Standing at the end of the hall, I adjust my tie for what has to be the hundredth time. I've been impatiently standing here for nearly an hour, waiting to finalize the most important deal of my life. Taylor shuffles on his feet beside me and I glance over at him to find him looking at me.

"What?" I mutter, turning my gaze back to the end of the hall. Why the hell aren't they here yet? If they've backed out this late in the game, I'm going to have someone's fucking head on my wall. And I don't think it will matter at this point whose it is.

Taylor shakes his head, a knowing smirk on his face as he joins me in my vigil.

The last few months of my life have been a roller coaster. Since Ana and I returned from Lucy's trial in London, we started to rebuild our relationship from the ground up. For the most part, everything has gone incredibly well. There is still the occasional bump in the road—one of us has a bad day, leaving us moody and irritable, and we take it out on the other person—but it hasn't been anything insurmountable.

Among the ups was the call we received from our team of lawyers, my father one of them, informing us about Lucy's sentence.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grey, I'm glad you could join us!" Dan Regan, the prosecutor said.

"We wouldn't miss this for anything," had been my grim response, shooting Ana a sidelong glance that practically begged her to stay at my side. Though looking back, I don't think either of us could go anywhere if we tried.

There was some shuffling on someone's end before the conversation picked up again. "Well, we've got some news. The judge has announced Miss Hastings's sentence." Both Ana and I had held our breath. "She is receiving the maximum punishment of fifty years in prison. There will be a hearing in twenty to determine whether the punishment will stick, but considering all the premeditation that went into your son's kidnapping, I don't see anybody deciding to release her." I pulled Ana into my lap and immediately wrapped her in my arms, and I could feel the huge smile on her face as she buries her face in my shoulder. "Naturally her solicitor is attempting to have the sentence overturned; he'd be a fool not to try. It is, however, very unlikely that any judge will reverse the decision. The judge who oversaw the trial has a lot of pull in the judicial system and it is considered a career-ending move to go against what he says or does."

I'm sure there was much more to the conversation, but I think I might have blacked out. Whether this was due to the overwhelming relief I felt at the news or the fact that Ana's arms were wrapped so tightly around my neck, I don't know. Deep down, I think she believed Lucy would get a light sentence and would be roaming free in a matter of months.

Our celebration that night lasted hours. First we took our son out for dinner. Once Teddy was in bed, we celebrated in the best way I could think of and didn't get more than half an hour of sleep. I've never been more exhausted after sex in my life. Ana was quick to tease that I was getting old. I then showed her just how young I really am. There haven't been any old man jokes since.

Grumbling so indistinctly I can't even make sense of it, I glance at my watch. They're late. You would think someone who wanted this so much would have the decency to arrive on time. I don't do late and it's inexcusable to be late at the end of a deal like this.

I tug at the sleeves of my suit jacket, smiling slightly at the cufflinks Ana gave me as a wedding gift. She asked me to wear them today as good luck. I'm not sure why she thought I needed good luck, but who am I to go against such an incredibly smart woman as my beautiful Anastasia?

A door opens in the hall to my left and we all turn at my dad's arrival. My jaw tenses at the sight of him and I feel my temper rising; as much as I love Carrick, he is among the last people I want to see right now.

"They'll be along shortly," Carrick assures me. "There were a few... technical difficulties."

My brow furrows at his phrasing and I want to ask a hundred or more questions, but Elliot claps me on the shoulder, which shifts my annoyance to him. "Kate's got it under control," he says dismissively. "There's a bit of a press mob outside and she's getting rid of them."

I nod resignedly. In a surprise move involving several people, Kate began working for me in the weeks following the trial. Without anyone even asking, she took it upon herself to prepare press releases for Ana and me, and I was incredibly impressed with her work. Though the press releases probably didn't do much to satisfy the public's general nosiness, they got the point across that we would not tolerate being harassed to give statements on the subject. She's also helped put out a few other fires that have popped up and one evening I surprised myself by asking her to come work for me. We were at my parents' house for dinner when I made the spontaneous decision and the hush the fell over the table will be something that brings a smirk to my face for years to come.

"I'm sorry, what?" Kate asked in a low voice through the tense silence in the room.

I cut my chicken and take a bite. "You heard me," I say around my food.

"How much wine have you had, bro?" Elliot asks, looking between his wife and me as though he's trying to work out which one of us might snap first.

"Two glasses," I say without preamble. "Not nearly enough for my judgment to be considered impaired. So what do you say, Kate?"

"I say you've lost your mind," she says bluntly. "What on earth would make you believe I have even the slightest desire to work for you?"

