Grey Clouds On The Horizon

The Storm - Part 2

Ana's POV

By the time Christian came back, Carrick close on his heels, I was feeling the hours I'd been awake. It had been a more eventful morning than I'd experienced in a while and I felt a strong yearning for a nap. Christian read my body language well.

"Mother, I think I'm going to steal Anastasia away for a rest before dinner." He reached a hand down to me and I took it.

"I'm sorry I was caught up at the firm," Carrick apologized and gave me a quick side hug. "Get some sleep. Can't have the mother of my only grandchild falling asleep at the dinner table."

I laughed lightly and followed Christian up two flights of stairs to his childhood bedroom. I kicked off my heels, laid down and he quickly joined me sans his own shoes.

"So..." I mused. "You want a boy?"

The bed shook with his chuckles. "I suppose I do."

i mulled over this revelation for a second. "Any boy name ideas? I'm partial to Christian."

"Christian Trevelyan-Grey II... It's fine." He sounded slightly disappointed.

I turned to face him. "It doesn't have to be exactly the same. I mean, my last name is just Grey. Christian... something... Grey. He'd still be a junior."

"Theodore?" He suggested. "After my grandfather on Grace's side."

While we were at family names, there was one person I was not going to let be neglected. "Christian Theodore Raymond Grey." Since Steele wasn't going to make it into the name my step-father still needed a special spot. "And we don't even know if its a boy."

"I like it," Christian pushed a lock of hair out of my face. "So what about a girl's name?"

For this, I was stuck and partially afraid. I didn't want to suggest anything that happened to be tied to any of Christian's many ex submissives. "What about Ella, your birth mother? Maybe for a middle name?"

Christian scoffed. "You want to name our baby after the crack whore? She was a neglectful prostitute. That's not exactly someone we would aspire for her to become. No, I won't allow it."

I rolled my eyes. "Well I don't know what names are safe. As far as the fifteen go I only know of Leila, Suzanna and Dawn. I don't want to pick something that's already ruined."

He ignored my eye rolling. "Just suggest things and I'll let you know if its safe."

"Isabella?"

"Pass."

So there was a Leila, a Suzanna and an Isabella.

"Emily?"

"Too common."

I raised an eyebrow. "But is it safe?"
"It's almost safe." Christian sighed with a sadness in his eyes that I forced myself to ignore.

Leila, Suzanna, Isabella and Emma, maybe? Wow, Grey liked the names ending in A. None of those then.

"Okay... Harley?"

The bed shook with his chuckles. "Like the motorcycle? Would we dress her in a little leather jacket and a skull bandana? No way."

I hadn't thought of that. "Umm... Bronwen?"

"So we're going british now?" Christian smiled. "Maybe. It's certainly safe."

"Jane? It's simple."

"Too simple."

"Hmm..." I thought for a second. "What about Josephine? It's a bit more?"

Christian nuzzled me closer. "I like it just fine, but remember we have time. Although we'd had much more time to get serious about deciding if we had the testing done. Now shut your eyes."

"Come on, I like this game." I smiled and kissed his nose.

His grey eyes glared back at me. "I don't think naming our child is a game. Get some rest before I put you over my knee."

Slightly taken aback by his threat I cuddled in close and in only minutes I felt myself drifting.

"Push, Ana!" Christian demanded, peering up from between my gowned legs.

With all my might I willed the baby out but felt nothing.

"God Dammit Anastasia, push!" He yelled.

Again I tried but there was nothing.

Grace was soon beside me brushing back hair against my sweaty forehead.

"Ana, you have to push through this, dear." Her eyes were worried.

Again I shoved with all my might but felt absolutely nothing.

Christian stared up at me his eyes fuming and his nostrils flared."If you don't fight this you'll both die!" He reached back between my legs as if he was using a tool of some kind.

Grace's loving hands wiped away at my forehead again. "Anastasia... Ana.. Oh honey. Its okay."

I awoke with a start only vaguely aware of where I was. It took me a few moments to notice that Christian was gone and the person sitting on the bed next to me touching my forehead was actually Grace. Sobs broke through my chest and I pushed my face into her lap.

"Shhh, you're okay. It was just a bad dream." Her hands rubbed across my back.

"Ohh Grace it was terrible." I choked out between the tears. "The baby was stuck and I couldn't push or do anything else to get him out. He was dying."

