They fill into the sports auditorium. Rows upon rows of students in black gowns and caps. Ana's parents aren't present, Rachel and Paul accompany her instead. It wouldn't do if people saw that Ana's parents appear young enough to be her siblings.
Christian is there on the stage with Kate. Ana hears two girls whispering about him but doesn't react in any way.
The chancellor and Kate deliver their speeches. It could have been Ana instead of her but she doesn't seek spotlight. It is better not to stand out for someone like her.
Ana has heard Kate's speech before and the chancellor doesn't say anything surprising. She is more interested in Christian's speech and it is all she expected it to be - fighting famine through science. She is rather surprised by his public admission that he hungered as a child.
Ana can't begrudge him his passion he has for the project. She has no idea how (or if) she'll tell him that his project is just a matter of squeezing more juice from the planet. Then again, the gained know-how could be re-purposed for a true solution - a space colonization program.
"Nice speech," she tells him when they shake hands.
"Thank you," he replies. "Let's meet afterwards."
He wanted to meet last night at Heathman but Ana didn't wish to give the staff more reasons for talking.
"Sure."
They haven't talked about the telepathy incident over e-mail. For all she knows, Christian believes he imagined it.
Rachel and Paul head her way after the ceremony but before her row disperses, Kate arrives. She calls Ana's name and motions with her head and eyes to follow her. Ana waves at her aunt and uncle in turn. She knows that Rachel is curious about Christian and Elizabeth has most likely asked her to take a look at him.
Kate leads Ana to Christian. He is talking to the chancellor and two teachers.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," he tells them and comes to Ana. He thanks Kate.
"I was surprised you admitted that publicly," Ana tells him.
"It's nothing people can't look up, if they are determined enough."
They don't mention the incident with Welch.
"Your brother gave Taylor a briefing," he adds. His tone implies that he doesn't like that it happened without his knowledge.
"Yes, I've heard. He was far less difficult than you were. Or not at all, rather."
Christian grits his teeth. There was a reason why he didn't discuss this over e-mail but she completely disregards his point and he can't believe that she is that obtuse. Or maybe she simply doesn't even contemplate it.
"My aunt and uncle are here with me. I would hate to keep them waiting. Would you like to meet them?"
"Sure, I'm curious."
"So are they."
They all meet in the marquee. Kate's brother Ethan is there as well. Kate has advised Christian that her brother hasn't been briefed yet.
"So you are the Christian we've heard about," says Rachel with a wide grin as she shakes his hand.
For a moment, Christian has a feeling that she is picturing the red room in her head. He gives a quick glance to Ana who gives him an almost imperceptible head shake. Then again, the rumors are flying between the women in her family.
"Am I missing something?" asks Paul, baffled by the exchange.
"Never mind," dismisses his wife.
"Well, that was a very visionary speech, Mr. Grey," he opens. His tone suggests that he isn't impressed.
"Thank you," responds Christian icily.
"Do you know what I like about our reservation and the whole area?" continues Paul.
Christian doesn't answer but that doesn't deter Paul.
"I like the lack of crowds and the quiet. I would hate to see that change because of your actions."
For a moment, Christian thinks that Paul thinks that Christian is going to betray the secret and make the area swarm with tourists wanting to take a look at the wolves.
"Overpopulation?" adds Paul as if it is obvious.
Christian still doesn't answer but his hard look says it all.
"That's enough, Paul," admonishes him Rachel. "We are in public so put your wieners away."
Ana suggests to move it to the apartment and Christian excuses himself, claiming he can't join them right away. She suspects that he simply doesn't wish to interact with her relatives.
Rachel and Paul have arrived in two cars - their own one and the truck. Ana is going to need it to move the rabbits.
Jacob calls to congratulate her but basically everyone else in the family considers her degree a mere formality - a show for humans.
Christian arrives shortly after everyone leaves. Ana sees him from window "admiring" the truck. She wonders whether is he going to ask about it.
