A/N: Just a quick note.
Real life is still crazy and I will be away for a good part of the next week for work, so updates are unlikely for another week now.
This chapter however wouldn't leave me alone so I pushed work back and wrote it, I hope it's enough to tide you over for another week.
Christian's POV
I hold Ana in my arms, her head on my arm, my body curled around hers, she fits perfectly into me as we spoon and even with the cast I am able to hold her and absorb her energy and transfer my feelings into her. She gradually relaxes against me, I feel it as the tension leaves her legs, then her back as she shuffles into me, trying to have as much contact as she can. I can feel her shoulders relax and her neck softens on my arm and finally she succumbs to sleep, her breaths quiet and even, lull me into a relaxed peaceful state, one that is completely foreign to me.
I hadn't intended to spend the morning in bed but there's nowhere else I'd rather be when I hear Ana mumbling in her sleep. She suddenly tenses and I whisper in her ear that I am here for her and the relaxation is immediate and she snuggles back against my chest. Yes, back against my chest, I can't believe it, I do have a shirt on and Ana hasn't ever touched my bare chest but the thought doesn't scare me as much now and I look forward to the day that she will touch it.
Without realising it as I have that thought I tense up and Ana says quietly, "Are you ok?"
I chuckle and say "Asks the girl in a cast who collapsed on me, who should be sleeping and resting…."
"Thank you for cuddling me, can you help me move please?" she says quietly and while I want to help her, I am enjoying holding her so I nuzzle into her hair, inhale her scent and shake my head. "What do you mean, no?" she says with a twinge of exasperation.
"I just want to hold you and keep you in my arms. Do you know how much you mean to me? Do you know how much I want to protect you from the world? I feel like I can do that if I am holding you, protecting you." I didn't mean to make her cry but I feel her shuddering and I clasp her tighter "Oh, I'm sorry honey, I didn't mean to make you feel worse" and I attempt to turn her but now she is curling herself up in a ball and pushing back into me. I feel like a right royal ass, she had relaxed and now I have gone and ruined it all again. My fantastic reverse Midas touch strikes again!
Finally she calms again, "Seriously, you gorgeous wreck of a man, turn me around or I'll do it myself, I need to see your face" Ana chokes out at me and I frown and comply, picking her up and rolling her over so that she doesn't twist her pelvis in attempting to turn. I am still frowning when she reaches out and gently runs her hand down my cheek. All I want to do is kiss her but I am now completely confused so she continues, "Do you know how beautiful what you just said was? I don't know what you have done to me but I never ever used to cry and you have me crying at the drop of a hat. The worst thing is that I can feel that you think you just said something awful. Please stop doing that."
"What? What do I have to stop? You can't stop crying and I have lost all semblance of a brain, I couldn't think my way out of a paper bag when I am near you, so I don't know what I have to stop doing." I say quite earnestly, this little slip of a girl has turned all my thought processes on their head.
"Stop thinking the worst. This particular girl, when she is crying, is not always sad, she could be frustrated, that's usually when I cry. Or as has been the case over the last 6 days, when I am emotional and that could be both in a good or bad way. Just then was a good way." Ana's tone is almost pleading as she says this and I realise I really know nothing about the emotional side of women. "Oh and I sob when I watch sad movies even cartoons, so you have been warned." With that she smiles and I can't help but smile back.
"I am sorry, I really have no idea." I apologise leaning forward to give her a peck.
Ana leans in, then makes a conscious decision and pulls away and my chest constricts when she asks "Christian, will you tell me about your past relationships?"
"I thought we covered that in the hospital" I say desperately not wanting to cover this topic, ever but especially not now.
"Christian, what you told me was that the evil witch seduced you, then you went to clubs so I assume they were not relationships in any way shape or form, just people that you did "things" to" and she shudders, it sounds awful when she says it that way.
"Ana, I was learning how to be a Dom in those clubs, it doesn't make it any more appealing but it's where I learnt how to treat a Sub right, Elena hadn't treated me right as a sub…" and Ana's snort cuts me short.
"She didn't treat you right at all let alone as a sub." And she puts up her hand "And don't tell me it did you good because there were so many other ways she could have given you that control without doing... um.. unmentionable things to you… and I bet some of them were unmentionable." And she looks at me defiantly.
I hate it, Ana is absolutely right, so many of the things that Elena had done to me had been humiliating and with my level of pride, I had made sure that I didn't repeat my misdemeanours because I didn't want to be subjected to them again. "Well, I wish I'd met you a long time ago although given our age difference I might then have been in trouble. You amaze me with your insight."
