A/N: I finished The Ruby Circle and I'm on fluffy buzz. So fingers crossed from this point on I shall only write fluff with some mildly angst. This takes place during the time D and R were on babysitting duty with Adrian's mother.
Rose wondered if their life was ever going to be remotely normal. From the moment Lissa's family died and her best friend brought her back the universe had been throwing them curve balls. One after the other without pause. First it was Victor, then her relationship with Dimitri, then Tatiana's murder, then Lissa's crowning as the new Queen.
But just when Rose thought things were settling down the assassination against Jill happened and there they go again. New plans and new adventures and a fight with time to keep Lissa's little sister alive long enough to secure her safety. But this was how life was for them. That's how it always had been. She came to accept it though, normal wasn't for them. There would always be a new enemy to take down and another Strigoi to stake no matter what.
Still being in Clarence's house these past few hours, watching Dimitri help Daniella with Declan she couldn't help but yearn for that domestic normality. She could see that Dimitri felt the same way. She never thought about children before him, Lissa was her priority. The nature of her job didn't leave her much time to create a family the same way Olena and her people or Moroi did. But looking at the tiny baby in her boyfriend's arms she couldn't help it. Something tugged at her heartstrings. He was a natural, Dimitri had been born to be a father to someone.
"I wish," She murmured taking a seat beside him on the couch. "I could give this to you someday." Dimitri's eyes were locked on Declan, watching him as he breathed in and out evenly. Barely three days old and he had so many people wrapped around his tiny finger. The kid did nothing but eat, poop and sleep all day and yet even the toughest of people bowed down to him.
"What?" Dimitri finally hummed meeting her gaze, smiling dopey and Rose sighed. Why was life so unfair? She thought as she dropped a kiss on Declan's soft head, breathing in that baby smell everyone went on and on about. Rose had never believed it was true until the moment she held Declan, there was something calming about it. Something and intoxicating that could make anyone smile. She dared to say it was even more powerful than the bite.
"I wish I could make you a father some day." She confessed, smiling sadly. "I mean not right now, but at some point later in our lives. I know how much you want it and I wish I was able to give you a gift like that." She shook her head lightly, they had talked about this before many times.
They both agreed that children would never be an issue but Rose still would want to have the option. She would lie if she didn't admit that she had thought about it once or twice. How would have been to be pregnant with Dimitri's baby, to feel the small creature they created together move inside of her. To see Dimitri's face as her belly grew bigger ever my day. Watch him as he held their child for the very first time. It tore a small part of her apart that it would always be the two of them.
"Oh, Roza!" Dimitri cupped her cheek and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "You've already given me enough. More than I could ever hope for. I've told you many times, your love is all I need." His words were sincere Rose knew that but still; this was eating her up. It was one thing to have the option and choose not to do something and a whole other to be robbed of the chance to have something you might be ready for one day.
"You do realise," Daniella's voice startled them both. She had been sitting on an armchair quietly, cross-stitching away. They were so caught up to their conversation they had forgotten she was even in the same room. "That having children doesn't necessarily mean you have to give birth to them." They both kept their eyes on the older woman, still as confused as ever. "You can adopt a child if that's what you so much desire. God knows there are so many innocent, orphan Dhampir children out there. Conceiving a child doesn't make you a parent. Raising it however, being there for them for all the ups and downs and crazy shenanigans? That's what being a parent is about. You, Rosemarie, might not be able to carry a baby and trust me you won't miss much, but you can still be a parent to someone. A better parent half the adults in your life has been to you."
Daniella sighed exasperatedly and went back to her stitching and Rose's mind raced back to her own mother. She didn't blame Janine anymore, Rose came to terms with the fact that her mother had been young and afraid but she still remembered her life before Lissa and her parents. The lonely stormy nights, the holidays spend by herself, the forgotten birthday, not because her mother was cruel but because Janine had no idea what to do with a child. She didn't have the best motherhood examples either.
They stayed in silence for a while, contemplating the new information and how much sense Adrian's mother was making. In all the time Rose knew the older woman she never thought Daniella would give out such a wise advice. She was right, giving birth to a baby didn't make you a parent. Committing to look after child and be there for them for everything, that made you a parent. So they did have a choice after all, they could eventually have a family of their own even if it wasn't by blood. God knows, Rose's entire family was created by people that weren't related to her by blood and she'd still give her life to save them. Like she did so many times. Just that moment Declan fussed in Dimitri's arms and three pair of eyes snapped towards him.
"Little Master is ready for his next meal." Daniella cooed and left her stitching clothe at the table beside her chair. Rising carefully and with the air and poise only a royal possessed she took Declan without much protest from Dimitri. The baby seemed to quiet down a little bit. "Plus, you never now." Daniella added as she moved towards the door to get the formula ready. "If you wish hard enough, you might actually get what you desire so much." She said lightly, almost teasingly, yet her voice held an eerie feeling to it. "We live in a world full of magic after all!" She threw over her shoulder as she left the young couple alone.
Oh, only if they knew how right she was...