AN: No Christian wasn't married to Nula. They dated for about a year and she was the only other relationship he had that came close to his with Ana. His reasons for staying with her for so long when he was still in love with Ana were to prove points to his family and Ana about moving on, but in the end he couldn't.
Also this chapter is not what I had originally planned, but it seemed right.
Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 9

Ana gulped at the look on Christian's face. She wasn't ready to see him. Hell, she didn't want their first meeting in almost five years to be in this club. Yes, they talked on an average of once a month, but that was different from the face to face.
Unconsciously, her hand went to the collar around her neck, as Adam asked if she was ok. "Umm…" she inhaled as she quickly looked away from Christian, feeling the papers crunch in her hand. "Grant asked me to give you these…"

"So you said," Adam replied with a mixture of amusement and concern. "I take it you know our guest?"

"I…"

"Ana, what is going on?" Christian asked impatiently as he started towards her. "Why are you in a BDSM club? Why the collar?" he demanded as he came to a stop a mere foot in front of her.

"I'm not…" Ana started.

"The collar is a sign of protection. I thought you would recognize it," Adam cut in.

"You were collared? There's someone… I thought you wanted more…" Christian somehow managed to get out around the lump forming in his throat; his hurt and disappointment, not to mention uncertainty clear in his voice.

"I did, I do… there's never been anyone but you," Ana hastily replied as she reached out towards him; her hand dropping as he took a step back.

"But you're wearing some other man's collar?" Christian sighed in something approaching defeat as he ran a tired hand down his face.

"Men… she's wearing the collar of other men," Adam started to interrupt, then at Christian's curse, quickly clarified. "It's a sign that she's under the protection of myself and the other owners of the club. And, no, none of us are her Doms."

Christian closed his eyes and inhaled to try to relieve some of the tension he felt as moved closer to Ana. "Why this club, Ana?" he asked as he put a finger under her chin so that she would have to look up at him.

"I'm just helping out…" she started, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Dressed like that?" he pressed.

She swallowed: "I told Karla you wouldn't have let me out in something like this…"

"Karla?"

"Adam's wife," she explained quickly as she raised her eyes and then her hand to cup his wrist. "I met them and the other owners at an engagement party. I came to some realizations the next morning when we had breakfast, and knew I had to get out of NY and away from Kate's influence. I had some friends help me so that I could get here and Adam, Karla, and the others have been helping me get settled this past week."

"Wenn and Cross where the ones who helped you?" he asked and then at Ana's nod smirked. "I don't know if I should destroy them or thank them."

"Well, since you've more than likely just signed a deal with Wenn…"

"How did you…."

"Jen said that Alex was going to meet with someone in Seattle. I wondered if it was you and was trying to figure out how to find out. But then the time table changed and I came out here," she explained. "I wanted some time to prove I could be on my own before I called you."

Christian closed his eyes and dropped his hand and his head: "so that hasn't changed then?"

"It has…" she exhaled. "I just wanted to make sure you knew it was my mind that had made this decision. I mean, it has always been. I can't blame my poor choices entirely on Kate, but I have to come to terms with them and myself," she explained in a rush as Christian opened his eyes. "It was always you, but I was afraid."

"Of what, Ana?"

"That it was too late… that I was too late."

Christian nodded: "we need to talk and should do it in private," he said decisively.

Ana smiled at him: "yeah. You're right," she said as she looked around Christian's shoulder to Adam. "The inventory's done."

"So I gathered," he said good naturedly. "I hate to put a damper on this little reunion, but we do still need your help tonight."

"Oh…" she said with her lips pursed.

"If Taylor here will vouch for Mr. Grey, I don't see any reason why he couldn't help you at the house with your other duties for the night."

"Other duties?" Christian bit out, as he shot the older man a harsh glare.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Grey. I'm babysitting Adam's twins and granddaughter while the others are here tonight," she informed as she smiled over at Taylor: "sorry, I didn't see you there, Taylor."

"You had your eyes on something more important," Taylor told her. "Although, you and I need to have a talk."

"Oh?"

