Empty Nesters

Christian's POV:

"It's so quiet." Ana exclaims looking strangely concerned, as we enter our home. I raise my eyebrows when she drops her work bag in the main entrance. That's a first for Ana; however, I don't want to focus on that right now. I would rather take advantage of the silence.

"Yes, it is very quiet." I remove my tie and undo the top two buttons of my shirt. I am far more comfortable. Now to make Ana more comfortable.

"We are alone, except for Gail, Taylor and whichever security is around. I know that having our staff around makes it seem like there is a lot of people around, but that isn't true. We are more or less alone." Ana states waving her hands around.

"Yes." I agree again. "Gail is probably finishing up dinner; security, is in the main security office, and Taylor has gone outside to his apartment." I don't usually elaborate in so much detail, but I am not following my wife's train of thought at the moment.

"I just dropped my work bag down. In the open. On the floor." Ana declares in shock.

"I saw." I state confirming the obvious. Maybe Ana is tired. I need to schedule some R&R for us both, though before I am able to mentally think out a delicious plan, I am forced back to the present by Ana's now, almost irrational tone.

"Christian! I have dropped my bag where it is easily accessible. My bag has manuscripts and work documents. I am not worried about someone moving it." I narrow my eyes. Ana isn't making sense, rather she is rambling.

"Okay. Good." I say more apprehensively, than endorsing her statement.

"I am not concerned about someone taking some of the papers out and then finding them in the living room covered with scribbles. In fact there isn't a crayon in sight! I am not worried about finding peanut butter and jelly or mac and cheese smeared fingerprints on them."

"Crayons? Scribbles? Dirty fingers?... Like in young children do?"

"Yes of course," Ana now scolds, cutting me off.

We haven't had to be careful where we put our work documents for some time. There was a time when our children were little and would love to draw pictures on any piece of paper they could get their hands on, but that was years ago. I open my mouth to question Ana's line of thought but I don't get a chance as her focus has shifted.

"Big! Christian, have you noticed that our home is huge. I mean look at it. Come with me to the end of the stairs."

"That isn't exactly where I had in mind comingwith you, but it will be another first. So glad we still have them after all these years." I smirk, trying to relax Ana.

"Christian focus!" Ana snaps.

"I am." Trust me Ana, I am more than focused. I am focused on the way your delectable behind looks in that pencil skirt.

"Then look up and around. Our home is massive."

"Yes. It always has been. Ever since the day the agent showed us this house, plus there are the additions we added."

"Exactly."

"Anastasia, I am not following. What are you going on about?"

"It's just us now." Ana responds softly. Oh that's what she means. Last week we dropped the twins off at college. Today is the first day we have been back in Seattle, going about our everyday life since. "I can leave my bag without ever having to worry about one of our children going through it or playing a prank on me. The whole house is just ours. Liam and Noah are at college. Ted and Megan are living in their newly built home on Lake Washington, expecting their first child. Our only daughter, Phoebe is now living in the city, though probably sleeping more time at the hospital than her apartment. It's just us here… just you and me on the sound."

"Ana, it isn't as if we have never been alone before. We have gone away on trips and had nights alone, here in our home, when our kids were with our parents and family."

"Christian, we had Ted when I was 22, then Phoebe two years later. When our oldest child was fifteen, we were pregnant with the twins, who are now 18. This means we have had children living with us for 33 years." I breathe out actually acknowledging Ana's statement. I tend to just live in the moment, that I have never thought of our life's like that.

"Gosh that long? Then we are overdue, Anastasia"

"Overdue for what?"

"This" I look at Ana, and then bend down and throw her over my shoulder. There is only one place I have in mind right now.

"Christian!" Ana squeals, though giggling. Damn she is still too light. "Put me down"

"As you wish Anastasia." I slide Ana down though I don't let go of her once her feet are firmly on the steps. "You know this might be the one place we have never had sex."

"The top of the stairs?" I nod confirming her.

"It is the one place I haven't taken you"

"Another first."

# # # #

"Hhhmmm… barefoot and in my kitchen. Again" I practically hum at the sight of Ana.

"Haven't we been down that track before?"

I nod seriously, pouring coffee into my mug and hot water for Ana, with her tea bag out. "Best thing about being alone now, is we can revisit all that, any time we want. No need to organise babysitters, send kids off to bed.. just us baby." Ana bites her lip and blushes, just like she did when she was in her early twenties.

"Would Sir like some bacon and eggs?" Ana asks biting her luscious lip. I am about to say how famished I am for more than just food, but then I see how much she has made.

"Anastasia, I acknowledge that you have always commented that I eat like a lumberjack, but how hungry do you think I am?" Ana looks at me confused to see that she has made enough for more than four people.

"I forgot the twin's weren't here. I have spent more than three decades cooking for us and our children, three of which have hollow legs…..it's going to take time to….adjust." I know Ana isn't referring to cooking lower amounts of food. This is one mamma bear that is missing having her cubs at home.

"Why don't I call Andrea and have her move my meetings today and have her touch base with Hannah to do the same for you. We can spend the day… adjusting." Ana and I may have different definitions of adjusting, but I know it will bring a smile to her face.

"You have that meeting with your mergers and acquisition team today, to finalise that deal you have been working on, and I have to sign off on a couple of books." Damn, I had almost forgotten.

"Then come home early. I will leave the office after my meeting."

"Okay" Ana at least manages to give me an honestly happy smile.

