda, in order to protect you, your mommy made me believe that she had a miscarriage. Do you understand what a miscarriage is?"

"Yes, it's when a baby doesn't grow all the way to being born." Geez, Grey thought. Is there anything this kid doesn't know and how the hell does she know about miscarriages anyway?

As if Belinda could read his mind, and he'd no doubt that she could probably do that, too, she explained that it was a word she heard at school when one of her classmates said that the baby brother she was expecting wasn't coming after all.

"Okay. Well, every year around the time I thought you would have been born, I'd wake up and think…"My child would 1 year old soon and maybe he/she would be able to say dada. Today, I'd think, my child would be 2 and she could toddle…she'd be so cute. And so on, every year. And I blamed your mother's miscarriage on all the stress I caused her.

"I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am to have missed all those years with you. You are so wonderful. It must have been an absolute joy to watch you grow and I have only myself to blame. That day at the party, I saw the look in your grandfather's eyes, warning me to watch myself. But more, I saw the look in your mother's eyes…the fear in her eyes, because she didn't how I'd react. She was terrified that I would be angry to find suddenly that I did have a child that I didn't want. Your mother did everything just to protect you."

"But you were really nice to me. Some of the other girls who have crushes on you were really jealous. I didn't understand either why you chose me out of the crowd."

"I happened to look up and you were the tallest child in the room because you were on your grampa's shoulders. There you were, bright red hair and shining gray eyes, just like mine, and your beautiful face that was just like your mother's. How could I not know that I was looking at my child? I've never stopped loving your mother and now she'd given me this incredible gift. Do you remember the people I introduced you to, my family? Well, they're your family, too, and they're anxious to get to know you. You are the first grandchild in the family."

Belinda flopped down on the couch. "This is a lot," she huffed. Ana and Christian had to smile at their mature little girl. "Let's see…I have a daddy…finally. Wait! What is my name now?"

Ana cringed a bit. "My last name is really Steele, just like your grampa. I made up Cartwright because I didn't want your daddy to find us. Your name is actually Belinda Christian Grey."

"Why isn't it Belinda Steele?"

"That is an excellent question, daughter," said Grey. "After all, your mother did all the work so why should I get the honor of naming you after me. You can be Belinda Christian Steele, if you choose." He didn't mention how desperately he wanted to claim her, to have the world know her as his.

"I'll think about it, okay?" Belinda looked straight into his grey eyes with her own grey eyes.

CHAPTER 36

Belinda went off to bed without another word, without a good night kiss…just a straight forward walk up the stairs to her bedroom. She'd slept there several nights now and seemed to have no trouble with its strangeness. Her father had filled it with pink animals, carpeting, drapes, lamp, pink walls. She looked around and realized how nice that was of him.

Still, her head was filled with questions. She'd been an ordinary little girl with her best friend, Mary, right next door and suddenly she was gifted and had to go to a new school with other smart kids…most of whom, frankly, she didn't think were all that smart. She missed Mary a lot. And then a party which was so exciting but then there he was. The man with her hair and her eyes.

It was all a blur and she didn't know what it all meant and what she was supposed to do with a father. Was it anything like what she did with her grampa?

She was very tired. She didn't want to be tucked in. She kicked off her shoes, stripped to her underwear and crawled into bed. She was asleep within seconds.

Downstairs, the elders just looked at each other, not knowing what to think.

"Well, honey, I'm going to turn in, too. Belinda will have more to say in the morning and in the days to come. And don't forget, Grey, that you still have to somehow explain that you're richer than Croesus, that she has to have CPOs and can no longer run around the neighborhood the way she used to do."

Ray bent down and kissed Ana on her head and told her not to worry. She'd raised a sensible child.

"Oh, Christian. Daddy is right. There's so much more and I hardly know where to begin."

"This evening went quite well, I thought. She accepted everything we said and she wasn't upset by any of it. I'm feeling confident."

"She'll want to know if we're going back to Apple St."

"We'll tell her that we're a family now and we'll all live here…at least until I find a suitable house. I know that you don't want to live permanently at Escala, Ana, and neither do I."

Ana was very quiet for a while. Christian was afraid that she was working up to telling him that she didn't want him living with them….however, she said nothing. Finally, he saw that she was drooping so he scooped her up, without her protest, and carried her into his bedroom. He set her down on the bed and went into the bathroom to draw a hot bath filled with oils. He remembered how she used to love those.

When he returned to the bedroom, she was lying down asleep. He removed her shoes and, this time, all her clothes and he set her down in the bath. Then he stripped himself of his clothes and settled into the bath behind her to hold her and to clean her with a thick sponge, another thing she used to love. He let the sponge roam all over her body and, then, carefully washed her hair without waking her. After, he just lay there in the water, holding Ana. One of the many advantages to being unreasonably wealthy was that he could afford unnecessary toys…like bathtubs that kept the water heated to whatever temperature one wished. Ana would be aghast at the expense, he grinned to himself.

Eventually, he realized that her hair was drying and he was falling asleep. The tub was not high-tech enough to empty itself before its bathers drowned so he roused himself to get the two of them out of the water and into fluffy robes. He carried Ana into the bedroom and stood there, looking at the bed and considering how much trouble he'd be in if he presumed to have her sleep with him. He decided that her ire would be worth the pleasure of holding her naked body all night long.

As soon as they were cozy under the covers, Christian put his lips gently on Ana's. He'd never forgotten how everything about her felt, including the softness of her mouth. He roamed around her lips and then moved on to the rest of her face and her neck. He remembered her body's fragrance. Other women's bodies had carried the scent of perfumes but Ana's was simply Ana. He'd never known her to own a bottle of perfume.

He put his mouth on her skin, tasting it, and moving down to her plump, round breasts with her sweet pink nipples. Even post childbirth, nothing had changed. He buried his nose between her breasts and inhaled deeply. This is what heaven must smell like, he thought.

He wanted to see the place where his daughter had grown so her pushed the covers aside and licked Ana's belly button. He leaned back and looked at her stomach. She had never had a pound to spare on her petite frame but now there was just the tiniest swelling where the skin had stretched to accommodate their baby. He kissed it and then laid his head on the spot, feeling the heavy weight of loss because he'd not been there. He'd not witnessed Ana's tummy growing. He hadn't felt Belinda kick. He'd missed the chance to talk to her, to sing to her. He'd missed the joy of taking care of Ana while she did the work of growing their daughter.

He wanted to continue down Ana's body…to suck on her thighs and her folds…but somehow that seemed a violation. Remarkably, she was still sleeping. No, he'd wait until she wanted him…if she wanted him. He'd already gone farther than he had a right to go.

He pulled the covers back up over them and enfolded Ana in his arms, falling asleep in seconds.

CHAPTER 37

Ray sat half-asleep, still at the breakfast bar, drinking coffee. Belinda walked out from behind the stairs and announced that her parents were still sleeping. Gail and Ray exchanged looks. Belinda requested cereal. "I'm sorry, dear. Mr. Grey doesn't have cereal. How about French toast with powdered sugar and strawberries?"

Belinda's eyes bugged out and a huge smile took over her face as her head bobbed up and down.

"Oh, boy. We're going to have to watch how accustomed we allow this child to get to the ways of the rich," groaned Ray.

"Yes, you will. I'm afraid that Mr. Grey is going to spoil her."

"Spoil me how, Mrs. Jones?" inquired Belinda, her eyes sparkling with imagined delights.

"Never mind, little girl. Ain't gonna happen. Your father may be a dope for you but your mother and I have your number."

Belinda frowned but was soon placated by Mrs. Jones and a plate of French toast. "How come Mommy and Daddy are sleeping together?"

"Ahem, that would be a good question to ask when they emerge from the bedroom," Ray answered. "Now, eat your breakfast."

.+.

Ana thought that it was a good question, too. She woke up, feeling warm and wonderfully comfortable. She curled closer into the wall of muscle wrapped around her. It felt familiar, as if from a long time ago. She sighed and opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a scar, a scar from a cigarette burn. Slowly, reality dawned on her. She pushed back and looked at Christian's face which had just been nestled in her hair.

Think, think, she told herself. What happened last night? Why was she in his bed? She looked under the covers. I'm naked, her head screamed. She reached between her legs. Well, it wasn't sticky. Of course, Christian had always been considerate and often cleaned her up. Perhaps they had taken a shower…but wouldn't she remember that? She hadn't been drinking. She was just tired. It had been an incredible day and she had been worn out. Would Christian have taken advantage of her? No, of course not, he wasn't like that.

Christian's eyes slowly opened and he smiled.

"Good morning, my love," he whispered sleepily. Then he pulled her close again, humming contentedly.

That didn't last long.

"Why am I naked and in your bed, Mr. Grey?" Ana said in a low, threatening voice.

"Hmmm…you fell asleep so I gave you a bath and washed your hair." He winced as Ana's eyes got big and appalled. She pulled away and sat up in bed, staring at him with what could only be called disbelief.

"And then you thought that we should both be naked and share a bed. What else did you think we should be doing together last night?" Ana asked with a menacing tone.

"Sleep. We slept," Christian said sheepishly. "That's all." He didn't feel it necessary to mention that he nuzzled, licked, sucked and inhaled the scent of her body.

Her lush dark hair fell around her shoulders and her naked body seemed to glow as he feasted on her beauty before him.

"You're so beautiful, Ana. You look exactly as I remember you and better."

Self-consciously, she pulled the covers up to her shoulders. "I've had a child. My body is not the same and it's seven years older, too."

"No, you're as breathtaking as ever. Don't cover yourself. Don't be ashamed of the body that nurtured my daughter for nine months. I want you more than I ever did. You still astonish me. No other woman has ever come close to being as desirable as you are. I love your body, Ana."

Ana stared at him for a few moments as if she were trying to think something through. Then came a loud knock on the door.

"Are you coming out for breakfast? Mrs. Jones wants to know," hollered Brenda. They suspected that it was not Mrs. Jones who was so anxious to rouse the couple.

"We'll be out soon, sweetie. Go back to the kitchen." The little being behind the door huffed and left.

"I don't have any clothes, Mr. Grey. I'll put on this robe and you'll please work your magic with your personal shopper. Still Caroline Acton? I'm sure that she has my sizes on file." With that Ana donned her bathrobe, closing off the view of her gorgeous body from Christian. She didn't tell him that she found him to be just as memorable and that she found his morning wood to be just as tempting. She knew that she had to get out of the room before she lost her head. God, he was so damn hot.

Christian ran for the shower. He couldn't go out to breakfast with his daughter, sporting a rager. He remembered that he was rarely without an erection around Ana. How was he supposed to raise a little girl when he was constantly aroused by her mother. Good grief, everything she did turned him on.

After rubbing one out in the shower, Grey called Caroline Acton and asked to her to put together an all occasion wardrobe for Ana. "It all burned up, Caroline. She has only the clothes she had on her back. She wears the same size. Asap. Yes. Thank you."

Then, sauntering nonchalantly into the dining room, he greeted everyone, kissed his daughter good morning and tried to get his body under control. After that, Belinda took control of the conversation and the atmosphere. "How come you and mommy slept in the same room last night?"

"Oh, we were both so tired that we just kind of crashed where we were. Did you sleep well, my dear?"

"Yep. Like a rock. It's real quiet way up here. Am I going to school today, mommy?"

"No, honey. I think we all need to take a long weekend. Yesterday was a pretty horrendous day. And we still need to get used to some new things."

"Like what?" Belinda puzzled.

"Well, you just found out last night that Christian is your daddy…and your house blew up…and we have to make plans for the future."

"How do you feel about me being your father, Belinda?" Christian asked nervously.

"Oh, it's cool. You're real smart and I like that. We just have to get to know each other

is all."

Ray chuckled and finished his glass of orange juice. "Did you tell that personal shopper of yours to rebuild your daughter's wardrobe?" he teased.

Christian looked at Belinda. "Do you like to shop for clothes, honey? I know your mother hates it so I just ordered some things."

