Chapter 18

A/N: Hey guys. I know you all probably hae me for disappearing for so long but I am back. Life gets in the way sometimes and as a wise person once said, the best laid plans go awry. For those of you who read my other story, Love Is All I Need, I have updated it. My stories are very important to me and I will not leave them unfinished. I actually think that neither of them are anywhere close to be finished, especially, Save Me. But, thank you guys so much for the continued support. You are all the reason I am back. Thanks! Love you guys! Muah!

Rose xoxo

Christian POV:

I sat in the twins' nursery, holding my baby boy in my arms while my little princess slept, peacefully. Ana was getting some rest, too. It was their first day home from the hospital and our first day adjusting as not only being Christian and Ana, but Mom and Dad. These two little lives depended on us now. A lot of men shuddered at the thought of being a father. I did, too, at first. But, as I looked down into my son's face...I couldn't imagine having it any other way. No matter what it took, I would give my family the best life possible. There was a soft knock at the door and I looked up to see Taylor.

"How does it feel, Boss?" he smiled, slightly, leaning against the doorframe.

I smiled, as well, shaking my head, before answering, "There's nothing like it. I can't believe how lucky I am."

My son's tiny fist was at least four times smaller than mine. This little boy would eventually grow into a man. I would watch him grow. And I would watch him take over my legacy. Become the CEO of the company I built and make me proud. My little girl would maybe become a doctor or lawyer or a teacher. Or, hell, maybe she'll take over the family business. Whatever she wanted. But, I'd be damned before I allowed any man who treated her less than a queen, come within a 100 feet of her.

"Being a father is a whole other job," agreed Taylor. "How's Ana doing?"

"Good. She's resting. It was a...difficult pregnancy and labor, but they were worth it," I sighed. "But, I know you didn't come in here to ask me how we're doing."

The last thing I wanted right now was any more drama in our lives. Even when Andrew was gone, I wasn't naive enough to think our problems ended there. Being a billionaire wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. I made enemies. And now there were a lot of people in my life that could be picked and chosen to hurt me. My wife and my two newborns did not need to be in the line of fire so that meant increasing security, checking everyone that came in contact with my family, everything that it took for them to be safe. I trusted Taylor with their lives, which wasn't easy to do.

"We thought that when Andrew died, that was the end of it," sighed Taylor. "But, don't you remember when Jason told us about his past life? How he snitched on the guys he ran with?"

"Yeah? What does that have to do with us?" I questioned.

Taylor hesitated before explaining, "Someone I know was keeping an ear open. Just to be safe. Before Andrew died, they found out who he really was and were ready to get their revenge. When Andrea got there first...What I'm trying to say is that I think they might be aiming for Ana. Guys like this don't care if you were involved or not. If you knew that person, were close to them, that put a target on your back. I'm not positive but you don't pay me to wait until a threat makes a move. You pay me to be prepared for any situation."

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before opening them again. As I looked down at my baby boy, I knew I couldn't let them get anywhere near my family.

"Do what you have to. I don't care how many people you have to hire. And I don't want Ana knowing about this. Right now, she needs to focus on herself and our children."

Taylor nodded before walking out. All I could do now was pray that whatever my security team did worked.

Ana POV:

Christian was sleeping peacefully in the rocking chair when I went into the twins' nursery. I smiled. He didn't even make it back to the bed. Not once did he leave my side in the hospital besides to talk to our families and update them. I had been so scared that Emma wasn't going to make it, but she's a fighter. That's what the nurses and the doctor told me. My baby was a fighter. Just like her parents. And I knew my little boy was going to be the same way. They would look out for each other.

"Looks like it's snack time," I leaned over Emma''s crib as she started wailing.

I knew it was going to be hard with twins. Elizabeth told me that because their stomachs were so small, they had to eat small amounts but frequently. And it wasn't like I was alone. Christian took paternity leave to help me. I thought he was going to go crazy without doing any work but he seemed to be calm so far. Swaddling Emma, carefully, I picked her up out of the bassinet.

"Let's not wake up Daddy or your brother," I headed out of the room and downstairs.

Kate was bringing Ava over to see the babies, along with Ali and Mia. We were going to have a family dinnner tonight as a sort of welcome home party. I didn't want to crowd the twins, but I wanted them to know their family. Especially their grandparents. Making my way into the 2nd living room (the 1st one was bigger and more just to sit than relax, like for a dinner party), I curled up onto the comfy sofa and turned on the TV, but made sure the volume was low. Once I pulled my breast out, Emma latched onto it, suckling hungrily, while I carefully draped a thin blanket over my bare breast. I flicked through the channels. The doorbell rang and, before I could even move a muscle, Gail appeared.

