A/N- Surprise! Look two chapters in one week! I'm having a really slow/chill week at school right now so its giving me plenty of time to write. Plus the long weekend's coming up! Thank you everyone for sticking with me even though my updates are sporadic. :)

Chapter 4: Connected

Rose POV

The first thing I felt was the bed under me as I was starting to come to. I guess Dimitri rushed me to the clinic the minute I collapsed. My eyes felt dry and crusty. I slowly opened one eye to see bright lights beaming down on me. On my left was Dimitri, he had a tight grip on my hand, as if he thought I was going to fly away or something. From the way he was acting earlier, he shouldn't be surprised if I disappeared from his side. To my right I saw Lissa, she was blurring in and out, but her soft voice gave her away. "Is the baby okay?" I heard her ask with surprise in her voice. I was in for it when I woke up. I tried to go back to sleep but Lissa was thinking too loud. I sighed. I guess no more sleeping for Rose. "Lissa." I said suddenly. "Shut up." I blurted out as I rolled over on my side to try to shield my eyes from the light. Lissa wasn't talking but her million and one thoughts made me want to slap her.

I heard the doctor say something to Dimitri and I watched as they got up and left the room. I wonder what he had to say to him. It's not like the doctor knows that he's the father. He had no right to tell Dimitri anything. Lissa saw my body stiffen and she knew that I was awake. She spoke out loud now. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"There was nothing to tell." I muttered. Or at least I thought there was nothing to tell her. This wasn't supposed to happen. Dimitri and I weren't supposed to be able to reproduce. We weren't supposed to ever have to deal with this problem. I was never supposed to be a mother. I didn't have a mother myself, how would I even know how to care for the child, I would probably be horrible at it, leaving the baby screaming in frustration because I wouldn't know what to do.

"Clearly there's something to tell Rose, or you wouldn't be in this situation. Do you not trust me? I trust you with everything! and you won't even tell me the father of your child." I wanted to ignore her, but I understood her frustration. If I didn't already know everything I would be furious if I found out Sparky got Liss pregnant. She wouldn't be ready for that, just like I wasn't now.

"Liss…" I started, but she cut me off. "I didn't even know you were in a relationship." she ranted on. "I thought you were still heartbroken about Mason so I never pushed it with you."

"Mase wasn't my…" Lissa cut me off again, "But I guess I was wrong. I guess you moved on long ago didn't you." I finally sat up and looked at Lissa in the face. I had enough of her judgment. I didn't need other people telling me what to do. I needed to figure this out myself. I needed to do what was best for me, Dimitri, and the baby. "Lissa this is none of your business. I need to figure this out." I said to her.

" Figure it out? What are you thinking about not having this baby?" Now that she said it. It wasn't that bad of an idea. Dimitri didn't believe me anyways and I wasn't ready to bring a child into the world, let alone take care of one. If I had the baby I couldn't guard Lissa, and 'They Came First'. This baby just brought up a world of problems, maybe… maybe it would be better if I didn't have it. Finally I answered her. "Lissa, how can I be a guardian with a baby? I have a lot to worry about. I can't answer anything right now."

Lissa opened her mouth to say something but then stopped as I heard a knock on the door frame. I looked up to see Dimitri standing here. "Princess, may I speak to Rose privately?" he asked. She sent me a message in the bond saying 'we'll talk about this later'. Lissa nodded. She stood up and gave me a hug. "Everything will be okay." She told me before walking out. I watched her leave knowing her head was still spinning with the news; mine was still jumbled myself. I finally met Dimitri's eyes. "What?" I asked him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. I glared at him and didn't respond. How did he think I was feeling? I felt like shit. I was pregnant, tired, and sick. All I wanted to do was go back to my room and sleep. "Roza?" he asked again. "Don't call me that" I hissed and looked away from him. He didn't have that right anymore, not after he denied his own child. Maybe I should terminate the baby, I couldn't do this alone.

