Teddy and Family

Chapter 24

A/N: The timeline when this all takes place was just too good not to add what's in this chapter in. In this AU world remember Ana and Chris aren't the biggest fans of EL James or her books, so her reaction to meeting EL isn't gonna be all hugs and kisses quite the opposite actually. Where as, they became friends with Jamie and Amelia after meeting them during charity events that they both attended. Millie and Ana started their Married to a Demi-god support group. Jamie and Chris have a friendship of sorts through their love of golf.

Jamie and EL just happen to be staying at the Waldorf too. It just won't quit and there's so much more to come…but I do throw in a little bit of fun…^~

Disclaimer: EL James and sometimes SMeyer (I love to play with her characters but with my AU spin on them from my other story. Sorry folks I don't do Cannon ever. Like, Love it, Hate it…you have been warned ^^) own it all I'm just having fun with the characters, but the OC ones and story ideas are all mine

What seems like an eternity of questions mostly answered by the germ's footage and an endless lecture from Sam's Uncle later, we finally convince him and the paramedics that we don't need to be checked out at Mount Sinai West. Besides a few bruises on me, we're fine, so he has Frankie and Hudson personally escort us to our next destination on this endless day of hell.

The Waldorf Astoria.

Parasite Central and we give them the shot of a lifetime. Ana and Bella, looking like two drowned cats, in nearly sopping wet sweats and squishy converse, being dropped off by NYPD. They go insane.

It's so loud and they're speaking all at once that we can't hear or understand a thing. Frankie and Hudson cover our heads with their jackets and rush us into the safety of the lobby. Where we are now getting gawked at like we're street urchins.

"Thanks for the ride." I ignore all the eyes on us and smile at Frankie and his partner.

"It was our pleasure, ladies." Hudson grins.

"You two are staying put, right?" Frankie shoots us both a look.

"Thanks, Frankie. Tell your Dad that we made it here safe and sound and that we'll try to stay out of trouble." I ignore the look.

We are grown women. I am CEO of GP. I will not be grounded like a teenager for doing the right thing!

"Yeah, that's what I thought." He rolls his eyes and they leave.

"Goodbye, Boys." Bella and I, our heads held high, head over to the main desk. Our shoes making squishy wet noises.

The perfectly coifed front desk clerk, stepford wives clone, eyes us with distain. "I'm sorry, but our establishment doesn't cater to…"

I slam my palms down onto the shiny Italian marble top of the front desk and lean in to glower at her. She jumps and her hand is just itching to hit the security button.

"Listen…" I glare at her name tag and sneer out her name.

"Tamara is it? I am having one of the worst days of my life today and I am not gonna stand here and listen to you trying to act like the social elite which you my dear are not. You work in the Astoria, but you don't belong in the same tax bracket as those who stay here!"

"Says the dripping wet street urchin standing in front of my desk!" She hisses back. "My Daddy…"

"Oh, did you hear that, Bella?" I snark in amusement. "She isn't even qualified to run the desk. Her Daddy had to get her the job."

"It wouldn't be the first time. Most spoiled rich princesses couldn't pass the first month of University." Bella smirks.

"Like either of you would have a clue about…"

"Tammy. Could you be a good little minion and call William for me?" I check my nails for damage, which infuriates her even more.

"Mr. Anderson is busy." She narrows her eyes to slits. "Nice try, but you can find anything on the internet these days. Now do I have to call security or are you going to leave? You are disturbing our guests."

Before I can say anything a male voice, a very familiar one. Growls behind us. He's got a distinct British accent. "I think that I can be of some assistance." He steps up to the desk and sets down the Person of the Year issue of Time Magazine onto it.

Not that the girl notices, she's panting and fluttering her eyes at him. Not unlike how females react to our husbands. Lovely, I forgot that Andrea chose the same hotel that the cast for Fifty Shades is staying in! Does someone up there really hate me today!?

"Mr…Dornan…" She says breathlessly and yes people she adjusts her blouse to make sure that the girls are on proper display under her sheer white blouse. For the love of god girl! He's married to Millie! Get a grip! You are in enough shit already!

"Look at the Magazine not at me, love" He growls softly.

