Thanks for all the reviews, follows and favs. Made my day. I know it can be a bit confusing sometimes, with temporal paradoxes, time-travel induced alternative realities and rewriting of history. But gives me a lot of freedom to do what I want in this reality because it will be overwritten anyway.

Because I had so many people showing their support I decided to be nice and upload the next chapter today. But then it is back to a once-every-two-day uploading schedule. I need time to write the second part of this story.

Chapter 2:

DPOV

The future. We were in the future. I had already deduced that when I saw Adrian and what I assume are Adrian's and Rose's kids. They looked so much like her, especially Lera, it was hard to miss.

I was surprised at my own bitterness. Rose wasn't mine anymore. She was dating Adrian. This is just the logical conclusion of what I knew was true in our own time, but still it stung.

You don't have any right to think that, you threw her away.

I had hoped breaking ties with Rose would ease my guilt. That I wouldn't remind her of her time in Russia by hanging around. By making sure I was never in a position again to hurt her. But the look she had in the church was a hundred times worse than any look I had seen from her in Russia. I broke her and honestly it had broken me too. But I had to accept reality. She wasn't mine anymore, she could be with whomever she wants and it is clear she made her choice.

"So as you might have figured out, the world didn't approve a whole lot in twenty-five years."

That was an understatement.

"Yeah, what happened? Where is Lissa? Is she alright?"

I involuntarily perked up at Rose's question. Lissa. She had saved me from a horrible fate. Even if I used her to get to Rose, she still saved me. I would always be grateful to her and anything she wanted me to do I would do it.

I saw Adrian's face contort. Why would the mention of Lissa do that?

"She is alive."

He didn't seem too happy about it though. I wasn't a big fan of Adrian before, but I was really not liking him now. Even though I saw a similar reaction in Lera and Sasha.

And what was up with that? Those were Russian nicknames. Yes, originally the Ivashkovs were Russian but really? It was like he was rubbing it in my face.

"Look Lissa is of later concern. We have to talk to you why you are here."

"Why don't we start with how we got here."

I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest defensively. Adrian narrowed his eyes at me but didn't respond to my non-verbal communication. Just my verbal communication.

"Dani, my daughter, you met her right, she is a witch. Has been looking for that particular spell for years, ever since she found a reference of the spell in a book."

Wait his daughter? I had seen Dani, she wasn't much younger than Lera and Sasha. Although it was hard imagining how old they were. Obviously the were siblings, but I couldn't figure out who was older. But I did know Dani was in the same range. Did Adrian cheat on Rose when she was pregnant?

I let out a growl and Adrian seemed to notice this. There was a slight gleam in his eyes that told me he knew what I was reacting too. Really he was proud of it?

Rose was oblivious to the implications of Dani and of our little exchange. She was pinching the bridge of her nose.

"A witch. How did we get to a witch, she is Dhampir, we don't have magic."

"Nope, she doesn't have internal magic like Moroi do, but being a witch can be thought. Her mother is a witch and learned it in her teens. Dani was never much of a fighter, she took after her mother and became a scholar, she studied human magic since she was a child, she is actually very gifted."

"Her mother is another Dhampir witch. This is really getting bizarre. But you have the weirdest taste in women."

Now Adrian outright laughed, and I even saw Lera and Sasha smile.

"Oh you have no idea. And she isn't Dhampir, she is human, an ex-alchemist actually."

I just stared at him, so did Rose. He left Rose for an ex-alchemist?

"Dani won't be able to send you back for at least a few days, she needs to recuperate for a while."

"So why did you bring us here."

Adrian had a smile on his face. But there didn't seem to be any humor in it.

"To do what you two do best: save the world."

I looked over to Rose. He was talking about us as if we were in this together. But I honestly think any corporation between us right now wasn't in the cards.

"So what do we need to do then?"

He looked grief stricken as he said this.

"Live."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, come with me."

We followed Adrian out again into a small courtyard.

There in the middle stood a statue, a statue of Rose and I. The encryption on the stone beneath marked it as our grave, but it wasn't the fact I was staring at my own grave that had me unable to breath. It was the fact that statue Dimitri looked at Rose with such love in his eyes and that brass Rose seemed to be returning that favor. Maybe it was a cruel joke from whoever made the statue. But as I was looking at myself I didn't see the broken man I was now. I didn't see guilt in his eyes. He had his shoulders straight making him seem taller, me? I was hunched over as if my shame and guilt had made its way into my body. He looked powerful and sure of himself. It was like he was mocking me.

"Nine years."

Rose's word got me out of my depressive thoughts.

