Chapter 12

Christian opened the car door for Ana and helped her settle in before he went to get in himself.

"Good evening, Miss Steele." Taylor said to her when her eyes caught his in the rear-view mirror, from the front seat.

"Hey Taylor." Ana smiled at him.

Christian paused before he opened the car door to compose himself. This was Anastasia. His assistant. He needed to get a hold of his emotions. He usually prided himself for having control over most things in his life, but his emotions were all over the place. Once Christian had settled in, they headed for the Fairmont hotel where the event was being held which was about a 20-minute drive away.

In the car, both of them were silent as they gazed out the windows. Since it was summer, it was still daylight outside, but the sun was starting to go down. Both too engrossed in their own thoughts. Ana was focusing on why she was doing this and her dreams of working in publishing. Christian was giving himself a mental pep talk to remember he was helping Anastasia with her aspirations and he couldn't afford to think of her inappropriately. But that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate a beautiful woman when he saw one. He was human.

"So, what usually happens at these events?" Ana asked, turning to look at him.

Christian ran a hand through his hair as he faced her. "Well, in the grand scheme of things, not much." They both chuckled. "It's mostly just socialising with various people and catching up. A bit like a cocktail party. There's usually a silent auction where people have donated things like trips to places like Paris, vintage jewellery, weekends in the Hampton's and autographed shirts or records, that sort of thing. The bids are outrageous but, in this case, the higher the better. Food is just a simple three course meal with speeches in between each course. Then it's mostly just dancing the night away after that."

"That doesn't sound so bad. Mia said they're boring sometimes."

"She's young so it might be a little slow for her and she feels left out when everyone is pretty much discussing business. She also never brings a date for some reason, but I'm not really complaining about that." He grinned wryly. "But she still manages to get drunk and dance with a lot of guys." He shrugged.

"How long have your parents been hosting this?" Ana asked curiously. She had done her research on Coping Together and its cause and she thought it was admirable, but she wasn't sure what bought it about.

"They've been doing it for a long time. Mia must have been a baby at the first one." He said wistfully. Ana stared at the side of his face. The sight of him in the tux was honestly a sight to behold. Sure, she'd seen him in a tux in magazines and stuff but that couldn't compare to seeing him in the flesh. She knew her boss was good-looking. She was pretty sure he had been on the cover of GQ magazine at some point. However, after being around him so long, she thought she was immune to his looks but evidently not.

They pulled up to the hotel and there were flashing cameras lining the entrance. Crap, she wasn't expecting this. Her heart started thumping against her rib cage and she could practically feel it in her throat. Christian looked over at her. "Don't worry about them. they'll be shouting a lot of things but just don't look up and don't speak." Ana nodded. "Let's go."

Taylor opened her door for her and held her hand as she got out. The flashing lights almost blinded her, and they just seemed to get more intense when Christian came around. As told, she kept her eyes down and Christian guided her into the hotel. The photographers were shouting, and she could barely make a full sentence out. All she heard was 'Mr Grey! Mr Grey! Christian!' but he just ignored them all.

Inside, they were directed to the ball room. The music from the band could be heard before they even entered. The room was all decked out with high ceilings, low lying crystal chandeliers and a polished oak floor. There was the auction table that Christian had told her about, and she made a mental note to go and check it out later. It was placed on what she assumed was the dance floor which would make its debut later on in the night. The band was playing on the stage at the front. Twinkling lights were strung around the whole room giving it that much more of a fairy-tale feel to it and off to the side were two huge French doors leading out to a large terrace overlooking a lake.

"Wow. It looks so magical." Ana said in awe, looking around. There were people laughing and smiling, dressed in their tuxes and best evening gowns, sipping their champagne.

Christian chuckled lightly. "My parents always opt for the fairy-tale theme every year. You should see our house during Christmas. It could rival the houses from that film deck the halls."

Ana chuckled lightly. "I'd love to see that." They were just slowly walking through the crowd, admiring everything.

Christian looked pensive for a moment. "The decorations are a sharp contrast to the cause. But my parents think it'll prompt people to dig deeper in their pockets once they realise that this is the childhood all children should have and not one full of darkness and trauma. Every child deserves to live in a magical, innocent world." He said with conviction. Ana stared at the side of his face. He sounded very passionate about it and she wondered why. "Champagne?" He asked her. At Ana's nod, he grabbed two flutes off of a passing waiter's tray and handed her one.

"Christian!" An older, plump man shouted jovially as he approached them. A short woman was on his arm and she flashed them a cordial smile, but she did look at Ana curiously.

"Henry. Sheila. Nice to see you both." Christian said wryly, nodding at them.

"Wonderful night isn't it." Henry said gesturing out the doors.

Ana just stood there awkwardly for a moment before Christian introduced her. "This is Anastasia Steele. Anastasia this is Henry and his wife Sheila. Henry works with my father." He gestured toward each of them as he spoke.

Ana glanced at him, confused. Why didn't he say that she was his assistant? And that they're not together, together. She politely smiled at the older couple as she shook their hands. "Nice to meet you both."

They returned the sentiment. "What a beautiful young lady. You've done well for yourself there Chris. You lucky dog." Henry winked at him.

Ana bristled slightly. She didn't like the way he was speaking about her. His wife still hadn't said anything, and just kept staring at her with an odd fake smile. Ana caught her looking her up and down at one point and she desperately wanted to get away. Seems like Christian had the same idea because all he replied to Henry's comment was a hum and then excused themselves saying someone else was calling him. He lightly placed his hand on the small of Ana's back as he led her away. She looked at him imploringly. "What on earth was that?"

