The Red Room – an alternate version (one shot)

A/N: This tidbit was inspired by MyIdea's 'The Red Room of Pain', a oneshot about Christian's point of view during the first time with Ana in the Red Room. In my fanfic, Ana's Subconscious nails her Inner Goddess with a roundhouse punch for a TKO, and she comes to her senses just in time.


'Annie, what in the hell are you doing?'

I gasp, stiffening, at Ray's voice in my head. Like a needle screeching across a record, his voice cuts through the fog of my lust that has me here, near naked, kneeling in the red room. What the hell AM I doing? Waiting like some… some dog, until his damned lordship decides he cares to get his ass back here? Waiting for him to use those weapons on me, cause me pain? What the hell was I thinking? FUCK THIS!

I bolt to my feet and dash for my clothes, snugging into my bra and pulling on my dress in record time. I carry my shoes, and race to the door, opening it just enough to slide out and flying down the hallway, flying down the steps faster than I think I've ever moved in my life. I zip past the breakfast bar, snagging my purse in stride, and in the next second I'm out the door. As I'm skidding to a stop in front of the elevator, I'm already jamming the down button.

Miracle of miracles, the car was waiting! The doors slide open immediately and I jump in, mashing the button for the parking garage. The door silently close as I let out a huge breath of relief. I'm panting, appalled at what I'd let him talk me into. As the car descends, all I can think about is that if Kate were being pursued by Christian, she'd have kicked him in the nuts by now, not been blinded by hormones and kneeling in that damned torture chamber. Hell, who knows how many other women he's had in there, doing all that sick shit! Yuck! Well dammit, I'm not gonna be one of them.

Stupid, stupid Ana! The first guy you feel something for and he's a fucked up twisted mess. You deserve better than this, how many times has Ray told you that you deserve to have all good things in your life. Well that twisted fuck isn't one of them. Even his damned contract was for a lousy 3 months, then apparently I'd have gotten kicked to the curb, replaced by someone new. Fuck that!

The floors tick down, until the doors finally open to the parking level. I scramble out, and my motor skills desert me – I trip over the edge and go flying face first, landing hard on my knees. The pain blinds me for a second or two, before I open my eyes with a grimace and force myself to stand. My shoes have scattered, and I don't have time to waste searching for them. I grab my purse and rush to my car. Shaking, I press the button to open the door, sliding in to the red Audi and firing it up, the alert dinging at me to put on my seat belt. I do, then I'm reversing fast, and with a screech of tires I'm out of there.

Fuck Christian Grey and his damned dungeon and his too damned expensive gifts! I never wanted this car, or the damned books, or the blackberry or the Macbook. Racing home, I'm thankful there's little traffic. I slide into a parking spot just a few steps from the door, and hurry up to my apartment, well, Kate's apartment. I know that bastard will show up here, and I can't chance falling under his spell again.

Running into my room, I grab a duffle out of the closet, throw in some jeans, tshirts, underwear, and my shower bag and makeup. I carry it into the bathroom and swipe my stuff off the sink ledge into it, uncaring where it lands – I haven't the time! I zip it, walk out of the bath, grab the Macbook from my desk and yank the cord from the wall, taking with it the cord from the phone charger. I grab the charger as well, and am about to head out of my room when it dawns on me – shoes! Fumbling with my arms full, I manage to grab my sneaks, and head out to the living room.

There are still a few empty boxes from our unpacking and I grab one of the smaller, heavier cardboard ones. In goes the laptop, the charger, and the cords. I grab those first editions and throw them in on top. Thankfully Kate is in Barbados, so I've no witnesses to my craziness right now. I need to get somewhere safe, and the sooner the better. Out of the bowl on the kitchen table, I grab Kate's car keys then run out the door, slamming it behind me as I am again racing barefoot down the stairs. My heart's beating like wardrums, as I glance outside, left, right, before leaving the safety of the building door. So far so good. I run to Kate's Mercedes, open the driver's door, throw the stuff over to the passenger side, climb in and take off. Made it!

Once I get to where I'm going, I'll pack all the crap he gave me, including the keys to that Audi, with some foam peanuts, and ship it back to him. I'll need to include a note. Hmm, what to say? 'Here's your stuff back?' No, not forceful enough. I need to tell him that this is over. Oh, and I need to get the monies from him selling my Wanda. Let's see, how about 'I don't want your trinkets and I don't want you. The only thing I want is whatever you got from the sale of my car.' Yeah, better.

The crush of fear begins to subside as I try breathing deeper, pointing the car toward Montesano, and the one person I can trust right now to keep me safe.