"Yeah, can I go shopping instead?" Christian pulled out his phone and called his sister.

"Mia, your niece is mad for pink and loves to go shopping. Okay, see you soon." He rang off and smiled at Belinda. "You and your aunt were made for each other. Why don't you get cleaned up and ready for a day of spending your daddy's money?"

Belinda screamed with delight and ran off to change. Ana looked worried. "This cannot be a regular thing, Christian. I don't want her spoiled by your wealth."

Sweetheart, she just lost everything, including her home. Let's worry about spoiling her some other time. You'd better call her school and your office."

As Ana set off to inform Bridges and Crossfire of their absences, Ray looked at Christian and shook his head.

"What?" asked Christian.

"You forgot about my wardrobe."

"You had one? How hard can it be to replace flannel, denim and work boots? I'll have Elliot pick you up later today. I'm sure that he knows the whereabouts of all the Carhartt gear. And don't fight me on the cost. It's my fault that everything you own is ash. I'm truly sorry, Ray."

"Yeah, I know. I'll survive. We'll talk later about my workshop."

CHAPTER 38

The following weeks were quite the learning curve for one and all as Ana, Ray and Belinda went on living with Christian.

Belinda's new family intruded on their time at every opportunity. They also took every opportunity to spoil her with new toys. They traded time cuddling her. They took her down the street to the park…."they" included not only Grace, Carrick and Mia but all their CPOs and a few coverts. Naturally, they made quite the circus followed everywhere by paparazzi. Belinda noticed the flashes but didn't realize that they were all aimed at her. The family and CPOs surrounded her. She had her very own entourage.

She really liked these people. She loved saying "gramma" and "Aunt Mia" and "Uncle Elliot". The last was so much fun that she just squealed when he stepped off the elevator after a full day of rehabbing houses on Apple St. He was the only one who couldn't blow off work to play with Belinda. Carrick, Grace and Mia had all taken time off. They would shorten their days to take her to school and pick her up and take her for ice cream and play scrabble with her in the evenings.

She was an extroverted child and, with her exceptional intelligence, had no difficulty enjoying adult company…especially such adoring company. Ana and Christian were becoming concerned that his family was overdoing it. They kept waiting for the novelty of having Belinda to wear off but that outcome was nowhere in sight. In fact, they were already planning summer vacation locations and activities.

Grace and Carrick wanted to take Belinda to Europe for several weeks. Mia wanted to take her to Paris and Elliot wanted to take her to several of the national parks. Ana and Christian just wanted to learn how to live together as a family.

"So, you want the four of us to live together…as a family?" asked Christian hesitantly. He couldn't believe his luck.

"Yes, I think it would be best for Belinda. I don't want her to be part of a broken family right after she's met you."

"That's great. Thank you, Ana," Christian beamed at her.

"Of course, I'm wondering how we're going to handle your family. It is wonderful that they love her so much but we've had barely a day to ourselves. And, now, they have her summer vacation from school completely booked up! I don't want to deny either Belinda or your family but, well, I miss my little girl."

"Well, we'll have to put our foot…feet?...down. No more than one month combined. The security logistics will drive Taylor crazy anyway. As it is, every morning he grumps his way into my office with the latest selection of paparazzi photos. Ana, I've been putting off releasing a statement concerning our relationship and Belinda's meaning in my life so the news outlets are making up their own.

"Like what?"

"Like, you're a friend and Belinda is just your daughter. Like, Belinda is my daughter but you're just an old girlfriend whom I happened to impregnate. Like, you're the governess and I've just adopted Belinda. Like, I'm gay and you're both my beards. I mean, it goes on and on like that. Stop laughing," Christian said as he tried to stop laughing himself.

"Well, we've been putting off making a statement in order to protect Belinda's privacy but that's kind of been blown by now anyway. I'd certainly like to get to a place where we're not "news" so much anymore. I mean, I know that you will always be news and so will anyone connected to you but it is just madness right now. Also, I think that we need to sit down with Belinda and explain all the media attention."

"You're right, Ana. First, we talk with Belinda. Then we'll craft a statement to release to the media. Ana, I'm sorry…. again."

"Stop, Christian. This is how it is and always will be and I have always understood that. It comes along with being with you and we want to be with you so no more apologies. We just deal with reality as best we can," Ana asserted.

Christian couldn't stop himself. He pulled Ana into his arms and held her tightly.

.+.

"So, Belinda, you've been really busy lately, eh?"

"Yeah, daddy, I have two projects for school that I haven't even started yet."

"Projects? You're in kindergarten!" Christian said in astonishment.

"Gifted kindergarten, daddy," Belinda replied patiently as Christian gaped at her.

"What daddy meant to say was that you've been kept quite busy by your new family. We don't blame them," Ana assured her daughter, "but we need to talk with you now."

"Okay, mommy. I'm all yours."

"Christian?" Ana looked expectantly at him.

"Me? Oh, okay. Well, Belinda, there are some things, not necessarily good things that you need to know about life as a Grey. Hmm…perhaps you've noticed all the strange men who follow you everywhere you go?"

"Yes, daddy. There's my two CPOs, Sam and Ryan. There's mommy's CPOs, Baxter and Reynolds. Then there are the CPOs who follow my grampas, Gramma, Aunt Mia, Uncle Elliot and Gail. There's also a bunch of guys who pretend to be just men reading papers on benches or waiting for buses or paparazzi. Then there are a whole lot of real paparazzi who take my picture all the time. I don't smile at them, tho'…or even let on that I see them."

Ana and Christian stared at each other.

"Well, hmmm…the paparazzi are really interested in you and your mother. You see, I've always lived a very private life. Except for your mother, I've never been seen in public with a woman except for a co-worker, my mother or sister. Now, I'm seen with your mother and with you and the news media are beyond curious. They are probably always going to be curious about you."

"On account of you're so rich, daddy?" posited Belinda.

"Mostly, yes. Does being stared at all the time scare you or upset you, sweetie?" Christian knelt before his daughter and touched her face gently.

"No, daddy. I'm used to being stared at. All the teachers and kids at my schools would point at me, too. I know that I'm different. Mary is different, too, and we just remind each other to ignore people like that."

"If a time ever comes when it does bother you, you'd tell daddy and me, wouldn't you?" asked Ana.

"Okay, mommy. Does it bother you? 'Cause, they take your picture all the time, too, and yell dumb questions at you and that kind of makes me mad because you're shyer than me."

Christian reached an arm around Ana and looked at her with such love that it made Belinda smile. She knew that her daddy would always take care of her mommy. She thought that her mommy was very brave…not like Belinda. Belinda didn't think of herself as brave because she was never scared but she knew that her mommy was brave a lot.

"Belinda, do you need some help with your projects for school?" Ana asked. Belinda smiled and nodded yes. She didn't really need help but she thought it would be fun to work with mommy.

Christian enveloped his daughter in a big daddy hug and then went off to his study to compose a press release.

The following morning every news outlet headlined a press release from GEH:

Grey Enterprises Holdings on behalf of its CEO and Owner, Christian Trevelyan-Grey, wishes to announce that Mr. Grey and Ms. Anastasia Steele are the proud parents of a five year-old daughter, Belinda Christian Grey. Ms. Grey's existence has been concealed since her birth in order to protect her and her privacy . Recent circumstances have made it impossible to continue to safeguard her in this way.

Mr. Grey has filed for legal protection of his daughter by forbidding pictures of her to be published. Mr. Grey also wishes to emphasize to any and all media that violation of this legal protection will result in the full force of his considerable wrath being called down upon the offender.

CHAPTER 39

It was after Belinda's bedtime and Ray had decided to turn in early. Thus, Ana and Christian sat up together in the library, scrolling through realtor listings for an appropriate house to call their home.

"You'd think with all your money, finding a house would be a cinch," complained Ana.

"Maybe we should just look for land and build what we want," suggested Christian.

"What do we want?" asked Ana.

After some discussion, it was agreed that they did not agree on what they wanted.

"Well," Christian allowed, "that would be the crux of our problem, then."

"I want a tidy, little bungalow and you want a mansion."

"You want cozy and warm and I want spacious and warm. At least, we both want warmth. Honey, we have a large security detail. We need spaces that ordinary people can leave their homes to enjoy…such as a pool, bowling lanes, the Cineplex, even the public library. We need a large dining room and a kitchen that can accommodate enough staff to cater a party. We need a workshop for Ray. He's been without a place since the house blew up and Elliot's been entertaining him by having him work on his sites but Ray needs his own place.

"You know, just because a place is big doesn't mean that it has to be cold and sterile like Escala. Look at these old mansions along the waterways. Elliot can rehab any of them to install the spaces we need. They have fireplaces! Think of all the Christmases we can share with stockings hung with care in hopes that St. Nick will soon be there," he grinned.

"I don't want marble staircases that our children can slip down and break their necks. Or balconies that they can fall off of," Ana started to go on but stopped when she noticed Christian staring wide-eyed at her.

"You said "our children", Christian muttered.

Ana smiled shyly. "Yes, I'd like more children…and soon. Belinda is almost six."

Christian gazed at her, gulping. "Ana, this next question is really important. Do you want me or do you want a father for more children 'cause I'd probably go along with anything just to have you but I'd just like clarification, you know, just 'cause….." he could barely breathe. He'd take her anyway that he could get her but….

Ana looked down, twisting her fingers together. "Of course, I'd want you to be the father." She looked up through her thick lashes. "I mean, I've never wanted anyone else and I can't imagine ever wanting a man other than you."

Christian's heart was thumping hard. He took Ana's face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes.

"This is important, Ana. You must tell me the truth no matter what it is. Do you promise?"

"Yes, Christian. I'll tell you the truth."

He took a deep breath. The wrong answer and he'd shatter into a million pieces.

"Do you want me or just a father for your children?"

Ana looked at him with eyes wide and blazing blue. How could he even wonder?

"Of course, I want you, Christian. Even if we never have another child. I'll always want you just as I always have."

His heart nearly exploded with joy. Almost seven years with no hope and now months of holding back, waiting for a sign that she still needed him. Breathing hard, he put his forehead against hers and then he kissed her deep and true as he'd wanted to for so so long.

"Oh, Ana. You've brought me back to life. I feel my blood running through my veins again. I'm so in love with you."

Ana put her small hands on top of his as he held her face. "And I'm so in love with you, too, Christian." She beamed at him and giggled. "It feels so good to tell you again. It's been so long and so hard all these years without you."

Christian gathered her up in his arms and walked quickly to their bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind him and pressed Ana up against it. He pulled her sweatpants down and then pulled down his own, freeing his cock. His poor, rock hard for so long cock. Ana wrapped her legs around Christian's waist as he plunged himself inside of her, over and over and over until he detonated. They held each other tightly, his face buried in her shoulder as both sobbed out their relief. They collapsed onto the floor, rocking back and forth.

For minutes, they said nothing but each other's names, nothing but baby, baby. Then Christian pulled back enough to look at Ana's tear-stained face. He tried desperately to find words to tell her how he felt but how do you explain the enormity of coming back from the edge of death, of breaking free of entombment in a rock wall?

Ana feathered his face with little kisses. Years of fear, of burying her feelings, of need so strong that nothing could ever free her.

"I used to like when you sucked on my nipples. Would you mind doing that, please?" Ana whimpered.

Christian removed the rest of their clothes and carried Ana to the bed. Groaning with need and relief, he sucked and pulled on her sweet little nipples with his mouth and his fingers. Ana's moans and the feel of her fingers tugging on his hair pushed him to a place of pleasure that he had forgotten existed. Was it like this before, seven years ago?