He doesn't disappoint.
"Excuse, what is that ancient vehicle on the street?" he asks after seeing that her aunt and uncle are long gone.
"The red one? That's my new car. I used it when I went to interview you in Seattle. Now that we are moving there, it's mine for as long as I need it."
"That deathtrap? You must be joking!"
"I beg your pardon! It's one of the most sophisticated cars on this planet."
Christian gives her a disbelieving look.
"It is," insists Ana. "It's bigger on the inside than on the outside, it can make itself invisible, and it flies. And it's also alive and thus can park itself."
"Are you trying to see how gullible I am?" asks Christian after a moment of silence.
"You don't believe me. Challenge accepted."
She throws her jacket on and motions for him to follow.
"Come on! Let me show you!" she urges him.
They go out on the street. Ana eagerly, Christian reluctantly. There is something he wants to talk about, but Ana isn't giving him a chance.
Before they approach the car, Ana leans to him and tells him in a low voice, "By the way, the car can be sensitive sometimes so do try to tone down your disdain for it."
She opens the a door and climbs in. Christian peers in from outside and doesn't notice anything out of ordinary at first. As he moves in, he starts to get suspicious. At a certain point, he stops moving. He steps out again and looks at the car from outside. Then he looks inside again.
"This is impossible!" he hisses.
"Don't stand there, come on in!"
Christian does so. The door slum shut behind him.
"This is impossible!" he repeats.
"Obviously, it's not. Follow me."
She moves into the back room. Christian follows.
"What is it?" he asks. "Space expansion? Does that affect time as well?"
"That wouldn't achieve the desired effect, because we would be expanded as well. No, there's just more space in here."
Christian tosses his hands and gives an exasperated sigh. Only then he takes a proper look around. Harry has removed most of the things which used to be in the car but Fawkes's perch is still there. Christian notices it but he doesn't ask.
"Is there something you wanted to talk about?" asks him Ana.
"Yes, but not here."
They return to the apartment.
"It's about what happened last time," he opens.
"I guess it's too much to hope that you are talking about the kiss."
"I heard a voice in my head."
"Huh. I suspected something like that. Could you describe the experience, please?"
Christian repeats the sentence.
"Interesting," muses Ana. "Not the telepathy, that's just our way of coordinating when we are in our wolf forms. However, I didn't expect you to be able to hear me and understand me. Then again, it's not so surprising, considering everything. Could we try it some more?"
"I would prefer to leave it for some other day."
They talk about his fight against famine and Paul's idea that Seattle is going to grow and grow until it reaches La Push. The notion is ridiculous (with the National Park in the way) but Christian gets the picture. At the same time, Ana has understood Christian's motivation from the beginning. Just like Esme with her foundation, he does what he does because of his personal trauma and not because he wants to tackle the source of the problem - that requires someone like John.
Ana realizes that Harry Potter is yet another person Christian reminds her of. He has never heard the name before so she explains briefly without saying anything about Hogwarts and such.
Great, yet another person I've never heard about I'm being compared to, thinks Christian. He wonders whether Ana is able to overhear the thought but she hasn't heard anything.
"Tell me something," he opens a new topic. "This whole bringing me into the fold, is it tied to you? If it doesn't work between us, if we can't come to an agreement, what will happen then?"
"Well, that's a rather depressing thought. I think you could remain our associate, like Mr. Kavanagh. However, he knows only what he needs to know. I've told you way more than that already and you keep asking more questions. I guess I should stop answering them for the time being."
She realizes perfectly well that Kate knows more than her father and certainly more than she should. That's something that's rather difficult to avoid in such situations and the whole case with Christian confirms it. Tell him too little, and he'll balk from the uncertainty. Tell him too much, and his memory will have to be erased if things don't work out. Erasing of memories is considered very bad in these enlightened times.
"Is the idea of a relationship with me so unacceptable?" she adds.
"Daunting. Weird. Unusual. Certainly not unacceptable."
