AN: This is still Madison's friend. Thank you for all the kind comments & support! I appreciate it more than you will ever know. This week has been horrific. Yesterday was the worst Thanksgiving I've ever experienced. Dementia truly does steal all the joy from a family. If you know any caregivers please, be kind to them. I promise you they need all the kindness and positive vibes they can get. I will keep updating when I'm able to, as long as the trolls don't get too nasty. I would like you all to leave comments again. Some people had the idea that I post updates of 1 story in bulk until that story is complete. Then posting another story. If I do that. Which story would you like me to post first? Do you want me to post 1 story to it's completion, before posting another story? Keep in mind that as of now I can't post Unwritten. I'm waiting on Madison to fix the story, when she has a chance.
Chpt. 31 CPOV:
I sit and watch Ana sleep for what feels like hours, I am so relieved that she is beginning to trust me. When I initially realized she had no idea who I was my biggest fear was that she was going to kick me out of her life. I couldn't stand the thought of not being here with her, not sitting next to her bed and holding her hand, not helping her problem solve everything or just not being able to talk her to her. We spent a lot of time today talking which I'm hoping will eventually trigger some of her memories. My mother has reassured me that Dr. Walker is the hospital's top neurologist and that there is no reason to consult with another doctor as long as her memory is returning. I was hesitant but I trust my mother's medical advice and decide to be patient as she suggested.
The next morning while Ana is getting her leg in a cast I have a meeting in the waiting room with Taylor and Sawyer. With Ana likely being discharged in the next day or two we need to finalize plans for her to come to Escala. Once I have confirmation that everything is in place at my apartment for Ana I will discuss this with her. I hope she doesn't argue about staying with me; if she does I need to make her realize there really isn't another option.
"Taylor, Sawyer…thank you for meeting me this morning" I say as we sit down.
"How is Ms. Steele?" Taylor asks.
"Thankfully she continues to do well" I answer. "She is having a cast put on her leg right now as they do not believe surgery is necessary. Which brings me to the reason I asked you both here today…the doctor informed us last night that if there are no complications Ana should be discharged in the next day or two. Taylor, where do we stand with the main level guest bedroom?"
"Everything is completed sir" Taylor answers.
"Good" I sigh. "I want two wheelchairs purchased for Ana; I don't care the cost. One needs to be electric; with her arm in a cast she cannot possibly wheel herself around very easily. This will be used primarily at the apartment so she is not confined to one room or having to rely on others for assistance. The second wheelchair should be a standard wheel chair that can easily collapse for transport. I want this one to be easy to push as we will likely use it when we go out."
"Yes sir" Taylor confirms typing on his phone.
"Sawyer, you are to be assigned to Ana at all times. I expect the majority of her time will be spent in the apartment aside from doctor appointments but whenever she leaves the apartment I want you with her. She may need two guards when going out for doctor's appointments – we will have to see and if necessary Taylor can you arrange for someone on those days?" I ask.
"Yes sir" Sawyer and Taylor say in unison.
"Taylor has there been any progress on the investigation?" I ask.
"Not yet sir" Taylor says pausing.
"Is there something else?" I ask sensing his hesitation.
"I've pulled the list of guests from Campanelli's the night of Ana's accident" he says.
"And?" I ask impatiently.
"It seems Elena was there –" he begins.
"WHAT?!" I scream. "What was she doing there? Did she speak to Ana?"
"I don't know sir" Taylor answers calmly. "I have spoken to Antonio and he said Ana didn't alert him to any concerns. I've checked with the wait staff and none of them saw her interact with Elena that night. I spoke to the server assigned to Elena's table who doesn't recall her being in a bad mood or being rude. She remembered Elena provided her with a decent tip and that she was with a date for the evening. I've reviewed the cameras from inside the restaurant but unfortunately I cannot see the table Elena sat at in the footage as the camera is focused on the bar and registers. I saw Ana several times on the footage and she never appears upset sir."
