[a/n Hi loves, sorry for the long wait! but here's chapter 8 I hope you enjoy it and then I would like to take some time to thank all of you for always comming back for more and for the all the support.

Big thank you for those of you who PM's me.

SHOUT OUT to Thirsty Traveller, you are a ray of sunshine!

oh and then to the negitive part of my speach... Dear Mr James... first thanks for voicing your opinion but... if you dont like my fantasy then dont read it. on behalf of me and all the other writers, (yes you big bully, i know that i'm not the only one being touched by your "evilness") kindly stow your fingers when you want to be mean. did your parents never teach you that if you dont have anything nice to say, then dont say anything at all? good day sir.

there i got that off of my chest. please enjoy the next chpt. if its messy sorry i didnt proof read it.

love you lots, ASG]

Chapter 8

APOV

That night I went to bed with a sore ass and a hungry mind. When my head touched down on my pillow I was a goner. My eyes flew open, my heart hammering against my ribcage when the dream finally ended, I'm pretty sure it was a nightmare that started with Mr. Grey and his 'sexpertise' and ended with Mia being kidnapped and me pointing a gun at Samantha.

I'm pretty sure that I'm only being haunted by my regret and quilt. I know that sitting in the dark being disgusted with yourself won't make anything better. I decide to wake up and give my best If not everything I have. The person who wrote the letter is right.

Yes, I have strayed from my mission and yes, my dad is going be devastated.

But anonymous, I'm not going to be afraid of you. Besides, I have a good idea of who you are. Chew on that bitch. I am ready for the change. I will not give in.

I swing my legs out from under the cover and stand up, starting my day.

At three thirty I walk in to the gym, feeling motivated and ready to change my game. I type in the pin to the swimming pool and desert my things on a bench. I walk over to the pool and press my toes in to test the temperature and to my surprise the guy who is in charge of the gym for once had put the pool heater on, seeing that it is winter.

I dive in to the water and start swimming laps. Each time I make it to the other end, my lungs and muscles burn, reminding me of who I was moulded to be. I remember the training that they had given us, we were lying on our backs on the shore with the top of our heads facing the sea (we looked like a chain as we linked our arms together) and had to pull up in crutches each time the waves hit. The trick was that if one of the team members were weak, the entire group suffered from the consequences. I am only a small factor in a bigger purpose. I need to live up to what I was made to be, a warrior – a soldier and a protector.

I take a deep breath and dive under again, the hairs on my neck stand up and a sudden shiver runs down my spine, the uncanny feeling leaves my mind racing and my arms and legs moving faster for me to get to the pool's edge. At this time of the morning I know that my senses have to be wrong, who would be up this early? But I still can't shake the feeling of someone watching me. I get out of the pool acting normal and gather my things. As I walk to the showers I hear footsteps tapping on the tiles. God, I'm paranoid.

I start walking faster. When I take the turn in the hallway and hide behind the pillar. And just as I suspected I do have a tail. I watch as the shadow comes closer and just when he walks in and has his back to me I jump out from my hiding space and jab him in his lower back with my fist sending him to the ground. I straddle his waist and hold his hands behind his back.

"Why are you following me, Luke?" I mutter. I twist his arm receiving a pained moan from of him.

"Ana, I didn't fucking know you were in here," Luke says against the floor.

"Yeah right." I huff, Luke starts wiggling, trying to throw me off of his back.

"God! Why would I follow you?" he yells.

"Why wouldn't you?" I get off of him and held my hand out to help him up.

"I was heading to the showers, I took an early work out session today," he said. I decide to let it go, but something isn't right here. Luke lives in his own apartment half an hour away. Why would he be here at this time of the morning?

"Okay," I say and take my things off of the ground. I turn on my heel and walk out of the hallway back to the pool. I go out of the pool area and make my way back to the apartment. I have to run to catch the elevator open and when I step in no one other than the boss man is in there.

"Good morning sir," I say and look at the floor, not wanting to look Christian Grey in the eye after the embarrassing actions of last night.

