Christian's POV

I woke up early yesterday morning and watched Ana sleeping, a beautiful smile on her face and all I wanted to do was bury myself in her and the good doctor be damned. I lay there trying to find a way that I could do it so that this ache deep inside me could be calmed, so that Ana is in absolutely no doubt of my love, so that she could feel what she doesn't even know that she's missing. My body throbs every time I see her and I don't know where I am finding the control to resist her, her obvious desire to please me warms me from my frozen core but I can't do it, if there is any chance that I am going to hurt her again, I simply can't do it.

So I eased out of bed, moving my arm caused a little frown on her forehead but when I whispered in her ear, the smile returned, she wiggled and curled around my pillow with a new look of contentment and I was able to leave the room with a smile to run a circuit pushing myself to the extreme and then swimming laps until some of the energy had abated and Taylor was crooking his eyebrow at me.

"Yes, you'll be fitter than you've ever been," was all I said to him when we finished and he almost cracked a smile, the bastard!

Sunday was a beautiful relaxed day despite my security team being unable to find out who the first mystery bidder was, the second was harmless from what we can tell but will now stay on our radar, I know him and am not too concerned although anyone that tries to take Ana away from me, even for a dance will learn that is not going to happen…. Ever.

This morning was a different story altogether, I didn't want to let Ana go, I wish she was home resting because she still looks exhausted. Saturday took a lot out of her although she won't admit it and as the day has progressed, I have found myself becoming more and more concerned as she isn't responding and I am right to the point of finding a way for Sawyer to enter the building and find her when she texts me, from the bathroom, that she's not allowed to use her personal phone at work and she's was warned about using her cell phone when she responded to me last time.

I swear at the phone and restrain myself from calling her boss but then a calm comes over me, well that settles it, I am buying SIP. I'd started thinking that the other day, now I will put it into action, I want to be able to speak to Ana whenever I want and I think it's time that I made a move into publishing. I speak to Ros about setting the plan in motion and inform Barney to do his usual and within a minute, Barney has provided me Ana's email showing me how completely insecure SIP's systems are and highlighting that Ana isn't being protected. I can make sure of that if I own the business and nothing is more important to me than protecting her. Being able to contact her at all times runs a close second for a reason.

I can mentally hear her gasp and can hear her cheeky voice when I receive an almost instantaneous response to my quick email to her, "Hi Christian, I am not going to ask how you have found my email but since private emails are not allowed, I have to assume you have a book that you'd like to publish, perhaps we can meet at a pre-arranged time to discuss this tomorrow."

Oh, this is not going to do, I need to be able to make sure that Ana is safe and I need to know where she is, what if something happens to her? Having Sawyer across the street only covers the front entrance, what about the back entrance which Taylor has informed me is barely even locked let alone protected. I may not have been so worried if not for the weird Carla bid at the gala and the fact that I still haven't gotten to the bottom of the fire that killed the Morton's.

We pull up outside SIP just as Ana approaches the doors, I see a young man lean over her shoulder to open the door for her, he follows her out and in the sun I can see that he is well enough dressed but with silly silver hooped earrings in both ears and slicked back red hair tied in a ponytail, he looks sleazy rather like the leer he gives Ana. My blood boils and I decide I don't like him, there's something about him that has the hairs on my neck rising, I know I need to find out his identity to protect Ana.

The sleazy look changes to one of surprise as Sawyer appears to take Ana's crutches and then some strange emotion flits across his face as I exit the vehicle, pulling Ana into an embrace. I forget him though as I lift Ana into the SUV and the door is shut behind me. Her arms snake around my neck and her lips are on mine before I have a chance to say hello as if she needs it as much as I do and her quiet moan almost undoes me completely.

"Baby, you look exhausted," I whisper, looking at her face and I see her straighten her shoulders and plaster a fake smile on her face, "It's not a weakness babe," I say brushing her fringe out of her eyes, "Dinner, a bath and bed sound ok?" It's not really a question but finally I am realising that Ana doesn't like being told what to do and maybe she might consider it if I sound like I'm giving her the option and I am shocked when she actually just nods and leans her head against me.

I look up in time to see a concerned look flit across Taylor's face before he focusses on the road ahead and realise that he didn't expect that acquiescence either and my arm tightens around her, pulling her closer. "Are you sore Ana? Baby, please tell me you are ok."

