AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story has been in the works since 2015 but due to lack of time, inclination and severe writers block I have come to a complete halt with it. I know what I want in the story and the ground work as been laid but for some reason I have just come to a complete stop and am at a loss what to say next. So I am doing something different, I am doing something I have never done before, I am uploading what I currently have in the hopes that the people who follow me will read this and help me out, by telling me in their reviews how they see the story moving forward, and with that and what I have planned to happen, I am hoping that it will get the story moving again. Needless to say, as a result the chapters won't be uploaded as frequently as is my custom as I will have to write them. So, to all the readers who follow me… Can you help me get this story complete?

The inspiration for this story originally came from when I was watching a couple of TV programmes here in the UK called 'Long Lost Family' which is a programme which searches for and reunites family members, and 'Who Do You Think You Are?' which is a programme which traces the lineage and ancestry of celebrities to see if there are any interesting things in their family tree. (I believe both these concepts have been sold to the United States and Australia and they now also have their own versions of the shows).

Anyway, as I was watching 'Long Lost Family' the inspiration for this story just popped into my head and started to form and I decided to roll with it. Then I also used the concept of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' To pad out the story, and I borrowed that particular title as the one for my story.

To set the scene for you all and for the sake of this story, Christian & Ana and Gideon & Eva have been married for a few years. Gideon & Eva have been married about 4 years and Christian & Ana are coming up to their third wedding anniversary at the start of the story. They are all career orientated and neither couple have children. I visualise Ana being about 25, Eva about 28 and Gideon and Christian being in their early 30s. The story begins in April and canon landmarks such as a June 18th birthday for Christian, July 31st wedding anniversary for Christian and Ana, August 11th wedding anniversary for Gideon and Eva and September 10th & 22nd birthdays respectively for Ana and Gideon are all observed. I have given Eva a November 5th birth date, as her birthday is never mentioned in the Crossfire stories, so as the timeline of those stories spans between June and September it had to be sometime between October and May. The canon backstory for both stories is pretty much intact but I have altered and tweaked them in some parts for the sake of this story.

Enjoy!

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

CHAPTER 1

(ANA)

I sit and I stare once more at the email which popped so innocuously into my inbox a short while ago. I had noticed it immediately, but before I had even opened it I had done my homework and checked it out to make sure that it was genuine and not a scam or phishing spam email. Everything checked out that this company is real, and that their business is also genuine and that is what threw me. This email is from a nationwide well-known company, who search for missing family members in the hope that they can be reunited. The thing is I don't have any missing family members. At least that's what I had always thought until now. Now I just don't know what to think.

I have always been under the unswayable assumption that I am Ana Grey (nee. Steele) only child of Carla Adams and Frank Lambert but raised and loved by Ray Steele and that is it, end of story. After establishing that the email address was genuine and that this was what it appeared to be, I was going to delete it but curiosity got the better of me and I clicked on it and opened it. It was at that point, when everything I ever assumed about me and my life was blown out of the water. But after discovering all that my first question was why are these people contacting me, there must be some mistake?

I sit and read it again, just in case something has changed since the last time I read it.

TO: Ana Grey

FROM: Miranda Bennett (Finding Family Inc)

DATE: 22nd April 2015 13:27

SUBJECT: Genealogical Query

Dear Mrs Grey

My name is Miranda Bennett and I work for a company called Finding Family Inc and we specialise in tracing and reuniting long lost family members who have been separated sometimes since birth.

My reason for contacting you is we have a strong reason to believe that you are the missing sibling to one of our clients. Our client has been searching for answers to her ancestry and we believe you may hold the answers to those questions.

I would be very grateful if you could contact me at my office on the number provided below. Thank you in anticipation of your co-operation in this matter.

Regards

Miranda Bennett

Finding Family Inc

I stare at the email still unsure of what to do. How can I have a sibling that I didn't even know about? I decide that I am not going to do anything until I have talked it over with Christian, as I am still not one hundred per cent certain that this isn't some kind of elaborate scam, especially considering who my husband is.

