Hi! This is one I've been working one and I'm confused on what to write for my other story so I thought I'd post this!

Enjoy!

Ok! In the summary, Rose is 18 and Dimitri is 24.

Chapter One

"Why don't you just go?! I've already told you not to come back here! It's not right!" he screamed at her. His face contorted in anger, getting more furious by the second as he watched her cower in herself. She looked afraid, afraid of him, as if he would ever hurt her.

Rose shot up from her bed. Beads of sweat trailed down her face, damping the top of her cotton pyjamas.

It was the first time he'd yelled at her and the last, because she listened that time. She left and until this day never returned. If she could, she would go back. There wasn't a part of her that wished was brave enough to go. Even without him, she still had a family there.

Sighing she stood to get a glass of water. She saw the familiar lump of her boyfriend beside her. Before he'd be up with her. Trying to calm her down from her nightmares, but since she'd started to see her therapist her nightmares lessened until she slept soundly and they never returned. Somehow, she dreamt of that night again. Confused as she was she had no energy to dive in her subconscious and find out why.

Switching on the kitchen light she poured herself a glass of cool water. It calmed her. It had been so long since she'd had a nightmare about him.

Why now? Why did it have to start now?

She preferred the questions running through her mind. They did no harm and brought no pain. It hurt less and less, as time went by, and the humiliation and shame she felt didn't eat her up like it use to.

But deep down she knew why. It was three years today she since her untimely departure. The man she once thought she loved. Love, she scoffed at the word. Then she was just like any other teenager. Ruled by hormones and fantasy that one day her knight in shining armor would catch her. They'd live forever, in his palace where he'd love her forever.

Her mom was a commando for the U.S. Army and her father was, well she wasn't exactly sure what he did. All she had of him was a letter she got when she turned 18.

A lot and so very little was said in the letter. It didn't change the fact that she didn't know who her father was. That she had no clue how he looked or what he did or even what kind if person he was. But he was out there. The fact that she never met him, at first, caused her to imagine the kind of father he was. She always made up little fantasies about why he never visited or called, or tried to meet her.

Maybe he's a pirate, she'd say, or a spy, she'd imagine. Maybe he's guarding a Prince who is in danger and without him the Prince would die. But that was then. This is now. Now, a woman of 21, she knew better.

Then there's her mother. Which she playfully likes to remind herself she really does have. But she can count the amount of times she's actually been with her on her fingers. Olena was more like a mother to her.

The thing is, she took care of her ever since her mother was permanently stationed in top secret army business. There was no way she could've been home and working. Therefore, her mother did the next best thing, or that is what she said.

A part of Rose wanted, hoped, and wished her mother had chosen to take care of her rather than to a job that demanded so much. That was then and now she kind of understood why her mother did that.

It wasn't like Olena was mean or anything. She was her mother's closest and only friend and probably trusted her to raise me. They lived in Russia in a big beautiful three story mansion near the country. There was a vast amount of space between homes that were equally as large and beautiful. Olena is a sweet woman. She made sure Rose lacked in nothing. She truly felt a part of the family.

She had three daughters. Two of wich were older than Rose but the youngest, Viktoria was just two years younger than she was and they became great friends.

Then there was him, Dimitri, the only boy and big brother to Viktoria but younger than his other two sisters, Sonya and Karolina.

Dimitri, like his sisters had dark brown hair. Also like them, to Rose's surprise at the time, it was long. At ten she wanted to pull it, pull at his long hair that looked so pretty and shiny. He tied it behind his head but a few strings of hair splayed out on the sides of his head.

Making him look even more handsome than her mind could comprehend. The pretty person she was looking at gazed down at her and smiled a smile so nice she knew he was something else.

He was big and nice and so very pretty, that's what she thought when she saw him. She was only ten at the time and knew about Princes and Princess' but never liked, nor believed in them. But as she saw Dimitri, she was sure he was a Prince. Only a Prince could look that nice wearing normal clothes she thought. Also, only a Prince would be as nice as he was to her.

There wasn't anything Prince Dimitri didn't do for Rose. She thought it was solely because Prince's were meant to be really nice to little girls like her. When really, Olena made sure Dimitri was extra nice to her. Olena worried Rose might not fit in, or feel unloved. She explained to her three oldest children what was happening and when she realized Rose had taken a liking to Dimitri, initiated him to look out for the little girl.

Just as long as she's made friends and sees their home as hers.

So was the birth of her obsession with him. One that, as she grew it grew with her as well. From obsession, to a mild childhood crush, she remembered when she felt jealousy, to when she knew she was in love. All of which centered on him.