"I'll get it. You keep feeding the little one," she insisted.

I said, gratefully. Gail truly was a lifesaver and I was more than grateful for her. Ava ran into the living room, looking adorable in a red and black plaid shirt, jeans, and brown boots with her blonde hair tied up in a knot on the top of her head. Kate followed behind her.

"Auntie Ana!" she squealed.

"Ava, be careful," scolded Kate, picking up Ava before she could climb on me and the baby.

I smiled at my niece, who was pouting. "It's OK, Ava. It's just that the baby is really small and you don't want to hurt her, right?"

"Wight," Ava nodded. "What she doing?"

"She can't eat normal food like you so she has to get her food from her mommy. Like you used to when you were a baby," Kate placed Ava on her lap.

Her mouth made a cute little "O" making Kate and I laugh. She was just so adorable. I turned on some cartoons for Ava, which quickly distracted her while Kate turned to me. No matter how many times I thought about it, I still couldn't believe I was here. In a mansion, married to Christian Grey with newborn twins. It was...unbelievable. I went from being so unhappy to on Cloud 9.

"And how are you feeling, Mommy?" she tilted her head to the side.

"Happy. Tired," I shrugged, smiling as I looked down at Emma, who was almost done. "They're so beautiful. I'm so lucky."

Kate put a hand on my cheek. "Mom and Dad would be so proud of you. Really."

That was all I wanted to hear. When I was sure Emma was done, I draped the blanket over my shoulder so I could burp her. The doorbell rang yet again and a minute later, Ali and Mia came in. MIa wanted to spend as much time with the twins as possible before her and Jay had to go back to Paris, which was why we were having a family dinner. Of course, them being excited aunts, they were carrying several bags from various baby boutiques. Like we didn't get enough gifts from them already.

"Is that my little Emmy?" Mia put the bags down to come over to me.

"Yeah. She's just finished up eating," I said as I patted her back.

"Where's Aiden?" Ali kissed my cheek and hugged Ava and Kate before sitting down. "And Christian?"

"Sleeping," I explained. "Emma is a much lighter sleeper than her brother and father."

Christian deserved the rest. Really. I just thought he would be much more comfortable in bed than the wooden rocking chair. And it wasn't like we didn't have baby monitors. We did. Top of the line, thanks to Christian. Along with cameras in the nursery. We could see and hear everything going on in there. Just then, Emma let out a burp, making me giggle. She must be full.

"Can I hold her now?" Mia held out her hands.

I smiled and nodded, placing her into Mia's arms gently. Her tiny hands grasped at the air. Mia made baby noises as she rocked Emma, gently. I reached into one of the bags and pulled out an outfit set which included a onesie that read: Got it from my Auntie and then under it, Obviously. The onesie went with black bloomers and a headband with a gold bow. It was so cute.

"Really?" I gave Mia a look, after reading the onesie.

"It's true. She's going to be a heartbreaker when she grows up," grinned Mia, wriggling her eyebrows.

We laughed at her. It was clear that she was excited to be an aunt. I don't think anyone ever really expected Christian to marry and settle down with a new family. I know I didn't. Before all of this, he was my closest friend and I knew his habits with his submissives and all that. But, then he showed me that he could be that man. That man that would protect me no matter what and I could depend on. I did a lot of things to him that I regret, but I was happy at where we were right now. No one could take that happiness away from me. Mia had ended up buying not only like 20 outfits for Emma and about the same amount for Aiden, including a cute little sailor's outfit.

"Are you guys going to do family photos?" Ali asked, curiously.

Christian had hired a photographer to do maternity photos that came out amazing but he charged an arm and a leg. Yeah, he was one of the best photographers in Seattle-if not the best-but, I didn't think anyone should pay a couple grand for a set of pictures.

"Yeah. We were going to wait a couple of weeks, but we definitely want to do some," I nodded, sipping my 100% apple juice.

Since I was breast feeding, caffeine was still not good for me so Gail stocked up on 100% juices. I really missed coffee, but I could deal with it for my babies.

"Aren't you taking photography classes, Ali?" Kate looked at her.

I looked at my sister-in-law in surprise and she blushed, looking down. Ali had went to college for law, but she said it wasn't her passion. It wasn't the same to her as it had been before she got pregnant. Then again, she never told me anything about taking up photography. She was a really creative person, I just never expected it.

"You are?" my eyebrows shot up.

"It's not a big deal," insisted Ali, shaking her head.

"Not a big deal? I have seen some of the pictures you've taken. They're amazing," Kate nodded.

"Then you can do our family photos. If you want to," I offered. "You could really get your name out there. And you were the one that said you wanted a fresh start."