I shrug. "I just think it might be a good move for you. I know you've been frustrated at the paper and it doesn't take a genius to realize it's only a matter of time before the newspaper medium is gone for good. What will you do then? Local nightly news? Basic cable news channels? Oh, you could start your own internet blog; those are big now, right? Eventually, though, you're going to get bored going through all the options and I can't guarantee that when I wake up in the morning this offer will still be on the table."

"Christian, you don't even like me," Kate reminds me, looking shocked at my words. "Why would you want me to work for you?"

"My PR team needs fresh blood. They've spent so many years spouting off the same bullshit lines—sorry, Mom—that they've become broken records. The press is ready to eat them alive the second they start to speak and they're losing their effectiveness. You, though, and those press releases you came up with—brilliant. So no, we may not like one another very much, but we're family, and I'm very much interested I keeping my company in my family."

Kate is stunned into silence. Glancing around the table, I realize everyone is in the same state. Ana is looking at me as though she's never seen me before, but I can also see gratefulness and approval in her eyes. I wink at her, knowing this means more to her than a lot of the things I've done in the last few months to make amends with her.

Ana had been hesitant to repair her friendship with Kate. As much as she wanted her friend back in her life, she didn't want to involve Kate in things just to have her pull the same shit again. Elliot and I pushed things along. A couple weeks after London, I invited my brother and his family over to the house for a barbeque, and though I wasn't completely honest with Ana when I told her who would be attending—she was under the impression that my parents, Mia, and Ethan would all be there as well—I think she forgave me once she and Kate had it out over everything that had been bothering her. I don't know exactly what was discussed; when Elliot and I returned from the grill, the two of them were embracing, crying, and giggling for some unknown reason. We both breathed a sigh of relief at the sight, having half-expected to come back to a bloodbath.

"Okay," Kate says as we start in on dessert.

When neither of us spoke any further on my offer for her to come work for me, my mother changed the subject to an upcoming benefit she would be hosting at the house.

"What?" I ask, turning away from my discussion with my dad about baseball to find Kate watching me closely.

"I said okay," she repeats. "I'll come work for you."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Really?" I ask. I'd come to the conclusion that her silence on the matter was her way of declining the offer. Not that I could blame her if she had; our track record isn't exactly stellar and the only times we really see one another is at family functions such as this.

Kate nods. "Yes. You're right. I'm bored out of my mind at the paper. The only news that seems to be of any real demand there is celebrity gossip and much as I'd like to know which D-list actress had a tummy tuck and breast lift, that's not what I signed up for when I got my degree."

I smirk at her. "Good," I say simply. "Monday morning, nine a.m. Be in my office and we'll work out the details."

She gives me a tight smile and we go back to our respective conversations.

On Monday morning and nine o'clock sharp, Andrea buzzes me to inform me of my sister-in-law's arrival. This meeting, unlike the last one I arranged for us that, despite what I told her at the time, involved kidnapping her. We worked out the terms of her employment within an hour and I have yet to regret my decision.

"There is no fucking reason it should be taking this long," I hiss in Elliot's direction. "I thought everything was ready."

Elliot shrugs. "You know them," he says dismissively, hands in his pockets. "Don't worry, Christian. It's not going to be much longer."

He'd better be right or I might just lose my mind.

There has only been one final demon for Ana and me to face together. I put all my effort into ensuring Elena would never bother us again. And in the end it didn't matter. My lawyers and I went forward with revealing Elena's part in the embezzlement from Lucy's company. She was released from police custody a week or so after the trial and the moment her plane touched down in Seattle, she was taking into custody again. At first I think she believed she would receive the Martha Stewart treatment: spend five or six months in federal custody, a nice, cushy stay with good hot meals every night and no concern about being shanked or assaulted in the shower. Then she'd be sent home and placed on house arrest for another year or so. My lawyers made sure there was no deal to be made for Elena. She lost every last penny to her name in an effort to repay the money stolen from Lucy's foundation. All her little side businesses—there were more than even I knew about—were liquidated. There was one that came to light that even I had to laugh about. Apparently Elena had decided to open a very exclusive BDSM club outside Seattle. Her lifestyle had been headline news for weeks, even overshadowing her crime. There wasn't a person in Seattle that wasn't aware of exactly what she was.

A moment of panic had hit me that afternoon when the police were rifling through Elena's personal effects in the club. There were photos everywhere—on the computers, in folders locked in cupboards, stuffed between the pages of books. Photos of her former subs. All of them. And there was no mistaking their identities or what their roles in Elena's life had been. I'd sent my lawyers in the moment I got word about the photos and was able to head off the trouble at the pass. I understood exactly what Elena had done and why. Just like me, she needed leverage against her submissives to avoid any messy blackmail situations. I've still got all mine locked up tightly in my safe and now the photos of me as a teenager naked, tied up, gagged, and hard as a fucking rock are with them.

