A quick warning for this chapter: some of the information of the whole Elena/Ethan plot won't seem like it really adds up, but that's intentional, as one very important piece of the puzzle is still missing and won't be revealed until probably chapter 20 or 21...
To lesbonmots: lol I blame The Vampire Diaries if the last chapter seemed to be a bit cheesy. I wrote the last four chapters while I was on vacation and I usually don't watch TV, but one evening my hubby went to get us some more wine and I decided to watch TV in the meantime, I watched the season finale and Damon died... when my husband returned I was a sobbing mess and I ended up writing the last and this chapter in one night with one too many glasses of wine... so I guess this chapter might be a bit cheesy too, but I needed some fluff after my favorite vampire died lol...
Oh and to the guest who reviewed in chapter 15 and asked that Elena should please not rape or molest Christian... First, reading your review put some really disturbing pictures in my head and second... eww... no that is a hard limit for me, because it would mean I had to write from Elena's POV and write some sort of sick and twisted lemon with her as the protagonist... again eww lol... so don't worry about that...
And lastly, NO amnesia... I used that idea once in another story and I am not going to use it again...
Christian
As I slowly wake I refuse to open my eyes afraid that I am still alive... doomed to live in a world without Ana. The last days have been a nightmare and even for me, a guy who had nightmares for most of his life this is the worst, because I can't wake up from it. Elena enjoyed to tell me how she pulled me out of the burning cabin while Ana died in the fire.
How did I not wake up? I let her die and my one chance to be with her again was letting Elena kill me. Yet, here I am still alive. I guess now it is official, I am cursed. I hear a door open but keep my eyes closed. I don't want to see Elena again. Fucking bitch, told me she would bury me alive. Yeah, as if...
"Did he wake up?" What... wait... this was my Dad's voice.
"No, so far nothing. Damn it bro, wake up... fuck Dad, I'm scared, what if something is wrong with him... I mean what if his brain is damaged."
"I'm fine, Elliot" Fuck me, my voice sounds horrible. I open my eyes and realise I am in a hospital. My Dad and Elliot are there and I see my mother's purse on a table in the corner.
"Oh, thank fuck. Christ you scared the shit out of me bro, probably cost me years of my life" Elliot jokes, but I just stare at him. Ana is dead, how can he be joking?
"Oh man, Ana will be pissed. She told the nurse she didn't want to get those tests done now, but they insisted, she wanted to be here when you wake up."
What? Did he just... "Ana is here... she is alive?"
"Yes, she was here all night, but they had to check her lungs and do some other tests you know after having a smoke intoxication and leaving the hospital to safe your ass she needs a little rest."
"What? Explain, please." my throat is so dry it fucking hurts to speak, but I need to know what happened.
"Okay, so apparently Ethan Kavanagh was a creepy stalker who was obsessed with Ana. He was a patient of Flynn and bugged his office so he could listen to Ana when she was there for her appointments. Crazy fucker listened to you and John talking about your date with Ana and went of the deep end. He put that bottle of wine in the fridge and spiked it. Then he set the cabin on fire thinking both you and Ana were passed out. But Ana never drank the wine so she woke up from the fire, tried to wake you up and when you wouldn't she pulled you out, managed to call Taylor and passed out. Ethan wanted to kill you both and Elena, who was following you, probably to kill you both too showed up and knocked him out. She put him into the cabin where he died and then she took you with her."
Fuck, so much for it being safe to stay at the cabin...
"When Taylor and the firemen arrived they found only Ana outside and Ethan's burned body inside what was left of the cabin. We thought it was you. Ana couldn't tell us what happened as she was first passed out for more than 12 hours and then her parents told her you are dead and she became so hysterical she nearly suffocated. They had to sedate her and yesterday when the Detective assigned to the case talked to her she told him that she pulled you out, so you couldn't be the body they found. Ana freaked out because they wouldn't start looking for you immediately, so she took over and well... Taylor can tell you about that... just know that within 12 hours you were found and Elena is dead."
"She killed her?" I gasp... not that I mind Elena burning in hell, but I don't think Ana could deal with taking someones life.
"No son, I shot her. She was about to pull a gun out, I had Ana's gun and shot her."
"Are you in trouble?"
"No, the case will be closed. Don't worry about me. Do you need anything, are you in pain?"
