Hello. This is just a one shot I wrote and I just want to know what you think of it. So please review. Thank you!
" So I put one foot front of the other,
No no no nothing's gonna break my stride,
I keep climbing,
Gonna keep fighting,
Until I make it to the other side of down. "
David Archuleta, The Other Side Of Down
There's always going to be one point in your life where you do something so stupid that you'll regret later on.
Well, I made that mistake. I made the mistake of getting drunk one night, stupidly having sex with an equally drunk Jesse and got pregnant. But I never regretted it.
Okay, lie. I regretted it for the first nine months. I hated to fact that I practically had to carry a pail with me everywhere because I was a walking vomit machine. I hated the fact that I couldn't do anything because there's a baby in my belly and I didn't want to harm it. Mostly, I hated the fact of raising the baby alone. Sure, I had Lissa and that monkey Christian. I even had Adrian and Eddie too. I had Dimitri as well. But it isn't the same.
I graduated as Lissa's part time guardian. Even though I was expecting and was threatened to be expelled, Dimitri never gave up on me. He helped me every step of the way. The academy decided to keep me and I graduate as Lissa's part time guardian. After the baby was born, I would have to go through a few tests to see if I'm fit enough and then I would be reinstated as her full time guardian.
Now, I'm still Lissa's guardian but I decided to remain her part time guardian so I can raise my baby. Because of that, Lissa now has three guardians. Dimitri, my mother and myself. Plus, at age 22, she's now queen.
Lissa and Christian also have babies of their own. Twins, one girl and one boy. Those two bundles of joy are like two peas in a pod. They have jet black hair but the Dragomir jade green eyes. Little Lillian Rosemarie and Philip Ericsson Ozera-Dragomir. Both two years old.
Lillian, or Lilly as we like to call her, has a more adventurous side. She reminds me of a mini female Christian. She's a curious little thing who has a habit of exploring the palace.
Her brother, Phil, is a shy little boy who would hit you or bite you if he doesn't like you. He's very protective of his sister. It was obvious ever since he threw a crayon in Adrian's face when he made his sister cry.
Eddie is a kick ass guardian for Christian who's surprisingly dating Mia. Don't let me get started on what they do when he's off duty.
Adrian remains a free man, claiming that he has yet to wait for 'The One'. We've tried dating but...I look at him as a brother, not a boyfriend.
Dimitri on the other hand, is a whole different story. I still question the fact why he's still single at the age of 28. He wouldn't date Tasha and I pick on him everyday about making the mistake of turning her down. Repeatedly.
He has been helping me ever since the pregnancy. I couldn't ask for a better mentor. And now, a better co-worker. A friend. Which is what he'll ever be. Now, I have had a tiny little crush on him when we were back at the academy. When he helped me most during my time of need, well, that tiny little crush became something more. I was secretly in love with him. Sure we've shared a few kisses. On Christmas. Under the mistletoe. Which last like two seconds.
It isn't easy to watch Tasha visit us and try to win his heart every time. But, whatever.
Saving the best for last, my four year old daughter, Emma. The moment I laid eyes on her when she was born, it's like the pain that I went through for the last nine months were all worth it. I remember the first time I held her in my arms, she was so tiny. So fragile. So...perfect.
She's a four old ball of energy. She has finally reached the age when she questions everything.
"Why is my name Emma?"
"Why is the sky blue?"
"Why don't Phil and Lily talk properly yet?"
"Why can't I have ice cream now and psghetti later?"
"If horses eat carrots, and I eat carrots, does that make me a horse too?"
So many questions. Thankfully, Dimitri stepped in as the told of the favorite uncle and helped me every step of the way. He answered a few questions as well. But if he gets questions like "Why does mummy have boobies and you don't?" He calls for me.