Happy that I am making the correct decision I decide to put it aside and stop thinking about it. I push the thoughts from my head and continue with my day as I pull a manuscript towards me.

oooOOOooo

The end of the day soon comes around and my attention is pulled from my work as my phone pings. I glance at the screen and smile as I see it is a message from Christian.

Hey baby, just leaving Grey House now - will be with you in about 15 mins, don't make me wait! x

My smile gets wider as I read it and I tap out a quick response.

Just finishing now so I'll be ready and waiting x

I am doing just that by the time the familiar SUV pulls up outside. I am standing in the reception talking to Claire, as she is closing down her computer when I see it arrive.

"Well here is my ride so I'll say goodnight" I say to Claire and she grins at me.

"Good night Ana, have a good evening" she says as she quickly finishes up and reaches for her coat.

I step outside and am immediately greeted by Taylor who climbs out to meet me.

"Hi Jason" I say brightly as he reaches for the handle of the rear door of the SUV.

"Good evening Mrs Grey" he replies politely and I roll my eyes, no matter how hard I try I just cannot get him to call me Ana even after all these years. He just smiles serenely as I grumble once again at him to call me Ana.

"Thank you" I say as I climb into the back of the car and turn towards my too gorgeous for his own good husband, who is waiting inside. He immediately reaches for me and gripping the back of my neck he kisses me.

"Hey baby" he says amiably as Taylor takes his seat behind the steering wheel and slowly pulls away.

"Hi, how was your day?" I ask.

He shrugs, "Usual" he says dismissively. "How about you?" he asks and he looks at me closely. My mind immediately goes to the email and I pull out my phone and call it up.

"I got this email today and I'm not sure what to do so I wanted to talk to you about it" I say as I hand him my phone.

I watch and he frowns as he takes my phone from me and he quickly reads the email, he has barely finished before he is pulling his own phone out and placing a call.

"Welch, I need you to check out a company and name for me" he says. There is a pause and then he continues. "Miranda Bennett is the name, B – E – N – N – E – T – T and the company is Finding Family Inc. I need to know if this company is legitimate and who this person is in relation to it". He quickly hangs up without another word and then reaches for me.

"Don't worry about this baby, until Welch has checked it out just forget about it" he says trying to reassure me as he hands me back my phone.

I nod but I don't bother telling him I have already done my own checks, as I know Welch will be able to find out more information than I ever could.

He looks at me closely, "Is this bothering you baby?" he asks.

It's my turn to shrug now, "I'm not sure, it confused me if anything and made me question my life. I have always been so sure of who I am and where I came from. Ray always made sure that I knew everything and yet now it seems that there could be someone out there, a brother or a sister who I never knew I had. I have no idea if it's for real but if it is…" I trail off and shrug again.

"If this turns out to be genuine… what do you plan to do?" he asks me carefully.

I take a deep breath and sigh. "I honestly don't know, as I have already said I was always so sure of where I came from and that I was an only child. I can't ask my father as he is dead and as for mom… well!" I stop and let out a small snort.

My relationship with my mother is non-existent. It had never been good and we barely had one when I left Texas and went back to live with Ray after husband number three. Things had improved slightly after she left Stephen but had slowly deteriorated even further when I went to college. Then when she had finally let me down once again by crying off and making excuses not to come to my college graduation I had finally snapped and cut all ties with her and I haven't heard a peep from her in years. She had soon come sniffing around again when I met Christian and when it became public knowledge that we were engaged and then married. She had tried repeatedly to approach us and reconnect with me at that point. I knew that it was only because of Christian and who he was and what he had built. In short it was his bank balance that was attracting her and not any real desire to build bridges with me and be a mother.

Her excuses had not had any effect on me though as she had let me down once too often, and I wasn't about to let her in when I knew her motives were so blatantly selfish and materialistic. She had even tried to pull the mom card to which I had responded that she needed to behave like a mother to be able to use that one, and that was the last we had heard from her. That was nearly three years ago now. I pause as I think about that and realise that our third wedding anniversary is coming up in a few months' time.

