A/N: FSOG characters are owned by the talented E.L. James and The Crossfire characters are owned by Sylvia Day. I am only borrowing them to play with in my Playroom. Let the games begin...

Chapter Four: Changing

Ana landed at SEA-TAC feeling good for her employers, their hard work to build their modest empire would be kept safe. She was escorted from a Cross Industries, Inc. company jet and whisked away in a limousine that was waiting for her on the tarmac. She went straight to WP to give Jed the news. He met her in Rachel's office with a big smile and a hug.

"Thank you, Ana. Gideon called me and let me know that all will be alright." Ana could see the relief on his face.

"How are Rachel and the baby? I bet Braeden is growing like a weed."

"That he is." The proud father said. "He looks just like Rachel."

"What else did Cross tell you?" Ana asked as she sat to rest her tired feet.

Jed sat on the edge of his wife's desk. He lost his smile. "I know that he has offered you a job in New York. Are you going to take it?"

"It's a wonderful opportunity and it takes you off Grey's bull's eye if I'm not working here." She said shrugging her shoulders. "We both know that Christian will not relent unless I go back to him or if I leave. I will not let you and Rachel be punished because I refuse to stay with Grey."

Jed took a deep breath as he considered his next words. "Listen, I consider Gideon a great friend, but I also want to protect you. Gideon is difficult at best. Be careful with him. He is very charming but he has some demons to work through. I know you are a grown woman and your decisions are your own, but just tread lightly with Cross. Don't become one of his conquests and end up broken."

"I already told Gideon never to underestimate me just because I am petite. Remember, Jed, dynamite comes in small packages," She giggled making him laugh out loud.

"Oh yeah…I know." He knew that Ana was much stronger than she appeared. She did survive Christian Grey and did this while running WP. "Maybe I should call Cross and warn him about you."

Ana laughed turning a slight pink. She stood up and gave Jed a kiss on the cheek. "I need to take the rest of the day off. I have some decisions to make and if I do go to New York, I have to figure out what to do with my apartment and furniture."

"If you go, I will take care of the apartment for you. I know the owners and I am sure I can get you out of your lease."

"You don't have to do that, Jed. This isn't your problem. If anything you and Rachel should be upset with me for bringing these problems to you." She reached out and took his hand. "I am so very sorry for all this grief that Christian has subjected you to. I never thought in a million years that he would do anything like this."

"Ana, he is doing whatever he needs to do to get you back. He realizes what he has lost because of his own stupidity and I don't blame him. If Rachel left me, I would move heaven and earth to get her back." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Now, get out of here."

Ana went to her apartment and changed into her work-out clothes. She decided to go to her trainer's gym instead of using the gym in her building. She wanted to see if she could get Richard Hanson, an Army friend of Ray's to spar with her.

Ops had become a very successful gym that ex-military and active service military visited regularly. The owner/operator/trainer Richard Hanson was a good friend of Ray Steele. He had known Ana since Ray had married the lovely Carla and adopted Ana when she was only eight months old. With Ray, Richard made sure that Ana could protect herself. He had been training her ever since she could walk.

"Uncle Richard." Ana said as she approached her godfather. He was a damn handsome man with his chocolate colored hair and those topaz colored eyes. He was over six foot tall with body sculptured by life, the military, and his gym. For being in his forties, he had a better body then some twenty year olds. Richard turned and smiled when he realized that his god-daughter was in the house. He picked her up and swung her around. "How are you Unc?"

"Doing well. Look we have a full house. Business is doing great." He was so proud of his establishment. "So what brings you down here in the middle of the day?"

"I needed to blow off some steam and do some thinking."

Richard considered her carefully. She was stressed. He could feel that when he picked her up. "Ray told me about Grey. What a shit he turned out to be."

"Shit happens, Unc. But, I have to move on. Life is too short to sit around and cry tears over a man who isn't worth it."

"Good girl. I knew you wouldn't waste time pining over someone who isn't worthy of you." He clapped his hands together. "Okay, soldier, what do you want to do? Some kickboxing or do you want to hit the treadmill?"

"Kickboxing. I have some pent up aggression I need to work through then maybe I can think clearly."

