Author's note: I'm terribly sorry for the lack of updates this year, it's been a very busy year personally and work wise and I appreciate those that have read and reread the story so far and waited patiently for an update.

For those for whom it's been a long time since you read the story, I thought I'd write a bit of a recap:

There was a terrible accident

Caused by a former sub, Cecilia Morton

Who was the daughter of Carla's third husband Stephen

Christian's involvement with Elena came out into the open

Carla rekindled her relationship with Stephen when Ana was in hospital

Elena's paedophilia was exposed and she was arrested along with Stephen and Carla

Ana is attacked in the hospital so Christian moved her to Escala to recover

Cecilia and Stephen died in a fire

Ana graduated university

Recovery was delayed with various setbacks, the worst of which was taking Ana into the red room with disastrous consequences which ultimately illuminated their absolute total and utter need for each other.

Ana started a job with Jack Hyde

Ana was attacked by Jack Hyde

They went for a break in Aspen and were spied on and it was then that they realised that Jack Hyde had set up all the cameras

They were engaged

Their glider was knocked out of the sky

Jack Hyde and Elena escaped from jail

Grace, Gail and Ana were kidnapped by Jack and Elena and bunch of miscreants all related to Elena and Lincoln who was killed and the rest arrested.

They bought the house on the Sound

Gail and Taylor were engaged and given a house next to the house on the Sound

Lisa Maxwell, the police officer that arrested Jack Hyde had been with Jack and Christian at the Collins when they were all children and had Christian's favourite book from when he was a wee little boy as well as information as to what Jack had done to both of them when he was a child.

They went back into the Red Room but it was all about pleasure and it was, erasing the horrid memories of the previous attempt.

Buck's and Hen's nights were amazing and then Kate and Elliot's actions slightly disastrous

Ana went to see Carla and was given information about Carla's family

Ray discovered that he was indeed Ana's biological father

The wedding was beautiful despite Carrick asking Ana to sign a pre-nup agreement

The honeymoon started in London, then onto Scotland where they were introduced to Daniel, Taylor's twin who took over security when Taylor and Gail were married and went off on their own honeymoon.

The next stop on the honeymoon was in Italy where the pregnancy test showed that Ana was pregnant and then they met Carla's relatives, her grandmother (Nonna) and great grandmother had been flown in.

Christian flew in the OB-GYN Dr Green.

Dr Green's POV – 11 August 2011

Well, I never! I couldn't believe that I was receiving a call from Christian Grey at 11pm last night. As an OB-GYN my phone is always on but I almost hung up when I saw who it was, seriously, the weird things I've seen in his apartment, the calls he's made demanding my attendance and how he was such an automaton, I didn't know if I wanted to take his call. In the past, it made me feel uncomfortable to be attending the cookie cutter women who acted oddly around him. His demands were always so exacting without any input from them despite it being their bodies I was working with, it made my skin crawl but they seemed happy with the situation.

I never understood it but the reason I took the call is that his demeanour has been so very different with this girl, now his wife, such a difference. Her opinion was considered, his decisions when appearing to be railroading her were carefully handed back to him and it was interesting to watch him grappling with his decisions being challenged, then fully considered, often accepted but only with understanding. My concern had therefore been with his wife, why on earth was he ringing me at 11pm, something must have been wrong and I quickly took the call.

I had almost laughed at the panic in his voice, it is always so very interesting to see men who are totally in control of their domain, completely flummoxed when faced with a pregnancy and it was very obvious that a pregnancy was not in his plans. My smile faded though as I listened to him, I hadn't realised the extent of his wife's injuries, she's just three months from an accident that should have killed her, the pelvis is still not fully healed and goodness knows if there was any internal damage that could impact on a pregnancy and suddenly my heart was racing I think in time with his as I considered the situation. So much so that I almost missed his comment that I would be on a plane tomorrow on the way to Italy.

