A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!
"It's one thing to suspect someone might be messing with us, but to actually have a name and a face for the guy adds an entire new level to everything." I rub my eyes and feel Christian's hand on my knee. He's just returned downstairs after placing a sleeping Oliver in his bassinet. "You've never heard the name before?"
"No. I haven't.", he sighs, pointing to the photo of Jack Hyde. "Whoever this Jack Hyde is has to have some sort of knowledge to my past in Detroit. That information isn't exactly something that's out in the open. He had to have dug for it. How he got that will hopefully lead us to why. He has to have some agenda. People don't just go around causing outages and sending books with hidden meanings. Welch is checking out Jack Hyde. I want to know every single thing about the guy." His hand moves in a circle on my knee. "Ana, I just want..."
"You just want me to know that you're not going to let anything happen to me.", I finish his sentence. His mouth gapes open. "I knew where you were going with your words. I'm going to take your word for it and have faith that everything is going to be ok. In the meantime, I'm going to text Olivia to find out if there's any news on Sawyer's dad. The surgery wasn't scheduled until nine and is expected to take a while. You really should eat something before you go back to the office." I stand and move barely an inch before Christian's hand tugs on mine.
"I'm not going back to the office.", he says.
"You're going to work from home?"
"I'm going to take the rest of the day off from everything work related. There isn't anything that needs to be done that can't wait until tomorrow." I want to stand here and tell him he shouldn't put his work off, but the boyish grin on his face makes it difficult to do anything.
"I'll only let you stay home if you go into the kitchen and get some food.", I say as serious as possible even though I feel a grin in the corner of my lips. Standing, Christian leans in and kisses me before pulling away with an even more adorable look.
"How can I argue with that?", he smirks. He starts to the kitchen, turning around just short of the doorway. "You're hot when you give me orders."
"Go and get some food.", I giggle. Once he's finally in the kitchen, I grab my phone and send a text to Olivia. Seconds late, the phone buzzes with a call from her instead of a text. "Hey Olivia. I was expecting a text instead of a call."
"I thought it would be better to call.", she says. "Luke's dad is still in surgery. They got started late, and it's a very complicated procedure that's going to take time. I stepped out to get some coffee for everyone. One of the nurses came out just as I was about to leave. She said so far things are going well and that she'll keep us posted."
"I'm sending positive thoughts to all of you. If there's anything you or Sawyer needs, let me know."
"I will, and I'll call you when we know more. I'm going to get the coffee to everyone before it turns cold."
"Ok. Bye."
"Any word?", Christian asks. He's holding a sandwich in one hand and using the other hand to prop himself up in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen.
"Sawyer's dad is still in surgery and will be for a while. Olivia said things are going well so far. How's the sandwich?" I place my phone down and saunter over to him.
"It's good. I didn't think I was very hungry, but I was wrong. I couldn't decide if I wanted ham or turkey so I got both. Would you like a bite?"
"Thanks but no thanks. Would you be ok if I go and take a quick nap while Oliver's sleeping?" Christian moves his sandwich away from his mouth. "It doesn't have anything to do with the Jack Hyde thing. I'm a little tired."
"Baby, go and get all the rest you need. I'm going to finish my sandwich and make some calls to Barney and Welch, but I'll have the baby monitor on me the entire time. I'll also look in on him."
"Christian, it's five o'clock. Why didn't you wake me?", I ask in frustration. When I woke, I immediately went looking for him and Oliver, finding them in the study where Christian was at his desk and Oliver in his portable bassinet.
"You were resting well, and I didn't have the heart to wake you. Oliver woke up about an hour after you fell asleep. I changed him and fed him with the some of the milk you had pumped. Afterwards, he came downstairs with his daddy." I relax and amble to the bassinet.
"Hi sweet boy." Oliver's calm, but I can't help but want to hold him. I reach down and take the baby in my arms. Christian's eyes follow me while I sit down on the sofa. "I meant to check my phone to see if Olivia called or texted."
"I'm not sure if she did or not, but I spoke with Sawyer. His dad is out of surgery and is going to be unconcious for a while, but the doctor was able to get seventy-five percent of the tumor. He's hopeful that chemo and raditation will shrink the rest."
"That's great news. Have you heard anything from Barney or Welch?"
"I got a call from Welch. He was able to find out that Jack Hyde is originally from Detroit. His mother died in a car accident when he was three, and he was raised by his father. He was removed from his father's care when he was eight. There were reports of abuse going on in the home. He was placed in foster care with the first home being none other than the Colliers."
"Welch was able to find out all of that today?", I ask.
