Chapter 29: Family Love

Ana POV

After dinner I send the kids home and decide to go and check on Mia one more time before coming back in the morning. I also wanted to try to convince Christian to come home as there is nothing more he can do tonight. Kate has decided to take Ava home herself as she knows that if Christian leaves, Elliot will leave too and Christian is definitely more stubborn.

I drop him a text to let him know I'm coming up so he can be ready as it's already past nine o'clock and I feel tired. I'm surprised when Taylor meets me at the elevator when I get to the floor Mia is on.

"Mrs Grey. I think you should go home. Mr Grey isn't going to leave for some time," he says.

"Ana?" Elliot is in the hallway with Grace and Carrick. They're all crying.

"Elliot? What's going on? Where's Christian?"

"He won't leave Mia," Grace sobs. I suddenly fear the worst and rush to her room. Christian is clinging to Mia tightly and sobbing.

"Christian?" I ask but he didn't hear me. I go to his side and place my hand on his arm but he doesn't even flinch. I don't know what to do, he's completely shut down.

"Ana?" I stand outside with Elliot. I feel the tears in my eyes. No one has said it but I know what has happened.

"When?" I ask.

"About an hour ago. She felt tired and she went to sleep. She's not going to wake up." I take him into my arms and hold him. He breaks down and sobs into my neck. Grace and Carrick are in an embrace crying their eyes out. I get Taylor to help me get them all home, telling security to take them all to mine and Christian's home. I also get him to ring Kate and tell her to take Ava to ours and meet us there.

I don't really want to leave Christian alone here but Elliot is clinging to me so tightly I have to take him home and give him to Kate. Taylor assures me he'll stay with Christian and I feel more at ease about leaving.

We all get into the elevator and two minutes later we are walking towards the car. Carrick and Grace are holding each other tightly even as they climb into the back. I help Elliot get in before climbing in the front passenger seat next to Sawyer, who Taylor had text him not long after Mia passed to ensure he will be ready to take us home.

The drive back to ours was silent. Grace and Carrick continue to hold each other and cry and Elliot curls up into himself and leans against the door. When we arrive, Kate is waiting for us on the front porch. She knew exactly what happened when she saw the look on mine and Elliot's face when I helped him out of the car. She ran over to him and took him into her arms and he quickly let go of me to hold her instead. We all go inside and sit down in the family room. Grace takes a deep breath and sits up.

"The kids?" The first thing she's said since we left the hospital 30 minutes ago.

"They're in bed. Ashley, Nick and James were exhausted but I think the girls are still awake in Phoebe's room. What are we going to tell them?" Kate says.

"We have to tell them the truth. Mia's gone to heaven," Carrick says, his voice hoarse. Grace holds him tighter and kisses his neck. He places a kiss on the top of her head in return. I hadn't even thought what to tell my children about their crazy, overexcited aunt but I know I can't do it without Christian.

"I can't believe this has happened. Why Mia?" Elliot mumbled to himself. "She never did anything to anyone. She was so kind, why did she have to die?" Kate pulls his head to her chest and holds him as he breaks down again, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. The amount of love in this room is incredible, if only Christian were here to complete this picture.

I need to get to him. He needs me, I can feel it. I sneak out of the house and climb into the front seat of my newest model Audi R8. Just as I'm about to pull out of the garage the passenger door opens and Sawyer slides in next to me.

"You didn't think I was going to let you go alone? Considering how you're feeling?" He knows me so well.

I speed to the hospital. If Christian could see the speed I'm going at he would have a heart attack but I need to hold my husband. I need his support just as much as he needs mine right now. I haven't even seen him since before I took the kids for dinner.

I park out the front of the hospital in a no parking zone and leave Sawyer to move my car. I don't care right now, I need to get there quickly. I make my way back up to Mia's floor and as I stand in the elevator I can't believe I was only here an hour ago. It feels like a lifetime ago but at the same time like no time has passed at all. The elevator pings and I exit heading down the hall towards Mia and Christian.

Taylor is waiting outside Mia's door when I arrive. He gives me a sympathetic look and embraces me as tears fall down my cheeks. He apologises repeatedly, knowing that Mia was my sister in every way possible. Once I've composed myself I enter the room.