Oh and let's not forget her first heartache, which he took the liberty of giving, on the day of her eighteenth birthday.

The corridor light flicked on and she heard footsteps getting closer to her. Getting out of her daze she took another gulp of water which was already getting warm. He slid up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Comforting her.

She welcomed his musky, smell that had a hint of cloves to it. She didn't like how much he smoked but he cut down for her. Only a couple cigs a day and none at night. So that by the time they were ready for bed he only had a hint of it on his body. That mixed with his body wash made him smell delectable.

"Everything alright, hun?" he asked, nuzzling this face on her neck.

"Yea, just had that dream. You know?" she always tried to be honest with Adrian.

Adrian. The man she's with now, the one that still made her giggle like a teenage girl like when they first met.

"We don't have to go if you don't want to you know."

She knew he was only trying to appease her. To make her feel better so as to rid herself of those dreams that use to plague her every night. He's done so much for her. Helped her turn from the destructive girl she was to the constructive woman she's begun.

"Nonsense you boob! Of course, we'll go." She laughed. He tightened his hold across her waist and she gave him a playful kiss on his cheek.

"Have you decided where you want us to live?" he asked.

It was a question she'd been dodging for quite some time. When she thought of 'living in Russia' the only place that came to mind was that beautiful place outside South of Nevsky. In her mind that was the ideal place to live. It as far away from the crowds of people, and having your own private, isolated home that you could personalize appealed to her. You're family was close by but not too close. It was like your own private vacation.

When you wanted the company of people or simply get out, it was close to the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg Conservatory, and the Dostoyevsky's House Museum. She still remembered the beautiful bridges and embankments that would make her trips with Dimitri seem romantic. It was a place filled with entertainment. There was always something to do, places to go and people to see.

The downfall? Well, that was where Dimitri lived. She still remembered her childhood home. It was Dimitri's now, since the death of his father and his takeover of his company. He was now one of Russia's most richest and eligible bachelors.

She couldn't fathom the thought of living so close to him. She couldn't put it off any longer. Nor could she stay away from her family because of him. Them heading off to Russia would be the second part of the new her. She loves Adrian, she has a best friend, her life is settled. Plus, she missed Olena, Viktoria, Karo and Sonya terribly. Back then Paul was a young boy, now, because she kept in touch with Vika, he was seven.

Paul is Karo's son and is the eldest of Olena's children. Vika told her about Karo's pregnancy and even sent her a picture of her baby girl, Zoya.

She really wanted to be close with her family again. She'd put off visiting since that last Christmas. Now she couldn't hold off any longer. She didn't want to. She'd be with her family, if Dimitri wanted to acknowledge her or not would be his problem but she wasn't hiding from him any longer.

"Yes actually." She turned to face him, "I was thinking we get a place out in the country, South of Nevsky. I've always loved it there and I'd be close to Olena and Vika. Your work wouldn't be too far." She said, the words bubbled out of her mouth as she tried to convince him. He knew about the place alright and would have found it quite ideal if he didn't know that Dimitri also lived close by.

Not to mention the fact that his company and Dimitri's would be, technically, rivals as they were in the same fields of interest. That wasn't the problem for Adrian though. He wasn't sure that living so close to a person Rose loved so intensely was a good idea. A sense of protectiveness overcame him.

"Come one. I know you love the country. I already told Vika we were moving there and she told me that there is an opening of this beautiful, white home that the owners are putting up for sale! She even sent me pictures. It's not too far from where they live but not weirdly close either. Think about it, if it wasn't the fact that he lives there …you'd be all over it too."

Adrian had no counter-argument because she was right. "Fine, but I want to see it too. I know you're not big on the whole price thing and I want to make sure it's the best for you." He smiled as he kissed the tip of her nose.

"Come on. You know I get scared if it's too big. What about when you're not there?" Rose exclaimed. She ran for her iPad and quickly opened up the pictures Vika sent her of the modest yet elegant home and showed it to him.

"Are you serious?" he tried to suppress his laughter and she rolled her eyes at him. She knew better than to expect Adrian Ivashkov to live in a house like this. It was small, compared to what he was use to. The thought made her smile because it was 1.5 million dollars and to him she suppose that was cheap.

"Fine, oh mighty one, …" then an idea came to her, "I'll leave the house hunting to you, if you agree with me to where we'd live."

"If that's all it takes. Sure darling, I'll make sure our new home would be close but not weirdly close to your beloved family."

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