Hi guys, first of all, thank you all so much for your kind words and prayers, that meant a lot to me. I'm still not up to writing, but I already had all the chapters up to chapter 19 ready, so I figured I just post them once a week and by the time I run out I will hopefully be able to write again. I haven't had time to read all the pm's yet, but when I have some time I will reply to all of them. Please read the A/N at the end of the chapter after you've read this chapter...
Even after a minute, I'm still shocked and can't understand what this means... if my father saved Christian how did he went missing then?
„You were the man that knocked Hyde out?" I finally ask.
„Yes, I guess I should start from the beginning. Back in the army I made a few very good friends. I would meet them a couple of times each year... stay in touch... but we all had our own lives, still with a few of them we felt like brothers. Back when we lived in Montesano and I was about to sign the deal that got us here one of those friends contacted me. He told me about his wife and how she was still heart broken over what her sister and brother in law had done to her. He told me about the son that was stolen from her and that she just needed to know he was doing well. That is why when we moved to Bellevue I was looking for a house in this area... luckily for me the house next door to the boy was up for sale."
„Wait, you know Jason Taylor?"
„Yes, I always felt that I owed him when he got injured during our time in the army and I couldn't do anything to prevent it from happening... so, I offered to move here and when you became friends with Christian it was easy for me to give him updates on the boy and sent some pictures of him for his mother to have. That was all I ever did until I heard that Christian had questions about his real parents. I arranged for them to meet."
„Wait what... but he never told me met his mom." I stutter.
„He couldn't, Annie... the only way for him to meet with them and his younger siblings was for him and I to pretend I was taking him on fishing trips. I made him promise never to tell anyone and he did promise. Anyway, when Elena started to behave inappropriately towards him I offered to get him out of there but he didn't want to leave his siblings and you behind. Jason was really worried about it... but by that time we already knew that Carrick Grey basically owns this town, so going to the police wasn't an option. The morning you kids went camping Jason figured out that Carrick had moved a large sum of money... which he had never done before... not to that extent anyway and we knew Christian had confronted his Dad... it just worried both of us. So, I told your mom I would go on a fishing trip and instead I watched you kids from a far. I noticed some creep doing the same and decided not to drive home until you kids were leaving the next morning. I was just taking piss and returned to my car to get some more coffee when I saw the creep drop Christian in his trunk but he was so far off that I couldn't reach him in time... I jumped into my car followed them and drove him in a ditch blocking him from driving off before I knocked him out and got Christian who had already come to it again out of the trunk." My father says and I take a deep breath.
„So, he was alive?"
„Of course he was, pumpkin." My Dad says with a gentle smile.
„What happened next?"
„I checked the car, saw that the guy had a full profile on Christian with family pictures and his schedule... I knew it was a hit... that guy was paid to make him disappear. I know you are not going to like this, Annie... but Christian had to disappear to keep him save." My Dad says.
„What does that mean?"
„We couldn't proof that it was a hit... Hyde's account in the Kayman's wasn't trackable until after he went to jail, so we had nothing to go on to prove that Carrick tried to have his own son murdered. I drove Christian to my fishing cabin and Jason drove down from Canada to get him. We had friends who got him a new identity as Jason's son. It was never meant for him to stay away this long... Christ, the boy was throwing fits as time went by and we couldn't do anything... or didn't want to."
„What is that supposed to mean... didn't want to?" I ask while I already have tears running down my face.
„He was save, Annie... his mother was scared shitless that if we stir the pot someone will find out he is alive and Carrick is going to finish what he has started. There was no danger for anyone... Jason had someone to make sure Carrick wasn't doing any harm to anyone... same goes for Elena... and Christian was doing great in Canada..."
„You knew... how could you!" I yell at my father no longer able to hold back my anger and hurt.
„Annie please..."
„No, not Annie please... did mom know too?"
„No, just Jason, his wife and myself..."
„I can't believe this, why didn't you tell me?"
„So, you could pull stunts like he did?"
„What do you mean?"
„When you had the breakdown at the police station I called Jason and told him... Christian overheard it and ran away to Seattle to see you. I wanted to strangle the kid when I found him in your room... and he pulled the same stunned again when his sister was in the hospital... not to mention his latest stunt..."
„Latest stunt?" I ask... I'm not sure if I'm losing my mind or maybe it already happened because I don't think I can even comprehend everything that is happening here.
„He overheard Jason calling you... his mother told him what her aunt had told her and he got so fucking upset thinking you would get yourself killed trying to find him that he came here and broke in to leave you the necklace..."
„Where is he?!"
„I'm here Ana." I hear a voice I never thought I would hear again behind me spin around and there he is... Christian... dressed completely in black...
„You... you were there in your grandparents basement... you untied me." I stutter.