"What?"

"We die in nine years, I suppose that is longer than some. We are in a dangerous profession after all."

"When did Dani snatch you up?"

"You don't know?"

I asked Adrian.

He shook his head.

"That is not how the spell works, she opened up a portal to the past in a specific place, she had to wait before either of you were actually in the spot when the portal was open for it to activate. Dani had been sitting there for a while. We are lucky we got you both at the same time. I had indicated when you would most likely be there hoping to get the timing right. But I don't know if it actually worked."

"You took us from the summer when Dimitri was turned back."

You could see Adrian winch a bit.

"You were obviously let out of the cells already."

I nodded.

"So who is queen at the moment?"

I looked at him like he was crazy.

"Your aunt is."

Again he winched. Why did we need to specify that? Is Tatiana going to retire soon, she isn't very old yet.

He kept looking between me and Rose and shaking his head. He seemed to pity the both of us.

"Totally makes sense now, but actually pretty close to what we were hoping. Come on let's get back inside to Lera and Sasha, we have some explaining to do."

"Actually I don't see how they need to be there. They obviously aren't involved in this because they weren't born yet, so I don't see how your children need to be there for this conversation."

I had my arms crossed and was pissed off, I didn't understand why, but I was. Rose was looking at me dumbstruck, I think she made the connection that they were in her bloodline but I don't think she thought they were Adrian's. How could she not? She was with Adrian now, wasn't she?

But before Rose could find her voice Adrian started laughing, hard.

He was grabbing his stomach he was laughing so hard.

"You think they are mine? Oh this is funny, explains your behavior a bit. No Rose and I decided long before she had the twins that we weren't meant for each other. I married Sydney and had Dani, remember."

"Wait what? They are mine? And you married Sydney?"

Rose asked shocked.

Adrian and I looked at her funny. How had she not realized this?

"Well duh. Lera is practically a carbon copy of you and Sasha's looks aren't far behind and Sydney and I are a long story."

I felt a small sliver of hope I shouldn't be having. Rose and Adrian were going to break up. But that little piece of hope was squashed again when I realized Rose would end up with someone else who would grand her children. I shouldn't feel deflated by that but I did. I had no right to feel this way. I threw her away. I messed up any chance of Rose and me being together.

The statue came back to me. We had looked like we had belonged together in that statue. We had the same day of death. There was a small sense of relief knowing at least Rose and I would still be going into battle together.

Adrian was still snickering when we came back into the room. Lera and Sasha were both polishing their blades.

"Oh put those things away you two."

He might not be their father but he sure as hell sounded like it.

"What are you laughing about anyway? What is so funny?"

Adrian waved at Lera's question, dismissing her.

"I'll tell you later. It is hilarious."

I rolled my eyes. I didn't think it was that funny or so farfetched.

"Okay so can we now get back to where we are supposed to save the world from certain doom and where apparently my children can become Strigoi."

"Oh that yeah well, they are unique."

He said as he was rubbing their heads, messing up their hair. I heard Sasha growl at this as he straightened out his hair and Lera sighed deeply and pulled her hairtie out and re-did her hair. As she was combing through her long dark locks I wondered how Rose could have ever mistaken her for anything but her daughter. Even the mannerism in which she did it was identical to her mother's.

"We inherited some Strigoi attributes, we can turn it on or off. It's handy in a fight but we do need to feed on Strigoi to replenish our strength seeing as we don't have an immortal undead body to sustain us. Other than that we are normal Dhampirs."

Adrian chuckled again.

"Oh yeah, you two are just run in the middle teenagers. Anyway. Your deaths set in motion a few events we would like to stop. We figured if you two survive we could avoid all the nasty stuff that followed."

"Like what? How did the world end up like this?"

Adrian sat down and went from funny to serious again. The contrast was strange, especially in Adrian.

"You two were killed by the oldest Strigoi known to the Alchemists, however, you took him down with you. At first Strigoi attacks had quieted down, thinking the death of one of their oldest meant they were more cautious and afraid. But we were wrong; they were planning and forming armies. The death of Joshua meant they took the threat seriously and banded together. Their need for revenge and perhaps the fear that even he could fall overrode their violent nature towards each other. That in itself was worrisome but still manageable. We had been researching spirit a lot and had come up with a vaccine for being turned. The reigning queen started an immunizing program that prevented people from turning. Also it eliminated those inoculated as a food source for the Strigoi because their food became almost undrinkable. However the inoculation had another effect. The spirit in the vaccine ensured that Dhampirs could procreate with each other. Now that is a positive thing although it meant our society fell. Dhampirs no longer needed the Moroi to ensure the survival of their own species, so the guardian system fell apart. There were Dhampirs and Non-royal Moroi who banded together for safety and fighting off Strigoi but there were others who resisted the change and enslaved Dhampirs with compulsion to keep them guarding them and breeding with them. The division in our society meant that when the Strigoi were ready for war, we weren't. Court had fallen and many lost their lives. We as Moroi and Dhampir are on the brink of extinction. Sydney had relayed the vaccine to the alchemists and they are distributing it amongst humans, but it just means that Strigoi are even more desperate to destroy us. We need spirit and a Dhampir to produce the vaccine, if they kill us, the vaccine can no longer be manufactured and they have free reign again."

