Coming Home to You (VA - Romitri)

Chapter 37 - Final Chapter: Rose POV

The final chapter you guys!!!! A wee bit early. Enjoy! Thanks for reading, voting, commenting, sharing, etc. It means a lot!

PS - I am sorry to say that i won't be writing the planned sequels to Coming Home to You or No One Ever Looks Up. I'm not really in the Vampire Academy fandom anymore, much as I love Vampire Academy, and I have too many demands on my time just now to do them justice.

If any of you are interested in writing a sequel / follow-up to either or both of these, PM me. I would be happy to chat about it and/or beta. Please also send me a link when you publish, and I'll link to it here and on the other sites this is crossposted on.

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After Dimitri and I crushed my – no, our – trial, Alberta whisked me away to clean up. Dimitri tried to follow, but Art intercepted him and, with the help of Yuri and Emil, dragged him off in the opposite direction. He shrugged at me as they pulled him along, and I just laughed and waved him on. I trusted Alberta and Art – they clearly had some plan, and they just as clearly weren't about to tell us about it. I was too tired to put up much protest; we'd find out soon enough.

After luxuriating in a positively decadent bath, I emerged from Alberta's bathroom to find a gorgeous dress waiting on the bed. I gasped, reaching out to run my fingers along the silky fabric without even realizing what I was doing.

Alberta chuckled softly, and I spun to face her. "Is this... for me?" I whispered.

She grinned. "Come, now, Rose, did you really think I'd let you get marked wearing any old thing?"

My attention was caught by that one all-important word. "Marked?"

"You passed your trial with flying colors, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you!" Janine stood up from her chair in the corner, and I jumped.

"Mom! Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry." She didn't sound sorry.

I tried to pout, but ended up laughing instead as she bounded over to me and pulled me into her arms for a fierce hug.

"Now, let's get you dressed."

I got my promise mark after all – which hurt. But that was okay. Dimitri held my hand, and when it was done took my place in front of the tattooist.

"Dimitri?" I asked, puzzled. "What are you doing? You've already got your mark."

He smiled gently at me. "Yes, but they're adding something extra. You've got one too," he added helpfully – although, not all that helpfully, since I couldn't see it under the bandage. I craned my head around anyway, which brought a rich chuckle rumbling from deep in his chest. "You can watch them put it on me," he suggested gently, eyes twinkling.

I moved behind him, watching the strange mark emerge under the steady hands of the tattooist. "I've never seen this mark before," I said wonderingly, tracing over it in the air with one finger.

"It's very rare." Alberta answered the question I was about to ask. "It marks you – both of you – as a pledged guardian pair. It will ensure that you are never separated and forced to serve different Moroi, and you will be allowed to live together, and even get married without facing the normal consequences." She smiled gently at us. "A few centuries ago, it was used more often – though, it's never been commonplace. It marks you both as those rarest of guardians who function better as a team than either does on their own. Congratulations, you two. After your performance this afternoon, there isn't anyone here who can honestly say you don't deserve it."

Stan frowned at this, but didn't object – which was pretty much a miracle, and convinced me, more than anything else could, of the honor being bestowed upon us. I let my gaze wander over the people gathered to watch our marking – a small crowd, since Alberta, Art, and Kirova had agreed that it was best to keep it as much a secret as possible. But, still. There were enough people to make the term 'crowd' necessary. And, after almost 18 years convinced I had no one... well. It was humbling. I smiled as my eye caught Lissa's and she waved excitedly while wiping away a tear with the other hand. Abe and Janine were holding hands and beaming at me. I grinned at them, feeling tears prick the corners of my own eyes. My parents are actually here – both of them. To watch my marking. I smiled at the rest of them - Olena and Vika, Christian, Eddie, Mia, Adrian and Sydney, Yuri and Emil and Celeste... And if my smile was a tad watery, well, that was alright.

And then the tattooist nodded at his work, and put a bandage over it, and Dimitri stood up off the stool, swept me into his arms, and pressed his lips to mine in a passionate kiss, all in one graceful motion. I sighed and melted into his embrace, letting the whoops and cheers and catcalls eddy and break around us, utterly uncaring.

Kirova finally brought us back to reality, repeatedly - and loudly - clearing her throat, and, laughing, sent us off to clear out the lounge we'd been staying in, and then pack our belongings for the trip to Russia.

I listened with half an ear to the excited chatter surrounding me as I cleaned. Lissa wanted to know every detail about the shopping trip. I was grateful, of course – especially since I wouldn't have to do much shopping for the baby myself – but I couldn't bring myself to care as much as she did. Luckily, I had her to do it for me. And I didn't mind the chatter. Lissa hadn't been able to go shopping herself, since she'd been maneuvering the Queen at the time, and they'd arranged to have everything shipped directly to Olena's home in Baia. She would have it all ready when Dimitri and I got there. Besides being convenient, it added an extra layer of security. This way, my name wasn't associated with it – a sensible precaution, since we had to keep this baby a secret. I didn't doubt that Lissa would remember some baffling-but-vital bit of baby paraphernalia she'd "forgotten" to put on their list, and so contrive a second shopping trip, but, so long as I didn't have to go – and I wouldn't – I didn't mind a bit.

I did have to snort a few times, as it became clear that Christian, of all people, had baby-fever the worst of all of them, and had handled the majority of the purchases. Lissa had left him with detailed instructions, of course, but he'd gone above and beyond. I was grateful to him – but that didn't mean I wouldn't tease him relentlessly about it later.

Lissa and Adrian agreed that Queen Tatiana wouldn't be a problem – she'd outmaneuvered them, of course, and insisted they tell her the truth, but they both swore that she seemed to be on our side. I couldn't quite believe it – even after her little performance at our trial – but when Abe chimed in, I had to concede. I was puzzled – she hated me, didn't she? – but grateful. Having the queen on our side would certainly make things easier.

With all of us working together, we had the room cleared out quicker than I'd thought possible. Dimitri's mad plan had actually worked – we'd come together as friends. No, more than that, I decided, watching Sydney and Adrian whack one another with pillows while Abe, Janine, and Olena cheered them on and Dimitri attempted to referee – like family.

I cupped one hand protectively over my abdomen and smiled. It took me nearly 18 years to find my family – but this baby would always have one – have us. I'd make sure of it.

"Rose!"

I grinned to myself as I went to rescue Dimitri, grabbing Lissa's arm and dragging her with me. She followed docilely as I tugged her across the room, never pausing in her chatter. Christian rolled his eyes and trailed after us, dragging the others with him.

I stumbled as a vision flared to life in my head. This was how our life would be from now on - I was certain of it, as certain as I was of my own name. There would undoubtedly be bad times, and trials - but we would weather them, and come out stronger for it. We were family, bound with bonds thicker than blood. As quick as it had appeared, the vision faded, and I looked up to meet Dimitri's warm brown eyes. Then Adrian and Sydney started talking at once, and Abe and Janine and Olena chimed in, and I laughed. I clasped Dimitri's outstretched hand in my own and let him draw me into the fray.

~The End~ <3

Update!!: : @AvrilTaylor0403 has started a sequel to this story, called Home in the Future. It can be found here: https://www.wattpad.com/story/96226428-home-in-the-future