"I'm ok Christian, it's been a little while since I've worked a whole day and working in a hardware store is a lot easier than trying to remember everyone and everything I've been told today, it's all new and my brain hurts, that's all, nothing serious," and she smiles at me and continues with a little giggle, "University leaves you surprisingly unprepared for the real world."

I would do anything to hear that giggle and I really need to record it so whenever I need to calm down I can replay it but for now simply settle back assured that there is nothing that I need to worry about other than valid tiredness and then I think of the person holding open that door and tense up again. I can't help the brusque tone as I ask, "Who was that person that opened the door for you?"

Ana jerks up and turns to look at me, scanning my face, "Ah, I don't know what your problem is," and her forehead crinkles, "that was my boss Jack Hyde, what's the matter?"

"He wants into your panties."

"What?" and this time it's almost a shout and she twists to look at me square in the face.

"Don't twist; it's bad for your injuries." I say automatically watching the colour rise in her cheeks.

She ignores my last statement and does a goldfish interpretation and finally says, "Oh my g., really? You got that from him opening the door? It could have been anyone opening the door for me so I could walk out easily with my crutches. I… I….I, actually, I have no words!" and she is looking at me with a look of complete incredulity on her face.

"No it wasn't that he opened the door." I struggle to explain, how is it that this girl can have me tongue tied when I can explain anything to any board, "There's something about the way he was looking at you," I finish lamely shrugging my shoulders, "There was something off, I'm sorry, I just don't trust him."

Ana gives a little shake of her head like she is trying to reconcile what I have just said to what she normally assumes is a sane human being and pats my hand a little patronisingly when it's combined with the smirk on her face, "I'll be sure to tell you if I smell rotten eggs ok."

I can't let her make a joke of it, "Baby, you are the most important thing to me, many of my business decisions have been based on my first impressions of people and usually when I feel there is something off on first meeting them, that is borne out down the line, will you please be careful around him?" she contemplates me again and obviously sees something in my face because hers softens and she then simply nods and curls back into my side.

I almost miss it but I'm sure she says "Yes, there is something off," she won't repeat it when I ask her and just looks up at me with those big doe eyes and says "I can look after myself, but I will watch out. Ok? And I don't like him, I like you," and I know that's the best I'll get for now. That purchase needs to be rushed through, I don't care about the due diligence, I don't care if it is losing money hand over fist, I need to be in control of it and I need to look into one Jack Hyde.

Gail has dinner on the table when we arrive and Ana eats and is in bed shortly after, the fact that she takes the pain killers without complaint means she is in pain and I can't help the clench of my heart at that thought and I curl up on the bed with her, her body pressed into mine until she drifts off and then I leave her to speak to Taylor about the investigations into Saturday night.

Barney and Welch have done an amazing job, they have tracked down the details to the day and time when the account was opened in Carla's name and they have found the security cameras of that moment but the problem is, it looks like a woman, wearing a scarf, sunglasses and over-sized misshapen clothes which hide her body shape. We're all sure it isn't Carla because she did not leave the facility and it's not Elena as she has been continuously in custody so it is someone else and trying to work out what the link to Ana via Carla, is driving us crazy.

It has to be some sort of warning about Ana but what and I don't want to involve Ana in this, she doesn't need any further stress. The guards at Carla's facility have also indicated that there is now no volunteer by the name of Jackie or anything like that so whoever that was is either not coming in or is using a different name.

We sit poring over the information trying to see what we are missing and finally decide that we might as well go to sleep as we're getting nowhere and as I round the corner to start up the stairs my heart slams against my ribs as I see Ana sitting on the step halfway down, her head in her hands, her crutch lying on a higher step and in the ambient light, I can see the tears on her cheeks.

It comes out with a hiccup and a sound of resignation, "Don't say anything please. I just really need a drink and so I was coming down to get it and I slipped," as I gasp she looks at me and shakes her head, "I only slipped one step and I landed on my butt," she unbelievably giggles and says "you should get the security vision, I'm sure you'll laugh, I'm ok, I just scared myself."

I sit down on the step next to her, "Baby you could have called me, I am going to call mom to check you over and you are not going to work tomorrow," and she rounds on me.