„I came back because you didn't react to my note... I wasn't sure you got it... I saw Carrick put you in his car... followed him and alerted your Dad..." He says and I can no longer stop myself from running into his arms where I start to cry like a baby.
„Hush it's ok, I'm here now..." He says and suddenly I remember something.
„Why would you break into my house? Why didn't you just call me or come to my room instead of breaking in... I head a gun and was ready to shoot first and ask questions later." I yell at him completely overwhelmed with this situation.
„So... you are mad at me?" He asks smiling.
„I don't know... I've been on a crazytrain for almost two weeks now and I feel like I have dropped my sanity somewhere along the way..." I get out and just have to hug him again which in turn makes me cry once more.
After nearly twenty minutes I have managed to pull myself together at least enough to sit down with Christian but I still can't stop looking at him and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to let go of his hand.
„Are you sure you don't need to lie down a bit, you are very pale." Christian says but I shake my head.
„Sleep... I won't even blink for about ten years just to make sure that if this is a dream I won't wake up."
„I'm really here, Ana..."
„You live in Canada now." Is the one thing that comes to mind.
„I know and now that I don't have to hide anymore I want to take you home with me to meet my parents and younger siblings. I have my own apartment in my parent's house... my mom isn't ready yet to let me move out. You can stay with me... I can finally take you on a date if you want to... I mean are you with someone?"
„No... I was too busy with college and... um.. other things to date."
„Me too... I've made my business degree last year and have started my own company..."
„Why didn't you tell me what Elena was doing?" I blurt out and he sighs.
„I wanted to... the night I had to disappear... I had already planned to run away from home... I wanted to tell you everything and take you with me... but then I couldn't do it. I knew how much you love your parents and I just couldn't ask you to run off with me... it wouldn't have been the right thing to do."
„So, you would have just left without telling me anyway?" I ask hurt.
„I don't know... maybe... I was so confused back then... and after everything that had happened at first, I was just relieved to be out of that situation... I thought I would just spend some time with my family and then after my Dad, Jason, had everything figured out and dealt with Carrick and Elena I would be able to go home... until eventually, I figured out they weren't going to do anything."
„But why?"
„My mother had a horrible time after she had to realize she couldn't get me back... she was also terrified of Carrick and Elena... and so, so happy to have me finally home with her... Jason had to promise her not to do anything so I wouldn't be in danger anymore... so the only thing he did was to make sure Carrick wasn't a threat to anyone else... which he wasn't until you came back to Bellevue."
„I had to... I mean you were missing and everyone just acted as if you were dead... but I couldn't just move on... I needed to know what had happened."
„I know and I'm so thankful that you did come home to find me. I was trying to figure out a way to come home all this time but I just couldn't get any information how did you do it?"
„My friend Nick... his father is a lawyer, one of his former clients is a famous hacker... he got the information about Hyde and your less than legal adoption."
„Tell me about everything you have done while I was gone... I want to know everything."
„My parents sent me to Boston to live with my aunt Rebecca and her family... they made sure I didn't have to come back to Bellevue after I left... now that makes a lot more sense. I met my friends Lisa and Nick in high school and Siobhan was my roommate in college. I went to Harvard and graduated in literature in May... I wanted to take the summer off to find you... has my father ever told you anything about what I was doing?" I ask suddenly nervous.
„No, he only ever told me that you were doing fine and gave me some pictures of you when I asked for them... why are you so nervous?" Christian asks... well I guess it's now or never...
„When I had the breakdown at the police station after your case was closed and I was hospitalized..." I don't get to finish my sentence because we both hear the loud and excited voice of a little boy calling out for his mommy and then the door opens and in runs my baby boy.
I get up and catch him just as he jumps into my arms.
„Mommy, aunty Becca took me on a plane... me missed you lots and lots."
„I missed you too, Chris." I tell him and kiss his soft chubby cheek while he cuddles into me. When I look up at Christian he is standing as well, his eyes wide and mouth open staring at the little boy with the same stormy gray eyes and copper colored hair that he has.
„Christian... this is our son... I named him after you." I say and just hope that this wasn't too much for him because for the first time since I have known Christian he is completely and utterly speechless...
A/N: So, Ana had his baby. There were some very subtle hints to it, but I wanted this to be just as much of surprise to all of you as it has been to Christian :) Now, on to the more serious part of this A/N. I have all the chapters written up to ch.19 and there are still layers to this drama that haven't been uncovered. You'll get Christian's POV, but only a few times. This is not going to be an easy HEA. At times, you'll hate Christian, Ana and other characters, as well as me probably because after all I'm the one writing the story. So, if you continue to read be prepared to be frustrated with some of the characters and don't expect them to get married right away or any time soon because that's not what this story is about. I wanted to give this disclaimer earlier but couldn't because it would have taken away from the story. On a more positive note, this is going to be a longer story. I expect it to have at least thirty if not forty chapters until these two get there HEA...