I barely recognise the man sitting in the chair next to the bed. He is so pale, he looks like a ghost, his hair looking more fiery than copper brown. I can see him shivering but it doesn't seem to bother him and I can tell he feels a lot weaker than he did this morning, his arms drooping as he cradles his baby sister in his arms, the way he often cradles Phoebe when she falls asleep downstairs and he carries her to bed.

"Christian?" I whisper. Seeing Mia myself really hits me. The reality of the situation hits me. Mia is dead and the whole family is going to suffer from the loss. He doesn't even look at me. "Christian?" I say louder. He looks up.

"Ana?" I nod, tears filling my eyes.

"Yeah. It's me." I move forward and kneel in front of him. "I'm here."

His eyes are filled with tears that haven't spilled over. He takes a deep shaky breath and pulls her closer, resting his chin on top of her head. She looks so peaceful I would think she was sleeping. I rest my hands on his knees and squeeze to try to reassure him. Of what though, I'm not sure. He starts rocking her. The doctors come in and try to explain that they need to take Mia away. Christian just grips her tighter and shakes his head. I ask them to give us a couple of minutes and they leave the room.

"Christian. You need to let the doctors take Mia. It's time," I say gently. He just shakes his head again. With effort, I stand and move next to him and stroke his hair. Being 33 weeks pregnant makes the smallest movements difficult. "Baby, you can't hold her forever. I know it's hard. I know. But you need to let the doctors do their job and come home with me to your family." He leans his head towards me and rests it on my stomach.

After a few minutes, I feel his hand on my bump. I nod to the doctor I see in the hall through the window and they come in to gently take Mia from Christians arms. He felt so weak she practically fell from him and the doctors lay her back on the bed. Christian turns properly and wraps his arms tightly around me, nuzzling our baby. He shoulders are shaking and I realise he's crying. He's crying so much he's struggling to catch his breath. I carry on stroking his hair, shushing him waiting for him to calm down.

It feels like time has stopped. And it's just me and Christian in our little bubble right now. I have no idea how much time passes before he stops shaking enough for me and Sawyer to lift him from the chair. When we exit the room, Taylor gently takes the arm I'm holding onto to relieve his weight off me. Christian looks like he's in a trance and as we get into the elevator it takes me a minute to remember my car has no backseats. Taylor assures me that he spoke to the doctors about Mia and we can come back in the morning to discuss what to do next. I just nod and watch the number on the elevator panel go down.

We make our way to the SUV that was left here earlier and with effort Taylor and Sawyer manage to get Christian onto the back seat. I climb in next to him and lower his head to my chest so I can comfort him. Taylor gets in the front and I assume Sawyer has gone off to get my R8.

His arms are wrapped tightly around me and he's sniffling. His shoulders are shaking and I realise he has finally let himself cry. I rock him and try to shush him but there is no consoling him. He's just lost his baby sister. There is no coming back from that.

We drive in silence. He just holds onto me as if I'm his lifeline and I continue to rub his back. I don't know what to say to him. There are no words to make him feel better. We all knew it was coming, however, it doesn't make it any easier.

The house is eerily quiet when Taylor pulls up outside. Christian is like a robot, moving without purpose, just being led to where we take him. We find our family in the family room trying to comfort each other as best they can. As soon as they see us, Grace leaps up and wraps her arms around Christian. She knew how much Mia meant to him.

"Christian! Thank God you're here," she mumbles into his shirt. He somehow finds the strength to wrap his arms around her, but I can still see the pain in his eyes. I feel an arm wrap around my shoulder and turn to see Carrick looking down at me. He eyes questioning if I'm ok. I turn and wrap my arms around him. He's just lost his daughter, he needs comfort more than me right now.

Eventually, Christian's voice broke the silence.

"What do we do now?" he sounds so lost.

"We take it one day at a time. We have tonight to grieve and find a way to tell the kids tomorrow," Kate says. Elliot hasn't moved and for a moment I think that he's actually fallen asleep, curled up on the sofa with his head on Kate's lap. She strokes his hair gently.

"Tell us what?" A voice in the corridor asks. My daughter's voice. We turn and Ava and Phoebe are in the doorway.

"She's dead isn't she?" Ava asks. Elliot and Christian seem to snap out of their trances when they realise their daughters are here. They open their arms and beckon the girls in. Ava runs to Elliot but Phoebe stands frozen in the doorway. Carrick walks over to her and wraps his arm around her, gently pulling her into the room. Grace and Christian move to one of the couches with Carrick and Phoebe. I go and kneel in front of Phoebe.

