RPOV
"What's wrong, Rose?" asked an extremely worried Dimitri when I walked in for our first training since the attack... and the cabin. God that had been beyond words, but I was now paying for it.
I swallowed and forced myself to speak. "I'm pregnant," I blurted. I hadn't needed to do a test, I had all the symptoms.
He stared at me in confusion. "How far in? A foetus shouldn't have survived the attack and rescue mission."
I'll admit, as uncertain as I was about keeping it I already considered the baby growing inside me as exactly that, a baby I love. I knew this pregnancy was as odd and fast as Bella's from Twilight. Though god knew why. I was three weeks in from conception, but my fear-borne research told me I was five— closer to six— months in. I had no choice but to come full term. Because of that, it stung hearing Dimitri coolly call our baby 'a foetus'.
"I'm only a week late," I confessed, "but this is our doing." I brought his hand up to my much expanded waist. At the touch of his hand, the baby moved. "This is your doing, Dimitri. You're the only one. And I don't know why or how he or she survived, but he or she did. It's been three weeks since we sealed the deal, but I'm close to six months pregnant already."
I'd spent two and a bit weeks locked away in my room, only coming out for lunch. Lissa had kept me in supply of snacks and had taken care of breakfasts and dinners. I knew she suspected I was pregnant but didn't want to push me on the matter as she didn't know who would get me pregnant. She didn't believe I would forget to be safe if I'd had sex with someone... she couldn't fathom that I'd even have sex for the first time and not tell her.
Dimitri didn't remove his hands from where our baby was fluttering in my tummy as his calculating look fell into place. "I need to get us out of here for at least three weeks," he told me decisively, wearing a concerned, loving, determined expression.
"Wh- what?" I so wasn't following his logic.
"Rose, you're showing too much already. It's not safe for you or our baby to stay here. You can't afford to deliver on campus, Roza."
"I can't afford to disappear for three weeks and return to campus with a baby," I retorted. He turned speculative again while wrapping his arms around me.
"Here's what I was thinking, if you take this the right way. We road trip to Vegas and get married, you deliver and then I 'adopt' with you."
"Because you can't be recognised otherwise and a single dhampir can't adopt..." I for once mused things over instead of impulsively exploding. I blame hormones! "And there's no way I'll be allowed to graduate and be a guardian— let alone Lissa's— if I've already got a baby." Stupid societal structure.
"What do you think, Rose?"
"You aren't just marrying me to cover are you? Or just because you got me pregnant?"
He dared to chuckle. "No. I'd been considering proposing in front of everyone at graduation. One knee, ring and a gorgeous and promised you."
"You'd've been arrested!" I cried in shock.
"Nothing they could do. Any one of them could try pressing charges—"
"But they wouldn't succeed because I would refuse," I laughed, catching on. "But what makes you so certain I'd say yes?"
"You love me and don't care about social conventions, what others think. Even if you made me wait a decade, I'd still get a yes and I Do from you."
"Screw you!" I teased.
His eyes lit up. "Is that a yes?"
"What about my one knee and grand speech?"
"You want one knee and a grand speech? I'll give you one knee and a grand speech," he teased before dropping to one knee. "Rose Hathaway, I promise to love you for the rest of forever. I will do all in my power to protect you and our family. I promise to make sure you always have competition for the most badass guardian. And I promise you will always be my goddess. Miss Rosemarie Hathaway, will you 'make an honest man of me' and become my perfect wife?"
Tears dripped down my face. "Who knew you could be so sappy? Yes. I love you. Yes."
He smiled so bright it was like he was a kid who'd just been told Christmas, Easter and his birthday were coming early and all at once. He kissed me cautiously but deeply. "I love you, Roza. I'll see you soon– after I get us out."
Three long and painful days later we were in Vegas. Dimitri pulled into a hotel not on the glitter strip. It was nice, classy but not overdone or overpriced. After checking in— with a receptionist who seemed to have seen more dramatic and age-gap-inappropriate couples— we dropped our tiny bags in our nice, clean room. Then we quickly showered and changed, I hurried some light make-up that Dimitri wasn't hesitant to tell me that I didn't need, and we headed back out. He'd booked us in ahead and we had just enough time to find my engagement ring and our wedding bands before we had to meet with the celebrant and say I Do.
Dimitri might not have had the contacts to get me into Victor's trial, but he did know how to pull off this wedding. I'd always known he'd never let me down, and this was no exception.
"Well Mrs Belikov, how about room service?" asked Dimitri between kisses. We were lounging on the couch in the heated living room, me in my maternity undies and bra, bump on full show, Dimitri shirtless, TV on and final snow falling for the winter outside.
