Warning this chapter mentions sex and physical abuse.

****

Pedro

***

Ana has been gone a week already. I hate it. I miss her like crazy and without realizing it, I've become a different person without her here. I don't know that until Bella mentions it to me at lunch one afternoon.

"You've changed since Ana left." Bella is eating their salad as I'm picking at mine.

"I have?" Bella nods, looking grave.

"You must really miss her."

"I do."

"Have you spoken to her lately?"

"Last night."

"Has anything changed?" I shake my head, a hollow feeling spreading throughout my body.

"No. Kellan isn't retracting his statements. God, what an asshole!"

"He's only trying to get you to face him," Bella says reasonably. "So he can use whatever you do to him against you and Ana."

"No shit," I mutter. I push away my plastic container and stand up, too worked to continue sitting. I want to be with my beautiful Ana. Instead I'm stuck here, several hundred miles away.

Bella collects our trash, tossing it before catching up with me. They don't say anything. I'm grateful. I need silence. My phone buzzes and I grab it out of my back pocket. It's Ana.

"Ana! Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I think there's a possibility that I might be heading back to you soon." My mood instantly lifts.

"Really? Has Kellan backed off?"

"Yeah." Ana pauses and I don't like the silence. It's too ominous.

"Did he give you an ultimatum?"

"Not..exactly." I stop walking, turning my back towards the set, my shoulders hunched up, my body tense.

"Tell me."

"He wants me to break up with you." I swear, my heart stops beating. My lungs squeeze closed and I can't breathe.

"You won't, will you?"

"Of course not. I love you too much to do that."

"So what are you going to do?" I ask.

"What else?" Ana repiles. "Pretend to break up with you."

"You can't be serious."

"Pedro, this isn't what I want. But Kellan could make your life miserable. Mine too."

"Baby, no," I whisper, clutching my phone tightly in my hand. "Don't give in to him."

"I'll deal with him more later. Right now, the most important thing for me is getting back to you asap."

"Okay. I love you, Ana. Let me know when you're headed this way for sure."

"Oh Pedro. I love you too. And I will."

***

It's another three days before Ana arrives back in Canada. Luckily it's on a Saturday afternoon so Bella accompanies me to the airport to pick her up.

As soon as I see her there, unharmed, relief floods through me. I rush to her, grabbing her face and kissing her passion. Ana chuckles, clinging to my arms.

"Miss me?"

"Some." We lace our fingers together and I don't care if every nosy paparazzi spots us or not. I need Ana so damn much.

We head out, going to find a taxi to take us to the hotel. I want to ask questions about how things went when Ana was in New York but I don't need the driver hearing and spreading crap about her.

When we're all safely in my hotel room, Ana fills me in on her emergency trip.

"I had my agent contact my lawyer. We had a few meetings, trying to get something together to send to Kellan. It was emotionally exhausting."

I have Ana in my arms and she seems content. I kiss her forehead and she grins.

"Did you come up with anything?" I ask.

"Well, we decided to give Kellan an ultimatum. Either he shuts his big mouth or we'll sue for lying."

"You think that could work?"

"I don't know. Oh Pedro. Just hold me, please." Bella smiles, quickly excusing themselves.

"You don't have to leave," Ana says quickly. "I missed you both."

"It's cool," Bella says. "You and Pedro need to make up for lost time."

"Are you positive?" I smile. I love how Ana is just as fond of Bella as I am.

"Positive. Besides, Pedro wouldn't stop mopping around since you left."

"Is that true?" Ana asks, twisting her head around, looking into my eyes. I nod, kissing the tip her nose. She smiles.

"I'm addicted to you, Ana Delgado. You can't leave me ever again. I'll die."

"Diva much?" I chuckle, shifting her body so I can kiss her. Her expression grows troubled. I caress her cheek.

"Pedro, I'm really scared. What if Kellan ambushes us after we return home?"

"I'll beat him to a bloody pulp."

"Pedro!"

"All right, all right! I promise not to do that."

"You're my entire world Pedrito. As I'm yours. It's just...maddening dealing with this psychotic asshole, knowing that he's out there, lurking."

I hold Ana tighter. She begins kissing me, slowly working her way downward. I squirm impatiently. I can't wait a moment longer. I need to make love to her.

"Make love to me?" Ana whispers. I nod, as I slowly begin undressing her. Once she's done, she undresses me. We sit there, in our underwear, clinging desperately to one another.

"God, I really did miss you, mi amor," I murmur, holding Ana's face in my hands.

"I missed you as well. It was torture being away from you for nearly two weeks."

I grip her by the waist with one hand, slowly trailing my other down her bare thigh, watching as she writhes in pleasure. I slip my fingers between her legs and she moans, arching her back.

"Pedro?"

"Hmm?"

"I need more than just touching. I need you inside me." My mouth comes down on hers, hard.

"I know, chica. I need that as well."

****

We'd fallen asleep, tangled up together, our limbs entwined, arms wrapped around each other, our bare skin slick with sweat, sticking to one another.

When I'm awakened by a nature call, I smile as I carefully move Ana aside and slipping out from beneath her warm body.

She stirs, mumbling something incoherent but I understand my name mixed in. I lean over pressing my lips to her temple and she smiles.

I hurry in the bathroom, anxious to be back beside Ana. She stirs when I return, reaching out for me as I cradle her close.

"Everything all right?"