"Did you not tell the new place that I am to have access to information on Ray?"

"I thought I filed the POA… I'll take care of it…"

"It can wait a few days," Taylor smiled then turned to his former Master Sargent: "Granddaughter? Twins? I'm missing something here. Last time I saw you, you were getting letters from some tiny bopper and you didn't have kids."

"The 'tiny bopper' is now my wife. We have twins who are a couple of months old. Tonight will be her first night back here singing since she had them. The 'granddaughter' is the daughter of another owner. Damien and I sort of adopted each other," Adam responded with some amusement. "He can handle helping out? I don't trust just anyone with the kids."

"Grey's good with kids. My daughter, Sophie adores him and his nephew begs for time with him. Besides, I'll help. Give those two time to talk."

Adam nodded: "ok then. If that's all right with you two?"

Ana looked to Christian who sighed: "I'd prefer having you to myself, but if you being with me is all I can get for now, I'll take it."

Ana beamed as she looked to Adam: "you got babysitters," she said. "You want to leave now?"

"Preferably. I don't relish the thought of you in a club like this."

Ana rolled her eyes: "I'm sure you'd be saying something different if I was here with you," she shot back as she put her hand in her pocket. "I'm parked in back. What about you?"

"You can come with us…"

"I need my car…"

"One of us will drive it back for you tonight," Adam told her.

"You're not helping," Ana sighed. "Fine, but I still need my bags.
I have a change of clothes and things for the kids. Oh, I also have the manuscripts to go over with the girls tomorrow."

"You're editing again?" Christian asked.

"Yeah," she smiled. "I'm finally figuring out what it is I want in life," she blushed as she looked down and fingered her keys: "I'm going to run to my car and grabbed it. Meet you there?"

"Yeah. But put my jacket on. I don't like the idea of you running around outside dressed in that…" he said eyeing her up and down with a devilish glint in his eyes that she knew meant what he was seeing was supposed to be for his eyes only.

"Won't the jacket make it worse since it will be alluding even more to the fact that I have just this on?"

"But the jacket is mine, Anastasia," he responded as she turned and let him help her slip into it. "I've missed you," he said into her ear as he pulled her close to him. "Go on. Get your things so we can go. We'll pull around back."

"I'll be waiting…" she smiled as he leaned in and nipped her ear.

"You better be because I've waited long enough for you."

He stood in the shadows near the dumpster waiting, a cigarette hanging from his hand as he watched and waited. He wanted her and he wanted her now.
It had been too long since he had been in her presence.

As if on cue, the back door opened and she sprinted out, but his hopes were burst.
She had a man's jacket wrapped around her.

Anger sored up in him at the realization.
He had always thought she was waiting for him- that she would be waiting when he got out of that horrible place he had been consigned to by his arch enemy- her ex.
But it seemed as though he had been wrong.

She wasn't some innocent lead astray by a man with a big wallet.
She was a whore like the others.
And for tricking him, she would pay.

Ana raced across the parking lot towards her jeep, a smile on her face.
She wasn't sure why she had been afraid, but she knew now, it was an irrational thought. False Evidence Appearing Real in all its inconsistencies.
She knew she'd have to explain its place in her life and her diagnoses to Christian, but with how long he had been seeing Flynn, he of all people should understand.
But in many ways it didn't matter right now. They would have time to discuss things.
Maybe they'd even get their happy ending this time around, she mused as she hit the button on her key fob to unlock the trunk so she could grab her bags.

As she did, she felt a chill run down her spine.
She tried to convince herself it was nothing.
A shadow.
An echo.

But as a hand reached around her and pulled her into a body she knew it wasn't.

She fought against the hold as her attacker pulled back her head so she could see him.
Her eyes widen in a combination of fear and recognition just before he smirked and slammed her head into the frame of her car.

She lost consciousness just as headlights illuminated them and he reared her head back for a second time.
From somewhere she heard a scream that wasn't hers.
She heard slamming doors and she felt her body crash onto the pavement.
A shout as she felt something hit her chest.
Then there were footsteps and shouts before nothing…