AN: I have a severe injury, Traumatic Brain Injury due to an incident at work, and I am trying my best to adjust. It might take me a while to get back into the swing of things so be patient with me. I will not abandon any of my ongoing stories. I just need time to adjust to my new life, as there is no recovery just management. C.J.

FINAL CHAPTER

"I've only ever told Kate and Roz."

"But not the truth in its entirety," Flynn says.

"No, I start with every intention of telling them what truly happened, but the look on their faces changed my intention."

"What look?"

"Both Kate and Roz looked like they were praying, praying I'd say anything other than what they thought I was going to say. I immediately feel guilty… I find myself thinking I can't burden them with this." She shrugs.

"I'm praying for the truth, burden me," Flynn says with a little chuckle.

"I recorded Morton's conversation, but the fact is he caught me as I was leaving the house. He called me; I know he was most likely going to say something innocent… wish me a good weekend at Helen's, but after hearing what I'd just heard, I couldn't look at him. So I ignored him and kept walking that was until I lost my footing on the last step and went tumbling. He tried to help me, and I lost it. Told him to keep his filthy hands off me… he looked so hurt I almost found myself questioning what I'd just heard, but then his face morphed into something sinister and asked me if I'd heard his conversation. I took the opportunity to tell him what I thought of him. He just laughed… and out of nowhere backhanded me so hard, I went flying. I could taste the blood in my mouth. He got on top of me and slapped the other cheek calling me a cock-teasing bitch, followed by another hit and then another insult. When he wasn't hurling abuse at me, he was telling me how ungrateful I was after everything he'd done for me being more of a parent than Carla had ever been and I choose to repay him by calling him disgusting and a pedophile. Through all that he kept hitting me. How I stayed conscious is beyond me." Ana was surprised to find her eyes dry; she did not feel the need to cry, there were no tears left for the thirteen-year-old girl who got brutally beaten. She had gone over the story so many times with Flynn, it had lost the hold it had on her.

"You said he almost raped you." Flynn continued.

"I woke up in the hospital a few days later to find Ray sat next to me in the hospital room. That was the first time I remember crying, I don't remember doing so when Carla dragged me out of Montesano to live with Morton. Ray comforted me and told me the bastard looked far worse than I did." Ana lets out a giggle. "What Morton didn't know was that Helen and her brother Harry were waiting for me outside. I had taken so long Helen came to check on me, I'd left the front door open because I was only going to be a few minutes. Helen walked in to find Morton pulling my panties off and run back to the car to get Harry, who run into the house to find Morton with his pants off, cock out as he pulled my legs apart. Did I tell you Harry was a linebacker?" Ana asks. Flynn shakes his head. "Well, Harry is still a linebacker. He tackled Morton breaking his spine in the process. He broke just about every bone in Morton's body except his ankles I believe. Not a bad way to finish a story." Ana adds much to Flynn's delight.

"You've come a long way," Flynn shuts his notebook.

"I should have done this a long time ago. Ray tried, but I was just too stubborn for my own good." Ana admits.

"I believe you just needed to talk to somebody. Your perspective on what happen is healthy. You do not blame yourself for what happened; you know very well Morton was grooming you. Not once have you focused on the what ifs."

"There is no point," Ana adds emphatically.

"No, there isn't." Flynn takes a deep breath and smiles at Ana. "Technically we have nothing more to cover, but I would like to see you a week from today."

"I doubt I can afford you." Ana teases.

"It's pro bono." Ana lifts an eyebrow in shock.

"All this time it was free?" Flynn shrugs.

"I am not at liberty to discuss another patient, but your actions the day Christian told you about Lincoln woke both of us up. I can tell you about me. I was so concerned about Lincoln I forgot about the man sitting in front of me, and you snapped me out of it." Flynn admits.

"I didn't exactly go about it the right way," Ana admits sheepishly.

"Christian doesn't see it that way, and as long as he doesn't, who am I to say otherwise. You had your issues, issues that woke up with a vengeance that day."

