All mistakes are mine...

Ana's POV

The next morning I'm at SIP, going through a new manuscript that Jack gave me to review. I'm totally lost in the words when Jack approaches my desk.

"Ana, I need you in the conference room for a meeting."

"A meeting? There was nothing on the schedule…" I flip through my day planner, wondering if I missed it.

"It wasn't on the schedule, it was last minute."

"Oh, ok." I stand up and fix my skirt walking into the conference room. I walk in and I'm instantly in a bad mood when I see who is sitting at the table.

I hear the door close, and when I look behind me, Jack is nowhere in sight.

I'm about to turn around and leave when his pleading eyes stop me.

"Ana, please." He begs.

"What are you doing here Christian? I'm at work, I don't have time to hear your bullshit excuses. It's over, been over, so why don't you leave me alone." I snap at him. Hoping the anger I'm feeling will stop the tears from falling.

"I can't leave you alone, Ana. I love you..."

"You love me? HA! Thank you I needed the laugh today." I spit out. "How did you know I worked here?"

"I own the company." He tells me.

"Of course, you do. Great, just fucking great."

Now I guess I need to quit. I guess I'll go work at McDonald's. Would it be my luck he owns that too.

"Ana, it was the only way I could try and talk to you."

"You could have talked to me years ago, Christian. You threw me out of your building. Basically, had your guards tell me to stay away." I clench my fist next to me.

"Ana, I made a mistake. I should've never did what I did. I was scared."

His words shock me. Scared?

"What could you have possibly been scared about Christian?"

He looks down at the floor and wiggles his fingers.

"I was told that morning that I had stage IV melanoma. That my chances of survival were limited."

What?

I'm bewildered. That's not what I was expecting to hear.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, my voice cracking under the strained tears willing to fall.

"I was going too. But you started talking in your sleep, about a future, kids. I thought at the time it wasn't something I would be ever able to give you. I wanted you to be able to have a future. I thought if you hated me, you could move past me and find happiness. Instead of waiting for me to die."

I fall into one of the chairs and start sobbing.

"You should have told me…"

"I didn't tell anyone. My family didn't find out till about a year ago. I'm so sorry, Ana. I was wrong. It just happened so quickly."

"And now?"

"I'm in complete remission. They found out a couple of weeks later I was only stage two. I had tumors on my liver is why they thought it was four. I found out later, it was unrelated to the melanoma. Those tumors were benign, but I had to get some lymph nodes removed. I went under intense rounds of chemo and radiation.

When you came to see me at Grey house, I had already shaved my head and was extremely sick from the chemo. I couldn't face you. If I could take it back I would."

I don't even know what to say.

I take a good look at him. Like really, look at him. He looks so much different than he did three years ago. His copper curls are shorter, the muscle definition he used to have is gone. He's still lean, but maybe not as strong as he was. His face has aged a bit. He's only 25, but his face tells a story of someone much older.

After a beat, I wipe my face and address him.

"I would have stood by you Christian. I would have stayed with you every step of the way. You shouldn't have faced that alone."

He moves to sit down next to me and takes my hand. "I know that now. I've been working with a psychologist helping me understand what I did. I finally realized I needed to tell you. So, I had make sure you got this job."

"What the fuck Christian?" I scream at him. "You mean to tell me I didn't earn this job?"

Should've guessed that when he told me he owned the company.

"You earned this job, Ana. You had glowing reviews from your professors, a 4.0 grade point average. You would have been hired almost anywhere. I just needed you in Seattle."

Lies and more lies.

I'm so happy that he's ok. That he's alive. But, I'm mad that he hid it from me. I spent almost every waking moment hating him, when I should have been caring for him. Now, I'm at a job that I only got because he wanted to talk to me.

I'm so confused.

"Do you just expect me to jump in your arms and tell you I love you?" I say quietly.

"No. I know you hate me. I can't blame you. But I needed to tell you. I've been holding onto it for far too long. If I never get you back, at least I left you with closure so you can finally move on. Honestly, that might kill me more than the cancer ever could. I'm the only one to blame. I want you happy Anastasia. That's all I ever wanted."