"Very well, I want you to dig into Elena further and see if anything comes up suspicious. See if you can determine her whereabouts after dinner and who she was with" I sigh.
"Yes sir" Taylor and Sawyer leave the room.
I sit for a few moments contemplating what Sawyer just said. I would never have thought Elena would be capable of something like this but now I'm not sure. I know on Christmas Day she was pissed that my mother learned what happened but we hadn't heard from her since then so I assumed it wasn't an issue. She never tried to reach out to me since that day and Ana never mentioned seeing her or hearing form her again. Is it possible that Elena had someone try to kill Ana? What would her motivation be? Could she want to control me that much? What would taking Ana out of my life accomplish? I try to dismiss the thoughts telling myself that Elena could not be capable of something like this but in the back of my head I'm still questioning it.
Before returning to Ana's room, I take a few minutes to check the emails that I have received overnight since I hadn't had a chance to check them earlier. Ros notified me she will be sending over several items that require my signature later this afternoon. The Dean from the university responded stating he is working closely with Ana's professors to develop work study assignments so that Ana can complete the semester. He assures me that Ana will be able to attend graduation with her class in May even if it takes her a little longer to complete these assignments. I confirm with the hospital administrator that all of Ana's bills are to be sent directly to me and remind him that no one is to discuss the hospital bills with Ana. I quickly call my mother and ask her for a list of the top physical therapists in Seattle so that once Ana is cleared for therapy I can hire someone to work directly with her. She also agrees to provide me with a home nursing service as Ana will likely need assistance once she is home.
"I'm sorry Ana, I didn't realize you were back" I greet her walking back into her room.
"That's okay, I know you have work to do" she says.
"How did the casting go? I see you opted for purple" I laugh noting the bright colored cast now on her leg.
"It wasn't too bad" she sighs. "The nurse just gave me pain medicine though because it was somewhat painful when they were moving it around."
"Good, hopefully you will be feeling better soon" I say.
"They finally took out the catheter" she blushes.
"I bet that's a relief" I laugh.
"It is!" she giggles. "The nurse is supposed to help me to the bathroom when I need to go but…"
"I will help you" I interject knowing she is worried about someone touching her back.
"Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother-" Ana says.
"Ana you are not a bother!" I say more loudly than necessary. "I want to help you with whatever you need."
"Thank you" she whispers.
The morning passes by quickly and once again Gail has sent over a delicious meal for lunch. Ana is thankful to be eating regular meals now and her stomach does not seem upset from the omelet she had this morning that Gail made. For lunch Gail prepared us grilled chicken Caesar salad wraps which were still warm when they were delivered. I make a mental note to give Taylor and Gail a bonus for all the work they have done while Ana has been in the hospital. Taylor has ran so many errands for me, most of which he took it upon himself to take care of. Gail has been fantastic at providing us with three meals a day, following Ana's diet restrictions and always making sure the food is still hot when it arrives. I know when they initialed signed on with me they likely never thought they would be helping me take care of the woman I love and for their assistance these last few days I am very grateful.
"Do you feel okay?" I ask Ana as I notice she has been really quiet for a while now.
"I guess" she sighs.
"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" I ask.
"No, it's not that" she takes a breath. "I know you told me not to worry, but I can't help it. What am I going to do Christian?"
I quickly move to her side, climbing in bed next to her as her eyes fill with tears. I know for someone as independent as Ana is this is going to be hard for her. She is used to not relying on anyone for anything and not having anyone to take care of her. I'm sure this is the first time in her life that she won't be able to take care of herself and will need to rely on someone else. Given her mother's track record of being there for her daughter I can only imagine how scary this must be for her.
"Ana, please don't cry" I hold her close to me. "I told you to let me handle all the worrying and I have everything taken care of."
"You do?" she looks up with glassy eyes in surprise.
