Ana watched the surprise and then the smile on Mrs. T face. It was one of pure happiness. She watched as each guest gave her a hug and spoke to her briefly. The smile never leaving her face. When it was less crowded, Christian held Ana's hand as they made their way toward the birthday girl. She beamed at them when she saw them.

"You knew about this didn't you?" she asked Ana who blushed. "I'm so glad you are here and especially with my grandson."

"Happy Birthday Mrs. T."

"No more of this Mrs. T stuff. I believe you can call me Sarah now."

Christian saw the tears in Ana's eyes as she hugged his grandma. They held each other for a few minutes. They pulled back with big smiles on their faces. She looked at Christian.

"You rascal. Who planned this you or grandpa?"

"I did. I wanted to something special." Theo said.

"It is special and I love it. Thank you." she gave her husband a kiss.

"Happy birthday grandma."

"Thank you Christian." She accepted his kiss on the check. Then she looked at Ana. "Tell what food we have because I'm starving. Grace wouldn't let us eat. Now I know why."

She linked her arm with Ana's and they went toward the food table. Christian watched as two out of three of the most important woman in his life walk away. He then looked at his grandpa who was staring at him.

"You two make a beautiful couple." Theo said. "What are you going to do about it to make it permanent? You won't find anyone else as lovely and caring as Ana."

"I know. Between you and me, I asked Ana to move in with me."

"How did she react?"

"The way I knew she would. She says we haven't known each other long but she's more worried about what my family will think."

"They will be happy for you."

"I hope so but if they aren't it doesn't matter. I do what I want."

"It may not matter to you but remember it will matter to Ana." He said. "Let go see if we can start eating."

It was announced that dinner was buffet style and that guest could start eating. The Grey's waited until all the other guests had sat down to eat before they did. Ana was sitting with Christian at the family table. She had selected small portions so she could taste everything. There was nothing fancy on the buffet table because that wasn't grandma's style. It was all comfort foods and salads.

As soon as Sarah was done, she went by each table talking to the guests. She laughed and thanked each guest for coming. After she met with each guest, she went toward the balloons and stood in front of them. She reached out to touch them and Ana noticed she wiped her eyes. She remembered the stories she would tell Ana about how poor they were to afford presents for birthdays but her daddy made sure he always had money to buy balloons. It didn't matter to her if she had a present, she had balloons that her daddy bought her because he knew she loved them. She felt Christian come stand next to her.

"What's wrong?"

"Look at your grandma." She said. "She's over there by the balloons touching them and wiping her face. She's remembering her father and all the memories of him."

"She always gets a little sad on her birthday."

"It nice to have that, to close your eyes and see those memories."

"Do you have memories of your dad?"

"I do but mine aren't balloons. He would take me fishing."

"You fish."

"I did when my dad would take me but no, I really don't like it. It was something we did together and for that reason alone I liked it when we went. It was something just for us."

Grace come up to them at the moment. "Christian, can I steal Ana away for a bit."

"Sure."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked away. Grace looked at Ana and steered her toward a table that was empty. They sat down.

"How are you?" Grace asked.

"I'm fine."

"Carrick told somethings and I know you don't want to talk about but I'm here if you do." She said. "You know I have never seemed Christian smile so much as he does lately. He seems more relaxed, at least. I hear it is all because of you."

"I haven't done anything."

"Do you care about my son? Love him even?"

"I care about Christian deeply. Love him?" she tilted her head a little. "I think I do. Is it possible to fall in love with someone so quickly?"

"It is if they are meant to be." He said. "I can see he cares about you as well. It makes me happy to see him that way. Christian probably hasn't told you about his life before he became a Grey or what he went through years later when he was a teenager. Let him tell you on his own time and listen to him. All I ask if the you be patient with him, love him and do whatever possible to make my son happy. I don't think that will take much doing on your part. I think being with you is enough. On another note, I would like to have you over for dinner so we can get to know each other better, does Friday sound ok?"

"I can make but I don't know what Christian has scheduled for Friday."

"Don't worry about that. He will come because you will be there."

She left Ana sitting at the table thinking about what she had just told. Her eyes found Christian. he was talking to his brother. She got up and went to the door. Taylor came up to her.

"How is everything going?"

