A.N: Hey Guys!!
First let me thank you for all your awesome reviews. They brought big smiles on my face.
I also want to thanks Jessica for the time in rereading the story.
I just wanted to add that this chapter MIGHT come as a shock to some of you well , there is no need to bash telling me how much you hate it (if you do hate it lol) because it won't change much, the storyline is there, and there is always a reason for everything I do so…
Anyways now I'll stop my rambling.
I hope you're going to enjoy the chapter at least as much as I enjoy reading your reviews.
Take care
Steffy.
Disclaimer: I just wished I owned VA (sniff sniff) but it's not the case (pout)
Chapter 3
I started to wake up and it didn't feel awkward like I thought it might. I was feeling relaxed, almost at peace. I was warm and safe in Adrian's arms. I could hear his soft breathing; his chest was against my back and one of his arms was wrapped tightly around my waist.
I smiled in the dark room, but didn't move. I liked the feeling of his chest rising softly and regularly to the pace of his breathing. I finally opened my eyes to look at the alarm clock, it was afternoon already. We would have to move soon, but right now I felt good right where I was, and it had been so long since I felt that way.
I took a deep breath closing my eyes again, enjoying having his body against mine as if he was subconsciously claiming me. What is that bad? Was I a phony? I was always so scared to play him involuntarily, but right now I felt loved, wanted and cared about. It felt nice - so nice - that I didn't want that feeling to stop. I loved seeing myself through Adrian's eyes; see his unwavering love, tenderness and pride to be by my side.
Was it so bad to give a relationship with Adrian a try even if deep down I was still craving someone else? Someone who I wasn't even sure existed anymore? Because I couldn't help to think that Dimitri - MY Dimitri - couldn't have turned his back on me like he did. Whatever the issues might have been he would have stood by me.
I let out a small sigh that was of both content and despair. I was content to realize that I could still feel safe and loved in someone else's arms, and despaired because for the first time since the fight in the caves I seriously considered letting go of Dimitri.
Adrian's arm tightened around my waist, and I felt his heart rate increase slightly. I smiled, knowing he was awake.
I brushed his arms around my waist lightly with my fingertips until my hand cupped his.
"I thought it was a dream," he said with his sleepy voice. His voice was so husky and rough when he was waking up; probably due to all the smoking and drinking that he seemed to have tamed to a perfectly acceptable level, just for me.
"What was?"
"You… beside me," he replied, sliding down the bed until his face was buried in my neck.
I turned around to look at him, but now his nose was skimming the hollow at the base of my neck.
"I enjoy being here too," I said sincerely.
He kissed my neck and I felt like an alarm started to beep; it was too early, too fast.
I brought my hand to his cheek, "Come on. Let's get up if you want to make it to the fair," I said as I brushed his cheek softly and wiggled out of his grip.
Adrian sighed, but let go of me as he turned onto his back.
"Too early," he simply stated looking at the ceiling. "I should have known."
I leaned down kissing his jaw line.
"Just give me a bit more time," I said just before getting out of bed.
Adrian nodded silently. "You know what? Go get ready, I'll order something to eat," he said jumping off the bed.
"Thanks," I said before almost running back to my room. I was so confused; a part of me was pushing me into his arms while another part - a very annoying part - was making me feel guilty for trying to be happy.
As I slid into the shower, I could still feel Adrian's soft lips on my neck, as if burned into my memory.
When I went back into Adrian's room, freshly washed and dressed; breakfast was already set on the table. Seeing all the food made my stomach growl loudly.
Adrian chuckled loudly, and I felt relieved to see that he got over the partial rejection.
"Hungry much? I didn't know what you wanted, so I ordered a little bit of everything," he said gesturing to the table as he sat down.
"I'm starving," I said taking the seat across from him. "Did you… feed?" I asked curiously, seeing the flush on his cheeks.
"Yep," he answered with a jerk of his head toward the mini fridge.
"I can only imagine the maid opening the fridge, her face would be priceless!" I chuckled as I bit a big chunk of a wholegrain bagel.
Adrian looked at me with a glint of humor in his eyes.
"What?" I asked my mouth still half full.
"I love watching you eat," he said with a slight shrug. "You aren't like any other woman I've ever met."