"And you are avoiding the question…." She says and smiles at me to soften the blow and runs her hand down my arm, my arm tingles but doesn't hurt, I want to feel her hands all over me but she continues with "What about your subs? How many were there? How did you feel about them? I don't know anything about the lifestyle except that it's supposed to be kinky but …. Since I don't know anything about anything. Would you tell me? Explain to me what it is, and why the attraction?"
She's scaring me now, I don't want to give her any more details because I don't want to be filling her head with my past, so I go for diversion "Can we talk about this another time? There's an apartment full of people that want to see you and I am monopolising you, your dad is still here and Elliot and Miss Kavanagh will probably be here by now and…. It's time for your medication."
I am rewarded with a full-on pout and I burst out laughing "God, you're a sad sight honey but you look real cute" I sing to her and she whacks me with a spare pillow.
"You want to sing Billy Joel, "Big Shot", I'll give you Billy Joel, "you may be right, I may be crazy but it just may be a lunatic you're looking for…" she sings at me.
I look forward to duets on the piano and guitar and can't help but steal another kiss laughing as I do so, then I stand to leave and call Nurse Melanie. As I am about to open the door, I hesitate and ask quietly, "Are you ready to face everyone? Are you sure you're ok? Is there anything else I can do?" She just bites that lip and shakes her head which has me back next to the bed and saying "Don't bite that lip, I want to do that" and hungrily taking her mouth one more time as she pulls my head down, running her fingers through my hair. Unbelievably, I hear foot steps outside and spring away as we both look at each other and laugh, almost busted again but this time there is a pause, a knock and then Taylor's voice saying "Sir". I really should give Taylor a raise.
Gail's POV
It's unbelievable what change one tiny person has wrought on this apartment, it has taken it from a beautiful showcase devoid of feeling to being full of energy that just seems to be bouncing throughout the great room. The lights of Seattle seem to somehow shine brighter and it just seems like life has been breathed into the apartment, now it feels like it should, like a home and I couldn't be happier for Mr Grey.
He looks a little less well put together, it's obvious his hands, well somebody's hands have been running through his hair but it was a wonder to behold to see him carry Ana down the stairs, dressed in a beautiful blue long maxi dress that covered the cast. What made Grace gasp and look at Carrick with tears in her eyes though was the fact that Ana had both arms around Mr Grey's neck and again, was nestled into his chest.
Everyone at the table except Miss Kavanagh and Ray understands how significant a moment this is and Mr Grey didn't even appear to notice, he has just brought her down and made her comfortable. Nurse Melanie fussing about pillows and support until Ana almost shooed her away and Grace basically rescued her with a quick hug and a "How are you my dear?"
Miss Kavanagh is next and it is patently obvious that she is sharing the pain of her friend in the way that she stays by her side, Taylor told me what she said earlier but from the look on her face, I am sure she is just distraught for her friend. I am amazed by Ana (yes Mr Grey would like me to call her Miss Steele but Ana insisted) who looks at her friend, ignores the queries as to her own health and immediately distracts Kate with a question about Elliot. I hazard a glance over at Elliot, the perpetual playboy and almost drop the plate I'm carrying, if I am not mistaken, the two Grey boys have met their matches this week. His eyes are shining with a light that only brightens when Kate sneaks a peak and a smile at him and he is having trouble concentrating on Mia and her incessant chatter when normally he would be playing along.
To be fair, even Mia, sitting between her two brothers seems a little different, a little more aware of the situation and her eyes smile every time she glances between Mr Grey and Ana.
Oh it is lovely to have the whole family here and catering for them all, they are such a lovely family, very appreciative of my dinner and the chorus of approval when I bring out my chocolate cake is very heartwarming to me but it is topped when suddenly Mr Grey breaks into a belly laugh, Ana's face a second later turns a beetroot red and Taylor who was standing just outside the great room actually giggles and walks away.
There is absolutely stunned silence in the room as Mr Grey finally controls his laughter with everyone staring at him, I don't think anyone has heard him laugh like that for a long time and with all the stress of the last few days, definitely not in this time. With a huge smirk on his face he rises gracefully from his chair, taking a plate and a fork over to Ana saying "Sorry, private joke" and then quietly so that only Ana should have heard but I was standing next to her about to give her a plate, he says "Let's share this one and we can have another one later when everyone has gone, that one you can eat it any way you'd like" and the colour in her cheeks deepens but she smiles and happily accepts the forkful he feeds her.