Epilogue-Angels

I pace across the spotless granite floors as I run my fingers through my hair, making it messier than what it already was. I can't believe this is happening. The doctor told us there could be complications in the beginning, but I wasn't expecting to watch my wife go lifeless before me.

I sit down on the plastic chair around the corner from where my only reason for living is. I pray that the doctors operating on her know exactly what they're doing. I hate hospitals. I immensely appreciate the work the doctors do to save lives, but I despise the clinical atmosphere and the depressing mood I feel whenever I walk through hospital doors.

I hate waiting. I hoped I would never have to wait to hear news on how my wife is doing ever again, and yet here I am. Waiting. Waiting to hear whether my wife will be okay . . . or whether I will never see her again.

The bone chilling fear I felt then is nothing compared to the indescribable, gut wrenching fear I'm experiencing now. I need her now more than ever. I can't do this without her.

It took five days to feel like I could relax for the first time and take a deep breath. I hope this time is nothing like that because I don't think my heart can take it. The memory is still so fresh, like it just happened only a few days ago . . .

"Why the fuck hasn't she woken up yet?" I yell at no one in particular as I pace outside of Ana's room while Ray and Kate talk to her unconscious form.

"Honey, you just have to be patient. The doctors have faith that she'll wake up. Her MRI scans show that the brain swelling has gone down, and even though it's only been a few days, her bones are healing already," my mother says to me calmly.

"That's not fucking good enough, Mother!" I hiss through clenched teeth as I pull on my hair. "None of that means shit unless she wakes up! It's been five fucking days—almost a week, and she still hasn't opened her eyes yet! Why? I want to know why!"

"Christian, sweetheart, you need to calm down. Ana isn't going to wake up any faster with you worrying yourself like this," she tries to console me, placing a hand on my cheek.

I shake my head and look at her, my anxiety, fear, and worry slowly eating away at my mind, body and soul. "Mom," I whisper, tears pooling in my eyes. "What if she never wakes up?"

"Oh, darling," she says, pulling me into a hug and I wrap my arms around her as I lay my head on her shoulder and sob. "Ana is strong; she's shown that already by how well her body is healing. You just have to have faith that she won't leave us, that our love for her is strong enough to pull her through this."

I pull back and look down at her as I wipe at my eyes. "Do you think she'll wake up soon?" I ask through my tears.

My mother brushes her thumbs across my cheeks and wipes away the dampness. "I don't know, sweetheart. But over the last few days, I've been thinking that her chances are looking better and better."

"Yeah?"

She nods her head and gives me a small smile. "Now you need to stay strong. Ana's going to need a strong support system to get her through recovery."

I nod my head and take a deep breath and wipe at my face. "You're right. I need to stay strong. I need to stay strong for Ana."

She grins at me and then pulls me in for another hug. "I love you, Christian."

I hug her tighter. If this terrible incident has taught me anything, it's to cherish the people we have because they can so easily be stolen from us.

"I love you, too, Mom."

Later that night I sit at Ana's bed. Keeping a vigil eye on her and praying every five minutes that God will wake her. That he won't take her yet. Praying that she'll open those mesmerizing blue eyes so I can tell her that I love her. For now and always. Forever.

I've barely slept in the past five days and I feel my fatigue begin to overtake me. My heavy eyelids fall closed and my head rolls forward onto her bed as I sink into oblivion.

A feather brushes against my cheek and trails down to my jaw and chin. The smooth caresses continue and then I hear the voice of an angel. It sounds so familiar. It's so soft and serene. Her voice is like a lullaby, dragging me to a place where there's no pain, no disappointment, no fear. I don't want the sweet sounds to stop and I don't want the calm feeling to disappear.

She calls my name, but she sounds different now. She sounds sad. She calls my name and begs me to wake up. The caresses against my skin become more urgent and the angel continues to call my name. She's crying and I hear the desperation in her soft strained voice.

"Christian!"

I wake up in a daze and rub my eyes as I sit up in my chair. It takes me a moment to regain my bearings and remember where I am. I look up and all the breath leaves me in a rush when I see baby blue eyes staring at me with worry and fear.

"You wouldn't wake up . . ." she whispers, her words merely a breathless croak.

I jump up out of my chair and run to her after a few disbelieving moments, and kiss every part of her that is accessible to me.

I hold her face is my hands as I stare at her while my tears flow freely.

"I'm not the one who wouldn't wake up," I rasp. "You've been asleep for five days. I was so scared, so worried that you wouldn't . . . that you wouldn't come back to me, Ana." I close my eyes and rest my forehead gently against hers. I stay there for minutes until she weakly touches my arm.

"Christian, I'm sorry . . ."

I shake my head at her. "No, I'm sorry. I've been so stupid, so selfish. So blind. I'm sorry for everything, Ana. For hurting you. For making you doubt yourself. For making you feel like you couldn't just talk to me without fear of rejection."