She looks down at it then up at me and then down at it again. This repeats for about a minute. I can visually see the flush, sweat, and panicking setting in. That's right you are in big, big, shit. Little miss snarky pants. "It's just that look at her…How was I suppose to…" she whines.

"Oh, that's not the worst of it, love." He smirks at her. Holy shit, he has Christian's mannerisms down to a science. "Take a good look at her lovely companion." He arches one brow, just like my Chris! God it's unnerving and well I'm not dead! He's another demi-god!

Bella shoots her a not so nice lethal grin and she visibly gulps.

Tamara is now green around the gills. She looks like she's gonna be physically ill.

"Get me William, now!" I decide to channel Christian when he's about to fire someone and boy does it work.

"Yes, Mrs. Grey!" She picks up the phone and dials his extension. "Mr…Anderson…Mrs. Grey and Mrs. Cullen are here…Yes, sir…um…she wants to see you, sir…" She hangs up the phone and then whimpers. "He'll be right down…"

"We'll be sitting in Sir Harry's. Be a love and get these two lovelies a robe and some towels. There's a good girl." Jamie smiles at her and she hops to it. Then he turns his attention on us. "Now, let's go have a nice chat about why the two of you look like you took a dip in the park pond?" He isn't gonna take no for an answer either, so we reluctantly let him lead the way.

"How's Millie and your adorable little one?" I don't really wanna talk about it, so I jump in and ask about his wife.

"Both my girls are wonderful." He shoots me a sharp blued eyed it's not gonna work stare. "Where's Christian? How are Teddy and the triplets?" He counters, motioning us to sit.

"In Chicago. Teddy and the babies are on the ship for the weekend with their grandparents…" Frankie and Hudson forgot their jackets, so we use those to protect the insanely expensive furniture before we sit down.

"Oh the hell with it…" I take a deep resigned breath and tell him the whole story and when I'm finished. He's speechless. I must say that he does Christian's shocked look to perfection too. It has to be the eyes, seeing that he's sporting the beard of a woodsman.

"If you need a visual. Look for yourself. We've had unwanted shadows for most of the day." Bella hands him her phone and after a few minutes he looks stunned.

"Four…six foot plus prats…" He plays the footage again. "Remind me never to piss either of you off. Are you okay? I mean, besides being sopping wet. Why didn't they send you to…?"

"We're fine. Wet but fine…"

Tamara races in with two robes and a stack of towels with a very pissed William behind her. "Will there be anything else?" She asks shakily.

"I'll take it from here. Karen will handle your shift. You're dismissed. We'll go over any disciplinary actions tomorrow morning." William shoots her a look and she runs from the Lounge in tears. "Ana…Bella…what in god's name happened to the two of you?!" He's eyeing us in alarm.

Jamie hands him the phone and it spirals from there. "They've had quite the adventure today…" He quips in his deep brogue, eyes dancing. "And the day's not even half over yet." He chuckles.

"Jamie? I'll see you this evening at the…" The new arrival's voice trails off as she takes in who Jamie's sitting with.

"Erika." Jamie just can't resist, the cheeky Bastard. "Have you met Ana Grey and Bella Cullen?"

"Uh, no, I've yet to have the pleasure." She's still in shock. Anastasia Grey and Bella Cullen are sitting having a chat with the lead actor of the movie based on her book that she took from any social media on my family. Damn right, she's in shock. She isn't on my approved list that's for sure.

"Pleasure…" I hiss letting that word roll over my tongue, eyes narrowing. "No, Ms. Mitchell, I don't think that quite fits does it? For someone who stalked a family on Social Media and then spun a story into an exotica trilogy staring myself, my husband, well, nearly all the members of our immediate family…making it hell on earth for any of us to live normal lives…so no pleasure doesn't come remotely close. The only reason why we didn't sue you for every cent that you have is that lovely disclaimer that your lawyers had you add to the beginning of your book. Any and all likenesses are purely coincidental, blah, blah, blah, BS but it saved your ass from disaster." I stand and stare her down.

