Wounds to Bind Chapter 60 - "When you can look into the mirror and see yourself as the beautiful woman I do, then I'll know I've given you the one gift no one can ever take away." Michelle Hughes, Cherished

July 1, 2012 – APOV

We had a wonderful night at the hotel, along with breakfast in bed. Christian and I took Elliot and Kate to the airport and happily waved goodbye to them. Then I burst into tears; which I could not stop.

"No, you're not okay," Christian argued with me. "You are going to do what I tell you to do. We're going to have a hot bath and nibble on some dark chocolate. Then I'm going to give you a full body massage. With any luck you are going to take a nap. We'll eat a good dinner and drink some wine. What you're feeling is the release of six months of wedding stress, and the Jack Hyde and Elena Lincoln stress you've had bottled up for a year. It's like a sub drop. I know you don't want to hear that…but I'll take care of you and get you through this." He held me in his arms and let me sob until I was spent.

July 2, 2012 - APOV

"Ethan," I kissed him on the cheek. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Windfalls from tilting at windmills," he whispered.

"We wanted to take you to lunch today at Sky City. Both of you were awarded money from the SEC for the Hyde case and Miss Steele for the Lincoln case. The award money was made payable to our law firm. We took our 25% and wrote checks to you for your shares." Lander poured champagne and Rochelle passed us envelopes. "You need to keep one-quarter of that for taxes, otherwise, enjoy." The waiter came to take our orders.

I looked at the two checks in my envelope: $75K for Lincoln; $40K for Hyde. "What am I going to do with $115,000?" I thought. "Bank $30K for taxes. Pay off my student loans at $20K; should I invest, or buy a house? OHHHH, I can invest in Steele Woodworks and in Precious Pomsky!" I almost laughed aloud. "What are you doing with your money?" I asked Ethan.

"Saving for buying into a partnership somewhere," he grinned. "I have one more year of classes before I have my master's degree. I need to think about settling down. There's this woman…" He saw my face and laughed. "I'm still with Mia. She's very busy with her event planning business, but we are committed to exploring a long-term relationship with one another."

"What shall we have?" I looked at the menu.

"Unexpected guests, I wager," Ethan nudged me. "Christian just walked in with Mia and two women."

Christian saw us and froze. Ros said something to the blonde and they both waved at me.

"Mr. Grey," our attorney was on his feet and headed toward Christian. A conversation ensued…and eventually a waiter came to add another table to ours, and signaled for Christian, et al, to join us.

"Hello," he kissed my cheek before whispering in my ear, "I swear this is a coincidence." He pulled out the blonde's chair and then Ros's before sitting beside me.

"Everyone, this is my second in command, Ros Bailey and her partner Gwen Drake. Ros and Gwen, this is my girlfriend, Anastasia Steele, my sister Mia Grey and my sister-in-law Kate's brother, Ethan Kavanagh."

Ethan took the introductions from there. "Christian, Mia, Ros and Gwen, these are Ana and my lawyers, Lander Davenport and Rochelle Gardener."

"We were taking them for a celebratory lunch after the conclusion of the Hyde and Lincoln SEC case," Lander said.

"I was taking Ros and Gwen to lunch for Ros's birthday," Christian said. "I always bring her here for her lunch celebration. Mia helped me coordinate Ros's birthday."

"Well then," Ethan said, "That makes this a two bottles of champagne lunch." He signaled for the waiter to come over. "Another bottle of the Dom, please," he ordered. "When you bring it back, we'll be ready to order."

XX

Ros picked up her glass, "One final toast…to Gwen Drake who agreed to marry me this morning." Gwen is suddenly sporting a two-carat Ascher cut solitaire engagement ring. It is lovely. Gwen circles the table at Ros's insistence to show it to all of us. She pauses longest with Mia, asking her to be their wedding planner.

"Gwen wants a destination wedding, with a month-long honeymoon," Ros said, giving Christian fair warning she's about to skip out of the country and out of cell range. "When we get back from our honeymoon, she's going to start work on that day care center behind Grey Annex. I have to marry the girl, she's knocked up."