"Steele." He says in a flat tone. Oh sheesh, what did I do now? Is it too early Mr. Grey? I look up to examine his face to see if I can make out what his problem is, but I see him looking up and down my body and realize that I am standing in a bikini in front of him. I shy into the corner of the elevator and open my towel and cover myself.

"I see you and Sawyer are cozy," he says.

"What?"

"Oh don't be coy Anastasia," he growls. "There is CCTV in the gym that is connected to the private area where I work out, I saw you two." He says in a stern voice. He walks closer to me and pins me to the wall.

"You're mine Anastasia, understand that?" he breathes against my neck. I break out of his hold on my hands and shove him away from me. Christian frowns at my audacity. He looks like I have just thrown ice water all over him. Take that Grey!

"No, Mr. Grey, I am not yours, I'm not an item wanting to be owned." I snap and just then the doors slide open and I walk out, leaving a dumbfounded Christian behind.

hl

I'm showered and dressed in warm clothes. I'm now sitting on my bed not knowing what to do with myself seeing that it would be too awkward to go out and face Mr. Grey and Mia's schedule only starts at nine. Which leaves me with almost five hours of free time. I reach for my phone and see that I have new messages from Kate. I can't remember the last time we spoke.

I unlock my phone and open the messages:

Hi, stranger, just wanted u to know that I'm coming home earlier, the weather here is not so gr8 anymore. Love u xxx K

Ana banana, just want to know if u can pick me up Mon evening?!

ANNNAAAA! Testing, testing, come in Ana!

I laugh at her last text and start typing my reply to all five.

Well hello, Kavanagh, 'course I'm picking u up. And I hope ur not dumb enough to have considered it to hitch a ride with some stranger… love u, let me know what time ur landing.

Well, looks like Kate gave me something to do. I get off of the bed and walk to my closet and grab the suitcase from behind my shoes. I walk over to my bed and open it. I start packing my bags and gathering all of my belongings and cleaning the room as I go. When I'm done I look at my watch and see that it was only two hours that went by. I decide to go see if the boss is still at home.

hl

I knock on Mr. Grey's office door, knowing that he is still in there because it is closed and the fact that I know that Jason is still here, he and Gail were arguing when I walked past their bedroom.

"What!" he yells. Mr grey the most hospitable man alive, you just always feel welcome when he is near. I roll my eyes.

"Can I come in?" I ask him through the door. He hums his reply and I open the door and enter. Christian is staring at his laptop with a frown and his fingers are hammering on the keyboard. Some poor soul is going to receive the wrath of Christian Grey on the other end, once the email is sent.

"What do you want?" he spits when he looks up and sees me.

"I want to thank you for accommodating me for the last few months sir, I really appreciate it," I say, looking him directly in the eyes.

"What? You're leaving?" He looks confused and I must admit, I like seeing him like this. Helpless and afraid.

"Yes, I am," I say in a matter of fact tone.

"Oh, um, you're welcome Miss Steele." He is stammering with his words. His never-ending frown is adding up to his years. He is going to look fifty by the time he is thirty-five.

"I'm leaving tonight," I tell him and turn on my heel and start walking toward the door.

"Anastasia, you know you can stay here, right?" he says stopping me in my tracks.

"No, I can't Mr. Grey," I say looking at the door.

"Why not, I want you to stay, please?" he pleads. I turn around to face him and fold my arms around my waist.

"Mr. Grey, I can't, we're way past our employer and employee relationship and I don't think that it is healthy for my job. I think that this is for the best." I say and motion my hand around the room, reminding him of what happened last night.

"Very well miss Steele." He murmurs.

"Thank you," I say, copying his tone and walk out of his office and back to my room.

hl

"So, you're telling me that you know everything about the threats?" Mia asks me as the tires hit the tarmac outside of her parents' yard.

I have to admit that she is a good actress. She kept glaring at me and greeted me in the same cold manner when I fetched her from her room. Everyone is oblivious to the fact that we are no longer the old Ana and Mia but the new and improved girls who have a plan to defeat our enemy once and for all. And it's safe to say that Grace Trevelyan Grey does not like me – at all.