"Well, thank you, Dr. Flynn," Ana says with a hug that catches Flynn off guard.

"Good afternoon Mr. Grey."

"Good afternoon Miss. Steele." Christian greets with a smile matching Ana's. "Having lunch with Roz." He asks trying to stamp down on the jealousy he could feel slowly crawling its way up.

"Well… no, I brought you lunch. I wanted to say thank you for your help with Flynn; Elliot told me it was your idea."

"You are welcome." He blurts out. "Would you like to join me for lunch?" Christian knew he looked eager, but he couldn't care less.

"Yes, thank you," Ana said blushing.

"Come in." Ana sat in the same spot she did when she interviewed Christian; she found herself smiling when she remembered her less than glamorous entrance. "Care to share."

"Just remembered the first time I walked in here." Christian chuckled at the thought. "How are you?" He asks opening the brown paper bag.

"I'm well, very well to be honest."

"Good to hear," Christian said with a nod. Elliot had told him Ana was doing well, but it was great to see it with his own eyes.

"How about you?" she asked with genuine interest.

"I'm busy; we have three acquisitions in the pipeline and they are all holding out hoping for more money. You meet some greedy people in this business." He groans.

"So, what is the plan? I take it you will not pay what they are asking for." Ana asks as they fall into comfortable conversation.

"Hell no, they are not bullying me into paying far more than the company is worth. I am trying to save jobs, and these people are looking to line their pockets. The sad part is they will rather watch the company fail, file for bankruptcy just to spite me. Fuck the employees as far as they are concerned."

"Can't you covertly tell the employees?" Christian smirked at the question.

"No, there is an embargo in place until the deal is done."

"Shame." Ana mumbles.

"Yeah it is." Christian concurs. "Tell me about you?" he asks just to keep talking to her.

"What do you want to know?" Ana replies with a sigh.

"You know life, your dad… stuff like that." He feels embarrassed at his lack of ability for easy conversation when it came to things of a personal nature.

"You haven't done this before have you?" Ana asks sensing his discomfort.

"No, even with my family it was difficult at first, but I'm getting there." He admitted. When it came to conversations with women outside of business it was still about business. Well, business of a sexual nature.

"Well, you already know the basics…" he lifted an eyebrow interrupting her.

"I thought a standard background check told you the basics." He was embarrassed and avoided her stare, but soon relaxed when he realized Ana found it rather amusing.

"Are you still seeing Flynn?" He asks changing the subject.

"No, but he's available when if ever need him." Christian nods happily with that arrangement.

"Do you still have nightmares?" Ana asks.

"Yeah," Christian answers with a shrug.

"Call me when you have a nightmare. I will be more than happy to sing you a lullaby. Though the side effects might be you going deaf." She jokes.

"I'll risk it." He says with a beaming smile.

Over the next few weeks, the two spent almost all of their spare time together, getting to know each other. "If I ask you out will you turn me down?" Christian asked as they took a stroll in his parent's backyard. Yeah, they acted like a couple most of the time, but he hadn't officially asked her out. In fact, the press had labeled them a couple already, after all, they had being seen together so often as they had dinner together regularly and attending charity galas. His mother had pulled him aside and berated him for not making things official with Ana.

"Why don't you ask?" Ana counters.

"Okay…" he turns to face her. "Ana, would you like to have din…"

"Yes, I'd love to." She answered interrupting him.

"Okay." He said with a beaming smile.

"Christian, before anything I have to tell you how sorry I am for …" he groans cutting her off.

"Ana let it go. You did me a favor; you pulled me out of the darkness. It was just the slap I needed. It truly woke me up to just how she and the lifestyle were controlling me. I lived in abject fear of anyone finding out about my lifestyle, and now I am free of it. Do you have any idea… actually, you do. God, Ana, I have never felt so light. I defended a pedophile to you, I may not have known your history, but what did I expect. I allowed her to work with my mother, whose charitable endeavors mostly involved children. They sat at the dinner table and ate with a pedophile. I made the decision; I chose not to see her that way, not them. They shouldn't have had to deal with her; I understand their anger." He sits on the grass and pulls Ana onto his lap. "I know it's easy to say I was a victim, and there were many before me, but the difference between them and me is that they came forward the moment her blackmail material was no longer an issue, I didn't because I still felt the need to protect and defend her. Talking to you was a real eye opener… so yeah I can't be angry with you, but if it will help you sleep better, then apology accepted. Now let it go." He runs his fingers through her hair as she runs hers through is stubble. "I need a shave." He conceded.