That's right Erika this Ana isn't a petite little mouse. This Ana has razer sharp claws and knows how to use them. "And here's a bit of advice. I would see about changing hotels, because Christian is not your biggest fan. Far from it and if he get's wind that you're staying here then you will feel the actual wrath of Christian Grey. After all, your books did basically cause our lives to become a living hell. Taylor, Luke, Ryan, Reynolds, Prescott, and Welch all love to use your books and basically anything with Fifty Shades of Grey on it for target practice, because you've made us into more of a target than we ever were before. Now that it's a bloody movie franchise it's gonna get infinitely worse. He's even more furious that your next one is entirely from his Point of View…Chris doesn't really appreciate random fangirls sending him their underwear, bras, kinky toys or photos…because they are obsessed with your Christian Grey. And I hate all the crap that's sent to me by crazed males."

"Erika, couldn't use my characters, but she needed names that would pop…" Bella shoots her a dark look. "Who better than Seattle's real life version of the royal families. The Grey's and the Steele's. Only she wanted Christian to stand out and you to be, well, nothing like you really are. Mousy, weak, timid, shy, little bookworm that's not Ana Steele. She couldn't have her from a prominent wealthy family that wouldn't work at all. She had to change both her main characters so that your lawyers couldn't sue her and the publishing house for every dime that they had. She wasn't thinking about the repercussions that never crossed her mind, not once. Fanfiction is one thing, but using actual names that's just bitchy."

"The fictional Ana and Christian don't even come close to the real thing. Like I told those fangirls at the airport. You can't even fathom what my demi-god and I share. Truthfully, the books don't even brush the surface." I go over and hug Jamie. "Give Millie and your baby girl my love. Break a leg at your premiere tonight. Bella and I are going to go see Kinky Boots." I put on the robe that Bella hands me.

"That's at the Hirschfeld Theater and the special showing is at the Ziegfeld. You'll be well clear of the fandom and the TODAY show hosts, which considering your day so far is a very good thing." He hugs me and then Bella. "Tell Chris that he owes me a Golf game when he's all healed up and you and Millie can take a girls day. Love to the family."

We grab our police jackets and I pause beside Erika one last time. "I'm sorry if I was short with you, but it just rubs me wrong that you are cashing in by taking license with my family's lives, and no legal loophole makes that even remotely right."

She's speechless, like a deer caught in headlights. Then again I did give her a lot to ponder over as she goes on her way.

"Ana, before I forget. Millie says that the girls miss you on that married to a demi-god support group I think it's called…" He grins wickedly at me.

I pray that my cheeks aren't as red as they feel. "I'll be sure to check in when I fire up my laptop. I'm sure that this latest role of yours and the content in it is drawing on her last nerve. If she needs to vent tell her to call me or shoot me an email or text. I understand exactly how she's probably feeling right now." I shoot that Zinger back at him and he narrows his eyes.

"It's just a character that I got paid to play. Not me. Millie understands it. It's my job, what I get paid to do in order to support my family. I leave the character at the door…" I hit a nerve.

"Chris and Ana have been in a bit of a rough patch and she's still tender about it. She's not trying to be mean, Jamie." Bella's playing mediator.

"What's he got to do with acting or playing a role?" He frowns, once again arching a brow.

"Nothing, I'm just trying to wrap my mind around something that happened and the factors that it involved that's all…It kind of reminds me of what you do…I've said way too much as it is…"

"Chris leaves the CEO at Grey House and I leave the character that I play as soon as the film quits rolling for the day or between shots when I just try and relax. If I get stuck in one then I go see a shrink and get clear of it that way. Whatever he did that has your mind this frazzled over it must have been bloody serious. Even if it was he did it for the good of his family, no matter the crap that followed by it, and you have to see it that way. You trust him or you don't. You talk to each other. Communicate. Then you don't let it mess with your head. It's as simple as that." Jamie spells it out for me and it's clear that I have been punishing Chris and it needs to stop. I need to ignore the BS that people throw at me and trust him.

"Thanks, Jamie. You've helped more than you know. Now I've one last piece of advice for you and Dakota. Brace yourselves because your lives will never be the same again. Fandom will eat you alive. You will be stalked by crazed fans. The tabloids will stop at nothing to tear you and Millie to shreds. You're gonna be inundated by fans sending you all manner of things. Not all of it good. You might have to hire your own watchdogs to keep you and your family safe." I try to give him an idea of what's to come. "I should know. I've been living it ever sense the first book was released and it's never ebbed. Chris and I just have people to filter out the crap before we even see it. Our email is monitored for our own protection. Our mail has to go through security procedures before we can even touch it. I can't step outside my gate without being stalked by the Paps and I can't even go anywhere without my shadows. I'm breaking like a million rules just by coming here and flying commercial. Any privacy that you had is over. That is the life that you signed up for, so brace for impact. Like I said before. If Millie needs to vent I'm just a phone call away. Have fun tonight."