"Not everything, but enough," I mutter. I knew that this was going to happen. I am a smart woman and I know that Mia is too, she is inquisitive and she knows how to get what she wants.

"Okay," she frowns and I can sense the change in her mood, it was almost like there was a ding sound when her light bulb switched on. "But, why didn't you say something earlier?" she asks me.

"Because you're stubborn," I say and switch the stereo on, silencing her for about half a minute.

"No, I did what the person told me to do." She tells me, receiving an eye roll from me. I liked it better when she was bitchy Mia, back then the car rides were silent.

"They told you to be a rude bitch to me?" I scoff.

"Not entirely," she says, her voice a high pitch.

"Mm," I hum.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" she says in a rushed tone. I laugh at her. Oh, I'm never going to let her live that down.

"Yeah, Mia, I'm just jesting with you," I say looking over at her, her brown eyes on mine. She looks ashamed.

"What are we doing today anyway?" she asks sounding a little grumpy after yet another half minute of silence.

"You, my dear, are going to learn how to use a gun," I say with fake enthusiasm. I even smiled at her, showing all of my teeth.

"Really?" she asked dumbfounded

"Yep," I say and turn back to the road that leads to the place Taylor and I used to go to shoot.

"Why?" she asks. God, why can't she stay silent for more than a minute?

"So you can wear it as an accessory, why the fuck do you think you're going to learn how to shoot?" I ask her, looking at her.

"Isn't that why I have you? So you can do the shooting?" she asks with a frown. Oh, Mia, you have no idea…

"Mia, I'm not going to be with you every second," I say looking back at the traffic.

"Oh no, did he fire you?" She asked. Her voice filled with - what? Sadness? Guilt?

"No, and he would not get to fire me, even if he wanted to," I reassure her. He doesn't have any balls

Troy and Stacie banter on the radio about the new songs that came out the last few weeks and what the hidden meanings are – that perks Mia's ears for a while. Only until she remembers what I had said.

"What do you mean?" she asks chewing on her gum in a very irritating manner. "Are you going to leave us?" she asks me, her voice is soft and the chewing gum in her mouth is forgotten.

"I have to at some point," I say in all honesty. I don't want to but I can't stay in one place for a long time. They don't allow it.

"But you're my CPO."

"When you need me, but do not want me, then I will stay. When you want me, but do not need me, then I have to go." I quote my favorite movie. I look at her and she looks troubled.

"I don't want you to go." She whines.

"I really do not have a choice, Mia," I say looking away from her and back at the road.

"Why?" Mia's voice is soft but it shines with confidence, "Why are you leaving?" she asks, her voice mild.

"I need to take care of my dad," I whisper. It's partly true.

"Oh," she says and stays quiet for the rest of the drive.

"Come on let's go shoot some dummies," I say as we turn into the driveway of shooting ranch.

hl

"No Mia!" I yell at the bob-haired girl.

She's unfocused and shoots everywhere but the target hanging from the tree. We're standing in the middle of a well-hidden paintball arena. The only reason I knew about the place is that Daddy and Taylor brought me, Mason and Sophie, here. Taylor taught us that the best way to learn how to shoot is to gear up and play paintball. Then you have a reason to shoot, to defend yourself.

Today Mia won't be actually participating in a round or two of paintball but she would be aiming at the mannequin that hung from the enormous oak tree.

"Just take a deep breath and relax. You're not going to break a nail. I promise." I say and Mia looks over her shoulder at me and sighs when she looks back at the dummy and aims the paintball gun at it.

I walk to her and stand behind her and position her arms so she holds it properly. I place my foot between hers nudging them away so that her posture is right and the gun won't hit her in the face.

"Hold it firmly, it's a sturdy gun and it's going to jump back," I tell her as I position her.

When her grip is right I stand back.

"Aim and fire," I say and she complies. This time she got the target, right in the balls. I laughed at her as she jumps up and down in victory. "Good, again, aim for the heart." She looks at me and nods. I like seeing her like this. She's serious and devoted to learning.

We spent most of our day there, shooting the dummy which is now sitting in the back of the car buried in paint splatters. Mia was thrilled and decided to keep a trophy of her newly developed talent.