"Roza I believe you." Dimitri said breaking the silence. So now he wanted the baby, he probably overheard the whole conversation with Lissa. Now he's scared he'll lose his chance for a family. "Why?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes back towards him. " Because someone 'else' told you the facts?" I was grouchy now. At first I was just tired and annoyed, but now I was getting angry. How could Dimitri believe someone else and not me? Only I knew what I did with my body, not some doctor.

"Roza you know I never doubted you." Dimitri pleaded. I snapped. I didn't know why, but I'll blame it on pregnancy hormones. "Yes you did!" I barked and a machine started beeping until a nurse came running to me. "Please Roza." he begged. Dimitri took my hand and started rubbing it. "What do you want?" I demanded. Dimitri was being so hot and cold, it was like the beginning of our relationship all over again. I didn't want to go through that again. I didn't want a baby. I never wanted to be a mother, I was willing for Dimitri's sake but not if I was going to do this alone. "I can't do this on my own!" I shouted at him. "And you seemed to make it clear that this wasn't yours to worry over!"

"Roza please. The stress isn't good for OUR baby!" Dimitri begged, his voice only rising at the end. Immediately I calmed down. It was like I was going through a trance. I blinked a few times then sunk back into my pillow. My head flung to the side. "What are we going to do? How am I going to be Lissa's guardian?" I mused, more to myself than Dimitri. Dimitri just kept rubbing my hands in a soothing motion. It was nice. "We'll figure out Roza. One step at a time." he said. "Do you want to go back to the cabin?" Dimitri asked.

I looked up at him, shaking my head, "I can't leave." Dimitri frowned, but then said, "I know you can't Roza. But we need to get you out of here. I'll explain later." I looked at him confused. Why did we need to leave? He meant leave the clinic right, because I hated it here. For someone who spent so much of her life injured you'd think that I'd find hospitals like home, but really it was just cold and impersonal. Nothing Rose would like.

"You mean out of the clinic right?" I asked as I looked at him and then the wires on me. Dimitri just shook his head. "Don't worry Roza. I'll take care of it." Dimitri said. I was still confused. He never answered my question. Dimitri didn't say anything as he started to walk out of my room, glancing over to the window every now and then. "Dimitri!" I called, wanting an explanation.

Dimitri turned around. "I'll never let them hurt you." he growled. He walked over to me and whispered, "Give me until tonight to make arrangements. We have to leave as soon as possible." before kissing me on my forehead and leaving the room.

"Who's? Dimitri I don't understand." I called after him, but he had already left the premise. I wonder what got him so worked up. At least I would be getting out of this wretched hospital, all I wanted to do was go back to my room and sleep. With sleep on my mind, I fell back into a lulled state and soon enough my eyes closed and my dreams started to lead me to a spirit dream. Adrian...

Dimitri POV

I was still worried out of my mind when the doctor walked in. Rose was moving in her sleep now. Hopefully that meant she would wake up soon and everything would be fine. Was this a pregnancy side effect? I hope not, I didn't want Rose to feel the pain of losing a baby before she even got a chance to see it. I had been sitting by her side for hours now, holding onto one of her hands as if I was looking for a sign from her to make sure that she was okay. "Someone has had a very stressful day." the doctor noted as she checked over Rose's chart and the machines. "Her and her child are very lucky." the doctor continued. Rose had started to move a bit more now. Maybe she was waking up.

"Is the baby okay?" the Princess asked. I was so worried about Rose I forgot to even check about the baby. I mean I didn't want Rose to lose the child but I valued Roza's safety much more than another man's child. "Yes. But there are some odd things going on." the doctor said, my head shot up at those words; complications would only make things worse for Rose. "The fetus is only a few weeks old. Looks like a Valentine's Day event." the doctor finished.