My legal team along with all the federal investigators was prepared to go to war against Elena Lincoln. I knew there would be a chance that she would involve me in the revelation of her alternate lifestyle and I knew I had to be ready. But one morning just as I was preparing to leave for work, I received a phone call from my father. He had just received a call of his own from the DA. The prison guards where Elena was being held before trial, which was weeks out, had gone to bring her breakfast and had received a shock. Elena was hanging from the ceiling of her cell, her bed sheets wrapped tightly around her neck in a noose. The medical examiner had come to the conclusion that her neck hadn't snapped immediately, which meant she'd suffered. Probably a lot.

I have to be honest. I didn't lose even a minute's sleep over her death and if she hadn't been cremated and her ashes spread in an undisclosed location, Ana and I probably would have danced a jig over her grave.

Elena's death made life a fuck load easier to handle. It was a relief to have that dealt with. And we could finally get on with our lives.

Yanked from my thoughts by the beginning notes on a piano, I snap my head to the end of the hall where my son is walking through the door dressed in his little suit that matches mine exactly down to the silver tie. Ana had tried to overrule that particular tie on our son, but I'd won her over in the end. Holding his hand is my niece Ava wearing a light blue dress. The pair of them is positively adorable and I know we'll be torturing them with the photos of this during their teenage years. I can't wait.

Behind them Mia and Ethan make their entrance and I swear my little sister is actually vibrating as she moves. If not for Ethan's hold on her arm, I think she might start bouncing off the walls. When she sees me, her face lights up and I find myself returning her smile. No one was happier than she when Ana and I announced our plans for the remarriage ceremony and it had taken half the family to calm her down when we informed her we wouldn't be requiring her expert assistance in the planning of the day. It raised her spirits when Ana asked her to be in the bridal party and Mia hadn't hesitated a second in making her opinion about dress selection well known.

Kate and my mom come next and I feel my breaths coming in rapid succession. I know who is waiting just outside the door. I've been waiting to see her all morning. Finally she's here. My incredibly beautiful, wonderfully forgiving, loving wife. Or perhaps bride-to-be might be more apt. We never did decide on what to call each other during the period between when I proposed the remarriage to now. Not that it matters. None of it matters.

Anastasia's blue eyes are locked on mine and in them, I can see every bit of love she holds for me, even after everything I've put her through. It would have been so easy for her to end things with me and live her life in London with our son.

She's at my side now and I reach out to catch a couple tears falling from her eyes before I take her hands in mine. "Hi," I say softly, smiling at her.

She laughs a little. "Hi," she whispers back.

Beaming at one another, we turn to the reverend whose words I tune out. I don't give a shit about what he's saying right now, and I'll probably go to hell for that, but as long as I can look in Ana's eyes the entire way, I think I could happily suffer that fate. It's only when Elliot subtly kicks my shoe that I realize we're at the part of the ceremony where Ana and I speak to each other.

I blink rapidly, bringing myself back to the present and ignoring the little smirk on my wife's face. Turning to face her, I once again take both her hands in mine and take a deep breath to speak. "Anastasia," I say quietly, squeezing her fingers gently. "I cannot even begin to tell you what you mean to me. The simple act of waking in the morning to find you beside me will always be something I treasure. Your smile, your laugh, your touch, and your kiss... Every little thing about you is something I cherish. I've taken you for granted over the years, Ana. All my foolish thoughts have only brought me to the realization that you truly are one of a kind and will never be replaced in my life or my heart. I thought I knew this before, but after suffering through nearly losing you there is nothing in my life more certain than what you mean to me. I will never put you through that sort of pain again. That's my promise to you, my son, and our family. I love you, Anastasia, and I will spend every second of my life showing you."

I slide my ring onto her finger, a simple band to match her engagement ring. With the ring in place I feel as though this is truly a new beginning for Anastasia and me. A new chapter. A new life. And it will count. I'll make sure of that. The look in Ana's eyes tells me she sees the sincerity in mine and it nearly knocks me backwards.

When it's her turn to speak, it takes her several moments for her to gather herself. I smile encouragingly and she takes in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "Christian," she begins. "From the moment we first met, I knew you would turn my world upside down. And I wasn't wrong." She gets a laugh from me and the family that bolsters her speaking voice. "You made my life what it is, gave me chances I never thought I'd have, and whatever happens between us, I will always remember those things. I love what we have together, and I love the thought of what we will have. I look forward to every moment between us more than the last. You and our family are and will always be my entire life. More than I can ever describe, I love you, Christian."

