Chpt. 25 APOV:

"Is still he asleep?" Christian asks, finding me checking the monitor for at least the hundredth time.

"He is," I giggle and put the monitor on the end table next to where I'm sitting on the couch. "I don't know why I keep checking; he rarely gets up during the night and never so soon after I put him down. I wasn't sure if he would have a problem falling asleep being in a different room but it doesn't seem to bother him at all."

"What about you Ms. Steele? Are you ready for bed?"

"I am," I giggle.

Silently Christian stands, grabs the monitor and offers me his hand which I quickly take. He leads me into his…our…room; for the first time we're planning on sharing a bed together. It won't be because of his nightmare, or my nightmare that we end up in here together. For the first time we're consciously making the decision to sleep together. As we walk into the dark room, I immediately glance over at the soft light coming from behind the room divider where Teddy sounds sleeps. Christian doesn't say anything, but nods his head in Teddy's direction and I immediately peek behind the divider where of course Teddy is soundly sleeping in his crib. I reach in, checking him to make sure he's not cold or too warm before heading back to the main area.

"Join me?" Christian nods towards the bathroom where I hear the shower water running.

My face blushes at the idea of taking a shower with him, but I accept his offered hand and let him lead me into the incredibly large bathroom. Christian has the monitor set up on the vanity, facing the shower so all I'll need to do is to open the shower door just barely to be able to see the screen. He closes the bathroom door behind us before wrapping his arms around my waist. I immediately relax into his touch even though I have no idea why I felt nervous to begin with.

Wordlessly, Christian turns me around so I'm facing him and slowly lifts my shirt over my head. His eyes are on me, watching for any sign that I'm not okay with what he's doing. My hands are around his neck, tugging him closer to me before I can realize what I'm doing. He groans just before taking my mouth in his; he wraps his arm around my back, bringing me even closer to him. I reach between us, unbuttoning his shirt and pushing it from him. He strips me out of my pants and underwear just before I do the same to him. I can't help the moan that escapes from me when I feel him against me, wanting me, ready for me.

"Let's get into the shower before I take you right here on the cold tile," he pants when he pulls back from me.

I blush at his bluntness as he opens the shower door for me; the water is the perfect temperature, not too hot and not too cold. I hear the door softly close as Christian steps into the shower behind me; I step aside to give him some water but instead he steps forward until he's right in front of me.

"I've missed you," with his hands on my hips he tugs me closer to him, kissing me thoroughly.

"Hmmm, I've missed you too."

"I've imagined you in here nearly as many times as I've imaged in you in my bed," he whispers against my ear. His words surprise me, knowing that he's imagined this probably just as much as I have. The first time I came in here while Gail was with her sister, I wondered what it would be like to be in here with him. Even as unsure of everything and everyone as I was, I was still drawn to him.

We slowly explore each other's bodies, taking the time we didn't the first time we were together. Christian quickly finds all the spots to make my knees go weak, turning me into a rubbery mess before he slowly starts to kiss his way down my chest, my stomach, my hips until he reaches-

"Christian," I gasp when he licks me.

"Fuck, you taste so good," with his hand on my chest, he urges me to lean against the shower wall just before he places one of my legs over his shoulder, opening me to him even further. He takes his time, slowly exploring and tasting me until I'm moaning in need. When he takes my clit into his mouth, he also slips a finger into me which is all it takes to push me over the edge. I call out his name as the orgasm hits me hard; his hand comes to my chest, holding me against the shower wall which is probably the only thing allowing me to remain standing. He slowly kisses his way back up me, his finger slowly slipping in and out of my body as he does.

"I need you," he says against my lips.

"Please," I reach between us, taking him in my hand and stroking him. He thrusts against my hand just as his lips find mine. It's his turn to moan when I bring him to my sex, gently rubbing him through my folds. He grabs my ass, quickly lifting me providing the perfect angle to guide him inside of me. A step into me is all it takes for him to slide completely into me. I grip his shoulders, as he holds onto my hips firmly. Neither of us move for several long minutes, just enjoying how our bodies feel joined together.

"Christian," I moan when he slowly pulls out before equally as slowly pushing back into me.

"I promised this time it was going to be slow," as if to accentuate his words he moves ever so slowly within me. "That I was going to take my time with you, to kiss every inch of you beautiful body, to find all those spots that make you-"

"Christian!" I gasp when he reaches between us, quickly finding my already throbbing clit. "Please…"

"But, fuck baby, you feel so….fucking incredible; I'm not going to last much longer," he groans.