"Henry and his wife are known for being big gossips. I didn't see the point in telling them anything. Henry tries too hard to relate to us younger folk, and he thinks comments like those are the way to do it."

"Oh." Ana was new to this world. She didn't really get any of this.

"Ana! Oh my god!" Came an excited shriek from her left. She felt Christian take a step back from her before she was engulfed by a sea of yellow and she was being squeezed.

Ana laughed at Mia's boisterous attitude. "Hi Mia!" She hugged her back. Ana nostrils were bombarded with Mia's sweet perfume.

Mia held Ana by her shoulders and pulled back looking her up and down in awe. "You look unbelievable. I bet you're glad that I dragged you around for hours. You look like an angel." She gushed.

"My feet still hurt from all that shopping so… we'll come back to that." Ana teased. Mia was wearing a pastel yellow off the shoulder dress and with her tanned skin and blonde hair, it looked oddly amazing. She was one of those girls that could pull anything off. "You look amazing."

"You like?" Mia did a little half twirl.

"I love." She said.

"I'm so excited you're here. We're gonna have so much fun. Oh! Here try one of these. They taste divine." Mia twirled around to stop a waiter and handed Ana what looked like bread with pomegranates on top.

"What is it?"

"It's a crostini with goat cheese and pomegranate on top. It's so good." Mia said before taking a bite.

Ana followed suit and was surprised at how good it tasted. "Woah. I want to try everything else now." They giggled.

"Hey where's Kate and Elliot? Have they not left yet?"

Ana narrowed her eyes a little. "No, they actually left right before us. They should be here by now." Ana looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of red.

Mia rolled her eyes. "They've gone for a little hanky panky haven't they? Of course." She said exasperatedly.

"Oh." Ana's widened a little before she laughed. "I didn't think of that but yes they probably have. Who knows when they'll turn up."

A cough brought the two of them out of the bubble they'd put themselves in. Their heads turned to see Christian standing there with his hands in his pockets and a raised eyebrow. "What am I? Chopped liver?"

"Christian!" Mia shouted while going to hug him. "My favourite brother!"

Christian hugged her back and met Ana's eyes over her shoulder. He rolled his eyes at her in mock annoyance and Ana chuckled. "Hi Mia. You see Anastasia and forget all about me?"

"Never, dear brother." She said shocked as if she didn't just do exactly that. "Ana's more fun than you anyway. I've seen you my whole life, you'll be fine without my attention for 10 minutes." She patted his arm placatingly. "This is Ana's first event! She deserves some special attention. So, Ana, you got a game plan? Has Christian introduced you to anyone yet?"

"Mia we just arrived about 5 minutes ago. She's only met Henry and Sheila so far." He went and stood by Ana, unthinkingly.

Mia wrinkled her nose at the mention of their names. "Yikes. Avoid them like the plague." Her expression then turned thoughtful and calculating. She appraised the two of them with her eyes and pursed her lips. "You two look so good together. I wish you two met in different circumstances. You totally would have been my OTP." Ana's cheeks bloomed and she glanced at Christian from the corner of her eye as he nearly choked on the sip of champagne he'd just taken. This was awkward. Once he recovered, Christian looked warningly at Mia, but before he could open his mouth to speak, something or someone caught Mia's attention from across the room. "I'm being summoned. I'll see you in a bit." She dashed away as fast as she appeared.

"Well, we've been accosted by hurricane Mia, so I think it's going to be a peaceful night from now." He said dryly.

"I wish I had her energy. She has such a zest for life. I admire that."

"That's the first time I've heard someone describe Mia's behaviour that way. Most people just think she's immature with her excitable attitude." He sighed lightly. "You, Miss Steele are unlike anyone I've ever met." He confessed. He hadn't meant to, but it came out.

"Me? Really? What do you mean?" Ana asked confusedly. Where was he going with this?

She stared into his grey eyes which looked softer than she'd ever seen them. He didn't look like the powerful businessman that he is. He fiddled with his champagne flute for a moment before answering. "You always see the best in people, no matter what. Even if they've done you wrong. You don't have any bad intentions. You have a heart of pure gold. You're like the Sun. You radiate warmth and good energy, and everyone can't help but be enticed by you. They're all drawn to your light. Including me." He said earnestly.

Ana stilled. She wasn't expecting him to say that at all. He said it with so much conviction that she believed him, 100 percent. "That… is the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me."

Christian felt a little embarrassed after his little speech. He'd just told her all his thoughts about her. He felt vulnerable. A feeling he definitely wasn't used to. He never put himself in positions where he could be vulnerable. He shrugged feeling shy. "It's true. All these places that won't hire you are idiots. They don't know what they're missing out on but lucky for me. You're very charming. You never do anything I expect you to do."

"Thank you Christian. I'm lucky to be working at GEH. I mean look where I am." She gestured around them. "If only you had a publishing division." She said as a joke, but Christian's brain started running a mile a minute and he didn't respond, too wrapped up in his thoughts. Maybe he could expand into publishing and she can work there. He would even trust her to run the whole thing after some training. She was after all a recent college graduate. "Oh look, Elliot and Kate are here. Jeez, could he be any smugger? Look at that smirk." Ana shook her head to herself.

That bought Christian out of his reverie and he glanced across the room to see them, talking to his parents. Elliot glanced up and caught Christian's eyes and grinned at him wolfishly, dimples of full display. He raised his glass in a mock toast to Christian. Kate also glanced up and caught Ana's eyes who was staring at her with raised brows. Kate shrugged at her and grinned, looking innocent. Their parents glanced up to see who Elliot and Kate were looking and his mom's eyes lit up when she spotted Christian. She was dying to meet the woman Christian had brought with him tonight. He never chooses to bring a date out of his own will. He did say she was his assistant, but Grace had a feeling. Call it a mother's intuition.

