Many thanks to Carol222 for sharing her considerable knowledge of the court system.
Chapter 7
Ana
Chin up and shoulders squared, she flipped back her messy hair and marched to Christian's room.
She knocked, but there was no answer. She tried the knob, but the door was locked.
"I'm not leaving. Open the damn door."
She knocked again, this time harder.
The door slowly opened to reveal a defeated looking Christian. His appearance reminded her of the last time she'd seen him.
The belt incident.
Avoiding eye contact, he retreated and sat on the edge of his bed, his head between his hands.
Ana closed the door behind her, locking it. She intended to take her pound of flesh and she didn't want interference from any of Christian's family or employees.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" She snarled, trying to get answers. "Why do you hate me so much? I died a thousand deaths today."
He sat before her, mute and unmoving.
His unwillingness to respond added to her rage. She snapped. Stepping back, she gathered all her strength and attacked him, charging at him with everything she had.
"Why, why, why..." She implored him to answer. When she had him flat on his back, she climbed astride him and pummeled him with her fists.
He didn't fight back.
"Stop. Please, stop. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She got in a couple of impactful punches before he curled into a ball, using his hands to protect his face and head. It surprised her that he hadn't made any attempt to stop her, when he could have easily restrained her.
"You're a fucked up son of a bitch." It wasn't the first time she'd told him.
Just as she'd begun to relax a bit and revel in her dominance, his body shifted. In one swift move, she was beneath him, his fingers entwined in hers. She was solidly pinned. Try as she might, there was no way to free herself from his muscular frame.
His mouth covered hers. For a few moments she forgot the day's travail and she returned his kiss. He pressed his hardness against her and she arched her hips in response.
Then, remembering her anguish over Kit, she bit down on Christian's lip as hard as she could. "No," she rasped. When he didn't immediately release her, she bucked against him. "Red, red, red!"
Panting, he released her and rolled onto his back. He used his shirt tail to wipe blood from his mouth. One forearm lay across his forehead with the other resting protectively across his chest.
"Now you remember your safe word," he rasped. "We wouldn't be enduring any of this if you'd remembered it back in June."
She recognized his attempt at gaslighting and she was having none of it.
"Are you trying to say this mess is all my fault? Yes, I'm to blame for not telling you about Kit, but that belt bullshit falls on you."
"You're right," he said.
"That's all you'll give me, a weak admission that I'm right and you're wrong? You stupid piece of shit. You stole my baby and you stole my peace. I never thought I could hate you, but maybe I was wrong."
He closed his eyes, clenched his jaw, and released a low moan.
How dare he act like he's the one in pain.
"Why?" She asked. "Tell me."
He ignored her need for an explanation, rolling onto his side, refusing to make eye contact.
"Why?" She demanded. "Why did you do this? We have a child. For the love of God, everything you and I do from now on has to be about him."
Ana burst into tears at the enormity of her situation. She had actually made a baby with the broken man tucked in a fetal position next to her.
Lord help me.
Christian whimpered. In a voice barely above a whisper he asked, "Is he mine?"
She didn't know what to make of his question. Did he think she'd been sleeping around? She'd hoped he had more faith in her than that.
Her fury once again got the better of her.
For doubting her integrity, she punched him in the nose. She was rewarded with the satisfying sound of a crunch. He released a long groan and once again moved into a defensive posture with his hands covering his face.
His cry of pain had no effect on her conscience. It was seeing his blood on her hands that made her finally stop. She had injured him so badly that his nose was bleeding.
What have I become? Dad raised me better than this.
"Dammit, of course he's yours. Why would you think not? I've only been with you. Talk to me."
"Do you promise not to hit me again?" His voice was meek and low.
"I promise," she said.
At long last, he rolled over and made eye contact.
"This morning Welch told me he found a birth certificate with you listed as mother. An employee informed me, not you, not the person who should have told me. I was crazy mad. I'm an in-the-moment kind of guy. You committed a lie of omission. I wanted to hurt you, so I took your…our…baby."
