DISCLAIMER: DO NOT OWN FIFTY SHADES TRILOGY

Warning: Mention of sexual abuse to a child throughout the chapter. Not graphic but please read mindfully.

CPOV

I've discarded my tie and suit jacket. My sleeves are rolled up to my elbows. I feel like my head or my heart is going to explode. A chill has settled into my bones, but I make no move to turn up the heat. Having no clue what the fuck to do, I stand lamely in front of the large windows in my office. The view of Seattle and the lives down below usually possess the ability to ground me when I feel a slave to my emotions. It has failed me today for the first time.

It feels forever ago when I opened that fucking sick mail with Anastasia's name as the sender. I glance at my watch; it's only been fifteen minutes. I should have never opened it but sent it for inspection. I could have given it to Taylor or Welch to open to save me the disgusting images that will forever be burned into my mind. I could have given it to Ana to go through after she confirmed she had not been responsible for sending it, but no. I had to be a fucking nosy shit and open it and find the pictures.

After fighting over the first wave of nausea, I ordered Taylor and Welch into my office while placing Sawyer on speaker. The disturbed expressions that marked the faces of the men present were expected. Sawyer remained quiet after being told by Welch what the photos contained: a young Ana being raped by a man.

I'd hoped that at my first and only glance I'd mistaken the body to be an adult male given the scars that riddled his body, and the muscles. In the short time it took the two men to get to my office, I'd cooled down by making myself believe it might have been a teenager that kept himself in good shape. Elliot and I were like that. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

I asked them what they had on Ana's elusive ex-boyfriend, who was now suspected to be a pedophile. Sawyer spoke up and told me of the argument Ana had with Cason fucking Westbrook. Well, who Sawyer believes she was yelling at. All she said apparently was his name, Cason. Given also that Sawyer overheard him in Ana's apartment arguing that all she was to me was a hole to dip my dick, Sawyer firmly believes that her ex is Cason fucking Westbrook.

I nearly fucking exploded right there and then when I found out Taylor and Welch have known since this fucking morning but felt they needed more to go on before taking it to me. I screamed until I was surely purple. My orders were that I was to receive whatever updates immediately. After firing them no less than a dozen times and calling them every fucking name at my disposal did they let me know that Welch was working on a more thorough background check. Also, Barney was currently at work to hack into a flash drive that Ryan swiped from the asshole's home office. Following Sawyer's discovery, Taylor had sent Ryan to do a sweep of Westbrook's apartment to find anything concrete to bring back to me. Barney has had this flash drive, which had been hidden under a false bottom in a bottom drawer of his nightstand, since noon. There was also a safe but contained nothing Ryan thought was relevant.

The desire to find Westbrook and murder him was strong, still is. My employees convinced me to wait for confirmation it was him and to consider Ana. If Cason fucking Westbrook is the ex that has been harassing her, that would mean the man was molesting her for a very long time. She might not call it rape if she believes she consented. She might defend him and refuse my help. She could leave me and go back into the sicko's arms should it go back to her that my security and I harmed him or had him arrested.

I ordered the photos to be burned, but Taylor disagreed. His argument is that the statute of limitations for statutory rape could still be open for Ana to file charges. She would need the pictures for proof, so it wouldn't turn into a case, he-said-she-said. So, it was decided that the photos would be under lock and key in Welch's office for the time being. No one is to know but the three of us. So, with that heaviness settling into my gut to fester, I let the men go back to work.

I still can't understand what the fuck Westbrook expected sending the pictures under the guise of them being from Ana for me to see them. Wouldn't he have guessed that my security and myself would realize it was a man in the one photo and double our efforts on discovering who he was? Did he expect me to balk at how graphic the photos were and leave Anastasia? Maybe he predicted I would notice the age difference and pester Ana until she left me to protect him? Whatever reason, I chalk it all down to the man being an idiot and desperate.