"Then what's the problem?"
"It's not about what I want but about what you want. What I'm able to offer."
"Well, what you are offering is usually explored by people after thirty years of a boring marriage..."
"I'm not talking about some toys in a hidden room!" interrupts her Christian. "It's about lifestyle and organization. Some of these rules are important because without them, there's no relationship!"
"You want to be in charge? I don't mind. If you are able to rise up to the challenge!"
Christian sighs and walks to a window. He looks out in consternation for a while.
"Are you willing to do anything to make this work?" he asks, turning to Ana sharply.
Ana nods.
"You are very strong and that's an issue, right?"
"Yes, it is. I also have a very stiff... you know what. My skin is bulletproof, after all."
Christian has no experience with that so it takes a moment for him to realize what is Ana talking about.
"You know, there are surgeries for that," he mutters in the end in a somewhat clinical tone.
"Well, that's so impersonal. My parents didn't need a surgery. And my grandma bedded my grandpa without any special measures regarding his strength."
That doesn't make any sense to Christian. So her grandma was the normal one and her grandpa the supernatural one? He would guess that it was the other way around from Ana's talk. Alas, he doesn't let that derail him.
"Can you relinquish your control for one evening?" he asks.
Ana hesitates. She decides to take a dive after a moment and nods.
"Then I'll see you this weekend. Trust me and I'll make it most memorable for you."
Ana wonders what is that supposed to mean. After all, she feels that Christian must know at this point how her family feels about premarital intimacy.
Elliot comes to help with the moving, as promised. By that time, Ana has moved the rabbits and their hutches in the truck along with some other things already. Before they leave, they stand on the sidewalk for a moment, looking at their old home.
"Who will live here next?" asks Kate.
"Two guys from the reservation will be coming to study here next year, I think."
Elliot has some concerns whether the truck can make it and Kate tells him not to worry. The two of them ride off in their vehicles and Ana follows at a lower speed. Still, she makes it to Seattle only an hour after the others.
During offloading, Elliot notices Ana's strength, just like Christian before him. Unlike Christian, however, he makes a jolly comment about it.
Christian has picked up Mia that day so Elliot has to leave soon for a family dinner.
Next day, Christian is on his usual morning run. Being himself, he's drawn to Ana's new address. He decides to see where she lives.
He is startled but not surprised when Ana comes running from behind him.
"Ana!" he exclaims.
"Good morning," she replies. "Enjoying a morning jog?"
"Obviously. I wanted to take a look at your neighborhood."
"Same here. I'm new here so I need to explore the area."
Truth to be told, she is searching for vampire trails. There have been none so far.
"Where's Taylor?" she asks. "Or somebody."
"Back at Escala. Why?"
"I was just thinking about security. It's one thing to go hiking with your friends without a bodyguard and quite another to jog alone in your neighborhood."
While Christian keeps running, she runs a circle around him, going backwards at one point.
"What are you doing?" he asks.
"Taking a look at you. Do you've got something under that hoodie?"
"Yes. A T-shirt."
"You know what I mean."
"No, I'm afraid I don't."
Ana sighs and changes the topic.
"Elliot told us that your sister has returned."
"Yes. I picked her up yesterday."
"So, how is she?"
"Curious. About you."
"Do I sense annoyance?"
"She's even more insufferable than you," he admits.
Ana laughs.
When they reach the parting point, he tells her, "You'll need access codes for the garage and the elevator."
"Can't I just park the truck on the roof?"
Christian is stumped momentarily, despite the fact that he has been told about the truck's flying capability before.
"I'm not sure whether the structure of the pad is prepared for that," he protests. "The roof itself certainly isn't. Moreover, people in buildings around might notice it and find it odd."
"That's why the truck can make itself invisible."
"And if there's a helicopter in need of an emergency landing? That could be a huge hazard!"
"OK, OK. I'll use the garage like a normal person. But keep this in mind, it may come handy."
Christian shakes his head and tells her the codes.