"No, just thirsty" I croak and Elliot pushes the button for the nurse who comes in.
"You're awake, oh your fiancée will be upset, she wanted to be here." she says and I frown.
"Your fiancée... Miss Steele?" she asks and I smirk when Elliot winks at me.
"My son is thirsty... could you please get him some water and call the Doctor" my Dad says and she nods and hurries away.
"You are on the ICU bro, only family members can visit you. Sawyer told the nurse that Ana is your financée so they would let her in."
30 minutes later the Doctor checked on me and I finally could drink some water, but all I want is to see Ana. I need to make sure she is fine. I need to see with my own eyes that Elena lied.
"Hey bro, Mia is on her way. I texted mom and she will be here in with Ana in five minutes."
"How is Ana?"
"She is fine, just needs some rest ... you know less crazy stalkers and all"
"Yeah me too, where is Dad?"
"Outside with Detective Clark, fucker can't wait to talk to you. Dad is telling him he can come back tomorrow. Don't worry, he can wait."
Suddenly we both hear Ana's pouty voice outside the room. "Please Grace, I can walk... I hate this stupid wheelchair."
"Anastasia Rose, stop arguing with me, you can get out of it as soon as we are in Christian's room." our mother scolds her and I smirk. The door opens and then I see her. Ana is pale, she has dark circles under her eyes and looks completely exhausted, still she is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen.
"Christian!" she exclaims, jumps out of the wheelchair and is by my side in a second. I wrap my arms around her and just enjoy the feeling of her in my arms. She is really here!
"I thought I never see you again" Ana sobs and know exactly how she feels, though it is still mind-boggling that she feels the same way about me.
"I know... I am here baby, don't cry."
"So-sorry" She sniffs and sits on the edge of the bed to look at me. "Do you need anything? Has the doctor seen you? I can..."
"I am fine, baby. But you look beat... and I want to say hi to my mom" I say as I catch sight of Grace crying from the corner of my eye.
"Sure." Ana gets up to make space for my mom and the second she does my mom is at my side, for the first in my life disrespecting all of my boundaries and hugs me tightly.
"Oh Christian, you scared me so much. I thought I've lost you." she sobs and I hold her close knowing that she needs this right now.
"Mom, I am fine, please don't cry."
"I'm sorry, but when I thought you were dead... and then we found you and you weren't breathing... oh Christian don't you ever scare me like that again." my mom sobs into my neck and I look at Ana and Elliot.
"I wasn't breathing?"
"You don't remember what happened?"Elliot asks.
"Not everything, the last thing I remember is Elena knocking me out, she said she wanted to bury me alive..." as I say those words I see Ana tear up, my mom stiffens and Elliot shifts uncomfortably.
"She did?"
"Yes, when we arrived at the cabin she was about to leave, Ana held her at gunpoint and Dad stayed with her while the rest of us searched the cabin for you. Suddenly we all heard Ana yell for help and found her in the backyard of the cabin shoving dirt away with her bare hands. We all started to dig and got you out... you didn't breathe for a couple of seconds I thought... but you are here" Elliot says and I shudder.
Fucking bitch really did it, suddenly I feel like the walls of the room are closing in. My chest feels tight and the next I remember is Ana cupping my face in my hands telling me to take slow deep breaths.
"Ana what..."
"Hush, it's alright. You just panicked a little. Just breathe with me, it's alright... you are safe."
Damn, if that's what Ana is feeling when she has a panic attack I have no idea how she manages to seem so normal all the time, this was one of the most petrifying experiences of my life.
"You need to rest, sleep Christian, we are all here" my mom says and I am too exhausted to answer so I close my eyes and drift off.
When I wake up again the room is empty except for Ana who is curled up on the cot next to my bed sleeping peacefully. I gaze drifts to her hands which are both covered in bandage and I shudder at the thought that my girlfriend had to dig me out of a makeshift grave with her bare hands.
"I know that you are staring at me" Ana's sleepy voice pulls me back from my thoughts.
"I could watch you forever, baby." I answer truthfully and watch her sit up and stretch.
"Do you feel better?" she asks and I nod.
"Good, hungry?" My gaze drifts to the tray with what I assume is now cold soup and I grimace in disgust. Most hospital food is not good to begin with, but eating it cold seems like cruel and unusual punishment.