"You will do no such thing, I am perfectly fine, just shook up at what might have happened ok? You will not call anyone and I will go to work tomorrow, seriously I am fine but thirsty." The pout would be adorable if I didn't feel like I was going to throw up from the sheer "what-if" of the situation. It is only her hand on my arm, squeezing reassuringly that brings me back and I decide that pout needs kissing away so I pour all my angst into it until she pushes back against my hand holding her head to break away. She leans back in though as soon as we break contact, needing it as much as me and I remember that we're still sitting on the stairs so that this could be very dangerous with the way I'm feeling so I stand and lift her at the same time and carry her back to the bedroom.

"I'm still thirsty." She quips touching her now swelling lips and I gently blow on them and kiss her on the forehead before heading back downstairs, tripping on the crutch on the stair, I grab the balustrade roundly cursing everyone that ever had anything to do with the existence of these crutches and hear an "Are you ok?" floating out of the bedroom.

Collecting a glass with ice, a bottle of water, two more painkillers and a tube of arnica cream, it takes me just a few minutes and I am back in the bedroom asking to see her bottom to see if I need to administer the cream, this time the giggle soothes the pain that is still radiating in my chest but only for a second as I see the grazing, "God Ana did you slide from the top?" and she doesn't answer me so I press my lips to the reddest part and she whimpers.

"Baby, you are going to have trouble sitting down tomorrow,"

The irony isn't lost on me that I am sitting here feeling an ache in my heart because Ana's butt is a shade of pink when normally that would turn me on if it had been by my hand and I wonder if everything that made me feel alive and in control and turned me on is actually gone. Replaced instead by my need to show her the love she's missed all her life, that common bond that we share, gentle touch where neither of us were able to ever feel touch being so much more of an aphrodisiac than pain.

Her perfect butt under my hands makes me hard instantaneously and I rub the cream in slowly, enjoying the process as much as wanting to remove her pain, moving up to massage her shoulders and back, enjoying the feel of my hands on her body, her quiet moan has me stripping off in record time and I gently lower my body over hers, putting no pressure but presence along her entire body.

"I want to turn over." Ana whispers and I roll to the side to allow her to move and realise that it is a bad idea as soon as she rolls and takes in my erection, growing further under her gaze. She smiles and gently reaches to run her hand down my chest and I am so paralysed by my need for her that I allow her hand to move all the way down until she has me in hand and I almost erupt, simply at her touch.

"Don't Ana," I attempt to say through a gasp and she smiles again and tightens her grip, gentle ministrations that have me closing my eyes and absorbing the feel of her hand, as she moves and tightens her fingers I work to keep control, keeping my eyes shut and trying to just enjoy and am shocked to suddenly feel her lips wrapped around me.

"Stop. No Stop! You are going to hurt yourself." I say annoyed at myself for not paying attention and realising that she had moved her whole body down. Trying to pull away I then realise that will jolt her and I watch feeling like it's an out of body experience, shocked as my body takes over. To stop her moving, I thrust gently, flexing my hips, amazed at how she is taking all of me, sucking and then licking me like a lollipop, twirling her tongue around the tip to alternate with my thrusts, the smug smile as I pop out of her mouth and the small smile around her eyes tells me she isn't disliking the process.

I can't hold on for much longer and realise that I want to reward her sooner rather than later, "Wait Baby, stop for a bit," but she is not having it and pulls me deeper until I can feel the back of her throat and my legs tense, "Ana, let go, I'm going to come in your mouth, let me go."

Instead she squeezes tighter with her hand and locks her mouth around me and somehow speeds up, pushing me deeper, flicking her tongue snakelike to tease my tip and then clamping and pushing down so I have nowhere to go but deep.

I try not to writhe or move my body in a way that makes her move off the angle she is maintaining and then I can't stop it when she bares her teeth, dragging them up the shaft and I come spectacularly. Thankfully, I am able to pull out before doing so, after so many weeks pent up, that volume down her throat would have drowned her and I'm not willing to test her gag reflex which would cause her to shift and perhaps hurt herself.

My release finally finishes and I lift her up to me, my gratitude is beyond all bounds and as I hold her in my arms, I can see her relief in her eyes and despite having enjoyed every second of it, I don't want her feeling like she had been depriving me, "Baby, thank you, you shouldn't have." And I crash my lips onto hers, I know how she feels, giving her pleasure has become my goal in life and I know that it was upsetting her to leave me alone.
I fear she has awoken the beast though because as she snuggles against my chest once I've cleaned up the mess, I feel myself harden again as does she and she smiles a wicked smile and I say, "It's your turn."
Unbelievably she shakes her head and as I go to protest, she says "I want to do that again, what about if it's our turn together?" and I gasp as I realise what she is saying.