Anna enters Christian's penthouse at noon. She sees Taylor first and they say hello to each other. It is the first time they see each other since John gave him a briefing. Ana decides to behave as usual but she can sense that Taylor is still coming to terms with everything.
Christian awaits her at the dining table.
"Welcome back," he greets her. "You're right on time. I like punctuality."
"You and most of my family," replies Ana nonchalantly.
Christian takes her hand and gives her a light peck. Ana notices that he is rather wooden. He isn't accustomed to casual displays of affection but that's nothing new for her.
He gestures to the dining table where there is sushi prepared.
"Let's have a lunch," he says. "I trust this is OK with your diet?"
Ana nods.
"Also, we've been invited by my parents to a dinner this evening. Is that alright? I've told them about your diet so hopefully you'll find the food digestible. I believe Elliot is asking Kate too."
"Alright."
Meeting the parents officially. Is he trying to signal that he is serious? Or is it just a matter of circumstances and he couldn't invent a good excuse when asked? It seems he has ambivalent feelings about it, probably because it is another first.
Through the meal, it becomes apparent that Christian doesn't wish to discuss any heavy topics, such as the magical world or colonization of the Solar System. They discuss literature and Ana's plans. She doesn't know yet that he is planning to move into publishing.
They move to the library afterwards and continue their talk. They try to snuggle, rather clumsily. As strange as it is, Christian has got no experience with it and Ana has got no experience at all. They kiss again and this time, she gives him bruises.
"I'm sorry," she recoils away from him as soon as she hears him wince.
"That's alright," he assures her, inspecting himself. "Nothing new for me. Though it has been a while."
What is he talking about? His childhood or his experience with being a submissive? Ana doesn't want to spoil the mood with heavy topics so she doesn't prod.
"This is new to me," she excuses herself. "I need more practice with this."
What a coincidence - Christian has been taught obedience and self-control by Elena and he taught it to his girls in turn.
"I can be of help on that score."
Ana furrows her brows. Christian stands up and offers her his hand.
"Come with me."
She hesitates.
"Trust me," he assures her.
She takes his hand but when he wants to lead her somewhere, she doesn't budge. He is almost jerked back, it is like trying to pull a car with a parking brake engaged.
"You know I'm committed to this one hundred percent," she tells him. "Just don't take advantage of that. That would upset me."
"We'll take small steps," he assures her again.
"Is that a problem for you?" she asks on the way.
"Believe me, it's not. This is a part of your training and that's part of the pleasure for me. I don't care if it takes years."
Ana doesn't ask him whether that means he expects her to be just like one of his subs in a few years. Nor does she mention that she hopes to start a family before that.
He leads her to the red room.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to use any of these toys on you," he tells her. "Not yet. We are here because this is where we play games. No matter what our relationship is outside, here you obey. You also don't do anything without my direction or speak without permission. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, just use one of the safe words. You can leave this room whenever you wish."
Ana takes a breath and nods.
"Fine. Take your jacket off and wait for me in the middle of the room. I'll be with you in a minute."
If he finds it odd that she wears her jacket indoors all the time, he doesn't say anything. He leaves the room. Working quickly, Ana removes the magazine from her gun. She has cleared the chamber earlier. She wraps the gun in her jacket and puts the bundle aside.
Christian returns. He has changed his jeans. These are old, soft, and over-washed. He doesn't wear anything else.
"Very well, you can follow my wishes after all," he commends her, almost mockingly. "It's going to get a little difficult now though. We'll play a game. The rules are simple, you must not move unless I tell you so. I won't restrain you, not that anything here could withstand your strength, but you must not try to reciprocate or even touch me at all. Every time you fail, we'll start from the beginning all over again. Do you understand?"
"Yes," answers Ana. This sounds interesting and harmless enough. She tries not to think about what would her parents and grandparents think or what would Emmett's face look like if he learned about this.
"Good. Let's begin."