"Congratulations," I hug both Ros and Gwen.

I have no tolerance for alcohol and I've had three less-than-half glasses of champagne. I excuse myself and go to the powder room. I'm wearing the white dress from Christmas with white heels. I drop the dress and take a quick selfie, emailing Christian a picture of my white lace strapless bra and lace panties. "It's just Ana…drunk dialing you…again." I text to Christian with my selfie.

Immediately I get a text back. "PUT YOUR CLOTHES ON AND GET YOUR ASS BACK TO THE TABLE."

Immediately I reply, "Am I in trouble, SIR?"

Immediately I get a reply back… "Oh you have no idea Miss Steele…you are at five spanks…one for the underwear selfie and one for your smart mouth…and three for each glass of champagne…and you will get one for every minute that you delay in the bathroom. You've got five minutes…better move it!"

"Control freak," I text back and scramble to put on my clothes.

A/N

I know the SEC does not pay award money within a few weeks of convictions. I needed literary license to advance the story to the end. Well…the end as far as I'm going to take it.

Epilogue:

July 2012

Ana moves in with Christian after Kate and Elliot's wedding. He asks Ray for Ana's hand in marriage the day of Kate and Elliot's wedding. Which means Ray won the bet...which was that Laura had to set a date for their wedding.

Ros and Gwen get married in Hawaii, July 15, 2012 during a late night videoconference with Christian and Ana. Gwen's pregnant with twins… Rhys and Remington. Their last name will be Bailey-Drake. The Grey Child Care Center will open before the school year 2012 and it will be used by Grey House, Grey Annex and Grey subsidiary employees. Grace will be on the board of directors. Rhys and Remington will be born January, 2013.

José moves into Ana's condo with one of Elliot's workers. He meets the love of his life during the art exhibit in August.

September 10, 2012

Christian proposes quite romantically after taking Ana soaring for her 24th birthday, September 10. Christian soars over a field where wildflowers are laid out asking "Will you be my forever more?"

Christian and Anastasia will elope on September 30, 2012. They marry onboard a yacht at sea with 100 guests who are mostly family and close friends. Everyone is flown to and from the yacht via Charlie Tango or other helicopters. Everyone is told to wear white or blue clothes for a yacht party.

Oh yeah… Carla was a misery guts since she didn't get invited to Kate's wedding. As a matter of fact, she doesn't know Ana and Christian are engaged; let alone getting married until the helicopter sets down on the helipad of the yacht and Elliot escorts Carla and Bob to chairs of honor; where Mia pins on corsage and boutonniere. Carla thinks they are there for an engagement party…but then so does everyone else who are also wearing white and blue seafaring clothes. Ray threatens Carla with keelhauling if she objects to the wedding. He walks Ana down the aisle and sits next to Laura who is seated in the same row as Carla and Bob.

Ana wears a simple white lace sundress; Christian wears white linen pants and a linen shirt. Their flowers are white roses. Kate and Elliot, and Mia and Ethan are their attendants. They all wear casual clothes in ocean blue.

After a lovely ceremony at sea; two hours of feasting, libations and dancing ensues. At the end of the father-daughter dance, Ana reveals she has the pleasure of announcing the engagement of Laura Dennison and Raymond Steele. At the end of the reception; Carla and Bob are flown back to Boeing Field where Taylor puts them on the GEH corporate jet and sends them home to Savannah as the sun sets.

October, 2012

Our favorite couple spend a month sailing from port to port in Europe and the Mediterranean. Ana will get half a dozen stamps in her passport including the UK. Her wedding present to Christian is the sun-ray picture which he immediately hangs in his home office at Escala. And…Christian explains very carefully to Ana that "all my worldly goods I thee endow" means he gets to buy lingerie, clothes, cars, electronics, houses and "kinky fuckery toys" and she doesn't protest.

José takes great pleasure in taking candid pictures at Ana's wedding, and is one of two guys who fall overboard trying to catch the garter!