I am pulled from my thoughts when Christian speaks again, "How about Ray?" he suggests, "after all you know that he was your dad's best friend… so surely he would know if your dad had another kid stashed away somewhere?"

I think about that… yeah, he's right. I nod in agreement, "I'd already thought that I might give Ray a ring and run this past him. After all he is the man who I have always considered to be my dad so I think I want him in on this… if it turns out to be real" I say and Christian nods as he squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"I'm just not sure what to make of it all though" I add after a moment.

Christian nods, "My initial gut feeling is that it is a con and someone is trying to dupe you, but we have to consider the possibility that it is genuine and if it is there is no harm in being prepared" he says.

"If it is genuine… would you want to pursue the matter with the possibility of meeting this person?" He asks me gently.

I shrug, "I have no idea, I can't really answer that as at the moment it is all hypothetical and I don't want to think too carefully about it or get emotionally invested in case it is a scam. On the other hand, I must admit the idea of having a sibling out there is appealing – shocking but also appealing. I have always been an only child so to hear that I may share DNA and blood with someone is… intriguing".

Christian shuffles closer and wraps his arm around me. "Whatever happens and whatever you decide to do, you know you have my support don't you?" He says earnestly.

I smile and pat his knee, "I know that… and thank you" I say.

I look at him closely, "What would you do?" I ask.

This is a real and valid question as if anything like this was going to happen, I would've assumed it would be more likely to happen to Christian considering his history and the fact he was adopted.

I see the surprise on his face and he leans back as he thinks about it, "I'm not entirely sure, I think like you there would probably be a certain level of curiosity involved. But I would want definitive proof before I embarked on any kind of relationship, or even friendship with anyone claiming to be related to me" he says.

"What… like a DNA test?" I ask and he nods.

"Definitely" he replies.

I think about that, that is certainly the sensible thing to do and a route I would also insist on, should this all pan out.

"I was just thinking that something like this would be more likely to happen to you rather than me" I say and Christian looks carefully at me, "with you being adopted" I add.

I am surprised when Christian shakes his head, "Not really" he says.

"Why?" I ask now filled with curiosity at his immediate dismissal.

He takes a deep breath and I know this whole subject is more than a little bit sensitive for him so I stay quiet and let him tell me in his own time.

He looks at me carefully, "You have to remember that I know who my mother was. Ella Garratt was a prostitute and drug addict. She probably only ended up with me because of a contraception failure and my sperm donor was just one of her many clients. I have long since come to terms with that fact and the knowledge I am never likely to discover the identity of my birth father, nor do I really want to. After all it's hardly a ringing endorsement knowing your father is likely to be a man who visits drug addicted hookers for his sexual kicks".

"You could if you did a DNA test and it was checked against the database, maybe you could find out the truth that way?" I say, knowing I am probably pushing my luck for continuing this line of conversation.

Christian shakes his head. "No, because of who I am and what I have I wouldn't want to do that, can you imagine it? This person never wanted me and probably doesn't even know I exist. It would be as if all their Christmases had come at once if they are made aware that I am their long-lost relation. Even if they previously had no intention of finding out about me, they would certainly want to do so if they knew it was me".

I look at my husband and I realise how awful it must be for him, to always be in a situation where he has to second guess the motives of others; and in this case be unable to try and discover the truth about himself for fear of the greed and selfishness of others. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tightly.

"But this isn't about me baby, this is your situation and whatever the outcome I'll be right by your side, and support you through it" he says. Then he presses a sweet kiss to my head, before he buries his nose in my hair and inhales deeply.

I smile at this little habit of his. He had told me once that he had no idea why, but the scent of my shampoo comforted him and despite him insisting I have the best of everything, my shampoo is still the cheap apple scented shampoo I bought when I first met him. As it is the only thing, he has insisted that I never change.

As we arrive home and pull into the underground car park at Escala I hear Christian's phone. I pull away from him as he fumbles for it and he glances at the screen before he answers.