A famous journalist living on a floor just bellow Christian's penthouse is working on his computer. He is writing an article about police brutality in some little town in the state.
Suddenly, a wave of some kind of energy washes over him and fries his computer. Everything goes dark.
"What was that?" exclaims Christian, startled.
It takes a moment for Ana's brain to get back to Earth and realize what has just happened to her. Then she finds Christian's reaction odd.
"This has never happened to any of your previous girls?"
No wonder they all left. Then again, that doesn't make much sense.
"The lights!" growls Christian.
He goes to a light switch and, after a few moments of fumbling, flicks it a few times. Nothing.
"Oh dear. Do you think I had anything to do with that?"
Christian gives her a look as best as he can in the darkness. The pulse clearly originated from her. His head was ringing for a few moments due to his proximity.
"Mr. Grey! Mr. Grey!" they hear Taylor's voice calling.
"May I borrow your jacket?" asks Christian, remembering that it was near the switch. He takes the jacket without waiting for an answer. He doesn't wish to face his employee bare-chested.
The gun clatters to the floor. Christian grits his teeth. He knows that John Black is a second amendment defender but being himself, he hasn't contemplated a possibility that Ana would bring a gun into his home.
"No, you may not," snaps Ana. "I've got things in there."
Christian hears a magazine being inserted and a round being chambered. Truth to be told, Ana loaded the gun to make it clear to him that it wasn't loaded before.
"Ana," he growls in a reprimanding tone.
"Not now."
She puts her jacket on and goes outside.
"Mr. Grey! Miss Black!" calls Taylor again.
There is enough light outside, the sun has not set yet.
"Here," she calls, rather redundantly.
"All electronics are fried. What happened?"
Christian comes up behind Ana. Taylor's eyes flick to him briefly but that's all he does to acknowledge his presence.
"Looks like an EMP," answers Ana. "Are the neighboring buildings affected?"
"I'm not sure but I think I've seen some lights on in them."
"Good."
"We need to contact the authorities somehow," interjects Christian, completely out of his element.
"All electronics are fried," repeats Taylor. "I can run down the stairs and..."
"My phone and notebook are shielded," interrupts him Ana. "And I know exactly which authorities to contact."
She runs to her bag. On the way, she notes that lights are indeed on in buildings around. She makes a detour to a balcony and leans over the railing. More lights are being turned on in lower floors. It seems that the event was limited to the top of Escala. Whatever it was, it didn't spread into the power grid of the entire building. How lucky for her. Slowly but surely, she starts to realize that she could be in trouble.
Jasper picks her call up after a few rings.
"Something has happened," she says. "I think I've caused some kind of an EMP. Contact John Smith and send him to Christian's place. Quickly."
"Are you in danger?"
"No, not at all. At least to my knowledge. Just get him here."
She connects the phone to her notebook and sends a few e-mails. Christian joins her, dressed in his previous clothes again.
"Help is coming," she tells him. "Do you need to send some e-mails?"
"I guess I should." He ought to tell Ros that he is OK.
He sits down to the notebook. After a while of looking at it in incomprehension, he gets up again.
"Or perhaps I could send them for you," offers Ana.
He dictates the e-mail for Ros and types his password when asked to (despite his knowledge that he shouldn't type his password on other people's machines). He is in telecommunication business but he didn't believe that there were still people who sent e-mails in a way which used to be common in the time of ARPANET.
"Flashlights are out too," reports Taylor.
"Oh dear," gasps Ana. "What if there's somebody with a pacemaker on the floor bellow us?"
That gives Taylor and Christian a pause.
"Not that I know of," says Christian, unsure.
"I'd better check," volunteers Taylor.
Ana and Christian watch as he leaves, realizing that he is probably eager to get away from their company.
"Who is this help that's coming?" asks Christian once they are alone.
"John Smith, if he's available. A family friend."
"What does he do?"
"He started in law enforcement and technically that's what he still is but he has come a long way since then. He's quite a big wig now. From our point of view, that is."