It was a great session working out. She felt cleansed and ready to take on the world. After she showered and changed she walked out of the women's lockers to find her godfather. She smiled as she approached him. "Thanks Unc." She reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"You did good, kiddo. Some damn good kicks. Ray should have made you sign up for the Army, you could have been our new secret weapon…Anbo" He laughed at his own play on words. "You get it…Rambo…Anbo?"

"Really Richard, you need to watch some newer movies." She shook her head and then said her goodbyes. She was feeling good as she rode the elevator down to the basement garage. With a press of a button she unlocked her new pick-up truck. She loved her red Dodge Ram that took her everywhere she wanted to go. She had 4-wheel drive on demand and could easily get to her favorite spots to hike or go horseback riding. She climbed up into the cab, shut the door, and like her father trained her hit the door locks. "Never sit in an unlock vehicle, Ana." He would say over and over again. "Get in, get started, and drive. Don't ever sit there doing your check book or talking on the phone. That shit can wait until you get home. A lone woman in a parked car is a target for some damn sicko." She was about to back out of her parking spot when a knock came at her window. She jumped when she heard the noise and then lost her breathe when she saw copper hair and those grey eyes. Christian Grey in the flesh! She waved him away but he only stood there shaking his head. She lowered her window just enough so he could hear her. "Will you leave me alone? Now move so I can leave."

"We need to talk." He growled as he crossed his massive arms over his impressive chest.

"We have said all that there is to say, Christian. Now, get out of my way." She rolled up her window, turned up the radio which was blasting some Blake Shelton and backed up. She drove around him and out of the garage into the traffic of Seattle. He had to be following her once again. She knew from the moment that she walked out of Escala that his security team had been following her. She used her skills that Ray taught her and was good at losing them. She knew that she probably earned Taylor and his team a few ass-chewings from their boss. Ana drove straight to her apartment complex and there make her decisions that could change her life. When she got into her apartment she checked her email and messages on her laptop while her phone charged.

Gideon: Decided?

She smiled. His IM message was short and sweet. He was a man of few words, but at least he spoke.

She fired up her email program and shot one off to Gideon Cross.

To: Gideon Cross

Subject: Deciding now

From: Ana Steele

Date: November 5, 2012 6:45pm

Message:

Gideon,

Still weighing different options, but you will be the first to know my decision. Thank you for a wonderful weekend in NYC. You are a wonderful tourist guide.

Ana

Anastasia R. Steele, V.P. Washington Publishing, Inc.

After sending off her mail she closed down the program. Work will wait until tomorrow. She padded into her kitchen and found a wine glass and a chilled bottle of white wine. She sat on her sofa in the dark and watched the lights of Seattle twinkle in the darkness. She weighed all her options. She could be working in NYC and living in one the most exciting cities in the world. Gideon was also an added incentive. He was exciting and so damn sexy. She could see herself having a hot, passionate affair with the man. His demeanor and body promised mind-blowing sex that would leave any woman breathless. However, the warnings from Rachel and Jed kept walking through her mind. Gideon had secrets and a dark side. He used women sexually but only those who were not considered friends. She wondered why he kept his sexual relationships so close to the vest. If he was seen in public with a woman, he was usually with a family friend or a business associate and she was only accompanied him to a social and business event. He didn't date. He didn't have a significant other. There were no children. She decided he had commitment issues. That didn't bother Ana; she was a little gun-shy after Christian. She wasn't looking for a serious relationship. She needed to keep a clear head if she was going to move clear across the country and start a new job. Trying to start any serious relationship with anyone would more than difficult, but a little sex on the side might be just what the Doctor ordered. She could get her groove on then be out the door before morning and wouldn't have to deal with relationship stresses. She took a sip of wine. Gideon Cross and sex, the two seemed to go together, but then there was the problem that she would be working for him. She didn't want to be accused of sleeping her way into a job. This decision was going to be more difficult than she thought. She better sleep on this.

By the end of the week, the decision was made. She was going to New York. That was the strong decision. Gideon on the other hand was another problem. She was turned on by him, but having any relationship with him could be detrimental to her career.