"Sorry, did you say you want me to come to Italy to examine Ana?" I had asked incredulously, "How long is your honeymoon that it can't wait until you are home?" and I was shaking my head as I registered that he said another week. "You DO know that there will be no change between this week and next week if she is just a couple of weeks in," I'd tried to protest as I thought through my work load and if there were any current clients due that I'd not be able to leave.

"And do not shout at me Mr Grey," I'd continued with a steely tone in my voice, I don't care who he is, he won't shout at me or I will have nothing further to do with him, "I will not accept abuse from anyone, if you wish to shout at me, I will pass on the details of another OB-GYN and .." I was cut off before saying any more.

"I apologise, I'm sorry, I just need to make sure that Ana is ok, I don't care what it costs, what I have to do to get you here but you're the only person I trust with Ana, I'm sorry" and his contrite tone had me shaking my head at myself and writing down the details of the flight.

So here I am, in Naples, in an old hotel, obviously the best one available examining an extremely apologetic Ana. "I'm sorry, I can't believe he did that, I'm sure I could have waited until next week," and I pat her hand, I'm glad she's sensible because she's going to need every bit of that sensibility to deal with him and then I see it, she looks absolutely petrified, all the colour is drained from her skin but her cheeks are flushed and I know it was the right decision to bring me to Italy.

"Ana," I start, "You need to calm down, I'm guessing your blood pressure is way too high.

As I explain the implications of high blood pressure on an unborn child as well as the mother, the impacts on her kidneys, the potential impact on her life, I watch her shrinking into herself, nodding and I find myself wishing I'd taken her blood pressure before the explanation. I hazard a look at Christian and the pallor of his face, the grip he has on her hand tells me more about his character and love for her than any of the glossy magazines did after their wedding. I think if he could carry this baby and its risks he would.

Having explained everything I attach the blood pressure monitor and am not surprised that it registers 156/94, way too high and I know I will have to find the best renal specialist as required by Christian to monitor her.

I explain the situation further as she steadfastly says that she'll do whatever it takes but she won't take medication. Christian's resultant explosion probably lifted her blood pressure quite a few notches as did mine as I reiterated tersely what I'd already said in past appointments and stated several times today, it's her body and she has ultimate control and I will take instructions from her and only her unless she was incapacitated.

To which he ran his fingers through his hair before looking plaintively at Ana and saying "I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you OR this little hitchhiker, I just can't, you have to listen and take the medication ...I ...I " and he stops, almost pleading, "I can't live without you "

It's a beautiful moment and to be honest, I agree with him and hope he gets his way, "I will book you in with a renal specialist and take it slowly from there, don't worry about it now, enjoy the food of this region, stick to the beautiful hard cheese, leave the wine to Christian and enjoy this magical time in your life and Christian, you need to calm down, outbursts like that will only cause more damage, Ana does not deserve that." The contrite look on this face still has a touch of defiance and at least I know that Ana will be following some sort of controlled plan and hopefully there will be no negative impacts.

From his part demeanour and actions, I know he can follow a plan but I'm enjoying this new side to what I'd always assumed was a cold hard man and his embarrassment when asking what was and wasn't allowed in the bedroom was a mirror of the embarrassment on her face and they looked like any two young people in love despite all the obvious trappings of wealth.

I assure Christian that I will return later and receive a tight smile from Ana for my statement. On spec I add, "I don't know what you had planned for today but I suggest a trip to the beach and just soaking in some sunshine and relaxing" the nod I receive from Christian indicates he was thinking the same thing but Ana shakes her head.

"My family" she says quietly.

A strange look comes over Christian's face as he says in a strangled tone "But we are your family now," and it's good to hear him lump the baby and himself into the family as I was a little concerned about the hitchhiker comment a little earlier.

I take my leave as I can tell from the suddenly obstinate set on Ana's face that something extremely personal is about to be discussed, I can't help myself and sing out as I leave, "No stress from here or any other family" and the strangled cough I hear indicates that my message might have gotten through.