There it was. Yes, she should have been the one to tell him, but that still didn't excuse trespassing and kidnapping.
"I was wrong," she conceded. "I should have told you. But I had my reasons. Hell, your need to control me and hurt me is top of the list of reasons for why I left. Your actions today confirm my reasoning for not informing you. I've been away from you for nearly a year and I see no personal growth on your part. You have so much love to give a child. I've seen the tenderness in you. Why do you have to be this way?"
"I'm sorry. Please don't hate me." He sounded frightened, wounded, like a little boy.
She'd jumped through hoops for his approval. She'd admired him for his grace and competency. And yes, she'd been afraid of his temper. She pitied him, resented him, but she didn't think she could ever truly hate him. He had given her Kit.
For the next few minutes, the two lay on the bed next to each other, flat on their backs, staring at the ceiling.
"Why would you ever think Kit isn't yours?" She finally asked.
"On the drive to Montesano, I played with the dates in my head. You had a period in Savannah and finished it just before the last time we saw each other. You'd begun taking the pill. I know enough about female reproduction to say it doesn't add up."
"You remember well," she said. "When I began having symptoms of pregnancy, those things you just pointed out made me think I couldn't possibly be pregnant. My doctor told me the bleeding in Savannah wasn't a menstrual period, but more likely something referred to as implantation bleeding. Apparently I was already pregnant when Dr. Greene prescribed the pill. The pregnancy test she administered gave a false negative. The dates line up with the very first time we had sex. Kit was probably conceived right here on this bed."
He turned to her, eyes watery and mouth crumpled in pain and sadness.
"Oh, God…It's difficult to wrap my head around, but I accept that he's my son."
Finally.
"What are your intentions going forward? Do you want to see him again?" She would not beg him to take an interest in Kit.
"I think so," he said. He grimaced and closed his eyes, as if recalling a bad memory. "But I don't know how to interact with him."
"You have to be in or out with Kit. It's regular, reliable participation in his life or it's nothing. If you're not a full-time father, it won't work. If you commit to being fully involved, I'll help you get to know him. He's a very easy baby."
Christian's eyes flew open.
"Easy? Not for me!" He shuddered and scowled.
"Yes, he's easy. You'll see. But before I even consider allowing you to see him, you must enter treatment. No delays. I'll expect some kind of verification that you're keeping appointments. For the record, I'll also be seeking treatment. I'm not asking you to do something that I'm not willing to do myself."
"My psychiatrist, John Flynn, is in England. He'll be back soon. I'll call his office in the morning."
She took this information as an intention to seek visitation with Kit.
"Text me with the date and time of your next session," she ordered. "And authorize this doctor of yours to communicate directly with me so I can verify that you're faithful with your appointments. I don't want to violate doctor-patient confidentiality. I only want confirmation that you're in treatment."
"Okay," he said. "I've missed you."
"You've got a warped way of showing it."
She wasn't about to get drawn into another round of a sick relationship with Christian Grey, though in truth she'd thought of him every day since their first meeting. And she had missed him, too, at least she'd missed the tender, loving version of the man. The sadistic, impulsive Christian she could absolutely live without.
"C'mon," she said, "let's get cleaned up." She led him to his bathroom, the one with the long, egg shaped tub and double vanity, the one filled with memories.
As they stood in silence at the vanity washing Christian's blood off their hands and faces, she wondered if he'd truly step up and be a father to Kit.
"You're developing a shiner," she noted. His response was a disinterested shrug.
"I really need to know what you're thinking," he said.
Idiot. Did he think it was going to be easy for her to get past a mother fucking kidnapping?
"What do you think?" She gritted. "I'm still angry as hell. I was terrified when I discovered Kit was missing. He is my heart."
There was much they needed to discuss, but she was too exhausted and overwhelmed for deep conversation. Christian followed her to the living room, dragging his feet like a man destined for the gallows.