"No—"

I place a finger on her lips. "No, let me talk, please. I was so caught up in what I wanted that I didn't even stop to think about what it was that you really wanted. I knew what I wanted. I wanted you. I wanted to have a life with you, to support you and take care of you. But not once did I ever think about what you wanted. I didn't even really consider the fact that maybe you could love me before all of this . . . mainly because I don't think I wanted to know if you did or didn't. I was so afraid of fucking up for good that I didn't want to acknowledge my feelings or yours, because I didn't want anything to go wrong and lose you. But ignoring my feelings obviously did more harm than good." I stop and look at her, my eyes on her tired, gorgeous blue eyes. "Ana . . . I love you. I think I've loved you for a while, but I was just too stupid and scared to admit my feelings, but I do. I love you so much and nothing you can say or do will ever change that. I will love you until my last breath, I will love you in the afterlife, and I will love you even when time ceases to exist. Because, Anastasia Grey, you are my entire reason for living."

She gives me a weak but elated smile while tears slowly stream down her cheeks. "I love you, too, Christian, forever and ever and always, but . . . can you get a doctor now? My head kind of hurts and I'm really thirsty. I didn't mean to ruin the moment."

I instantly stand up straight. "I'm so sorry. Yes, of course, baby. I should have called for a doctor the minute you woke," I add frowning at myself. "I'll be right back."

I lean down to kiss her and, despite myself, I smile, because I know my girl is back and I will do everything in my power to make sure it stays that way. And I know it won't be easy and we still have a ton of issues to work out between us, but right now, I just want to relish the fact that she's finally awake.

As I leave her room to go get a doctor, I take a lingering look at her, and for the first time in days, I take a deep breath and let the calming effect of my wife's smile warm my soul . . .

I wish I could see my wife's calming smile now as I continue to pace, looking through the glass window in front of me every now and again, and wait impatiently for a doctor to come and get me. I promised myself that day that I would never feel like how I did then. I would protect her and make sure she was as happy as she could possibly be. I would give her whatever she wanted or needed no matter the cost, no matter the time it took to get it.

It took only a few hours to create the thing she said would make her happiest—even though we weren't expecting it to happen so soon—but it's taken nine months to nourish and deliver it, although the delivery has proven to be difficult.

I sit down again and cover my face in my hands as I vigorously rub up and down. What's taking so damn long? I look at my watch and see it's only been six minutes.

"Christian?" I look up and see my dad walking towards me.

"Dad, what are you doing down here?" I ask him as I stand up.

"I came looking for your mother thinking she came back here." He stops and glances at my current attire. "Why are you wearing scrubs?" he asks with a frown. I glance down at myself eyeing the blue scrubs and shoe covers I haven't bothered to take off yet.

I sigh loudly, blowing my cheeks out as I sit back down and bounce my leg up and down. "Ana had an emergency C-section," I tell him, gazing through the window in front of us. I try to quell the rising fear for my wife bubbling in my throat. "Ana's blood pressure dropped and the baby was in distress. We didn't have any choice but to do the C-section." I sigh and run my hands down my face and then around to the back of my neck. "Then during the operation Ana lost too much blood. I watched as her skin turned pale and her eyes . . ." I shake my head and take a deep breath as I feel my dad place his hand on my shoulder.

"It'll work out, son. Ana's a strong woman and too stubborn to leave us yet, you should know that by now," he says.

I give him a half smile and look up at him. "Yeah, she is." I look up into the nursery and stare at the crib my son lies in. It's quiet for a moment. "I can't believe I'm someone's father," I whisper. "Were you terrified when you brought Elliot home as a first time parent?" I ask as I turn to look at my dad.

"Extremely. He was so tiny and looked so fragile I thought I would break him. He was only a few months old, but the first time I held him in my arms I instantly knew I loved him, even though he wasn't of my flesh. It was the same with you and Mia too," he tells me.

I study my dad's profile. "Did you still feel love for us when you were angry or disappointed with us?"

He frowns at me, his green eyes scrutinizing. "Of course I did. Why would you ask such a thing, Christian?" He slowly tilts his head as he studies me. "You think I'm still upset with you about the scam you pulled over on your grandfather?"

"Well you haven't exactly given me any indication that you're not upset with me anymore," I answer with a shrug. "I guess I just assumed that you were so disappointed in me that you—"

"That I stopped loving you?" he asks, his voice incredulous.

I nod my head. And he shakes his in speechless bewilderment.

It's been almost ten months since Ana and I came clean to our families about our sham of wedding. It was three months after her release from the hospital after her accident. I told her the first day she was able to go home that I wanted to prove to her that I was devoted unequivocally to her and that I was hopelessly in love with her. So I decided that I wanted to come clean to my family and have a real wedding. A wedding where I could give Ana everything she truly deserved.