I swore she even called him daddy once or twice before. How I wish that was true. To see him handle her like she was his own, it warms my heart. I remember how he used to wake up early in the morning when Emma was crying and I was too tired. He would feed her some milk and rock her back and forth. Sometimes I would wake up to find my baby gone, only to see him holding her in a rocking chair in the nursery, either talking to her or just singing her a lullaby. Most of the time in Russian.
Emma would walk up to me sometimes before bed, demanding that her uncle Dimitri should be the one reading her a bedtime story and putting her to sleep.
He would put her on his shoulders and race to her room. I would laugh behind them. He would read her favorite story, Little Red Riding Hood. It's probably because she has already memorized it by heart and he told her that she could kick the wolf's ass like a real guardian.
And then he would sing her the same Russian lullaby until she falls asleep in his arms. Which is really adorable. Sometimes when he's tired, he'll sleep there as well.
I wasn't surprised when tonight, I was tucking her into bed, ready to sing her a lullaby when she said, "I want the lullaby with the funny words." She requested it, yawning, rubbing her big brown eyes. I tucked her brown hair behind her ear and replied, "Uncle Dimitri's tired. He can't sing to you today."
"But momma..." She whined.
Dimitri came in a few seconds later.
"It's okay," I told him. "I got her."
"But I want the song with the funny words you sing." Emma begged him with her big brown puppy eyes.
Dimitri chuckled and took a seat next to her bed, beside me. He stroked her hair and said to me, "It's alright. I can put her to sleep today." He got up and laid on the bed with her.
I sighed and got up. "Mummy, don't go." Emma mumbled.
"You have uncle Dimitri here with you."
"Why can't I have you both?" That's a good question. I released a deep breath I didn't know I was holding and sat on a chair on the side of her bed.
"No, momma. Here." She patted on the bed.
"But I can't fit there, Angel."
"I saw on TV how the mummy and daddy would lay on the bed too and be the perfect family. Why can't I have a perfect family tonight?" she pleaded. Damn that TV.
I looked at my little girl with her sad chocolate eyes that I couldn't say no to.
"Fine." I gave in to her.
She clapped her little hands and giggled. Thank God she has a big enough bed.
I held her hand while Dimitri stroked her hair and sang to her the lullaby. I saw her eyes daring to close but my stubborn little girl won't let them. He sang to her a little while more as her breathing was even. She finally fell asleep.
I couldn't help myself so I whispered, "Why don't you get together with Tasha already?"
There was silence for a while. "Because my heart is already with someone else."
"Oh." Awesome. He's in love. Sheesh.
"Do we know her?"
He paused to think for a little while. "Yes. You guys know her pretty well."
Silence.
"What's she like?"
More silence. "She's beautiful, she's a strong, independent woman, she's funny, she's...everything. She's not perfect...but to me, she is. She's my kind of perfect." He stares into space, with that dreamy look on his face.
"I'm going to marry her one day, Rose." Oh great. Go on, stomp my heart even more.
"You really do love her, don't you?"
"Yeah. I really do." I just had to ask.
He got up and said, "I'm tired. I'm just going to head off to bed."
I got up as well. "Me too."
I kissed Emma on the top of her head and whispered, "Sweet dreams."
Dimitri did the same, only he said something in Russian. I think he said, "Goodnight, my dear."
Dimitri walked me back to my room, which was just down the hallway. He stopped at my door and said, "Goodnight Rose." He placed a kiss on my cheek before flashing me a smile, turning around and walking away.
I smiled as well and felt like a teenager who just got a kiss after being dropped off after a date.
I walked inside and went to sleep.
The next few days went by in a flash.
Everyday I'd ask Dimitri for new information on his mystery girl. To date, I know that she's in fact, a guardian and is guarding one of the royals. There are a lot of royals and even more guardians. Damn it.
A few days later, I gave up trying to figure out who she is. I should just leave him alone and when I finally meet her, I would tell her that she's lucky to had Dimitri. I know I would be.
There was a day that shocked me so much. I would never forget that fateful day when my daughter finally asked, "Who's my daddy?" No, it's not the question that shocked me. I was expecting the question. It's the answer that was a surprise.