"It going well." She said. "I'm just going to run to the ladies' room. Do you know which way it is?"

He told her where it was and if he wanted him to accompany her. She blushed and said no. she went toward the bathroom gazing around the restaurant as she did. It was decorated nicely; not too pretentious but classy. She found the bathrooms and went in. She came out and made her way back to the banquet room when she heard her name. She turned around and stiffened.

"Well look here, if it isn't Ana."

"Kate."

"What are you doing here? This is a little too pricey for you. You couldn't afford anything on the menu, not even a salad."

"I'm here for a birthday party."

"A birthday party. Who do you know that they would have their party here?"

Ana ignored that remark and went to leave. Kate grabbed her by the arm roughly causing Ana to stumble. She noticed people staring at them. The last thing she wanted was to embarrass Christian. No sooner than that thought crossed her mind when she heard his voice.

"Let her go." He demanded quietly.

They both turned to look at him. He was angry and right behind him was Taylor looking as equally as angry. Kate gasped. It was oblivious she knew who he was.

"Mr. Grey, I was just having a friendly conversation with my best friend and roommate."

"It looked anything but friendly and I would hardly call you a best friend or roommate."

She ignored that remark. "How do you know Ana? I mean you two would never run in the same circles."

"That isn't any of your business."

Her eyes landed on Ana and anger flashed through them. "Where have you been staying?"

"With me."

Her eyes just about popped out of her head. "What?" Then she narrowed her eyes. "Did you go running to my father to tell him I was charging you to live there."

"No. I would never do that."

"Yes you did. He found out and was very angry."

"That was me. I called and talked to him."

"Who are you to get in our business?"

"it doesn't matter who I am, you will give Ana back the rent that she has paid you for this month. She hasn't been there to pay for a full month."

"You don't tell me what to do. As a matter a fact, the rent is due and it just went up."

Kate had a smug look on her face and Ana knew it was because it was a known fact that she couldn't afford an increase. She blinked at her.

"I will be moving out in the next day or two so I won't be paying next month's rent." She said standing straighter.

Kate laughed. "You don't have anywhere to go."

"I will be moving in with my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? You don't have a boyfriend. Your scared of men."

"Let me introduce you to my boyfriend. Christian Grey this is Kate Kavanagh, my former roommate."

Kate's shocked look said it all. Ana felt good to have the upper hand at least once against Kate. Sarah came out of the room looking for Ana. When she saw Kate, she drew closer to the group.

"Ana is everything ok?"

Ana turned and smiled. "Everything is fine Sarah. Kate you know Mrs. T, Christian's grandma."

Kate visibly blanched. That little bit of information she didn't know. She had treated the old couple next door horribly and now she just found out that they were the grandparents of the one of the richest men in the world.

"It's time to cut the cake and I want you all there." Sarah said.

"We'll be there in a minute grandma." He waited for her to leave before he turned to Kate. "I think you need to leave right now. You are no longer welcome here. Taylor escort her out."

"Right away, sir."

"You can't do that."

"For being a journalist or should I say want to be, you are not very good. Check your facts. I can and I will. I can decide who gets served at my own restaurant. Surely you have been hiding under a rock Miss Kavanagh, I own this restaurant and a couple of other establishments. You don't want to make an enemy of me." He turned to leave taking Ana with him. He stopped and turned back. "Wait. You already did."

Taylor took a hold of her arm. "Let me go. I can walk on my own."

He walked behind her and got in the elevator and made sure she exited the building before going up. He knew that woman was going to be trouble.

Ana was shaking as Christian escorted her to a private, secluded corner. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." She said. "Did you really talk to her father?"

"We can talk about it later but yes I did. It wasn't right and he didn't know. He speaks very fondly of you."

"You just made her hate me even more."

"Do you even care?"

"No but a mad Kate is unpredictable."

"I'll handle her." he said. "Did you really mean it when you said that you were moving in with me?"

"Yes. I was thinking about going to Sarah's since they asked me but the more I thought about it, I thought that would still be too close to Kate. I also didn't want to cause them any problems."

"So when I get home tomorrow and I can expect to see you there with your things."

"Yes. I don't have much but yes."

"Bring just your clothes, anything else you need we can buy it."