He had to suck on her skin down her stomach, down to her pubic mound, down her inner thighs…sucking and nibbling and licking until she arched her back and cried out his name. Hearing her cry out his name in ecstasy again almost burst his heart. Then his tongue found her folds and slid in and out and around, puckering around her clit while he pushed his fingers inside her and massaged the sweet spot on her vaginal wall. As he could feel her tighten, he stopped. She begged him, "don't stop". He began again until she began to clench and then he stopped again. After bringing her to the edge several times, finally, he took her all the way. She exploded over and over and when her orgasm finally began to subside a bit, he pushed his cock inside her. He wanted to be gentle, to make tender love to her, but he couldn't yet. He needed to pound into her, to go as deep as possible, to bury himself inside her until they were too connected to ever let go. He felt her warm walls clench like a vise around his cock until it was almost painful and then his release was a tsunami of powerful spasms. He was so spent, he collapsed even as he tried to hold himself off of her with his elbows. He simply didn't have the strength. Ana, in response, wrapped her legs around his back, her arms around his neck, so that he couldn't move.

And, then, for quite some time, there was just the sound of the two of them gasping for breath.

He rolled them onto their sides, facing each other in wonderment. He studied every inch of her face, to learn and savor every freckle, every curve.

The question came again to him. "Ana, was it like this with us seven years ago?"

To his dismay, Ana began crying. "At first. But as time went on, things between us changed and so did our lovemaking. That's why I've been afraid to begin anew. Because I couldn't stand to lose it all again." She continued to cry.

"I changed, didn't I?" Christian voice trembled. "I turned you into my beautiful prisoner. I made you quit your job. I took you for granted. I listened to Elena. I stood by while Elena abused you and I let my parents look at you with suspicion. Even before you became pregnant, I lost you.

"You were so young and vulnerable. I should have been protecting you from everything and everyone. I should have made certain that you had whatever you needed to be happy but instead I only made certain that I was happy. I didn't even notice that you were in misery."

"You've never been good at asking for yourself. You never told me that you were unhappy. I blindly assumed that you've have to be pleased with your life. You had the great Christian Grey. You had money. I knew you better than that but it was easier to be selfish."

CHAPTER 40

They talked until dawn. Christian blamed himself for everything that went wrong with them while Ana blamed herself for being weak.

"I can't be weak anymore. I have to be strong for Belinda. I've been afraid of us being together again," she stopped as if the words she had to say were too hard. She didn't want to hurt him.

"It's okay to say it, Ana. You can't be fearful of hurting my tender feelings by denying me what I want. I'm not misplacing blame but I can't help thinking that if you gave me an ultimatum seven years ago, I would have agree to anything you wanted."

"One can't demand that someone feel a certain way, Christian. I could have ordered you to be a different man, to give up control, to love your child or I would leave you. And it might have worked…on the surface. You might have tried but it would have been a lie. I couldn't take any chances with our child. You had to feel the joy I felt and you can't demand that someone be joyful."

"If you had returned after Belinda was born, after seven months without you, I would have said yes to anything," said Christian.

"I didn't want your desperation, Christian. Tell me something. At what point, after I left, did you begin to realize all you'd lost and why? When did you know where you'd gone wrong?"

"When I told my mother how I'd reacted to the miscarriage and that I thought it was a good thing, her horror at my stupidity jolted me. It was the first I began to understand. My mother had lost three children to miscarriages and here I was thinking it was nature's way of letting me off the hook.

"But, slowly, a year or more, I became curious about what, or rather who, the child would have been. I'd notice children on the street. I'd never done that before. I'd always either looked straight through them or I'd cringe and consider myself lucky to be free of such creatures. After a couple of years, I couldn't get it out of my head, wondering about the child. Would he/she look like you? Had it been a boy or a girl?

"I began to ache…not only for you but for who might have been. There just seemed to be this gaping abyss in my life, an empty blackness dragging me down to ever angrier depths of loss. I'd spent my life working to lift myself up and I knew then that it wasn't possible any more. I was helpless. No amount of determination or work or brain power or money…nothing could save me.

"I wish I could begin to explain what I felt when I saw Belinda sitting on Ray's shoulders, when I knew who I was looking at….I've been trying to think of a word that suits the feeling of being Lazarus. Joy doesn't begin to cover it. I almost passed out, Ana. The only reason that I was able to hold it together was the fear that I would wake to find that it wasn't real. I wanted to hold you and cry."

Ana had been soothingly running her hands through his hair, periodically kissing his cheek, his forehead, as he talked. She didn't recall her old Christian ever talking so much. She'd always tried to get him to talk to her, to tell her how he felt. He said that he expressed himself through sex but that was never enough for her. Is it, she wondered, for any woman? And now, he seemed unable to stop. He had to tell her everything…as if that would make it real, permanent.

"I saw Belinda first, of course, and then Ray and then you, tiny and lovelier than ever, trying to hide behind Ray. For a man who had nothing left in him, I somehow didn't reach for you…if only because I feared you'd run. Could you see how I was trembling? My entire body was buzzing as I shook. I'd felt that way once when I'd become severely dehydrated. Don't black out, I told myself.

Christian began to laugh. "Watching that tiny girl climbing down off of Ray like he was the side of a cliff….standing in front of him, holding out her hand to shake mine. Did you see how she took my index finger, Ana?"

Ana laughed, too. Belinda's wee hand was too small to hold anything else. She'd shaken his finger, not at all self-conscious about the rest of his enormous hand just hanging there. Even as he knelt before her, she still had to tilt her head back and look up into the eyes like hers. Later, she couldn't stop talking about his eyes.

"I never asked, Ana. What were you feeling at that moment? I guess I just supposed that you were terrified that I'd found you and you wanted to run."

"No, darling. I was scared, yes, but I could see immediately that you were not the angry man I remembered. You were thinner, pale, tired and worn. Your appearance frightened me. I had never dreamed that you had suffered. I had always believed that you had probably forgotten about me at best or would want revenge at worst.

"Instead, I saw a man approaching us cautiously, clearly frightened that we'd turn our backs on him. Everything about your demeanor was hopeful that we were real. I could see how difficult it was for you to restrain yourself from grabbing hold of me."

"I was scared, yes," Christian admitted. "It didn't seem possible that you were there…just out of the blue. After all those years, in a school auditorium on an ordinary day. Good things had always happened for me because I planned them. I almost cancelled or sent Ros because, well, you know….kids. When I looked up because something appeared in the corner of my eye and there was Ray and on top of Ray was a little girl with your face…"

"Breathe, Christian. Dad always tells me to calm down, that I'm hyperventilating."

"For just a moment, I was sure that I was imagining your face. Oh, god, Ana. If you ever have to leave me again, shoot me first, please."

"Stop saying such foolish things. Make love to me again?" asked Ana. And, so, of course he did.

CHAPTER 41

Belinda's enthusiasm could not be contained. She hadn't slept Saturday night and now, Sunday morning, she was bouncing all over the house. Ray had tried to settle her down with different board games but she couldn't concentrate. It was brunch day. Belinda had become accustomed to going to Gramma and Grampa Grey's house but today everyone was coming to her house. And there was a special reason that only she got to reveal…as soon as all the guests arrived.

Sophie Taylor was coming and Christian had sent the helicopter to pick up Mary and her grandmother. A few of her classmates who'd kindly befriended her in the middle of a semester were also invited. Christian and Ana were also excited to see that their daughter would have other children to play games.

As family and friends trickled in, the children were thrilled to see each other and their parents were in awe of being guests of the Christian Grey. The awe part was not pleasant for Belinda's parents but the children didn't seem to notice their parents' gaping maws so Christian and Ana endeavored to put everyone at ease. Ana's basic shyness and Christian basic disregard for other human beings made this a challenge but Grace and Carrick did their best to meet and greet. It was not a coincidence that the children who had first tried to make Belinda feel welcome at Bridges Academy were also scholarship students. Of course, Belinda was no longer a low-income student but the emergent obsequiousness of the rich kids who now wanted to be best buddies with the daughter of Christian Grey made no impression on Belinda. She was a smart child in more than academic ways and her family made every effort to extend warmth and friendship to Belinda's friends' parents.

As soon as everyone had arrived, Belinda made her grand announcement.

"Hi, everyone, thank you so much for coming. I know that it is a longer trip for some than others but almost everyone had to travel at least 30 minutes to be at my party. Mary and her grandmother had to travel an hour! I can't wait to introduce everyone to everyone else.

"All my life I've thought that my birthday was in February and that I was a year younger than I am. I know, weird, uh? There were good reasons for that but the important thing is that now all of the people I like best are here today to learn that today is my real birthday and I'm six, not five. I hope that I can keep it all straight but it doesn't matter. We've been planning and planning and we're going to have a lot of fun and my daddy even says that if any parents drink a little too much, they shouldn't worry because his security team will see that everyone gets home safely. We just want everyone to have fun and laugh a lot and dance and play! Okay?!"

A small roar went up and the festivities commenced. Of course, there were questions but these were politely deflected. The host went out of their way to meet and greet every adult and every child…to have conversation and to learn about each other. Ana and Christian stuck close to each other…Ana out of shyness and Christian out of awkwardness. They complemented each other's personalities and together came across as charming and warm.

There were no gifts to open as specifically requested by Belinda. She told everyone that she considered their time and presence to be wonderful gifts. Ana and Christian could not have been prouder. Whenever parents would comment on Belinda's poise and charm, Christian would defer to Ana's and Ray's parentage of her. They also found nice things to say about all the children. Most of the parents were low-income who were unable to leave their jobs in the middle of a workday to attend the school carnival and, therefore, had not heard Grey's speech. Their brilliant children remembered the important parts, however…especially being gifted so that they could be a gift to others.

After much play, the children began to tire and it was time for food and cake and ice cream.

Christian sat at the piano and everyone sang Happy Birthday to Belinda as Ana carried out the cake with six candles. When asked about the wish she'd made, Belinda said that it was answered because everyone invited had made it, esp. her best friend, Mary. Mary beamed…the beautiful smile of a Down's child.

By evening, the last of the guests had either gone home under their own steam or that of the security detail. It had been a wonderful day with not a blemish on anyone's good time. Mary and Belinda had a tough time saying goodbye. They hugged for a long time and promised to skype the next day. Belinda was so pleased that none of the other children had any trouble appreciating Mary's company. She hugged everyone and they were all delighted with her.

As the windows lit up with the Seattle skyline at night, Belinda curled up in her mother's lap while Ana and Mia talked softly. Their old bond had been easily resealed. Mia had been the first person in Christian's family to whole-heartedly accept Ana eight years earlier. Ana had been the first person to recognize Mia's exceptional beauty. She didn't see a tall, gawky, odd-looking girl with a slightly manic personality. She was instead gobsmacked by a willowy, emerald-eyed beauty with thick black hair who was a lot of fun. She had made all the difference in Mia's self-confidence. Because of that, Mia had been able to secure the love and devotion of Ethan Kavanaugh…someone she wouldn't have dreamt of speaking to before Ana made her feel worthy.

At some point, Grace and Carrick had taken Christian into the study. Ana hadn't even noticed them sequestering themselves and Mia, who had, did her best to distract her beloved sister-at-heart. Elliot noticed, as well, and snuck away while Mia talked to Ana. When he entered the study, he knew immediately what he'd walked in on by the stormy expression on his brother's face.

"Am I correct in guessing that you made a mistake in a couple of the invitations, bro?"

"Don't start, Elliot. We're only thinking of what's best for Christian," scolded Grace.

"I should think, folks, that you learned from that debacle with Elena Lincoln that you might not necessarily have the best judgement when it comes to Ana. Mom? Did you learn nothing from believing in your bestie all those years ago? You lost six years of your granddaughter's life thanks to your failure to support Ana."

"Oh, now, Elliot, that was not your mother's fault," said Carrick. "She didn't know that she was being used and lied to. And your brother certainly contributed the most to Ana's absence."

"If you hadn't listened to Elena, you would have called me on my shit. Yeah, I accept the blame for losing Ana but maybe if I'd been told to wise up to Elena… Look, I don't want to blame anyone but myself.

"I'm over the moon with happiness, now. I can't believe my good fortune and I'll never screw it up again nor will I let anyone, no matter how close to me, cast a pall over it. I am baffled as to how you can think I need to "be careful" when you see how wonderful Ana is as a mother, a daughter and a girlfriend."

