Chapter 6

CPOV:

It's been over 36 hours, and Ana still has not woken up. People have been dropping by to check on her. But I have not moved from her side for an instant. Flynn came by with his wife to visit and even he seemed upset with what happened. Everyone has grown to love Ana so much in such a short time. She really is something. Taylor had brought Gail along and both of them have been driving themselves sick with worry.

Carla was almost hysterical when she saw her daughter lying motionless. It took Kate and Grace hours to calm her down. Even Ana's assistant and Dr. Greene dropped by for a while.

The police wanted a statement from me but Taylor managed to get rid of them for a while.

My father came to update me on Jack Hyde's condition. Hyde's still unconscious. Apparently Ana managed to put a bullet through him and Taylor did send him to the mouth of death before the paramedics had arrived. I never assumed that Taylor would lose his cool like that. Carrick told me Hyde's under 24- hours surveillance, and the minute he can be moved, he'll be taken to a high security prison, till he can face trial. Carrick promised me that he'll make sure that Hyde never sees the light of day again.

Ana's nurses and doctors have been checking on her periodically. Her surgeon told me that they have put Ana under a medically induced coma, and that's why she's been so unresponsive. She informed that Ana will wake up as soon as her body and mind let her.

Everyone tried convincing me to go home and rest for a while but I refused. Finally Taylor brought me a change of clothes and pointed out that it'll be better if Ana woke up to see me fresh and clean instead of covered in her blood. It was only then that I realized what a mess I was. My shirt was stained with Ana's blood from when I was holding her and so were my hands. I agreed to leave her side only for 10 minutes as I cleaned up in the adjoining bathroom of the hospital room.

It's nearly 8 O' Clock and I'm sitting alone in the room with Ana's hand in mine, when I hear some commotion outside the room. It seems like my mother's shouting at someone. I don't want to leave Ana's side but I also want to find out what's wrong. I'm debating inside my head when the door flies open and Kate rushes in followed by Elliot and Mia. "Elena's here." Elliot spits out with such venom in his voice.

I'm shocked! How dare she come here after I cut all ties with her?

"Go calm down mom. We'll stay with Ana till you come back." Mia says gently.

I don't want to leave Ana but I need to kick Elena out of here before she comes into the room; though I doubt Taylor would ever let that happen. I nod at Mia and walk out of the room to find mom screaming all sorts of profanities at Elena and Taylor standing there looking helpless.

I rush over to my mom and tell her to calm down and she pauses for a second to look at me.

Elena uses this opportunity to speak up. "Oh Christian, darling. Look at you; you're such a mess!" she tries to come close to me but my mother steps in between.

"How dare you address my son like that after he cut all ties with you? Get away from him!" her voice is cold but menacing.

But Elena has the audacity to bark out a fake laugh. "Oh honey, didn't Christian tell you we have rekindled our friendship? He came running to me right after he found out he was going to be a father. Such an emotional mess he was that day. Wanted to get rid of that "thing" as he addressed it. It was me who convinced him to keep it. But I guess it was never meant to be was it? Anyhow, its good in a way isn't it... Christian would never have made a good father. I only convinced him to keep the baby so that he could see that for himself..." she utters the last few words looking directly into my eyes.

I'm shaking with rage, I can't believe I let such a horrible manipulative bitch control me for years. I'm about to ask Taylor to kick her out when I see my mother's hand fly out and make contact with her face with a loud smack!

Both Taylor and I look at her with shock. "Don't you ever dare to contact anyone in this family again, you filthy lying whore. Get away from here, from my family. In fact get away from this city and if I ever see you again I will make sure you spend the rest of your life in behind the bars." I have never seen Grace like this. Her threat managed to scare me. I wonder what she'll say to me when she realizes that part of what Elena said is true.

Grace looks at Taylor and asks him to take Elena out of the premises. "And get a restraining order on her" she instructs. All this while Elena doesn't utter a word, she seems to be in shock. I guess she's not used to being treated like this.

Once Taylor has taken Elena out of our sight, Grace turns around to look at me. Her eyes are cold. "Come with me right away." Her voice is equally cold.

I follow her to her chamber in the hospital and she commands me to sit on the chair while she sits on her chair across the desk. "How much of that is true son?" she asks

I stare at my folded hands on my lap, unable to form a reply. "Answer right away before I make assumptions." My mother says as calmly as she can.

I look at her and my voice is barely a whisper; "I didn't run to her as she claimed. After Ana broke the news to me; I panicked and told all those nasty things and then I left her alone; crying. I tried calling John but he was not in town. So I found the nearest bar and I was drinking myself to oblivion, angry at myself, at Ana, when Elena came in and saw me. I suppose it was near her salon and she was just dropping in after a day at work. She came and sat next to me and asked me what's wrong. I told her Ana wanted kids but I never mentioned the pregnancy to her. I never told her that I wanted Ana to get an abortion. I just told her that I was scared to be a father. She assured me that I'm worrying without reason and I'll be great with a child and then we simply parted ways. After that I went back home to Ana. I was so drunk and out of it that Ana had to put me to bed. It's then that she found a few messages that Elena had sent after we left from the bar, on my phone. That's what pissed her off most. That's why she was so angry with me. And I was an idiot. Couldn't get myself to apologize. Instead I flipped out on her for checking my phone. I left for Portland shortly and that's when I realized what an asshole I am for treating my wife like that. I realized that I do love this baby and I was rushing back to her but Jack Hyde got to her before me."

I see a series of emotions pass through my mother's eyes before she speaks again. "Oh Christian, why did you hurt Ana so much! This is appalling. I don't know if I would have forgiven you had it been me in her place."

What she says scares me. I guess she finally gets how badly I messed up.

When she speaks up again, her voice is soft but cold, "Christian you are my son and I will always love you. But should Ana decide not to forgive you, I will take her side. And I suppose the rest of the family will too. You have to fight for her forgiveness, son if she decides otherwise. You'll be on your own then. Because I will support Ana through all of it."

I nod dumbly, acknowledging what she said. Her words send me spiraling into depression and I feel like a lost 4 year old again! I don't know what to say. I simply get up to leave. I wander down the hallways, till I find myself in front of Ana's room again.

I know I have blundered and probably fucked up our relationship but I have almost lost Ana. More than once in fact. I know that living without her is not an option. So I will fight for her. I will fight tooth and nail till I can make Ana see how much I love her. And I can only hope that she will be the forgiving, selfless Ana I fell in love with. I walk in the room to find Kate, Elliot and Mia still huddled around Ana. They get up to leave as they see me. Once again I'm left with alone with Ana, praying and whispering to her to open her eyes soon.