I close my eyes tightly, then open them when the image of Ana on her back enters my thoughts. My Sunshine was raped and taken advantage off. The night of our first date, she told me she'd had a crush on her ex since she was thirteen. She couldn't have known what was wrong with having sex with a man twenty years older than her if he manipulated her emotions just right. At fifteen by a man that was her father's best friend. The parallels are not lost on me, but I avoided them like the devil.

For fuck's sake, she still talks to him! He fucking fostered her following her father's death! Rage pulses in me, demanding to be released. My hands clench into fists. How fucking sick and demented does one have to be to have sex with a child? How can he have known her since she was a child and think one fucking day he wanted to have sex with her at fifteen and photograph the event? It's inhuman.

My thoughts are interrupted by a brisk knock, followed by Taylor entering. I turn from the view and walk to my desk. In his hands is a flash drive—the one I assume was found in Westbrook's apartment. His face, for once, shows emotions. Disgust and anger radiant from the man in waves that are nearly visible.

"What's on it?" I inquire softly as I sit down, preparing for the worst.

Taylor looks me dead in the eye and says, "Westbrook is Ms. Steele's molester."

I close my eyes and inhale deeply. I hold my breath for five seconds before exhaling loudly. The blood in my veins freezes and a shudder escapes me. "Tell me everything."

With a flat tone, Taylor announces, "On this drive, there are hundreds of videos depicting Ms. Steele and Westbrook having—intercourse. Welch and I have briefly skimmed through videos dating back to the year 2008 when Ms. Steele would have turned 15 in September. There is a video from October 31st of that year that shows Ms. Steele losing her virginity to him. The video is a half hour long, as are most. Both of their faces are visible. Westbrook himself mentions her age and his age. And," Taylor pauses and clears his throat.

"Everything, Taylor," I remind him, opening my eyes. A slight green hue has clouded the man's face.

"There are many videos of them partaking in BDSM, Mr. Grey."

"What?" I ask, horrified. Ana?

"I didn't have the stomach to look through those more than a cursory glance, Sir, but it was very clear how Westbrook had Ms. Steele kneeling, behaving. Like. . ." Taylor trails off, looking just to the side of me.

Like me. I finish to myself. A lump forms in the back of my throat, and I try to swallow it down. I'll think about that later, too. "Anything else?"

"Yes. There are many pictures of Westbrook and Ms. Steele on what appeared to be on dates. Kissing at the top of a Farris wheel, picnics, homemade dinners. Holding hands or kissing each other's cheeks. Short videos of them declaring their love for one another, tickling each other. These videos date back from last year to 2008, a few of them even months before Halloween before they. . ." Again, he trails off.

"They dated," I mutter, more to myself than Taylor. "She loved him." What the fuck do I do?

"She was a child, Mr. Grey," Taylor reminded me. "This man was her father's business partner and friend. He preyed on her and used her naivety against her."

"I fucking know that!" I run both hands into my hair. "I fucking want to kill this bastard. I want to put a bullet in his head and in his dick. I want to beat him until every part of him is broken!" I stand and go back to the window. I take deep breathes to calm myself down. I can't even put to words everything I want to do to this man for hurting my Ana.

"I'd help you, but we need to think about Ana before taking any action against him." I look over my shoulder at Taylor as I grip the ledge tightly.

"She won't call it rape, Taylor. What do I do?"

He is silent for a moment. "Do you call it rape?"

I turn around and gape at Taylor. "Are you fucking serious? Don't you? Did you not see that fucking picture? The videos? He molested her. You fucking said it yourself!"

"Why do you call it rape, Mr. Grey?" Taylor holds my gaze, his face hard and his eyes like ice.

I walk to him until our chests are nearly touching. What monster does he think I am? "She was a kid! He should have known better than to have sex with a minor! And to introduce her to dominance and submission? That's fucking inexcusable to add to everything else he was doing to her. He was damaging her!"

"Ana might have a better chance understanding she was sexually abused if she has someone in her shoes explain it to her. Sir."

I step back quickly. My face is cold, and my palms feel sweaty. My knees nearly buckle under me as I consider what my CPO is getting at. Taylor stays unmoving, his hands crossed in front of him. How the fuck does he know?