Now I've got Jamie stunned speechless, well, I thought he needed fair warning of the storm to come and how to weather it. "William, I'm more than ready to head up to our room now. I just wanna soak in a bath for an hour."

"That sounds like heaven." Bella's in full agreement.

"The Cole Porter Suite is all ready for you. I thought it more appropriate than the presidential considering that your husbands and security will also be arriving tonight. Samantha delivered your bags a few hours ago and Murry your carryon's a little over and hour go. I'll get you both settled in and then arrange for you to see Kinky Boots was it? Oh, there was also a delivery from Alice's fashion house about a half hour ago. They're both hanging in your closets. I've had the kitchen loaded up with your favorites and the pantry as well as per Christian's request. Gino and Angelo are both ready to arrive this evening with their glam squad if the two of you decide to go to a show." William's kissing ass, because he's afraid that Chris is gonna call up the Chinese and offer them 3 billion for the hotel and he just may do that when he hears about the Tamara incident tonight.

"That's so sweet of you to indulge my husband. I may just treat you and your staff with some treats." It's been an endless day of one thing after another and I need to vent out my frustration on something. It may as well be baking up a storm. I leaned my head on Bella's shoulder and closed my eyes it's taking forever to get to our floor.

"It might appease our lions when they finally arrive, so there is that little plus side too." Bella gives my waist a reassuring squeeze. "You're starting to crash, baby sister. Bath and then a nap for you."

"William, I need you to have some sunny fun flowers, happy balloons, sent to Claire's hospital room and the same for Hanah, only add a few plushies. She and Luke are expecting a little one. Call Samantha. She'll know exactly what Hospital they were both taken to yesterday evening. Find out where Sam's hiding and then have a giant lion plushy delivered to her with balloons, Juniors cheese cake the chocolatier the better…Oh and Serendipity's. She and Logan are also expecting a little one. I need you to get in touch with Sam's Uncle the Police Commissioner and find out where the girls were taken to and then have them sent the same as Claire with one of my cards for Haven House here in New York in case they need protection or any help. They know how to contact me or Bella. We'll need someone to go out and get me more supplies unless you've loaded the pantry up with enough chocolate and peanut butter for me to make my family prize winning goodies enough to feed a small army…its Edward's weakness and Bella and I need as much ammo as we can get." She's right I'm crashing and hard, but I need to get these things sorted while my mind is focused. Visiting Claire and Hanah is out. Wild horses couldn't get me near a hospital right now. Sam has to know that I'm not mad and understand that the baby is making her go Bi-polar right now.

I know that this sounds like an endless list for him to remember, but he's the best concierge in NY, one of the reasons being that he has a memory like we do, so everything that I'm saying at a mile a minute is registering as fast as he's texting on his phone. You want it, he can make it happen, within reason of course. Chris and I are poaching him and his team. He just doesn't know it yet.

"Chris is already five steps ahead of you. He's trying to keep his mind off of your adventure in the City. Hanah and Claire are both taken care of. Sam, not as of yet, because she's not in his good books right now, but I will get right on it. After I see about your request for those two girls that you and Bella saved first. Chris made me and my team an offer that I'd be insane to turn down while I tried to talk him down not to long ago when he check to see if you were here yet and I had to tell him that you were enjoying the park. It was working until the site that TMZ setup titled 'Ana and Bella's Day Out' went LIVE again…I believe Edward knocked him out with a sleeper hold." He's chatting as we head into the Cole Porter apartment suite.

All I am getting is LIVE site and Sleeper hold. Holy Crap! I'm never gonna be able to sit down again! That and he'll never let me out of his sight after this. I hope that Teddy isn't watching this! The Dads…I don't even wanna think about it…and my big brothers…I'll be sitting on a donut cushion for the foreseeable future.