.

.

Nonna's POV

Oh I can't bear it, the things that were said yesterday, for so many years I wondered if things had changed, whether they had let go of the old ways of thinking but no. Sure in some ways they're all sophisticated and urbane but in others, the important things, they're stuck way back in the 50s. The squabbling over tiny handkerchief size pockets of land, the gossiping and bad mouthing of everyone but themselves, the backstabbing and conniving, it's awful and I'm glad that Ana can't understand the language or she would be appalled and not want to be part of the family, I'm sure.

I watched her being overwhelmed yesterday and saw how Christian was always there protecting her and I hope that he continues like that, protects her from the vultures that some of these people, my family, her family are and worse, my husband's family. I know from which stock Carmela or Carla as she calls herself and which I have to get used to calling her, comes from, she's her father and the worst parts of my family put together. That man, Mr Welch when he contacted me, told me some of the things that Carla had done. I cried for days to think that my daughter could do those things to my granddaughter, her own flesh and blood, her little baby. Mr Welch was very clear that I would only be allowed to attend Ana's wedding and be part of her life if I committed to not hurt her and I wonder whether yesterday hurt her, I hope not. We are supposed to go visit the family again today but I don't want to, I want to show Ana some beautiful things so I decide I'll ask if they'd like to come to the beach with me instead.

Christian's face lights up gloriously when I make the suggestion and Ana cautiously agrees but asks if a couple of my nieces, and I'm not surprised that they are the nicer ones, can come along as they are a similar age and I decide that will make it manageable and realise I can spend time alone with Ana once we are back in Seattle.

Today I notice how tired Ana looks and when I mention it, just as we are about to leave, she blushes and I see Christian tighten his arm around her and look down at her with a concerned but "I told you so" look.

I have corrected Christian enough so when he says "Nonna, the reason Ana is tired", I'm happy to hear him call me Nonna but I'm intrigued at how fast Ana's face whips up to look at him with a look of horror and I wonder what she doesn't want me to know.

Christian just shakes his head at her, pulls her tighter and says, "This one never looks out for herself or looks after herself and just three months ago she was involved in a terrible automobile accident which by rights, she should not have survived. Since then she's started a job, had all sorts of bad things happen and she was supposed to be resting for the whole honeymoon. This week we were actually supposed to be spending on a yacht off the Coast of France. I was hoping to bring her back home rested but instead, she's even more tired, more overwhelmed and less rested than when we left, she just doesn't listen." Kissing her on the top of her head, I watch Ana begin her protest, yes, definitely, Ana inherited stubborn genes!

"I rested the first two weeks," she starts and then says looking at me with happy eyes, "but it's not often that you find you have a whole family that had been withheld from you for your whole life and it's mostly all in another country," she pauses and then looks apologetically at me. "Unfortunately, a lot of them seemed a lot like Carla,"

I must look surprised as I am that she refers to Carmela as Carla not mom because her cheeks redden and she says, "I'm sorry Nonna, my mother, your daughter, has done so many dreadful things over the years and definitely in the last few months that I don't want to acknowledge her as my mother anymore."

"Cara bella," explodes from my lips as I rush to hug her, "Mr Welch told me some of the things she's done and I'm sure they weren't all she did and I understand, I agree, I ask that you don't think we're all like her. Unfortunately some of them are and I saw that yesterday, it's why I want to go to the beach today, enjoy some of the beautiful parts of this country that you might not otherwise see without nastiness and sneakiness."

Ana happily nods her head as she grabs the last of the cannoli on the plate as Christian smiles and we head off to the beach. On the way I explain how when I was a young girl and a bit sickly, I'd been sent to the beach for a week with a richer aunt to try and improve my constitution. It worked but I came back home to look after my sick father and the beach quickly became a distant memory and I never went back and it really seemed like a blink of the eye and I was shipped off to the United States with my husband that I barely knew.