"Don't worry, we can do much better than that" she grins and locks the door by pushing a chair under the handle, next she bends down and pulls a bag from underneath the cot.
"I waited for you to wake up, Gail send Reynolds here to bring us dinner. How about Gail's chicken soup and freshly baked dinner rolls?" she asks.
"Now you're talking" I smirk and she unloads two plates and spoons, napkins, a box with dinner rolls and a big thermos bottle. She opens it and the smell of Gail's soup fills the room. Damn, I am starving!
A minute later we are both devouring our food and I even manage a second helping while Ana flops back on the cot and watches me.
"So, you are my fiancée now?" I ask between two mouths full.
"Yup, Sawyer officially declared us as engaged." she giggles and I relish in this sound, but then I see the bandage on her hands again.
"Tell me what happened. In the cabin after I fell asleep." I try to sound like it is not a big deal for me, but I know Ana can see right through it.
"Christian, please... not tonight. You need to rest."
"No, I need to know."
Ana
"Okay" I sigh and get up to sit on the edge of his bed.
"I watched you sleep for a while until I fell asleep too. I woke up a couple of hours later because I couldn't breathe. I tried to wake you up, but you didn't wake. I made sure you were still alive and pulled you out of the cabin. By that time I had inhaled so much smoke already that I was in a critical state and I just managed to call Taylor for help and passed out."
I stop and take a couple of deep breaths before I continue. "When I woke up again I was in the hospital and my parents were with me. I was unconscious for about 12 hours. I asked them where you were and at first they just told me I needed to rest, but I insisted to see you and ... and my Dad told me you died... I don't remember much after that ... I panicked ... couldn't breath and was sedated. That knocked me out for almost a complete day and when I woke up... it felt like I was completely numb."
I stop again and try to fight the tears. Just thinking about this horrible hours where I thought I had lost Christian forever... it's to painful to think about.
"Hey, it's okay... you don't have to go on if it is too much for you Ana."
"No, you have a right to know what happened... so around noon or a little later Elliot and Detective Clark came to see me. He wanted to question me about the fire and I asked him if I could see you... to .. to say goodbye. That's when I found out that the body they've found was burned beyond recognition. I told them that I pulled you out, but no one besides Elliot would believe me. So I decided if no one was going to look for you I had to do it myself. I tried to think of a reason why you didn't wake from the fire and remembered the wine you drank. I called John and he told me he didn't put it there. I called Gail and she told me it was already there when she arrived, so I knew something about the wine couldn't be right. Around that time the coroner called to tell Detective Clark that your dental records did not match the body."
"Why did it take them almost two days to check my dental records?" Christian asks.
"Because your dentist was on vacation. Anyway... I had Taylor call your security team and Welch together at Escala and told them what to do. I let them search John's office because I was sure it was bugged. There was no way Gail would put the wine there to help Elena kill us and John... I didn't want to believe that. Welch found the bug and also noticed that Ethan was a patient of John. Turns out that he was stalking me for months. It had nothing to do with Elena. It was just really bad luck. He went off the deep end when he heard that we would go on a date and wanted to kill us. You know... if he couldn't have me then no one could and I deserved to die too, because I chose someone else... Welch found tons of notebooks and journals ... it's disturbing."
"He did not work with Elena?"
"No, at least that is what she said, she was following you and when she saw Ethan lit the cabin she probably thought he did the dirty work for her. But then they both saw me pulling you out of the cabin. When I passed out Ethan wanted to kill us and Elena knocked him out and put him in the cabin before she took you."
"How did you find me?"
"After Welch called me to let me know about Ethan stalking me I called Kate to ask where he is and she told me he was staying at a cabin his parents bought recently... I just knew that Elena was there. I thought they were working together, but Detective Clark told Carrick today that the cabin belonged to Elena's ex husband before the Kavanagh's bought it, so this could be coincidence. Anyway... we drove there and I saw Elena was about to leave. I stopped her and after some bitching on her part she basically told me that I am too late and that she had buried you alive. Carrick stayed with her and the rest of us dug you out. For a few awful moments I thought I had lost you again." I whisper not trusting my voice and I swallow down my tears.