"Of course baby" I smile at her. "I have spoken with the Dean at the university who is working with your professors to develop work study projects that you can complete at home once you are feeling up to it. The Dean has confirmed that you will be able to graduate with your class in May even if you still need to complete some of the assignments over the summer."
"Oh thank goodness" she sighs in relief. "I couldn't see how I could manage getting around campus in a wheelchair or even getting back and forth to campus."
"I have spoken to Antonio as well, he is holding your job for as long as you need" I add.
"I hate the thought of him being short staffed because of me; I have a feeling it's going to be some time before I am able to be on my feet for that long again" she admits.
"He said he wouldn't hear of hiring anyone else, he just wants you to get better" I say.
"He has been so kind to me over the years" she says.
"The only other thing is…" I take a deep breath not knowing how she is going to react this. "when you are released from the hospital you will be staying with me."
"What?" she looks at me surprised. "No, Christian I can stay at Kate's apartment. I can't ask you to continue to rearrange your entire life for me. I'm sure Kate's apartment will be fine; the floor plan is pretty open so I can probably maneuver a wheelchair around without a problem. There is an elevator in the building so that's not a concern."
"Ana, you're right there is an elevator in the building but there is also several steps in front of the building. The building itself is not handicapped accessible" I explain.
"Oh…" she says. I can see the wheels turning in her head considering her other options. "Christian I'm sure I can figure something out, I don't want to be an inconvenience to you…"
"You are not an inconvenience!" I tell her firmly. "I love you, I want to take care of you…please Ana please let me."
"Are you sure it won't be too much trouble? That you even have the extra space for me?" she asks.
"Ana, trust me when I tell you space is not a concern. I have a guest room on the main floor that has an attached full bathroom which would be perfect for you. I know you don't remember my apartment but the floor plan is very open so you would be able to access every area of the main floor without a problem. Plus Gail is at the apartment every day to help you with meals and I will hire a nurse-" I explain.
"What? A nurse? No! I don't need a nurse Christian, I'm not disabled" she interrupts.
"I know you're not baby. I just thought a nurse would be able to help you in and out of the chair, or to use the bathroom or anything else you might need" I say surprised that she would object to a nurse.
"No, Christian…at least not right away" she sighs. "Let me try it by myself and then if I need help we can look at a nurse."
"If it's about the cost-" I begin.
"It's not that Christian" she interrupts me again. "I don't want to have to rely on someone every time I need to pee or want to move. The doctor said I can use a cane to get in and out of the chair as long as I'm not walking. The only thing I would probably need help with is a bath but I'm sure…"
"That won't be a problem" I smile as she blushes, clearly thinking of me helping her.
"Then it's settled, no nurse" she states.
"For now…but if it's too much you will tell me" I confirm.
"I will…." She pauses. "But I could use some help now."
"What do you need?" I ask looking down at her.
"Help getting to the bathroom?" she asks shyly.
"Of course" I quickly stand up.
I disconnect her finger from the heart monitor before pulling the curtain closed around her bed just in case someone were to come in. I gently lift her out of the bed bridal style, keeping her uninjured side against my chest. She grimaces at the change in position but seems to relax rather quickly so I don't think she is too uncomfortable. I bring her into the bathroom and gently place her down so she is standing on one foot leaning against me.
"I think I can manage from here" she says trying to get me to leave.
"Absolutely not" I say quickly. "I'm not leaving you alone in the bathroom the first time you have stood up in days Ana! You could fall and injure yourself more."
She doesn't argue as I hold up the back of her gown so she can sit on the toilet. Her face is bright red from blush as she looks up at me.
"Can you at least look the other way?" she asks.
I giggle but turn around.
"God this is so embarrassing" she mumbles as I assist her in standing up.
"Ana, I know you don't remember but I can assure that I am very familiar with that area of your body" I say causing her to blush deeply again.
"Ugh" she lets a breath out. "Can you please help me back to bed?"
"With pleasure" I say carrying her back to her bed.