"Thank you for today, it was actually fun." She said as she got out of the car and walked towards the Grey mansion. Mia is a benevolent person, she's amusing and jovial and I really enjoy her presence.

Now my next stop is the airport where I will finally see my bestie for the first time in three years. I am ecstatic and anxious at the same time because I know that so many things have changed since I had seen her last.

I reach in the back of the car and pull out the cardboard reading 'Kavanagh' and then I make my way to the waiting area.

hl

"ANA!" The tall blonde screeches when she sees me, she starts pushing through a lot of people on the escalator to get to me. She looks like a supermodel in her yellow sundress and sunglasses that is resting on top of her head, acting as an Alice band to keep her loose golden locks out of her face. When she reached me she basically jumps into me knocking us both to the ground. Her green eyes are on mine, her full lips parted to show the perfect white teeth behind it. The sun-kissed blonde didn't need to wear any makeup to look any more gorgeous than she already is.

"Hi," I chuckle patting her back and get off of the floor. "How have you been?" I ask, holding my hand out for her and pull her off of the floor.

"Never better, oh my god, I missed you so much!" she makes known. She then throws her arms around me, then I realized just how much I missed her. It's crazy what the military does to a person. When she calms down and let go of me we both pick up one of her bags and walk, arms linked together, to the car.

"How was Hawaii?" I asked her as I drive us into the traffic drenched road.

"It was nice and warm, but after the first month there I started getting homesick, more like bestie sick" she answers her green eyes are on mine and I smile at her. "How's your dad?" she questioned.

"He looks better than he did when I first came back, but I think it's just for show, you know Ray," she says her voice is soft and sympathetic. Even she knows that Ray is in fact, dying. "He wants to look strong for you," she continues. I nod and fall quiet, listening to the song on the radio.

…hope when the crowd screams out

It's screaming your name

Hope if everybody runs

You choose to stay…

"And your parents, how are they?" I ask her when the song starts to become a tear jerker.

"They are well, they've just been busy with the new firm in Hawaii, trying to get things together and so forth," Kate says rolling her eyes. Kate falls into a conversation about her parents and their new found 'happiness' in Hawaii. Kate, however, hates it because it ruined their vacation destination for her, 'now every time daddy wants to go to Hawaii he would be close to work.' She had said.

hl

"Home sweet home!" Kate sighs as we walk through the door of our apartment. She dumped her luggage by the door and jumped onto the sofa. I shake my head and close the door.

When I turn, I take in the apartment, it doesn't feel like home anymore. All of Kate's personal touches, from photographs hanging on the wall to the new furniture in my view. I'm somehow anxious to see my room, hoping that she hasn't turned it into a storage room.

"So Steele, how was it in the army?" she says when I sat down next to her. I let out a sigh.

"At first it was hard to get used to, but now I kind of miss it," I tell her.

"I really missed you!" Kate says jumping up from her laying position and wraps her arms around my neck. "I really worried about you!" she stated sadly.

"I missed you too KitKat," I say patting her hair as she sobs on my shoulder.

Kate and I ordered Chinese and opened a bottle of wine. We talked the whole night through, about everything.

"Oh, Ana, you should meet him, El is the best! I bet you and him will get along great." She tells me about her boyfriend. I smile and give her a hug.

"I'm so happy for you KitKat, and I have to meet him, to tell him that if he hurts you, I'll castrate him," I say, is it wrong that I feel jealous that she found someone and seem happy? I missed out on my first three years as a young adult, my first falling in love and break up, partying and just being without worry. And as I think about it – I will never be able to have that.

"Oh Banana! I love you!" she sings, Kate has always been lively.

"You too." I say rising from the sofa, "Night Kate, see you in the morning,"

The room that I called mine is somehow still the same but it changed.

Maybe I outgrew it?

Or I have grown accustomed to my room in Escala.

It's odd not being there, hearing the many footsteps of the people there.

And what am I supposed to do without Samantha?

I look around the room and remember that my own baggage is still in the SUV.