"Grey" he says sharply.

I watch as he listens and eventually he simply says, "Thank you Welch" and hangs up.

He reaches for my hand. "It appears that the company is legitimate and reputable. It is one of the leading tracing services within the United States and is highly recommended as one of the leaders in that field. Welch has also managed to discover that the person who contacted you is also genuine, and more interestingly they hold a senior position within the company and is not someone usually associated with the day to day investigations and grunt work. They are certainly not someone who would be doing the ground work of being an intermediary for their clients, so that tells me the person who engaged them is clearly someone who has a degree of influence and wealth. Not only to be using this particular company, but also for them to have someone so senior within the company being personally involved in the case, rather than someone lower in the pecking order".

I take a deep breath at that information and I wonder just who I am dealing with. I nod with understanding and then think for a moment.

"I think I'd like to call Ray now" I mutter.

Christian nods and reaches for my hand, "Of course you do, let's get inside and you can do just that" he says. With that he opens the car door and quickly walks around to my side and holds out his hand to me.

We are both silent as we ride up to the apartment. Christian has his arm firmly around me, silently offering me his comfort and unwavering support but also knowing that I don't want to talk at the moment. As the elevator doors open, I hesitate and turn towards him.

I press my hand against his chest and smile up at him, "Thank you" I say and those two words convey everything he needs to know.

I go and get changed out of my work clothes and sit down on the bed, my mind is reeling now as I have gone over everything that Christian told me and I reach for my phone and make the call to Ray.

I wait as it rings out and after a couple of rings he picks up. "Hello" he says and I feel the tears starting to well up in my eyes at the sound of his voice.

"Hi dad" I say as I try and control myself.

"Annie!" he exclaims brightly, clearly happy to hear from me again. This man has always been my rock. He was always there when my mother didn't give a damn; when she was too busy to bother about me as she was fixated on her latest fling and pursuing her own latest pipe dreams and forgetting the fact that first and foremost, she was a mother and had a child to consider.

My daddy, Ray is the man who sat with me through the night when I was ill or afraid from a nightmare. He is the man who never missed a parents evening or school activity. He is the man who gave me his surname and fought my mother for custody of me and won, not that she put up too much of a fight. When she realised that she could effectively offload me and be free to pursue her own path unencumbered. The man who taught me to shoot, fish and who taught me self-defence so I would always feel safe. I may be Christian's wife and he is my world, but Ray will always hold a special place in my heart as the first man I ever completely adored.

"So… how are you?" he asks and I realise I haven't said anything yet.

"I'm fine, just thought I'd call and see how you are" I say as I chicken out completely of the real reason why I rang him.

There is a brief silence before he speaks again. "Annie, I wasn't born yesterday. I can hear it in your voice something is bothering you so come on talk to me… tell your old man what it is" he says calmly but firmly.

I take a deep breath, ok here goes. "I got an email today" I begin.

"Ok, I'm assuming that is nothing out of the ordinary for you" he replies.

I giggle, "No it's not but not this email, it was like nothing I could've ever expected. At first I thought it was an elaborate hoax… considering who I am married to, but Christian has had it checked out and it appears to be legitimate, and I needed to share and ask if you were aware of anything" I say.

I know I am rambling but I am still getting my head around all this.

Ray sighs, "Well if you just tell me what it was then maybe I can answer that" he says.

"It was from someone at a company called Finding Family Inc and they say they have reason to believe I am who they are looking for, for one of their clients" I say.

"Ok?" my dad says warily.

"It said that they believed I was this person's long-lost sibling… so my question is, my biological father was your best friend and you were married to my mom for a while. Did either of them tell you about any potential other children they had?" I ask.

There is a long silence and then I hear him take a deep breath as if he is bracing himself. "Your mom… no, you were her first and only child. She was only 18/19ish when she had you and as you know she was never cut out to be a mom, so she didn't have any other kids. Your dad… your dad was a player, a womaniser and a complete shit". He pauses and I am shocked to hear Ray curse as he normally just doesn't. I wait and a moment passes and then he continues.

