Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. They belong to the Goddess Richelle Meade. I do however own this particular story.

Authors' Note: This is my first fan fiction so reviews are welcome. Please be gentle. Also, thanks to my Beta Skitzy-Frenic

The Strigoi threw a right fist towards my temple and I was catapulted onto a fallen tree. "Had enough yet?! Ready to throw in the towel Dhampier?" He hissed.

"You wish!" I lunged forward faking a left and dropping to kick his legs out from under him. Staking him through the heart, I released a breath of relief when I realized it was over. The blood covered me from head to toe. Most of it not being mine.

"I'm so glad that's over." Eddie said, coming out from behind the tree looking no worse then when we came to the cave 2 hours ago. "I thought we'd be here forever. They just kept coming"

"Where the hell were you the past 2 hours?! Picking daisies?!"

"What do you mean?" Eddie said tilting his head.

"It looks like you took him on a date rather than staking him." I yelled gesturing at his state of dress.

"I fell into a river."

"Of what, cherry blossoms?"

Eddie sighed gesturing behind him. "Are you coming or are you just going to keep complimenting me?" He raised his eyebrow. I thought about for a minute and decided that if I ever wanted to smell like Eddie did I had to be in a shower... like yesterday.

"Yeah let's go."

I squeezed the water out my hair as the mirror in the gym bathroom fogged up. Wiping my hand across to clear it, I discovered a scratch on my cheek. I really hope that doesn't scar.

I threw on my clothes and walked out of the bathroom when I ran into Eddie...literally.

"Ok. Ow!" He said rubbing his head.

"Oh relax, it's not like you can lose anymore brain cells. I'm pretty sure they're long gone by now." I get up rubbing my the new bruised butt that I can add to the number of bruises on the rest of my body.

"Hurtful. Anyway you heading home?" He asked as I held my hand out to help him up.

"Yeah, I'm ready to sleep for the next century."

"Ok, then I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Come on Eddie. Dimitri couldn't come on this mission and I haven't seen him in two days. Do you really think you'll see me at all tomorrow?"

"Ok, eww. I didn't need to know that!" He exclaimed waving his hands in the air then covering his ears.

"Hey you asked. Anyway I'll see you at some point." I picked up my gym bag and headed out the door with Eddie still moaning that his "virgin ears" will never un-hear that.

I made my way across court slowly trying to enjoy the serenity of the vampiric night, otherwise known as day to everybody else. The sun felt amazing on my skin. It had been a couple of weeks since I've even seen the sun. With the rise in Strigoi numbers around court and having to still guard Lissa when she was required to do her queenly duties or throw a party in court, which sadly happens too often in my opinion, I haven't had time to enjoy myself. Thankfully I don't have to go back until Monday and it's Friday now.

I finally got to the small cottage on the other side of court. When Dimitri and I decided to move in together, which basically meant Dimitri seduced me into giving into him, we decided the tiny guardian apartments were way too small for one person let alone two. So we scrounged up whatever money we had and got this house just on the outskirts of court. It was perfectly away from court drama but also close enough that I could get to Lissa if there was trouble. And Christian too.

I walked into the house throwing my keys into the bowl by the door and peeling off my boots to let my feet breathe from the horribly uncomfortable guardian required hell shoes.

"I'm home, is anybody here?!"

"MOMMY!"

I grinned as I picked up my little princess and swung her around.

"Oh my goodness! You are getting heavy in your old age," I said to her as I put her down and gave her a big sloppy kiss to the cheek

"I'm only 5 mommy. You are just too old to remember," she jokes.

I held up my hands wiggling my fingers. "Would someone as old as me still tickle you, or am I too old to do it?" I asked chasing her into the kitchen.

"Papa help!" She yelled, running behind Dimtri's legs as he stired the pot on the stove.

He picked her up. "I'll always protect you Manchkin."

"Hey, she called me old." I said coming over to kiss him chastely and scratching Nikki's tummy making her squeal and squeeze Dimitri's neck closer.

"You know you are getting up there in your years Milaya." I ignored him as I went over to my baby boy squeezing his cheek and kissing him on his little two year old forehead"

"I love you Roza." He said coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me.

"Yeah yeah, I guess I love you too." I told him turning around wrapping my hands around his neck kissing him softly on his lips.

I finished the lullaby, laying Luka down in his crib and kissing his forehead. "Goodnight baby. I'll see you in the morning"

He softly mumbles in his sleep and I get up turning on his nightlight Olena gave him for his 1st birthday. I slowly close his door making sure he doesn't wake him up and I run into Dimitri when he leaves Nikki's room. Putting a finger to his lips he gestures to our bedroom and we walk there together.

As soon as we step into the room he softly pushes me against the door kissing me on the lips. "I missed you so much Milaya." He pulls me off the door and pushes me onto the bed.

"I know comrade. I thought they'd never stop coming." I kissed him back.

"Mmmh. God I love you." He pulled away and rolled over pulling me with him. I laid my head on his chest as he looked down on me with those deep brown eyes that made me melt and tell him "I do" 7 years ago.

"What is it?" I asked seeing the nervousness in his eyes

"I want another."

"Another what?" I asked.

"Another kid. Luka is 2 now and I think we are ready for another. Plus we still have one more room left in the house."

"I was planning on making that into an office." He looked at me and raised his eyebrow.

"Really? An office? You realize we don't even have a computer to put in this imaginary office." I looked up and thought about it.

"Well yeah, that's why we're going to put another kid in there instead." His eyes lit up.

"Really?!"

"Yeah and I think it may be time for me to stop volunteering on those raids. You stopped when Luka was born and I think it's time for me to focus on being a mom and guarding Lissa."

He looked at me surprised. "You would do that for us?"

I put my hand on the side on his face and said, "I'd do anything for you guys."

"Ya lyublyu tebya, moya krasivaya zhena."

"And I love you my handsome husband."

Two months later when I was throwing up into the toilet, Dimitri comes into the bathroom and says, "Sorry," with an evil smile on his face that reminded me of my own.