"If you quit making me feel ancient."
"You mean grown up," he teased. "I love you, Mrs Belikov."
"Get that room service ordered before I throttle you," I growled playfully and pushed him off the couch. We laughed and he left to find the menu and phone.
The next night we found ourselves in a little apartment in Ventura, Cali. This was where we'd be hiding for another sixteen days... or more, depending. We had so much to buy, but we still couldn't buy too much.
We stuck to the absolute essentials when we spent the next week buying stuff. Our top priority was the car seat and capsule— and having it properly installed. Then came the port-a-cot and two changes of clothes. On day two we prioritised sorting out the diaper bag. Day three was bottles, formula, another two changes of clothes and bibs. Day four was focused on a basinet and other absolute essentials. I was ready to pop on the fifth day of shopping, making sure I had a hospital bag ready. I couldn't believe just how tender and well... sheltering and overprotective my husband was.
We had a temporary set up by day six. And that was when I went into labour. Contractions ripped through me at midnight, shaking me from my fitful sleep, and sent Dimitri into a controlled frenzy to get me to the hospital.
Six hours later it was over. My little Belikov daughter cried the most beautiful, precious and vulnerable little cry at sunrise. She was so beautiful and healthy, and she was all mine... and Dimitri's, but I considered him as a part of me, so same diff.
"She's got your face, Roza," murmured Dimitri as he held her for the first time.
"But your hair. It's going to be as straight and light as yours."
"I wouldn't bank on it," he teased. "It may be my lightness now, but it can always get darker. And I say she's got your waves. She's got some of my face shape... but mainly yours." He was safely cradling her to him while pacing around the maternity room and studying her so intently I was nearly jealous.
"She's got your natural tan," I sighed and laid back on the uncomfortable hospital bed.
He scoffed playfully. "She's got your inside-of-an-almond tan, Rose."
"Let's just agree she's beautiful and going to be a heartbreaker—"
"Just like her mother."
Her cry moments later meant it was time to see if she needed changing or feeding. It turned out she was hungry... and wouldn't be getting a decent feed from me yet. Still, it didn't stop her trying.
She went back to sleep after burping and changing. And Dimitri and I decided it was time to name her. We had paperwork to push through in both the Moroi and human worlds, so it was best to get started now. We ended up with Brigitta Lissa Belikov. And my mother was going to have a heart attack when she finally found out.
I was released two days later, and Brigitta was already developed to about two weeks. Concerns had been raised by the human doctors. All we could do was lay low for the remaining week.
Brigitta was a lot of work; between feeding, sleeping, changing, and demanding cuddles instead of doing her tummy time I was exhausted. As was Dimitri. When we forced Brigitta into her tummy time she actually didn't mind it too much. I tended to watch from the couch while Dimitri made our meals and her bottle and had the TV on softly in the background. Yes, we were already mix feeding her, but what other choice did we have as guardians and with my graduation just around the corner? We slowly started to fall into a routine with her, and it hurt to know returning to the Academy was going to upset it.
Her birth certificate arrived the day before we set off to return to the Academy. I couldn't be more proud seeing Dimitri's name and details in the father's info section.
The only thing that made me happier was when the call came two days later that Dimitri's application to be recognised as Brigitta's 'adoptive'/ 'step' father had been approved. Our marriage and parent status had been accepted... No doubt begrudgingly and with inquiries being held back at St Vlad's, but accepted nonetheless. I smiled contentedly as I watched my daughter sleeping on my chest. She had fallen asleep mid-feed and while Dimitri had been out bare-basics grocery shopping. Mission accomplished, I thought happily. At least someone's future was secure.
"What has you so happy?" my husband asked softly and teasingly as he entered our motel room.
"Gimme a kiss and I'll tell you," I bargained.
He didn't need to be told once, let alone twice. I got my demanded kiss. "Now tell me."
"I got the call from Guardian and Moroi councils that you've been recognised as her father and my husband."
"I would say that warrants champagne... but with Brigitta and all."
"Don't worry about it. I'm not."
"Have I told you lately how beautiful you are? Especially while feeding Brigitta?" Dimitri asked while arranging our food for the night.
"Free boob pass?" I teased.
"I wouldn't be so vulgar."
"I never said you were."
"As nice as seeing your curves is, it's the miracle that is her and the heartwarming sight of how naturally you've adapted to motherhood that really gets to me." Dimitri joined me on the bed and pecked our little girl's cheek.
"You really think I'm a good Mom?"
