Ana POV

'Hi James, good morning!'

'Good morning Anastasia. How was your first day?'

'It was good. I finished the manuscript you sent yesterday.'

'Great, give me ten minutes and we shall discuss it okay..' and he goes to his little cubby and settles down. He gets a cup of coffee and signals me to his cubby.

'So, you edited on the softcopy or you printed.'

'I printed and edited in red pen. Here is Metalic .'

'Hmm…' and he reads through the first three pages of the manuscript and looks at me with a big smile.

'I love the way you have restructured the sentence. I like your take. I know I can trust you. Now, get it to typesetting. Just watch the amount of errors they are going to make, Anastasia.'

I couldn't help laughing at his irritation expression.

'Alright girl. Get going…. And I am emailing you another author's first five chapters. She will be sending the second batch, chapter six to ten this afternoon. Also, Debbie, the author of Lentil Soup, will be here at three. I want you to sit in the meeting. In future, I want you to handle all these petty authors.' He says shaking his head.

'Alright, I will send the softcopy in another half hour after I transfer my edits to the softcopy and work on the new one that you will be sending.'

He mouths 'go' and turns his attention to his computer. I return to my desk and work on my first story edit, The Great Discovery, with a big smile on my face. I know I have got the job that I love and I am going to love this place too. At about lunch, an email pings.

From : Christian Grey

To : Anastasia Steele

Subject: Dinner

Dear Anastasia,

How is your second day at work going? Are you free for dinner?

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises

What? We just had dinner yesterday and he is asking for dinner again? This must not go on. I quickly hit the reply button and start typing.

From : Anastasia Steele

To : Christian Grey

Subject :RE: Dinner

Dear Christian,

Thank you for the invite. I'm afraid that I won't be able to make it for dinner today but thank you for asking.

Anastasia Steele

Assistant Editor

CG POV

She rejected me?! How could she do this to me! No one rejects Christian Grey. No one except Anastasia. She is not your damn sub who is hoping to get by your side. This is the girl whom you are trying to get by your side and she is not an easy thing!

'Kidzie Publication, good morning. How can I help you.' A chirpy voice booms over the phone. Must be that chatty receptionist.

'Ms Steele please.' I ask controlling my anger which is boiling every second recalling Anastasia's rejection.

'Who is calling please?' the birdie voice asks.

'Grey.' My patients is thinning

'Mr Grey? One moment sir.' And some lousy music plays. It felt like forever before Anastasia's sweet voice greets.

'Christian?' a confused voice fills my ears.

'Yes Anastasia.' I say clipped.

'What do you want?' She asks confused.

'You. For dinner.'

'You can't eat me!' she squeaks.

'Try me. Why did you reject my dinner invitation?' I ask her directly. In a way, I like working her up just to see her reaction and the way she reacts.

'Christian, I have plans with Kate. And I am going to Portland on Friday.' She explains but she is giving importance to others rather then me.

'What plans are you having with Kate? And why are you going to Portland?' I ask. I hear a faint 'pft' which she does when she is irritated.

'Christian, I have a personal life as well. You can't control my personal life.' She replies annoyed.

'Anastasia! I am not used to rejection and I don't handle rejection well.'

'Christian, you can't dictate what I should do. I have not met Gail yet since I moved to Seattle, I have a friend who is waiting to celebrate our working life and another friend who is opening his gallery and I have to be there to support him. I can't spend every day with you.' She reasons which is reasonable.

'Alright, I understand you have to meet Gail but she is … Shit!' Damn, I approved Gail's leave for tomorrow evening. She said she has plans and need the evening off and since I was planning to spend it with Anastasia, I approved it. Now I get it, Gail wants to have dinner with Anastasia. So what the hell am I going to do?

'Yes, you gave her tomorrow evening off and she is seeing me for dinner. Mr Grey, you have to win me but from what just happened, you are not winning me. Probably I am not the right girl for you. I am way too difficult for you.' She says and the words just slicing through me.

'Anastasia, as I said, I was never rejected before and I am not good at handling rejection. I am learning.'

'Fine, think about it. Again, try to win me not dictate me.' She says. Maybe she is right. No no… she is for me. I need her.

'Alright Anastasia. I am sorry.'

'I know it is difficult for you Christian but you have to give me my space. I have a life too.'

'I understand. Just that…'

'Just that you don't have friends to spend time with?'

'Yes.' She is always on the dot and she is always right. Now I am convinced that she can actually see through me with her big blue eyes.

