DPOV

Once again, I awoke in the middle of the night to an empty bed. I checked James' room and found Roza as I had expected. Oh honey. My heart went out to her as I watched her feed our son and listened to her hum the first lullaby I'd taught her.

She was so young but so mature, such an amazing mother and woman. She had been since the moment I'd met her and she only continued to get more amazing each day. Each day she surprised me and each day she provided me with yet another reason to fall even more in love with her. How one person could have whipped me so immediately and so easily is beyond me, but I'm so glad she did. Life without her, without her as our son's mother, without our son? Pointless and meaningless.

Rose and James lit up my day and made me feel on could nine while also somehow, impossibly, simultaneously grounding me. They were the most amazing and inspirational part of my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Go back to bed, Comrade," she murmured quietly and looked away from James for a second to meet my gaze. Rose smiled exhaustedly.

I chuckled in response and shook my head. "I've got a ward shift in an hour anyway."

"All the more reason to get an extra half-hour sleep."

"I beg to differ."

I came and sat on the footstool in front of her and placed her feet in my lap as I had so many times before. Massaging them for the first time in five weeks while I reflected on how lucky I was and how much I had actually missed pampering her in this way. It may have been a painfully regular necessity so she could even get out of bed some days, but I missed bringing her pleasure through the almost meditative activity, the simple gesture to her of my love for her.

Roza moaned in delight. "Do you know what you're doing to me?" she whined in pleasure.

I nodded. "Of course," I smirked as I rubbed a particularly sore part of her left heel.

"You really are amazing, Dimitri Belikov." Her warm, soulful brown eyes met mine appreciatively and I got lost in the love that radiated from them. "God, I love you. I honestly don't know how I got so lucky to have you as my mentor, my soulmate and my son's daddy. You'll never know how you've changed my life in so many ways, all for the better."

I smiled. "Oh Roza, you became my life the second I caught you in Portland. You and James are the reason I get up in the morning, or whenever it is I have to, the reason I do my job. Back at the Academy I got up for our trainings wondering what you'd grumble out when you arrived however many minutes late. My last thought before going to sleep was what you were going to do to me tomorrow." It was true. I blushed before admitting the next part. "My dream the night of our first training was of you cheering me up after I first mentioned Ivan. Your smile, your warning glare as you protected Lissa, and your frustration when I refused to let you off all played through my mind that night. You know you're actually attractive when you death glare," I laughed quietly. James had just fallen asleep mid-feed.

"I am not. People shrink back in fear when I dish that out."

I shook my head and laughed again. "I'm not people. Whenever you use it on me you might as well be sticking your tongue out... or pouting. Cute and attractive." This stuff I hadn't yet revealed for obvious reasons.

"How is she?" asked Croft the second I stepped through his office door to sign in.

I suppressed a sigh. "Coping," I stated tiredly.

"Never thought I'd see Hathaway Senior be a grandmother, or Hathaway Junior be such a worry-wort and overprotective mother."

A smile broke out on my face. "When Guardian Rose Hathaway loves it's with all her being and she'll do anything to protect said loved ones. I should know, if anyone."

Croft scrunched up his face momentarily. "Belikov! I didn't need that image. You make one good father, Belikov," he reluctantly and gruffly acknowledged.

I nodded. "Thank you."

Croft lightened minutely but it was detectible. "You know nearly all the ranks worldwide considers you a lucky bastard, myself included?"

I sobered, but that didn't stop the pride that surged through me. "I bet, and have gathered by the looks and comments." I had received a rare offer from Tasha, which those in the guardian ranks who knew about were envious of, but it had been my dhampir soulmate who had already conceived my son. Yeah, I could see why they were jealous and envious.