When they entered the living room, she could see Mr. Grey in the foyer speaking with two uniformed Seattle police officers, one male and one female.
Standing behind them were two people Ana recognized from the search at her home earlier in the day: the sheriff of Gray's County Harbor and one of his deputies. They had come to take Christian back to Montesano.
Kate and Grace were sat on one of the sofas fussing over the baby.
"Here's the child's mother," Mr. Grey announced. He led the officers into the living room. "She can vouch that the Amber Alert is no longer necessary."
Ana stepped forward, leaving Christian to stand alone behind her. He seemed resigned to his fate.
"I'm Anastasia Steele, the person who initiated the Amber Alert."
"May I see a photo ID, please?" The male asked.
"Of course." Ana found her bag next to a chair and rifled through it to produce her driver's license. The officer looked it over, snapped a picture of it with his phone, and handed it back to her.
"And this is your child, ma'am, the subject of the Amber Alert?" The policeman gestured in the direction of the baby. He read from his phone. "Raymond Christian Steele."
"Yes, sir. That's my baby with his grandmother and auntie."
"We need photos of the infant for our records," the female said. While she knew it was police procedure, the photos felt like an invasion of privacy to Ana. She had no choice but to acquiesce as the woman snapped photos of Kit in Kate's arms.
"So your child's father took the infant?" The male officer asked.
"Yes. This is my son's father. Christian Grey," Ana said, pointing at the offender. "He brought Kit here after taking him from my home. I'm here to retrieve our son and take him back to Montesano."
"What is your relationship status with Mr. Grey?" The male officer scribbled in a small notebook as he interviewed her.
"We're co-parents," Ana said. "I'm embarrassed to admit that this was all a terrible mistake on my part. There was a miscommunication regarding the custody arrangement I have with Mr. Grey. Everything is fine now. As they say, all's well that ends well."
Both officers appeared skeptical of Ana's statement. The female officer looked to Christian for a reaction, but he maintained a neutral expression.
"Do you have a copy of the custody agreement?" The female asked.
These questions had never occurred to Ana. She did her best to field them in a smooth and believable way.
"We didn't have anything in writing, just a verbal agreement. After all that has happened today, I think we'd better get something in writing," Ana said. She looked to Mr. Grey, who nodded in agreement.
Ana rarely lied, and when she did, it was never over anything of consequence. But her concern for Kit led her to try to minimize what Christian had done. She didn't care so much about Christian's fate, but she didn't want Kit to endure the ignominy of a felonious father. A vision of escorting Kit to prison on visitor's day flashed through her mind.
"We do often find that custody disagreements are behind many of these calls. Ma'am, while I appreciate you trying to take responsibility for this, it appears that Mr. Grey sneaked into your home and took the child, prompting so much concern that you felt the need to call 911. If you believe he's innocent, you'll be able to explain everything to judge and jury at Mr. Grey's trial." The male officer fixed his eyes on Christian, making him squirm just a little.
Ana imagined classmates taunting Kit on the playground for having an imprisoned father. On her child's behalf, she tried one more time
"I'm very sorry for the inconvenience and confusion," she said, "But I don't wish to press any charges against Mr. Grey."
"It's not up to you whether charges are brought against Mr. Grey." The male officer was becoming irritated with Ana. "We have evidence that leads us to believe he committed a crime. We have no choice but to take him into custody. End of story."
That was her cue to step away. She took a seat next to Kate, who tenderly handed off Kit.
The officers stood on each side of Christian; the female pulled cuffs from her belt. These weren't anything like the padded ones Christian used. These were steel with plenty of bite.
"Christian Grey, you are under arrest for kidnapping. Put your hands behind your back."
She happy to see that Christian offered no resistance. Two things she knew to be true. Raised by a litigator father, he knew better than to argue with a law enforcement officer. And having been groomed by a pedophile, he knew better than to pull against the metal cuffs.