"I don't hate you Christian. No matter how much I told myself I did, I know it wasn't true. Maybe I understand why you did it, but it doesn't automatically fix that you broke me."

I sigh. I feel so guilty for feeling this way. I mean he was suffering for years, alone. A big part of me wants to hold him, kiss him. Then the other wants to kick him in the balls.

I rest my head on the table, the memory of my 18th birthday comes to the forefront. How did I not see something was wrong that day?

Flashback

Eighteen. I'm finally Eighteen. Sure, it's not really that big of a deal, but I'm excited. Christian is picking me up tonight to take me out to dinner. Then we are coming back here and I'm going to tell him I'm ready.

Thankfully, I just moved into my own place.

Ok, so I've been ready. All the fooling around for the last year as been putting me on edge. I've just been so nervous about him seeing me all the way naked. It's stupid I know. However, when I think about it, it leaves me a queasy feeling in my stomach.

If I had my top off I needed my pants on and vice versa. Never at the same time. Tonight, is going to be different. I'm not going to allow what Steven did to me, mess up tonight.

I'm thrown out of my dark thoughts when the doorbell rings.

I'm wearing a tight red dress with a plunging next line that shows off my cleavage.

I only hope Christian likes it.

I open the door and there stands Christian wearing his trademark suit. He's smiling at me, but it doesn't reach his eyes. He seems off. Worried even.

Before I have a chance to ask what's wrong, he pushes his way through the door and captures my lips with his. Kicking the door closed with his foot, he moves me to the couch and lays me down, his body lying on top of mine.

So, we're going to do this now?

"God, you're so sexy baby." He tells me, feathering light kisses up and down my neck. "I love you so much. Please never doubt that."

"I love you too." he kisses me again. His hand starts moving up my leg and I stop him.

"What about dinner?" I pant.

I really could care less about dinner.

"What about it? I think I'm about to have the main course." He looks at me, before looking down at my crotch, rubbing his hand over my covered sex. He licks his lips like he's about to dive in.

"Christian?"

"What is it baby?"

"I'm ready. I want you... All of you…" I tell him. My voice eager, laced with underlying desire.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I want you Christian."

"Oh, baby." He slams his lips to mine and I can feel the love pouring out of him. This kiss is so much different than any other kiss.

It's desperate and hungry. Needing and wanting. It's making me feel all his love for him. It's almost like I will never see him again.

We made love for hours and hours. He confessed over and over again his undying love for me. He cherished every inch of me. Kissed every inch of my body. I no longer felt embarrassed with my own body. He made me feel beautiful and special.

Then the next morning all those feelings I had we're gone in an instant.

I awake, with the sun peering in through my window. I stretch out my sore body, and rest my hand on the other side of my bed.

I find that I'm alone and it's cold.

I get out of bed and go search for Christian. My apartment isn't that big, so he shouldn't be hard to find him.

However, he's nowhere to be found.

I call his cell phone and it goes straight to voicemail.

"Hey, it's me. Just wondering where you went? Call me or come back soon. Love you."

Hours pass and I still haven't heard from Christian.

I even broke down enough to call Grace, but she had no clue where he was. I found out later from Ros, he went to New York. She didn't know when he would be back.

He just left. Left with no word and left me with a heavy heart.

End Flashback

I had no idea I had broken down into retching deep sobs, until I felt a pair of arms around me, trying to console me.

"Babe, shhh."

Christian POV

It's breaking my heart to see her like this. I hate myself that I did this to her.

I wrap my arms around her and try to comfort her.

"Babe, shhh."

She turns and looks at me. Her eyes red and swollen. She takes me by surprise when she crawls into my lap, wrapping her body around mine.

"I would've. ...been...there... for… you." She hiccups through her cries. "I would've done anything for you."

"I know, I'm sorry, so sorry."

"I hate myself…" She says as she buries her head in my neck.

"Whatever for?" I asked, shocked by her comment.