"Christian, I don't like you spending money on me."

He knew how she felt about his money but he decided to distract her with kiss that was long and deep. He drew back and saw she was flustered. He loved making her look like that.

"Let's get back before they send the cavalry to look for us."

Ana just nodded, not being able to say anything. They walked hand in hand and walked in just as they were bringing the cake out. They made their way to the front and Ana stood in front of Christian with his arms around her. The candles were lit and every one sang happy birthday. Sarah closed her eyes and then blew out the candles. Clapping echoed in the room.

"What did you wish for grandma?" this from Elliott.

"It already is coming true but I added a little something to it." She looked directly at Christian and Ana and winked. His arms closed tighter around her.

A server cut the cake and handed pieces out to everyone. It was her favorite, carrot cake. She was opening her presents while the guests ate. She opened all of her gifts and oohed and awed over each one. She had two left and they were from Ana and Christian. She opened Ana's first and when she took the lid out of the box, she gasped. Silent tears ran down her face.

"Oh Ana." She whispered and gazed up at her. "You don't know what this means to me." She held up the box so everyone could see her gift. "When I was a little more than a teenager, for my sixteenth birthday my father gave me set of combs. He saved for a while to be able to get me those combs. They were my most treasured possession. I lost them right after Theo and I got married in a move. I never replaced them. Thank you so much, I will treasure theses just the same."

Ana blinked tears, leaning her head against Christian's shoulder. Grace patted her hand and smiled. She gave the box to Theo who looked at them and then winked at her, making her laugh. She opened Christian's next and did another gasped. She pulled out the locket.

"Oh mother." Grace said. "It's almost like the one you lost."

She touched it delicately. "It is."

"Open it grandma."

She opened it and her shoulders started shaking. He got up and went to her, kneeling down.

"I didn't think it would make you cry."

"I'm just being a sentimental old woman."

"You're not old grandma."

She laughed through her tears. "Where did you get the pictures?"

"Grandpa gave them to me and I have them etched in. The originals are back at your house."

"What are the pictures?" one of her friends asked.

"I had a locket that Theo had given me on our first wedding anniversary. On one side it held wedding picture of us and then when we had Grace we had her picture on the other side. This is just like it except this has a picture of my parents and one of my daughter and her family. Thank you Christian. I love it and I love you."

The party ended not long after that. Ana was helping with clean up when Christian came up to her.

"Did they leave?"

"All her presents were loaded into their car and they left. They are going to drop off her gifts and then they are going to mom's."

"Do you want to go over there or would rather go home?"

"I'm kind of tired. Can we go home?"

"Sure. Don't forget your cake."

Sarah had left her a piece of cake but had told her that hers was a millions times better. They rode home in silence. She went up change and Christian went to his office. He was checking his email's when Taylor came in.

"Sir I have the information I was looking for, Welch just sent it over."

"Have you looked at it?"

"No I wanted Ana to be present when I opened it."

"She's changing. I will go get her."

He entered the room just as she came out of the bathroom waring yoga pants and a t-shirt. Makeup scrubbed off her face; hair in a ponytail. She looked beautiful. She stopped when she saw him.

"Taylor has some information he wants to share with you."

"Did he tell you what it was?"

"No. He wanted to wait until you were in the room."

She took a deep breath. "Let's go."

Back in the office Taylor paced, wondering what was in the file but he already guessed from the conversation he has early that day. He just hopes this was something Ana wanted. He looked up when he heard them coming. She smiled tentatively at him, following Christian behind his desk. He sat down and he pulled her until she was sitting on his lap with his arms locked around her, showing her support.

"Ok Taylor tell us what you found out?"

"I haven't opened the file that I received. I wanted to wait until you were present." He handed her the sealed envelope. "You open it."

With shaking hand, she took the envelope and broke the seal. In it were papers she pulled out. She started reading about her father. She was halfway through when she saw what she was looking for. She pressed the papers to her chest. With tears falling she gazed at Taylor.

"You are my cousin." She whispered. "Our parents were brother and sister."

She let out a sobbed and ran around the desk to him. He opened his arms for her. they hugged each other fiercely.

"You don't know how many times when I thought I was drowning in the darkness I wished had a cousin, aunt, just somebody that cared about me to comfort me. I know I had my dad but sometimes I wish for a family."

