A Difficult State of Affairs

Ana's POV

I step out of the shower, wrapping the too small towel around me, to get dressed in the bedroom. "Christian?" I call out. Grabbing my robe. He is sitting there on the small couch to the side of the room. "How did you get in here?" I ask

Christian has a dark look in his eyes, and his lips have narrowed. I haven't seen him like this for so long... Not since…

"Christ Ana, don't you ever eat? You are skinner now than the day you left Seattle, and you were just the appropriate weight for your height then." Christian is fuming at the sight of me. I truly wish he hadn't seen me half naked for the first time in twelve years. I rush to grab my robe from the other side of the bed. It will give me some protection over him, but Christian is too fast. He always has been. He has my robe in his hand and has hooked the collar with his left index finger.

"Wow, you can remember my physical dimensions but fail to remember simple things. Such as to call your son, with the exception of a quick birthday phone call?" I hiss at him.

"Don't!" He orders trying to bring me to heel. "This is not a time for your smart mouth, and I promise you, my hand still gets as twitchy as ever." Christian then becomes his usual mercurial character and changes his tone. He suddenly becomes seductive and smooth. "Of course I remember your physical features, or do you need a reminder that I know your body better than you?" How could I forget?

"Give me my robe." I snap back.

"You are still exceptionally beautiful. I like, how this towel looks on you. It is exceedingly small and shows a lot of you. Though I would love to take it off you." I suddenly remember what it feels like to be with him. Even my muscles start to betray me. NO! NO! NO!

"Your twelve years too late, maybe even seventeen. Now. Give. Me. Back. My. Robe. Now!" My voice is unforgiving. Christian raises his hand and subsequently my robe, to let me know that I will have to fight him, but I fail to respond to his humor and attempts to use his sexpertise on me. He relents and finally gives me my robe. I stare at him, begging him to leave; however, Christian resumes his position on the two seater in my bedroom.

"How did you get in here and how dare you use our son to find me?" Christian raises his eyebrows at me, and his lips form a hard line, all that is missing his trademark 'running of his hands through his hair'.

"Anastasia, trust me, I didn't need to use Ted to find you." I tilt my head at him, surely he doesn't think I would believe him.

"You can thank my brother for accidentally giving away your location. He mentioned a couple of things to me yesterday that made me realise you and Ted were staying here." Kate will have Elliot's balls if she finds this out.

"Plus the fact that Ted told Taylor he was staying here." I point out. He grins a little though his eyes are still a little dark.

"Might have helped, though it only to confirmed my suspicions, that is all. You have become a little too adept at evasion." Christian was right there. I have known that there has been someone watching and tailing us in New York, for our security. After a while, I worked out who he was and approached him. Mark and I become rather close friends and it was my request that they didn't follow us to Seattle. He wanted to retire and move to Florida, so he didn't care about losing his job.

"And Elliot and Kate, just let you in?" I say sarcastically. Though if Elliot had anything to do with Christian being allowed access to my room, I am going to pack my gear with Ted and relocate to a hotel for the remainder of our stay in town!

"No, of course not. I let myself in." Christian holds up a key. He looks rather smug right now, though he has the same boyish look in his eyes that makes me want to go and sit in his lap. "I wanted to talk to you. Alone." his voice is soft but so determined.

"Does Kate know you have a key to her house?" I spit at him.

"Probably not, but Elliot has gotten a little drunk at a few male only work functions and has called me for assistance. He has been so intoxicated that he hasn't been able to find his keys and Kate has been less than impressed. Elliot thought it best that he give me a key so he could avoid such adverse incidents whilst not decreasing his enjoyment levels at his work functions."

"I want to get dried and dressed. I have a few obligations to attend to while I am here in Seattle." I inform him.

Christian sits back and doesn't move. "Don't mind me Ana-sta-sia" he says emphasising each syllable. "I have missed my favourite floor show."

"Excuse me Christian, but I think you handed in your life time pass to that show a long time ago. Get out." I snap. Christian doesn't move or say anything, but I stand firm. Our eyes interlocked in a deadlock. Christian groans at my failure to submit to him.

"I will be waiting for you in the main room. If you aren't out in fifteen minutes, then I will come back in regardless of what state of undress you are in." It is a passionate threat that I am not buying into.

"OUT!" I yell and point to the door. Christian walks out, never taking his eyes off me. I breathe a deep breath of relief when he has walked out. How did you even think you would get away with not seeing him whilst in Seattle? My subconscious is shaking her finger at me wildly. I am so mad at him for everything and mad at myself! Did he actually come in here thinking I would fall at his feet again? He needs to realize that I am not the same Anastasia Steele.

I open my suit case and examine its contents. I pull out one rather short black dress. Hhmm... This gives me an idea. I throw the dress on, put on a pair of matching heels and brush my hair out. I look at my watch as realize that my fifteen minutes are just seconds from being up.