"Ana, it's very late and you have to work tomorrow and you shouldn't have done that, this time let alone again, just let me reciprocate so you can sleep."

I am met by a determined shake of the head as she bites that delectable lip and I decide that if Ana is going to be sore tomorrow anyway, I might as well help her sleep now and lay her gently on her back, hopefully I will do most of the work this way and her movements will be limited.

I know that my body doesn't need much encouragement, she has started the volcano and turning it off is going to be even harder than before especially now that I know what I am missing with her. I will need to speak to the doctor before I cause any further damage but back to the situation at hand and reassuring her that she will be able to pleasure me hopefully to climax at the same time. I take the glass I brought up earlier, taking a sip, I secure some ice in my mouth and she yelps when I touch my now ice cold lips to her earlobe and then dissolves into a fit of giggles.

I continue down her throat, leaving little nipping kisses with a chaser of ice to ensure that no marks are left on her until I reach her breast, while I engulf her nipple and it's surrounds with my lips I hold the ice with my tongue, swirling until the nipple is pebbled and rock hard. I break away with a kiss not a nip as I remember that I can't do anything to make her squirm. With one hand holding her down across her pelvis, I look up to see her eyes closed as she absorbs the pleasure and I lift her hand to her other breast and she gasps.

"You can do it," I encourage.

"I want to be holding you," she whispers.

"In good time, babe if you touch me now, I'll go off like a rocket," I say, "Go on, I can't be everywhere and I want to keep going" and she wrinkles her nose and tentatively pinches her nipple and I see the light going on in her eyes, she closes them again out of embarrassment. I chuckle at her cuteness, "Seriously Ana, open your eyes, I want to see your pleasure" and I watch the blush rising.

Taking another sip of the icy water, I grin at Ana and continue nipping and sucking as I go south, her moans bringing me to the edge quicker than she could imagine, as I drop down to take her in my mouth, I make sure my arm is holding her down and I'm glad I've spent the hours in the gym because the force that she jerks up as my mouth clamps down has me pulling away and saying angrily "Ana, you have to lie still or I won't do this, all I want to do is give you pleasure not pain, if you move like that, we won't be able to do anything for another two months."

Ana's whimper breaks my heart and I'm horrified, abandoning what I was doing to crawl back up to her, I lift her arm off her face and implore her to understand, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell, I know you're not used to what I did and it was just a reflex reaction, I'm so sorry babe, you scared me, all I could see was your pelvis cracking in front of me. Forgive me please, I just don't want to hurt you."

She sniffles and nods, "I just wanted to try, I hate that it's all about me, I wanted you to enjoy it too. I wanted it to be both of us at the same time."

"Oh baby, you have no idea how much giving you pleasure is enjoyable for me, I love it that finally you are able to enjoy your gorgeous body but it's 3am, I know you wanted to try a 69 but please, I would like to build up to that, we don't need to do it tonight, I am so in awe of you and appreciate what you did for me, can I just help you relax and we go to sleep?"

Finally she gives me the tiniest of nods and despite her sadness, her sheer level of exhaustion is obvious and she relaxes against me, allowing my hands to gently roam, she must have been extremely close earlier as with a few strokes while holding her body close to mine to stop any movement, she finds her release and drops almost instantaneously into a deep sleep.

I hold her for another hour, listening to her breathing, wishing we could have met and begun a relationship without the accident but wondering if I would have made the changes in my life that were so needed but I just couldn't see. This brings me back to thinking about Elena and I have no doubt she must be key to what has been happening lately but there's something else, something elusive that is playing at the edge of my mind about the person masquerading as Carla, those eyes behind the mask, that mass of hair tied back and hidden. That hair that was also hidden in the bank video, there is something slippery there, just out of my grasp and I fall asleep to be tormented by dreams of Ana in danger at everyone's hand, including mine.

Author's Note:
A small homage to the fact that this chapter 69...
Thank you for bearing with me. I have another couple of difficult weeks coming up so I apologise in advance, I will update as soon as I can.
I am running behind in responding to reviews as well but thank you for all your reviews I love them and appreciate them, I will get to them now but I thought you might like the chapter first.