Christian saw his mother start to head their way and his dad, Kate and Elliot followed her. "Heads up. My parents are headed this way. I'm sorry in advance if they do or say anything embarrassing or are a little too nosy." He quickly warned her staring at his family. Ana gave him a curious glance.

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Ana reassured him, but he didn't look any reassured.

"Ah, Christian darling." His mom greeted him.

Christian stepped forward to give his mom a kiss on the cheek and do one of those manly-handshake-one-armed-hug-thing with his dad. "Mom, dad." He turned to Ana. "This is Anastasia Steele, my assistant. Anastasia, I'd like you to meet my mom Grace and my dad Carrick." He watched his parents with careful eyes.

"It's so good to meet you Mrs Grey." Ana flashed her a shy smile while offering her hand.

"Oh, none of that darling. It's actually doctor, but please call Grace." She clasped Ana's hand firmly and gave her an albeit curious, but motherly smile. "You look beautiful. Elliot hasn't stopped raving about your cream puffs, so I was excited to meet the woman who is my competition." She teased.

Ana chuckled. "I think he's a little melodramatic about that. Elliot's a simple guy, he would rave about anything as long as its food so I probably wouldn't go off on his word." She said playfully.

"Hey, I know good food when I see it okay? I can totally appreciate the culinary delicacies. And it wasn't just me that said they were good! Christian conned me into giving him some of mine." They all laughed. Elliot sounded like a little boy being picked on and his pouting didn't help.

"Well Christian's always been a little picky about his food, haven't you? So, if he liked them, then they must be good. Oh Anastasia, you are Kate's roommate, aren't you? You should come over for dinner and bring some of these goodies. I hope my children haven't scared you off with their eccentrics. We are normal I swear to you. I don't know where they get it from." She said in mock seriousness.

"Mom!" Christian and Elliot both exclaimed.

Grace ignored them and looked expectantly at Ana who was trying not to laugh. "Of course, Grace. I'd love to come over." She said graciously. She was kind of torn. This was her bosses' parents and she was going to have dinner with them. it was weird. She hoped Christian didn't mind but she didn't see his reaction.

"Wonderful!" She clapped her hands. "I will let you know. Have you visited the auction table yet? There are some gems there. I'm so glad people have been so generous this year. It means so much to me and those children. Christian kindly donated a trip to his house in Aspen and a week on a cruise ship sailing the Caribbean, did you know that?" Grace asked Ana, while looking proudly at her son.

"I didn't know that, no. Wow. That's so kind of you Christian." Ana said impressed.

Ana thought she saw his cheeks turn a little pink and he flashed her a bashful smile before looking back at his mom. "I do it every year mom." He almost grumbled.

"And it never fails to make me so proud of the man that you are." She ruffled his hair. It looked like she was going to cry. Ana thought this must have been where Elliot and Mia both got their dramatic flair from. She smiled at the obvious love there, despite Christian's grumbling.

"Speaking of which, I need to go and do my part. There's a trip to Hawaii that I need to bid on." Elliot winked and led Kate away.

"So Anastasia, Christian tells us you are interested in publishing?" Carrick asked her. She nodded. "What sort of publishing is it you're interested in?" He was kind of intimidating.

"Right now? I'll take anything I can get. I will edit cookbooks or biographies at this point. I just want to get my foot in the door so to speak. But my dream is to become a fiction editor one day." Her eyes took on a dreamy glaze.

"Fiction? That's interesting, actually. There's someone I think you should meet. Come on, I'll introduce you."

"Oh, of course, sure." She glanced at Christian excitedly who gave her an encouraging smile.

Christian sipped his drink as he watched them walk away. Grace watched him. "She's a darling. I like her. I'm glad you brought her." She smiled.

"Yeah. Me too, mom. Me too." He still hadn't taken his eyes off of Ana and Grace wondered if he actually knew he was watching her intently. There was something different in the way he looked at Anastasia. Grace had never seen this expression on his face. She wondered if Christian saw Anastasia as more than an assistant. She had to admit, they looked good together and he seemed oddly protective of her when her and Carrick had approached them. She'd have to keep an eye on them throughout the night and observe the two of them.

She shook her head slightly at him. "Come on Christian. You need to mingle." She grabbed his arm and led him away.


Carrick introduced Ana to the wife of one of his friends who used to work in publishing but now worked for her own charity. The woman was very lovely and when she found out Ana was interested in publishing, she started telling tales of her time in that sector and Ana listened carefully, soaking up all that she was saying. She didn't go straight into publishing from college, she sort of just ended up there somehow and she loved it. The advice she gave to Ana was to not give up and be persistent in her approach. Start off as an assistant or something of lower ranking and then show them your potential. The woman then introduced Ana to various other people, most of which had no relation to publishing but were still influential people in Seattle. Although, sometimes when she mentioned that she was Christian's assistant and he was helping her out, a few people – mostly women- gave her snooty looks. Ana didn't go out of her way to speaking to them.