Dimitri looked at me in shock. "Of course, Roza. I can't imagine anyone else being her mother."
"That's not what I asked."
He sighed. "Rose, honey, when you love it's with all you have in you, and you protect and defend those you love. It's what sets you apart as a guardian, and it's that instinct that is making you an amazing Mom. Is this fear stemming from what Janine said over Christmas?" He looked at me with such confidence and concern I found myself crying and nodding. "Roza." His arms wrapped around me protectively and he whispered in Russian in my ear until I calmed.
I sat next to Brigitta for the next leg of the drive home, tending to her when needed and playing with her. Given, she spent most of the time sleeping. But that didn't mean it was an uneventful journey. She could be as demanding as me and I was beginning to understand why Mom got so frustrated with me. That said, I was determined to learn restraint so Brig and I didn't end up as distant. I also wasn't going to simply dump her on an Academy's door step and leave her to only know of me and Dimitri, not know us.
"Rose, Belikov," Emil addressed when we reached the front gates the following day and he checked the car, "Petrov and Kirova want to see you immediately in Kirova's office. And this cutie. What's her name?"
"Brigitta Lissa Belikov," I announced proudly while caressing her little forearm.
"What? No Hathaway?"
I laughed. "No, Emil. No Hathaway."
He grinned then let us through.
I removed the capsule with her sleeping in it and carried her through campus proudly. Dimitri was beside me, carrying her diaper bag. Being the start of lunch our return was attracting stares and whispers. Lissa and Christian approached us purposely, with Adrian and Eddie in tow. I finally opened myself up to the bond. Lissa was both relieved and furious as we headed to Kirova's office.
"How could you disappear on me and come back with a baby?" she demanded. 'She's cute by the way and looks just like Dimitri.'
I laughed quietly while Adrian hissed at Dimitri, "Now you've done it, cradle robber."
'She is Dimitri's!' The realisation hit Lissa like a ton of bricks as Dimitri knocked on Kirova's door.
"Yup," I confirmed and Dimitri looked at us knowingly, then at Brigitta lovingly.
"You really didn't need to bring an entourage," Kirova bitched then noticed the capsule I was carrying and the now awake and crying baby therein. I set the capsule on the closest seat and pulled Brig out and into my arms. A couple of gentle rocks in a silent room with the only sound being my cooing sent her back to sleep. A proud and indulgent smile graced my lips. I noticed Dimitri was wearing his own proud smile and it caused my heart to race.
"You've pulled some stunts in your time, Rose, but this is by far the most extreme and the least expected," said Kirova.
"It wasn't a stunt," I defended quietly.
"Then what do you call getting pregnant and marrying your mentor?" demanded Alberta. She shot Dimitri a 'we're talking about this in more detail later' look. Then she sent it my way.
"Belikov, you've done some extreme things to protect her this year but I don't understand this," commented Kirova as I shifted my hold of Brig.
Dimitri shrugged. "I love her," he said simply as he slid an arm around my waist.
All other jaws in the room dropped... including Adrian's; Adrian clearly wasn't expecting Dimitri to admit it so easily, so readily. Our love was our biggest, most painful but most rewarding secret.
"What?" Kirova broke the silence.
"I married Rose because I love her with all I have in me."
"Rose?" enquired Alberta.
I smiled up at Dimitri before answering honestly. "He's my world."
The room lapsed into silence and Dimitri took our daughter from me. She woke and started gurgling and babbling sweetly. "She should be due for a feed," Dimitri said pointedly.
"You might want to make her a bottle," I returned. I wasn't feeding in a meeting such as this, in front of so many. "She drained me last time," I admitted. Her appetite was beyond impressive. The others were trying not to hear what we were talking about.
"Do you want to hold her, Aunty Lissa?" Dimitri asked. She grinned and nodded excitedly. He handed her over carefully— and reluctantly, until now she'd only been in our arms.
"What's her name, Rose?" she asked as she sat with her, scared shitless of dropping her.
"Brigitta Lissa Belikov," Dimitri responded before stepping through the door.
"You stole my idea," she teased.
"I did not."
"I really am honoured, Rose."
Janine'sPOV
I walked into Rose's before school training with Belikov just as she'd requested. What I saw caused me to do a double take. Belikov was sitting against the store room wall while Rose stretched in front of him, cooing... I mean actually cooing to something in-between them.
"She's a good alarm clock," Rose laughed while flicking her eyes up to Belikov.
"She isn't an alarm clock, Rose. She keeps us up all night," Belikov teased lightly. And I mean teased.