"Now now." She patted me and I looked up at her. " I would never let that happen to you. Your doctor wouldn't let it happen either, especially with what Christian is paying her. I know her and she is very good at what she does."

I wiped away my tears on my sleeve. "You're right."

"Of course I am." Her smile comforted me. "Now let's get you cleaned up and downstairs for dinner. Mia sent me up to get you." I sat up and realized I was drenched in sweat. "You can borrow something of Mia's. She won't mind." Grace was only gone for a minute before she brought me a pair of Mia's black leggings and a long sleeve t shirt promoting the Seattle Seahawks with a sequined logo.

"Thank you, Grace." I smiled sheepishly then stood up carefully to maintain my balance. "Where is Christian?"

Grace headed for the door. "Elliot stopped by so they went for a quick drive. They'll be back soon. He just wanted to tell Christian about his meeting in Chicago."

"Is Kate here?" I wondered aloud and Grace shook her head. I let out a sigh of relief.

I struggled to remain upright for a moment and Grace offered her hand for support which I graciously accepted. "Let me help you get changed. Lift your arms." I listened and she pulled my sweater over my head. Her eyes scanned quickly over my protruding ribcage and small baby bump. "Hands on my shoulders." She directed me and helped me shimmy out of my pencil skirt. Quickly she reversed the process and got me redressed with a small look of satisfaction on her face. "Sit." I obeyed and she pulled my loose disheveled hair into a bun on the top of my head which she secured with an elastic and a few bobby pins she'd pulled from her breast pocket.

I flushed beet red. "Thank you, Dr. Grey. I'm sorry I'm such a mess right now."

Her motherly gaze caught mine. "You're my child, Anastasia. Just like the ones I raised. It is an honor for you to let me take care of you. Come on, let's go have some dinner."

In a moment of error I stood up quickly and the room started to spin. I haphazardly dashed into the bathroom, banging my shoulder into the door and my hip into the vanity on my way. I flipped open the lid of the toilet and spit bile into it. My abdomen ached from the constant effort and there was soon a cold cloth on my forehead.

"Fuck! Mother, what's going on?" Christian asked and I felt the presence behind me change from Grace's delicate hands to Christian's firm grasp.

Grace rustled through the cabinet above the sink. "There is no reason to panic, Christian. It's been hours since she ate. We may actually be better off keeping some food in her." She set some mouth was and a fresh toothbrush on the counter before leaving.

Christian wiped my face off with the cool cloth and pulled me into an embrace. "I can't leave you alone for twenty minutes, can I?"

"No," I sighed. "I guess not. Now can you let me get ready for dinner."

He pulled me away and examined me quickly. "You still want to eat?"

I nodded and the blood ran to my cheeks.

"Well, alright." A smile played at his cheeks. "I love Mia's chicken soup, hopefully you will too."

Christian practically brushed my teeth for me with the way his hand hovered over mine. We headed downstairs taking them a half step at a time and he helped me sit at the dinner table then took the seat beside me. The whole Grey family was there. Carrick and Elliot talked about frying a turkey on the back patio for thanksgiving, Mia gossiped with Grace about the families of girls she went to school with and Christian just watched me with loving concern.

Gretchen brought out the soup and slices of still warm fresh bread for everyone. Her eyes evaluated me, gluing for a moment to the IV in my hand before Christian glared at her to leave. Hesitantly I took my first bite of soup, only the steaming broth, and it was delicious. I quickly spread some seasoned butter over my slice of bread and dipped it in the soup before tucking in more feverishly than I'd felt confident enough to do for a while.

I was half way through a rather large slice of bread before I realized that every eye in the room was on me. I flushed again and set my bread down, embarrassed by my display of gluttony.

"No, love, keep eating." Christian encouraged before dipping bread into his soup and taking an uncharacteristically large bite.

Carrick reached a hand across the table and patted gently over my IV. "We are just happy to see you getting back to yourself, thats all. We've all missed you both."

"Especially on Halloween" Mia added with a twinkle in her eye. "We hand decorated cookies to give out to the trick-or-treaters at the hospital. You know, the sick kids and the kids of the staff. It was a really great time."

I swallowed a quick bite. "Maybe next year." But I doubted next year, for me, would ever come.