"I like it." Ana moans. He leans down staring at her lips; Ana leans forward, and they share a soft kiss.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" She asks shifting on his lap. Christian holds her still letting out a low growl.

"You can ask me for anything, but could you not move around so much." It takes Ana a few seconds but she gets it and blushes much to Christian's amusement.

"Sorry, I didn't realize." She mumbles.

"When you haven't had sex in over a year the smallest stimulation is not so small." Ana stares with her jaw on the floor.

"You haven't had sex in a year?" She asks disbelieving.

"No, I got rid of the playroom, and then as hard as I tried I couldn't get you out of my head."

"Oh." Ana mutters.

"You wanted to ask something." He says with a chuckle.

"Could you find out what happen to Morton and Carla?"

"Morton is still in prison. It's a low secure hospital as he's now a paraplegic. Carla lives in Georgia. She is married again and appears to be the perfect housewife."

"Thank you, my dad told me Morton took a real beating I had no idea it was that bad. As for Carla, I'm not surprised she married again, that woman cannot function on her own. Let me guess, he's rich." Christian doesn't miss the disdain in Ana's voice.

"Yeah, he's relatively well off," Christian confirms.

"I only looked into them because with us spending so time together you were bound to be the spotlight. The last thing you needed was either of them coming out of the woodwork." Christian admits.

"Understandable, I asked for the same reason." Ana wraps her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with the hair on the nape of his neck. He wraps his arms around her pulling her closer to him. "Grace seemed upset about not hosting a charity you have every year." Christian sighs.

"Yeah, it's the annual Coping Together gala. My mom decided it was best not to hold it this year. Most of the people she considered friends have more than shown their true colors this year. I will donate twice as much as last years total."

"That's great, at least, those who rely on the charity will still benefit with or without the gala," Christian smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "By the way, I'm off to New York in a couple of weeks if you are not too busy with running your empire would you like to come." She asks changing the subject.

"Whatever I'm doing can be postponed." The gleefulness in his voice is evident.

"Excellent," Ana adds with a giggle. Christian closes his eyes enjoying the feel of her in his arms, her laugh, her sigh of contentment.

"Christian." She moaned as his tongue languidly lapped at her pussy flicking her clit with every pass. "Oh… fuck… fuck… Christian." She moaned when he took her clit into her mouth. His fingers found that sweet spot and her walls tighten around his fingers. Ana gripped his hair as she rode his face till she came whimpering and shaking as he continued to suck on her clit.

Christian hovered over her as she tried to get her breath back. "You are positively breathtaking when you cum." He said as he smashes his lips against hers. Ana moans giving him access to her mouth. He eases himself inside her. "Fuck yes." He hissed. "You are so fucking tight." He rocked his hip gently inside her before pulling out slowly and slamming back in. Ana's back arched at the exquisite feel of Christian's cock in her. Christian anchored himself on his elbows and drove in and out of her.

"Oh God." She cried when he rolled his hips over and over again before resuming his relentless pace. Christian relished the sight of her, head thrown back, mouth open, labored breath as he fucked the ever loving shit out of her.

"Cum for me." He growled. Ana's dug her nails into his biceps as she came loud enough to wake the neighbors. "I love you so much." Christian whispers.

"I love you too." Ana moans as she wraps her arms around him.

They were going to get so much shit from Elliot come morning as he usually did every time they stayed at the condo, but right now they couldn't care less.

"Good morning, short stuff." Elliot greeted with a smirk.

"Elliot."

"Wore my little bro out, did you?" He chortled at his own joke.