Lissa, Christian and Adrian were out on some royal business thing, I don't know, and my mother and Eddie were guarding them. Dimitri and I were in the playroom with Emma and the twins. Phil and Lily were passing the ball back and forth after figuring out that balls don't fit in mouths. Emma was watching cartoons. SpongeBob to be exact.
She asked, out of the blue, the question I have been waiting for. The question I still don't know how to answer.
She turned to be with her big eyes and asked, "Who's my daddy?"
I still don't have an answer to that. Well, I do, but I don't know how to explain it to her. "Well, Emma..."
"I'm your daddy." Dimitri answered. I wasn't expecting that at all. "That is, if your momma allows me to be."
He faced me. I was speechless. "You don't have to play that role. I can just-"
He stopped me. "No, Rose, I want to be her father. I want to be in your lives."
I was still puzzled. "You are in our lives...Dimitri, are you okay?"
"I think uncle Comrade's having a fever." Emma piped in.
Dimitri picked her up and asked, "If I wanted to be your daddy, would you allow me to be."
"Sure!" She answered, gleefully. "But who's going to be uncle Dimitri and uncle Comrade?"
He laughed, kissed her cheek and placed her down. He faced me next.
"Rose, I don't know what I'd do without you and Emma in my life. I can't imagine a future without the two of you."
He had my face in his hands and pulled me close till our foreheads were touching. "Roza, I love you." he whispered.
I was so shocked I think I stopped breathing.
"Rose?" He shook my shoulders. Dimitri looked panicked. Like he said the wrong things at the most inappropriate time.
He let go when I didn't respond. "I'm sorry, I just-"
I pulled his face to mine and kissed him. I've wanted to do that for a long time and not just because we were under a mistletoe.
He froze, seeming shocked at first. Well, I wouldn't blame him. For a second there, he thought he just made the biggest mistake of his life. Well, these were the rare moment I enjoyed. The moments when he was absolutely wrong.
All that lust and whatever we felt just came bursting out at that moment, sparks flying, fires igniting, electricity flowing. Well, just for about ten seconds before the twins went, "What'cha doing?" with their heads cocked to the side. Their innocence was adorable.
"Umm, nothing." I sure as hell didn't want to explain romance to them now. I'll let Christian and Lissa suffer that in about a decade or so.
Then, it hit me. "Wait a minute. So all that talk about who you were in love with was about me?"
He smiled a thousand watt smile and nodded his head. "Yup."
"Well then, in that case, guess what?" I asked him as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"What?"
"I love you too." I told him simply.
"You have no idea how long I've waited and how much I wanted to hear you to say that." He replied as he leaned in.
I kissed him quickly since he pulled away too fast. "We have an audience." He nodded to the three little children eying us with weird looks on their faces. I felt my face heat up before pulling away and facing back to the twins to play with them.
Dimitri sat down with Emma and played with her for a little while.
"I meant what I said the other day." He told me.
"Hmm?" I asked, confused.
"I want to marry you one day." He grinned.
My smile grew bigger and my mind just lit up like Christmas and my heart did cartwheels, heck, it felt like it just jumped down the Empire State Building.
Exactly four months went by after that. Turns out, everyone else already knew about this so there wasn't a need to tell them anything much. Emma was getting used to calling him "Daddy" now even though we weren't actually married yet and he wasn't legally her father…yet.
She's been showing off in school that she has a new daddy and he's a kick-ass guardian. I've told her repeatedly not to use the word ass. I don't want her to be a swearing little mini me. But does she listen? No.
"You can't use the word kick-ass." I always say.
"But why? You use it all the time!" She would argue.
"Because it's a grown up word. Use kick-butt."
And the Dimitri just had to come on. Emma ran towards him and would say, "Daddy! I told everyone you're a kick-ass guardian."
See? I told you she never listens.