"Girls, this is Mrs. Gloria Landon. The Astoria's version of Gail." We're introduced to a smiling hazel eyed, brunette replica of Gail.

"You must be worn off your feet." Yep just like Gail. "I've drawn baths for both of you."

"Ana, you take the Master." Bella gives me a gentle push to follow after Gloria because I'm frozen just thinking that Dante's gonna resign after having to deal with the PR fallout. I could blame it all on Ros. Yeah, at this point it's everyone for themselves. "Check in back home. Try Skype. See if Teddy has his Tablet…"

"I'm terrified to turn on my phone, tablet, basically any tech." I whimper.

"Teddy's probably worried about you, but first try and soak for at least a half hour." Bella gives me a hug and then heads off to explore the suite. It's unnerving that nothing shakes her for very long. Must be the Shining One genetics. She's not the least bit afraid of Edward's reaction to this mess while I'm ready to lock myself up in Escala until he calms down. I would be barricaded at the brownstone or in the penthouse apartment at our hotel but that's not an option. I head for the bathroom and choose shower first to wash off the pond ick before diving into the bath of frothy bubbles.

Hour or so later I'm hyped up on Serendipity frozen Hot Chocolate. I'm wearing my favorite ancient jeans, another one of Chris's t-shirts, and I am baking up a storm in this massive kitchen with my favorite Taylor Swifts songs on repeat. Shake it off is currently blasting through the sound system.

I rarely go for putting dessert liqueur in my creations for obvious reasons, but at this point my aim is to mellow our husbands out and it's not like I'm gonna put Rum or brandy in them. Just a little Orange, Mint, Chocolate liqueurs to give them a little kick and amp up the flavor. Besides it'll burn away during the cooking process. It's not even two yet, so I have time. I checked the status of O'Hara. He won't be able to fly out until at least six, depending where they are in line. I think my phone is gonna go tilt soon, but I'm not brave enough to turn it on. Nor do I wanna look in my inbox. I'll just focus on making brownies, cookies, and fudge goodies.

Gloria's Gail's cousin, so William wasn't kidding when he said that she was his version of Gail. She's fantastic. I'm taking her back home with us! She's a widow. No kids, but she adores them, and she's originally from Seattle. Her husband moved them here years ago. We need another House Manager, so that Gail can focus on the impending birth of her son. Plus side she misses Gail and Seattle, so there is a tiny silver lining from this fucked up day from hell.

So far we've got batches of Crème de mint brownies. Grand Marnier triple chocolate fudge cake. Grand Marnier brownies. Triple Peanut butter cups are chilling in the freezer. Now we're working on rocky road and peanut butter fudge. We've got a pleasant buzz right now from sampling the batter, but Gloria keeps pouring us glasses of Orange Juice or water to keep us grounded.

Bella and I are jamming and dancing around as we create our intoxicating goodies.

"We'll just put this out of reach then shall we." Gloria scoops up the bottles and takes them away.

"It's fine! It'll burn off during the baking process!" I shout after her, between belting out the lyrics to Blank Space.

"Sweetie, you were generous with it in the goodies. It'll still give someone eating it a buzz." Bella waves her spoon at me and I roll my eyes. "I know what you're doing and it's not gonna work. He'll burn off the alcohol from his temper alone. If it were possible you're phone would be smoking like a HOWLER right now with all the messages and missed calls piling up on it."

"It's a good thing that we don't live in the Wizarding World then isn't it." I snark rolling my eyes and blowing her a raspberry.

"William, has some messages for you. Mr. Kavanagh wants you to call him as soon as possible. He's also got tickets for Kinky Boots tonight. Mr. Grey wishes for you to turn on your phone, so that he knows that you're alive and in one piece. Mr. Logan Taylor and a Mr. Lucas Sawyer both wish you to stay put. Mr. Dante Dillion and Mrs. Andrea Sullivan would love it if you would try and dial it back for the rest of the evening, as your antics have crashed the GEH servers with all the requests for interviews and comments from the media. Mrs. Sam Taylor would also love it if you would call it a day, as she's currently suffering from morning sickness and the flu and can't rein you in right now." Gloria comes in with her tablet and runs down the messages from her soon to be former boss.