I just stared at Adrian. There truly was an apocalypse here. But I didn't understand how us surviving would magically make this go away.

"So you want us not to kill Joshua? That was the catalyst for most of this."

He shook his head.

"Killing Joshua was a great victory and the war was coming anyway. We just weren't prepared. And we were missing our greatest fighters. You two could have united the Dhampirs and kept part of our society together, but the vaccine was released to soon with no regard to its consequences. Our queen had illegally obtained it and had to be dethroned afterwards. Just the fallout from that caused and unrepairable ripple through our system. Your deaths and consequences of that is what send her over the edge to do it in the first place."

Nothing made sense. Why would Tatiana be so affected by our deaths?

"Adrian where is Lissa?"

Rose asked not for the first time today.

In that moment a blond women walked in. She was surprised to see us and I saw a little bit of relief in her eyes as well, but she had a guardian mask of her own and years of fighting on the front lines have perfected her impassive face. The way she was looking at Adrian and the fact she was human let me to deduce this was his wife. I saw recognition on Rose's face as well. I had been told that Rose had had help from an alchemist in Russia, a young girl named Sydney. I assumed this was her.

"Adrian, you are needed."

He nodded and left with his wife.

"I'll be right back."

He said leaving us alone with the twins. It immediately became awkward. They were looking between us. I would have imagined their attentions lingering on Rose a bit longer seeing as she was their mother, but I suppose we were kind of celebrities around here.

"So… you getting good school reports?"

Rose asked a little hesitantly. I suppose it was weird talking to your kids when they were practically the same age as you.

"Well we did, well I did, Sasha was always in trouble, until the school was destroyed."

"Right, sorry."

Silence again.

"So who trained you if you aren't going to school anymore?"

I asked.

"Grandma or Uncle Eddie. I am not going to tell grandma this but she is getting old."

She whispered to Rose and Rose laughed.

"I am glad to hear she is still around and Eddie as well. He is a good fighter."

They nodded. I saw they agreed with her but I also saw longing in their eyes. They wanted to be trained by her. She was also one of the best. Funny thing though they seemed to have a similar look in their eyes when they were looking at me.

"So how old were you when I died, is your Dad still in your life? Did he raise you?"

She asked hopefully. I think part of it was because Rose didn't want them to be orphans but also I think she wants a functional relationship with their father, something I could never give her. The twins looked confused by Rose's question though.

"We were three, and Adrian and Sydney raised us. They have a tendency to take in strays, and Dad died that day too. He was on the battle field with you."

Of course he was. Of course Rose would end up with a progressive Moroi that would join in on fights. Rose needed that kind of person. A person that understood that she was a warrior. I was jealous of this person, even if I have never met him. I knew Rose and Adrian were together but somehow I had known it wouldn't work out because Adrian and Rose were too different. He wasn't able to understand her, understand her need for battle. But now this guy seemed to have been able to do just that. She didn't need me anymore.

"Oh, I am sorry."

"We are not. We had often wondered what it would be like just to know one parent. But Adrian said it was better this way. They were never meant to be apart. He said he found them in a field of ash after they learned of the battle side by side holding hands. He said that one without the other was nothing but a shell."

Of course. Grand fucking love story. I was right to stay out of her life. She deserves to be happy, she deserved to be loved like that. I couldn't possible give her that.

"So he was a progressive Moroi then, what did he specialize in?"

I asked trying very hard to engage in conversation as to not let my own depressive mood get the better of me.

They both looked at me like I was crazy. Lera actually tilter her head a bit like a puppy. It was kind of cute.

"You don't specialize in anything, you are a Dhampir."

My mind went blank. Were they implying that I was their father? That couldn't be. Actually Adrian did mention something about the vaccine being able to allow Dhampirs to procreate together. But he made it sound like it was invented after we died, so that wouldn't work for us.