The female officer read Christian his rights, then asked him if he understood.
"Yes," he said. "I understand all too well."
"When will he be transferred?" His father asked the sheriff. "Will you take him straight to Montesano?"
"Yes," the sheriff answered. "After the intake process, he'll face the magistrate for bail determination and arraignment will be scheduled for early tomorrow morning. The Court may set a Trial Setting Conference at this time. Mr. Grey will probably be back home by noon."
"Very well. May I speak to my client for a moment?" His father asked.
The male officer nodded.
"Son, remember everything I've told you. You are in a great deal of trouble. Do not speak to anyone without counsel present. Lance and I will get this cleared up. Don't worry about anything. I'll be in Montesano tomorrow morning." His father gave the tops of Christian's arms a reassuring squeeze.
Christian nodded. "Thanks, Dad. I'm sorry you have to do this."
Grace joined them, her eyes brimming with tears. She choked back a sob and kissed her son's cheek. "I'm always praying for you," she said.
Both Greys told him they loved him. Ana noted that Christian said nothing in return.
Just before he was led away, Christian's eyes met hers. She hoped he couldn't see the tears in her eyes. She was surprised by the overwhelming sadness at watching a very broken Christian get cuffed and escorted to jail. She felt she had no right to such feelings, especially after berating him and inflicting physical pain.
She couldn't imagine how Grace and Carrick were feeling right now. Grace retook her place in the living room and wiped tears from her cheeks.
"He'll be out by tomorrow," Kate said in an effort to reassure Grace. "I'm sure he'll be fine."
"Yes, I'm sure you're right." Grace fixed her eyes on her grandson. "I don't understand what got into him. If only he would talk to us. I wish we'd gotten Christian when he was an infant. I bet he looked like Kit."
"Would you like to hold him?" Ana made the offer in an effort to console Grace, a woman who'd invited her to dinner and had done her best to make her feel welcome.
"Yes, please," Grace said, tenderly taking him into her arms. "Babies are such a pleasure. I can feel my burdens lifted just by holding him. To suddenly learn I'm a grandmother is surreal. It's also quite exciting."
Carrick plopped down next to his wife and casually kissed the side of her head. He took one of Kit's hands. "Hey, little buddy. You and I are going to have some fun. How do you feel about sailing?"
Ana was grateful that the Greys were so accepting of Kit. She enjoyed watching them fuss over him.
"Oh, you," Grace teased, her mood lightening. "Let him be a baby for a little while."
"Thank you," Carrick said to Ana.
"For what?" For stupidly having sex with your son, getting pregnant, giving birth?
"Thank you for speaking up for Christian and trying to keep him out of jail. The arrest was inevitable, but your generosity is appreciated," Carrick said.
"I didn't do that for Christian or for your family. I'm furious at your son. I did it for Kit. In a few years, he'll google his father's name. An arrest record will pop up and Kit may well learn his father yanked him from his crib, threw him in a cardboard box, and never once considered anyone's feelings but his own."
The Greys seemed ill-prepared for Ana's raw, unvarnished characterization of their son's actions.
"I'm sorry for what you and Kit have been through. Christian behaved abominably," Carrick said. "He'll pay for that. I hope you can put aside your antipathy toward him and allow us to be active in Kit's life. Grace and I are eager to embrace our roles as grandparents. We'd like to have him stay with us for weekends, when he's a bit older, of course, and not completely dependent upon you as his food source."
Carrick blushed when referring to her as Kit's "food source." Ana found it amusing that a confident, articulate attorney had difficulty discussing lactation, but maybe it had something to do with the emotional day they had all experienced.
Ana knew the conversation was about to become even more uncomfortable. She didn't want to hurt the Greys, but she had to stand her ground.
"I want Kit to have a warm, loving relationship with his Grey family. You are most welcome to visit Kit in Montesano under my supervision or my father's. We don't have a guest room, but there is a motel nearby."