"Ugh, stupid, stupid" I mutter pinching the bridge of my nose between my forefinger and thumb. See grey's been rubbing off on ya. Oh, shut up Jiminy! When I walk out my room I see that Kate has already turned everything off and retired as well. Odd. Maybe she really sucks at jetlag?

I unlock the door and grab the Audi's key from the bowl and head out. The cold wind from outside hits me and goes right through my bones causing goose pimples to erupt.

I take the steps two at a time to make up the time so I can get back into the heat of Kate's apartment.

Crack. My ears perk up to place what it was, someone is following me. The thud of the footsteps is heavy and sloppy. It's a big guy. The footsteps behind me grow heavier. I smirk as I slow my pace. Okay, focus Ana.

The person behind me keeps walking and suddenly stops. I move my eyes to where the garbage cans are and see a piece of a wood beam, thank you person for renovating, I quickly pick it up and swing it around. Thud. I was right. I whacked the bastard right on his head sending him tumbling to the ground.

He is big and bald. He is clothed in black.

I repeat the whack on his other body parts, using all my force to hit his shoulders and his ribcage.

"WHY." Whack. "ARE." Whack. "YOU" Whack. "FOLLOWING" whack. "ME?" I whack him one last time when the beam breaks in the middle with a beautiful crack and I know that it wasn't just the wood that had cracked.

"Fuuuuccckkkk" he groans, clutching his ribs.

"Answer me you bastard!" I hiss. Before the guy on the floor could answer, there is a slow applaud coming from behind me.

"Good show!" he laughs. I turn on my heel and a black guy is standing behind me, he is dressed in a suit other than the fucker lying on the ground.

"Who the fuck are you?" I spit and lift the beam up as a threat, holding it like a baseball bat.

"I am Joseph Thatcher," the impeccably dressed man says.

"Yeah, that doesn't fucking answer my question you prick!" I sneer at him.

"Tsk. Tsk. Now Steele," he says disappointedly. His brown eyes are on me, analyzing my every move.

"Who are you!" I repeat. Being too busy querying the fucker in front of me I didn't hear the assholes come up behind me. One of them grabs me by my feet and the other by my arms, he presses somewhere on my arm that made the muscles dysfunction letting the wood beam fall out of my grip.

"Let go of me!" I yell, I kick at the asshole holding my feet. But he shrugs it off. You fucking gorilla!

"LET ME GO!" I scream at the top of my lungs. I turn my head to where the hands are of the person holding my hands together and bite down on his arm. He pulls away letting me fall as I am freed from his grip on me. Now to get rid of the fucking ass holding my legs.

"Ah FUCK! SHE FUCKING BIT ME JOE! GOD DAMN IT! FUCKING BITCH!" He yells.

I pull myself up and connect my fist in hooligan number 2's balls at full speed, he lets go of my legs and I'm up, I grab the two wood beams and knock the two over their heads.

"You" I yell and kick number one in the shin and smack him with the beam

"Are" spin around hit number two with another beam in the balls

"fucking" I throw the beam in my right hand to the big guy who is making his way towards us – which hit him right between the eyes (I've got one hell of a fucking arm)

"With" uppercut number two

"The wrong" sidekick number one

"Girl" punch number two in the face. The three of them are hunched over clutching their pained body parts and I make my way to 'Joseph Thatcher'.

"Now, who the fuck are you" he smiles at me, clearly impressed that I took out his flying monkeys.

"SILENCE HER MATT," Joseph instructs never leaving my gaze. Someone's arms, I am guessing it's 'Matt', snakes around my waist and he holds me in a death grip. He shoves me to the ground and the other gorillas come to hold me down.

"Sleep tight, princess." He says and holds up a syringe, oh no! He sticks it into my arm and my entire body numbs and the last thing I know is that the goon picked me up and threw me into a van. Then the darkness consumes me, pulling me into oblivion, leaving me helpless to whatever they were going to do to me.

[a/n ohhh cliffhanger, I'm evil. bwhahahahah. not the best fight scene but whatdidya think?

I do not own fsog.

song belongs to OneRepublic - I lived.

quote comes from Nanny McPhee.

I dont own any of that...

until next time. laters baby]