This was all my fault. If not for me Hyde would have never done this. My eyes dart around the battlefield that is the kitchen. My heart dies a bot because I would never see it the same way again. I used to see the kitchen counter and remember the many nights Christian couldn't wait to get to the bedroom and he would hoist me up and fuck me silly. But now all I see his Gail and Hyde struggling, I could almost hear her cries and his horrid words echoing though the space. It sent a chill through my entire body, leaving me hollow.

Everything was broken and bloody, poor sweet Gail was hysterical. Her usual perfection marred by Hyde and sadly I knew exactly what she was feeling, those moments in the hotel room playing over and over in my mind. Only I didn't have Taylor or Christian to comfort me. I was all alone.

Face bruised, dress torn, shaking and afraid. The look of pity from the desk clerk as I checked out, the kindness of the flight attendant who brought me tissues as I cried until we were flying of Ohio. Her name was Simone. I will never forget her for as long as I live.

The cops show up and ask Gail a million questions, and then it is my turn as I explain in detail what happened to me in New York. Christian told me to keep quiet about the video; he didn't want it getting into the wrong hands. That was my nightmare come to life. Christian and Taylor filled them in about the day Hyde was fired and all of the reasons why. It was a never ending night of digging up a past I was trying so hard to forget.

Gail refused to go to the hospital, all she wanted was a hot shower and to fall into bed with Taylor. I knew exactly how she felt.

I could see how torn Taylor was, he wanted to be with Gail but he also wanted to be in his control room with his team hatching a plan to get to Hyde before he could do anymore damage. Gail said this was only the beginning. It was only when Christian took him quietly aside that I saw his shoulders relax slightly. I couldn't hear what they were saying, their angry voices were hushed but I knew down to the tips of my toes this was the start of something.

Christian walks over to me and looks like his has aged ten years in an hour. It is possible that we were just dancing in the grand ballroom and now we are here? He rests his hands on my bare shoulders, the heat of his palms warming me.

"Ana, I have a lot to deal with tonight. Why don't you go get some rest baby? It has been a very long day." I was exhausted, mentally and physically spent but I didn't want to be alone, but I also didn't want to be any more of a burden. I bit my lower lip trying to stifle the tears that had wanted to fall for hours. I nodded once and turned to walk away. The moment my back was turned the flood gates opened, I silently sobbed my way through the apartment until I felt Christian's strong arms around my shoulders pulling me backwards towards his body.

"Shhh, baby it's going to be alright. We are going to find this fucker. I promise you. Please don't cry. I hate it when you cry." He spun my body around and crushed me against his chest; I grabbed the lapels of his tuxedo jacket and nuzzled my face into the crook of his arm.

"This is all my fault…"

"Baby, no it is not. This is Hyde's fault. Look at me." He lifts my chin to meet his gaze. "What happened tonight and what happened in New York was not your fault. You have to understand this, okay. This was not your fault."

"He told Gail that this is only the beginning, what about your family or mine?"

"I have it under control Ana, we are going to increase security for everyone in our inner circle and at the office. He won't get two hundred yards of anyone we care about. I promise you that. Baby I don't want to leave you but I have so much to manage right now…"

"I know I understand. I am fine really…" I wiggle out of his grasp and try to straighten my shoulders, and puff out my chest but I am not buying it so I know he isn't either.

"Ana, do you want to come to the control room with me, you can stretch out on the couch there."

"Yes, please. I just can't be alone right now."

"Okay baby let's go get you changed." He grabs my hand weaving his fingers with mine leading me to the bedroom.

"Miss Steele, dressing and undressing you is becoming quite the fetish... Turn around." I chuckled as I turned, feeling his warm fingers train down my back, slowly releasing me from the dress. I stood almost naked before him and he smiled as he looked my body over. He started to undress, removing his jacket and tie and then his white shirt.

"Here, put this on." He handed it to me; it was still warm from his body and smelled deliciously of him. I slipped it around my body and immediately felt safer; as usual Christian knew what I needed.

"You look mighty fine in my shirt Miss. Steele." He walked over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of grey yoga pants and a pair of warm cashmere socks in the same color. I slipped them on and watched him change into loose well washed jeans that hung off his hips and a white cable knit sweater. "The men are waiting, I sent Taylor to tend to Gail. It's going to be a long night...uh…day…"

The sun was coming up over the quiet city, and sleep was nowhere in sight for Christian or his team. I feared that none of us would rest soundly until Hyde where behind bars where he belonged.