"Bella, hand me your phone. I need to see what Papa K wants." There's no way in hell that I'm turning on my phone. I'm shocked that the only messages from back home are from Dante and Andrea? Nothing from everyone on the ship? I wonder if Chloe and TJ are doing damage control for me. Then again the rules are to enjoy the water and not our tech, so that could be it too.

"Ana, you can't avoid him and it's only gonna make it worse when he gets here. We took down four guys. He has a right to at least hear your voice." She hands me her phone and I decide to call Papa K first to see how he's doing.

"Ana…thank goodness…they've admitted me to the hospital…well, my whole staff that I have with me all have it…I've got no one to cover the special showing tonight…" He sounds so weak and it's got me worried, especially when he has to pause to get sick. "I know that Chris is not gonna like this, but I really need you to do this for me…" He croaks weakly.

"Do what, Papa K? Should you even be on the phone?" I worriedly bite down on a nail.

"Ana…" Bella's eyes are as big as saucers as she gets what he wants us to do. "Fifty Shades has a special showing tonight!" she hisses.

"I know that it's asking a lot, sweetie…" Papa K moans in misery.

"Asking a lot! He's already gonna make it so I can't sit down for a week and you want me to do what?!" I all but scream down at the phone.

"You wouldn't be walking the carpet. The two of you would just slip inside. You'll have press passes…The Times needs to cover it, seeing as the backdrop is Seattle Washington and well the characters are based loosely…"

"I am Anastasia Steele! She's Bella Swan! I've already told off Erika and you want me to go see it?! To review it?! Eamon, The Today show is covering this LIVE! Its one thing to attend a conference of my peers, but it's a whole other disaster going to a LIVE red carpet event based off a book that Chris uses for target practice! There will be a line of family members waiting to tan my butt! I'll never have freedom again! He'll move my office up to the 40th floor that's how leashed I will be! No more Spa Days, Girl Days, nope…He'll be tethered to me!" I'm pacing the kitchen and trying not to have a panic attack in the process. Papa K is in the hospital in misery. He's family. How the hell can I say no!?

"Girls?" Gloria comes back to give us more bad news. "Kinky Boots and many of the theaters were ground zero for Noro, so that's canceled until they can get crews in to take care of the problem."

"Sweetheart, I know that it's asking you the moon to do this, but with everyone down right now…"

"What's the dress code…?" Bella's looking at me like I've lost my mind.

"What the hell are you doing?!" She mouths at me.

"It's a Special Showing…not too casual …" he answers weakly.

"I'm sure that Bella and I can think of something suitable…. Alice had some dresses that we were to wear for the show tonight that should work for this too. Hopefully, they aren't too daring, so we'll go for those…"

"I've sent an intern to William with all the credentials that you'll need…I know it's a lot to ask…"

"You're my Papa K. If this is gonna make you worry less and focus on getting better then of course we'll do this for you. I will try to keep an open mind and give a fair review and be nice while we watch it." I reassure him once more. "Just focus on getting better. Love you, Papa K."

"Mr. Kavanagh! What are you doing out of bed! Put that phone down right now!" I can hear a nurse growling at Papa K. "Give me that! Mr. Kavanagh is going back to bed. He needs his rest."

"Give me back that phone…" Papa K wheezes. "I have to talk to my daughter…."

"It's fine. Papa K. Go back to bed. We've got this. No worries. Promise. Love you!" I end the call before he can get into more trouble.

"Are you out of your mind?! There is no way that we can just sneak in there! We've got a parasite from TMZ skulking our every move. He'll rat us out to his cronies and then we'll be walking the fricking carpet! Do you seriously think that TODAY isn't gonna pounce once they see us?!" Bella's scary mad at me right now.

"He's in the hospital! I couldn't say no! To one of my Daddies! I'm a seasoned pro at the Red Carpet. If it happens we'll just smile, tell them who we're wearing if they ask, and that we're filling in for a sick family friend. It's simple. We're not the actors. We don't sign autographs. We just walk it, smile, head into the theater." I try and talk her down to simmering mad and not vampire scary mad.

"Ana? William says that Mr. Rodriguez wants to talk to you about doing some PR damage control…" Gloria's phone is becoming my personal answering service and I think she just saved my hide from Bella's wrath.