"I am sorry Ana. It's my fault, I thought this was a safe trip, that's why I decided to take Charlie Tango, so no one could follow us. I should have made Taylor stay there too, I am so sorry baby..."
"No, please... don't apologize or do you blame me for Ethan being a crazy stalker?"
He actually looks horrified hearing me say this. "Ana none of this is your fault!"
"See, and it is not your fault either. Do you want to tell me what happened you know with Elena?"
Christian looks uncomfortable and pulls me in his arms before he starts to speak. "When I woke up I was tied to a chair. For a second I didn't know what to think and then I saw Elena and I knew something was terribly wrong, but I passed out before she could even say something. I was in and out of consciousness for most of the time. But the one time I was fully awake she told me you died in the fire... and she wanted us to leave the country together, start over somewhere else. She was completely crazy and I ... I thought if you are dead and she would kill me it was my one chance to be with you again. She told me she would bury me alive for rejecting her, but I never thought she would actually do it. She knocked me out again, that's the last thing I remember."
I snuggle closer into him, just needing to feel him close to him.
"Ana, there is something I need to say... and I need to say it now, because I am selfish and I can't be selfish when it comes to you." I lift my head to look into his eyes and I don't like the what I see in his eyes at all. He has this looks he has sometimes when he says or doesn't something he doesn't want to, but knows it has to be done.
"If after everything that happened you feel like it's too much... if you feel like I dragged you into this crazy world ... then I have to let you go. I want you happy and with me it will always be death threats and security and crazy stalkers. I wish I could offer you a world that is perfect, but I can't and I don't want you to suffer under all of this. So, if you think you can't do this I'll get it." he says and even though he is trying to sound convincing I see the fear in his eyes.
"Christian. I love you. I am not going anywhere. I can deal with a lot of crazy and security following us everywhere. And you do offer me a perfect world, moments like this when you hold me in your arms, that is perfect to me. If I can have this than everything else is worth it. Do you really think I would leave you?"
"The thought came to me" he murmurs cautiously.
"Christian I am not leaving you, not now, not ever. Tell me what can I do to make you feel safe that I am staying?"
He looks at me and I know he is weighing something up in his mind. "You could marry me. I need you to marry me so I know this is real, that even with all the fucked up shit in my life you want me... that you are not going to leave me and to show everyone that you are mine." he says in a rush and I stare at him.
Marriage? Okay... I actually never really thought about getting married at twenty-two. But as I think about it his words keep repeating in my mind. I need you to marry me so I know this is real, that even with all the fucked up shit in my life you want me...
He stills fears I am going to leave him and I realise that Christian who always appears strong and confident is still very insecure. But I can't blame him, he was neglected by his mother, abused by her pimp and later by Elena so the sad truth is even with all the love he experienced from the Grey's, neglect and abuse followed him through all of his life and in this moment I decide that I am going to break this circle now. If this is what he needs then I can give it to him.
"Yes"
"What?" he murmurs in a hushed whisper.
"I want to marry you, because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
"Really?" he ask and his lips quirk up into a face splitting grin.
"Yes, really"
The next second he kisses with so much passion that I am breathless when he pulls away.
"I am going to make you happy, Ana. I promise." he says with a ridiculous big smile on his face.
"I am happy, now." I answer with the same smile.
"So, how soon do you think we can get married, baby?"
"Well, if it was just up to us, I would say we could go to the courthouse as soon as we are released from the hospital, but let's face it Grace and my Mom would be devastated if they couldn't plan the perfect wedding for us. So I would say next april or may"
Christian doesn't look pleased with that answer and I know that waiting for another 5 or 6 months is not what he has in mind.
"We could do both." I offer.
"Both?"
"We could get married at the courthouse as soon as we are out of here and still have a second wedding next spring, so our moms won't be upset that they couldn't plan the perfect wedding for us. Who says we can only marry once?"
"You would really do this for me?"
"Yes, and I'm not just doing this for you. I'm doing this because I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Besides, it's not like I didn't know for all my life that one day I would marry you." I giggle and he laughs.
"Good thing I discovered my feelings for you early, eh?" he smirks and I kiss him again.
"Yes, so do we have a deal? Courthouse in a couple of days and a bigger wedding next spring to make our moms happy?"
"Yes, I love you, baby. I can't wait for you to be wife"
"I love you too, my soon to be husband" ...