"You don't know how sorry I am that you were all alone. If I had known about you, I would have looked for you when I was old enough. But I am glad now that we found each other and you will never be alone again."

"Thank you."

"There is something else in those papers that you need to read."

She went back and sat on Christian's lap. She gave him a kissed when he wiped her tears away. She began reading again. She started shaking.

"He never married my mother. I don't understand. She said they married."

"There is no record of Frank Lambert every marrying someone named Carla May Wilks."

"Why would she lie?"

"I don't know." He said. "I talked to my grandmother. She remembers Frank dating a woman named Carla. She was a mean spirited woman and would keep him away from his family. All his attention she wanted for herself. She always carried herself as if she was better than everyone else."

"That sounds like her."

"They only met her a couple of times. Frank got stationed in Maine and he left. She never heard from her son again until they came and told her he had died. She never heard about Carla again. She didn't know anything about him having a child. She asked me why I wanted to know about Frank and Carla. I told her about you and I'm sorry to say that she doesn't want anything to do with you. Our family is not your ordinary family. I don't even talk to any one myself but one aunt. She did send me a picture of your father."

He handed her another folder and she took a deep breath. She opened it and was staring a photo of a man in a military uniform. What caught her attention was his eyes. She had her father's bright blue eyes.

"You have his eyes." Christian said.

She nodded, too emotional to speak. All those years she wondered what he looked like. Her mother always said she didn't have any pictures of him; she had thrown them out when he died.

"I can tell you anything you want to know about our family but what I know of your father is very little My aunt, his sister would know more. I haven't talked to her yet."

"I want to know everything about you. the family can wait but can you give me a few days to let all this sink in?"

"No problem. I think I will retire for the night if you don't need me for anything else."

"I not going anywhere else tonight. I think we'll go to bed early as well. It's been a long day."

He shut the door behind him leaving Ana and Christian alone. Her body started shaking and he pulled her closer.

"It's going to be ok. Let it out. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." He whispered.

She buried her face in his neck and let the tears flow. She must have cried for about thirty minutes when she finally fell asleep. He turned off his computer without waking her. he stood up and walked to the door. He opened it; turned the light off. He just about to ascend the stairs when Taylor stepped out of the shadows.

"Did she cry long?"

"About thirty minutes."

"I knew she would. It was written all over her face. She was trying to hold it in."

"I think it was seeing the picture of her father that did it."

"She favors him just a little." He said. "I'll let you put her to bed. Let me know if she needs anything, even if I'm asleep."

"I will." He said as he went up. He stopped and turned slightly. "Taylor I'm really glad that you two are related. It is a great relief that I know you will protect her with every inch of your life."

"You can count on it."

"The alarm went off at five the next morning; Ana got up, dressed and went down to the kitchen. She found Taylor nursing a coffee cup and Gail getting her breakfast ready to go. Gail gave her a smile.

"I hope you don't mind but I told Gail that we are related to each other. I don't like to keep secrets from her."

Ana looked puzzled. "What he didn't tell you is that we have been seeing each other for the last couple of years."

"Oh. I didn't know. It's ok. I rather not keep secrets. They just hurt people." She said. "Why are up so early Taylor? By the way, what is your first name?"

"Jason."

"Jason. I like it. I will call you Jason instead of Taylor. We are cousins after all."

"Have you asked Mr. Grey?"

"Asked him what. I do have a mind of my own. You are my cousin. Why would I call you by your last name? Besides you work for him, not me."

Gail grinned at her while she put her breakfast in the insulated bag. "Any request for dinner?"

"Something light." She said. "We ate a lot yesterday. "Jason you didn't answer my question."

"I'm taking you to work."

"What? No."

"Yes. It's dark and I don't want you walking in the garage at this time in the morning."

"I've been doing it for a couple of days now."

"That was a mistake on my part." Christian said coming into the kitchen.

"Please let me take you to work." Taylor asked.

"Fine."

She huffed as she grabbed her bag. She went past Christian and headed for the elevator.

"Hey, hey." He took her hand. "Don't be mad. It's for your safety."

"I know. I'm just not used to your money and resources."

"Well get used to it."