Ana slept restlessly on the sofa, her body covered with a warm wool blanket. Ryan had returned from the hospital with ten stitches and refused to rest, he was angry with himself for letting Hyde get the best of him. Welsh, Sawyer and I were watching the tapes over and over again trying to figure out how he got in. It was a cluster-fuck and we couldn't figure it out, I was getting Leila flashbacks. I still had no idea how she got into my office at GEH. My body shuddered thinking back to that morning I walked into my office, only to fine it torn to shreds.

"He didn't just appear by fucking magic! Again Welsh!" I wanted to rip someone's head off, this was totally unacceptable. I pay all of these highly trained men to prevent these kinds of things from happening and that smug fucker got into my apartment. My sanctuary in the sky no longer felt safe.

"That's him right there." Ana pushes passed Sawyer, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and reaches over Welsh grabbing the mouse from his hand and rewound the footage. "See the blonde in the dress? That's Hyde."

"Ana are you sure?" I squinted trying to see what she saw.

"Positive, he has a swagger I would recognize him anywhere. Can you zoom in Mr. Welch?"

"Yes of course." He zoomed the camera in and sharpened the image. And fuck me, Ana was right. We all looked at one another feeling slightly foolish that we didn't see it an hour before.

"Fast forward the footage, I bet we will see the same woman leaving with a limp." Ana leaned her body against my chair and I wrapped my arm around her waist pulling her on to my lap. She was right once again Hyde appeared again gimping through the lobby.

"Sir, give me a few moments and I can hack into traffic cams, maybe we can see what car Hyde got into. Miss Steele you have a great eye. I have some other footage I would…"

"Welch…No." Stupid fucker there was no way I wanted Ana to even know about Leila.

"Sir…I just…"

"NO!"

"Christian I don't mind, if he thinks I could be helpful…"

"Ana… No, end of conversation. Hack the fucking cameras Welch." He opened his mouth to speak again and with one look at cut him to pieces as he turned his attention back to the computer. After a few tense moments, Welch reminded me why he was on my payroll because not only did we have the make and model of Hyde's rental car we had the plate number and the GPS tracker.

"Sawyer go get Taylor, he is going to want to be in on this."

"I'll go… I don't think Gail will want to be alone." Ana eased her way off my lap. She said a small low goodbye and slipped out of the room. I was relieved that she was gone, what we were about to plan was not for her ears or eyes. Taylor appears in the doorway a few moments later, and his face says it all. His usual stoic nature has vanished and he stands before me a changed man. He is angry, not only at Hyde but at himself and every member of his team. His rage will fuel us all as the men stand a bit taller in his presence.

"Show me what you got…"


The car was a dead end, it was found an hour outside of the city, the driver's side was stained with blood and a blond wig in the backseat. The idea that he was out there thinking he had gotten the best of me, the best of us is making me crazy. I can feel my fifty shades rearing their ugly head.

All I can think about is Ana and what all of this is going to do to her, she is already blaming herself. I can feel her shame and torment, it is a tangible force around her and I feel like I can't break in.

"Sir, may I have a moment?" Taylor walks into my office looking as solemn as I have ever seen him.

"Of course, have a seat. Do you want a drink?" I point to my near empty glass of scotch and he nods yes. I pour us both a glass and there are a few silent moments as we try and drink this horrible day away.

"He got in through the service entrance, I am not quite sure how he did it though. That passage was re-enforced after the Leila incident. I don't think it is safe for us to stay here sir. God only knows how long he had to scope the place. Welsh is sweeping for bugs and cameras but I still would feel more comfortable if we changed locations."

"I agree, I think Gail would be more comfortable as well. I know Ana would. I will call a realtor tomorrow about a rental."

"Actually I was thinking your parents. It would be easier if everyone was contained in one location."

"Fine I will speak to Grace in the morning. How is Gail?"

"Shaken, she and Ana are still asleep. I have Sawyer at their door. Ryan offered his resignation, but I refused him. If anyone should quit it should be me."

"I will hear none of that Taylor. It happened, it should not have happened but it did and I am certain that it won't happen again."

"No Sir, it will not."


Ana is crying, that is the sound the fuels me though the apartment trying to find her. There are drops of blood on the floor like bread crumbs leaving me to what used to be the sub room. I hear her cry out in pain and I start to run, panic filling my body and soul. She is begging, pleading for her life, telling him to calm down and to relax. I hear the slap of flesh against flesh and glass breaking. When I finally get to the door Ana is being pulled by her hair out off the floor by Hyde's bloody hand. The rage consumes me as I charge at them, but he is quick and wrapped his fore arm around her throat holding a gun to her temple. Tears are streaming from Ana's eyes and she looks lost and broken, full of fear.

"Hyde…Let her go…Baby it going to be alright." I hear the click of the trigger bringing my attention back to Jack's cold vacant stare. I switch tactics and use what has always worked for me in the past. Dominate Christian. "Put the gun down now Hyde." He snickers and I can see his fingertip flex over the trigger, bile rises in my throat when I feel the power shift over to his side.