# # # #

"Christian, that was delicious. You have outdone yourself. It was perfectly reheated" What I want to do with her smart mouth.

"I am glad you approve. After years of practice I have managed to master my microwaving skills." I stop Ana from clearing the table. Mrs Jones will do that. I pour another glass of wine for each other, and after she has taken hers, I guide her to the couch.

"Ana, we need to talk about this morning."

"Christian, I know how much you still deplore food wastage. Don't worry, when I cook next time I will be remember not to do so for an army."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know. I was just trying to derail you."

"I miss the boys too. Though before we know it they will be back in less than three months for Thanksgiving, and we have our own jet. We can go and visit them whenever we want. Also our two eldest kids aren't far either"

"I know… it is just going to take some adjustment.. that's all. It feels like life is changed so much... I know change is good but sometimes I wish everything would stay the same also."

# # # #

"Thank you Taylor." I reply as he drops me off at the sound. I check my cell phone. There are text messages from Ted and Phoebe.

"You're welcome Sir. Have a good night" Taylor is smirking at me. A rarity. Though when he notices that I have taken an interest in his expression, he returns to his usual passive expression. Maybe he knows what I have planned. I didn't tell him, as it isn't anything out of the ordinary really.

"I will." I cock my head to the side but shake it off. I take a moment once I enter the house. Ana was right, the house is huge. Wow haven't I realised this until now? Most of all it is quiet. Actually too quiet. My senses are awaken by the most delicious smell. Ana's cooking. I let my nose guide me, though never did I expect the scene that awaited me.

"If this is a new cooking technique then I definitely approve" I managed to utter.

"I am glad you approve. Come and taste this. I am not sure if it needs more seasoning or not". Ana seductively blows on the contents of the spoon, before biting her lip. I close the distance between us and without taking my eyes off Ana and lick the contents of the spoon.

"Spicy. Delicious"

"Are you talking about the sauce?" Ana sees right past me, always.

"Amongst other things."

"I am glad you approve."

"That I do. Very much!"

"Sit." I comply and watch Ana finish up cooking in her black satin and lace lingerie covered only in a lace robe. Damn, there better not be anyone around to see her. Oh Shit, that reminds me. Ana always has a way of distracting me.

"Ana – I think you should go and get dressed"

"Why?"

"Because you could get cold."

"Cold… it's the end of summer. It's still warm. Besides, I had hoped that you would keep any part of me warm that became cold." I how I wish I could right now.

"Maybe you should put on a comfortable dress or something. We can determine then which parts of you tend to get cold and deal with them later." Please Ana, listen to me!

"But this part of you doesn't agree" Ana slowly then firmly rubs her hand over the one part of my body that always stand when my wife is around.

"That I know…" Ana bites her lip as she begins to unbutton my belt. For fucks sake.. Can I get any harder? "Ana, I think we should stop!" I call out shocking her.

"That's a first I never thought I would hear from you" Ana exclaims.

"And a first I never thought I would see." Ana and I snap our heads to the doorway, where the voice of our eldest son, ted, comes from, standing with Phoebe. Both of them are looking away I quickly take my jacket off and wrap it around Ana, covering her.

"Are we early?" Phoebe asks. "Ted, I knew I should have picked you up later, or waited for Meagan to come home rather than have her join us here."

"You are right… In addition, mom and dad, you should never have been so strict about us being on time." Ted comments. "Though you did teach us kids to look after each other at all times.. which means, I am going to take my younger sister to the sitting room, make us a strong drink and wait for you both. Megan might even be here by then" Ted says, taking control just like at Grey house. Our two eldest make a swift getaway.

"Christian… can you explain this?" Sexy Ana has been replaced with angry Ana.. who also is sexy.

"I forgot, temporarily, that I had asked the kids to come over for dinner." I admit.

"Forgot? Temporarily… had they walked in less than a minute later, then they would have witnessed… worse than they just did." Ana despairs. " What were you thinking?"

"As usual, you were able to take my mind off all matters. In terms of my thinking, I asked Ted and Phoebe over for dinner to surprise you"

"I was definitely surprised."

"As was I in the end" I raise my eyebrows. "let's go upstairs. I want to change my clothes and need to get you dressed"

Ana and I change quickly and head downstairs. This may the most embarrassing situation we have been in, but then again this is our home. Our two eldest are alone and have helped themselves to a generous strong drink.

"Phoebe if you are driving home, then you need to eat and that will be your last drink. Same for you ted" I dictate.

"Megan is only a few minutes away. She has already said she will drive home. I am going to need more than this" Ted refutes as he pours more Bourbon into his glass. "Phoebe we can't drop you off at your place, but you can stay at ours tonight and I will drop you off at your apartment or hospital tomorrow if you want to join me and erase the memory of our parents in the kitchen"

"Theodore! Seriously!" Ana admonishes. "Your father and I are adults. Yes you came in at a bad time, but this is our house. We didn't know that you were here. Next time maybe call out or something! .. actually why didn't we get told that you were both here?" Ana wonders. Security always comes and tells us.

"We were trying to surprise you." Ted says.

"In perfect Grey fashion, we achieved above average. We were all surprised in the end. Mom and Dad, we are sorry for the embarrassment. Can we still stay for dinner?" Phoebe says.

"Yes, now on the topic of food… Phoebe are you eating? You are too slim!" I reprimand.

"And the more things change, the more they stay the same" Ana replies smiling then giggling.