Christian is standing outside my room as I exit. At first he is taping on his watch, but his grin reverses when he sees me. "Ana I do not believe that dress is not appropriate attire."

"Why not?" I ask innocently.

"I don't want every fucker out there eye-fucking you. All you would need to do is bend over, and someone else would see what is….." Christian stops automatically. I know what he was going to say. How can he still think that?

"I am no longer yours." I am spiteful. Tension starts to build up between us.

"We are still married." He rebuts

"But we are formally separated, and we are not divorced because you have had your team of lawyers blocking my attempt constantly. I meant what I said, I want a divorce." I tell him. I have been trying to get a divorce for more than ten years. Ever since Ted and I had been in New York for a year.

"You are still so infuriating! Come you need to eat." He grabs my hand and leads me downstairs and into the kitchen, where Lesley, Elliot and Kate's housekeeper is present. "Excuse me Lesley, but would you fix Mrs Grey…."

"Ms Steele" I clarify.

"Hum... Ms Steele a breakfast of eggs, bacon and pancakes, and English breakfast tea. And a coffee for me." Lesley. The housekeeper, is so intimated by Christian, that she only nods once quickly and gets to work.

"Sit down, we are going to talk and eat." He tells me.

"And what if I am not hungry and don't feel like talking. Plus it is a little late for breakfast." I scoff.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"No." I reply

"Then you are eating breakfast." I roll my eyes in frustration.

"Don't act like a child and for once do as you're told, for your own good." Oh my, he is as controlling and overbearing as ever. This scene reminds me of exactly what happened after we broke up when we were dating and he took me to Jose's first exhibition. I refuse to move, I will not let myself get sucked in so easily this time. Christian steps forward and whispers into my ear sternly. "Now Anastasia, or I will take you upstairs and put you over my knee. You know I will do it, and I should do it since you rolled your eyes at me. "

It takes a lot of strengthen not to roll my eyes at him, and then finally sit down. I want to avoid any physical connection with him. I don't want myself to be tempted.

Lesley places two plates of food in front of us with our hot drinks and scuttles away for safety it would seem. I hope if I eat, Christian will ease off, and I can leave. Though, I soon learn that I will have no such luck.

"We need to talk." he insists.

"About?" I focus on my breakfast.

"You lied to me about you and Jose." He scolds.

"I never lied to you."

"Not in words, but you did in your actions."

"Christian, Jose was only ever just a friend and will only ever be one. He is happily married. I believe my son informed you of this already on Friday." Christian looks horrified.

"OUR son, you mean" he is stead fasted in his response. I groan and get angry at his response. How dare he be so high and mighty with me?

"When did you think of Ted as OUR son? When you paid a school account? Or when you had security fill you in of his day to day activities, rather than you actually being there with him, OR was it on Friday when he walked into your office, and you discovered that he was a clone of you?" I scold.

"Anastasia!" He says coarsely. His eyes look dark and he is running his hand through his hair, but I can't stop myself.

"Or better still, was it when you finally had to admit to your parents, who you love and adore, that you had a son that you kept away from them." Christian is frozen.

"In the end it was you who left me. When I came to the airport that day you left, I saw you with Jose. The way he looked at you and how you were happy, and I knew that I had lost you and Ted forever there and then..." Christian failed to continue.

"No, you didn't Christian" I tell him. He looks up hopeful. "You lost Ted and I some time before that, and you know it. I left in the end, but I wasn't the first person to get up and leave, that honor belongs to you." I wound him with my words.

"Why won't you give me a divorce?" I plead

"Because I won't give you up. I know what I did was horrible, but I wasn't thinking straight. It was an error." He tries to explain.

"An error, it was the worst thing you could have ever done to me. If you had cheated on me, that wouldn't be as detrimental. You say that you won't give me up, but will give up OUR son, as you now refer to him as." I point out. Christian slumps his shoulders and head back like in pain.

"I admit that, I have been a terrible father, and I have a lot to make up to Ted. If he will even let me." Christian grumbled.

"The thing you need to realize Christian is that he has no foundation in which to develop a relationship with you with."

"Point well made, Anastasia. However, I do believe you are forgetting how resourceful I am." Christian sounds cocky.

"I hope so, for Ted's sake. He is too much like you, stubborn, driven and obsessive. The only thing I hope is you seeking a better relationship with our son is for both your benefits, not for yourself." I know he knows what I mean. I am so angry that I walk to the back patio for fresh air. Christian follows me quickly.

"I want you back Anastasia. I never wanted you to go, I will spend my life fighting for you know." he says warmly but ever so remorsefully. Christian slowly starts to walk towards me, his grey eyes transfixed on me, drawing me closer. I start to feel the same electricity that we had years ago. I shake my head softly, but he still comes closer.

"How many submissives have you taken on in the last twelve years?" I inquire. I focus on his grey eyes so I know if he is telling the truth.