As she met more people her nerves dwindled, and she was getting more comfortable conversing with people. They lived in different worlds; her and them so they didn't have all that much in common, but Ana found common ground with virtually everyone whether that be cooking/college/family etc. Ana also thought the alcohol she'd had so far gave her a lot more confidence and even though she wasn't feeling it on the inside, she faked it well enough on the outside. Kate eventually joined her and introduced her to some of the people she knew. At one point, while Kate was speaking with one of her dad's friends, Ana glanced around the room. The ballroom was alive with energy and music and laughter. Her eyes scanned the room until they eventually landed on a pair of familiar grey ones that were looking right at her. She grinned at him, eyes twinkling and gave him a little thumbs up. He smiled back at her, one side of his mouth going higher than the other and returned her thumbs up. They were like little kids, exchanging gestures in secret. They each turned back to their conversations, oblivious to the eyes that were watching them.

Elliot and Grace were on the stage, speaking with the band while they took a break and getting ready for the speeches later when Elliot had nudged his mom and pointedly stared at Christian. He had been staring at Ana for a while and whenever someone said something directly to him, he would answer while his eyes kept straying back to Ana every few seconds. It looked like he wasn't even consciously doing it. They watched Ana glance around, and they saw the smiles and the gestures they exchanged. Grace's mouth dropped open a little in shock as she witnessed Christian's behaviour. Elliot smiled to himself. His thoughts had been confirmed so let the scheming begin.

Kate had gone to visit the bathroom which left Ana to wander around by herself. She walked over to the auction table and checked out all the things that were on offer. She was surprised to find a first edition of Tess of the d'Urbervilles which was her favourite piece of literature. She touched the dust cover and in the spur of the moment, decided to place a bid. It was most likely not going to win against all the definitely more outrageous bids, but it was still thrilling putting a card with her name on, in the box which she did so with a self-deprecating smile. Kate reappeared by her side as it was announced that dinner was about to be served and for all guests to take their seats. Christian and Ana were sitting with Elliot, Kate and Mia, as well as his parents so Kate led her to their table.

Arriving at the elaborately decorated round table, she couldn't spot Christian anywhere and everyone else was taking their seats. Just as she was about to pull her chair out, a hand on her back stopped her.

"Allow me." Came Christian's voice behind her, his breath blowing over her ear making goose bumps appear all over her skin. She moved slightly to allow him to pull out her chair and she smiled at him shyly as she sat down and he pushed her in, before taking the seat on her left. To her right was a young couple she didn't know. They introduced themselves as Ryan, an investment banker and Hannah, his long-time girlfriend. Christian asked Ana about who she had met so far, and they chatted with everyone on the table through the first course.

Ana had been staring at all the cutlery around the plate, unsure of which one to use first when Hannah leaned over slightly. "Go from the outside, in." She whispered kindly. When Ana gave her a grateful look she smiled in understanding. "I was new to this world once too. Humble beginnings. It's all pretty bizarre at first."

"Do you ever get used to it all and accept it as the norm?" Ana asked curiously. She turned her body slightly to her.

Hannah thought for a moment as she chewed on her food. "I think you get used to it definitely. But I don't think it'll ever be the norm for me. My norm is sitting at home with only a knife and fork, either at the breakfast bar or on the couch in front of the TV with a heaped plate of homemade food." She laughed. "But it's nice to dine in settings like this sometimes, among all the glitz and glamour. Makes me feel important even though I'm anything but. I couldn't do this all the time though; I feel like an alien." The two women chuckled softly.

Ana liked Hannah. She had a kindred spirit that made her feel immediately at ease. "Me too. I feel like I'm pretending to be someone I'm not when I speak to people, but I'll only be doing this once in a while. It's sort of a career move for me. As much as I'm fascinated by all this, I wouldn't want this to be my normal either." Ana confessed quietly. She didn't want Christian to overhear her, but little did she know, he had been aware of every move she made and his ears where tuned to her. He didn't take offense to anything she was saying. He actually agreed with what Hannah had said.

"Don't worry. You look very confident on the outside which is all that matters. Faking confidence is the first step and it will get you far. And for the whole speaking to people thing, they're pretty predictable. It's usually business and about themselves and if you ever don't know what you're talking about, then just baffle them with some bullshit. It's worked for me all this time." She shrugged laughing. Ana giggled into her wine glass at what sounded like a solid piece of advice. "You mentioned career move. What did you mean by that?" Hannah asked curiously, also taking a sip of her wine.

"Well, I'm actually Christian's assistant right now." She gestured towards her left. "I graduated college a few months ago and I really want to be an editor or something of the sort. But those jobs have been really hard to come by and so I ended up working at GEH to fatten up my resume a bit. When Christian found out, he offered for me to come with him to events like these since there are a lot of important and influential people so I can make connections and get my name out there." She explained.

"Wait so you and he aren't together?" Ana shook her head quickly. "Huh. Could have fooled me." Hannah mumbled to herself. "So, have you met anyone interesting yet?" Hannah asked.

Ana was slightly thrown by the together comment so took a second to recover. She desperately hoped Christian hadn't heard that. "I actually met a woman who used to work in publishing, but she now has her own charity. Maybe I made a good enough impression on her that she might mention me to some of her publishing friends." Ana said hopefully.

"I'm actually an editorial assistant at Hoffman Publishing." Hannah said. Ana whipped her head around to stare at her incredulously. Hannah laughed at her expression. "Ironic that we're sat together isn't it. The career gods are in your favour today Ana."

"No way. That's such a coincidence! Tell me all about it." Ana said excitedly. The rest of the world just disappeared for her.

Hannah smiled at her child-like excitement. You could feel her happiness and love for publishing. "I've worked there for about 3 years now. I never wanted to work in publishing. My dream was that I wanted to work in graphic design and I originally applied for just that, but I guess they were desperate or something and they rejected me for the graphic job and offered me the assistant job after my interview. The editor I work for is a pretty decent guy. Part of the role of an editorial assistant is to read some manuscripts and suggest edits and things but he knows I'm clueless when it comes to that stuff so he doesn't expect that of me but I'm pretty great at everything else, if I do say so myself and I can proofread like there's no tomorrow so he keeps me around." She said playfully.

