Fifty Shades Shattered

Chapter 43

Ana

I felt really strange as I walked out of the elevator following closely behind Christian and Taylor. I really hadn't been here in a very long time. I was here shortly after the bombings, and again as Elliot was rebuilding the apartment. At the time it was really hard to be in here, but as I walk through the foyer I stop to marvel at how much the place had changed. It looked nothing like it use to. The whole apartment was very open.

"Ana, the kids are down," Christian says as he pulls me into an embrace.

"Christian, this place is so different," I say as I am still marveling at the beauty of this place.

"Yeah, it was Mom's idea. She thought that creating a new floor plan might help with old reminders. I liked the idea thinking that we might need the space one day," he says leading me to the large windows that surrounded the front living area.

"I will admit I was worried on the way over here, but once I step foot in the foyer all of it vanished. I think it was how different it was in here," I say with a small smile.

"Thank you. The security team will be working round the clock to protect this place. I don't want you to stress about this. I meant it when I said that I am going to be cutting back. I will need to see Ros to go over things, but will be home quickly. Things will get done quicker since we are in the city now," he says making me feel a little more at ease.

He was right about it though. I was glad he was going to be cutting back some on work. It really touched him when Teddy made the comment about him being at work all the time. We were lucky to see him in the morning, and a lot of time he'd be home well past the kids' bedtime.

"Let's go to bed, it's been a long day," I say as I once again follow him. He takes me upstairs. He points out Grace's and Teddy's rooms to me. I look in to see both kids are indeed asleep. Sawyer is sitting in a chair outside of the rooms with a tablet in his hand.

"Mr. Grey Ana," he says getting up.

"Sawyer," I say as he sits back down.

"He wanted to make sure that nothing happens to us. There are cameras in the hallway and outside of the windows, but this time around only the balcony in our room has a door. We aren't taking any chances," he says as he opens the door at the end of the hallway.

I was in love with the room. As you walk into the room the bed is in the middle of a wall of windows. I look to the right and see the balcony he was talking about. Our bathroom was to the left next to a huge closet. I guess some things just don't change. It was similar to the old room, but the colors were different.

"The windows are bullet proof, and there is no stairs to our balcony. We are literally in an ivory tower," he smirks as he says the words. I remember saying them to him early on in our relationship when he was being over bearing.

"Great, no how will I ever escape you," I smirk right back at him as he pounces on me. I loved this man so damn much, I hated that their seemed to always be someone or something out there to get him. After making out for a long time, we change into our pajamas. I feel so safe and loved as I fall asleep.

*****Fifty Shades Shattered********

Christian

I was proud of Ana as she looked around the apartment. She had gone through a horrendous experience in the previous one. I just wanted her to feel safe in this one. There had been times over the years that I had put it up for sell, but for some reason I just couldn't get rid of it. I helped Elliot with the redesign. I didn't want it to haunt Ana if she ever did decide to come back to it. I guess it was a good thing I kept it.

I loved Ana so much, but found myself wondering if she would be better off without me in her life. She was showing so much, her baby bump wasn't huge it was perfect for her frame. I rubbed my hand softly over it whispering my love to it. Ana had decided not to find out what she was having. She said that no matter what we have we'll love it unconditionally. I was excited that in a little over a month our little baby would finally be here.

I was looking forward to meeting with Ros to talk with her about my plan. I wanted to be an active father, not one that merely made appearances. Teddy gave me a rude awakening with his words. I quietly slipped out of bed pulling on a t-shirt to go with my pajama bottoms. I closed the door to the room to keep it quiet for Ana. Sawyer was still in the hallway.

"Mr. Grey," he says as he stands up.

"Sawyer, I think the children will be alright. Take a walk with me," I say as I head to the kitchen. I am not the least bit surprised to see both Gail and Taylor already seated at the counter.

"Sir," Taylor says as he stands up.

"I thought you would be asleep," I motion toward the two of them.

"Couldn't sleep," Gail says as she pours a cup of coffee for me.

"Yeah, neither could I," I mutter as I join them. "How is it that running a multibillion company is a walk in the park, but keeping my family safe is harder than my work," I ask.

"I don't have the answer to that, but we have updated the system, only hired the best men to protect the family, and installed several high def cameras throughout the apartment. This time even if the power is cut there is a generator just for our apartment. It can only be turned off once it's on by your handprint," Taylor says as I take in all the extra precautions they have done to keep this place safe.

"I was wondering who is on detail for Ana and the family," I question.

"Sawyer and Ryan will be on Mrs. Grey. Preston and Fisher will be on Grace outside of the apartment, and little Teddy will have Reynolds and Mason. I will be staying on you with Keaton," Taylor says.

"Marks and Brads will rotate in when needed. The camera feed will also help keep an eye on the apartment at all times," he replies as I get up moving toward the piano sitting right in front of the large windows. I always loved the view from up here, because one could see the city of Seattle in a whole need light. It made me feel like I was flying when I looked out over the city.

"Good night gentleman and Gail," I say as I make my way back to my wife.

"Where did you go?" Ana asks as she comes out of the bathroom.

"I was restless. I had a cup of coffee with Gail and the boys. We talked about security and I looked out the window," I say.

"Wow, you have been busy," she mutters as she snuggles into me. I smile into her hair as I bury my face into her shoulder. I was busy. I needed to be able to protect the people I loved, but those who were out to get me won't let me. I doze off to sleep dreaming of my unborn child.

I wake with a resolved purpose. I wanted to be a better person and a deserving father. I thought a lot about the person I had been and decided I needed closure with that life once and for all. I kissed Ana's sleeping head goodbye as I slipped out of the apartment with Taylor on my tail. I went into my office and pulled out the files of 15 people I hadn't thought about in a while.

***Fifty Shades Shattered****

Elena

I must have been drugged to get into bed with the man now seated across from me with a huge smirk plastered on his face. I knew helped me escape, but I owed him nothing. I would have gotten out of the place without his help.

"I am so glad I have you in my life now," he says.

"Why," I snap.

"That bastard didn't know what a good thing he had in you, but mark my words Elena I will not make that same mistake. I plan on taking good care of you," he says as he pulls my head closer to his as he kisses me. It churns my stomach to have him touch me.

"Why won't you let me go?" I demand as he gets up off of the bed.

"Oh, I will in due time. I just haven't figured out how to use you to destroy Christian Grey. You see he has something that I want, and I will not let him keep it," he says as he turns off the light in the room leaving me tied up in the dark. I could see that this would be my undoing.