"Yes, Phoebe. Aunt Mia has passed away. But we will get through it, because we are a strong family. And Mia will never be forgotten," I say looking in her eye. I glance at Christian as he smiles and nods at me through his tears. Grace grips him tighter and Carrick squeezes Phoebe. Kate and Elliot hold Ava tight as she cries her heart out on her father's shoulder. Ava and Mia were very close.

… … …

Christian POV

Over the next week, Kate, Elliot, mum, dad and Ava stay with Ana and me while we arrange a funeral and organise all the legal stuff for Mia. Arranging meetings with lawyers about all her possessions etcetera.

Ana has been amazing! She's been my rock throughout this whole ordeal and been there for everyone. She's been patient with me and my short temper this last week, she's supported mum with funeral plans and took pressure of Carrick caring for everyone so he could grieve the loss of his only daughter. Kate's been trying her best as well, but as she was struggling with her own grief she was only to help support Elliot and Ava. No one has the strength to survive at the moment.

Telling the kids wasn't easy. I managed to arrange for Ted to fly home to be with us, Nick and James seemed to understand what we were saying but poor Ashley couldn't comprehend the fact death meant, Mia wasn't ever coming home. Ana managed to stay calm long enough for him to get it. I was losing my mind. We let the kids have the week off school.

The night before the funeral, I gather my strength and confront Ana about her not grieving. Come to think of it, Phoebe has shed no tears over her aunts passing.

"Ana," I say entering our bedroom. It was late and everyone had an early night to try and get some decent rest before the funeral in the morning. She was rummaging through the dresser looking for comfortable night clothes to sleep in. Her 35 week baby bump causes her discomfort at night so she needs to wear baggy clothing. She smiles at me as she struggles to stand up straight after bending over the dresser.

"Christian. You ok?" she asks. I step towards her and help her stand upright. She smiles in thanks and I reach in the dresser to grab her a baggy maternity nightshirt. She takes it to the bed and strips off the navy dress she's been wearing today and pulls her night clothes on.

"I need you to know that it's ok for you to grieve too," I spit out what I'm thinking. She stops and turns to face me, confused. "You've been so helpful and strong for everyone the last two weeks, baby, that you haven't given yourself any time to cry. She was your sister too, not just through marriage but through your friendship with her. You can let it all go tomorrow at the funeral or you can let go now, and let me comfort you the way you've looked after me. I don't know how much good I will be tomorrow when we bury her so I want you to know that for tonight, I will be your anchor if you want to cry." I can see the tears in her eyes and her lip tremble. She doesn't want to let go just yet, I can tell.

"Why, Christian?"

"Because you are so amazing you have put everyone's need in this family before your own. You've cooked for everyone, you've helped mum with arrangements. You even held my dad so he could cry and not worry about everyone. You thought about the kids and made sure they had someone to talk to if they had questions or needed comfort. I've had a terrible temper this week and you've been patient with me and let me deal with my pain my own way. No one has been able to be there for you which is why, tonight, I'm not grieving my sister. I'm supporting my wife who has lost one of her best friends." Her lips tremble harder as her tears spill over. A sob racks her body and she falls forward into my arms.

I hold her as she cries and cries. She tries to speak but all she can do is gasp and struggle to catch her breath. Right now she's letting go of 2 weeks of pain and sorrow and all I can do is hold her and rub her back. After nearly an hour of crying, Ana is able to compose herself and sits up to look at me.

"Thank you," she says.

"What for?" I ask.

"For letting me cry. I know she was your sister but she had become a really good friend and like a sister of my own. But I couldn't bear to see all of you so upset, that's why I kept it together. No one needed to be worrying about me while you're grieving."

"Ana, you are a part of this family as much as me, Elliot and Mia. Mum and dad love you like you're one of their own children. You have as much right to be upset as the rest of us. I'm just sorry I've been absent."

"Don't you ever apologise for that! She was your baby sister and whether you admit it or not she saved you when you were children. It's natural for you to be protective and upset when something happened to her. You are the most amazing man I know." I wrap my arms around her and lay us down on the bed.

"Have you spoken to Phoebe?" I ask. "It's just, I've noticed she hasn't really cried or shown any emotion lately."

"I was going to tell you that. She's retreated into herself, again. I don't know how to help her. You got through to her last May. Maybe you can get her to admit what she's feeling? She hasn't even spoken to Kenny."