"I tried to take on a couple, even took one to the playroom once, but we never had sex. I tried but couldn't. I am still married to you and I would never be unfaithful to you." Christian looks tense just saying those words.

"Ana, please let me, touch you. Let me kiss you, it has been too long" This is the one thing I need to avoid. I am scared that one touch and I will be gone. I will be his all again, and there is too much pain.

"No, Christian." I say stepping backwards. Before I know it, my clumsy self has tripped, and I am falling down, forgetting there was a couple of steps behind me.

"ANA!" Christian screams out, racing towards me to catch me. He grabs me, but I am too far back, and he too falls on to the ground. Luckily for me he brakes my fall, but unlucky for him.

"OUCH! Damn it!" Christian calls out.

"Christian where are you hurt?"

"My knee."

"Here let me help you up and into the chair." Christian slowly gets up and sits on the chair. I can see blood under Christian's grey pants. I try to pull up Christians pants, but they won't go up enough for me to have a look. Oh hell do I honestly want to do this?

"I need a look at your knee, and the legs of your pants won't go up high enough" I tell him. Christian grin is back on his face.

"Why Mrs Anastasia Rose Steele Grey, are you trying to get my pants off me? Are you sure it's only my knee that you are interested in?" Christian is smirking.

"Christian, I just want to look at your knee. Trust me, I have no interest in the apex of your thighs. You can either let me look at your knee or you can leave it for Grace to look at. Personally considering her disposition towards you…. Oh well… it is your choice." I say coldly.

Christian undoes his belt, button and zipper and lowers his pants. I kneel down and look closely. "I am going to have to clean this up, put some antiseptic on it and bandage it. It could get infected."

We then hear a loud ruckus from inside the house. I can hear faint voices, all of which are similar. And before I can get up from my knees, I find Christian, on the floor with blood now pouring out of his lip. Ted is next to me with his fists clutched, but being held back my Taylor and Carrick.

"Ted, what on earth are you doing?" I hiss.

"I could ask you both the same thing?" My seventeen year old son is actually scolding me.

"What do you think I was doing?" I am confused but from the look that Taylor, Grace and Carrick just gave me AND the fact that Christian had his pants down and I was on my knees, it finally dawns on me what they all thought I was doing.

"NO. NO WAY!" I jump to my feet. Christian gets up also. "Your dad hurt himself, trying to stop me from falling. I was looking at his knee, as it was bleeding." I explain and point out the blood on Christian's leg. I suddenly blush thinking that my 17 year old son really thought I was practicing my oral skills on his estranged father.

All six of us, go inside. The tension outside was too much. I put on the kettle, while Grace tends to Christian, Carrick talks to Ted and Taylor just makes sure order is maintained. While preparing the cups, coffee and tea bags, I notice that Grace is being less than gentle with Christian. I am sure it is in retaliation for failing to tell her about Ted. But what catches me off hand is how comfortable Carrick and Ted seem to be. Ted tends to be a little standoffish and sometimes needs to feel like the leader, but seeing him with his grandfather he doesn't seem like that all.

We all sit in awkward silence, drinking our hot beverages. I am about to start speaking when Grace's hospital pager goes off. "Excuse me I need to make a call." She states, I haven't seen her in so long, but this is the most angry I have ever seen her before. Even when she found out about Elena. I look at my watch, I desperately need to make my appointments today. I had expected to do them while Ted was out.

"I am sorry, but I have to leave, that was the hospital." Grace states unhappily.

"I too need to go. Ted do you want to join me or stay here?" I ask.

"Wait, before we all scatter, I think there is a lot of unsolved business at hand, and many answers that my grandson here wants and deserves answers to." Carrick steps in litigator mode.

"What are you suggesting dad?" Christian inquires, appearing rather uncomfortable.

"Dinner at our place. Tomorrow night." Christian and I look at each other emotionless. "Christian I suggest that you go and have a long session with Dr Flynn, and Ana you do what you need to, but tomorrow night, I expect you both to explain everything." He orders. We all agree, we have no option not to.

"Excellent. I expect to see you all at 6pm. No one be late as I suspect it is going to be a long night. Also Ana, if you don't mind, my wonderful grandson has informed me that he is interested in law and studying pre-law. I would love for him to accompany me to our offices for the afternoon. I will happily drop him back home."

I look at my son and his eyes are glowing. He is so uncharacteristically excited at this prospect. "Yes, that is fine."

"Excellent then that is settled." Grace, Carrick and Ted leave. I feel like I have been railroaded by everyone, but so does Christian.

"So what do we do and say tomorrow night?" he asks

"The truth. We tell them everything." Christian looks displeased at my suggestion. "Christian I am worried too." I confess.

Authors Note:

THANK YOU FOR THE HUGE FEEDBACK TO THIS STORY! PLEASE CONTINUE TO GIVE ME FEEDBACK AS IT IS LEGENDARY!

Again many thanks to Crystal9034,for her edits.. :-)