"Please Christian," I whimper the need to come so intense but just out of reach. "Take your time later…next time…."

His chuckle is mixed with a groan and I can practically see the moment the he convinces himself to let go. A quick second later his lips are back on mine, hard and demanding as thrusts faster into me. The fingers that were slowly teasing my clit, continue but this time with determination, quickly triggering the orgasm that was without of reach for so long. The only reaction from Christian to my orgasm is that he eases the pressure on my clit; his thrusts though if anything become more intense. His body presses against mine, holding me in place while he moves within me, chasing his own release. I open my eyes, needing to see him the moment he comes, but the surprise is on me when I open my eyes and find his.

"Ana," he hisses the moment our eyes meet as he empties himself into me.

His head falls to my neck, my fingers weave through his barely damp hair as we both try to remember how to breathe normally. Christian carries me over to the bench seat at the other end of the shower, where he sits down taking me with him, keeping our connection still intact. His hands glide up and down my back, gently massaging me. We're both quiet for several long minutes, but it's a comfortable silence. Words just aren't needed right now, but then again between us there have been so few times when words even have been necessary. From the first night on the patio and nearly every night after that, the silence between us has always been comforting.

"You manage to ruin the good intentions I have with you," he cups my face and gently leans in to kiss me.

"Good intentions are over rated," I giggle.

"I don't know what it is, but when it comes to you I just can't get enough," before I can respond his lips are back on mine, his tongue teasing me as he requests access.

"Then I guess it's a good thing I'm going to be in your bed tonight."

"And every night."

My heart warms at his words, the permanency behind them making me feel things I probably shouldn't be feeling so soon. I try to convince myself that it wasn't how he meant it and that I'm reading too much into his words. Giving up, I glide my hands over his back but when he tenses against me I immediately stop.

"Christian?"

"Sorry," he pulls me back and kisses me again. "It still takes some getting used to."

"What does?"

"Having you touch me."

"What? Why? I don't…."

"You're the first person who's been able to touch my back and chest-"

"Wait what?" I can't be hearing him right…

"Until you….No one has been able to touch my chest or my back without it hurting so bad that I would react physically against them."

"It hurts…when I touch you?"

"No," he takes my hand and presses it against his chest. I watch his face for any sign of discomfort, but I don't see any which just confuses me even more. "Not when you touch me."

"I don't understand."

He leans back, putting more space between us and slowly moves my hand across his chest, over several small but raised circular scars. I think back to one of the first nights on the patio when I asked him about his nightmares. All he said was that he didn't have the greatest starts in life before the Grey's adopted him and that he had nightmares from before he was adopted.

"Christian," it's my turn to take his face in my hands and kiss him.

"It's fine, it was a long time ago," he mumbles.

"It's not fine," I correct before kissing him again, my mind racing with all the things that could have caused the scars on his chest.

"It was a cigarette," his voice is barely above a whisper. "My…birth mother would sell her body to pay for rent and food. Her pimp would force her to take drugs before some of the bigger jobs. When she would pass out or get so high that she would forget I was there, he would come after me."

"I'm so sorry Christian."

"For as long as I can remember, whenever someone touched my back or my chest it would remind me of how it felt when he would put the cigarettes out on me. Logically I knew that it was all psychological, but even after years of therapy I couldn't stand to let anyone touch me. That changed with you."

"Why?"

"I don't know," he sighs and pulls me closer to him. Our chests are pressed together as he lays he head in the crook of my neck while I do the same. "It just doesn't hurt when you touch me, or when Teddy is on my chest. I don't know how to explain it."

"If you don't want me to-"

"No, Ana, I want you to touch me," he brings my hand back between us placing it on his chest. "I like when you touch me; I don't want you to ever second guess touching me."

"If I hurt you…"

"You won't; I might still flinch but I think it's because I expect the pain to come but it doesn't. I like the feel of your hands on me, baby."

"I like the feel of your hands on me too," I sense the need for the mood to be lightened.

"Me too," he chuckles as his hands slide up on my back.

"We should get out of here, I doubt there's any hot water left," I have no idea how long we've been in here.

"Probably not," he kisses me one last time before helping me off of his lap. His still hard dick slips from my body and he immediately looks down at the evidence of our orgasms which still coats him. "Shit Ana-"

"It's okay," I lean in and kiss him before he can freak out. "I'm clean and I have an implant so no need to worry about getting me pregnant."

"I…I've never done that before."