"I just needed to pee," I murmur, kissing her hair, which has worked itself loose from her ponytail. Ana cuddles closer, her arm wrapped securely around my middle.

"Okay."

Within minutes, I hear her slow, even breathing and know Ana's fallen back asleep. I check my phone. It's nearly six in the evening. We really should get up. My stomach suddenly growls, reminding me that I haven't eaten since breakfast.

I carefully move Ana again and go see if I can find the room service menu. I know Ana will be hungry when she does wake up. I search the menu for a few minutes, finally deciding on pizza, wine and some fresh strawberries for dessert.

I quickly call in the order and by the time it's arrived, I've managed to rouse Ana, telling her food is here.

"Wow. Looks delicious." Ana stifles a yawn, grabbing a strawberry and taking a bite.

"Thanks. I knew you'd be hungry."

"Yeah. I think the last time I ate was yesterday?"

"What?" I look at her. Damn Kellan. They're split up and he's still ruining her life.

"You're not going to freak out about that, are you?" Ana narrows her eyes at me and I swallow down a nasty retort. I have to keep in mind: this isn't her fault.

"No. I'm sorry, mi amor."

"I know." Ana sighs, reaching for the glass of wine I'd poured her before I'd woken her up.

"I'm not happy with this shit, either. It sucks. But I'm more concerned with what Kellan could do to you."

"He can't touch me," I snap. "I'll hire the best lawyers money can buy. I'll end up making him look like a monkey at the circus."

"I know that as well. I just...I don't want to get dragged into court over some little tiff with my ex boyfriend."

"He beat you, Ana," I say quietly. "That's assault, which is illegal. He deserves to be put in prison."

"Can we not discuss this anymore?" I clamp down on tongue with my teeth. Rage swirls within me. I want to continue trying to convince Ana that Kellan needs to be locked up.

"All right." Ana nods, sipping her wine, swirling it in the glass, her eyes staring through me.

"I just wanted to try and understand why, Ana," I can't resist adding. She doesn't reply. I've probably pushed too far.

"I'm sorry."

"Pedro, look. I know you mean well. But I can't keep having this damn, pointless conversation."

"I..know. I just hate the thought of that asshole pounding on you."

"It wasn't exactly a picnic." Ana smiles, leaning over to grab my hand. I relax.

"At least you're taking action on this," I say. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks. Besides I kinda like the idea of making Kellan sweat some."

"He deserves more than that," I mutter. Ana ignores that, while reaching for some pizza.

"Let's just enjoy this wonderful time together and forget about Kellan."

"You're right. We should do that."

"Of course." Ana smiles. "Because I'm always right."

***

When it's time to return to work Monday morning, it's a fantastic feeling, knowing that Ana will be there, just like she belongs.

"Have you acted before?" We're about to film a crowd scene and the director is a few people short. He immediately asked Ana if she was interested.

"A little," Ana replies.

"Interested in working alongside your boyfriend?"

"What will I need to do?" Ana asks. I can see she's considering it.

"We'll be filming a scene where some infected are chasing after some of the people outside of the commune."

"So...I'd need to act like I'm terrified?" Ana asks, smirking. The director nods.

"All right. I'll give it a shot."

"Great! Just go join the crowd over there by the fence." I grin, giving Ana a quick kiss.

"Good luck, baby."

"I don't need luck!" Ana tilts her head up, nose in the air, looking cocky. "I'm a natural!"

I laugh as I walk away, shaking my head. Ana truly is one of a kind.

***

"Man, I'm beat!" I flop down on the hotel room bed, still fully dressed, grabbing a pillow and close my eyes.

"You had a busy day, chico." Ana comes to join me, cuddling against my body. I smile, opening my eyes and just admiring her.

"As did you. Running for your life from...zombies!" Ana laughs, poking me in the side.

"Ow!"

"Oh don't be such a drama king. I barely touched you!"

"You're mean." I pout and Ana shakes her head, looking unimpressed.

"I'm gonna jump in the shower quick. Wanna join?"

"Hell yeah." We get off the bed and head into the bathroom, stripping along the way. Ana adjusts the water temperature and we step under the hot spray, crowding together.

I grab some body wash and open it, dumping some into my hands before I begin lathering up Ana's slick, wet body.

She giggles, shifting around as I get all of her. She grabs the bottle from me and begins lathering up my body. We rinse off. For a moment, I just enjoy the feeling of hot water on my aching muscles.

"You're awfully tense," Ana says, massaging my aching shoulders. I close my eyes, just enjoying the feeling of Ana's hands kneading my shoulders.

"Gosh, I can't imagine why," I joke. Ana laughs, leaning against my back, wrapping her arms around me. We both stand underneath the hot water.

"Fighting zombies is hard work," I murmur.

"No shit, chico." We stay in a few more minutes before getting out. I find a big, white fluffy towel, gently wrapping Ana within it's folds before wrapping myself in one. We go into the bedroom and get dressed for bed.

Once that's done, we curl up together underneath the blankets, just holding each other.

"I'm really happy that I decided to come," Ana murmurs sleepily.

"I am as well. The days don't seem as long."

"Was it like that during the first season shoot?"

"Not really. But everything was fresh and new. Plus I'd just met Bella."

"Well. I'm happy that I can be helpful this time around." I press my lips to hers. Ana's gaze turns serious. Is she thinking about Kellan? I don't dare ask. Everything is going too damn wl right now. So I just keep it simple.

"Me too."