"She is, no argument, son. And your mother and I do accept our part in her disappearance all those years ago. We screwed up, too. However, we can't help but think that she ran once for her child's sake. Who's to say that she might not do it again? She never wanted the lush life, the small army surrounding her, social obligations and now she has a child whose happiness she has to consider. The last time she had to protect that child, she ran for the hills…no matter what it cost her personally.

"We just think that some legal protections for you ought to be put into place so that you don't lose out on any more of your child's life. And what about us? We've loved that child from the first moment we learned that she existed."

"I have enormous respect for Ana and her good sense," Christian argued. "Whatever she chooses for our daughter in the future, I'll support completely…no matter the loss to me or you. I don't know what sort of legal protections or threats you have in mind but I'd suggest that your best defense would be to follow my lead as I follow Ana's."

Grace and Carrick looked at each in frustration. They were wealthy people used to getting what they wanted. When Ana had run off all those years before, they felt badly. Had they known at the time that they were also losing a grandchild, they would have sic'd the FBI on Ana and secured legal custody of Belinda. As it was, they mourned for their son but felt that Ana was too young and too poor and rather out of her depth as a girlfriend for their sophisticated, brilliant son. They'd liked her but did not truly rue her loss.

They still liked her but wondered about her suitability to be a member of the Trevelyan-Grey clan and the mother of their son's progeny. Her background simply did not suit. Her step-father was a woodworker. His background as a Seal and a member of the Cia and the Secret Service simply put him in the same social stratum as Jason Taylor. And, lord, her mother! She'd married often and poorly and what she'd taught her daughter?…well…they cringed to consider.

Elliot stood in the doorway, shaking his head in dismay. His parents, god bless them, had rescued him, Chris and Mia and given them all the best. Because of their love and devotion, their children had received excellent educations. Elliot's clientele had grown primarily because he was a Grey. He was destined to be a millionaire. Ditto Mia's gourmet pastry business. Christian's brilliant business acumen, on the other hand, was all his. Maybe they didn't trust his taste in girlfriends because they hadn't had a hand in his choice.

"Christian, could you please carry Belinda upstairs to bed? You know I have a four-step limit," Ana smiled sweetly at him.

Christian chuckled and lifted his daughter out of Ana's arms, leaning down to softly kiss Ana's lips and whisper, "I love you."

"Elliot, would you help Mia to your truck? She's mostly asleep. And thank you so much for coming, sweetie. You're a great uncle, you know."

Elliot leaned down and kissed Ana on the cheek before going to Mia.

Ana closed the study door. She and Christian had exchanged a look. He knew that she wanted time alone with his parents.

"Well, here we are again. Do you remember that talk years ago when you wanted me to sign a pre-prenuptial? I thought that Christian was going to explode all over your study, Carrick."

Grace opened her mouth to speak but Ana held up her hand.

"No need to reassure me that you mean well, Grace. I know that you both do…in your way. Lower class people can be snobs, too, you know. Ray still worries that Christian isn't good enough for me. When he came back into our lives, Ray began sleeping badly again. All these months later,

I still hear him pacing his bedroom floor. If he knew about this conversation, he might be going for his shotgun.

"The Ana of several years ago, so much younger and so lacking in confidence, would be crying on your son's chest. I understand you better now and no longer need your approval so much.

"I endured a very difficult pregnancy and labor without the help of my daughter's father. I mapped out a life for us. Daddy supported me, of course, but he was wise enough to know that I had to be in charge. I learned how to earn a good living as editor-in-chief of our town's newspaper while I taught myself how to build a website for my father's woodworking business.

"When we had to move the first time for the sake of Belinda's education, I found a place to live, a job as Senior Fiction Editor with Crossfire Publishing and was making plans for our future when we would have to move again for Belinda's education. When it became apparent that a confrontation with my child's father was inevitable, I was terrified.

"What if Christian had wanted custody or what if he didn't but you did? You're important people in Seattle society. You know all the other important people and people of power. I was scared to death that you would try to take my child away from me. I knew that despite the physical evidence that she was healthy and happy and well-cared for, none of that would matter. You would always see me as a country bumpkin who could never do as much for Belinda as you. All that concern for her future would, of course, actually be a cover for the fact that you just wanted her. I'd be lucky to get visitation. And Belinda's longing for her mother and grampa…just a small matter to your way of thinking. Heck, you'd just get her a pony.

"I learned a lot about rich people and their sense of entitlement the first time around with you. Then it was my "right" to Christian. I could feel then that you would always doubt my "suitability", my place in your world. I put it out of mind. Christian didn't care where I came from. He thought I hung the moon. Now I know that you look at Belinda and believe that leaving her in my care is a waste. You pride yourselves on your talents as parents. You who were unable to see through something like Elena Lincoln. In your care, a pedophile would have had access to my child. Yet you think that Belinda deserves so much more than me. She deserves you.

"She deserves a tour of Europe all summer…even though being away from me for more than a week would break her heart. She deserves the best of the best and that is you, Grace Trevelyan, chief of obstetrics at the finest hospital in Seattle. She deserves you, Carrick Grey, partner at the finest law firm in Seattle. She's half-Grey so she deserves far more in material goods and societal prominence than I can give her."

Grace and Carrick were already looking shamefaced and a little scared of losing control over their grandchild but Ana wasn't quite done with them.

"You probably are not aware that my father can pick up the phone and call the directors of the FBI and the CIA directly. He can call the White House switchboard and tell them that Ray Steele would like to have a chat with the president and they'll put him right through. You save a previous president's life and you get pretty good cred.

"It was the FBI and CIA who helped us hide. Shocker, uh? I'll bet you thought that you'd use those people to find me had you known about Belinda. Blank faces, brick walls, wouldn't take your calls.

"However, I don't need anyone to protect my child from legal kidnapping. I am her mother and a mama grizzly when she is threatened. You should know that I consider any attempts to supplant my authority to be threats against her well-being. You may consider your vast legal experience, your prominence in Seattle society and your wealth to be strengths that will enable you to supersede my legal rights should you deem it necessary to protect your rights as grandparents but, believe me, you are deluded. You, Grace, as a mother yourself, ought to know that I would claw you to pieces in defense of my daughter."

At that moment, Christian appeared in the doorway, wearing a small grin as he observed his parents' shocked expressions. He'd heard only the last sentence of Ana's speech but it was certainly a great line.

"Christian and I have worked hard to be parents together. I trust him now. And so here we are and you have access to your grandchild," Ana concluded.

"Mom, Dad, Elliot's left with Mia. I'll show you to the door. Ana, your daughter woke and needed a kiss goodnight from her mama." He pulled Ana's head close and kissed it. "I won't be long."

Grace and Carrick were still speechless. Ana said goodnight and thanked them for coming. They mumbled something in return as they walked to the elevator with their son. He kissed Grace and patted his father's shoulder, waiting as the door closed.

Lord, he just wanted to be alone with mama bear.

CHAPTER 42

"Sir, the police are downstairs. Shall I admit them?" asked Ryan.

It was Monday, early, and a groggy Christian was slumped over the breakfast bar, staring at a cup of coffee. Ana was upstairs getting Belinda ready for school.

"Ryan, usher them into the study. I don't want Belinda to see or hear them. Make certain that they understand that."

"Yes, sir."

Christian tried to shake the cobwebs out of his head as he headed for the stairs. After yesterday's party, he and Ana had been exhausted but deeply in need of each other. Despite their best efforts to ignore his parents, their confidence in their parental abilities were shaken. Funny how no matter how old one gets, one's parents can still make you feel like goofy kids. Thus, they had stayed up quite late, talking and loving each other. He and Ana had decided to take the morning off, going back to bed to sleep after Sawyer and Baxter left with Belinda for school. Now Christian wanted to keep Belinda upstairs until the police were shut up in the study.

"Hey, baby, come sit with me for a bit," Christian grabbed his daughter as she squealed her delight.

"Are you going to have a good day at school?"

"Yes, daddy. I think some kids who didn't get invited to my party might be mad but they never treated me nice anyway until they found out that my last name is Grey."

"Your last name is Grey?" Christian looked up at Ana who smiled at him. "You decided then to take my name instead of Steele?"

"Yeah. Mommy and Grampa and I all talked about it last night and since I've never been a Steele anyway, it wasn't hard to switch. Anyway, Mommy will be a Grey soon, too, so it just makes sense."

Mommy will be a Grey soon? Christian thought… a feeling of joy and relief flooding through him. He hadn't asked Ana yet and, truthfully, he wasn't completely confident that she'd accept his proposal but now….

His phone beeped. Cops stashed in study. Guarding door. Best to hurry kid to elevator. These guys are impatient.

"Okay, time to go," Christian said as he took his daughter's hand. Ana took his arm as they walked down the stairs. The steps were still a bit high for Belinda's short legs so they took it easy. At the elevator, Sawyer and Baxter were waiting. They bowed, smiling at Belinda. They loved their new duty of being her CPOs. She was a delight to spend time with on the way to school. And on the way home. And going to the park. Ana and Christian blew kisses as the elevator doors closed and then took deep breaths as they walked into the study. They had thoroughly discussed what to say to the cops.

"Good morning, Detective Parker. Thank you for waiting. We were getting our daughter off to school and naturally, we don't want to discuss all this in front of her. She's highly intelligent, anyway, and would probably have driven you crazy with questions," Christian grinned.

Detective Parker did not smile back. He stared. He wasn't used to having to request an audience with people involved in crimes. He resented Grey. On the other hand, this was his first introduction to Ana Steele and that was a whole 'nother thing. She was beautiful in a soft, gentle sort of way. He felt soothed somehow being in her presence. He felt himself smiling. That he didn't like. He didn't want to go easy on anyone. He strove for intimidation. Of course, that was a hopeless goal around a woman who could bring Christian Grey to his knees.

"Good morning, Ms. Steele. I'm glad that you could find the time to speak with me."

Ana laughed. "Oh, Detective, you are so subtle." Parker blushed.

"I'm afraid that confronting the reality of this event is difficult for me and I needed some time to calm down enough to be able to see clearly. I do want to be as much help as possible. Now, what would you like to know?"

"Who bombed your house?"

Ana suddenly felt a bit queasy and put out a hand to touch Christian. He took her hand and helped her to sit.

"We loved that little house. We hadn't lived there long…just a few months. We…my father and I…had worked hard to make it home for Belinda who was so sad at having to leave her last home and her best friend who lived next door. We had just finished decorating her room, hanging family pictures on the walls, building book cases and filling them with her favorites…" Suddenly, Ana stopped as the enormity of their loss overwhelmed her again.

She gulped a breath and continued. "It's as if we lost all of Belinda's life with us. We have no pictures…" Christian squeezed her hand.

"We've told Belinda that it was a mistake…that no one hates us so much. We can't have her believing that we were a target. Were we, Detective?"

Parker was losing his objectivity as he watched the lovely Ms. Steele tremble and tear up.

"Do you have any reason to believe that yourfamily might be a target?"

"I work in publishing. My father was in the CIA and the Secret Service but that was twenty years ago and no one knew about it. He was a foot soldier and surely anyone seeking revenge wouldn't have waited so long to strike back. I'm afraid that you won't be able to question him. Everything he did is still classified. He's gone over all his memories and spoken with former superiors and colleagues and come up empty. We're inclined to believe that the drone missed its true target."

"Quite a bit of luck that you just happened to be gone that night. We're told that Mr. Grey had flown your father away from the house less than ten minutes before the house exploded."

"Yes. Of course, if we'd had any inkling that we would be targeted, we would have alerted all our neighbors to evacuate. We feel so grateful that no one was injured. One of our neighbors is quite elderly and we were very concerned about his stress levels. We've done everything we can to alleviate his anxiety."

"Yes, we've spoken to Mr. Olsen. In fact, the entire neighborhood. Not a likely target in the bunch."

"You spoke to Mr. Olsen?! Oh, I hope you were gentle with him."