Christian doesn't inquire further. She would probably tell him that it is confidential.
"Well, I'd better go wait for him on the roof," she adds.
"Excuse me?"
"He'll arrive there."
She takes stairs up, Smith is nowhere to be seen yet. Ana wonders whether he'll be able to find it and whether she shouldn't bring the truck to the roof. Suddenly, there is a crack and Smith appears.
"What a hell happened here?!" he demands right away.
"There was a little accident," answers Ana sheepishly.
"A little? Local authorities detected a large scale magical event. And some of the neighboring ones as well, I bet. Luckily, I was able to convince them to let me handle this."
They go downstairs. Taylor has returned in the meantime. He reports that everyone is OK on lower floors. Ana explains who Smith is for his sake. Then she introduces the two men.
"This is Jason Taylor. He's the one who served with my brother. And this is Christian Grey. He's my, you know, person of wolf interest."
Smith nods politely at Taylor. He raises an eyebrow at the latter.
"Master of the Universe?" he remarks.
Christian is startled by that, Taylor is confused.
"He handled you contracts, gentlemen," explains Ana. Shouldn't Smith keep such things to himself? She wants to explain that Christian meant self-control and micromanagement by that but there is no time to waste.
"Very well, let's get to the matter at hand," proclaims Smith. "What happened here?"
"I've told you, accidental magic."
Smith furrows his brows. "I didn't think your kind was capable of accidental magic."
"I was distracted."
Taylor excuses himself and goes to check on the situation downstairs.
"Was there some kind of a threat?" asks Smith, not understanding. "What kind of a threat could prompt such a massive EMP surge?"
Christian groans internally. Is the guy obtuse on purpose?
"No, you misunderstand," explains Ana. "It was, you know, a pleasant distraction."
Smith is confused. Then it clicks for him and he starts laughing. Christian stares at the guy. Is he for real?
"Now that's hilarious! I can't wait to see Emmett's face when he hears about this!"
"No!" exclaims Ana. "You can't tell anybody about this!"
Smith grows serious.
"Unless you have realized, this is wide open now. But don't worry, I'm sure your mother will handle things. You'd better call her. I think even her patience has limits."
Smith's assistants arrive. Cover-up proves to be simpler than expected. Most of the event can be explained by a power-grid problem (and the wizards in fact pose as electricians). As for those few devices which run on batteries, a simple Confundus charm is enough to make their owners think that they were charging at the moment. When they leave, Smith makes a quip about them getting a Faraday cage before getting married.
Non-magical authorities learn about the event before too long and real technicians are sent. Ros stops by to check on Christian. Once again, Ana feels awkward to be found there. Taylor drives to the office to arrange with whoever is at work at Sunday to deliver a new computer and other things to Escala.
"I'll pay for the damages," says Ana when they are alone again. "No, wait. That would mean asking my grandpa for money. And he would want to know why I need them."
"Don't worry about that," sighs Christian. "That's utterly irrelevant."
"Yeah, I guess."
There is a moment of silence.
"You gave me a..." starts Ana but her shyness doesn't let her finish so she starts again. "I mean, what you did made me knock out electricity in a part of the building."
Christian contemplates that. They both start laughing.
"Yes, I guess I did. Then again, I must be loosing my touch. It needs to be the whole building next time."
"Has anyone told you that your head is big? Next time we'll need to be more careful. Just like Smith said, a Faraday cage would do the trick. Or picking a place outside the city next time."
Christian pauses only momentarily. Surely she doesn't mean "a place" as in "a house". No, she can't mean it that way.
They decide to leave early, in a hope of reaching Christian's parents before they hear about the incident. Ana proposes that they take the truck, in case the normal cars are affected, but Christian refuses that and there appears to be nothing wrong with his cars.
They find out that Mr. Grey and Grace are none the wiser. Mr. Grey is delighted to meet Ana but he is more reserved than Grace. Kate and Elliot have arrived shortly before them. Kate notices that something is off but she can't ask about it at the moment. Mia is there as well, of course.
