A/N: Okay so the first scene of this came into my head and I couldn't not write it. I can't get enough of these four characters…I know I'm not the greatest at writing them, but I've been enjoying it. There'll probably be another chapter to this. I'm not sure yet. But I do have the next chapter in the works for 'Someday Comes Sooner than You Think' plus I have stories that I'm working on for the Olicity fandom and the Mindy Project fandom.

I will talk about VA, Romitri and Dragozera all day long. Come hassle me at my Tumblr: inbelikovwetrust

Please review, they mean so much to me.

"Okay, yes. This looks bad. Like really bad. But I swear I have a good excuse," I said, standing straight when I heard Lissa cough behind me.

I turned, and wished I hadn't. She was leaning against the doorframe, a small smirk on her face.

"Please, I'd love to hear this one," Lissa laughed and bounced over to sit on mine and Dimitri's bed.

I winced as I took stock of the clothes all over the floor – Dimitri's clothes.

"Well…" I dragged out the word and threw myself down next to Lissa. I really hated to admit this, "Okay. So my birthday was last week, right?"

Lissa eyed me and nodded slowly, "Right. You turned 20. Christian and I are going to take you and Dimitri to dinner this weekend, by the way."

I smiled happily, "Oh, thank you. You don't have to, but thank you."

Lissa nudged me with her hand, "We want to. Now, continue telling me what your birthday has to do with you ransacking Dimitri's drawers while he and Christian are away."

I twisted my fingers together, "Well…I don't think I've ever told you this…but, do you remember when Dimitri and I went back to Baia to tell his family he was alive?"

Off of Lissa's nod, I continued, "Well, when we were there, Dimitri kept hinting that he wanted to get married. And Yeva, ugh that old bat. Well, she had a "feeling" that an engagement wouldn't be too far off. But I kept telling Dimitri that I wouldn't get married until I had a 2 starting my age."

Lissa was frowning, "Well, I mean, we've always thought you and Dimitri would get married."

"I do want to marry him! I just didn't want to do it while I was still a teenager," I said, sitting up and crossing my legs, "He's so much older, so I knew he would want to get married soon. But I really just needed to not have that added…thing." I trailed off.

"Christian and I got married while we were teens," Lissa pointed out. Which was entirely true.

"And that works for you guys. I mean, even though you have Jill, you need to keep expanding the Dragomir line," I said, "But…I don't have a line to continue and I couldn't be eighteen and married. That's just not me."

Lissa nodded, "I understand that, Rose. What I don't understand is why you're making these excuses to me."

I lifted one shoulder, "Because I don't want to admit that I was searching my boyfriend's drawers looking for an engagement ring."

Lissa's eyes widened, "Rose! How long have you been snooping?"

"Since the week before my birthday," I winced. Because I had been so adamant about not getting married before my 20th birthday, I knew Dimitri would wait. But I wanted to know if and when he got a ring, so I could be prepared.

Lissa covered her mouth, and I frowned when I realized she was trying to stifle giggles.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, "It's not funny."

"Yeah, it is," she finally uncovered her mouth and let her laughter out.

"I just like to be prepared…" I muttered, knowing it was a weak defense.

Lissa moved to rest her head in my lap, "Rose, you're scared."

"I am not!" I practically shouted, knowing deep down that I was lying.

"It's okay that you are," Lissa's voice became calming, and I knew she was thinking about using compulsion on me.

But when I opened my mouth, she interrupted, "Don't worry. I'm not going to compel you. I was just trying out a different version of my Court voice."

Now it was my turn to laugh, "Keep working on that, Queen Vasilisa."

Lissa rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. I knew that these past two years had been hard on her, but she really was a great queen. She'd already changed so many things for the Moroi, and in a good way. I was so proud of my best friend.

"Now," Lissa said, interrupting my thoughts, "The real question is, did you find a ring?"

"No," I sighed, "Thank God. I don't really know what I would've done if I found one."

"Well, you would have ruined Dimitri's possible surprise proposal," Lissa pointed out.

"I can't think about that right now," I looked up and saw the time, "They're going to be back soon. Help me pick up."

Lisa lifted her head off of my lap and let me climb off of the bed. I started picking up Dimitri's socks and underwear while she looked down at the mess.

"No way. You got yourself into this…" she trailed off, laughter in her voice.

I threw a clean undershirt at her face, "You're the worst, Vasilisa Dragomir."

"Hey!" she said, folding the white cotton and placing it next to her on the bed, "It's Ozera in private."

I nodded, cramming a pair of joke boxers I had gotten Dimitri for his birthday into an overstuffed drawer, "Right. I forgot."

"You'd better start remembering better," Lissa mumbled.

"Hmm?" I hummed absentmindedly. I was studying Dimitri's drawers with my hands on my hips. My Russian boyfriend usually kept his drawers and closet organized with military precision. He was so going to know I'd been snooping.

"I have something to tell you," Lissa said, bouncing a little on the bed.

There was a weird tone to her voice that made me turn around and take her seriously.

"What is it?" I twisted my hair into a ponytail and moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

Lissa played with her hands and chewed on the inside of her cheek, "Um…you're the first person I'm telling this to, so don't tell Dimitri or Christian. Okay?"

I eyed her warily, wishing I still had the bond. Reluctantly, I nodded, "Okay. I won't say anything."

"Good," Lissa smiled, "I think I might be pregnant."

I was almost positive my eyes popped out of my head and my mouth fell open, "What? You think?"

I was scared that Dimitri would propose to me and my best friend was going to be a mom.

Lissa tilted her head to the side, "No. Well, I know I'm pregnant. I just found out officially the other day. Can you say something else, Rose?"

