AUTHORS NOTE: This is a bit of a short one, but it carries on from the previous chapter which I felt was getting a bit too long. My reasoning behind this particular scenario is that in the Crossfire books, Victor didn't really like or get Gideon. He openly told him at one point he didn't think he was good enough for Eva and he was furious when Eva and Gideon eloped but I personally didn't think Sylvia Day explored the animosity between the two enough, and whereas in my other Crossover story I had Gideon reconcile with his stepfather, I am eventually planning on showing him finding a father figure in Victor instead. So, while he technically loses Eva as a biological daughter – even though nothing changes in their relationship and he still considers himself her dad, we will see him warming to Gideon and gaining him as a son. That's the plan anyway, whether I pull it off or not is another matter!

As I said at the beginning of this story, I have tweaked the canon storyline to fit what I want to say, for example Christian has helped put Elena in prison (which will be explored further in future chapters) and in this universe Eva wasn't confused about Brett and didn't kiss him, she only met up with him to make Gideon feel how she felt about him and Corrine. I would also like to say I don't plan for either couple to have children in this story, as it is a storyline which has been done to death with every possible pregnancy scenario in every fan fiction there is, including my own and while it is always popular I want to try and make this something different.

Thank you once again for all your continued feedback and kind comments, I do try to respond personally to everyone who has taken the time to review, especially considering I asked for help to kickstart my brain with this story but the response has been so overwhelming, I am fairly certain I have missed some so I am sending out a massive thank you to everyone and an apology if you have not received a personal message from me. I appreciate every review and comment I have received and I am so grateful for the inspiration it has given me.

CHAPTER 15

(VICTOR)

I look at the mugs in front of me, I am completely and utterly stunned by everything that Gideon has said. Never in a million years did I ever expect him to make a point of apologising to me, nor be so open and candid. I still don't totally trust him, but I have to say he has gone up slightly in my estimation after that little performance.

My mind goes to Brett fucking Kline, and I reluctantly have to admit that at least he is better than that asshole. I cannot believe Eva has been seeing him again. Her behaviour with him was totally unacceptable, she had no self-respect. She thinks that I don't know what she did with him in the bathroom at Pete's bar on many occasions, but I'm a cop and I know more than she imagines and when I found out what she was doing it broke my heart. Admittedly I now know why she was behaving in such a self-destructive manner, and it kills me that it was down to what Nathan Barker did to her and how it screwed with her head. I knew something had happened to her when she came to live with me, the way she was behaving was totally out of control but never in my wildest thoughts did I imagine the truth of the matter. It was finding out about that particular episode in her life with Kline that led me to seek out some kind of help for her and I got her in touch with Dr Travis. Thankfully after seeing him she saw just how toxic the relationship with Kline was and left him. She finally saw that he was just using her for sex and treating her like a dumb groupie.

"How did Eva come to meet up with Kline again?" I ask. I need to know if that asshole made a point of seeking Eva out.

Gideon sighs, "My step father owns a recording label – Vidal Records, and I have controlling interest in that label. We signed this unknown band from California with a large amount of potential. That band was Sixth Ninths and their lead singer is Brett Kline. While the band were in New York having meetings with my step father regarding their album, Eva made contact with him".

His words hit me like a punch in the gut, "Eva approached him?" I ask, wanting to make sure I have this right.

Gideon nods at me, "Yes she did, I told her about the band and how excited I was as they had potential and I personally really liked their music and she told me upfront that she knew of them and was a fan from the early days. She asked me if Brett was still the lead singer and I told her he was. It was shortly after that she reached out to him. I am of the opinion she did it on purpose to show me exactly how hurt she had been when I was seeing Corrine, although I swear to you it was totally platonic and I never ever cheated on Eva".

I nod, I believe him and I know Eva well enough to know that is probably exactly what she did.

"Did Eva cheat on you with Brett?" I ask carefully as I remember just how physical and unhealthily raw their previous relationship was and he shakes his head.

"No, she assured me it was platonic. She met up with him and had dinner with him, I asked her afterwards about their friendship and that was when she admitted to me that she'd had a physical relationship with him. I told her I wasn't happy about her seeing him and she pointed out to me that she had said the same about me seeing Corrine and that it was double standards if I was able to have dinner with Corrine and she wasn't able to see Brett". He pauses and shakes his head sadly.

"Things escalated after that due partly to the actions of other people, things which I don't want to go into, but it was then she brought it home to me just how hurt she had been, as I felt so jealous and afraid that Kline would take her away from me. I knew I had to make things right with her, I cannot lose her Victor. I have no other family, Eva is my family… in fact she is more than my family, she is my life, she is my reason for breathing. So when it became apparent I had hurt her so badly with my totally innocent interactions with Corrine, I had to make it right and I had to show her exactly what she meant to me and that was when I took her away and married her… and as I have already said, I failed to realise how that would look to her wider family. I didn't even consider her wider family as mine were irrelevant".