It felt so good to have her that close to me once again. I feel like I haven't been close to her in ages even though we were together the morning of her accident. I get her settled back into her bed and hook the monitor back up just as the nurse enters the room to check her vitals probably realizing the monitor was disconnected.
"Ana, I need to go meet someone from my office across the hall to sign a few papers" I say as Ros notifies me that her assistant is bringing over the forms.
"Don't worry about me Christian, I will be fine for a few minutes" she reassures me.
"Your phone is right here, just call me if you need anything" I instruct.
"Go Christian, I will be fine" she smiles.
I quickly go to the waiting room across the hall which I'm becoming very familiar with and within minutes Ros' assistant arrives with the documents. I take a few minutes to review everything before signing it. I'm about to return to Ana when Taylor walks into the waiting room.
"Sir, we have Elena's credit card receipts for the night of the accident" Taylor begins.
"And?" I ask impatiently.
"She made several purchases after dinner that evening including checking into a hotel in northern California shortly after Ana was struck" he says.
"So it couldn't have been Elena" I sigh.
"No sir" Taylor says. "We are looking into everyone she was connected with and trying to find the identity of her date from that evening."
"Very well" I reply.
"I have secured the wheelchairs as you requested sir. The electric one is being delivered tomorrow morning and the standard wheelchair is already in the guest bedroom at Escala" Taylor confirms.
"Good" I say in relief. "Taylor, can you also find something to go over her cast for a bath? Maybe ask the nurses or my mom want they would recommend? There has to be something that can fit over the casts so they don't get wet but that so Ana can still take a bath."
"Yes sir, the company I purchased the wheelchairs through actually made several recommendations. I have purchased a couple different versions of the cast covers so you and Ana can determine what works best for her" Taylor explains.
"Taylor…."I am speechless. This man is truly worth is weight in gold.
"Let me know if you need anything else sir" He says handing me our basket of dinner.
"Are you okay?" I walk back into Ana's room.
"Christian, you were barely gone – I'm fine" she smiles.
"It took longer than I would have liked" I say.
"Can I ask you something?" she asks after a few moments.
"Yes…of course" I sit down next to her.
"I had a weird flashback…at least I think it was a flashback. I'm not sure…maybe I dozed off" she begins. "I was falling, fast and the ground was below me as if I were falling from somewhere high."
"Ah….that was when you jumped out of a plane" I explain.
"When I what?" she asks surprised.
"I took you sky diving just after Christmas" I explain. "You did what's called a tandem jump with the instructor; meaning you were attached to him when you jumped. I've done it several times, I jumped solo first and you with the instructor followed shortly after."
"Wow…that sounds like fun" she admits.
"It was; I'll take you again once you are healed" I promise.
"That would be nice" she says.
The remainder of the night passes by quickly as we continue to chat; I share stories of a few of the things we did together but she doesn't have any other flashes of memory. While I wish her memory would return quickly, I am thankful that at least for now it's returning in the form of happy memories. I'm not looking forward to telling her about my involvement with Elena and BDSM again. My biggest fear is that she would leave me again once she learns what I was involved in. I can only hope the memories remain positive and by stay away from Elena at least until I can build up her trust in me. Kate stops by after dinner and spends a couple hours with Ana again which gives me the opportunity to catch up on some emails and reports. I advise Andrea and Ros that I will be working from home next week but expect my days to be shortened and that I might not be available at all times. I want to be sure that Ana is comfortable in the apartment before I return to work that way if she needs anything we have time to get it.
Ana falls asleep fairly early again tonight; I think the medication combined with the busy day today she had is making her really tired. I stay up for several more hours getting some work done and just watching Ana sleep. I'm surprised she didn't try to fight me more on staying with me once she is released from the hospital but I think she realizes that there really isn't another option. Kate agreed with me when she was here earlier that staying at her apartment isn't the best option. Kate reminded Ana that her and Elliot are going away for spring break so she would be gone for at least a week which would leave Ana alone in the apartment.