"That sounds like the good life. Reading all day." Ana's eyes glazed over at the thought.

"You have a real passion for that stuff, don't you?" Hannah said seriously after watching Ana.

"Yeah definitely. Lock me in a room with a good book and I'll be totally fine. But I guess I also like the fact that I can help an aspiring author to achieve their dreams. Seems like a pretty good job to me." They had both finished their meals and were sat back in their chairs.

"Hey, how about you give me your contact details and I can let you know if we ever have any openings anywhere at Hoffman?" Hannah suggested.

"Yes! Sure, of course. That sounds great. I'll take anything." Ana nearly cried out of enthusiasm. Hannah merely chuckled at her. "How about you? Do you think you'll stay at Hoffman?" Ana was curious.

"Honestly? I don't know. Sometimes after I read a manuscript, I sketch up an idea for the cover, but they never go anywhere, and no one ever sees them. I feel as though if I did get a job in graphic design anywhere, I wouldn't be able to create what I wanted. I wouldn't have creative freedom. Everywhere has these rules and regulations about everything and I feel like I'd be restricted which I'm scared might kill my creative spirit. If I ever find the perfect job, then sure I'd take it in a heartbeat and leave Hoffman but as you said yourself, jobs are pretty hard to come by and I'm happy where I am for now. I draw in my own time. Do you know the saying where it says something about not turning your passion into your career because you'll end up hating it? That's what I'm worried about." Hannah confessed. Hannah was basically spilling her heart out on the table but something about Ana made her feel comfortable to say it.

"Hm. I've never actually thought about that. I've always just been so focused on wanting to do what I love; I didn't think about anything else." Ana mused, thinking.

"If I may interrupt you ladies." Christian leaned over slightly, making sure he had their attention. "Doing what you love as a job is a great move. Your passion and enthusiasm for it shouldn't die down if you have control over it. It's all about discipline really." He said. He wiped his mouth with his napkin before continuing. "Say… in Anastasia's case, you had a deadline in which you needed to approve a manuscript with changes and everything. Then you shouldn't do it all in one day because that will stress you out and make you despise your passion. So, start to work on it in advance, pace yourself. Not to be too harsh but if you end up despising your passion then it's probably your own fault. Unless you are being told how to do it or something. You will enjoy your career so much more if it's something you love, but you also need to be able to differentiate between your career and your passion." He said. "Or you could just build your own business and then no one can control you and you can do whatever you want. Works for me." He said jokingly, smirking. The girls both chuckled at him, but they both took on the advice he just gave.

"Were you a guidance councillor in a previous life or something? And you were eavesdropping on our conversation? Really Christian?" Ana exclaimed. The smile on her face proved she wasn't really annoyed.

Christian grinned sheepishly. "Yes, sorry. I couldn't help but overhear. You two were in a heated discussion and it didn't take me much effort to strain my ears." He smirked. "And I could never be a guidance councillor. I just know things." He lied. He had heard most of their conversation. He had been talking to Mia and everyone else on the table, but years of business made him a great multi-tasker. He also heard the comment on Anastasia and him being together which nearly made him choke on his food but luckily, Anastasia had been too preoccupied to notice.

"You must have a lifetime of knowledge." Hannah said in quiet awe.

"He's just proving to us that he's a know it all." Ana teased him, feigning annoyance accompanied with an eye roll.

"He is a know it all and always has been! I'm Christian Grey, I'm always right." Elliot piped up from across the table, imitating Christian's voice. Everyone around the table laughed. Christian glared at him, but he was fighting off a grin.

"Yes, even when he knows he's wrong, he'll still be adamant that he's right. You should have seen him as a child. It was impossible trying to teach him things because he refused to listen. Who knows where you get that stubbornness from." Grace added her two cents, looking at her son fondly. The tips of Christian's ears turned pink and he covered his face with his hands in embarrassment as everyone laughed at his expense. He looked over at Anastasia once the laughing had died down. Her blue eyes were twinkling in delight and she was looking at him with a smile.

"I don't know how that turned on you so fast, but I'm not complaining." She grinned.

"It's your fault." He grumbled with a resistant smile. Her happiness was contagious. She patted his shoulder without thinking, in an attempt to make him feel better.


Elliot and Kate were sitting across from Christian and Ana and they had been watching the two of them throughout the first course of the meal. Elliot had to explain to Kate quietly about his theory of Christian's feelings and Kate had gasped in shock at all the right times and she didn't believe him at all but as she watched Christian from across the table, she was becoming more and more convinced until she completely believed Elliot's theory.

Over the table, they didn't speak to each other much since Ana was speaking to the woman next to her, Hannah. However, Christian kept glancing at Ana and it seemed he was aware of every move she made. He must have also been listening to her because he was talking to his dad at one point about GEH when his lips stared twitching, like he was fighting off a smile and it definitely wasn't from his conversation with his dad. And to add to that, at another point, Mia was telling us about how she bid on one of the salon days up for grabs when Christian randomly choked on his food but he recovered quickly and after a worried glance at him from everyone but Ana and Hannah who were too engrossed in their conversation, went back to their food. Now Kate wasn't a journalist for nothing so why would Mia bidding on a salon trip catch Christian off guard so much that he choked? It wouldn't. The only other people speaking at the table at the time were Ana and Hannah who had been conversing quietly for a while, so it was obviously something they said that caught him off guard, so he was definitely eavesdropping on them.