I look at Gideon as he says this, I have never heard anything so sad. I need to know what lies behind this unexpected vulnerability. I am guessing he won't tell me and I can't blame him as we are not exactly close, but he has been astonishingly open and candid with me so I try my luck and ask him.

"What happened to you son?" I ask gently and I see his eyes widen when I call him son and he sucks in a sharp breath, so sharp his nostrils flare and then he swallows hard. His reaction is a violent one and he even sways a little and reaches out to grip the kitchen surface. That is all I need to know. It appears he hasn't had any parental guidance throughout his life and he has relied on himself. It accounts for why he was so thoughtless when it came to his actions, it doesn't excuse them but it certainly explains them and as such makes it easier for me to forgive him for what he did.

"Hey it's ok" I say gently and I reach out and touch his arm, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to". I add.

I see him swallow again and the distress in his eyes is killing me. Then almost as quick as I saw it, it is gone and the impassive cold corporate mask slips effortlessly into place and I know I've lost him. He has shut down and closed himself off to protect himself.

"My mother and I had a fundamental difference of opinion" he says coldly and somewhat cryptically.

I decide not to push him as this clearly is something, he finds difficult to talk about.

"Do you want to give me a hand taking these drinks in?" I ask, changing the subject to try and snap him out of the cold, closed off manner he has slipped into.

He relaxes and nods and eagerly reaches for the tray I hand to him and I frown. This response is telling, he is now almost behaving like a small boy desperate for a parent's approval. Then it hits me, and all becomes clear to me. His father died when he was a child. I remember the case of Geoffrey Cross and the crooked ponzi scheme he fronted in New York. It was a massive fraud which decimated some of the personal wealth of a number of major figures in New York along with a lot of ordinary people who lost everything and the story was national news. Cross committed suicide to avoid having to be held accountable for his crimes and I remember at the time Gideon was a young child. I remember Gideons comments when he was trying to explain himself. He said he had never had to consider anyone other than himself and what he has just told me confirms that, along with his cryptic comment of him having a difference of opinion with his mother, whatever that means? I am now realising that there is definitely more to Gideon Cross than I ever imagined.

I follow him into the small sitting room and as I do so there is a knock at the door. I go to answer it and see the security man who I saw at the airport. He was introduced to me as something to do with the Grey's and I had wondered where he went, but he is here now and he is standing there with a laptop bag in his hand.

"Mr Reyes, I have all the information which our security team has gathered on Frank Lambert for you to see" he says politely.

"Well, you'd better come in then" I say as I step aside and gesture inside.

"Thank you sir" he replies and I watch him as he walks into the house.

I watch him closely as he walks past me. He clearly has a military background; his whole demeanour screams military training. He walks into the sitting room. I watch as he joins Gideon's security man, who had been sitting unobtrusively in the corner. I take a moment to look at him, I've seen him a few times and whereas Grey's man screams military I've always got the impression he was never in the military. He is a Scotsman so it is feasible that he was in the British Army but somehow, I don't think he was.

"Taylor, good of you to join us. I take it you have all the information that Welch uncovered?" Christian says and Taylor nods.

"Yes sir" he replies.

"Welch?" I ask and Christian looks at me.

"He is my Chief Security Advisor. He doesn't really like to leave Seattle so he has passed on everything he uncovered and Taylor will go through it all with you" he explains.

I nod in understanding as Gideon speaks up.

"Angus and Welch worked together and Angus was quick to locate Frank, it was just a hunch he had based on some quite flimsy evidence but it was a hunch that paid off" Gideon says.

I nod, "Hey, I'm a cop and you'd be surprised how many flimsy hunches solve crimes so I get that" I say.

The two security men move closer and start to explain everything that has been uncovered about Frank Lambert.

oooOOOooo

Three hours later and I know all there is to know about Frank Lambert. It has all been laid out for me, Ray has shared his memories of the man and Eva and Ana also told me everything they have experienced with him.

"I know he was your army buddy Ray, but he sounds like a complete waste of space" I say bitterly.

Ray smiles at me, "I know, I can't believe I was so loyal to him for so many years. He was my friend and as such I think I excused more than I should've done. But when he behaved the way he did with Annie and Eva that day, that finished it for me and the things he said when he left were totally unacceptable" he says sadly.

I nod, "You say you have reported him to the military and they are going to arrest him for desertion?" I ask and Ray nods.

"Yes, I believe so. I called my buddy Arnie - he is one of the top brass now and he was around at the time Frank went missing and remembers the investigation and everything. Christian and Gideon gave him everything that their security teams had found out and information on where he was now and what name he was using. My only concern is that since Eva and Annie came out fighting when he went to the press he will vanish again and try and assume another identity" he says carefully.

"Don't worry about that Mr Steele, Welch already has that covered" Taylor says confidently.