"Sometimes I would wish you were dead, or rotting in hell, or even unhappy and miserable. Now I really hate myself for ever thinking it."

"Babe, it's ok. I can't blame what I did was kind of cruddy. I wanted you to hate me, so you wouldn't miss me."

"But, in your own stupid mind you did it, because you loved me. And I missed you, no matter how much I denied it."

"I still love you, Ana. Very much. If anytime I felt like giving up, I would think of you, stare at your picture, and know if I got past it. I would come back for you."

She raises her head to look at me. "Why not tell me after they misdiagnosed you?"

I sigh. "I wasn't in a good place. There was always the risk it could get worse. Even with remission, there's still a chance it could come back. I was pretty angry, bald, and sick. I wasn't ready. I wanted to be better, so if there was a chance for us, I could give you everything you wanted."

"I just want you, Christian. I wanted a life with you, and that would've included in sickness and health."

Then I get an idea.

"Marry Me?"

The shocked look on her face is almost priceless.

Her eyes flutter at me, as she moves herself off my lap.

"What?" She shakes her head, and starts to laugh.

Uncontrollable laughter.

"What's so funny?"

"I swore you just asked me to marry you." She says between her laughter.

"I did." I say seriously.

All of a sudden, her laughter stops and she looks at me slacked jaw.

"Christian… you can't be serious…"

"I am. Carpe diem babe. I love you, and I know for a fact that there isn't anyone else out there for me. I want to spend everyday loving you. I missed out on so much with you, I don't want to miss out on anymore. We've known each other forever, and I believe you are my forever."

"You're crazy."

"Crazy for you."

"Can't we date again, first. I mean I don't even know if I fully have forgiven you. I mean for one you own the company I work at. I mean how much were you involved in getting me hired?"

"I made sure your professor put a good word in with Roach, and I got you to the final interview. Now your placement as assistant editor was all you. I really thought you would be interning."

"Oh, Christian…how am I supposed to stay here?"

"I have very little involvement with the day to day of the company. You answer to Hyde and Roach. I'm already certain they will treat you as an equal. Plus, if we get married, it'll be yours anyways."

She rolls her eyes at me. Which causes me to smile.

"We date first…"

"What if we date while we're engaged…" I offer.

She starts laughing again, then before I know it she wraps her arms around me and kisses me.

Oh, god. I've missed her taste, her smell. I wasn't even sure this would ever happen again.

She pulls away slightly. "I'm glad to see you haven't changed your impulsive ways."

"I know what I want. So, is that a yes?"

"Yes, but I think you have some making up to do first."

"Oh, I would be happy to ma'am."

I pull her back into my lap and kiss her. I pour everything I have into this kiss. I'm not letting her go no matter how rough it gets again.

Cancer is a cruel mistress. Not only did it almost cost me my life and my future. Or did it cause me to be so sick, that I could only wish I would just die. I came out on the other side. I survived.

Now I can start getting my life back on track, with my girl by my side, no longer hiding. I can start to live once again, and be happy again.

If the cancer does come back, I won't be so scared and do it alone. It was always right in front of my eyes that I would have people see me through it, support me, love me. I'll never make that mistake again.

Five years later…

Ana POV

Today is Christian and mines fourth anniversary. We stayed engaged for a year after he asked me to marry him in the conference room. I know that was hard on Mr. Impatient and need to have everything right now.

I loved him enough to want to marry him on the spot, but I wanted, no needed, to build back that trust. We dated again, almost like nothing changed in three years we were separated. It was good to be back to us.

So, we married the following year that we got back together. I lived with Kate for six months before officially moving in with Christian. Although, we always ended up sending the night together at one of our places.

However, luck would have it and Kate fell in love with Christian's brother Elliot.

Christian's health has been approving everyday. He works out religiously, eats healthy, and has regular appointments with the oncologist. If there was any chance of that cancer coming back he wanted to be on top of it.

I ended up finding out I was pregnant a week before we got married. Christian was over the moon, considering he wanted to start trying on our honeymoon. So, nine months later we welcomed Theodore Raymond Grey into the world.