Rose looked over at me and I saw the same shock register with her. This hadn't been a possibility for her either. I saw she was struggling. She abruptly stood up, letting her chair fall behind her. She walked out of the room.

I wanted to call her back. Wanted to talk this through, I wanted to apologize for what the lie I told her and myself in the church, but nothing came out. I turned back around and I saw the twins were absolutely confused.

"You didn't know? I assume Adrian told you. And well you two have been together since forever right. Why would you think she would be with someone else?"

I had no idea what our children knew about our past but apparently this little piece of information hadn't been disclosed to them.

I was about to answer when Adrian walked back in. His eyes betrayed the severity of whatever news he had just been given.

"Why was Rose just storming off?"

I sighed deeply but didn't answer him. I didn't know how.

"They didn't know Dimitri was our father."

"You told them?"

They nodded.

"And I am guessing it didn't go over well."

They shook their heads.

"Let me guess Dimitri, when we snatched you two, you had just informed Rose that she was better off without you and that she should leave you alone. A little church incident no doubt."

I nodded.

"Why?"

The twins asked in unison. It was adorable.

"They are having a bit of a rough patch right now. Dimitri has been a restored Dhampir for less than two weeks, he is feeling guilty and he projected that guilt onto Rose because as a Strigoi he had held her captive and drank from her and trying to turn her. He feels that she would be happier without him. He is an idiot."

I looked down towards the ground but I didn't correct him. He was right. I was an idiot. But that didn't mean I hadn't hurt her. As a Strigoi or back in the church.

"Don't worry though; this fairy tale has a happy ending. Well that is until they get experimented on and die of course."

The twins roll their eyes.

What does he mean experimented?

"Why don't you two help out in the perimeter on the north side. There have been some sightings. I need to have a conversation with mister moron over here."

He sat across from me almost amused.

"So, she still is pissed about the fact you didn't want to see her huh. Well she could always hold a grudge."

I rolled my eyes.

"It is more than that. Just before we came here I told her to forget me, to let go of any feelings she had for me. Because I had."

"Ouh ouch. That would do it. That would break her and Yeah I was right, you are an idiot."

"It is a little weird to be talking about this with her current boyfriend."

He smiled. I guess he could see the irony as well.

"Yeah about that. Hind sight is 20-20. Rose and I should have never even started dating. I pushed her to fast after Russia and shouldn't have and she should have never accepted when she clearly wasn't over you yet. Rose and I… well I know she cared for me, maybe even loved me, but we weren't right for each other. We made each other worse instead of better. It took me a long time to realize that. I think however Rose always knew… You didn't think it weird you made the connection I was probably the twins' father but she didn't. It was more than just her not knowing she was their mother, it was the fact she never envisioned a future with me in the first place. It simply didn't occur to her… But if you can help it this time around, get back together with her after she breaks up with me, will save you a lot of drama."

I looked at him funny. Did he imply Rose cheated on him with me?

"She cheated on you?"

"Well sort of. We were never physical with each other, so in that sense she didn't but yeah she was dating me and neglected to break up with me first before she became physical with you again. There were some circumstances which made it difficult for her to break up with me but still it hurt. I hated you two for a long time. But we got past that and now I am raising your children."

"Why are you raising them, why not Lissa and Christian?"

He looked down at his hands. His eyes held an odd mix of grief and anger.

"That is a long story, but you made it clear after the twins were born that you wanted Sydney and I to take care of them and not Lissa and Christian. That went over well when Lissa learned of that after you two died."

I still found it hard to believe I would hand my children over to Adrian and not Lissa or Christian, but I must admit the Adrian before me now was a lot less annoying then the Adrian from our time.

I sat back into my chair, this was a lot to take in. Rose and I together again, having kids, the end of the world. Yeah it was testimony to how much I screwed up that I thought that was the order of how unbelievable an event was. Me and Rose together having kids was more baffling than the end of the world.

"God I screwed up."

Adrian chuckled.

"yeah you did. But Rose has this tendency to render us all fools in her presence. Look I know you still love her, even now under all those layers of guilt I can see it. It was just buried very deep. She will forgive you eventually, but you need to figure out how to not wallow in it so much you can't feel anything else. Now in our timeline, you eventually did, but we don't know how much we are changing, so the sooner you get your act together the better."

I nodded.

"So how did we end up having kids anyway. I thought you said the vaccine wasn't invented after we died."

He nodded. He then started to explain about the perks of being turned back from Strigoi. About Declan and how we survived the experiments his father had inflicted on us. I just kept listening and my eyes kept getting wider and wider and my mouth had a tendency to keep falling open.