When he joined their conversation, he had leaned into Ana's personal space and their shoulders were nearly touching. The man appeared uptight all the time but every time he spoke to Ana or was around her, he seemed very relaxed and like he had no care in the world. When Ana had laughed at whatever he said, he had looked at her with a look and Kate could have sworn she saw his eyes twinkle from her spot. She very nearly gasped.

Ana was also very at ease with him and she was treating him like a friend she's known for years. Looking at them, you wouldn't think that the only relationship they have is professional. They look very familiar with each other and were obviously very comfortable with one another and were laughing away. Lastly, when everyone had teased Christian and he looked down in embarrassment, Ana was looking at him almost… fondly. When Christian had looked back up, the first person he looked at was Ana and as soon as he saw her face, his lips turned up in a cute smile. This was all confirmation that Christian felt something for Ana, but she couldn't get a grasp on Ana's feelings. Sure, in the past whenever Kate had judged or said something bad about Christian, Ana had stood up for him and she always said how he's a nice guy. There was also that one-time Kate had caught her staring at the tabloid of Christian and a woman and she'd wondered what was going through Ana's head, but she'd forgotten about that since.

Elliot had also told her about Christian watching Ana work the room and how Grace had seen them too. Kate had to do some closer investigating of her own.


Carrick had left the table as the plates were being cleared and went up onto the stage to do a presentation on the coping together charity and their successes so far. Carrick told the story of how Coping Together came about and told the story of how one of his children had been a victim himself which inspired them to start the foundation. Everyone at their table turned their heads in Christian's direction who just looked down at the tablecloth. Grace and Mia had sad smiles on their faces and Elliot looked solemn. Ana stared at Christian in shock and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. It was obvious now why he was so passionate about it and she understood it. He went through all that pain himself. Christian glanced at Ana with a small smile and mouthed 'it's okay' to her when he saw her eyes. The heart-breaking stories of the children were told, and it pulled on Ana's heart strings. No child should have to go through that.

Christian wanted to squeeze Anastasia's hand to reassure her that it's all good, but he thought it might be inappropriate especially in front of his family. His chest nearly ached when he saw her eyes. Anastasia however, made that decision for him when she grabbed his hand under the table and squeezed hard. Christian nearly sighed in relief. Tingles travelled through their hands that they both ignored and chalked up to emotion coursing through their bodies. Her hand was soft and dainty and Christian welcomed the contact. With one final squeeze from Christian, Ana released his hand. She didn't want to, but she didn't want to cross any boundaries or anything.

Carrick then went through the winning bids. Ana was only half-listening; she was thinking about Christian's childhood and what he went through. Elliot won the trip to Hawaii and he grinned as Kate kissed him on the cheek. "Finally, the winning bid for the first edition of Tess of the d'Urbervilles is…. Miss Anastasia Steele!"

Ana's eyes widened in shock as her mouth fell open. She won? Surely, her bid couldn't have been enough could it? Everyone clapped around her and she composed herself. She smiled graciously at everyone around the table. She would go and check if it was right when she went to pay.

The rest of the meal was served, and the band resumed their playing. They played instrumental versions of older songs and the atmosphere was lively. Ana got to know Hannah more and they actually found that they had quite a bit in common and made plans to meet up in the future. The Grey's told stories of the kids growing up and everyone was laughing away. Dessert was a simple slice of cheesecake that Ana thought was the best part of the meal.

After the meal, Ana went with Elliot to go and pay for their prizes. Elliot had just paid and was now waiting for Ana. She went up and was promptly informed that it had already been paid for and that it was a gift to her. Ana was dumbfounded. Who would have done such a thing? She told Elliot and all he did was grin mischievously and wink at her. It definitely wasn't him. She decided to put it to the back of her mind for now and enjoy the rest of the night. She'd figure it out eventually.


Ana spent the next hour networking a little more, this time with Christian and Hannah. She had then been taking turns dancing with Elliot, Kate and Mia when she eventually decided she needed to take a breather. She grabbed a glass of water and headed for the terrace. Leaning against the balcony, she gazed out into the darkened lake just thinking about everything and nothing at the same time. The music was drifting out from the ballroom and the chatter of a few others on the terrace, made her feel at ease.

"You okay Anastasia?" Came a voice from behind her. She turned to see Christian standing there with one hand in his pockets and the other holding a drink.

Christian saw her walk out outside and her silhouette against the view looked ethereal. He basically gravitated towards her. He came to stand beside her, mimicking her pose.

"I'm great. You?" She said without looking at him. For some reason her heart stuttered.

"Same old, same old. Has it been a successful night so far?"

"I think so. I gave my number to Hannah who said she'll let me know if there are any openings at her place, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I've met a lot of business owners and doctors, so I'm sorted on that front." She chuckled. "It's been an amazing night so far and I honestly can't express my gratitude to you." She said sincerely, eyes soft as they peered at him.

"You are more than welcome to attend more of these with me anytime. I've had a blast with you and its gotten my mom off my back. Every single member of my family clearly adores you and they wouldn't object to having you around." He sipped his drink.

Ana blushed slightly. He was being so kind tonight; she didn't know how to act. "I'd like that." She smiled shyly. He turned his back to the lake and leaned against the balcony, facing Ana. She was looking at him hesitantly, as if she wanted to say something but was holding back. He raised a brow at her in question. "Your parents started the foundation because of you?" She asked softly.

Christian sighed and looked up at the fairy lights hung up. The sounds of Let it be by The Beatles were drifting in from the ballroom and he could make out Mia's laughter in there somewhere. "You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry, I know that's none of my business." Ana stuttered when she saw him pause.