I shake my head. I can't think about that now.

I need to talk to Ana.

"I'm going to Ana, Taylor. Alert Sawyer." I grab my cell phone from its stand and dismiss my tie and jacket after a brief glance at the couch where they lay.

Taylor nods once and begins typing a message on his phone. "Mr. Grey." When he finishes, he tucks the phone it an unseen pocket inside his suit jacket and waits for me to grab my wallet from my jacket.

Together, we walk out of my office. I don't look at Andrea or Olivia as we pass their desks, only tell them, "Have a good weekend, ladies." They both look startled but extend the goodbye to me simultaneously.

As Ana and I have a movie date planned for six tonight, I made sure to have my schedule cleared of anything that had the potential of keeping me from her. I was going to be picking her up at five-thirty at her apartment with flowers, but now I just want to cancel the movie and hold her all night. It's just after four, so hopefully, Ana will be able to get clock out early. If not, I plan to park outside and wait for her as Sawyer does most of the time.

Taylor and I have entered the parking garage, and I think I should probably call Ana to not surprise her. She told me once that she hated when Cason did that. My hands tremble as I look for Ana's contact information.

Now I fucking get why she was upset when she first thought that I could hear what he told her that night he climbed into bed with her. Ana lied to me for him. Something her father used to tell her, I don't believe that anymore. He's harassing her. He pays a portion of her rent. He has access to her apartment. He's her only emergency contact. Holy fuck. No wonder he hates me. I'm the man stealing Ana from him.

No. I'm saving her from him. I'm going to save her from him if it's the last fucking thing I do.

I call her, and she answers quickly. "Hello?" A timid little croak greets me.

"Anastasia, we need to talk right now," I say, not beating around the bush. Taylor is ahead of me unlocking the SUV with a press of a button. A chirpy beep echoes.

"Christian?" My heart nearly breaks at her soft voice. I can't imagine how badly I'm going to catch her off guard.

"Ana, please. This is very important. Can you get out of work early? I really need to hold you right now. God, baby." I wince at the slip of "baby". I know she despises that pet name, but I can't help calling her that. Taylor is holding the back door open for me, but I ignore it and climb in shotgun.

Ana's voice is eerily small when she replies, "What's wrong?"

Oh, my sweet girl, being concerned for me. "Oh, baby, the package. There were photos in there," I'll keep the flash drive to myself for now. Will she tell me it was fucking Westbrook? "But that doesn't matter. I'm coming to you right now. I'm just getting in the car." Taylor is behind the wheel now and is powering up the vehicle. I buckle in one-handed.

"Photos?" Ana sounds breathy. Could she guess which type?

"Let's not worry about that right now. I need to see you. Okay? We need to talk right now." Once the SUV is in motion, my shoulders wind up tighter. Just ten minutes to SIP, less if Taylor breaks a few road laws.

"I'm working," Ana rasps as if she's been running and not working behind a desk.

Concerned, even more, I question her, "Baby? What's wrong?"

She is gasping loudly into my ear. "I can't breathe."

"Fuck! Taylor!" To his credit, he doesn't appear taken aback by the change of volume. "Tell Sawyer to go to Ana now!" Immediately, he begins pressing a series of buttons on the touchscreen on the dash while picking up speed. Not a second later, he's relaying my order to Sawyer. I just make out Sawyer's reply. He should be at her side in less than two minutes. I'm not worried if he could; SIP's security is worth shit.

Feeling slightly better but no less helpless, I instruct to Ana, "Deep breaths, baby. In and out slowly." I demonstrate for her, needing that air to calm myself. Grace always said that if a person was feeling breathless, it could be a sign they may faint. Oh, fuck. "Lie down. Lie down if you're standing, baby." Fuck, you better be sitting at your desk, Ana.