"Yes, ma'am. He seemed fine. He, in fact, threatened me. He was concerned that I would upset you."

Ana giggled and Parker had a coughing fit.

"Had you ever noticed anyone watching the house? Neighbors mentioned black SUVs parked nearby?"

"That would be my security detail, Detective. I have close protection and coverts on all my loved ones," Christian said.

"You would have enemies, wouldn't you, Mr. Grey? Enemies who would first target your family."

"Yes, my chief of security has already gone over with you all the recent threats on file. None seemed legitimate or made threats against my family in particular. Also, Taylor is aware of all my business dealings and examines them for potential problems. I rarely do hostile takeovers. It isn't my style. I'd prefer to offer considerably more than an acquisition is worth rather than have a business rival feel angry or cheated."

"I was under the impression that some in the business community consider you to be ruthless…a shark, Mr. Grey."

"If you like, I can have Taylor give you all the names of people I've dealt with in the last couple of years and you can question them as to their feelings toward me. Or you could read last month's issue of Forbes. GEH was the cover story and the investigative journalist was quite thorough in assessing my reputation in the business community. Yes, I can be ruthless. Yes, I can be a shark. But I am never unfair. I never humiliate my rivals."

"Well, I guess there is little more to be learned here. Perhaps we'll speak again."

"Detective, Taylor is exploring the possibility of suspects who would know how to arm a drone with an incendiary device powerful enough to turn a target into a fireball. Have you looked at past criminals who have that skill?"

"Yes, Mr. Grey. Nothing so far. Ms. Steele, thank you for your time. I'm sorry for your loss. I have children and I think that I'll make copies of all their pictures and store them in something fireproof."

"Please keep us informed, Detective, and thank you for your hard work." Ana shook his hand. He noted that her hand was small and soft but her shake was firm. Mr. Grey's grasp was crushing.

Parker was sure that Grey was letting him know that he didn't appreciate Ms. Steele being upset.

Ana and Christian escorted their guest to the elevator and then went back to their bedroom.

Christian had a text from Sawyer letting him know that Belinda had been safely delivered to school and all was quiet. He and Ana were still nervous about Belinda being so far away and possibly in danger. What if the people who tried to kill her considered their job undone? Even without Elena pushing for more attempts, maybe these maniacs took pride in their work.

CHAPTER 43

"Thank you for coming by today, Mr. Crawford," said Christian Grey to the headmaster of Bridges Academy. "I know that we're both busy men so I'll get right to the point. I don't feel confident that my daughter is safe at your school."

Mr. Crawford was startled and began to speak. Christian raised a hand to stop him.

"By school, I mean the building itself. It is quite old, most of its infrastructure is out of code and bringing it up to code would be more expensive than rebuilding. I would like to move the school into the GEH building. The 10th floor has twice the square footage of your current building and is, of course, more than up to code. It is also centrally located, cutting down on the commute of your students. We also offer complete security which will certainly appeal to the parents."

"That is quite an offer, Mr. Grey, but with so many of our students on scholarship, we simply don't have the funds for reestablishing Bridges Academy in a building like this."

"Mr. Crawford, GEH will assume all costs associated with the move and there will be no rental charges for the space. Utilities will be included as well. You'll be able to accept more students. I'd even like to see part of the footage devoted to special needs students at some point. So, what do you think?"

"Whoa, certainly caught me off-guard, Mr. Grey. Here I was hoping you'd be a special patron of Bridges Academy as long as your daughter was attending but what you're offering is long-term. I'll have to bring the matter before the supervisory board, of course, but I can't imagine anyone objecting. That old building is more expensive every year and we've had many conversations about the future of the Academy.

"I'll make some calls and try to get back to you as soon as possible. If we could open for the fall semester, it would be wonderful. I don't know how to thank you, Mr. Grey. I'm just overwhelmed."

Mr. Crawford pumped Grey's hand until his arm hurt. Grey graciously allowed this as he led Mr. Crawford to the door and then happily closed it behind him.

"Yikes. Ow!" he muttered as he rubbed his arm. He really couldn't wait to get his daughter out of that ancient building. It didn't even have fire sprinklers. He wondered how they'd managed to avoid being cited for violating code all those years. And why had none of the wealthy parents done anything about that building?

"Mr. Grey, my water just broke. I'll have janitorial up here to clean up and then I'm heading for home."

"Good grief, Andrea. Taylor will be right up. I'll call your husband. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I have a while to go. If Taylor could just take me home, David will take me to the hospital when my contractions are closer. The temp is all ready to go. And, Mr. Grey, please take it easy on her. Olivia's very nervous around you. Try to avoid snarling over every little thing."

"Yes, Andrea. Good Luck. You'll be missed."

"I know. Don't send flowers. Send Godiva chocolates."

Christian laughed. "Yes, ma'am."

.+.

"Ana? Got a minute?"

"Sure, Jack. What's up?"

"Has your husband said anything to you about possibly buying Crossfire Publishing?"

"What!?"

"I don't have a name but someone has been making inquiries about the possibility of a sale and all I know for sure is that the interested party is local."

"Christian is only interested in tech as far as I know. Perhaps Kavanaugh Media?"

"Checked. Denied."

"Is Crossfire for sale?"

"For the right price, anything is. The buyer reportedly wishes to keep the staff intact. We would only be an investment."

"Well, I'll look into it, Jack." I'll kill him, Ana thought. He knows interfering in my career is forbidden. I should have seen this coming.

Christian left his office feeling pretty good about the day's accomplishments. He was moving his daughter into the building and, with any luck, next he'd be moving his girlfriend in as well. Everybody safe and well under the GEH umbrella. Of course, safe and well might not apply to him once he told Ana about buying Crossfire.

Having his office closer to Escala than Ana's meant that he usually made it home first. Walking off the elevator to see Ana waiting for him was his first clue that he was in trouble. The expression on her face was his second.

"Hi, sweetheart! This is a nice surprise. You beat me home," Christian beamed. His smile faded fast as he noted the fire in her eyes…and not flames of desire either. She stood, her arms crossed and ready for battle. It was useless to feign innocence.

"Now, let me explain," he began as he headed into his study. He set his briefcase down on his desk and heard the door slam behind him.

"Good strategy, honey," he chuckled, "…no witnesses."

He sat in his chair, pretending nonchalance. This left Ana standing over him. Damn, she was so hot. He wanted to pull her onto his lap but he was pretty certain that she'd break his dick if he tried.

"Nothing is settled. AND I was going to talk with you first."

I'd kill to have you sitting on my lap right now, he thought. His urge to have her close was so great that he ignored the danger and reached out, pulling her down to him. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her from socking him. She could feel his hardened dick so she maliciously crossed her legs in order to bounce on his lap. He gnashed his teeth together.

"Talk, if you can," Ana ordered.

"I spoke with the chairman of Crossfire's board to see if he would consider moving the operation to the GEH building. I know that the current building is old and I offered him a very competitive rate to rent space in my building. He was pleased with my offer because it would move Crossfire uptown and into plusher quarters that would attract top authors."

Her body in his arms felt so good. He pulled her closer and he nuzzled her neck, humming contentedly as her scent filled his nostrils. Though she didn't let on, she was not immune to his closeness, either. She leaned into his chest.

"Then why does Jack have the idea that you offered to buy Crossfire?" She tried to sound cold but her tone was softer and her nose was snuggled into his neck.

Christian bent his head down, his lips almost on Ana's, mumbling his reply. "His boss offered to sell to me. He was honest. It seems Crossfire is hanging on by a thread and that's only because of the six new authors that you, my love, coaxed into contracts. He thinks they all have a good shot at being top sellers but the shareholders have been deserting so it might be too late."

Ana's arms wound their way around Christian's neck and their lips latched onto each other's. One deep, breathless kiss later, Ana gasped out that Ray and Belinda had gone to the park because the zoo had a new baby goat. Christian got to his feet, threw open the door and strode quickly around the stairs to their bedroom with Ana in his arms.

Gail watched this, sighed and put everyone's dinners in the warmers.

CHAPTER 44

Christian leaned on his elbow, one leg thrown over Ana's body, trapping her close. With his free hand, he played with her little pink nipples. Ana lazily wound her fingers through his hair. Neither spoke for a while but both were thinking the same thing….how did I manage without this for all those years alone?

"It is by no means a done deal."

"What isn't?"

"Buying Crossfire. Of course, if it's going under, I'm going to buy it. I have faith that you can bring the numbers back up."

"Take me. Now."

"Yes, ma'am." Christian lay on his back and lifted Ana up and then down onto his rock hard shaft. He loved to watch her bounce up and down, her hair flying. She was so uninhibited. She had been so shy the first time he asked her to sit on his dick. She had crossed her hands to keep her breasts from bobbing up and down. It had taken time for him to convince her that watching her being in control drove him mad. He'd had so many sexual partners over the years…women who'd been trained and experienced and not one of them had ever made him as crazy in bed as Ana. Love was the difference. She did everything for love of him. She wanted him. No matter how good those other women had been…no matter their skills…he'd never felt wanted until Ana. And he had certainly never wanted anyone before her.

He sat up suddenly and enveloped her in his fierce embrace. "Promise me, Ana, promise me on the life of our daughter, promise me…"

"Christian? What?"

"Don't leave me again. Stay. Promise me."

Ana was alarmed at the anguish in his voice. "I won't leave you again, Christian. I promise." She so desperately hoped that she could keep that promise.

.+.

"So, did you get to pet the new baby goat, Belinda?" asked her daddy.

"No," sighed Belinda, "there were too many kids and the keeper said that if we all petted her, her mother would get nervous so we just got to look. Maybe next time. Gosh, was she cute, tho. Daddy, can you and mommy have a new baby so I could hold it?"

"Umm…you know, it takes a long time to make a new baby," replied Christian.

"Yes, nine months. If you don't hurry up, I'll be seven before it comes. And then I won't be able to play with it much until I'm almost eight. Sophie says she'll be almost twelve. 'Course, she has me but she wants a baby, too."

Taylor, Sophie wants a baby.

"One, two, three…." Taylor came racing around the corner, looking alarmed.

"Oh, hi, Taylor. Belinda was just telling us that Sophie wants Ana and I to have a baby, pronto."

Taylor, breathing hard, gave Grey a filthy glare and stormed out.

"Taylor looked mad at you, daddy. Maybe he doesn't want to guard another kid."

Later, talking in bed, Ana pointed out to Christian that she wasn't on birth control. Christian stared at her for a moment. "Then why aren't you pregnant?"

"I might be. I told you that I wanted another baby and soon."

"Do you have any tests here?"

"No."

"Get dressed. We're going to the drugstore down the street."

"It's almost midnight."

"Then we'd better hustle."

Thirty minutes later, Ana and Christian sat on the bathroom floor, staring at six sticks on the floor.

"One of us is going to have to lean over and read the results," said Ana.

"Together, on the count of three…one…two…three…YES!" They grabbed each other and rolled around on the tile floor jubilantly.

They couldn't sleep all night. At 7 a.m. Christian called his favorite ob/gyn, the one he'd used for all his subs, and was thrilled to find that she was still practicing. Using his usual means of persuasion, money, he was able to get Ana in by 8 a.m. By 9 a.m. they walked out with a sonogram and confirmation that Ana was 4 weeks pregnant.

The following Saturday Christian took Ana out for dinner at Canlis to celebrate her pregnancy. He reserved a private room and arranged for it to be lit entirely by candles and filled with the fragrance of jasmine. He'd stopped by his favorite jeweler's that morning and picked out a dainty, 2 carat pink diamond. He would have liked to have purchased a giant rock but he knew that was only his need to be extravagant. Ana would want something small that she wouldn't smash into things. Besides, a small diamond suited her small hand. For a wedding gift, he could buy her the matching necklace and earrings. Maybe he could get her to wear those once a year.

"Oh, Christian, this is a beautiful restaurant!" Ana enthused. He wondered why he'd never before taken her to Canlis. Geez, he was thinking, I was really a cad seven years ago. He watched her bosom swell as she drew in a great breath of the Jasmine fragrance. After they'd ordered their dinners, they danced to the soft piano music wafting through the doors between their private space and the main dining area.