"I don't think you understand the law," Carrick replied. He was a bit smug, his litigation skills on full display. "In Washington state, grandparents have visitation rights. The statute is broad and permissive, allowing grandparent visitation even if a child's parent objects."
"You misunderstand me. Mr. Grey, no one is denying you visitation. I welcome your visits, but for the time being I have terms and conditions. There are several reasons why I didn't inform Christian of Kit's birth, and at the top of the list is the environment within your social circle. There are things you're not aware of and when you hear about them you will not be happy. If you wish to take me to court, I'd welcome it. In a courtroom, I can testify freely and not be hampered by Christian's NDA."
"What are you implying? We lead wholesome, productive lives," Grace said, shaking her head in confusion. Carrick put his hand on his wife's knee to calm her.
"Indeed. We have nothing to hide," Carrick said. "I thought you and Christian were in a romantic relationship. Why did he want an NDA?"
Ana ignored the question and redirected the conversation.
"Let me clarify," she said. "As far as I know, you two have done your best as parents. I do not think you are bad people. I do believe you have unwittingly created an environment where your children have been exposed to bad elements of society. Please get Christian to explain it to you. I've already said enough for him to come after me about the NDA."
"Ana doesn't want either of you to suffer more than you already have," Kate added. "Because of the NDA, she can't talk to me about any of this either. Please get Christian to lift it, so we can all move forward with our lives. By the way, there will be a shitstorm when the media finds out Christian Grey's actions triggered an Amber Alert. I'm happy to help in any way I can, both at the Times and Kavanagh Media. Please pass my contact information to Christian's PR team."
"Thank you," Carrick said. "Truly. My son is going to need all the help he can get."
"You misunderstand," Kate sniffed. "The assistance I'm offering isn't for Christian's benefit. My only interest is protecting Kit and Ana. If Christian's PR team does anything to impact either of them in a negative way, I promise that Kavanagh Media will bury him."
"I'll certainly pass on the message." Both Grace and Carrick seemed taken aback by Kate's threat. It took Carrick a couple of beats to recover. "We'll request a change of venue from Montesano to Seattle, which will be beneficial to all involved, especially to you, Ana. You and your father will probably be pestered with paps and requests for interviews, so we need to keep the media out of Montesano as much as possible."
"I'd better warn Dad," Ana said. Kit was back in her arms, but it seemed the trouble was just beginning.
"I'll talk to Taylor about it and see what kind of coverage he suggests," Mr. Grey said. "I can see you aren't happy about that, but you must get used to the idea."
Ana nodded in defeat. Loss of privacy hadn't yet occurred to her. This new development was once again partially her own fault. If she'd informed Christian of her pregnancy early on, there would have been no Amber Alert, hence no need for a CPO to ward off intrusive journalists. They could have arranged a mutually beneficial custody arrangement and quietly lived out their lives.
They sat in silence for a moment, until Carrick spoke again.
"We need DNA testing immediately. Grace and I have no doubt that Kit is our grandson, but confirmation of parenthood will make everything easier when we meet to discuss custody, visitation, and child support. I'm sure you understand."
"I do understand. I want DNA testing as well," Ana said. "The sooner, the better." She wanted Christian to eat crow when the results came in. How dare he ask if Kit was his.
"I can do DNA testing in my office," Grace offered.
"That would certainly assure privacy, but it's best if we go through the courts and use an independent lab," Carrick said. "Ana, since you're eager to get the results, perhaps we can work out a way to get it done tomorrow."
"If you're sticking around tomorrow, I'd like to spend more time with you and Kit before you return home," Grace said to Ana. "Are you available for lunch? I'm free after one."
Ana wanted the testing done post-haste, but she didn't want to get caught up in some kind of awkward lunch, especially after insulting the Greys by calling out their social circle.
"You can spend the night with me." Kate beamed with anticipation. "And don't come up with any lame excuses, like no toothbrush or change of clothes. I've got you covered."