"Jose and Paul are doing a month long trip checking in at all of their clubs and are suppose to be in London or Paris right now…this could be Chris trying to trick me…" I narrow my eyes and nibble on my thumbnail some more.

"Bitch, call me or I'll tell all about your real undead wedding in Vegas and I have the video evidence to prove it…is the rest of the message." Gloria interrupts me without even batting an eyelash at the message. "You're day is nothing compared to what I've seen in my years of service at the Waldorf, sweetie. Frankly, it's a breath of fresh air that all it involves is baking and being a messenger. You treat me like an equal and not a servant and it will be my pleasure to help my cousin watch over you and your family. I am more than ready to see home again." She goes over and gives my shoulders a squeeze.

Bella grabs her phone from me and hits Jose's number on her phone. "What?! This had better be beyond brilliant…" She closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose and grits her teeth. "We dance that with our kids for fun…that's not the point…we'll break the fucking internet…I don't care if it's for charity…it's bad enough that we're going to the special showing of Fifty Shades…" She whips the phone from her ear and tosses it at me. "Holy shit, that man can scream you deaf…"

"It's a gift of his…" I reluctantly put the phone to my ear and he is swearing in several different languages and I can hear Paul yelling for him to calm down in more colorful metaphors. I can also tell that they are at Calliope New York. "It's for Papa K! He's in the hospital with NORO! I couldn't tell the man no! I'm not walking the carpet! Just sneaking in…" I roll my eyes and wait out the next few minutes of his ranting. I can hear wrestling and Paul's got the phone now. "No! You can't come with us as our dates! He's doing what?! Fine! Fine! You can come with us! Don't send that to the Moms! We'll be having the wedding circus from hell to make up for it! Yeah, yeah, we'll wear what he brings us…" I snort, rolling my eyes. "Girls! Focus! Damage control…" More wrestling and Jose is back with the craziest idea ever! I shoot Bella a desperate look.

"We do know it by heart and it will send them a message that you're done with TMZ stalking you! It's for Charity like one of those challenges that go viral world wide…it also will put all of your causes on the map…"

"That's something that we do with the kids…how is it gonna help if I make a fool of myself or worse yet throw up…" I glare down at the phone in my hand because Jose, Paul, and the girls are all making chicken noises.

"Ana, you've been sampling as you go and have more than enough liquid courage racing through you to not let it get to you…" Bella wants to make me pay for agreeing to the viewing tonight and this is one hell of a payback.

"It's not like you have a choice, Annie! I'll spill all in glorious HD your actual wedding video and the reception that followed that!" My trembling hand has it on speaker. Lovely!

"One song…" I growl.

"Two! Someone got your little showdown with little Miss Tammy and the divine Jamie coming to your rescue. Not to mention your little tete de la tete with Ms. James was captured in full by someone in the lounge…you need major damage control, sweetie. Dante's already nearly at breakdown…give him something positive to spin." Jose's taking no prisoners today.

"Fine…two…" I hiss down at the phone. "This is a disaster in the making! It's freezing outside and the slip and fall on my ass ratio is off the scales today!"

"Annie Grey! How much have you been imbibing?! That's snarky Annie Steele growling at me, not Anastasia Grey mother of four!" He squeals in horror finally realizing that maybe this might be the sanest of ideas, but he's already set the ball in motion. He asked for it.

"I'm spiking my desserts to mellow out our angry lions and I may or may not have snuck a few tastes of the batter for flavor…I don't usually use dessert liquor in my sweets, so it was hit and miss until I got the results that I wanted…" I growl sulkily.

Bella proceeds to run down what we've made so far and the special ingredients that were added.

Jose screams again.

"This is a bad idea…epically bad…" Paul groans. "She'll improvise from the routine…"

"I'm already in deep, deep, shit with Chris. Might as well go for more, right?" I sneer sarcastically glowering down at the phone. "As for veering from the routine, well, if you mean landing on my ass in public, or I don't know screwing up my foot even more than it is now…then yep, I'd say that's a foregone conclusion."

"It looked fine while you were going all ninja on the frats in the park?" Jose's actually reviewing my fight on his laptop or tablet! I can hear it in the background! What the hell?! They have it on the big screen at the club!

"Ana why didn't you get it checked out?" Paul goes into doctor mode.