The man takes living every moment to a whole new meaning.

Christian is trying to do everything on his bucket list before he hits 30, I swear. Just a couple of months ago, the both of us went skydiving.

How I got roped in that I don't know.

GEH is still blooming. Would blooming be the right word for a multi-billion-dollar company? Even though he's running this huge company, Christian always makes sure he's home by five or even earlier if he can to spend with Teddy and me.

I'm still working at SIP, well it's now Grey Publishing. I took over the CEO role when Roach retired last year. However, I still work as an editor. I worked my way up the ladder to editor after a year. Jack Hyde trained me well, and I moved up the chain, without Christian's influence. Although, the move to CEO was only because I own half the company. Thankfully, my role was well received by my coworkers.

To celebrate our anniversary, we are in St. Lucia. Actually, the whole family is with us. It works our great, because Teddy can either go with his grandparents at night, or with Elliot and Kate, who have two-year-old Ava with them. That gives a chance for mommy and daddy to have some alone time.

I'm in the bedroom, trying to pick out something to wear for tonight, when Christian walks in, wrapping his arms around me.

He starts living kisses down my neck and nips at my bare shoulder.

"I have some good news to tell you...well I think it's good news…" He tells me, finally resting his chin on my shoulder.

"I have some good news to." I tell him spinning in his arms. "You go first"

"I was just talking to our dads, and they were just informed that Steven has died in prison. There weren't many details, my dad seems to think it was because child abusers aren't taken very well in prison, that someone took care of him."

"Seriously? You mean I won't have to worry about ever seeing that devil again?"

There was a huge possibility it would be out of jail in about 15 years. If I ever thought about it, it would worry the crap out of me. I was fearful he would come after me, or my children.

"Nope, he's gone."

"Thank god." I hug Christian tightly.

Now I can finally put that one demon to rest.

"Now what is the good news you wanted to tell me?"

I lead him to the bathroom and pick up the stick on the sink, handing it to him.

"We're pregnant."

We have been trying for another baby for almost a year. I couldn't have been more excited when the test came back positive. I knew Christian would be too.

His lips grow into large smile and his eyes are gleaming. He lets out a loud whoop, before picking me up and spinning me in his arms.

"Oh, baby you have made me so happy, again." He finally places me back on my feet. Thank goodness, because he was making me sick.

His lips smash to mine and he moves me back to the bedroom, laying me on the bed, where we get totally lost in each other.

60 years later…

Seattle times

It has been reported to us that Christian Grey, 91 and his wife Anastasia Grey, 88 have passed away in their sleep, last night. The Grey's are known for The multi billion company Grey Enterprise and Holdings. Christian Grey, started the company at the age of 20 and was the CEO for over 40 years, before handing the company to his three oldest children. Anastasia Grey, was also the CEO of Grey Publishing, which is now run by their youngest child.

Our source says the couple died together in each others arms. This couple was always known for their outstanding love for each other. It appears that even in death they couldn't be apart from each other.

The Grey's have donated over billions of dollars over the last sixty years to Cancer Research, St. Jude's, and other charities. Christian Grey was a cancer survivor, when he was in his twenty's he was diagnosed with stage ii melanoma. He was always quoted saying "that he was lucky enough to survive, that he wanted to do whatever he could to help others have a fighting chance." Along with his wife they fought insurance companies to make cancer treatment, along with other long care treatments, affordable. "No one should have to think about the cost to save their lives, and no family should also deal with the burden either."

Christian and Anastasia are survived by their four kids, Ted, Phoebe, Alexander, and Joanna. They are also survived by their 13 grandkids, and their 20 great grandchildren.

It's safe to say that this couple had a long, successful, happy life.

A/N: I wasn't quite sure if I wanted do the epilogue at the end… but I did. Not sure about how it turned out. Just wanted to show that they made it. And I did say the only character death would be really old age. ( so don't kill me)

I know some would have wished for this story to be longer, but this is all I had. I needed to get the idea out, and hopefully now I can go back to work on Second Chances. Thanks for reading