"Can you please call your daughter?" We were walking hand in hand back to the hotel room. "I spoke to her earlier and she sounded downright depressed without you there. I told her you'd call before bed." Christian frowned and dug his cell out of his pocket, dropping my hand.

"Mrs. Taylor, can you put my princess on the phone?" I rolled my eyes. She's spoiled rotten. Christians face lights up and I know Phoebe's wearing the same goofy expression. "Have you been a good girl today?" Sometimes it still shocks me seeing him in "daddy" mode. "I miss you too P." He's such a softie when it comes to her. I wish I got the same treatment. I see his eyes shoot to me as I sigh and giggle at him. "Love you. Mommy says she loves you too. Good night Phoebe." We reach our room and he hangs up the phone.

"It really isn't fair." I chide.

"What isn't Mrs. Grey?" He's running his knuckles along my jaw line.

"You're all hugs and kisses with Phoebe and if I even roll my eyes you put me across your knee. You do remember I was the vessel for your beloved princess for nine months don't you?"

"Anastasia Grey! Are you jealous of your own daughter? The fruit of your own womb?" He teases me and he eyes go soft.

"I'm just saying it would be nice to receive some of that love once in a while." I smile up at him.

He cocks his head to the side and grins. "Do we need to repeat this morning to remind you of just how much I love you?"

"Maybe." I whisper. And just like that I'm being whisked away to the bedroom.

"Good morning Mr. Grey." I've already showered and am now running my hands through Christians hair. I kiss him at the corner of his lips. He stirs under my touch.

"Hello." He looks at me sleepily.

"I have your coffee ready." I croon at him. Seeing him like this reminds me of Teddy when he was younger. I've only had three children but I have four babies. "Come on and get up." I walk away knowing that if I stand there long enough, I'll end up right next to him, or under him rather.

"Did you cook breakfast?" He asks running his hand through his morning hair.

"No." I smiled. "I ordered room service."

Christian stiffens when he gets a full look at what I'm wearing, beach cover up and sandals with my wicker bag on the breakfast bar. "Going somewhere?" He raises his eye brows and takes a sip of his coffee.

"Yep. And so are you after we eat. I do believe I wanted to swim yesterday and I fully intend to today."

"You just assumed that I would come with you?"

"Well I convinced you to let Taylor and Sawyer stay behind and after yesterdays… incident I know you aren't going to let me go anywhere by myself." I rolled my eyes at him.

"I can't get anything pass you." He smiles but after taking a bite of his omelet, his smile disappears.

"Not good?" I hope he doesn't want to send it back, that'll take forever and I really do want to go swimming.

"It's fine. Just not as good as yours or Gail's. You two have me spoiled." He smiles at me.

"Well be a good boy and eat up so we can go." I'm walking to the bathroom when Christians Blackberry lights up. "It's your mom!" I yell over to him.

"Answer it."

"Grace?"

"Ana?" The wrong voice was on the other side and whoever it is is crying.

"Mia?" Christian noticed my change of tone and turned around. "Mia what's wrong?" Christian tries to take the phone from me but I swat away his hand.

"It's… it's dad. He's had a stroke. He's-" She breaks down and I think I might melt where I stand.

"No. No. Mia. Mia what are you saying."
"Oh Ana!" She's crying and tears are rolling down my face. Christian's looking at me waiting for me to give him some information and the line goes dead. Oh Fifty! How is he going to handle this?

"Anastasia," His voice is low but serious. "What is going on? Why are you crying? What did Mia say?"

I wipe my tears and try to put on a brave face. I have to be strong for Christian. "I really don't know how to tell you this." I walk over to the bed and sit. I'm trying to muster up the courage to let the words come out of my mouth. He sits next to me and I take his hands in mine. When I look into his eyes I can tell he's confused and scared; more of the latter. "Sweetie, it's your father." He stiffens and another tear escapes. I can't believe I'm about to do this. This man has given Christian the world and was there for him when his own parents weren't. "He's-. Mia told me he's had a stroke." He breathes in sharply.

"But he's going to-" I just shake my head. I can't bear to say it.

"I'm so sorry Christian." A pang of pain flashes across his face and instantly he's on his feet packing. "Should I call-" I felt like I should be doing something.

"Just pack your things, call Taylor and tell him that we're going home." For once I do exactly as I'm told. I know he isn't to be messed with and I wouldn't, not right now.

During the twelve hour flight I don't touch Christian at all. I don't speak to him I just watch him. He gazes at nothing the entire time. I want to reach out and hold him and tell him it'll be okay and tell him we'll get through this together but I can't find the will to move. When we land at Sea-Tac it's three in the morning and we head straight to Christians parents house. He hasn't spoken to me since the hotel. I'm worried and I contemplate calling Dr. Flynn but I know that wouldn't go over well with Christian. When we get to the house I'm dead tired and I'm sure Christian is too. We're greeted at the door by Kate who embraces me.

"I'm sorry you guys had to cut your vacation short." Christian doesn't look at either of us.

"Mother." He says shortly.

"She in her bed room." Kate mutters.

He starts to walk up the stairs and I guess he could feel me watching him because he turns and tries his hardest to smile reassuringly at me.

"Come on." Kate pulls me to the dining room where Ethan, Mia, Eliot and a sleeping Hope have gathered. There's seven empty wine bottles on the island.

"Ana!" Mia runs over and slams into me throwing her arms around my neck. I instantly come apart in her embrace and Kate joins in. The three musketeers, as Ethan calls us, in a group hug in the middle of the kitchen bawling like babies.

"How about a drink Ana?" Eliot asks when we finally release each other.

"No I'm fine." It's Christian I'm worried about add mentally.

"How is he?" Mia murmurs.

"I'm not sure. I've never seen him like this. It's like he stopped living and has just been existing. He wouldn't speak to me. He was just doing things but it was like he wasn't really there."

"The last time he was like that was when.." Mia trailed off and she didn't have to finish. The last time anyone had seen him like this was all those years ago when I left. I instantly felt guilty, even though I had nothing to do with it this time. I just wanted to my Fifty to be okay. I wanted him to talk to me. I wanted him to cry. I wanted him to scream. I wanted him to do something. I needed him to react; to show some type of emotion.

I was on my way to look for Christian when my phone rang. It was the house. I'm not really sure why we had a land line but no one ever used it, except for right now apparently.

"Mom?"

"Ted? What are you doing out of bed?"

"I um… I was looking for Mrs. Taylor I wanted to drink some water and I heard Mr. Taylor on the phone." My face went white and I stopped breathing. No. Please tell me this isn't what I think it is. "He said that grandpa died? Mom? Is it true? Is grandpa really dead?"

I could feel the tears starting again and I could hear them in his voice. "Yes Ted. It's true."

"But! But he told me he was going to take me fishing. Mom he promised me!" He was shouting and I could hear Gail calling for him.

"Ted I'm on my way home. I'll be there as soon as I can."

He was really crying now. "But he promised…" He whispered and the line went dead. Oh my sweet boy.