Chapter 12:

A few minutes of standing before the window, Tara collapsed with Ana catching her and landing on the floor. Ana held her friend close as the tears and the sobs began. Ana wiped the hair from Tara's lovely face and gently kissed her friends forehead. "I won't let you go, Tara. I won't let you go. We will get through this together."

"I still love him." Tara confessed in a soft whisper. "I never stopped loving him."

"I know, sweetie." Ana held her friend closer wanting to take the pain from Tara. Those blue eyes looked up to find Christian watching them. She mouthed to him that she needed Grace. Christian only nodded and went to find his mother.

Two women held each other. They didn't need to speak. They knew the love and devotion between them was solid. Ana kept kissing her friend's head and stroking her dark auburn curls as she rocked Tara gently. Ana's heart ached for her friend and her tears fell hotly upon her cheeks.

Grace Trevelyan-Grey stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the two women sitting on the floor in tears. When Christian told her that she was needed and it was a emergency she never thought it would be Ana. Grace carefully approached the two so not to frighten them. "Hey, it's going to be alright." She cooed softly. "Ana, let me take her to make sure she's not in shock." Ana shook her head.

"I can't let her go." The brunette barely whispered.

"It's alright, sweet girl, I will take care of her." Grace promised. "I just want to make sure that your friend does not need medical care."

"He left her." Ana said with the saddest eyes. "She still loves him."

Grace didn't understand what Ana was talking about. "I know, sweetheart, I know." She said lowly. "Please, let me help you with her." Ana nodded and released her hold on her friend who was still crying softly so the good doctor could check her vitals. "She's in shock. We need to get her off the floor."

Christian held Ana close as they waited for news about Tara. "She has a broken heart." Ana finally said against Christian's chest. "She still loved him."

"I'm so sorry for her and for him. He was too young to die." Christian gazed down at the lady who sat on his lap curled up into his chest. "Whatever, she needs…Ana…I swear…whatever."

"You are a good man, Christian Grey." She whispered and then she kissed his heart through his linen shirt. "Has anyone contacted Ryder's family?"

"I don't know, baby." His eyes got movement in the hallway. He looked up to see Jason Taylor waiting patiently for him. Christian did not want to leave this tender moment between them. He motioned for Taylor to join them.

"Mr. Grey, there is a development. Mr. Hamilton has been rushed into surgery."

Ana's lovely head shot up. "But, he flatlined. We heard it…the doctor's…"

Taylor only shrugged. "I just know that he was been taken to surgery. He's not deceased."

Ana collapsed into Christian in relief. "Oh, thank God…Tara…does she know?"

Taylor shook his head. "Miss Holt is still under medication."

Six hours of waiting made Ana extremely nervous. She walked up and down the hallway, around Tara's bed where the lovely Brit slept peacefully not knowing that Ryder Hamilton was putting up one hell of a fight to live, and then back to the hallway. She found herself back in front of that window where Tara collapsed. The day had slipped away. Life…death…hope…love…promises…everything was swirling around in her head. Ryder died. She had heard the alarms and the doctors yelling that they were losing him. She heard that horrible sound of the heart monitor as his heartbeat faded away and that terrible tone drifted through the hospital corridors announcing death. Now, Ryder was in ICU once again after surgery to repair a tear in the right ventricle of his heart. Ana was allowed to see him and the sight of his chest stapled back together and all those wires and tubes connected to him made her feel weak and hopeless. She gently held his hand, but only for Tara. "You still don't deserve her, you bastard. You have hurt her while you lived and you hurt her when you died. Ryder Hamilton, you have another chance and you better not hurt her anymore." She whispered to him. "I swear, no amount of surgery will save you if you ever abuse her again." She closed her eyes and leaned against the cool window as she remembered her harsh words to a sick and injured man. She now fought the guilt that overwhelmed her.

"Ana," The male voice that she heard nearly every night in her dreams softly said. She turned to see Christian smiling down at her. "She's awake, honey. Mom sent me to get you." He gently wiped away his girlfriend's tears. "Are you alright?"