"She's fine. She soaked it for a half hour and has been jamming to Taylor while we're baking. We've got time to kill, so name the place, and we'll be there as your surprise guests…" Bella takes back her phone before I can throw it at the wall.

"We aren't at the club! We're in a party bus! We're nearly there! It's not a big group just you, us, and the girls. William already knows the plan! Sam's cuz had the paps move across the street…now what are you both wearing or do you need to change?"

Bella sends him a quick photo of us.

"You're channeling your men? Hmm…Well, you'll stand out and it won't look staged at all…"

"Can't we just meet you in Time Square? I've got Murry on speed dial or we can be escorted by Frankie and Hudson our watchdogs parked outside, because no one trusts us right now?"

"Hell no! That place is ground zero for Noro! We're doing it right there in front where the trees are!"

"Lovely, Park Avenue gets a front row seat of me landing on my ass…" I mutter darkly.

"Converse! No heels! I do not want to go into hiding, because you end up breaking your ankle!" Paul shouts his bit in.

"Five minutes, girls! Or we come up and drag you!" Jose ends the call.

"The kids will love it!" Bella's grinning like a loon. "We need fun!"

Holy shit! She sampled the first batch of brownies! Like three of them! It's potent enough to effect her then Chris is gonna be sloshed! How much did I dump in them?!

"It's chilly out, but the temp's gone back into the low 40's, and what's fallen has now melted so it should be safe…" Gloria hands us two more hoodies that we brought one was for Safe House and the other was for Reach for the Stars. "Now go have fun shaking it!" She grins as Bella drags me out of the suite.

We look like College Co-eds on Holiday. Both of us have our long hair up Genie style, but does that make everyone ignore us as we step out of the elevator, of course not. It's a lot busier than it was when we arrived, but then now that Jamie's location has been compromised and ours as well that's to be expected. I can only imagine what it's like outside.

"Just ignore them, smile, and keep heading for the front doors. We look like we're going for a run…" Bella hisses in my ear as we weave our way through the people in the lobby.

We've nearly made it when Jose, Paul, and the girls of Calliope NY strike a pose in the median outside and the music starts to blast out the intro to Katy Perry's ROAR. Behind them is the party bus with the banner on the side in flamboyant letters.

It's got everyone's attention, as they're dressed colorfully in hoodies representing over a dozen different causes, flamboyant skinny metallic pants, and sky-high boots. The phones are all up, out, and rolling to capture the scene outside. The paps are eating this all up like candy on Halloween. Thank god! We know this dance and the other one, but this is way out of my comfort zone! Kate and Mia love the LIVE audience not me!

"Crap…this is a bad idea…" Bella's not all let's do this either, as we stand outside like deer caught in headlights among the crowd. It's crazy! There are complete strangers that are joining in and traffic has stopped. Frankie and Hudson and some other officers are keeping it at bay for our little show.

"Let's do this!" I grab Bella's hand and we race over to take our place in the mob. Front Row center. Belting right along with everyone else to the song while everyone is enjoying the show.

"That's Anastasia Grey and Isabella Cullen!?"

To my extreme shock. Jamie and Millie join us and the crowd goes nuts!

The song ends only to begin with an opening for Firework? Wow, haven't done that one in awhile hope I remember the steps? Jamie and Millie wisely stand on the side until amazingly they get it and join in with us. I'm thinking fantastic that's two and we're done, but nope People like us starts playing. Does Bella know this one? We did this years ago at Coping Together when Mia, Kate, Jose, and I were diehard Kelly Clarkson fans. Thank goodness for having excellent recall. How the heck is Bella keeping up? Must be those Damn Shining One reflexes again. I'm amazed that Jamie and Millie are able to follow, but then we're all basically letting loose. Finally, that one ends and I'm like that's three, but then Shake it off starts up Bella and I go crazy. Belting it out and hamming it up for everyone. I can't just not let go with that one. The whole crowd practically knows it, so our little Flash Mob is now huge.

When all is said and done. We've sweated off our buzz. Had fun. I did not land on my ass and my ankle is sore but fine. Those who joined in were given T-shirts and they handed out pamphlets about the website housing all the charities. A shining moment in this unending day of hell.

Please, oh, please, up there don't let this be only a little eye in the storm.