'I know.' Her voice softens. I know I have a place in her heart. I know I have some effect on her. Slowly she replies, 'Alright, how about Thursday?'

'Thursday? Dinner? You will have dinner with me?' Now I am excited.

'Of course. I am busy tonight and tomorrow night.' Is she trying to belittle me? I will have my revenge little Anastasia.

'Sure. I will pick you up at six.'

'Fine Mr. Dictator. Now hang up.. I have to work.' Dictator.. me? Oh you have not seen dictator. Wait till I start dictating to you.

'Or sit around my office.' She doesn't need to crack her pretty head. I can easily support her.

'I need to earn a living to pay off my loans and shop for myself. So now, good bye.' Independent young lady.

'You are one stubborn young lady.' I give up. She is too sweet to be angry with and she has a valid reason. She never had a boyfriend and she has just started working. Before she stumbled into my office, she had a life of her own.

'Thanks!' she says and I can hear her smiling away. She got her way…

'Good bye Anastasia.' I say softly and she replies.

'Good bye Christian.' And she hangs up.

That is a first. I never had a fight with a woman over the phone… of course minus Mia… she is my sister. Anastasia is different. She brings different feelings out of me. I feel I care for her… like how I care for Mia. I never cared about my subs. I was only concern of their safety but not care. Is this Love?

Gail POV

'Jason!' I yell reaching the security room. Jason is looking through those security monitors when I burst in.

'What is it Gail?! Why are you so worked up?' he turns to me with a surprised look. I have never barged into the security room middle of the night.

'Annie….' I whisper. I just can't get over the news that I just heard from Kate.

'What's wrong with Annie?'

'She is at the hospital. She was hit by a hit and run driver.'

'Who the hell! Which hospital?!' he stands and picks up his phone.

'Seattle Grace.'

'I think I must inform Grey about this.' He says. I know Grey is after Annie and they even had a little dinner to celebrate Annie's first day at work.

'I need to get to the hospital!' I yell.

'I will take you.' And he baby runs to Grey's room. I quickly rush up to my room to change and when I get to the main room, Grey is also there dressed in black jeans and white shirt.

'Mr Grey…' I greet him and he looks at me with a very worried look

'What happened? Who called?' he asks.

'Kate called. She was out with Annie for dinner and when they were walking back to the apartment, a car hit Annie and speed off.'

'Taylor, get Welch to get the CCTV footage or whatever that he can find about the accident. I want it fast.' Grey barks instructions as he walks towards the elevator.

'I have informed mom to check on Anastasia. She is on night duty so she is with Anastasia now.'

'Thank you Mr Grey…' I crack. Jason looks with a soft eyes but didn't move an inch. We always maintained our professionalism but a little hug wouldn't hurt. but the worried looking Mr Grey is something to think about. He looks like he really cares for Annie. We ride in silence to the hospital. My sister won't be able to take the news so I am keeping it to me until I know how bad she is. Oh God… please let her be alright… let her be alright. I pray through the drive. Mr Grey burst through the emergency door and yelled, 'Anastasia Steele!'

The reception nurse looks a little scared after hearing Mr Grey yelling Annie's name.

'Ttthhheee ER 5' and Mr Grey runs to the said room.

'Mom!'

'Shhhhhhhhhhhhh' Mrs Grey turns to Mr Grey and looks sternly at him. I rush to Annie's side. She looks so broken.

'Christian… stop yelling. She is sleeping.'

'What happened? How did this happened?' he asks looking at Mrs Grey and Kate who is sitting by Annie's side with bruises and a bandage at her forearm.

'We were walking back to the apartment and just as we reached our apartment, a black Mustang swayed at the side walk and hit Ana. She flew few yards and fell on the grass. One of the neighbor helped us to bring her here. It all happened in a flash.' As I turn to Annie, Mr Grey is already holding her hand and looking at her soft face. Maybe Annie won't endup as another knot at the playroom bed post. Maybe she is the girl for him. I sit beside Annie but Mr Grey just didn't stop looking at her.

'Is she going to be alright?'

'Christian, Gail, Jason, Kate… Annie took a bad hit on her head. Her concussion is bad. Her forearm has a hairline crack and she has bruises all over her. I have given her sedation and painkillers to ease her. We will see how she is doing tomorrow.'

'If only she listened to me… if only she had dinner with me, all this wouldn't have happened.'

'Dinner?' Kate asks.

'Yea. I asked her for dinner but she declined. She said she wants to celebrate with Kate.'

'Ana didn't say anything about going for lunch with you.' Kate says sadly.

'Is she going to be alright mom?'