"He had the assistance of Barney who knows his way around any computer program. If Jack is indeed the one behind the out the outages, he's smart, but he has nothing on my team."
"Are you alluding to Barney possibly hacking some systems?" Christian folds his hands behind his head and smirks. "Never mind. It might be best if I don't know how he was able to do it."
"Jack stayed with the Colliers until he was ten, and then he started a whirlwind of being shifted from one foster home to another. Apparently he had a temper which the foster parents found difficult to control."
"When did he come to Seattle?"
"About two years ago."
"What doesn't make sense is why he is just now starting to act out. He's been in the same city as you for two years, yet he hasn't made a noise. What gives now?" Christian turns his chair towards the wall and away from eye contact with me. "Christian?" Oliver stirs in my arms as Christian turns around moments later and sighs.
"The only thing I can think of is Jack sees the good life that I have, one that only keeps getting better, and he wants to destroy that life." I cradle Oliver closer to my chest, trying to not let him sense my fear. "I made a promise that you and Oliver are going to be ok, and I always keep my promises. I've got Jack's address so maybe paying him a visit is in order."
"Have you lost your mind? You can't go to the house of a guy who's possibly terrozing us."
"Ana, maybe if I go and meet with him face to face I can get the answers we've been needing."
"While putting your life at risk.", I scoff. "You're not going. I won't allow it."
"You won't allow it?", he laughs. "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I'm not asking for your permission to go. I can go if I want." I sit dumbfounded at the man before me. After standing, I walk with Oliver to the door. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going upstairs with Oliver because right now I don't think either of us should be around you."
"I've been considering trying out yoga. It's something that's been on my mind for a while.", Gail tells me from her chair at the kitchen table. Instead of taking Oliver upstairs, I went into the kitchen where Gail offered to make me a cup of tea while she holds Oliver. "Have you ever done it?" I'm not sure if Gail is truly considering yoga or if she's merely using it as a way to keep my mind off all that's going on.
"Kate and I went a few years ago. It was during one of Kate's trying new things phases. We went to a total of one class.", I giggle.
"Your tea is probably ice cold.", she says as she gestures to my cup. I raise the cup to my mouth and take a drink. Sure enough, it's cold. "Would you like me to make you some more?"
"No but thanks Gail. Dinner should be ready soon, huh?" In the slow cooker on the counter is a pot roast that's been cooking all day.
"I believe it has another twenty minutes or so. Is Christian going to be joininig us for dinner?"
"Your guess is as good as mine.", I murmur. Part of me thought Christian might come and find me, but he's remained holed up in his study.
"I'll be having dinner with everyone.", Christian replies while walking into the room. "Um Gail, do you think you could go and see if Oliver needs a new diaper?" Gail directs her eyes from Christian to me.
"He feels a little wet. I'll go and get him into a fresh new diaper.", she says. She gets up and stops by Christian so he can kiss the baby. After she's left the kitchen, I ponder leaving the room myself.
"I kept listening for you to leave for your meeting with Hyde.", I snap.
"You're upset and rightfully so." He continues standing away from me. "Ana, I said some things that I shouldn't have said, and I'm sorry."
"Is this the part where I'm supposed to say it's ok? It's not ok. Have you forgotten that you're a husband and father?"
"Of course I haven't. I don't for one second forget that I'm your husband and Oliver's father. Those are the two best titles I could ever have. When I said what I said, I was angry and upset. I was trying and still am grappling with the severity of the situation. This guy is threatening the happiness we share. I've told you that I'm not going to let anything happen, but I'm still a little scared. I just want the bastard to leave us the hell alone."
"That's what I want too. Christian, I want more than anything for us to enjoy our lives without having to worry about Jack Hyde or anyone destroying what we have." He blows out a breath and pulls his phone from his pocket.
"My phone was ringing earlier, but I didn't answer it. It was a number that I didn't recognize. A voicemail was left." He hits the speaker button and dials his voicemail.
"Mr. Grey, we haven't been officially introduced, but my name is Jack Hyde although I'm sure you may have figured that out by now. I also assume you got the book I sent for your new arrival. Being the powerful man you are, you probably know all about me, but there's one thing you may not know. I'm a man who's in awe of you. You and I both had rough childhoods, but you managed to overcome the challenges and be the man you are today. You inspire me.", Hyde laughs. "Now you've got my number so please call me so we can talk." The call ends, but the chills in my body remain.
"He didn't sound menacing like I thought he would, but the entire situation has me on edge. He sounded like a guy who idolizes you."
"And that could make him a very dangerous man.", Christian says.