As the pianist began to play a sweet love song, Christian dropped to one knee and held out a tiny black velvet box. He'd prepared a beautiful speech but it went straight out of his head and all he could think to say was that Ana had been, was still and always would be the great love, the only love of his life. Would she spend her life with him, please?

Tears brimmed in her eyes and she nodded vigorously, whispering "Yes, Christian." Then he slipped the ring on her tiny finger and kissed her hand. They were embracing when the server walked in with dinner. He spread the word and when a hour later, they emerged, the main dining room burst into applause and flashbulbs blinded them as they made their way to the car. Taylor congratulated them as he drove them home.

The following morning, as they lay curled into a ball together, Belinda pounded on their door.

"Mommy, daddy, wake up! Wake up! You're in the paper and on the television and I wanna see the ring!"

Having made love and talked most of the night, neither mommy nor daddy wanted to wake up but such is parenthood. Belinda wanted to try on the ring which, of course, fell right off her tiny finger. Then she wanted one just like it. Then she wondered about the fairness of mommy getting yet another ring when she got married while the daughter got none. All this fell on half-asleep ears as Ana and Christian slumped over the breakfast bar.

Ray took pity and took Belinda back to the park again while the happy couple went back to bed to sleep. Neither paid any attention to the pictures of them emerging from Canlis nor did they note that some people were of the opinion that surely Grey could afford a more substantial rock.

If the general public felt that the diamond didn't suit a Grey fiancée, they were going to be truly disappointed in the plans Ana and Christian had for a ceremony. While the news media and gossip columns speculated about a guest list of many hundreds and the finest venues available in Seattle, the happy couple were planning on family and security detail and a few friends at the court house. Of course, they still had to tell the family and that was a whole 'nother disappointment to share.

For the moment, they didn't care. They just wanted to sleep for as long as Belinda would allow.

CHAPTER 45

Grace and Carrick were a little nervous about Sunday brunch. The last time they'd seen their son and Ana, they'd really put their foot in it. They'd upset Christian and angered Ana. In hindsight, their implied threat to legally steal their grandchild was unwise. They had asked themselves several times what they could have been thinking and all their reasons seemed crazy now. They put it down to fear. They loved Belinda so and thinking about all the years and milestones they'd missed had pushed them to try to protect themselves from further loss. They now realized that they couldn't fix what had been done and could only accept it and work to make the best of the future.

Now, according to the news, their son was engaged and the world found out before the parents. Yes, that hurt but it wasn't deliberate. After all, they told themselves, the children hadn't made an announcement; they had just been photographed leaving a restaurant. In fact, maybe it wasn't what it was made out to be. Perhaps, Christian had simply given Ana some jewelry. After all, it wasn't a proper engagement ring. It was barely visible in the photos. Let's not jump to conclusions, they told themselves.

As they sat at the breakfast bar, moping, they heard a vehicle pull up, a door open and a tiny beep…Belinda's horn on her car seat. They rushed to the door to see Christian carrying Belinda and holding Ana's hand as they walked to the house.

They rushed forward to kiss Belinda, Christian and to give Ana a perfunctory peck on the cheek.

They took their granddaughter into their arms and cuddled her as they walked into the house where Mia was bouncing with excitement.

"Christian, it's all right. Remember, at our last meeting, I threatened to claw them," Ana smiled.

Christian stopped to face Ana. He caressed her face with his hand and bowed his head to hers. "It's okay. I don't want to share touching you anyway." He kissed her softly, sighing with contentment.

"Is it true?!" Mia yelled as she grabbed Ana's hand. She made a face at the size of the ring and then at Christian. "It's okay, brother. If I know Ana, she would have sent you back to the store with a 6 carat. Besides, it's pink. Most people don't know the worth of pink diamonds. It is simple, elegant and so Ana."

Mia smiled with love at Ana and then embraced her with tears in her eyes.

"This means that you're back for good and I'm so happy."

"I love you, too, Mia," Ana smiled with tears in her eyes also.

Suddenly, a monster truck skidded into the driveway, scattering gravel everywhere.

"Elliot, please try to pull in more slowly," entreated Carrick. "Every year we have to repack the driveway."

"Bro, is it true or gossip?" Elliot beamed at his little brother.

"She said yes, Elliot, and I'll be needing a best man," grinned Christian as Elliot enveloped him in a bear hug. As he reached for Ana, Christian beseeched him not to crush his wife-to-be.

When everyone finally went inside the house, Grace and Carrick were sitting on the couch with Belinda. Ana squeezed Christian's hand.

"Mom, Dad, I imagine you've already heard but I've asked Ana to marry me and she said yes."

Grace and Carrick had the good sense to summon up enthusiasm for this announcement and to embrace Ana and Christian with warmth.

"Yes, we saw the news. It's everywhere. You've even gone national, you know," Grace said while noting the apprehension in Ana's eyes. Grace had to give her credit for preferring privacy. In Grace's mind, that was credit-worthy. It showed that she wanted her son for himself. She took Ana's hand in both of hers and warmly welcomed her into the family.

"By the way," asked Carrick, " where is Ray this morning?"

"Sleeping in. Elliot worked him hard yesterday," said Christian. He didn't want his parents to know that Ray was still in the process of calming his temper over the way Ana's in-laws treated her.

"Hey, don't blame me. The man is a machine. He outworks the crew in their twenties. I have to force him to take lunch," Elliot said in his defense.

"Thank you, Elliot. I worry about him." Ana kissed Elliot's cheek.

Belinda had run upstairs with Mia to try on new clothes.

"Got some good news about Bridges Academy. I offered them the 10th floor and they already accepted. Next fall, my daughter will be in a safer environment. That ancient building seemed ready to collapse. In addition, we've installed security on the roof that will detect any threats in my airspace."

"Your airspace?" Elliot frowned.

"Yep. When I built Grey House, I also bought the airspace. At the time, it was just a precaution that I couldn't imagine having need for but once your daughter's house is bombed by a drone, suddenly said precaution seems necessary."

Christian felt Ana tense up. He let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulder.

As they all sat down to eat, they kept the conversation light, allowing Belinda and Mia to take the lead.

"Mommy, do I get to be your maid of honor?" asked Belinda

"Well, honey, I really need a flower girl."

"I was hoping to be the maid of honor," whined Mia. Belinda looked at Mia gravely for a moment and reached over and patted her arm. "Okay, Aunt Mia, you can be the maid of honor. I'll just be a regular bridesmaid."

"Are you sure, Belinda? You do kind of have dibs," allowed Mia.

"Yeah, I'm sure. And Mommy, I thought that Mary could be flower girl," Belinda looked up hopefully.

"Why, Belinda, that's a wonderful idea. She'll love that!" Ana beamed. She and Christian gazed at each other with pride and love. Their daughter never ceased to amaze them with her kindness and maturity.

"Will your mother be able to make it, Ana?" ask Grace gently. "I'm just thinking of dress fittings. I don't know how much she'll want to be involved, you know, in cake tastings and such."

"That's thoughtful of you, Grace, but I'm not even sure of my mother's location at this point. The last I knew she was somewhere in North Carolina with #5 but that was years ago. I think we'll just assume her absence."

"Certainly. Have you thought of a venue? We would love to host here at Grey Manor."

Christian started to speak up to say that they were going to make a quick trip to the court house downtown but Ana touched his arm to silence him.

"That would be lovely, Grace. Thank you. I know that Mia could decorate beautifully and simply, couldn't you, Mia?" Mia beamed and bobbed her had up and a down.

"We want just family and a few close friends," said Christian. "Ros, Andrea, Gail, Sophia and Taylor."

Grace and Carrick quickly exchanged a look. They had rather hoped for the wedding of the year but they decided that honoring the wishes of the engaged couple was better than a huge bash. After all, they were surprised that Christian wasn't going to just rush Ana off to the court house or Las Vegas.

Later, after everyone had gone home, they cuddled on the sofa and sighed in unison.

"GQ called him the world's most eligible bachelor," Grace muttered.

"I have so many, hundreds, of people to repay for invitations," Carrick moaned.

"I could have coordinated the wedding of the century," Mia grumbled.

"Do we have any pie left?" inquired Elliot.

In the car, with Belinda dozing in the back seat, Christian eased the Mercedes onto the main road.

"I'd like to be privy to the conversation back at the house," he chuckled.

"Maybe I should have let you mention the court house first. Lowered their expectations and then they'd feel better about a small family gathering," Ana grimaced.

"I don't want to discourage you but we'll have to keep an eye out. Even with our express wishes for a small gathering, we'll have to rein them in most likely. Mom loves hosting. Dad loves repaying invitations in bulk and Mia doesn't understand 'simple elegance'."

"At least, Elliot will be happy with pie," Ana giggled. Christian wanted so badly to hold her hand

"Would you slap my hand away if I reached for you?" he asked. "I'd have to drive with one hand."

CHAPTER 46

"Come on in, Taylor." After all their years together, Christian knew Taylor's knock, although to anyone else, it might seem like any other knock. This one was restrained but urgent. Grey looked up with concern.

Taylor sat down. Again, this was something he only did when he needed a conversation and he never dropped by to chat.

Grey swiveled his chair to face Taylor's.

"Welch, his crew and mine have been gradually winnowing down the list of possible suspects. We have two. Brothers."

"Well, that's tight."

"Name of Brougan. Did time for bank robbery. Both spent time in the military where they learned to construct and disarm bombs. Discharged honorably and then decided to put their skills to use with robberies. Those are the crimes we're sure of. They're also suspected of extortion…threatening bombings. Never caught. Never proven.

"We found them by doing some deep cover of BDSM clubs…especially the ones with ugly reps.

Clubs that Mrs. Lincoln frequented. Rough, sadistic places that were even suspected of human trafficking."

"Well, that certainly sounds like Elena's style," Grey said. " Any word on how she's doing that you can share with me?"

Taylor ignored Grey. If ever questioned, Grey could truthfully say that he had never discussed Elena's disappearance with anyone.

"The Brougan boys live in a rough neighborhood, not from lack of money but due to a desire to remain under the radar. They've never been questioned by the police since their release from prison two years ago. They served out their full sentences in order to avoid probation. If not for their frequent visits to the clubs, no one would ever see them."

"Do we have any evidence connecting them to the drone attack?"

"Thanks to Welch, we know that they bought parts to put together a drone. They're clever. They shopped at several different stores, including some out of town. To anyone asking around, they bought a part here, a part there. Unless you're in the know about these things, you would think that they're putting together model airplanes and repairing ham radios.

"Directly? We've got nothing…but we can keep an eye on them. We've no indication that they're aware of our surveillance. If they're done with us, all we need to do is watch them. However, if they have plans to finish the job, we'll know their every move. I'm confident that these are our bombers."

"No way that we can tie them to Apple St., then?" Christian asked hopefully.

"No, sir. All circumstantial."

"Should we notify Detective Parker?"

"I wouldn't recommend police involvement, sir. That would almost certainly alert the Brougan's as to our suspicions and drive them further underground."

"Okay, Taylor. Good work. Just keep me in the loop as much as you think necessary."

After Taylor left, Christian sat staring out the window for a while. The school year would soon be over and he could get his daughter out of that old building. As it was, Taylor had surreptitiously arranged for radar to be set up on the roof of the Bridges Academy. If anything approached by air, it would be detectable and threat assessed. If necessary, it would be blown out of the sky before it could do damage to the academy.

He trusted Taylor and Welch implicitly but he still felt the need to be as in the know as much as possible. He sent a memo to his head of technology to put together everything he knew about drones and have it sent to Grey. Within a few days, Grey would know as much as the Brougan brothers.

Meanwhile, he redirected his thoughts to Crossfire Publishing. The board's chairman had decided to recommend selling the business to GEH rather than simply merging it under the GEH umbrella. This pleased Grey. It would not please Ana. He wondered how she'd feel about receiving Crossfire as a wedding present. He didn't care about owning it. He just wanted Ana in his building.