"It's not that. I just don't like talking about my childhood, that's all. I don't count that as part of my life anymore." He reassured her. He looked down at the ground as he spoke. "I was adopted when I was 4. I was born to a teenage drug addict named Ella. I don't really remember that much but she always left me alone in a dingy little apartment with no food or water while she went off doing what I assume was drugs. I remember men she would bring back home all the time. Bad men. There was one who was around a lot, I don't remember his name or anything, but he used to abuse me. Ella never touched me, she neglected me, but she never lay a finger on me. I'm not defending her; she was just as bad as them. This pimp of hers would use me as an ashtray and she never once stopped him.

Looking back, she was probably stoned out of her mind to even notice my cries. That's all I remember. I've been told that I've just blocked my memories from that time, and I've dissociated myself from them. I just remember feeling hungry and cold and dirty all the time." He looked into her blue eyes which once again were glistening. Ana didn't dare make a peep and interrupt him. He spoke with a monotone. "I woke up one morning and found her lying on the kitchen floor. She wouldn't wake up and her pimp was nowhere to be found. I ran to our neighbour's door and they called an ambulance. Ella was declared dead from a drug overdose. They took me to hospital and treated me because I was severely malnourished, and Grace was the doctor treating me and she took me in." His eyes held no emotion.

"Christian..." Ana breathed his name. She didn't know what else to say. It was hard to believe this powerful man's life started out like that. She leaned next to him, shoulders brushing together and grabbed his hand, like before, squeezing it. She didn't care if it was inappropriate or whatever. He had just told her something important and he needed some support. Right now, he wasn't her boss. He was a friend who needed comfort.

"It's okay honestly. I've accepted it." He gave her a small smile, squeezing her fingers. "This may sound morbid, but I'm glad it all happened because otherwise I wouldn't have ended up with the Grey's. I belong with them and I've had the best life I could have ever asked for. It all had a domino effect because I may not have built GEH up and we all wouldn't be where we are right now."

Ana was in awe of him. He managed to look at the upside to such a traumatic time in his life. It was admirable. They sat in silence for a few minutes, each processing their thoughts, hands still linked. They wouldn't admit it, but they both liked the contact and didn't want to let go just yet. Ana turned to him curiously. "It was obvious she wasn't ready to be a mother, so why didn't she give you up when you were born?" That possibly would have saved him all the pain.

He contemplated that for a second and kicked a stray rock away from them. "I've wondered the same thing actually. I chalked it up to her pride. She didn't want to look weak. Maybe that's where I get my pride from." He smiled humourlessly. "Grace got a hold of my medical records from when I was a baby and found out that I had neonatal abstinence syndrome where I was born dependent on drugs. I was treated in hospital for it for about two months."

Ana squeezed his hand tighter. "I can't imagine what she was thinking. How could a mother do that to her own child?" Ana shook her head in disbelief. It was mind-boggling.

"She wasn't a good person. I know she was young but if she had a heart at all she wouldn't have been so selfish." He shook his head. "It's okay. I'm where I'm meant to be with the people I'm meant to be with. I don't think about her anymore. I'm grateful for my parents for pioneering this foundation. There are plenty of children out there who have had it worse than me and some of them probably didn't make it out so I want to do everything I can to help them." He explained. Christian was now fiddling with her fingers and Ana watched their hands.

"You are a good man Christian Grey." Ana said seriously. She had leaned into his shoulder a little, but she wasn't aware that she had. This man had a heart of gold and it may not have been obvious and he doesn't show it to the world, but he does. She had a newfound respect for him. She had always thought highly of him but now she was seeing him in a new light. "We're all made of the things that happen to us. Good or bad, we are who we are because of them. Thank you for telling me." She said sincerely. He was glad she didn't pity him.

Christian smiled at her. "My childhood isn't common knowledge, but I think you can be trusted." He said playfully, eyes squinting. Ana chuckled at him, the butterflies in her belly fluttering away at the look he was giving her. He stood straight and let go of her hand, albeit reluctantly. "I need to go speak to my mom about something. And get a refill." Ana nodded at him and he went back inside, flashing her a smile as he went.

It felt a lot colder out here without his presence. She was now feeling the summer night chills. Ana could tell that he needed a few moments to himself. He was probably feeling very exposed after telling her all that and she understood. It was heart-breaking what he had been through and so, so admirable that he looked on the Brightside of it and became the man that he was today. She sat there for a while, contemplating everything before eventually heading back inside.


Christian on the other hand, headed to the rooftop of the hotel for some peace and quiet so he could sort out his thoughts. Anastasia brought out a completely new side of him and he didn't know how to feel about it. He'd just bared his soul to her, and he'd never told anyone all that but something about her made him spill his heart out. The way she had looked at him as he told his story, made his chest ache with unfamiliar feeling. He sighed deeply, looking out into the view of Seattle. When she had grabbed his hand or touched him in some way throughout the night, made his heart miss a beat every time. Her cursed himself for being such a pansy. What kind of reactions were these?

He heard the door open to the rooftop behind him and he heard Elliot call out to him. "I knew I'd find you up here. You're pretty predictable bro." Christian looked at him questioningly. "Whenever you need to think, you look out into the Seattle landscape. You do it all the time, at your office, your apartment." Elliot explained. "So, what's on your mind, little brother?"

Christian ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't know Elliot. I honestly don't know."

Elliot eyed him. "Is it Ana?"

Christian's eyes darted to him in alarm. "Why would you think that?"