"I love food, sue me!" I exclaimed in mock anger because I knew it was a compliment coming from him.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said winking. "I--"
He was interrupted by my phone.
"It's Pavel," I said as I jumped up and ran to retrieve my cell from my room.
"How do you know?"Adrian asked, apparently surprised.
"Don't you hear the ring tone? It's The Exorcist," I said chuckling before answering.
"Hey."
"Didn't you hear me knock at your door earlier?"
"Well…" I was glad he wasn't here to see me blush, "I was probably in the shower." But I was pretty sure it was while I was sleeping comfortably in Adrian's arms.
"Uh… Well whatever. I just wanted to know Ivashkov's plans for today," he sighed loudly. "You know I never thought I would say this, but I'll be happy when this super procrastination phase is over."
I chuckled, "One more day."
Pavel stayed silent. He was trying to bond with me, but he was still pretty much disabled socially.
"I'll ask," I said as I walked back into Adrian's room and sat back down at the table across from him. "Pavel wants to know what your plans are for today."
"Well…" he reached behind him and slid the pink flyer toward me for the Parcuri de Distracţii, or as Pavel traduced the funfair.
"The funfair still."
"Urgh! I hoped he would change his mind. You know, here… well, it's not like the ones in America."
"Well I'll find out pretty soon. I'll give you a call when he's ready to leave."
"Okay, see you later."
"Not so hot on the fair part, huh?" Adrian asked as I started to eat again.
"I think the issue is the fun part really," I said teasing. "Nah, it will be fine; don't worry about it," I added dismissively. "He's just happy to go back to work tomorrow."
"What about you? Excited to go back to work?"
"Well," I shrugged, "it's not like I don't enjoy being with you because I surely do, but I like to have a goal."
Adrian gave me an half smile, "Yeah without a set goal… you don't like that."
"I… guess," I said frowning in confusion
Adrian shook his head dismissively, "Okay I'm going to get ready."
"Yeah you do that," I said following him with my eyes to the bathroom.
"Umm, can I call you if I need a back scrub or something?" he asked just before entering the bathroom.
"Sure!" I said with exaggerate enthusiasm, "I'll send Pavel."
Adrian grimaced. "Yeah… I think I can handle it by myself."
"You don't say."
Pavel was right; the fair wasn't exactly what I had expected. It was a lot more like the country fairs back in the US, but it was pretty enjoyable nonetheless.
I was holding a nice, cuddly teddy bear that Adrian won for me at a shooting stand. I didn't know that he knew how to shoot, but it was true that - with his Moroi vision - it wasn't that much of a challenge.
Nevertheless, I loved that teddy bear. I felt completely normal for one of the first times of my life. It was such a normal evening, a guy taking a girl to a fair and trying to impress her by winning her a cuddly teddy, well if you left out the whole Pavel there as a bodyguard thing.
"What do you want to do now?" Adrian asked as he reached for my hand.
I didn't take it back, because I considered this evening as a date, a very nice date.
"I'm actually hungry and thirsty," Pavel said without even looking at us.
"Yeah me too," Adrian agreed. "What about you?" he asked squeezing my hand.
"You know how much trouble I have saying 'no' to food," I answered teasingly.
"Oh yeah! That's why sometimes I wish I were a donut," Adrian said with a wink.
Pavel let out an overplayed disgusted noise.
"Mă scuzaţi!" we heard a woman's voice call as we passed a stand.
The three of us turned around to see a blonde woman waving at us. She was dressed in Bohemian Style clothes and was probably in her fifties.
She was at a stand with a small sign that said Vrăjitor. I knew exactly what it meant thanks to Dimitri.
"A Psychic? Just for us?" I asked trying to sound teasing, but I knew they could be good… very good.
Adrian looked at me curiously, probably wondering how I knew what she was.
Pavel grunted, "Like we need that."
When she saw that we weren't approaching her she rushed to us, but she had her eyes locked on only me.
"Tu eşti sursa de lumina," she said as soon as she reached us.
"What? What?" Adrian asked with a small smile. "Man, for the first time in my life I regret not knowing how to speak Romanian."