Ana's small hand covered his and brought it to her lips. "I am now." She said lowly. Her lips kissed the knuckles of his strong hand. "I love you, Christian."

"Oh, baby, I love you also." Christian caressed her cheek. "Come on, let's go check on Tara."

The shock of the news left Tara in tears and near hysterics when she was refused her request to see Ryder. She had to be calmed down before it was decided to restrain her. Ana sat on the bed next to her friend taking Tara's shoulders and gently shaking her.

"Stop it, Tara! Stop it now!" Ana demanded. "Yes, he made it through surgery, but he is very weak. He's critical, Tara."

"But, he is alive. I need to see him. I need to tell him that I still …love…him…" Her voice faded away.

Ana smiled at her friend. "He already knows sweetie, why do you think he came back. He came back for you."

It was nearly midnight when Christian finally persuaded Ana to leave the hospital. They were in the back of the Audi with Taylor in the driver's seat waiting for instruction.

"Taylor, take us to Christian's." Ana said as she snuggled next to the coppered haired man that she loved. Taylor smiled at her through the rearview mirror.

"Yes, Ma'm." He said as he pulled out of the hospital-parking garage and into the late night traffic of Seattle.

Neither Christian nor Ana spoke as they rode in the elevator to the top floor of the exclusive apartment complex called Escala. They held hands until the elevator doors open. Christian scooped Ana up in his arms and carried her into the vestibule and into the penthouse proper. He kept carrying her into the great room and sat with her in his lap on the sofa. "Welcome home, Ana." He whispered as he gently kissed her soft and willing lips.

"I have missed you." Ana declared honestly. "I was too frightened to return."

"I know." Christian sighed. He hated that she feared him. "Will you sleep beside me tonight? Just sleep…I don't think we are ready for that yet."

"Don't you want to make love to me?" Ana asked wide-eyed.

"More than breathing itself, however, tonight…I want to sleep with you in our bed with my arms holding you close." He captured her bottom lip and suckled it. "I do want you, baby…but I want you to know that it's more than sex with me. This is love."

Ana fell even deeper in love with this man. "It's been a hard day. Christian, take me to bed." She squealed in delight as he stood straight up with her in his arms. They both were laughing as he nearly ran down the hallway to the master
bedroom. He gently lowered her onto their bed. "Your bed, Milady."

"Christian." She said with a bright smile. Her blue eyes drank him in. She caught her breath when she gazed upon his male beauty. "I don't have any nightgowns here."

"Your clothes are still here, the ones you didn't take or accept." He said as he sat next to her. "I couldn't get rid of them. I had Gail put them back into our closet and drawers." He played with her hands, inspecting and memorizing every detail of her fingers. He raised her left hand to his lips and kissed it then turned it over to kiss the soft palm. "I want to put a ring on this finger." He declared as he kissed the tip of her ring finger. "I want you to have my name as well as my heart. I love you, Ana. It will always be you, Ana…you are my more…you make life worth living."

"Oh Christian." She breathed as the tears threatened to fall. His words were so simple yet so elegant. He was letting his heart speak, that heart he had once said he did not have. "I would be proud to wear your ring and have your name." She cupped his face and tenderly pressed her lips onto his. "You are my more." She slowly lowered herself onto the mattress taking Christian with her. He covered her body, pressing her into the softness of their bed. "Tell me everything will be alright…tell me that this isn't a dream."

"It's not a dream sweetheart. We are back together and I'm never going to let you go. I'm never going to do anything that will make you want to leave me." His lips touched her forehead and lightly trailed down her nose then stopped over her very inviting lips. "We are here together. You and me, baby…you and me." His mouth fell upon hers, exploring and tasting her sweetness. He moaned as their tongues danced together and she tasted him back. "Ana…" He groaned as he felt his cock grow rigid against his suit pants. "Baby, let's get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

Ana bit her lip knowing that she was turning him on. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

Those grey eyes sparkled with glee and delight. "Don't you know? We are getting engaged."