It took all of my strength not to have my jaw drop. Rose was telling the truth. The baby was mine. I was her first and it was Valentine's Day when we first started to consummate our relationship. If the baby was that old then it had to be mine. I had felt how tight she was our first night, I had broken her hymen, it couldn't have been anyone else's child. I can't believe I didn't believe her. Roza must hate me right now. No wonder she was so angry.

The Princess just stared at Rose, probably talking to her through the bond. "Lissa. Shut up." I heard Rose mutter, I guess she was awake. She pulled her hand out of mine and rolled over to her side, taking her pillow with her to cover her head. Lissa never took her eyes off of Rose though, and then Rose hissed again. "Whatever you're thinking seems to be upsetting her." the doctor noted. "Try not to do that Princess. It's not good for the baby." The Princess nodded and stopped staring at Rose. Roza visibly relaxed, like she had been carrying a huge weight this entire time. Then the doctor turned to me, "Belikov. May I have a word with you in the hall."

I looked up from Rose as the doctor spoke to me. I hadn't taken my eyes off of her since she woke up. She still wouldn't look me in the eye. Standing up, I said "of course." and followed the doctor into the hallway. "Belikov. Guardian Hathaway has put you over the care of Rose. She can't make it in for a week. Rose...the fetus is not like any I have ever seen." the doctor said.

She's called Rose's mother. That's the last thing Roza would want her to do. When her mother comes there was going to be a big battle with flames and the works. But that was a problem I could deal with later, I had to know what happened today so I could make sure it never happened again. "What's wrong with Roz...se?" I asked, almost slipping up.

"The fetus feels what ever Rose feels." the doctor said. "They're connected more than the typical mother and child. Her blood pressure was extremely high which probably caused problems for the growing fetus. If Rose hadn't passed out, anymore pressure on the fetus and she would have lost the baby." Connected?! It must be a shadow kissed thing, a side effect on her child from what Roza had with the Princess. The doctor continued, "No more working out, running, etc. The only thing physical she can do is walking. At least until we know about the pregnancy."

My heart sank. It was my fault Roza was sick. I had caused her to almost lose the baby. Now I knew. I would do everything in my power to keep Roza safe, even if I had to keep her away from myself. "Of course." I said to the doctor. "But are you sure it's a good idea to call Rose's mother here? They don't have the best relationship you saw that before the Christmas break when you had to set treat Rose's black eye when her mother knocked her out." Plus once her mother knew Rose was pregnant the whole academy would know. I didn't want Rose to have to go through that again, the rumors and teasing; it would be like Jesse and Ralf all over again. She would lose the respect that she had spent the last several months reearning, Roza didn't deserve that.

"Her mother has already been called. She's only 17. Her mother has all calls on what happens to Rose for the next week." the doctor answered. She seemed done with our conversation, stating facts like they actually mattered. I tried to argue with the doctor for Roses sake. "Having her mother here will only stress her out more. Her birthday is in a week anyways, I see no reason why we need Guardian Hathaway to leave her charge."

"Do you want children one day Belikov?" the doctor asked me as she looked up from her charts. "Let's say one day you have a little girl, and she is just like Rose in there. Her mother is going to try to talk Rose into doing the 'right' thing." And what was her view of the right thing: becoming a lab rat, aborting the baby. I completely ignored her first question. That was my business alone. "And what is the right thing doctor?" I asked annoyed that the doctor would suggest such a thing.

"This is a tough case." the doctor said. "I never want to kill an innocent life, but I personally think Rose should abort the fetus. Girls like her always get themselves in these kind of messes. They shouldn't let it rule their life." Girls like her, GIRLS LIKE HER. Was she calling my Roza a slut? If only she knew. I was on the verge of hitting the doctor right now, which wouldn't be right because I didn't hit women, at least not in this context. NO ONE. No one was going to take my baby away. I knew Rose was going to keep it. She would never take an innocent's life. I would go to the ends of the world to keep my Roza safe. I gritted my teeth as I responded. "As much as I respect your opinion doctor, I think Rose should make her own decisions about her child. WITHOUT..." I said with great emphasis, "anyone else's opinion.