"Maybe because you haven't been able to stop staring at her all night?" Elliot said casually as if it was obvious. Christian was about to protest when Elliot put a hand up. "Nuh, uh uh. Don't even try to deny it. We've all seen you."

"All?" Christian exclaimed.

"Me, mom, dad and Kate." He listed off on his fingers. "I don't think Mia's aware yet, but she probably will soon." Christian sighed in resignation. Elliot decided to explain. "You couldn't take your eyes off her when you picked her up and me and mom watched you keep staring at her when she was talking to other people. And then at the dinner? Bro, she may not have realised you were eavesdropping on her but I sure as hell did. Your attention was on her the whole time! And the first edition of that book? It was you, wasn't it? I knew it. But I don't think she's realised it yet."

"Have I really been staring at her that much? I didn't realise." Christian mumbled to himself.

"Every time I've looked at you tonight, there was a 90% chance you were looking at her." Elliot said matter-of-factly.

"Okay fine, I'm attracted to her but… shit… its more than that." Christian was nearly ripping his hair out in torment. "I told her about Ella."

Elliot's eyes widened. "No shit?"

"Argh, yes! She asked me about it and it all just came pouring out. She didn't look at me any different. She didn't pity me or anything. It felt nice." He confessed. Elliot paused. "She's so… I don't know. "I just felt like I could tell her. Something about her makes me open up. She also held my hand and… and it felt good. You know me, I don't like it when people I don't know touch me, but her? I didn't mind at all and I didn't want to let go. It terrified me so I got the hell out of there."

Elliot watched as Christian's emptions were wreaking havoc on him. "Chris… You like Ana. You feel something for her. And it more than in a professional or friendship way, isn't it?" Elliot asked softly.

Christian stared at Elliot for a minute before he released a deep breath. "Yeah." He confessed quietly. They could hear cars driving past the street and the night noises. It was oddly fitting for the situation.

"This is great! Ana's a great gal! You two go well together." Elliot said happily.

Christian sighed. "Ell, she's my assistant. I can't. It's inappropriate." He shook his head vehemently.

"So? She won't be working for you forever. You're the boss, who's going to tell you, you can't date her?"

"No. it doesn't matter. There are no 'fraternizing' policies at GEH, but it just wouldn't feel right. It would feel like I'm taking advantage. It wouldn't set a good example for everyone else. I won't be acting on my feelings. Definitely not. She doesn't feel that way about me. Why would she?"

"Ana might not have been staring at you all night, like you did with her, but she still likes you! Do you want me to see what she thinks about you? I can be your wingman." Elliot suggested.

"No. Don't say anything to her. Maybe one day… in the distant future, I'll ask her out but now is not the right time. I'm helping her with her career."

"Exactly. She'll leave GEH one day so what will be stopping you from dating her? Hell, nothing is stopping you now, but you and your stubborn ass won't man up. Don't shut your feelings out. Give it a chance."

"We'll see Elliot. It's not even her looks that's making me lose my mind. It's her character. I've never met anyone like her." He said more to himself. "It was comforting, and I felt at peace whenever she held my hand." It was terrifying to him. He'd never felt this way about anyone before. He had crushes in school and whatnot, but they were superficial and purely based on looks. But Anastasia's mind and heart intrigued him, and he wanted to know more.

Elliot didn't know what to say. His little brother had just admitted he had feelings for a girl, serious feelings. This was huge for him. He couldn't think of a better person than Ana. "I'm all for team Ana and Christian. If you can't be with her now, then why don't you just get to know her as friends then? You two have friendly banter, so you're already halfway there." Christian nodded, mutely. Elliot clapped him on the shoulder. "Next step? Ask her to dance."


Back in the ballroom, Ana was dancing with Carrick and they were discussing her working at GEH when there was a tap on Carrick's shoulder.

"May I cut in?" Christian asked him. Carrick smirked to himself and thanked Ana for the dance before making himself scarce.

Christian held Ana's hand, while his other hand went around her waist and Ana's hand rested on his shoulder. They were both surprised at how well their hands fit together. They did some sort of swaying for a few seconds, getting their footing right.

"I'm a terrible dancer. I'm warning you now." Ana said playfully. She was almost pressed up against him and her heart was running rampant.

"I think I can keep up." He winked, looking down at her with shining eyes. "Follow my lead." He squeezed her waist and fingers at the same time in encouragement.

Ana held his hand tighter as he guided them around. They slow danced for a while in silence while the band played a very slowed down version of, I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers. The two of them felt content. Christian was thinking about how lovely she smelled and how soft her hair was as it brushed his hands as they swayed. Ana was also thinking about how good he smelled and how she liked being in such close proximity to him. It was kind of overwhelming.

"You had a good time tonight?" He said close to her ear, his voice basically vibrating through her.

"Yeah. It's been an amazing night. One to remember for sure." She smiled, eyes darting up to meet his for a split second.

"Same for me." He said softly.

Ana felt close to him. And not just physically. She got a glimpse into the secret life of Christian Grey, dominating businessman, and found she wanted to know more. She'd never slow danced with a guy like this before, unless you count men as old as her dad. It was nice, it was comforting.

A singer came onto the stage just then and stared singing a slow version of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Ana was tempted to close her eyes and lean her head on his chest, but she refrained. She spied Elliot and Kate dancing away and whispering to each other and also saw Grace and Carrick dancing in silence like them.

"Thank you Christian." She met his curious gaze. He smiled back at her, understanding what she wasn't saying. He pulled her a little bit closer.

This woman had shifted his world on its axis, and she didn't even know it.


This is like 3 chapters in 1. Thank you for reading :)