"Olivia, could you please ask Ros Bailey to come to my office at her earliest convenience?"

"To your office, sir?" Olivia asked. Christian tried not to boil over. Olivia seemed to have an empty space in her brain where things did not connect.

"Yes, Olivia. Ask Ros Bailey to come to my office. Thank you."

Three minutes later, in a rush and out of breath, Ros flew into his office, looking worried.

"What's wrong? Is it the Anderson acquisition? I knew we'd have trouble with those squirrels."

"No. Everything is fine. This isn't about business. Why are you so upset?"

"Olivia called me. She was frantic. Said to get up here right away. She sounded scared."

Christian groaned. "How long is Andrea's maternity leave? Do you think that she deliberately hired Olivia just to ensure that she couldn't be replaced?"

"Oliva." Ros flopped down on the couch. "I'm not going to survive this maternity leave either.

Okay, what did you want?"

"It's personal. I need your opinion. You're a woman who is independent and strong. You understand Ana, right?" Christian asked hopefully.

"Oh, dear. What did you do, Grey?"

"I'm buying her employer, Crossfire Publishing and bringing it to this building. I thought I would give it to her as a wedding present to lessen the…hmmm…interference factor. I mean, after moving it into this building, I would have nothing more to do with it. Now, doesn't that sound reasonable?"

"I'd appreciate it if you shared the surveillance tapes with me after you confess. Gwen loves it when you get yourself in trouble with Ana."

"So, you don't think that Ana will take it well. I mean, I won't be her boss. She'll be the boss."

"You are a dope, Grey. How many times has she warned you not to interfere in her career?"

"This isn't interfering. It's simply a transference of ownership from the current board to Ana. I'm merely supplying a safe environment."

"Give me a second to think. I'm trying to figure out how you can do this and not be in trouble. How can you interfere in Ana's career without interfering in Ana's career? I'm supposing that you already let her know that you've looked into purchasing Crossfire?"

"Yes. I have," he said proudly.

"That's too bad. You might have had her boss tell her that Crossfire was being sold and then you could have offered to buy it. As it stands, Grey, you're screwed. Well, at least you got the ring on her finger. However, I think you're going to have to endure a few cold nights. Sorry. That's all I got."

"Okay," Grey groaned. "One more thing. I have my eye on a house. I was going to surprise….."

"NO! Do not buy a house without her approval!"

"Got it. Show her the place first." Grey agreed.

Ros got to her feet. "I'm exhausted. I'm going to go back to my office. Please don't have any more crises today."

"Thanks, Ros."

Grey called the board chairman of Crossfire and made arrangements to complete the sale as soon as possible…warning him to keep GEH's involvement to himself.

Tonight he'd tell Ana that she was now the official owner of Crossfire Publishing. Despite Ros's warning, he was sure that Ana would be pleased.

CHAPTER 47

If looks could kill….Ros was wrong about cold nights. Cold, he could have tolerated. It was when Ana got heated…then he got heated. The blaze in her eyes, the fury radiating off her hot little body, the implicit warning that he couldn't touch when, oh lord, he needed to grab her and drag her off to bed. Why couldn't Ana do icy cold like other women? He needed her so badly at that moment that all the blood in his brain flowed like lava to his groin. He couldn't even hear her as she raged at him. All he could hear was a roar. Worse, Ana knew him so well. She knew that the angrier she got, the more she yelled, the hotter he got. There was no way through to him when he was overwhelmed by lust. She knew, too, that he'd fuck her into oblivion and, oh, she wanted him, too. That was the trouble with Christian being in trouble…Ana was soon in trouble, too. She figured that she might as well drag him off to bed. At some point, he'd be worn out and then she could tell him off. Maybe.

Much later, as they lay in bed, panting and drenched, Christian tried to say something but he couldn't speak. Ana managed to mutter a**hole but was otherwise also exhausted. Grey figured why bother to attempt conversation. As spent as he was, as done as his body was, in his brain all he could think was 'more Ana'. Ana was busy feeling so incredible that all she could do was study the ceiling.

After a while, Christian pulled her over and onto his chest, his arms tight around her. He could move his head enough to sink his face into the space between her neck and shoulder. There he could both taste and smell her. After a while, he realized that she'd fallen asleep. His lust for her had now transformed into overwhelming tenderness. He softly trailed his fingers down her back to her round little ass and then back up to her dainty ears. He wondered if it was possible to love her more. Yes, he smiled to himself. Every day he was in deeper and deeper.

The yawning abyss of emptiness he used to live in was filled to overflowing with feeling for Ana and Belinda.

His phone rang, jarring him out of the moment. It was Belinda's ringtone, something about a sleeping beauty. If only.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Daddy, are you and Mommy going to get up soon? You slept through dinner and Gail says that if she doesn't take your food out of the warmer soon, it will shrivel up. Also, grampa says that it's your turn. I don't know what is your turn but he's kind of cranky."

Christian laughed which woke Ana. "We'll be out soon. We just need to take a shower."

"Why do you need to take showers just 'cause you were sleeping? I don't get dirty when I'm sleeping," Belinda protested.

"We'll hurry, okay?" Christian rang off and jostled Ana. "We have to get up. We're parents."

Ana groaned as Christian lifted her off the bed and carried her into the shower. He propped her up against the wall as he ran a soapy sponge all over her body. Then he had her sit between his legs as he washed her hair first and then his. By the time he'd rinsed them both off, Ana was showing signs of life.

"Ready for some dinner?" he asked.

"Real food. No cum," Ana said. Christian laughed. She'd given him so many blowjobs that he wondered how she had room for food. He wondered if there was any nutritional value to semen. He'd have to look that up. He was already convinced that Ana's juices were a miracle drug.

He towel-dried her hair and then carefully used the hair dryer to finish the job. They donned sweat suits and socks and went out to greet their daughter. Ray looked sour. He was tired of being humiliated at scrabble. And now his brilliant granddaughter thought he needed to learn chess. What he needed was a workshop with a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

Ana grabbed Belinda and snuggled her close. "Did you wear out grampa?" Belinda giggled.

"Did you wear out daddy?" grampa grumped. Ana turned beet-red while Christian laughed.

"Your dinner is a bit crusty but still edible. If not, order takeout. Good night," Gail grunted as she left the kitchen.

"Hmm," Christian commented. "Who wants pizza?"

.+.

With Ray and Belinda tucked in for the night, Ana and Christian cuddled on the couch.

"Still mad at me for buying Crossfire for you?"

"I don't want to manage a business, Christian. I want to read manuscripts and cultivate authors."

"None of the personnel has to change, Ana, although I wouldn't blame you for firing that Owen character. Talk about dead weight."

"Oh, he isn't so bad. And even with the same management, I'm still going to be conscious of how we're doing. Right now, as a mere employee, I don't give the bottom line a thought. That was someone else's problem. Now I'll have to worry about employees and keeping the place running."

"Well, I'll help, if you want. Also, having looked over the books and examined the management style, things aren't as bad as they seemed. The main problem seems to have been an ancient board with directors receiving salaries for doing nothing but getting in the way. Jack Hyde has been pushing for more digital publishing for years but those old men don't know what he's talking about."

"That's true. When I suggested both print and kindle alternatives, they looked at me as if I were speaking Farsi."

"Now that I've survived the Crossfire discussion, I have something else to talk about."

"What did you do, Christian?" Ana looked alarmed.

"Nothing, my dear," he smiled. "I've done nothing. I have had a thought, however, which I will, of course, share with my wife-to-be so that together we can come to a mutually agreed upon conclusion." He looked terribly proud of himself. Ana looked suspicious.

"Spill."

"I believe that during a past discussion, we agreed that we did not wish to continue living in Escala. I have, therefore, complied a short list of available properties for our mutual perusal."

Ana tried not to laugh. Someone, probably Ros, had gotten to Christian before he did something stupid…like buy a mansion without Ana's input. He was puffed-up proud of himself as if he'd thought of consulting Ana all on his own. Well, it was a start.

"Well, let's see what you've got," Ana said.

Mansion after mansion. It was about what she'd expected. She couldn't argue that they needed the room. They had security to house. Taylor and Gail needed a home with room for Sophie. They needed a pool, a library, a media room, several bedrooms, a workshop for Ray, studies for both herself and Christian, a large dining room, a kitchen done to Gail's specifications and a perimeter large enough to keep out predators. Ah, life with Christian. Not quite Apple St.

Looking over the options and notes from Taylor, they narrowed their choices down to two waterfront properties. One was on Lake Washington…not far from Grey Manor. The other was

older and in need of a lot of rehab but it was a comfortable distance from the in-laws. No contest.

"I know an architect who could design a brand new smart house. Elliot is into sustainable ecosystems so he could build the place."

"A smart house, huh? Smarter than me, no doubt. I've seen those on the telly. It practically takes a degree from MIT to figure out how to live there. I think that this house is charming…for a mansion. Couldn't Elliot just fix it up?"

"This place is 100 years old, Ana. The front of the house faces the water because it was built before there were roads to it. You pull up to it now and you're greeted by a row of garage doors."

"Maybe Elliot could convert one of the garage doors into a charming entry door that leads into an elevator. We're certainly used to that.

"That's a good idea. We'll need an elevator to go up from the garage anyway. Right now it's probably just rickety old wooden stairs. We'll also need security fencing down by the water to keep people out and our children in. I'm never going to stop worrying about that."

"Christian, I know that waiting almost a month for our wedding is bothering you, isn't it?"

Christian looked at Ana in surprise. He hadn't said a word. How did she know?

"You mumble in your sleep sometimes. Why are you nervous about waiting? What is bothering you?"

Christian sighed and leaned back. "I want to be married to you, Ana, asap. For almost seven years I barely survived without you. I know that it doesn't make sense but I still worry that I could lose you. I just need to be your husband. I'm sorry. I'll try to calm down."

Ana got up and left the room, returning with an envelope and a box. She handed both to Christian. "These are my wedding gifts to you. Considerably less costly than diamonds, businesses and houses but worth a lot to you."

Curious, Christian opened the envelope. Inside, he found a marriage license dated the following day, an appointment card with the name of a judge on it and a waiver on a blood test. He tried to take a breath but he was shaking. Ana urged him to open the box. With trembling hands, he did so and inside, he found two wedding bands inscribed with dates and words of love.

"Tomorrow, you and I are going down to the court house to be married. No one will know and we'll still have the ceremony at your folks but we'll know that we're already husband and wife."

Christian grabbed Ana and held her fast. "How did you do this?"

"One of my new authors is Katherine Kavanaugh, daughter of Eamon of Kavanaugh Media and niece of Gerald, his brother and justice of the peace. With the agreement with Katherine that we will give her a brief exclusive and Gerald will be the officiant at our Grey Manor wedding, Judge Kavanaugh is devoting his lunch break to our marriage ceremony. Because we already have a healthy daughter, he waived the need for a blood test. So, you in?"

"Am I in?!" He picked Ana up in his arms and whirled her around the room, laughing like a loon.

His joy was boundless. In less than 24 hours, he would be Mr. Ana Grey. Finally, after years of waiting, years of sadness and heartbreaking agony, Ana would be his wife. He would be home and safe.

"Shush," Ana cautioned. It was late and the rest of the house was asleep. He grinned so big at her and carried her into their bedroom. He wanted to make love to his fiancée one last time.

"This will be our last night together as boyfriend and girlfriend. Tomorrow night we'll be a married couple. Oh, woman, if I could only say how much I love you. If I only knew the words."

Ana smiled up at him. "How about 'I do'? But you can't say them until tomorrow."

CHAPTER 48

Ana was wearing the pale blue suit she'd been wearing the first time Christian had seen her again in almost seven years, at the school carnival, and he was wearing the suit he'd been wearing that afternoon. Katherine Kavanaugh was acting as witness and Taylor was standing up for Christian as Judge Kavanaugh pronounced the happy couple to be husband and wife. Christian kissed Ana… a bit indecently for Taylor's sensibilities. Gail threw rice over their heads and cheered.