"Anastasia! I've heard so much about you." She hugs Ana hard. "Oh my, Elliot was right. You are buffed. Like a professional marathon runner."
"Call me Ana, please."
"He's never brought a girl home before," reveals Mia excitedly as she leads Ana into a large vestibule.
"So I've heard."
At the earliest opportunity, Kate pulls Ana aside to ask her what has happened. Ana doesn't want to deal with her curiosity the whole evening so she explains briefly. Kate's reaction is as expected.
Through the dinner, Kate keeps stealing glances at Ana and Christian only to look down each time and suppressing her desire to laugh. Elliot notices and is baffled (though his mind is conjuring explanations). Mia is completely oblivious on the other hand.
If Carrick and Grace notice anything amiss, they do a great job of ignoring it. They don't ignore the fact that she is the governor's sister and make sure to mention that they voted for him though they don't agree with all his policies. Ana thanks them politely. She steals a glance at Christian who stops scowling at Kate and Elliot for a moment and gives Ana a look which could be translated as an apologetic eye-roll. From what she can tell so far, his parents seem like a pair of liberal elitists. They also seem like nice people with good hearts. Ana ices her musings about them - she doesn't know them that long after all.
Christian excuses them after the dinner and leads her to his old room. Ana finds that odd. Why do his parents keep his room intact rather than utilizing it for something else?
"The Chronicles of Riddick?" she asks (nodding at a poster) when Christian closes the door.
The unrelated remark infuriates Christian.
"What have you told Kate?"
"Nothing specific, just about the EMP and what led to it. She has clearance."
"That's not the point! This is a matter of privacy. And what is she going to tell Elliot?"
"Don't worry, she'll make something up."
Christian runs his hand through his hair.
"Ana, I don't want other people discussing our private life. Bad enough that this John Smith character knows what happened."
"Don't forget Taylor. It's bad enough that I'll have to face him."
"Taylor is a professional, Elliot is not."
Christian realizes that his desire to spank Ana is back. It isn't the same as before he learned the truth but it is there.
"I wish I could spank you."
"Then why don't you?" suggests Ana cheekily, feeling emboldened all of a sudden. "Though we should leave it for later, someone might wonder what those weird sounds coming from your room are."
As if on cue, they hear Mia shouting downstairs. "Christian!"
He raises his eyebrows at Ana. "She can be really irritating."
As they leave the room, Ana gives the room one last look. There are some photos of Christian and his family but Ana focuses on a small one she has noticed before. It is a photo of a young woman.
Mia tells them that Kate and Elliot are leaving already. It is rather obvious what their plans are so when Ana and Christian leave some time later, she asks whether it is OK for her to stay at Escala that night.
"Of course," answers Christian without taking eyes of the road. "Whenever you need."
"Thanks."
"Your parents are nice," she adds after a few moments.
"That they are. So nice that they will vote for your brother again."
"Despite them not agreeing with his policies?"
"Indeed."
"And you?"
"I agree with him. Mostly." He doesn't want to get into a discussion about the second amendment.
Ana decides that it is time for the big question.
"Who's the woman in the photo? She looks like you."
"What?!"
"There's a small photo in your room."
"My parents thought I should have it there," he divulges tensely after a moment.
"Is that your mother?"
"The biological one. I consider Grace my mother."
Strangely enough, this is the most profound display of affection Ana has ever heard him profess for Grace. She doesn't ask him to tell her more about his biological mother because she suspects that Christian is not ready for that.
When they return to Escala, the electricity is restored in the building already. There are no reporters investigating
Taylor is back as well, with a new phone and a laptop for Christian. He takes them to his study.
After Ana showers, she peeks in there to ask about the spanking but he is on a phone. She isn't surprised that he is working at Sunday night - after all, he has matters to deal with. However, she didn't expect his employees to be available at this time.
She goes back to her room and goes to bed.