The response I get is a resounding crack that shakes me. "Ana!" Not a second later, I hear a thud. "Ana! Ana! Ana! ANA!" When there is no reply, I punch the dash. The expected pain is dull compared to the panic I feel. "Sawyer! Where the fuck are you? Ana! Can you hear me? Ana, Ana!"

"Sir deep breaths."

I twist my torso to glare at Taylor fully. "Fuck you, Taylor."

"Ana will need you calm, not losing your shit. Sawyer is past SIP's doors and is aware of the situation. Calm down. We are four minutes away. Sawyer will handle it until we get there."

Four more damn minutes until I have Ana in my arms. I take a deep breath, keep the phone pressed to my ear and continue calling her name though inhales and exhales.

Sawyer's POV

The boss lost his shit. Sawyer could hear the man close to hyperventilating.

But his concern was getting to his target's side. Ms. Steele. From what he overheard, Ms. Steele might have just fainted. Not his usual call of duty, but if the boss wants to blow shit out of proportion, it was no skin off his nose. The man did sign his paycheck. If Sawyer was being honest with himself, he was concerned as well for his target's safety. Though, was it worth exposing himself to her when her co-workers can help her? She didn't even know who he was or that he was hired to protect her.

The front desk was empty. Employees paid him no mind as he made his confident way to the back where Jack Hyde's office was located. That was where he was betting to find Ms. Steele passed out behind her desk. Only, her desk was empty, and Hyde was barking out orders through the intercom, unaware she wasn't there to receive them. One woman, Hannah the intern, was eyeing him suspiciously. Finally. That he was able to make it back here with no one even giving him a second glance other than to ogle his ass was fucking unbelievable.

But where was Ms. Steele? No one seemed to be concerned for her absence. Beginning to understand that this was a valid emergency, Sawyer stood taller and barked to the intern, "Where is Ana?"

Startled, she asked, "Who are you?" Her hand moved to the phone on her desk, probably to call their chicken-shit security.

Sawyer moved to stand over her station, hoping to cow her into submission. "Her security. I need her location now." If Ana fainted with no one to catch her, she could have hit her head.

"Um, I-I saw her taking her cell with her. Maybe she went to the bathroom or the lounge?" Was she asking him or telling him?

Needing nothing more, Sawyer spun on his heel and walked to the nearest possible destination. She wasn't in the lounge. Now, the panic was seeping in. Sawyer didn't hesitate when reaching for the women's room handle. Only, it was locked. He pounded on the door, then called out her name. When there was no answer, he pressed his ear to the door. No answer.

"Is she in there?" Sawyer looked back to the intern standing a few feet away from him.

"It's locked. Where is the key?"

"Is she okay?" She looked around him to the door, concerned. Sawyer knew this woman was friends with Ms. Steele. They ate lunch together often before Grey came into the picture fully.

"She might have fainted. I need to get in here. Get someone who can open the door if you don't have a key." She gawked at him, and he said harshly, "Now!"

As if her ass were on fire, she hurried back the ways she came, yelling out that Ana fainted and was trapped in the bathroom. Sawyer rolled his eyes but figured if more co-workers knew, the faster this fucking door will open. He couldn't kick it in as it was too heavy, and he'd end up hurting himself. That would not do Ms. Steele any good.

"Ana! Can you hear me?" Sawyer called, pounding the door some more.

"Keys, keys, keys!" He turned to see Hannah, Hyde, and a man and two women he couldn't place coming towards him. A set of keys were held high in Hannah's grasp. "It's the big one! The brass!" She told him after he snatched them from her. Ignoring the women's overdone cry of concern for their co-worker, Sawyer unlocked the door and hurried inside.

Ana was splayed on the floor in front of the sinks with her cell just within her reach. Sawyer knelt at her side and motioned everybody to stay back by holding his hand out.

Paying no mind to the inquiries of who he was and what he was doing, Sawyer gently shook her shoulders and called her name. With no response, he carefully straightened her body on her back, placed one hand on her forehead, put two fingers of the other hand beneath her chin, tilted her head back, and lowered his head to her mouth to check her breathing. Soft breaths hit his ear and her chest rose up and down slowly. Bearing in mind she might have hit her head on the way down, Sawyer hesitated before carefully moving her to recovery position without twisting her spine or neck.