"Done what before?" since he's obviously not referring to having sex.

"Had sex without a

before, not ever," he answers shyly.

"Never?"

"No….have you?"

"Just with one guy," I shake my head remembering him. "We were dating for a few months and I was already on the pill so it seemed like the next logical step."

"What happened?"

"Things were great those first few months but then he started drinking more until it became all he wanted to do. It was like everything revolved around drinking; if we were going out to dinner he'd want to make sure the place had a bar before we could leave. If we were going to hang out with friends, he always brought alcohol along joking that if he didn't there might not be any. We were invited to one of his cousin's baby showers, one of those where couples attend together? Anyway, he left in the middle of it to go get a drink. I ended things right after the shower; he wasn't the guy I first started going out with. The following day I made an appointment with my doctor for a complete check up, not trusting that he didn't mess around when he was drunk even though I didn't think he would. Everything came back clear and I got the implant so I wouldn't have to worry about taking a pill every day."

"Sounds like he was a dickhead."

"Yeah he was," I laugh.

"I had a complete work up a few months ago…Elena required testing every 3 months…"

"So then we're good, nothing to worry about," I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him as the cool water cascades over us.

"You felt so fucking good baby," he groans against my lips. "With nothing between us, no barriers…"

"So good."

"We need to get out of here or we'll never make it to the bed."

"I wouldn't complain."

"Ana!"

We both wash quickly, neither of us wanting to be under the cold water for too long. Afterwards I walk into the room with a huge, soft towel wrapped around my body and check on Teddy who of course is still sound asleep in his crib. I change quickly into pajamas and slip into Christian's bed just before he joins me. Immediately he pulls me against him, my head resting on his chest, my leg over his with his arm around my back. My hand rests on his chest, reminding me of the first time we slept together. We both fall asleep quickly and for the first time since…everything….I don't have a nightmare. I wake the next morning to an empty bed, feeing rested despite the late hour when we finally made it to the bed. I quickly use the bathroom and wash up just before Teddy begins stirring.

"I was hoping to get to him before he woke you up," Christian walks into the room.

"I was already awake; he has good timing," I smile as Christian leans down to kiss me.

"Your dad has been patiently waiting for him to wake up," Christian chuckles. "Every time Teddy rolled over or moved he would grab the monitor to see if he was awake."

"I know the last two months have been hard on him."

"Gail has a plate ready for you in the dining room; Taylor wants to update us on a few things."

"Already?"

"Yeah."

I don't ask if he's here, because we both know it's a matter of time until he arrives in Seattle. I'm nervous about the plan that Taylor and his team have, but at the same time I trust them to keep me safe. I'm beyond ready for this nightmare to be over. I want to put this all behind us.

Junior's POV

"Tell me you have something."

"There's no accessing the building she's living in," he says. "The building itself has heavy security; these people have money, money that comes with risk."

"Can't you get around it? You're telling me that you can't get into the building?"

"Look, there's always a way around security," he has the balls to laugh. "Cameras can be rerouted or taken out, networks can suddenly go down, people can disappear-"

"So fucking do it!"

"That comes with a HUGE price tag man, one that you can't afford."

"How the fuck do you know-"

"That you're fucking broke?"

"How….?"

"I make it a point to know who I'm doing business with; you've been fired from the Braves and Daddy cut you off."

"I can get you money."

"No you can't. From what I'm told Daddy isn't giving you any more money. The only reason I even took this job was to get the bitch back for stabbing me. But fuck man this bitch isn't worth it; not when you can't fucking pay me."

"I'll get your money-"

"Until you produce the money, I'm not doing shit. This call is a courtesy; I'm telling you right now that you're not going to get into that building. You don't have the manpower and if you think the two clowns you sent here can get you in there you're an even bigger idiot than I thought you were."

"I'll get the bitch and the brat."

"You get her out of that building and we might have a chance, but even then I doubt it."

"What makes you doubt it?"

"Have you looked into the guy she's with? He's fucking loaded man; makes your old man look broke. He has the penthouse here and I'm sure he has a security team that is better than any police department."

"Anyone can be bought they're no different-"

"You don't fucking get it," he laughs again. "You're fucking BROKE. You can't pay them off to look the other way or to help you out of this mess. You can't fucking pay anyone!"

"It's all her fucking fault; she's going to pay for what she did."

"Good luck with that man. I'll stay in Seattle for another few days; if you manage to get her out of the building we can talk but until then I can't get to her. I'm telling you the bitch isn't worth it.