"Fuck you Grey, who is in control now…" He tightens is grip around her throat and I can she is struggling for breath. I resist my body's instinct to lunge; it would take only a fraction of a moment for him to pull that trigger. There is this moment of calm, our breathing is all matched and even. Ana looks at me her bright blue eyes look peaceful, as if she has accepted her fate. She mouths that she loves me

"You need to change Christian…" Hyde pulls the trigger and the last thing I see is Ana my sweet Ana…


"NOOOOOOO! ANA!" I jump up out of bed just missing a wayward elbow as Christian is thrashing beside me, screaming out my name. I am not sure what to do; he is in a violent rage as the screaming intensifies. I try to wake him, grabbing at his shoulders but he somehow throws me to the ground. My butt hits the floor just as Taylor and Sawyer break through the door trying to subdue him. Taylor finally runs to the bathroom and returns with a glass of ice cold water throwing it in Christian's face. Thankfully that seems to do the trick, as he slowly comes out of his nightmare.

Sawyer reaches down and pulls me off the floor, my knees shaking. I have been beside Christian when he is having a bad dream but I have never seen him like this and for the first time I am truly afraid.

I can hear his labored breathing, he head in his hands, fingers knotted in his wet unruly mass of copper colored hair. He is muttering something that I can't make out and finally he looks up locking his eyes with mine and I see his tears.

"Taylor, Sawyer… I think he is fine now could you please leave us alone." They nod and shuffle out; Taylor looks back at me quickly just to make sure I am okay. I manage a small smile and he closes the bedroom door behind him. Before I can turn back around Christian arms are around my waist, his lips on the back of my neck.

"Thank god you are ok…I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you Ana. I can't imagine my world without you beside me." I can feel his hot tears fall on to my bare shoulder. I want to turn around and hold him, but I know he needs me not to see him like this more then he needs my comfort. "I can lose another person I love… I just can't"

He sounds like a lost child, all his bravado and control is gone. I soothe him the same way I would Olivia. I tell him over and over that I will never leave him, that I love him, and that everything is going to be okay. I say his name like a Gothic chant Christian…Christian… Christian… I make a solemn vow to love him and keep him forever, that nothing will come between us, I hope that my whispered words get through to him and he starts to believe. I hope that the seed is planted and he realizes I am real, that he is real and together everything will be okay.

I can feel his breathing return to normal and his tight grip around my body loosens enough for me to turn and face him. I am not prepared for what I see. He has been stripped bare; there is not façade, no mask, no money, no power, no control. He is just a man, a broken, tormented man and he has never looked more sad, or pure, or beautiful or true. A chill runs through me, my skin puckers with gooseflesh and I swoon just a little bit, because I feel in this moment our souls have joined, they have wrapped their tiny tendrils around each other, grasping for security and comfort. My soul is no longer mine, and his soul is no longer his, they are simply ours.

"Ana…" My name carries through the long exhale his breath not his voice, his body tightens against mine, his arms holding me up as my knees go weak. "Marry me?"

My breath catches in my throat, the tears in my eyes blinding me from the beauty that is this man, my future husband.

"Yes…Yes…Yes…" His mouth crashes against mine and I feel him pull me back towards the bed. It all becomes a blur as we pull off one another clothing, I am vaguely aware that the bed beneath me is cold and wet and before that fully registers I feel Christian everywhere. His hands, his breath his mouth roam my body, caressing and sucking, his teething nipping at my nipple, my belly, hipbone. His hands crushing my breasts together, massaging them as they swell under his expert hands. The want grows, it starts in my heart and radiates out to my naughtier bits, a pulsing throbbing hum that I have only and will only feel for him, for the rest of our lives.

His mouth is finally where we both need it to be, his earlier promise kept.

"I need to taste you baby, I need you to come around my mouth." His words are like a hot searing poker, this intense charge surges though me. His fingers massage me as his tongue tortures me; I am chanting his name again only this time it is a tribal call and I am surprised that Taylor and Sawyer don't bound through the door again trying to save me. The second wave of pleasure is stronger than the first, and I am a quivering mess. I couldn't form a word if I tried. Before I recover, Christian, spread my legs wide and covers my body with his own. He surges in to me and I feel every fraction of him, over and over he pounds into me. We come together, loudly without care or thought of who can hear. I can feel his orgasm filling me, marking me and I have never been more his then I am at this very moment. His words are where I begin and end.

"Ana, you are all I will ever want, all that I will ever need. You have saved me and made me. You are mine, always and forever mine."

Always and forever…mine…