Being mindful of her body, Sawyer stretched over her to get the phone laying screen down on the floor. There was a crack on the screen that reached from the top and to bottom. Also, his boss was on the line.

Holding Ms. Steele's phone to his ear, Sawyer just made out his boss saying, "—very close by, baby. I'm coming, Ana. Just a little bit longer, sunshine."

"She's safe for the time being, Mr. Grey."

A deep sigh of relief. "How is she?"

"Fainted, Sir. She's breathing normally." Ana makes a whimper-like noise, and Sawyer reports, "She might be gaining consciousness, Sir."

"Do not leave her side, Sawyer." The phone goes silent.

Sawyer discards it in his pocket. Ana is still making small noises. "Ana? Can you hear me? I'm Luke Sawyer. Ana, do you understand?"

Her eyes flutter behind her eyelids, and she finally opens them. She squints, moving her head slightly to gauge her surroundings.

He tries to get her attention again. "Ana? Ana Steele?"

Wordlessly, she begins to sit up. Sawyer quickly gives her support by wrapping his arm behind her shoulders. "Christian," she whispers, her breath damp on his cheek.

"He's one the way, Ana." Slowly, he eases her body to sitting upright, not letting her go when she's there. "How are you feeling?"

She grips his forearm tightly. "Lightheaded. Hungry."

Hungry? That could be why she fainted. Grey is going to blow the roof off this place if she wasn't allowed to have lunch again. "You didn't eat breakfast. Did you eat lunch?"

"No."

Sawyer looked to her dick-of-a-boss. He stood there, a bit worried, but Sawyer didn't think it was over Ms. Steele. Call Grey an asshole, but he never allows him or anyone else under his employ to starve to get work done.

Oh, that man is so fired when Grey buys this place, Sawyer thought to himself.

"Alright. How's your head?" He didn't see any signs of head injury like slurred speech or confusion. She said lightheaded, but it is most likely from hunger.

"It's fine. Thank you," she says, leaning into him.

It is then Sawyer noticed the red marks on her breasts. He didn't mean to look, but her position allowed him a peek down her shirt. Sawyer averted his eyes instantly. Those seemed fresh, but Sawyer knew Grey and Ana haven't slept together since last weekend. If Sawyer looked hard enough, he could see a hickey on her neck she tried covering with makeup. Holy fuck, she cheated on Grey. Hiding a wince on behalf of Grey, Sawyer went through his recent memory of which men in her life she's been alone with.

With a start, he realized the only man was Cason Westbrook this morning. Could it be possible she was still fucking him?

"Oh, Ana! Are you okay? Do you want me to call an ambulance?" Hannah the intern got on her knees in front of her friend. This distracted Sawyer from his disturbing thoughts.

"No, I'm okay. Just need something in my belly." She pointed to her stomach.

Worry clear in her brown eyes, Hannah stood quickly. "I'll go see if there're still donuts left. Maybe the sugar will help you feel better." And she hurried off.

"Do you want to try standing, Miss?"

"Yes, thank you," Ms. Steele thanked him anew. He held her firmly and stood up slowly. She wobbled a bit before gaining stability. "Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome." He was standing in front of her, and he knew the moment her face lit up with recognition.

"You're the cute Starbucks guy!" She reddened, and clarified, "I mean, I always see you at the Starbucks across the street, and I noticed you there." Her blush deepened. "Hi. I'm Ana. But you knew that already because you called me by my name."

She looked absolutely mortified. Smiling, Sawyer humbly thanked her for the compliment. "I didn't know you worked here," Ana said, biting her full bottom lip.

As he contemplated what to tell her, he heard his boss yelling above the noise Ms. Steele's co-workers were making. "Ana! I'm here, I'm here!"

When Christian Grey enters a room, everyone notices. Regardless if anyone knows who he is, everyone stops their conversations to stare at the pretty boy billionaire.