"I'm sorry I said that Annie as I have always tried to remain neutral when I gave you information about your biological father… but it's true. Yes, he was my best friend when we were in the military but I didn't agree with how he treated women. He was a selfish bastard who told them everything they wanted to hear just to get his way with them, and then he used them for sex and then dumped them… it wasn't right. I wasn't one hundred per cent certain but I think and I stress the word think that he did father another child before you, and now you have told me this then it all seems to fit with my memories of that time. What makes me say that is… it was a comment he made when your mom told him she was expecting you. He told me and said something along the lines of you'd think I'd learn my lesson after last time wouldn't you… and I think the last time he was referring to was a lady… a lady who had been seeing Frank and who was rumoured to be expecting his baby. Frank never confirmed it but he put in for a transfer and joined another unit and left California soon after the rumours started. We, that is Jose and I were convinced that he hadn't told her and we felt that wasn't right, especially if she was having his kid. So, we tracked her down and told her he had gone. I am assuming she was the person who Frank was referring to when he talked about the last time, but apart from that I don't know anything more".

I sit with my mouth hanging open, there is a buzzing in my ears as I take all this in, so it could be right and now this person has managed to track me down with the help of this company. I know my mother named Frank Lambert on my birth certificate, but I had no idea the extent of what he was really like. I had always assumed he had been happy with the news I was his daughter and that he had just died too soon in a freak military training exercise accident. That is what my mother always led me to believe, now she was either deluded or she was protecting me from the real truth. That thought throws me even more as my mother is not known for unselfish gestures.

"I see" I say lamely.

"Annie, are you ok?" my dad asks and I hear the concern in his voice and it is my undoing, and I feel the tears start to flow.

"I'm just not sure what to think" I say eventually.

"Is Christian there? You're not on your own, are you?" he asks.

"No, he's here and he is being really supportive about everything" I say fondly. As I say this, it's as if speaking about him has made him appear as the man himself opens the bedroom door. He takes one look at me and walks straight over with a look of concern on his face and he sits beside me, wrapping his arm around me.

"He's here right now" I say.

"He's there with you?" Ray asks.

"Yes, he is" I say and I lean against him and rest my head against his shoulder.

"Can I talk to him?" Ray asks and I smile.

"Sure" I reply and I hold out my phone. "Dad wants to talk to you" I say.

I watch as Christian takes my phone from me and puts it to his ear. "Ray, how are you?" he says.

I watch as Ray is obviously replying. I watch his reaction carefully and listen to the one-sided conversation. Christian glances at me as he is listening to Ray.

"Yes… I know I had my security advisor check it out and it all seems legitimate… I see… well whatever happens Ana knows she can count on my support… yes… I understand that… certainly… that is also my concern but if Ana decides to pursue this then we need to be there for her… yes… I will do… it's my pleasure Ray there was no question about that… Ok I'll pass you back to Ana now… ok, bye Ray". Christian holds out my phone to me and I take it from him.

"Dad?" I ask.

"I'm right here, I'm happy that Christian will make sure you don't get hurt by any of this and you know that you can count on my support too don't you?" he says.

I smile, "I know that" I say quietly.

We talk a while longer and then we say our goodbyes and I kill the call.

"Ok baby?" Christian asks warily.

I look up at him and smile, "Yes, yes I am fine. Now I have talked to Ray and know that this really could be real and really isn't just someone trying to scam us, I feel more confident about pursuing it, and the curiosity is the overwhelming emotion now especially after what Welch found out. Plus, who am I to deny someone the chance to find out where they came from? Everyone should know that, as it is their right. I thought I knew the facts but it appears that I just had the rose tinted version, now whether that was due to my mother not wanting to believe the unpleasant truth about my birth father or whether she was just trying to protect me and did something nice for once in her life I don't know, but now I know that there could be someone out there who shares the same birth father I do, and I really would like to know if they do".