Ana spends the morning asking questions about my family, I am surprised at her insight despite having no functional Italian, I enjoy the company of Gail who does speak Italian and brings my nieces into the conversation and while her presence had some looking down their noses at her yesterday while simultaneously ogling Taylor, I can see that she has a genuine love of Ana and Christian and is more than the housekeeper she is supposed to be. I want to ask her about children but something tells me that she doesn't have any of her own and hope that when Ana has children, that Gail will be there to help. My other hope is that Ana doesn't rush to have children too soon, so that she can enjoy being married and her glorious husband and all the things his money can offer and they can truly get to know each other before there are little children involved, they always change things. They did for me, Carla obviously didn't appreciate Ana having her so young, I hope Ana waits a little while.

We spend time looking at little boutiques where Christian seems to buy up half the stores for the nieces as he tries to convince Ana to buy things for herself but she's more interested in things for their house and his obvious enjoyment at her spending his money is so very opposite to how she acts that I know she has more of my side in her than Carla, Carla was always take, take, take and perhaps that's why Ana is so completely opposite. Finally he stops outside a little jewellery store and when Ana says quietly, "Oh, isn't that beautiful!" in reverent tones, it's like magic, he disappears inside and the bracelet is wrapped and I notice that the matching necklace and earrings disappear from the window as Ana is distracted by a bakery next door.

Having had yet another plate of delicious pastries we head off to look at the island of Gaiola but when the curse of the island is explained, Ana immediately shrinks and puts her hand on Christian's arm and says really forcefully, "You will not buy the island, you will not!" and I understand her concerns.

Every owner of the island since the 1920s has had terrible misfortunes befall their families and I'm glad to hear Christian say, "No, I won't buy it, firstly, it's too dilapidated, too dangerous and there's no way I want you anywhere near a place like this, with or without the myths, I wouldn't feel safe here." And it is amazing to see Ana relax and he feels it under his hand and he pulls her into a hug.

"See, I do listen sometimes Baby, now you need to listen to me, we're going back to the hotel and you are going to rest, capish?" And I smile, I like how he's trying with the Italian and when Ana simply lightly smacks him on the arm and nods her head, I notice how tired she looks, the rings under her eyes are darkening and she is holding onto him, just as his arm is holding her up and I nod when Christian confirms that we are heading back.

Ana is asleep within minutes of being in the car and I am glad to hear that Christian has decided to cut short the Naples portion of the honeymoon and going onto the yacht off the south of France so that Ana can rest. I am feeling guilty that because of me, Ana hasn't rested as much as she should but Christian assures me that Ana would be pushing herself anyway and the only way he can actually give her the rest she needs is to keep her on the yacht for the rest of the week.

It proves a little more difficult to convince Ana, as soon as we arrive at the hotel, the short rest has perked her up and she resists but is finally mollified provided she can say good bye to the family, so one more big dinner, loud cacophony of people wanting to hear their own voices. Ana showed great insight in saying that not only did she wish to say goodbye personally and thank everyone for accepting her into the fold, but if she didn't that there would be on going issues.

Predictably, there are snide comments and nasty inferences and so many nasty comments about Ana being nothing and how she could possibly have snared Christian that I cringe and hope that the comments never make it back to them, unfortunately given the security and the sets of their faces, I'm sure that it will and I very much doubt that Christian will be back, it's probably the only reason he didn't decide to buy that island.

I am glad that after a few more days I can leave too and, with my mother, get back to our own lives which are immeasurably better now that I know where all my children are and now know at least one grandchild. It's with a grateful heart that I give one last long loving hug to Ana and quick one to Christian and I leave them so that they can be gone in the morning to finally enjoy some relaxation on their honeymoon. I am ever so grateful that Carla did the one right thing and gave Ana that file so that she could find me and finally I feel like good things will start to happen in all our lives.