"And yet I now actually want to get up in the mornings."
Belikov laughed with an indulgent look on his face. And then I heard a baby babble in response.
"Rose? Belikov? You wanted to see me?" I interrupted. Rose pulled the baby onto her lap after coming out of her stretch. She seemed about a month old, and to my absolute shock, looked like a mini Belikov. Little did I know.
"Yeah, we did. You might want to sit, Mom." I sat and the little girl looked at me, then up at Rose adoringly and almost quizzically. "Yes Brigitta, she's your grandma."
"Rose? Grandma? I-I'm a grandma?" Shock coursed through me as I looked at the bundle in Rose's arms. Then disappointment. She'd given up her career before she'd started it. I couldn't believe her. After all the effort she'd put in, after all the sacrifices Belikov made.
"Mom," Rose turned unusually pleading. "I know you've got to be disappointed in me, and you're likely ashamed of me, but if you're worried about my future you don't need to be."
"Rose! No one's going to want a graduate with a baby. And they're certainly not going to assign you to the Princess with this disgrace."
Rose flinched and the baby cried. I immediately realised how harsh and callous my words were and my tone was.
"My future isn't ruined, Mom. I'm not in this alone."
That was when Belikov spoke. "She really isn't alone, Guardian Hathaway." He was far too formal for my liking and an ominous feeling swept through me when he took the baby and Rose into his arms. "They have me." He took a deep breath and the next few words changed everything I thought I knew about my daughter. "Rose is my wife and Brigitta is our daughter."
I stared in disbelief, completely numb, then fury lit a fire in my veins; I clenched my jaw and all my muscles locked up so I didn't lash out with a newborn in the room. Then I eventually did the math... and they hadn't known each other long enough for Rose to get pregnant with his supposed-to-be-impossible baby. With that, all my energy drained out of me and into the floor.
With a sigh I finally responded. "You haven't known each other long enough," I said pointedly.
Rose and her— ew— husband shared a look. Belikov took Brigitta from his— again, ew— wife.
"I was only pregnant for just over a month. She grows incredibly quickly, but it's easing up day by day."
"C-can I hold her?" I asked nervously, not certain how mended my relationship with my daughter was. "Can I hold my g-grandchild?" I mainly only had these baby days memories of Rose, and they were tainted with the fear for my career and reputation I'd held. I hadn't had the first clue about about babies and children, let alone raising one.
To my delight, Rose nodded with a smile and directed Belikov to pass Brigitta to me. I nursed her as I had once held Rose. I could clearly see she had Rose's and Abe's tan. She had Belikov's shade of brown hair and eye-shape. But she had what was looking like Rose's curls and her shade of brown eyes. She was sturdy and certainly had muscle already, but she wasn't fussy about being held against the shoulder or cradled against the chest. As long as she was being cuddled she babbled and gurgled happily.
I hadn't had a clue how to raise Rose, meaning she didn't have a clue how to raise Brigitta. But Belikov did, and as long as Belikov was around she would be fine. I could already see how loving and protective of Brigitta she was, she would learn what she needed to in order to nurture Brig. She'd have the guide to child-rearing I didn't. Belikov Was still young as far as guardians went, but he had more life experience than Rose, and while I didn't like the age gap I begrudgingly accepted he was good for her. I now saw how in love they were, I could see all the signs I'd missed so far this year. What was done was done and I wanted Rose happy, so if that meant embracing Belikov as my son-in-law and that he and Rose had their own little family, that's what it meant.
"She's beautiful," I admitted. With Rose I'd believed being distanced was best for her. It had backfired on me. It was going to be hard to change my habits now, but I wouldn't repeat my mistakes with my granddaughter. I was sure to lose Rose if I did.
"Yeah, she is," Rose agreed with eyes swimming with tears of pride.
Abe'sPOV
"Janine Hathaway, what a delightful," freaking terrifying, "surprise," I smiled into the phone. She hadn't called or made contact since she'd given birth to our daughter 18 years ago. So what was different now? I wasn't supposed to come in until After Rosemarie had graduated. It was for her own safety but I had to wonder how she'd react to my appearance. She'd likely hate my guts— I know I would. "What can I do for you?"
"Ibrahim." God her Scottish accent still sent chills down my spine.
"Yes darling?" I immediately regretted it.
"Don't you 'darling' me, Ibrahim. Not after all these years." I could tell by the tone of her voice the endearment was pushing her control into non-existence.
"What do I owe this call to, Guardian Hathaway?"
"Rosemarie."
"What about her?" Something had to be wrong if she was calling about her.