APOV:
"Hmmmmmmmmmmm" I hear a moan.
I quickly open my eyes, trying to wake up when I hear the moan again this time louder. The hospital room is dark but I can see Christian is asleep in the chair next to me. He seems to be having some type of a nightmare as he thrashes around in the chair.
"Nooooooooooooo! Mommy! Mommy! Help me!" He screams in a small voice.
I don't know what to do…I try calling his name but he isn't responding. I need to somehow get to him but I can't get in and out of this bed without assistance. The nurse brought a cane in last night for me to try but Christian insisted we wait until morning as my body was tired enough.
"Nooooooooooooooo!" he moans again.
"CHRISTIAN!" I call loudly but he doesn't respond.
I unhook my leg from the hanging thing it is in and move to the edge of the bed as best as I can. I try to reach out to him but just can't seem to reach far enough. I sigh searching around the room, trying to figure out what to do. I notice the cane on the other side of my bed and slowly move myself back over so I can grab it. Christian continues to thrash against the chair he is laying in and I'm afraid he's going to hurt himself if this continues much longer. His face looks as if he is in tremendous physical pain as he continues to scream no and beg for someone to stop him. I make my way to the edge of the bed, away from all the machines and gently easy myself out of bed using the cane for support. After some awkward movements I manage to get next to Christian and gently rub his shoulder calling his name. I'm hoping this helps because if he doesn't wake up soon I'm going to have to find someone to help me.
"Christian! Please wake up" I beg running my hands through his hair.
"Ana?" he finally opens his eyes looking at me confused.
"Thank goodness" I sigh and hobble back towards the bed so I can lean against it.
"What are you doing? Why are you out of bed?" He asks breathless.
"You were having a nightmare…You wouldn't wake up until I reached you" I explain.
"Oh, Ana I'm sorry" he says embarrassed. "Let me help you back into bed, I don't want you to hurt yourself because of me."
"I didn't know what else to do" I sigh as Christian places me back into the bed. "I called your name so many times…"
"It's your touch" he says.
"Huh? What is?" I ask confused.
"That's the only thing that brings me out of a nightmare quickly" he admits.
"Do you have them often?" I ask.
"They've become less in the months that we have been together" he admits, laying back in the chair.
"Christian?" I ask bravely.
"Hmmmm?" he answers.
"Will you come lay with me?" I ask shyly.
He doesn't answer but practically jumps out of his chair and climbs into bed with me. I move closer to him, wanting to feel him closer to me. I don't know what it is but knowing that he has nightmares like mine, I feel the sudden urge to comfort him. He puts his arm under my head and gently pulls me closer to his chest. This feels so right, I think just before my eyes shut and sleep finds me once again. Christian must sleep well the rest of the night because when I wake up I find that we are in the same position that we fell asleep in.
"Morning" he says kissing me on my forehead.
"Did you sleep okay?" I ask.
"I always sleep better when you're next to me" he smiles.
There is a knock at the door which interrupts us and Christian quickly moves out of the bed. His mom walks in, hugging Christian tightly before checking my vitals.
"How are you feeling dear?" she asks.
"Good" I answer.
"I've spoken with both of your doctors and they agree that you are ready to be discharged today. They are preparing the discharge paperwork now but it will probably be late morning before you are officially released" she explains.
"Okay" I say.
"These are two prescriptions for pain medication should you need it" she hands me a piece of paper. "The first is just ibuprofen and is pretty mild; it won't make you tired or groggy. The other is Tylenol with codeine which is much stronger but if you are in pain you should take it. Do not take the medications together, you have to wait until one wears off before you take another one. If you are unsure call me and I will check when it is safe to take the next dose."
"I will" I agree.