Dimitri, well, let's just say we're closer than ever. He officially moved in to my room since he practically spent every night there anyway. Every morning I would wake up in his arms, inhaling his scent, something that I've always dreamt of. Which was why my first words when I woke up in his embrace for the first time was, "Are you real?"
Sometimes Emma would have a bad dream and would come into our room, snuggled in between the two of us. It was like what she said long ago, a perfect family. Well, perfect in my eyes.
Imagine my surprise when my little girl came waltzing in our room one day, wearing her most hated white dress, humming the wedding march. When I asked her why, she simply said, "I'm going to marry daddy."
My eyes grew wide and I couldn't help but laugh. Dimitri walked in then and I shot him a questioning look. He waved it off and humored her instead.
It was adorable watching the two of them get 'married'
Emma said, "Do you take me to be your daughter?"
Dimitri laughed and said his "I do."
Emma had a serious look on her face when she said, "Then I take you to be my daddy. Okay, we're married!"
She turned to me then and asked, "When's your turn?"
I almost sprayed out the water I was drinking. I waved it off and she didn't question it.
The 22nd of December is a day I would not forget. Christian and Adrian decided to be kind that day, which was mine and Dimitri's day off, and offered to babysit Emma for a few hours. Emma delightedly said yes since she would be able to play with the twins and fun uncle Christian and Adrian who let her have as much cakes, cookies and ice cream as she wants. As long as I don't find out but, as usual, I have my ways. I swear, uncle Chrissy and Adrian are up to something.
Dimitri had asked me to join him for a walk later on, around a near-by park. I gladly said yes, of course.
It was already snowing and everything was covered in a white blanket of snow. Snowflakes were falling and the pond was now ice. It was a beautiful sight, with the trees covered in snow and all. The snow flakes fall and felt like cold feathers when I look up above and they fall on my cheeks. As I walked with Dimitri, hand in hand, I feel the cooling sensation of the wind against my cheeks, inhaling the cold air.
We sat on a bench as I watched the snow flakes fall from a great height, but slowly and softly down to the ground, on the trees, the top of the lamp posts, everywhere. The sun was starting to rise, slowly heating the surrounding air. Not hot enough the melt the beautiful snow, but warm enough to make this weather slightly bearable.
"Roza," Dimitri started. "There's a reason why I brought you here."
"I knew it." I told him. "I knew it was strange when Adrian and Christian suddenly wanted to babysit Emma during my day off."
"Well yes. It was because I wanted you all to myself today." He admitted.
"Well, we're alone now, there's no one here so..." I urged him.
He took a deep breath and started what I assumed would be a long speech.
He took my hands in his and started, "I just want you to know that you've changed my life. I can't imagine one without you. When I first saw you, when I had to drag you back to the academy, I thought you were beautiful.
"I brought you back, became your mentor and as I trained you, I started to fall in love with you, this woman who would do anything to protect he best friend, practically her sister, or to anyone she cares about. I saw a strong, beautiful, independent woman.
"I remember that night when I fought with you and you got...well, knocked up, for a lack of a better word. I wanted to murder that idiot Zelkos, always have but now we have Emma. And amazing little girl who I know is going to grow up to be exactly like her mother.
"I wanted to tell you, so, so many times how I felt but it didn't feel like the right time. Until Emma asked about her father and I wanted to be that man, Roza, I really do. I want to be called "Daddy" and to punch all the idiots who date her when she gets older and to be there for her like any father should.
"I talked to Emma the other day. She asked me if I ever was going to marry you. I told her that if I marry you, I'm marrying her too. It's a package deal. Which was why she thought I was really marrying her that day. And why I'm here now."
He reached into his pocket in that duster of his and produced a black velvet box. I felt the breath knocked out of me and he went down on the ground, on one knee and opened the box.
I gasped as I saw the ring, a silver band with three diamonds on it, two small ones and a big one in the middle. It was simple yet so...exquisite, so beautiful.