With thank yous and see yous at the wedding, Ana and Christian waved goodbye and headed for the marina. They'd decided on an afternoon honeymoon on the Grace, most of which they spent in the master bedroom. As they disembarked that evening, Christian reluctantly removed his wedding band and pocketed it next to his heart. Still, he was overcome with a sense of peace and completion. Now, he was everything he needed to be…Ana's husband and his children's father. He was at ease and calm.

This new air about him did not go unnoticed by, well, anyone. Ros, Olivia who smiled and relaxed, his family at brunch the following Sunday. When Mia purposed that he and Elliot wear pink cummerbunds to match the tea roses in Ana's hair, he just nodded while Elliot went berserk.

"Chris, speak up, for god's sake! Do you really want to be seen in a pink…anything?"

"Ah, it's okay. It's just a color, for a day." Elliot gaped at him. As did everyone else, including Mia.

"Ana, I've found a couple of dresses I hope you'll like. Want to see them?" asked Mia.

Ana smiled benignly as she followed Mia up the stairs.

"Do you suppose that they were drinking before they came today?" Grace whispered to Carrick.

"I hope that they're as amiable when they see the guest list. I just had to include a few business associates. I owed them," whined Carrick.

"They're certainly relaxed. Ray, can you explain this?" asked Grace.

"Beats me. They came home from work yesterday, holding hands and smiling serenely. You know, Christian bought Ana the publishing company she works for and I thought she'd kill him. She got over that mighty fast."

"Chris showed her a house and she's fine with it, too. Maybe they're on drugs," Elliot suggested.

Less than an hour later, Ana and Mia came down the stairs. Mia looked dazed. "Dress decided on. Hairdo decided on."

Ana and Christian went out to sit on the porch glider, cuddling with Belinda and listening to her chatter about her dress and Mary's. Life was copasetic.

The rest of the Greys were confused and a little befuddled…sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

During dinner, Ana mentioned casually that a new author of hers was going to interview her and Christian at the reception and her uncle, Judge Kavanaugh, was going to officiate.

"Hope that's okay with everyone." The family looked stunned. "You're giving an interview…at your reception!"

"Just a brief one. And in return, Kate got her uncle to agree on short notice to marry us."

"Well, we were planning on Reverend Fletcher doing the honors," Grace said in dismay. "He is the pastor at our church after all."

"We don't go to a church, Mom, and it seems disrespectful to ask a pastor to marry a couple he doesn't know. Besides," said Christian, "I've met Judge Kavanaugh and he's kind of adorable."

Heads swiveled round and mouthed "adorable?"

"He looks like the actor, Wallace Shawn. Kind of like a garden gnome. We'll both be able to look down at him," Ana giggled.

After the "kids" left, Grace and Carrick sat and stared at each other while Mia and Elliot talked.

"I know he's on something. I've never seen Chris like this in his life. He's as relaxed as a limp noodle."

"Ana told me to choose the dress I liked best! Belinda laughed and said that mommy and daddy had been silly all day. Maybe it's just beginning to hit them that they're really getting married. A few days ago, Christian was nervous and irritable and three weeks was too long away. Now he's floating. She must have sexed him into a coma."

"Mia!"

"Sorry, Mom."

"Now that Chris has agreed to a pink cummerbund, I'm going to be a nervous wreck until the wedding. I swear, the second the ceremony is over, I'm out of that thing."

"No, you're not. Not until after the pictures," said Mia.

.+.

"You're going to have to be a little grumpier. I think they're onto to us." Ana looked back at Belinda. "It's okay. She's sleeping."

"Can't help it. What's to get overwrought about? It's like I'm going to someone else's wedding. I'm a happily married man," Christian grinned. "I don't have a bridezilla freaking out over colors and materials and flavors and an overbearing mother-in-law-to-be. I already married a genius who's made all my boyhood dreams come true…right down to the pink cummerbund."

Ana threw her head back, laughing. Christian pulled off to the side of the road, slammed the car into park and pulled Ana into his arms, pressing his mouth to hers.

"You have to stop doing things that make me need to kiss you or we'll never get home and we have to get home so that I can get you into a hot shower and then a hot bed," he mumbled against her lips.

"You can put your sheets into the freezer for a while," advised Belinda sleepily.

"Go back to sleep, sweetie," Christian whispered to his daughter. "How do I get your dad to accept a new truck, a safe truck, so that he can drive our daughter home when I want to pull over to the side to have at my wife?"

"Oh, I'd just put it to him like that and if you survive, he might take the truck just so he'd have a way to haul your corpse down to the river."

Grey smiled at his dozing daughter and then took his wife's face in his hands, just to look at her.

CHAPTER 49

The quartet had begun playing wedding music and the guests were already grabbing glasses of champagne. Ray was pacing back and forth at the foot of the staircase, anxious to see his daughter appear at the first landing to begin her entrance. Grace and Carrick were making conversation with Judge Kavanaugh. Everyone was suffering pre-wedding jitters…everyone except the groom who was slumped on a wicker chair near the podium, reading Forbes. No one knew what to make of him.

"Hey, Christian," nudged Elliot, "do you suppose that you could look like you're interested in your own nuptials?"

"Relax, El, " Christian yawned, " no need to get so nervous. It's all good."

Ethan Kavanaugh, Mia's boyfriend, gestured to Elliot his bafflement at the groom's nonchalance.

"Mia's been a wreck for two weeks with all the planning. She says her brother acts like he gets married all the time and Ana is playing go-fish with Belinda. I thought that brides and grooms were supposed to be pretty wound up on their big days."

Suddenly a piercing whistle cut through the noise of the crowd to signal that the wedding party was about to descend the stairs. Christian stood, moved his chair and took his place next to his best man.

Mary walked down the stairs, scattering flower petals from a basket. Belinda skipped down the stairs and up to the podium. Mia, as maid of honor, followed, statuesque and stunning to take her place opposite Ethan. Finally, the quartet began the wedding march as Ana flowed down the aisle on Ray's arm. Her dress, an off-shoulder, shiny satin gown made all the guests gasp. All Christian saw was Ana's face and her cerulean blue eyes.

Already familiar with the tastes of the bride and groom, Judge Kavanaugh asked for "I do's" and quickly concluded the ceremony. Once again, the happy couple enjoyed an rather indecent kiss and turned to smile at the guests of which they felt there were far too many.

Ana and Christian began the dancing and soon the twilight descended and twinkly white lights cast a fairytale glow about the back lawn of Grey Manor. The bride and groom were in their own world when Taylor tapped Grey on his shoulder. Grey sighed and turned to Taylor, ready to express his displeasure, when he caught the look on his security chief's face.

"Sir, a word." Taylor turned to walk toward Carrick's study with Mr. and Mrs. Grey trailing behind, grinning stupidly at each other. As they reached the study door, Taylor looked at Ana with some concern.

"It's okay, Taylor. She's tougher than I am. So, what's the issue?"

"Radar just picked up the approach of a drone headed this way. It's armed. We're prepared to blast it out of the sky but it will create a commotion. I thought that you might want to say something to your guests."

"Can we expect damage or injuries?" asked Christian.

"No, sir. The drone will explode over the water and my men have already ordered guests to stay close to the house. We've traced the drone's launch to a shack some distance north on the shore of Lake Washington and we've surrounded the perimeter. We expect to take the Brougan brothers into custody prior to destroying the drone."

"It'll be like fireworks! When, Taylor?" Ana was actually excited.

"Five minutes, Mrs. Grey." He gave her an odd look. Getting giddy about a bomb exploding seemed inappropriate.

Ana towed Christian out of the study and back to the patio. Elliot walked over trailed by Kate. She wanted her story and Elliot wanted Kate.

"Hey, bro. This is Kate Kavanaugh. She wants an interview. Give it to her, okay?"

"Sure thing, El. Have a seat, Kate. Keep your eye on the water. You're about to get more of a story than you counted on. Also, my brother is a real good guy but he's also a womanizer. Don't get attached."

Elliot shot Christian a dirty look. "Ana, sweetie, tell Kate to ignore your husband."

"Nope."

Seconds later, a terrific boom assaulted everyone's ears and the sky over the water lit up in all directions. It was a stunning display. Ryan turned to Taylor, remarking that the fireball was twice that of the one that blew up Apple St.

"That was a 1000 square foot bungalow, Tom. These guys intended to decimate a 10,000 square foot mansion." Taylor looked at his phone and nodded with satisfaction. "Brougan brothers in custody. Latest problem solved. A**holes. Gail is here. Speaking of Gail, I'm going to go have a dance with my wife. You're in charge."

"Holy Shit! What the hell was that?" Elliot was unnecessarily shielding Kate. "Chris?"

"That was Elena's final attempt to kill us. Now, Kate, let's do that interview we owe you," Christian smiled at the stunned reporter.

Despite the trauma and the hysteria all around as guests screamed for no reason…the bomb was quite a ways off…Kate was calm as she sat with the bride and groom for the interview. Her questions were intelligent and insightful. Christian was impressed. Ana was trying to soothe Elliot.

"How could you shoot me down like that, Sis? I really like this woman," Elliot whined.

"Honey, you always really like all the woman you seduce and then ditch. Kate did us a big favor and we owe her. Protecting her from a charming playboy seems like the least we can do."

"You know, Ana, unless I get some help here, I'll never be more than a playboy. Don't you want to see me happily settled down like Christian?" he pouted.

"All right, Elliot. I'll tell her that you're a wonderful guy…which you are…but I will warn her of your reputation. I should warn you that, although we met just recently, Kate is not like your usual flavor-of-the-week. Are you up for a challenge?"

"Thank you so much for this, Mr. Grey. I'm going to have a great story for our readers. And that other wedding…our secret," Kate smiled. "You two have quite the history."

"Our history is now the past and we're looking forward to a more serene future together. Enough excitement," Ana commented. Christian nodded and leaned over to kiss his wife.

EPILOGUE

The Brougan brothers received life sentences with no chance of parole on the grounds that they attempted the murders of a total of 105 people and the murder of one. Poor Mr. Olsen died two weeks after the bombing on Apple St. He was elderly and he inhaled quite a bit of smoke in addition to the stress of having the house next door blow up while he sat in his recliner 20 feet away…all of which led to heart failure. Ana and Christian saw to it that he had a lovely funeral, attended by most of the town. The community garden next to his house was named after him.

Mary's grandmother turned out to be her great-grandmother. Her health had deteriorated and she required round-the-clock care. Ana and Christian moved her into a premium care facility in Seattle and then formally adopted Mary. Because of the wonderful care her great-grandmother received and the attention of the Grey family, she lived several more years, to the respectable age of 99.

Ana gave birth to a sweet baby boy seven months after the second wedding. Like his big sister, he had copper-colored hair and crystal grey eyes but he also had his father's face. And, like Belinda, he was exceptionally intelligent. Ray reluctantly learned to play chess. He had little hope that a baby #3 would be more inclined toward checkers. However, Elliot built him a great workshop and Ray was religious about wearing ear protection.

Kate told Elliot that she was serious about her career and didn't have time for frivolous dating. Elliot tried to go back to whoring around Seattle but finally caved and asked Kate to marry him.

She offered to date him for a year and then they'd have to see about a serious commitment. Elliot begged and whined until Kate called Mia and asked her to set up a wedding. Despite a courtship of just 3 months, the marriage seemed to work out.

Mia finally accepted Ethan's proposal. She'd warned him time and again that what he saw was what he was getting but he felt his Ph.d in psychology had prepared him for dealing with Mia.

Every year Ana and Christian celebrated their first wedding alone. They never revealed the truth to Grace and Carrick as they didn't feel that they could handle the disappointment. Grace and Carrick never understood why the couple took an anniversary trip weeks before their anniversary.

Elena is still living in the desert. One couldn't say that she had adapted or that she was content. No, one certainly couldn't say that.