"Do you want breakfast?" Ana asked followed with a smirk. Elliot grumbled but wisely kept quiet. Kate couldn't cook to save her life and well, missing out on Ana's feast of a breakfast wasn't worth any amount of jokes he had.

"Morning baby." Christian purred. Elliot was still having difficulty getting used to this side of his brother. He was an entirely different person around Ana. Since they got back from New York Christian had spent more time at the condo than he did. They were attached to each other, even now as Ana prepared breakfast his brother stood next to her watching her cook.

"Ana, can I borrow your hair straightener?" Kate asked sauntering into the kitchen. She came out after a few minutes without the hair straightener. "Elliot, can I talk to you?" She practically pulled him off the chair dragging him into her bedroom.

"What!"

"Is your brother planning on proposing?" Kate asked as she paced.

"No, they just started dating." He answered with a chuckle.

"Well, there is an engagement ring hidden in his socks at the back of one of the drawers." Elliot looked at her in shock.

"He is not messing around," Elliot said still in shock.

"I'd appreciate if you did not say anything to Ana." They both jumped at the sound of his voice. "What were you doing in my drawer?" Kate looked embarrassed.

"You are really going to ask her to marry you?" Elliot asked looking at him in awe.

"Yes I am, after all, Ray already gave me his blessing." He countered with pride. "And I know she will say yes… so why wait." He answered turning around and headed back to the kitchen. Elliot smiled like the cat that got the canary.

"What are you smiling about you are not the one getting engaged?" Kate said with a huff. Elliot just kept smiling; words couldn't express just how happy he was.

Having being forced out of the country with business for a week without Ana drove Christian crazy. It wasn't helped by the fact that Roz hijacked his phone calls with Ana more often than not. Christian stood up the moment the plane landed; he frowned and growled his way through the formalities before hightailing out of the plane and into his car. He lost count of the number of traffic violations he'd broken on the way to the condo.

Ana tossed and turned for hours before giving up and making herself a cup of tea; Christian wasn't due back till tomorrow evening, she, therefore, ignored the key in the door under the assumption it was Kate and Elliot. "Hello, baby." Ana damn near came in her panties before dropping the cup and jumping on him. Christian didn't waste a second dragging her off to the bedroom.

Ana nearly tripped over his trousers as she stumbled her way to the bathroom with the intention of joining him in the shower. She picked up his trousers with the plan of throwing it on her reading chair when the Cartier box dropped out of his pocket and landed with a thud. Christian had decided to take the ring with him when Kate had found it. He couldn't risk Ana finding it not after weeks of careful preparations he'd put into his proposal. "Shit." He muttered when he walked out of the bathroom to find Ana standing shock still with the ring in her hand. "There goes my rooftop proposal." He said with a nervous chuckle. Ana just stood there staring at the ring. "Ana… say something." He pleaded.

"It's beautiful." She whispered.

"That's a start." He inched closer to her.

"You have to speak to my father." She added.

"Already did." He countered.

"Wow…" she cleared her throat. "Emm… what next?" Since his plan was shot to hell, he got on one knee the towel around his waste falling off.

"Anastasia Rose Steele, words cannot do justice… I love you is not remotely enough to express what I feel for you, the desire, the longing, the adoration I have for you. I was lost in a sea of darkness, and you pulled me out at a risk to yourself. I love you; fuck do I love you. Please, will you do me the honor of spending the rest of your life with me? I promise you; you will not regret it." He didn't have time to wonder if his proposal was good enough.

"Yes." She said in near whisper. He was on his feet with her in his arms as he whooped and hollered. He put the ring on her finger smiling like a loon.

"We are engaged." He said proudly puffing out his chest.

"You do realize you are naked." She giggled as she admired his body

"You will be in a minute." He said as he ripped her camisole off followed by lace boy shorts. She was naked except for the diamond solitaire ring with the platinum band on her finger.

Now I just have to talk her into marrying me in a month or two at the latest.

AN: Thank you all for reading, following, and your reviews. C.J.