He removed the ring from its box and said, "I love you, Rosemarie and I will love you and Emma for the rest of my life. I can't picture a future with out you two. Will you marry me?" He finally asked.
I was starting to tear up. I know, I'm not one of the most emotional people in the world but these things make you cry. Happy tears, happy tears. Which reminds me, I haven't given him an answer yet.
I pulled him up to his feet and stood up, wrapping my warms around his neck, answering, "Yes."
I kissed him once.
"Ya, Si, Yes in every language. Even in Russian." I joked.
I gave him a full in kiss this time, feeling him smile against my lips as he pulled away to place the ring on my finger.
"Perfect fit." He whispered in my ear and leaned in once again.
He pulled away again and I was starting to get frustrated.
"We're forgetting something." He said.
He pulled out a mistletoe out from his pocket and held it up above our heads. "There." He grinned and I pulled him to me once more.
It was like a fairy tale, like one of those Disney movies. The snowflakes were falling around us and it was absolutely perfect. At that moment, my life was complete. I have a daughter who I would never trade for anything in the world. I'm engaged to the man I love most. My best friend has her happy ending with her own little family and Eddie is finally happy with Mia. Everyone's just waiting for Adrian.
A year later, Dimitri and I got married. We decided to have it on the 22nd of December, the day he proposed. A wedding with that Christmassy feeling, a joyous occasion. It was nothing but perfect with my little girl as the flower girl, my best friend as my maid of honor and Christian and the best man. My father walked me down the isle and gave Dimitri one last death glare before releasing me. I swore I saw my mother shed a tear, no matter how much she denies it. Alberta and Kirova was at the wedding too, to my surprise. And of course, Dimitri's family who flew all the way here just to witness it. As I said, it was perfect.
Years later, Dimitri and I were still guarding Lissa, Eddie was finally married to Mia with a little baby boy named Thomas and another baby on the way. Adrian found it hilarious that he named his son Thomas, you know, Thomas Edison and all that.
The twins were eight years old and were as thick as thieves. They would never do anything without each other. Phil was still that shy little boy but he's now the shy little boy who would kick your ass if he finds you messing with his sister. Lilly is sill a mischievous little thing and the two of them still go on having their crazy little adventures. They would also do anything for their little three year old sister, Annabel Christine, or more commonly referred to as Annie. She has Lissa's blonde hair but the Ozera blue eyes.
Adrian, well, he's still a whole other story. A long one actually. But thankfully, he's settled down with Jill Mastrano. It initially came as a surprise to all of us but they were both just so happy with each other.
As for Emma, well, she's now a ten year old, learning in a school near court. She's exactly like me now. Dimitri says that she's a brave, independent girl, just like her mother. Plus, she does get a lot of tips from her two kick-ass guardian parents. She also grew up to he a daddy's little girl. I swear, Dimitri would do anything for that girl. She has him wrapped around her little finger.
Dimtri and I also adopted a little boy. We couldn't have kids of our own and one day, Lissa heard the news about a family who was raided by Strigoi with just a little baby left alive. Dimitri and I thought, why not?
Aiden Belikov is now a five year old ball of energy that never seems to just stay put. He's a dhampir but with grey eyes and jet black hair. Him and his sister are inseparable when they're together. He looks up to her and she would persuade him to go on crazy 'missions' like steal the cookie jar or raid the kitchen for doughnuts. Aiden takes good care of Annie and plays with her all the time. I secretly think he has a crush on her, which is absolutely adorable.
Last but certainly not least, my dearest husband, Dimitri Belikov. I wouldn't know what I'd do without him. I can't imagine a life without him. I feel complete with him, my other half. I wake up every morning in his embrace, drowned in his scent, his even breathing. He was always there in my time of need ever since back at the academy and will always be there for me. I love him with all my heart, I would grow old with him and spend the rest of my days and night with him. The man who turned my life to the other side of down.
And that, is my story.