I knew Ali had been through a lot in the span of less than a year. Not only did she meet me and almost die, but she also found her brother. And found out the truth about her mother. We were all doing our best to help her out, especially Jason, but the last couple of months had been hard because Christian and I had been so focused on preparing for the arrival of the twins. Christian had fallen into the role of big brother easily with Ali, considering he had experience with Mia, but he wasn't able to do as much as he wanted to. Ali always said she was fine, but she was a terrible liar.

"Really? I don't want to mess them up," said Ali, hesitantly.

I gave her a look, "You won't. If there's anyone I want to take the first pictures of my children, it's you. And I know Christian will feel the same."

She smiled and nodded. We talked for a while longer before I heard Aiden stirring over the baby monitor. Emma had drifted back off, which I knew was OK because newborns slept up to like 18 hours a day. Reading those books had really helped when it came to taking care of the baby, but Grace had been the most help. She gave me specific tips and things she used to do when Mia was a baby and with the babies she had treated at the hospital.

"That is my signal," I sighed, getting to my feet with Emma tucked into my arms.

"Jay and I will be back for dinner tonight, so don't worry," assured Mia as she hugged me.

"Can't wait," I said, honestly, hugging Ali as well.

Kate was staying for a while with Ava, who was too busy watching Sofia the First to worry about what the rest of us were doing. I headed upstairs and placed Rosie in her crib so I could tend to her brother. Christian must have moved into the bedroom because he wasn't in the rocking chair anymore.

"What's wrong with my baby boy?" I cooed, rocking him, running a hand over his soft layer of baby hair. "Huh?"

He started crying and I smelled what was wrong with him. Placing him on the changing table, I got him together and checked to see if he was hungry. Which he was. I knew things wouldn't go as smoothly as this all the time. Motherhood-parenthood, in general-wasn't easy. Especially with newborns. But, I could bask in it while it lasted.

For family dinner, I kept it simple. Wore a black, loose shirt, black skinny jeans, tan ankle boots and an oversized tan cardigan. My wavy hair was loose, falling down my back and around my shoulders. While the babies slept in their bassinets downstairs, I helped Gail cook. They woke up a couple of times, wailing, but I managed to put them back down. We put together an amazing dinner of roast pork, baked macaroni, yams, chef salad, vegetable stir-fry, shrimp, chicken, rice and dinnner rolls. Everything looked so perfect. It was just a family dinner, but it still felt nice to cook for other people. And it was my babies' homecoming, despite the fact that they couldn't eat this food.

"Mmm. Smells amazing down here," Christian came up behind me and pressed a kiss to my neck.

"Did you get some rest?" I looked up at him.

He nodded and Gail smiled before excusing herself to give us a minute. I turned around, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"You are such a good Daddy," I ran my hands down his chest.

"Well, I wouldn't say that yet. We just brought them home," laughed Christian.

I rolled my eyes. Christian was still a little hesitant, which I knew, but he would be an amazing father. From the time I got pregnant, Christian had taken care of us like the family man he was. Even when I had made some really horrible mistakes.

"Hey, did you know that Ali was taking photography classes?" I asked, curiously.

"Yeah," Christian nodded, shrugging. "I told her I'd pay for them until she got back on her feet."

I gave him an incredulous look. It wasn't that I was upset. Of course not. I loved Ali. She was my sister-in-law, but it felt like I wasn't being a very good friend if I didn't ask her what was going on in her life from time to time. Especially after everything she'd done for me.

"So, this entire time I've been looking for a photographer for our babies' first pictures and you didn't tell me?" I tilted my head to the side.

"Ali asked me not to. She didn't want it to seem like she's taking advantage of me wanting to be a good big brother to her," responded Christian.

That made sense. So, I nodded in understanding. Christian bent down to capture my lips with his and I giggled, slightly. He pulled me closer to his chest, deepening the kiss, his tongue coaxing its way inside of my mouth. We couldn't have sex for 6 weeks. He knew that. I knew that. That certainly didn't mean he was happy about it. Before anything could go any further, we heard a familiar voice interrupt us.

"Don't contaminate the food."

It was Jay. Luaghing, both of us pulled away and I went to hug my close friend. A guy who truly was like another brother to me. Once the whole family arrived, they wasted no time in showering the babies with love and attention. Especially Gail. She loved bning a grandmother. Of course she loved Ava, but newborns always excited people. After everyone was settled down, we sat down to a beautiful dinner that Gail and I were very proud of...I just hoped it all lasted.

So sorry for the filler chapter. I really tried to get this one out but I hit a major block. Life is just so crazy sometimes. I hope you guys enjoyed. If you didn't, I'm sorry. Pins will be out within a few hours, before the end of the day, of course. I will try and update as soon as possible. Thank you for all of the continued support.

Rose xoxo