"Well. Then she should have waited till next week to get pregnant. She will be sleeping on and off all day." the doctor said to me and then left to go to her next patient. I didn't like the doctors attitude. I had thought that she favored Rose because she was in here so often. I had to speak to Roza in private and explain the situation. If they wanted to take the baby we had to get out of here. I hurried back to the room to find her and the Princess arguing.

"Lissa this is none of your business. I need to figure this out." I heard Rose say.

"Figure it out? What are you thinking about not having this baby?" the Princess asked.

"Lissa, how can I be a guardian with a baby? I have a lot to worry about. I can't answer anything right now." Rose responded. I didn't like what Rose was saying. Was she really thinking about getting rid of the baby? Was she afraid I wouldn't support her? I wanted that child so badly. I always wanted a family and Roza knew that. She didn't really mean that did she? I knocked to get the girls' attention. "Princess, may I speak to Rose privately?"

The Princess nodded at me before hugging Rose and whispered something in her ear. Rose gave her a small smiled and we both watched as she walked out of the room. I sat down next to Rose and just watched her. She ignored me for awhile before she couldn't take the silence.

"What?" she said grouchily. I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to demand anything right away. "How are you feeling?" I asked. Rose turned away again, staring at the wall. "Roza?" I said to get her attention. "Don't call me that." she hissed. At least I got a response. "Roza I believe you." I told her. I didn't want her to think differently. I really did now, I was so stupid before to even think that Rose would ever be with someone else, willingly or unwillingly.

"Why?" Rose demanded of me, glaring at me, "because someone 'else' told you the facts?"

I wanted to assure her that I never thought ill of her and I would never think ill of her again. "Roza you know I never doubted you." I told her gently. I started to reach out toward her but then she shouted at me, "Yes you did!" I stumbled back terrified now. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. Rose couldn't get angry, she couldn't get stressed, it would her both her and the was getting more and more agitated and I needed to calm her down. "Please Roza." I pleaded with her.

"What do you want? I can't do this on my own! And you seemed to make it clear that this wasn't yours to worry over!" Rose shouted at me. Her machines were going off like crazy, a nurse ran in to check them and then scurried out. She could clearly see that we were fighting. I was almost shaking now. "Roza please. The stress isn't good for OUR baby!" I begged her. She needed to calm down.

Rose finally sunk back down into her bed, burying herself in the pillow. "What are we going to do?" she mumbled. "How am I going to be Lissa's guardian?" I rubbed her hands lovingly. "We'll figure out Roza. One step at a time." I looked around for any nurses watching. "Do you want to go back to the cabin?" If she was already out of the clinic on her own terms then it would be a lot easier to sneak her off campus. I could come and go as I pleased but if others saw me carrying Roza out of the gates it would be a little suspicious.

Rose looked up at me with a dazed look in her face, like she was off in her own world thinking of something hard. "I can't leave." she said. My mind was turning wheels in my head. I knew she couldn't leave, but I would figure out a way to get her out. I needed to protect her and my baby. "I know you can't Roza." I responded. "But we need to get you out of here. I'll explain later." I started getting up and heading towards the door.

"You mean out of the clinic right?" Rose called after me. I didn't respond at first, then I turned and gently shook my head. "Don't worry Roza. I'll take care of it." I said to her, my hand now on the door knob. "Dimitri!" she called again, stopping me in my step. Rose sounded worried, she shouldn't be, but her desperate tone brought out my overprotective side.

"I'll never let them hurt you." I said fiercely. "Give me until tonight to make arrangements. We have to leave as soon as possible" I whispered to her as I walked back towards her bed. I kissed her forehead and hurried out of the room. I needed to figure out a way to get Rose out of the Academy and maybe the country. Once we left, the Guardians wouldn't be able to track her, and then we would be safe.

A/N- Hope it wasn't too short and you all enjoyed it!

Ciao!

~Tiffany 3