To say our families—besides Kate and Elliot—were speechless and very, very angry and disappointed was an understatement like no other . . .

I'm sitting before my parents, grandparents and Ray as they all either gape, scowl or remain stoic. Gramps and Grams aren't here, they went to Santa Monica for their anniversary, but I already told Gramps about Ana and me before they left. He wasn't too happy, but he said nothing really else matters as long as I'm happy now.

Ana's resting and I didn't want her to deal with the stress. But I cowardly wish she was here, it would keep Ray's icy eyes from being solely on me. It's been hard enough looking at Ray since Ana's accident, but I'm sure I'll die on the spot if I look at him now.

"I don't understand. You guys were in love, you looked so radiant together. How could this have been a scam the whole time?" my mother asks, her eyebrows furrowed together and her mouth pulled down.

"Mom," I say on a sigh. "Ana and I . . . our relationship was complicated, and although neither of us may have not realized or acknowledged it, we did love it each other. I was stupid and I didn't value the right things, but that's all changed now. I love Ana. I'll do anything for her."

My mother just stares at me, her mouth open and eyes wide. She looks speechless.

"Whether you loved her or not doesn't change the fact that you lied to all of us and you tricked your grandfather into giving you $700,000 that you didn't deserve," my father bellows at me. I flinch at his words.

"Carrick," Papa says.

"No, Dad, this is completely unacceptable and don't try to soften the truth of the matter. He lied to you, to all of us for money, and on top of that he used Ray's daughter. He pulled an innocent girl into this and used her for his own selfish reasons. It doesn't matter that he loved her then or that loves her now, he needs to be punished for this!"

My Grandpa Grey stares at my dad. "And how would you like me to punish him, Carrick? Take away his trust fund?" He shakes his head. "I'm not going to do that. I think its punishment enough what he's gone through. That and the fact that he's sitting before Ana's father as he admits that he married his daughter for money. Just let it be, Carrick." I don't even dare look over at Ray.

My father glares at his father, and then he turns to me and gives me a furious look, his eyes burning a bright green. Without another word he struts out of the family room and towards the stairs. My mother gets up and gives me a sad half smile.

"Give your father some time. He's had some . . . reservations about your and Ana's relationship from the beginning, but everything will work out, eventually," she says, and then follows my father's path.

Papa stands up and puts his hand on my shoulder. "I'm proud you had the guts to admit to all of us that this wasn't real, even though I had a hunch it wasn't from the beginning." He looks at me, his green eyes so much like my fathers, but softer at the moment. "Carrick will get over it, as did I. I'm glad Ana's recovery is going well, your grandmother and I will keep her in our prayers." He squeezes my shoulder and walks out of the room, leaving me with Ray.

I slowly lift my eyes to his. His expression confuses me, but I will myself not to look away. He rubs his hand over his mouth and then says, "You know, I feel like I just keep getting hit with bad news. First I get a call that my only child was in a car accident, lying broken and unconscious in a hospital bed. And now discovering that she agreed to participate in a sham wedding solely for money." He shakes his head and sighs. "I want to blame you for all of this, but I know Ana's had a hand in this too. You both made your own decisions, your poor decisions." He stops and scrutinizes me for a moment. "I still think you're a good kid, Christian, maybe a little misguided at times, and I know that you do love my daughter despite your recent revelation. But when you're a parent nothing else matters but your child's safety and happiness. Now tell me, can you keep my baby girl safe and endeavor to make her happy? Because if not, this time around I won't be so willing to give her away to you."

"Yes, sir. I love your daughter and I would never ever do anything to put her in danger, and I never want to see her sad. I only want her happy . . . even if that means that she'd be happier with someone other than me," I tell him sincerely.

He stares at me, and then slowly stands up. I stand up too and watch as he steps closer to me and holds out his hand. I take it and flinch as he squeezes it hard.

"Don't disappoint me, Christian. This is the last chance I'm giving you, and if I hear that you've intentionally hurt my daughter, you wouldn't like the outcome. I promise you that."

"I promise I won't, sir," I say and he lets go of my hand. I rub my fingers.

"Enough with the sir, it's Ray. Now come on, I want to go check on Annie and see if she needs anything."

I follow him out of the room and up to my old room where Ana's resting. I take a deep breath knowing that the hardest battle is over but we still have a few more obstacles to face . . .

"Oh, Christian," my dad says. "I may have been furious with you at the time but I never stopped loving you. We all make mistakes, son, and we learn from them. You'll learn in time, with your bundle of joy here, that the love you harbor for your child isn't something you can just turn off. It's unconditional, and even though you've done some things that have really tested my patience, I never once stopped loving you."

I nod my head and slowly smile as I look up at him. "I love you, too, Dad."

He puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes softly. He's about to say something but a nurse interrupts him.

"Mr. Grey, your wife is awake and is asking for you."

I instantly jump up and begin to run towards Ana's room, but stop and turn around and hug my dad.

"Thank you," I whisper.

He pats my back. And pulls back and smiles at me. "Go to your wife, we'll be here waiting to greet her and the baby."

I nod and smile and then follow the nurse down the hall and around the corner. Before I go into the room I ask her if she can bring me my son, but she tells me that he's already with her. I guess I was too occupied with my thoughts I didn't notice anyone take him out of his crib.

I tentatively step into the room and a warm, content feeling rushes over my body. There she is, my gorgeous wife, and in her arms our newborn son.

I walk further into the room, and when she finally notices me, she beams at me. I grin back, happy to see that the color has returned to her face and that her eyes are bright and alight with love and happiness.

"Hi, Mrs. Grey, hello, Baby Grey," I say as I lean down to kiss both of them.

"Hi," Ana says as she gazes up at me. "Are you okay?" she asks me.

I smile at her and brush away a few strands of hair from her face. "I should be asking you that, but yes, I'm fine now that I see you're better. And of course since our little invader has finally arrived."

We both gaze down at the little body with dark hair and soft, pale skin swaddled in a blue blanket with small brown teddy bears sewn randomly into the fabric. Ana gently runs her finger along his forehead as he soundlessly sleeps against her chest.

"He's so precious. I love him so much. I never knew I could love someone I just met so much. But I do. With all my heart," she whispers and leans down to kiss him.

"He loves you, too. But it's impossible not to love you." She looks up at me and smiles and then rolls her eyes playfully. A nurse knocks on the door and then comes in, interrupting our private moment.

"Before I file this, we still need a name. Have you two picked one yet?" she asks.

I look down at Ana and then our baby. My eyes trail down to the teddy bears on his blanket and I smile. Teddy, short for Theodore after Gramps. I love it. I look down at Ana.

"I like the name Teddy, short for Theodore," I whisper.

She looks up at me. "After your grandfather?" she asks.

I nod my head. She looks down at our baby boy and pulls the cover down further from his chin.

"Teddy," she says, as if testing the word. "Theodore . . . Theodore Raymond Grey." She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine.

I slowly grin at her. "It's perfect. I love it, baby." She grins at me and I lean down to kiss her. The nurse confirms his name and leaves us for a private moment before we invite our families in.

"Hi, my little Teddy bear," Ana coos to him. "I love him," she says again, and then stares up at me. "I love you. Thank you, Christian, for giving me something that I will cherish forever."

I grin at her. "I should be thanking you, baby, you did all the work."

She cuddles Teddy closer to her. "And every single second was more than worth it."

A few hours later both of our families come to visit and fawn over our new addition. I can already tell he's going to be spoiled like crazy, but no other child will ever be loved as much as Teddy will be, I'm sure.

Ana's exhausted after all of the excitement. She's nodding off, but I see her fighting it as she gazes at our child in his bassinette next to her bed. I walk over to her and caress her face.

"Ana, baby, you're exhausted. Go to sleep, we'll be here when you wake up. I promise." She nods her head and almost immediately falls asleep.

I take advantage of the first time I have my son all to myself. I pick him up and sit in a rocking chair placed by the bassinette, cooing to him and telling him little stories about Ana and me when we were younger and how everything was so simple. I can't help but grin affectionately every time his face twitches or he moves his tiny little limbs.

I can't believe that this is my life now. I would have never imagined that at twenty-two I would have my own company that is becoming more successful than I could have ever hoped for. That I would be married to a woman I love more than water, or that I would have a son that totally completes me.

I look up at Ana as she slumbers peacefully in bed, and then look at my son. This is my family. I had one reason for living, and now I have two. I will do everything to make sure that they both know how special they are to me. That I need them. That nothing and no one is more important them.

That I will love them.

Forever.

So that's the end.

I get that some of you are probably disappointed that this was so short, but I did say in the first chapter that this was only going to be sixteen chapters, not including the epilogue.

There will not be a sequel because I wrote the epilogue in a way that there shouldn't be any loose ends. But I did say that if you guys wanted it that I would write some chapters in Ana's POV. Just let me know which chapters you guys want, if you want to read it, and I'll try my best to make it good. And please don't ask me to write the entire story from Ana's POV because my answer will be no, that's too much work, and Ana's character in this story is exhausting to think about.

Anyways aside from all of that I enjoyed writing this, even more so enjoyed reading your guys reviews. I can't thank all of you enough for the support and interest you've given this story. It means a lot that there are people out there willing enough to read my somewhat crazy ideas.

Aside from one particular person, you guys are amazing people and thank you for reading ;)

And of course thank you for all the wonderful reviews, follows and favorites.

SS&G xoxo