"De viaţă eşti grijă este preţios. Acest copil... că sufletul oure va alunga întunericul pentru totdeauna. Aceasta va distruge Strigoi," she added reaching for my hand.
I froze; maybe I didn't understand anything but 'Strigoi'… That word I knew only too well.
"What did she say?"Adrian asked a bit more intensely as he probably heard the word Strigoi as well as I did.
"Never mind," Pavel said as he went to stand beside Adrian and rested a hand on his shoulder; but the look he sent me showed me the contrary. It was a glance of both disbelief and urgency. I needed to know what she was saying.
The woman looked at Adrian and her eyes turned sad, "Dragostea ta cea mai mare... Va fi cea mai mare durerea ta," she said apparently sorry.
"I don't speak Romanian," Adrian said in frustration.
The woman seemed thoughtful, as if she were searching for the right words. "Your—"
"She said that your greatest love will be your greatest pain." Pavel explained severely. He shot a warning glance to the woman, a look that said 'shut it'.
"Oh…" Adrian looked at me quickly, "well, sucks to be me," he said trying to sound teasing, but it didn't fool me, he was clearly worried.
"Come on, let's go," Pavel nudged Adrian. "I'm hungry."
"Yeah… you're right," Adrian nodded, still staring at the woman,
Pavel and Adrian took the lead; I turned from the woman to follow them when she caught my hand.
"Rose, let's go" Adrian said warily.
"Go ahead," I said with a forced smile, "I'll be there in a minute." After the look that Pavel gave me I wanted to find out what she had said.
"We'll be at the little refreshment stand there," Pavel pointed to the red tent while he kept his grip on Adrian's shoulder.
Adrian shot me a disapproving look - lips pursed - but he followed Pavel.
As soon as they turned around I concentrated my attention on the woman.
"Trebuie sa ma crezi, că copilul este –" she started still griping my hand.
I shook my hand, "Slow down, I don't understand you at all."
"You… the baby is important. Very important," she said pointing at my belly.
"Baby?" I asked with wide eyes before bursting into laugher. "Oh woman that is the only thing that couldn't be," I shook my head, "but nice try."
"Please…" her eyes were begging. "Believe, you have a baby in you, very important life." she insisted with her thick accent.
"And you don't seem to understand that it can't be. Dhampirs can't—" I stopped dead in my tracks, my eyes widening. Dimitri was not a dhampir anymore, at least not really. What if--What if-- No! It's impossible!
"You're mistaken," I said coldly getting out of her grip violently.
"No mistake," she shook her head vigorously. "You baby fight întunericul... darkness."
"I-- have to go," I said turning away briskly, and walking stiffly to meet Pavel and Adrian.
"Rose are you okay?" Adrian asked worriedly. "Your aura… it's all over the place," he added in a whisper.
I looked at Pavel quickly as he knew only too well what the woman told me. "Yeah I'm fine. I just… I have a big migraine starting."
"Let me try to settle it," Adrian said bringing his hand to my forehead.
"No!" I exclaimed as I grabbed his wrist, "I just need some aspirin and it will be fine; better keep your healing for something important."
"But nothing is more important than you," he explained like it was evidence.
I couldn't keep the warm feelings from filling me. I was the most important person in his life and it felt so good.
I gave him a chaste kiss. "I love you for that, but there is a pharmacy just over there," I said pointing to a green sign. "I'll be back in no time I promise."
"Maybe we should just go back to the hotel," he tried. "I mean… we already had our fun, no?"
I nodded. "Yeah, why not? Just give me five minutes," I said rushing toward the pharmacy before he could suggest joining me. I knew Pavel figured why I needed a pharmacy and that he would keep Adrian occupied for a little while.
I wanted to go straight to the counter, but since I didn't know how to say 'pregnancy test' in Romanian I decided to quickly browse the aisle.
I, ironically, found the pregnancy tests just across the aisle from the condoms. They should put a sign above the condoms 'Buy a box or look behind you for the consequences.' That would have been a winner right there!
I took two boxes that seemed simple enough - they were the 'one line you're screwed, no line you're safe' kind - and grabbed a small box of aspirin at the counter.
I paid quickly and barely had enough time to put the pregnancy tests into my bag and exit the pharmacy before Adrian appeared beside me.