Ray smiles at him, "I see, well thank you Jason and how many times do I have to tell you to call me Ray!"

I lean forward, "What do you mean by that?" I ask wondering what these security people are doing.

Taylor looks at me, "Welch has despatched an undercover security operative to tail Mr Lambert. A bit like a private detective but better". He grins at me and I nod in understanding. He is being cagey with what he tells me and I guess that is because these security people sometimes overstep the line as to what is entirely legal. I had wondered just how they had gained the information on Lambert that they had and I am certain that while legal avenues had been pursued, they had probably been stretched a little. As a cop I don't want to know what they have done, but as a father I am grateful they did it.

As I am thinking this, I see Gideon's man stand up and speak quietly to Gideon and I watch the interaction between them. It is something I had never bothered to notice before as quite frankly I pretty much ignored Gideon unless I had to speak to him. Angus places his hand on Gideon's shoulder and whispers something I don't catch.

"Thank you, Angus," Gideon replies and I can hear the clear affection in his voice. I realise that this man is much more than an employee to him.

"Ay, no problem lad. I'll be at the hotel if you need me" he says and then he turns towards me and in his soft Scottish brogue he addresses me as he holds out his hand to me.

"It was good to see you again Mr Reyes. Gideon will give you my number in case you have any further questions regarding Frank Lambert".

"Likewise, and thank you" I say gratefully as I shake his hand.

As he turns away Angus looks back over his shoulder towards Gideon, "Raul will come and fetch you when you are ready to go lad" he says and Gideon simply nods.

The overly affectionate and familiar way he speaks to Gideon and the way he calls him lad makes me certain he means far more to Gideon than just an employee. Then I remember something, I remember how Eva told me that when they eloped Angus was the only person who was aware of it and he stood as witness to their marriage. I had assumed at the time it was because he was Gideons security but now I believe it was because Gideon looks upon him as a friend or even a father figure. Since the revelations of earlier I am now noticing more and more and I realise that there is certainly more to Gideon Cross than meets the eye but also there is a lot more he is hiding.

After Angus leaves, talk turns to what is going to happen now and I hear plans being made for this evening. I glance at my watch and am surprised to note that it is nearly 5pm, the afternoon has just flown past. I had booked today off as leave because of Eva coming but I have an early shift starting in the morning at 6am.

"What do you suggest dad?" Eva asks looking at me questioningly.

"Well… I have to be at work in the morning for 6am so I will be heading to bed early tonight. But I don't mind what we do till about 9pm tonight as I think that is when I will call it a night".

Eva smiles lovingly at me and as she goes to suggest something, I hear a phone ringing which makes everyone look round. I see Ray fumbling in his pocket and then pulling out a phone. He looks at it and then looks up at everyone who is watching him.

"It's Arnie" he says simply and with that he answers the call, putting it on speaker so we can all hear.

"Arnie, how are you?" Ray says by way of greeting.

"Ray, I just thought I'd let you know we've got the son of a bitch. After the press conference he tried to leave Washington. Instead of heading north back to Canada he went south through Oregon and into California. I'm not sure what he was thinking unless he was planning on heading down to Mexico. The undercover guy who your son in law put on him has been feeding us information as to his movements and we've got him. He was more than a little bit shocked to see me I can tell you but I made sure I was right there when he was brought in. The military police have him in custody here and he's not going anywhere".

A massive grin fills Ray's face, "That's good to know Arnie, whereabouts is here?" he asks.

"Park Camps" Arnie replies and Ray bursts out laughing.

"So, you brought him home then?" he asks and I hear a small laugh come down the line.

"Yes, I suppose you could say that" Arnie replies.

Ray looks up, "That is where we were all stationed before he transferred to Washington when he ran away from his responsibilities with your mom, Eva" he explains.

"Are you with Eva and Ana at the moment?" Arnie asks.

"I am" Ray replies simply.

"HI UNCLE ARNIE!" Ana shouts and I hear another laugh, this time a warm affectionate chuckle.

"Hello there Annie love, how are you?" Arnie says kindly.

Ana moves closer to Ray's phone. "I'm ok Uncle Arnie, Dad, Christian and I are in California ourselves at the moment. We are with Eva and Gideon and we've been meeting Eva's dad so we are in San Diego at the moment. I don't suppose there would be any chance of seeing you any time soon as its been far too long since I last saw you?" Ana asks.

"Anything for you sweetheart, stay put and I'll come down to you. You're right it has been far too long and I suppose I could see your old man too while I'm there" Arnie says.

Ana giggles at that as Ray feigns anger at the comment.

Ana looks up at Christian, "Is that ok?" she asks and Christian simply nods in agreement.

"Sure baby" he replies and then pulls out his phone and starts texting. I look at Gideon and see he is doing exactly the same and I realise that after this development they will probably be staying in town for a few days.