APOV

I get home to find Kate packing.

"What are you doing?" I ask her.

"Oh, good, you're home!" She grins excitedly then hold up two different bikinis. "Which one?"

"Um. I don't know, they're both cute."

She looks at them in turn, trying to decide.

"I've already packed four, what's two more?" She laughs putting them both in her bag.

"Why are you packing?"

"Elliot is taking me to Aspen! Can you believe it?" She squeals. "I got the time off work so we're going now. You can use my car while I'm gone."

"Wow, Kate. Aspen. So this is serious then? You and Elliot?"

"Oh, Ana! He's great!" She grins. "We're official."

"I'm happy for you, Kate. So, I um, I talked to Christian today."

"Oh?" She stops packing to pay attention to me now.

"We've agreed to be friends."

"Just friends? Ana-"

"He's a great guy, Kate, really, but I just can't be more."

"Okay, Sweetie. I still wish you'd try again. Not all men are like that asshole!"

"I know. I'm just trying to protect my heart." What little I have left of it. "So, when are you leaving?" I ask her to get off the subject of him.

"Tomorrow! I'm going to stay over his place tonight though, because we have an early flight."

"Wow, tomorrow, that soon?"

"Yeah, I know. I got the time off so we're going now. You'll be okay while I'm gone, right?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'm going to start dinner."

Kate leaves to go to Elliot's after dinner and I stay up dreaming about another lifetime where I could say yes to more with Christian.

He's a great guy, really he is, and to still want to be friends after how horrible I treated him when all he wanted was a date to get to know me.

I can't stop thinking about how he makes me feel, how safe I felt in his arms. I feel like I've dreamed him to life, that he's not real, and I'll wake tomorrow and none of this ever happened. I'm terrified of love, to love. I don't believe in magic, but if I did, I would cast a spell on my heart. I don't want to hold him back from finding his happiness. I don't want him to think I could do the love thing so just friends is all I can give.

Is it possible to heal a heart that doesn't exist?

CPOV

Elliot called me saying he was taking Kate to Aspen. I know Anastasia's car is not working and she's been getting rides from him and Kate, so I'm waiting for Anastasia outside her apartment building to give her a ride to GEH. We're both going to the same place so why not?

She wants to be friends, it's what friends do right?

I just hope this doesn't backfire on me like all the other times.

I'm leaning against my SUV with my Raybans on, when she walks out, looking beautiful as ever.

I push off my SUV when she notices me and makes her way towards me.

"What are you doing here, Christian?" She asks smiling. Smiling is good.

"Your car is out of commission." I explain. "I thought I'd give you a ride to work so you don't have to walk."

"Oh. That's very kind of you, but I'm borrowing Kate's car while she's in Aspen. I have a friend coming to fix my car tomorrow. Besides, how would I get back home?"

"I'd return you, of course."

"Well, since you are already here and we are going to the same place, I guess it's okay to ride with you. Just as long as it's not out of your way."

"It's not," I say as I open the door for her. Even if it was, it wouldn't make a difference.

Once she climbs in, I walk around and get in the driver's seat. I grab the Styrofoam cup that's resting in the cup holder and hand it to her.

"Hot chocolate, not coffee." I tell her. "Do you like hot chocolate?"

"Yes, I do." She accepts the cup. "And thank you."

"Where's Taylor?" She asks after taking a sip.

"He's dealing with a security issue, as well as acquiring another CPO." Your CPO. Well not close protection, covert.

"Another CPO. You need more protection from me, huh?" She jokes. Not from you, for you.

"What can I say, you're very frightening, Ms. Steele." I move closer to my side in fake terror causing her to giggle at my playfulness.

We arrive at GEH and walk in together with everyone staring when I walk her to her desk.

"Why does everyone stop and stare every time we walk in a room together?" She asks, noticing the effect as well.

"They're just jealous because we have great hair." She laughs loudly because most of the employees here are blonde.

"Have a good day, Anastasia." I place my hand on her back and whisper in here ear, "I'll be down to take you home once you're finished."

"Okay. Have a good day, Mr. Grey."

I stroll towards my elevator with a smile on my face.

She seems to be easy going now that we're just friends.

"Andrea, send Taylor in when he gets here."

"Yes, sir."

Twenty minutes later, Taylor comes in with paperwork and Sawyer following behind him.

"Ms. Anderson's NDA, sir." He hands me her newly signed NDA. Taylor's good at his job.

"Ms. Anderson is leaving Seattle at the end of the week." Apparently Taylor is great at his job.

"Wow, Taylor, I'm impressed. I only asked for the NDA and you eliminate the threat completely by running her out of town."

"Not my doing, sir, but I'll take the credit. With Ms. Anderson's departure are you still wanting Sawyer on Ms. Steele?"

"Yes. We're friends, I'm not hiding it, and the once the media gets ahold of that information, they're going to want to know who she is, and what our relationship entails." There's also her being scared of something or someone.

"Still covert,sir?"

"Yes, for now. She's not to know you're on her." I tell Sawyer, "I don't want to scare her." Even more than she already is.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. You're dismissed. Don't let her out of your sight."

Sawyer takes his leave.

"Anything to add?" I ask Taylor.

"Not at this time, sir."

Taylor leaves as well.

Before I begin my day, I send Anastasia a text.

Dinner tonight? -C

Sure! I'll cook. -A

This friendship thing is going better than I imagined. Friends. Who would of thought?

APOV

"What was that, Ana?" Chelsea asks.

"What?"

"You and Mr. Grey?"

"We're friends." I shrug.

"Wow! Really?!"

"Yeah. Where's Becca, is she late again?"

"Actually, she got fired. Deb found out she's been late all last week, and guess what? She gave me a promotion! I'm now reception's supervisor."

"Wow, that's great! I feel bad Becca lost her job, but congratulations."

"Thanks. She shouldn't of been late all week, but hey, I got a promotion out of it." She laughs.

~BUZZ~

Dinner tonight? -C

Sure! I'll cook. -A

Good. Because I can't. :) -C

LoL. Neither can Kate. Can we stop and get ice cream for desert? -A

Sounds good. -C

I smile putting my phone away and get to work.

~..~..~

During lunch, I head to the deli.

Walking down the street, I get a feeling like I'm being watched.

I look around but I don't notice anyone standing out.

Gosh, I hope it's not that creepy salon lady again. What was her problem? I wonder what she meant by 'I know what he likes'. I don't think I even want to know.

I get to the deli, and a man opens and holds the door for me. I thank him then head to the counter to order my food.

Once I'm seated, I still can't shake the feeling of being watched.