"Boy, I never saw a guy take that long to eat his hot dog," he said glaring at Pavel. "And of course he wouldn't let me leave before he was done."
"Awww, poor you," I said as I wrapped an arm around his waist and shot a grateful glance to Pavel.
I excused myself, telling them that I needed to sleep off my migraine and that if they wanted to go have dinner without me they were welcome to.
As soon as I walked into my room I almost ran into the bathroom. I knew it was impossible for me to be pregnant, or at least I hoped so.
I took both tests at once and set my watch flat on the counter beside them, ready to wait for the longest four minutes of my life.
I looked at myself in the mirror waiting, not even seeing my reflection. Being pregnant would be drama, but the scariest part would be the mystery. What would I be carrying? Dhampirs were not supposed to have children together, it just wasn't possible.
After the four minutes were up, I looked at the tests in a sort of daze. It took me a couple of seconds to register that the line showed up on both tests.
"No… no. Please no!" I whined loudly. "Please disappear!" I begged foolishly, shaking the test as hard as I could.
When I looked at the tests, the lines were still perfectly there, like they were taunting me.
''No!!!'' I roared throwing the test across the bathroom.
I was feeling a mix of emotions. They were so mixed up that I had trouble breathing. I was angry, incredulous, scared and confused all at once. I even – irrationally - felt furious against Dimitri for getting me pregnant.
"What am I supposed to do? WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!!" My vision was blurry; I didn't even realize I was crying.
I decided to take a shower to try to calm down. I surely wouldn't do much tonight anyways… there wasn't much I could do right now.
I slid under the warm water and I actually didn't feel better. It was like I could feel the baby in my belly, growing in me, which was completely crazy since I couldn't be more than eight weeks pregnant.
I sat on the shower floor with my arms wrapped around my legs and rested my head on my knees. My life really sucks! Like I needed another complication in my life.
I closed my eyes and lost track of time letting the warm water slide down my back. When I opened my eyes the skin of my fingers and toes was as crinkled as old prunes and I was not feeling any better.
I got out of the shower and jumped into my overused pair of grey sweat pants and my red tank top. I walked slowly to my bed trying to put this new complication in the back of my mind; at least until our return to the US.
I didn't feel like getting in bed as I knew I would dream - or at least think - about… about… I rested my hand on my stomach and turned around to look at the door connecting Adrian's room to mine.
In any other situation I would have run to his room, ask to sleep in his arms again, but now it felt wrong, almost obscene. Sleeping in the arms of one man as the child of another one was growing inside me.
I took a shaky breath and reached for my training shoes deciding to go out for a while. I ran up the stairs to the roof and sat on a ventilation case to look at the city lights.
"Was she right?" Pavel asked from behind me.
I jumped and turned around, "Holly Sh—"
"Sorry," he said sheepishly, "I really should try to make myself known when I approach you."
"Yes please," I said taking a deep breath to calm myself down. "How did you know I was here?"
He looked at me thoughtfully. "I didn't. I always like being up high and looking at city's lights… It helps me think. She was right." he said simply and I couldn't tell from his tone what he thought about that.
"Yes," I whispered looking down. Acknowledging it out loud made it even more real.
"How do you feel about that?"
"I…" I sat back in defeat, "I can't be a mother Pavel. I mean… have you met me?" I asked with a humorless laugh. "I can barely take care of myself. I…" I shook my head, "It's just not possible."
"What are you going to do?" he asked as he sat beside me and took my hand in between his.
''I'm not a mom, I'll never be a mom.'' I said ignoring his question as I really had no idea of what I was going to do.
He let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders to pull me into a hug. It was the first reassuring gesture that he'd ever given me and I realized how much I needed it. I started to cry silently on his shoulder.
"What am I supposed to do Gav?" I asked sobbing.
"I can't answer that Rose," he said while he rubbed circles on my back gently. "But I know you'll figure it out in your own time. Just give yourself some time and don't act too fast. You'll figure it out and… just know that whatever you decide to do I'll support you."
I hugged him back fiercely and silently.
We stayed like that until my tears finally calmed down. The crying and swirl of emotions had drained me completely. I fell asleep as soon as my head touched my pillow.