November 2012

Jack Hyde, in prison for pleading guilty for the SEC charges, is found guilty of two counts of attempted murder in the sabotage of Charlie Tango, identity theft, flight to avoid prosecution, 50 counts of cybercrimes and 28 counts of sexual assault and harassment of previous SIP interns. The judge sentences him to the maximum punishment; 35 years to life. He must serve 35 years before he is eligible for parole.

He spends January, 2013 in solitary confinement because inmates give him a beat down for being a rapist just minutes after they depart the bus at the prison. He is moved to maximum security for the duration of his stay at Clallam Bay.

December 2012

Christian buys Ana a house on the sound for Christmas. Renovations are done by Grey Construction and are finished by June 1, when Ana and Christian can move in.

Elena gets into a fight with three women in her work unit. She is angry when she reads about Christian and Ana marrying and buying a house on the Sound. She spends January 2013 in solitary and is moved to medium security in February. Before June, 2013; she is incarcerated in max security at Gig Harbor. She has to serve 25 years of 'good time' before she can apply for parole.

February, 2013

Shawn and Harley get married in Rio in the "biggest gay fuchsia and lemon" wedding during Carnival. 2013. Ana and Christian are in attendance – in a yacht at sea with a helipad to get them to and from the wedding ceremony without kidnap and ransom threats.

June, 2013

Ray and Laura have a lovely destination wedding in Alaska. Ana plays fur mommy for the Pomsky business while Ray and Laura are on their honeymoon. Ana gets a Pomsky puppy which she names Tannaraq – which means granddaughter of the tundra. 'Raq' is photographed quite often with Ana; their blue eyes quietly observing the world. The popularity of Ana and Raq is good press for Precious Pomsky. Laura buys two more sets of Pomsky puppies and is on her way to building a good business.

September 2013

Taylor and Gail get married before school starts in 2013 and move into staff housing at the Sound. Ana gives her white wicker furniture (which has been in storage) to Taylor for Sophie. When Sophie turns 14 – she chooses to live with Jason and Gail. She will finish high school and college, living with her dad and new mom. She adores Teddy and is a steady babysitter for the Greys.

Christian flies Ana to Paris for their one-year anniversary.

June 2014

Christian carries a one-month-old Teddy down the aisle as he is the 'ring bearer' for his Auntie Mia. Kate carries a one-month-old Ava down the aisle as she is the 'flower girl' for her Uncle Ethan's wedding. Eamon, Carrick and Christian offer the couple $5 million to elope – which Ethan and Mia negotiate into a house, a practice for Ethan and a destination wedding for 30 people at a chateau in Nice, France. The wedding colors were lavender, silver and navy. Everyone wears navy except for Teddy who wears a silver tuxedo and Ava who wears a lavender dress. Mia's attendants are Frannie, Alice and Meg. Ethan's attendants are Edward, Mitch and Theo. Mia wore a Christian Dior wedding gown and the wedding flowers are sterling roses. The couple married in the lush garden on the grounds of the chateau and the reception was held on the courtyard of the chateau. Mia and Ethan spent twenty days at the chateau, visiting Paris and the French Riviera.

Before 2020

Frannie and Theo will get six great-grandbabies before the sun sets on 2020. Christian and Ana have Teddy and Phoebe. Elliot and Kate have Ava and Adam. Mia and Ethan have Tobias and Sarah.

Ray and Laura teach Teddy and Phoebe how to fish when they visit their grandparents. They see Teddy and Phoebe at least once every other month since their birth.

Bob retires. He and Carla move to Phoenix, Arizona. They buy a condo on a golf course. They are busy entertaining and living lives and are mostly absent grandparents.

Carrick and Grace both retire in 2020. Carrick continues as the lawyer of record for Coping Together and for Grey House as needed. Grace continues her charity work. She is on the board for Grey Childcare. She works free immunization clinics for needy children in Seattle. The entire family continues to support the Northwest rummage sale.

They are thrilled to grandparent the six-pack of grandchildren. Carrick teaches them to swim; Grace patches up boo-boos; and they take the grandchildren sailing as often as they can.