CPOV

I shove my way through the handful of people gathered outside the women's bathroom, ignoring the gasps as I pass. My only purpose is to see Ana is safe.

I see she is when I pass the door. Sawyer is steadying her by holding her arm. Ana peeks around Sawyer's larger frame and smiles weakly when spotting me. "Christian."

Not meaning to be rude, or caring, I push Sawyer out of my way. "Oh, baby," I sigh in relief, wrapping my arms about her. Burying my nose in her hair, I breathe in her lovely scent. "You took years off my life, sunshine."

She sighs contentedly and settles into my embrace. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."

A throat clears besides us. "Sir, she fainted because she was hungry." Ana looks at Sawyer in realization.

"Ana, the donuts are gone, but I found you a cupcake in the fridge! And here's some water," a woman squeaks at our other side. I release Ana but keep my hand on her waist. She needs to eat.

"You're a blessing, Hannah." Ana takes the vanilla squished cupcake and takes a large bite. She makes an mmm sound while ignoring frosting that gets on her nose.

Sawyer comes closer to us and tells me, "She didn't eat lunch, Mr. Grey."

"Ana, if you were hungry, you should have taken lunch," a man says, coming into the bathroom. It was starting to feel crowded. "There was no need to be dramatic."

Ana chokes on a sip of water, and I pat her back gently. Hannah turns to the man, her face red in anger. "You were the one that said she couldn't eat lunch, Mr. Hyde."

Jack Hyde. That mother fucker. I glare at him, and Ana stops spluttering. Hyde glowers at the woman defending my baby. "She could have told me she wasn't feeling good. I would have let her eat if I knew she was feeling faint."

Hannah throws her arms up dramatically. "She told you she wasn't feeling well. You said you didn't care if she dropped dead!"

I growl. Ana gazes at me over her cupcake with concern. "It's okay, Christian. I'm fine now."

"You passed out! Did you forget what I told you?" I glare at the man, wishing I'd already acquired SIP so I can fire his ass.

Quietly, Ana says, "He didn't care and threatened to fire me."

"Calm down!" A firm voice echoes into the bathroom. A woman stands in the entryway near Hyde. He seems smug with an idiotic smile on his face. "If Ms. Steele was feeling terrible, it was her responsibility to either go home or not come in at all. No way is Mr. Hyde accountable for Ms. Steele's well-being."

I snap, "If he is threatening her by firing her, he is accountable. By fucking law, he has no right to force her to go without lunch after working a five-hour shift."

"Excuse me, sir, but this matter does not concern you. I suggest you leave before I have security throw you out."

"Sir," Taylor calls to me from behind the woman. "The car is ready for you and Ms. Steele."

Hyde opens his mouth, and I really want to punch his teeth in. "If she leaves," he says with bravado now that he has that bitch standing behind him, "she's fired."

I walk until I'm towering over him. He smirks like he has the fucking world in his hand. Taylor presses closer, and I sense Sawyer right behind me. This fucking day has me on the fucking edge; I can barely keep myself from strangling this man. "Do it, and I'll make your life a fucking hell," I warn him, quiet enough so only he hears.

He scoffs, "Who the hell are you to make me concerned?"

"Fire her, and you'll find out."

A/N: I hope I was accurate with the fainting protocols and waking up. I've never fainted myself and got the information via Youtube and blogs. If I did, let me know so I can correct it:)

Also, very sorry it's been over a month. I had the tail end of the semester to finish with exams and final projects/papers. But I'm back and hope you all stick by me as I finish this story. Rest assured I will not jump ship. It may occasionally take me some time to pump out chapters but I always have attention to it.

I would like to honor my 200th reviewer, CTHEWOODS! In this chapter, I included an idea you wrote in your review that inspired me. Hope you see which one it is. Thanks for all of your support!

To conclude this rather long author's note, I thank everyone who took the time to review, fave, follow, and PM me. Feel free to drop ideas or constructive criticism:) Next chapter, Christian shares his backstory.