"You have a couple follow up appointments" she hands me another piece of paper. "But nothing for the next three weeks. After about four to six weeks your arm should be ready to come out of the cast at which point they will recommend you begin physical therapy. I've given Christian a list of physical therapists that I would recommend when the doctor gives you the go ahead. Your leg will likely take longer to heal but they will monitor to see how long you need to be in the cast."
"Thank you" I say taking everything in.
"Do you have any questions Ana? Christian?" she asks.
"No" I answer.
"I don't think so Mom" Christian says. "I will have Taylor arrange to pick us up once we have the final paperwork. He will be here shortly with breakfast anyway."
"Have I met your mother before?" I ask as a quick flash of his mom dressed in a formal gown comes to mind.
"She was the doctor when you were brought here the night of the accident and she was here when you first woke up" Christian answers.
"No, I mean before the accident…Kate said I was at your parent's house for dinner a couple times. But did I meet her somewhere else?" I ask confused.
"Yes, you met her at a dinner she held at Campenelli's" he explains.
"Was it a formal dinner?" I ask trying to place the image.
"Yes, she rented out the private room for a black tie affair" he answers.
"Ah, that must be it. I just a brief flash of her in a formal gown" I describe.
"That was the first time I learned your name" he admits.
"Oh?" I ask.
"I left that night having only seen you for a few minutes but had Taylor find out who you were; I was memorized by you. That was after you bumped into me on the sidewalk but before you spilled coffee on my shoes" he laughs.
After we eat a delicious breakfast of warm pancakes and fresh fruit Christian begins packing up my room. I'm amazed at the amount of stuff I have accumulated in the few days we have been here. It's a lot of Christian's belongings of course, but there's the fresh flowers he made sure were brought to my room every day. We decide to donate the flowers to the pediatric ward of the hospital rather than bringing them back to Christian's apartment. Grace happily accepts the flowers noting that kids love to receive flowers and they always had color to the floor. Taylor brings a small bag up to my room before taking all of Christian's bags down to the car.
"Are you ready to get into some real clothes?" he asks pulling the curtain closed and locking the door.
"I'm ready to get out of this gown" I laugh.
I try not to blush as Christian unsnaps the front of my gown as I sit on the edge of the bed. I try to hold the gown up so it covers my chest however quickly realize this is not possible if I'm going to put a bra on. I try to remind myself that this man has seen me naked several times even if I don't remember them. He gently takes the gown from my grip and allows it to fall to my waist before he assists me with putting my bra on. He leans close to me, reaching behind me to clasp the bra closed and I rest my head on his shoulder.
"Ana…." He sighs.
"Christian" I say as he looks at me.
As if we are in slow motion, I feel his fingers gently lift my chin up so I am looking up towards him just as his face inches closer to me. He looks at my lips longingly before glancing back at my eyes, making sure I know what his intention is. When I don't move or say anything, he gently places his lips against mine. His lips are soft against mine and almost instantly several flashes occur before me. All of the images are of his lips on mine…we seem to be in different positions. Some we are standing up, some sitting down, some he seems to be laying on top of me and the degree of passion seems to vary with each image.
"Ana?" Christian says pulling me from my thoughts. "Are you okay?"
"Sorry" I blush.
"What happened there?" he asks.
"When you…when you kissed me it triggered a bunch of memories" I blush.
"What kind of memories?" he smiles.
"All of us kissing" I answer.
"We have kissed a lot" he admits his smile getting bigger.
Christian assists me in putting on a short sleeve blouse that I don't recognize but it could be something brand new. It's not easy getting dressed as my ribs are still pretty sure and my arm has limited movement but somehow he manages it with ease. He assists me in standing on one foot, gently removing the hospital issued underwear. I immediately close my eyes as I feel the heat rise to cover my face as I stand in front of him bare from the waist down. He quickly puts a clean pair of silk underwear on me before putting on long skirt.
"Thank you" I whisper opening my eyes.
"You're welcome" he pushes a wheelchair towards me. "Let's go home."