I heard her gulp. "It's not exactly her, it's how she's made us grandparents."
"Who the fuck is responsible?" I growled. "She's too young! She's still a child herself." Despite all her kills I'd heard of. I wanted to rip limb-from-limb whoever had dared lay a hand on her.
Janine sighed. "Would you believe me if I said another dhampir?" What! No! Of course not.
"Of course not, Janine. It's biologically impossible."
She actually laughed, to my surprise, and it held warmth and humour. "It's impossible, I know. But I also know for a fact that another dhampir is the father, because I've met her already, I've met our granddaughter and she's gorgeous. And she is undeniably the product of two dhampir." She sounded as in love with this child as she had been with Rosemarie, but nowhere near as scared.
"She hasn't been back in Moroi society for seven months! She can't have a bloody kid."
"I've been at the Academy for a month, and Brigitta is barely five/ six weeks old but has already grown to about four months. Rose was barely pregnant for a month."
"B-Brigitta? She named our grandchild Brigitta?" Brigitta was my mother's name. And also I think one of Janine's distant cousins' name. Her favourite of them.
"Yeah, she did, but not knowingly. She's gorgeous Abe, despite the circumstances I know you'll love her. I love her. And you should see how much Rose loves her and how well she looks after her."
"Is this your way of saying 'come before graduation'?"
"Yes."
I sighed. "Tell me who the father is and I'll try to be there in the next week."
Janine laughed. "No. Meet Brigitta first then you tell me who her daddy is. I know you won't believe if I tell you right now."
"Where are you, Belikov!" I growled when I saw how obviously he was Brigitta's father.
"Don't you dare try touch my husband," Rosemarie warned, baby in arms, bottle in said baby's mouth and said baby suckling happily.
"Don't protect him, little girl. He married a child and impregnated one– mine. I won't let him get away with it."
Rose clutched her baby closer to her chest and backed away to sit on the bed that lived in this old cabin. Tears swam in her eyes. "Go," she ordered, "I never want you near us again. Leave!" she hissed.
That stung more than she could possibly imagine. Janine looked torn between whose side to take.
"Ibrahim, I suggest you return to guest housing until you and Rose have calmed down. I've already dealt with Belikov, so don't think of doing something stupid in the meantime."
"Janine?" I whispered in shock and pain when she sat on the bed beside our daughter.
Her own brown eyes cut into mine dangerously. "I won't lose my granddaughter. Go, Mazur, before I call Petrov." Janine took Brigitta from a shaky Rosemarie and literally turned her back toward me as she comforted our baby girl.
With that cold shoulder I took my cue to leave.
Belikov walked past me towards his wife in the cabin. It took all I had in me not to do anything more than glare at the guardian who'd taken away the childhood and innocence of my child and made her have one.
"Mr Mazur?" he asked formally. Don't seem so damn proper! You! You! You– I couldn't bring myself to even think the word. He didn't seem the type. Then again, they never do!
"Belikov." Okay, even I admit the growl was harsh and unexpected. If the father of my grandchild was phased he certainly didn't show it.
"Yes?" he asked with a raised brow. Okay, he knew I was mad at him and his questioning expression only fuelled my anger more.
"Stay away from Rosemarie, Belikov."
"Who are you to tell me to stay away from my wife? I'm the one who should be telling you to keep out of my family's business." His eyes narrowed into challenging slits.
"I thought you knew not to mess with me. I swear to god, you touch her again and what I did to Randall will seem like nothing."
"She's eighteen, Mazur, and you have no say in her life. As long as she loves me and wants me, I'm right by her side. As long as she wants me in our child's life, then I'm helping her. I didn't force her into having Brig, not that it's any of your business anyway."
"You're trying your luck!"
Belikov didn't cower. In fact, he stood straighter and strode towards me. Why did he have to be three inches taller? "So. Are. You. You forget, I did the initial damage to that bastard. For my wife and child I won't hesitate to do it to you then feed you to Strigoi— if I haven't already 'accidentally' killed you. Then I'll take Rose and Brig and run."
I looked him in the eye. "You can take them and run, but you'll never be able to hide from me." I didn't want to admit it to myself, but his threat did scare me a little. He was willing to risk his life to keep me from my daughter— and he didn't even know she was.
"You've hurt her once by never being in her life, I won't let you hurt her again, let alone hurt MY daughter. You have no right to claim to be her father."
And with that, he sharply turned and walked away. He figured it out. He figured how I was related to Rose... But how had he? An annoying little voice chimed, 'Look in the mirror, stupid.'