I look at the clock. It's nearly eleven o'clock. It may be late, but I'm pretty sure my daughter will not be asleep yet. Especially with Ava round, they always spend all night talking. I leave settle Ana into bed and tell her I'm going to check on Phoebe. Everything is quiet in her room so I nudge the door open a little. Ava is asleep in Phoebe's bed but Phoebe is nowhere to be seen. I don't worry just yet, thinking maybe she's gone to the kitchen to get a drink.

She's not in the kitchen. Nor the family room, games room, cinema room or anywhere else I can think of in the house. With my panic starting to rise I start to head to Taylor's office where Crouch working the night shift, when I realise the spotlight on the back terrace is on and the back door is slightly open, letting in the icy chill.

Phoebe is curled up on one of the lounge chairs on the terrace wearing nothing but her winter pyjamas and looks to be in a daze.

"Phoebe?" she looks up at me. When she seems to return to the present, her whole body shivers from the cold. "What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing. Just thinking," she mumbles. I sit next to her and wrap my arm around her, holding her close. It's the middle of November and her body feels like ice.

"It's freezing out here Phoebe," I state.

"I don't feel it. I don't anything right now," she answers. I'm starting to feel the cold so I pick her up and carry her inside. She just lays limp in my arms as I carry her into the heated family room.

"What's going on Phoebe? You haven't said anything about Aunt Mia the last two weeks. And you haven't cried either," I say. She shrugs. She's retreating into herself. "Talk to me, Phoebe. What's going on in your head?"

"Nothing dad. There is literally nothing going through my head. I just feel numb."

"Numb?"

"I can't explain it dad. Obviously I'm sad that Aunt Mia passed away but my whole body feels like it's not my own right now. And Ava needs me right now. She's devastated and she needs support."

I should have known! Phoebe just like her mother trying to take care of everyone else before herself. Phoebe needs to grieve right now.

"I understand that Phoebe but you cannot bottle up your emotions. It's not healthy. You can cry, you know. It doesn't show weakness and it's not your responsibility to support Ava. She should support you in return and it doesn't sound like she is."

"I know dad. But… I…. I don't…" she's getting emotional. "How are we supposed to live without her?" she finally broke down. I hold her as she cries, her body shaking with sobs. She struggles to catch her breath so I just continue to hold her and rock her, whispering comforting words to her.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm here." She cries for a long time, I lose track of time. She's starting to warm up and I no longer feel her shivering with the cold. Eventually she relaxes into me, her breathing regulating and her body no longer shaking and that's when I realise she's fallen asleep in my arms. I should really take her and put her to bed but she looks so peaceful, even with the tear stains on her cheeks. She looks so much like Ana that I would think she was Ana if it weren't for the copper hair.

As I decide not to go to bed and just let Phoebe sleep curled up next to me, Ana walks into the room.

"You've been gone for hours. I thought I'd check in, make sure everything was ok?" she whispers when she notices Phoebe is sleeping.

"Yeah, she cried herself to sleep. She was too busy taking care of Ava to grieve herself. Another thing she gets from you Mrs Grey," I manage a small smile. She smiles back at me and sits on my other side, careful not to disturb our sleeping daughter.

"Listen, I know you let me cry tonight and was there for me, and thank you for that, but tomorrow I don't want you to worry about anyone but yourself and Mia. You cry, you grieve. You give your amazing speech about how she saved you and annoyed you growing up. You let me take care of you and the kids. And Kate and I will take care of Grace and Carrick. After we've buried her, Kate, the kids and I will leave you with your parents and Elliot to have some family time before we head back here for the wake. Everything is planned out and it will be perfect. All you need to do is show up."

I let my tears fall again. My wife truly is amazing and tomorrow night I will treat her like a queen for everything she has done for my family and Mia. She wraps her arm around me and kisses my temple.

"Come on. Go put Phoebe to bed then go to bed yourself. You need your rest and we have an early start in the morning."

... ... ...

So sorry for the late delay! I have been trying so hard with this story, determined to finish it before I upload my new story I have also been working on. I really struggled with this chapter and the next chapter but I have finally managed to finish them so writing the last few chapters is a little easier for me now.

Although I will warn you there is a little more drama to come after the next two chapters.

I will upload the Chapter 30 sometime this weekend so I don't overwhelm you with two chapters at once.

Please review nicely if you decide to leave one. :)