With that, she slides her ring onto my finger and I know exactly what comes next. I hear the familiar murmuring from the reverend and it doesn't matter whether he's telling me I can now kiss my bride or that we need to evacuate the church due to a terrorist threat. Ana is in my arms, my lips crushed against hers, and in this moment, I have everything I need.

We're sat in our backyard overlooking the water and I can't think of a better way to begin this new chapter in our lives. Christian and I are set at a table on the deck while our family is surrounding us at smaller round ones on the grass. For the first time in my recollection, Gail, Taylor, and Sawyer are truly off-duty. The two men look slightly uncomfortable and I see them constantly glancing around the perimeter for the other security guards who are working. And I know Gail is itching to help serve the catered food that she didn't cook or gather the dirty dishes, maybe refresh a couple drinks.

My parents are sitting with Elliot and Kate, all of them laughing at something Ray is telling them. Grace and Carrick are listening patiently as Mia talks a mile a minute and Ethan just swallows another glass of wine. The kids have abandoned their fancy wardrobe and are chasing each other around the yard, squealing at the top of their lungs when they catch one another.

This is how I envisioned my life with Christian. Unbelievable happiness and having my family all gathered in one place together, celebrating. A year ago, I never considered this even a remote possibility, not after what he'd done to me and our marriage, but in the months following my return home, he's more than proved himself to me.

"What are you thinking about?"

His voice is right against my ear and I shiver, my mind leading to what he and I will be doing once our family leaves. "You," I answer breathily, feeling him grin against my skin at my reaction. "Me. Us. Our family."

"Our family," he repeats quietly, almost reverently. "That reminds me. I have something for you..."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "I thought we agreed we weren't going to exchange that sort of gift until after everyone's left the house."

He chuckles huskily. "We did," he tells me, his hand sliding up my leg until I bat it away, reminding him silently we are basically on display for our family right now and I'm not willing to give them this sort of show. "But that's not what I meant. This is something else. I was going to wait until our trip next week, but I don't want to wait any longer than I have to..."

Curiosity piqued, I look over to find him holding a tiny box that he opens slowly, revealing a charm resting on the velvet pillow within. It's a charm for my bracelet. A sun. It's beautiful...

"It's to symbolize our new beginning," he explains quietly, taking the charm from the box, then taking my right hand where my bracelet hangs on my wrist. "A new day, if you will."

"I love it," I tell him sincerely.

"I'm glad," he murmurs. The charm attached, he leans forward to press his lips against mine briefly before he pulls back. "And unless I'm mistaken, we have one last thing to share with our wedding guests."

I grin, biting my lip, and nod. With a wink, he stands, tapping his wedding ring against his wine glass to gather the attention of the guests.

"If I could have everyone's attention, please," Christian says. Even the kids stop in their tracks. Elliot grabs Ava around the waist and pulls her, giggling, into his lap. Teddy makes a beeline for us and crawls carefully into my lap. "Ana and I just want to thank everyone for joining us today. I know we've done this before, but this time I intend to make it count. I can't even begin to explain to all of you what it means that you've supported us through the last couple years, even though I know more often than not, some of you wanted to slam my head in the floor."

"Here, here!" Kate calls out, raising her wine glass. Everyone laughs. Even Christian grins.

"Regardless, I want everyone here today to know that this woman beside me who has agreed to be my wife all over again is my entire life. I will spend the rest of my days living and breathing for her, just as I should have done from the very beginning." He gestures for me to rise, which I do a little awkwardly as I bring Teddy with me. "And we have one more thing to share with you..."

He glances questioningly at me. I nod. "Under all your seats is an envelope; please remove them," Christian says. Several brows furrow as they do as instructed. Christian and I grin at one another, proud of our little plan. Once everyone has an envelope in their hand, Christian instructs them to open the envelope, which they do slightly warily as though they're waiting for whatever is inside to explode. One by one we hear the gasps as our announcement is revealed. I know what they're looking at: a black and white sonogram photo.

"If you'll turn them over," I say, "the explanation is on the back."

Christian wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer and kissing my temple. We chose the wording of the announcement together and I couldn't be more pleased with the final product:

Hi! My name is Phoebe Grey and in approximately four months, you'll meet me in person. My mommy and daddy were very surprised to find out about me, but they couldn't have been happier. They already love me very much and I hope you do, too.

See you soon!

Phoebe aka Ana and Christian's happily ever after.

A/N: This is the end. Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, commented and flamed. If anyone is interested in my original published works, you can find the link on my bio page. Thanks again for the support!