"I'm trying…" I said. Lissa's news had rendered me completely speechless; something that very rarely happened. Dimitri would laugh when he heard.

Lissa's bottom lip quivered and – oh shit – she was crying. I threw my arms around her and hugged her tight.

"Liss. Come on, stop crying. Please," I begged. I hated it when she cried.

She sniffled into my shirt, "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just want you to be happy for me."

She looked up at me, her green eyes still full of tears and my heart broke for her.

"Liss," I sighed, "Of course I'm happy for you. And Christian. I'm just surprised. I didn't think you two would start having kids until after you finished college."

Lissa let out a soft laugh, "So did I. But actually, I spoke with my advisor at Lehigh and I can graduate early, I have the credits and everything."

"That's great! How early? A semester?" I asked, my arms still wrapped around Lissa's shoulders.

"I can graduate this May if I want," Lissa smiled, "I mean, that means I'll have to spend more time at Court, but it was getting kind of hard being away so much and having to focus so much on schoolwork."

I nodded. It made sense. Ruling an entire race of people had to be a demanding job, and those Lehigh professors didn't make anything easier on anyone.

A thought occurred to me, "Wait, if you're leaving Lehigh early, does that mean I can finally quit going to school too?"

Lissa wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks while nodding, "There's no reason for you to stay if I'm not there," she paused and then said quickly, "Unless you want to stay! I don't want to stop you."

I felt a little bad as she said that. I knew that Lissa had taken my words to heart when I had said that I wanted to come first every once in a while. She wasn't exactly used to my taking the occasional time off to spend with Dimitri, but she was trying really hard.

I guessed things would change even more now that she was going to have a baby. Dimitri and I would have another Dragomir-Ozera to protect.

I smile formed as I realized exactly what was going to happen, "Liss! You're going to have a baby!"

She grinned, "I am. Oh my god, Christian and I are going to be parents."

"You guys will be great," I said, and I meant it. Lissa would be an amazing mom.

She was about to respond when we heard the door open downstairs. I took one look at the half-closed, jam packed drawers and my eyes widened in panic.

"Don't tell Dimitri," I whispered.

Lissa nodded, "As long as you don't tell Christian."

We shook on the agreement, laughing. When we heard footsteps and Dimitri shouting, "Rose, are you up there?" we fling ourselves into 'normal' positions.

Dimitri and Christian found us up in the bedroom. Lissa had cracked open one of the textbooks I left laying around, and I was flipping stations.

"Oh, hey Comrade, Betty Crocker," I looked up, faking nonchalance.

"Very funny," Christian scowled at me, but it was without any real malice. He leaned down and kissed Lissa. They started whispering to each other. The way Lissa held onto his arm, you would have thought he'd been gone for months, as opposed to eight hours.

I watched as Dimitri looked around the room before coming to sit next to me. He definitely had caught onto the mess in his drawers somehow.

He smiled at me, but said nothing.

"How was it? You both good?" I asked, resting my hand on his upper thigh.

"Mm…everything is fine," Dimitri kissed my forehead, "Was everything okay here?"

I nodded, probably a little too quickly, "Yep, everything is good. Nothing happened at all."

He eyed me, a skeptical look in his eye, but said, "Good. I think Lissa and Christian are good to head home now."

I smiled. Dimitri took his Guardian duties very seriously, but occasionally he loosened up enough for us to have some time alone together. It usually happened after he and I spent time away from each other.

"I think you're right."

Lissa and Christian made their excuses to leave a minute later. I didn't need the bond to see that they were planning exactly what I was planning with Dimitri.

"Can we talk more tomorrow?" Lissa asked as she hugged me goodbye.

I nodded, "Sure. I'll be outside your door bright and early…or dark and late."

Lissa laughed and followed Christian out the door.

I shut it carefully behind them and turned to Dimitri, grinning.

"I've missed you," I said, throwing myself into his arms. He hugged me, resting his chin on top of my head.

"I miss you too, Roza. I've wanted to have time alone with you for a while," he let go of me and leaned down.

Oh no. No. Shit. He was going to propose. Right now. Here, in the hallway. My throat closed up a little.

I grasped desperately at his shoulders, trying to pull him back up.

"No! Stop, not here. Not now."

Dimitri looked up at me, a worried look in his eyes, "Rose? I was untying my shoes."

His hands had stopped on the laces of his dress shoes, I noticed when I looked down.

Man did I feel like an idiot.

"Um, I knew that?" I tried.

And failed.

"Rose," Dimitri stood up and grabbed my hands, "What did you think I was going to do?"

I didn't want to admit my thoughts, but his eyes bore into mine and I couldn't help the words that fell out of my mouth, "I thought you were going to propose and I got scared."

I watched as the corners of Dimitri's mouth twitched and he finally burst out laughing.

I scowled, "Hey! It's not funny."

"Roza," Dimitri choked my Russian nickname out around his laughter, "Why are you so afraid of getting married?"

I wrapped my arms around my body and shrugged, "I don't know."

Dimitri's laughter faded, "It's just us. But if it makes you feel better, I promise I won't ask you to marry me until you're ready."

I leaned against his shoulder, "How will you know when I'm ready? I don't even know when I'll be ready!"

"I know you, Rose. And you won't be afraid of marriage for long," he smiled softly, a special smile used only when I woke him up kicking and screaming from the occasional nightmare.

"Okay," I nodded. I trusted Dimitri. I just didn't understand why marrying him caused my such anxiety. Like he had said, it would still be us. Just with rings and a shared name.

A shared name.

Belikov.

Rosemarie Belikov.

Hmm, maybe I could get used to that.