There was no way she could ever turn down a request from Kate. This was her dearest friend, her ride or die, the bestie who asked for nothing, but gave so much.
"Looks like I'll see you at one tomorrow afternoon," Ana said, chuckling at Kate's delighted reaction. She fished her phone from a pocket and handed it to Carrick. "Could you please enter contact information for both of you? Then I'll text you mine. Please text me with the information about the DNA testing as soon as you find out the location of the lab."
As Carrick dealt with the phone and Grace cradled her grandson, Mrs. Jones approached Ana.
"Here are Kit's things," she said handing off a gallon sized baggie of clean baby clothes. "Will you have dinner here? It's ready and I'm just about to set the table."
"No, thank you," Ana said. The time to leave Escala was overdue. She needed to get out of Christian's apartment. "The food smells delicious, but I think it's best we get on our way."
"I'll fix you ladies some plates. I won't have you leave here without food." Before Ana could protest, Mrs. Jones was off to the kitchen.
"I haven't considered how I'll get back to Montesano tomorrow afternoon," Ana said, thinking out loud. "Maybe Dad can come get me."
"Nonsense," Carrick said. "Christian got you into this mess. I do believe one of his men can drive you back." Before Ana could comment, he was off to find Taylor.
It was time to leave, but Ana felt the need to reassure Grace.
"I want more than anything for Kit to have loving grandparents. I don't want to keep him from you. Please encourage Christian to talk to you. Please ask him to cancel the NDA."
"You can be assured that Christian will hear plenty from both his father and me." Grace was more than just a little perturbed with her son. Ana had a feeling that a tongue lashing from Grace would be far worse than the punishment Ana had meted out just an hour earlier.
Mrs. Jones handed Kate an insulated food bag and a small box of diapers. "I thought you'd want the diapers. We only used a couple," she said.
Mr. Grey returned with Taylor and the handsome young man who'd met her when she stepped off the helicopter. "I think you've already met Luke Sawyer, one of Mr. Grey's CPOs," Grey said. "He'll drive you to Kate's place, then escort you to lunch with Grace, and home to Montesano."
Taylor nodded toward Carrick. "I've discussed your security with Mr. Grey's father and it's a possible conflict of interest for you to be permanently attended by Mr. Grey's CPO, so when you get home to Montesano, you'll have your own security, not paid for by Mr. Grey."
"I can't even afford to pay for car repairs, there's no way I can pay for security," Ana said. Surely they understood that she was from modest beginnings and didn't have the means to pay for luxuries like security.
"I've personally assumed responsibility for the costs," Taylor said. "I will provide for a car and two CPOs, one for you and one for your son. They will report only to you."
"Thank you. I don't know how I'll ever repay you," she said, stunned at the generosity.
"I only ask that you follow your CPO's instructions and keep yourself safe." Taylor gave her a smile and a nod and excused himself.
Security. A car. No privacy. CPOs. An escort to and from everywhere. And Christian's CPO, Taylor, assuming responsibility for payment. The craziness of it all…
Just like that, Ana found herself snatched back into Christian's orbit. Yep, her first order of business would be to find a therapist. She was in one hell of a mess.
Warm hugs were exchanged between Kate, Ana, and the Greys. Ana could tell Grace and Carrick were making an effort toward friendship and this made her want to make an equal effort. For Kit's sake she was determined to make the best of circumstances.
She was relieved to depart Escala, but with Christian back in her life, she knew she'd probably return again soon.
Happy New Year, Gentle Reader!
Remember when I told you there would be times when you wouldn't like Ana or Christian? I'm sure many of you are feeling that way right now, believing Ana was too easy or too tough on Christian. These two have a rough road ahead of them as they learn to cooperate and co-parent. IMHO, an HEA is only satisfying when it's hard won.
The next chapter will be from Carrick's POV. What could he be thinking? How do you feel about what has happened thus far? Do you feel Ana and Christian share equal blame or is one more at fault than the other?
All the best, Paula