Ana Pov

I've heard it said that there are moments in life that change you. It's not always the dramatic, life or death things. Sometimes its simple, common, but one day it changes you.

The way Christian was kissing me, changed me. When the kiss broke, I stared up into his eyes. He was raw and real, as was I, and just then I hugged him. We held onto each other as if we were going to fly away. I was tired of fighting him, tired of running. I was becoming a person I no longer recognized.

"Ana," he said brushing my face with the back of his hand. Closing my eyes I relished his gentle touch. "What are we going to do?" he asks. Not knowing what to say, I decided to be honest.

"I'm tired of fighting you. I'm becoming someone I don't know anymore. I'm a total mess and I need you. I know I don't deserve you and honestly I've fucked up our relationship. But, I don't want to live without you. I need help Christian. I'm scared all the time, I'm on edge, I can't sleep or eat. My life is spinning out of control." I saw the pity well in his eyes.

"I've made my fair share of mistakes in all of this. I think we both need help. I think we both have our own forms of self preservation and this whole thing is just us clashing." I nodded knowing how right he was. Taking my hand we walked down the path. No words were said, I think we both just needed to hold onto each other for a while.

We walked back to Christian's house still silent. As we entered, his place looked just the same exact for an empty liquor bottle by the window. The old me would have given him a judgmental look and a comment of some kind. The me now, I said noting. I had no right to judge, considering I had been drinking more then my fair share as well to dull the pain of it all. It hurt me to know that I had caused him to feel that level of pain. I fought back tears imaging him standing here all alone at night drinking the pain away, that I had caused just because I was reeling. I had done what I had done from a place of being severely lost and broken.

"Hey you ok?" He asks nudging me. I try blinking the tears away, but it does no good.

"No, I hurt you. I don't deserve you back. I shouldn't have come, its not fair to either of us." I turn to walk away, but he grabs me by my arm.

"Ana. I refuse to give up on us. Its going to take work that's for damn sure and it won't be perfect. That being said, I've never been afraid of hard work. I'm willing to do that for you, for us. I want us. I'm tired of the fighting and the drama, I want to get to the happily ever after part. The part where I come home to you every night and we have dinner like a normal couple. Were the day will come that we can try for and have a baby, and then have more and more. I want the part were we are an old couple spending our retirement raveling around the world. I'm ready to put the work in for that, my question is, are you?" My heart swelled and my eyes watered for a entirely different reason.

"Yes." was all I was able to say before his lips were on mine. The kiss quickly intensified, our bodys drawn to each other like always. My hands greedily ran thru his hair, his moved up and down my body stretching from the nape of my neck to my lower back. We wanted each other, needed this physical connection to prove our dedication to each other.

Christians Pov

As the sun began to set, I looked over to a sleeping Ana. We had spent the day, well, how'd else do you think we would have spent it? I wanted it to work between us, needed it too. But I was aware now that Ana was a different person, not drastically but in minimal ways that didn't go unnoticed. I got out of bed and sauntered to the kitchen. After I poured a glass of brandy, I called Flynn.

"Christian?" He answered the phone, puzzled cause I seldom called.

"Hey yeah, I was curious if you could take Ana on as a client and then us as a couple?" I asked. Ana and I discussed it between rounds and was something we both adomently agreed was needed.

"Of course, I'll email you over a schedule." Just then I saw Ana standing looking at me. She was wearing one of my shirts and looked lost and dazed. I really really looked at her then. Her face seemed older, her eyes showed something deeper somehow. It came back to me then before what she was saying about being some delicate flower, and I see now how wrong I was. She wasn't weak, she was the opposite. Hanging up with Flynn, I walk over and hug her, just because I could. I wanted a lifetime with this woman and I was going to do whatever was necessary.

3 months later...

Ana' Pov

I always loved waking up with Christian, especially on Saturday mornings. When there was no other plans, we tending to spend all our time in bed or lounging about. I had an appointment with Flynn, but after that it was just me and him all day.

I had moved into his place just last week, and it was still so surreal. Flynn had said we were at a point in our relationship were this would be ok. I was practically living there anyway, we just needed to actually move all my stuff in. I had been staying at Christians and avoiding my apartment. I had made great progress in therapy but, that place still gave me anxiety.

I was getting dressed, when Christian came up behind me and began kissing my neck.

"I have my appointment with Flynn, then after that I'm all yours." I say wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Why don't we go out on a date tonight? We haven't done that in awhile." I was excited. We hadn't gone on a date date since the beginning of couples therapy, Flynn gave it as homework as a chance for Christian and I to rediscover each other. Clearly it worked cause here we are.

"Sure!" I smiled and the smile back he gave me was priceless.

Christian's Pov.

Nervous wasn't the word I was looking for. I had felt nervous this was a whole new level. The night was planned out perfect. When Ana returned home from her therapy session she informed me Flynn said she no longer needed to go but she was insisting on going till she felt ready to be done which I wasn't going to argue with in the slightest. We spent the rest of the afternoon doing what we do best.

When 7 rolled around I knew we should get going.

As we got dressed after a quick joint shower, I paced the living room waiting for her, when she entered she took my breathe away. She wore a form fitting pale blue dress with grey heels. She looked perfect and I could feel luckier.

"Wow you look...fantastic." I said twirling her around. Taking her hand in mine I lead her to the door and off to dinner we went.

The restaurant was dimly lite and highly exclusive. The atmosphere made it feel like we were the only people in the room. We laughed and ate and drank. It felt good to be out with Ana, especially on these date nights were it was one on on time when we weren't actively fucking each other.

After dinner we walked down the pier and listen to the water crash. The night was gorgeous. As we walked and talked and talked I began taking us on a path to The Grace.

"Christian, why are getting on your boat?" Ana asked when she noticed the direction I was taking her. I had always wanted to do this and what better time then now? Getting on board, we took off. Once we got fair enough out to sea, we could see all the stars and the sounds of the ocean.

"Okay, "Ana sighs and I join her "you officially win the romance award." She is standing at the bow of the boat and is leaning onto the railing. I take her hand and kiss it.

"Do I get extra for this?" Just then I fall to one knee. Ana cover her mouth, already fighting tears before the words come out of my mouth.

"Anastasia Rose Steele, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You make me happier then I have ever known possible. You have changed me for the better and I thank God every single day that I have you. Will you marry me?" I ask fighting a lump in my throat. How I wasn't shaking from nerves I had no clue. I open the ring box just then, reveling the ring I had bought for Ana all those months ago. The silence felt like minutes when really it was seconds.

"Yes!"

Well ladies and gentlemen, that is the end of Shots Fired. I truly can not thank everyone who has supported this story enough! From those of you who have been hooked since chapter 1, that I posted at 2 am cause I couldn't sleep without writing it down. To those who have waited weeks and weeks on end for updates and still love the story and understand. You guys are the reason I kept writing and I hope you have enjoy this story as much as I have writing it :)))