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I didn't leave Lissa's till late last night. We stayed up pondering all the scenarios of how or why this kind of thing would or could happen. Christian said it was probably me who'd got knocked senseless in the tournament. He told me I needed to see a shrink for hearing voices in my head!
But as I lay there thinking about it, one conclution that we didn't think of-and I knew it should have been the first idea to dawn on us-I wondered if its because Lissa and I shared a bond. Techniquely the baby is a part of Lissa, so therefore could the bond extend down to her children? Hmm, the more I thought about it the more it started to make sense. But if so, would that bond carry beyond childbirth? We are suppose to meet up this afternoon for lunch, I am going to run it by her then and see what she thinks.
Ugh, time to get my ass out of this bed. I need to find someone to spar with me this morning, and no, I'm not going ape shit on them. Poor Lark, I hoped he was okay.
Eddie's off today, maybe he will spar with me. I got out of bed, got dressed and headed out to find Eddie.
It didn't take me long. He was in the kitchen, drinking coffee and eating a donut, while reading a newspaper at the kitchen table.
"Morning Sleeping Beauty!" He greeted me.
I flashed him a sweet smile and had a pleading look on my face. He got suspicious immediately .
"Morning." Was all I said.
He quirked an eyebrow. " I know there's more. You got that look on your face."
"What look?" I asked him innocently.
"That look that says 'Eddie would you… 'look'."
Yep, he was right. I knew I did. "I don't have any look on my face. Cant I just be happy to see you?" I tried to deny it.
"Oh shit, what is it?"
I stifled a laugh, but I felt the corners of my lips tug into a smile. "I was just wondering if you were busy this morning?"
"Do I look stupid to you? I know what you do in the mornings and the answer is not no. But Hell No!"
"Aw, come on Eddie. Pleasssssssseeee!" I begged. I even got down on one knee in front of him and clasp my hands together. "I promise I wont break your nose again! God! A girl screws up once and she cant live it down." I said sarcastically.
"Ah Rose? How many people spar with you on a regular occasion?" He quizzed me.
"Well, there's Jade and um..um well there's Jade" I got off my knee's. They weren't getting me anywhere.
"God, Ben would do it!' I grabbed me two doughnuts and a glass of milk and started chewing.
"That's because Ben has the hots for you! I on the other hand can see through your siren façade." he started laughing.
I glared at him. He dropped his eyes back down to the newspaper he was reading.
"You know, you sitting there in your robe, drinking coffee, eating a doughnut and reading the damn newspaper, makes you look twice your age! Would you like for me to get a cane for you Gramps?" This time I got the last laugh, he glared at me, but I kept laughing. He pointedly ignored me and went back to his paper.
"I thought you wanted me to teach you that roundhouse? How can I if you wont spar with me?" I thought I had made a valid point.
"If I have to be the dummy, then no thank you."
"Fine then. I'll find someone else!"
"Good luck with that." He muttered.
I glared at him, not that he noticed, cause his eyes never left the paper. I turn in a huff and strode to where my coat was, grabbed it and darted out the door. I got out in the hall, then the realization of the conversation hit me. I had to laugh, it was funny. Eddie didn't want his ass kicked. Whoever said that females were the weaker sex, were never more wrong. Point proven. I made my way across court heading toward the gym, at last the ice had finally started to melt.
I made it to the gym and started my warm up exercises, -after I turned on the gym stereo-, I forgot my ipod back at the apartment.
I was just finishing up my warm-ups, when the door opened.
"Hey Rose!" Oh. My. God. What is she doing here? I turned around and found Tasha walking toward me.
"Morning." I kept all the bitterness out of my voice, but oh it was so hard to do.
"I was hoping I would find you here! Christian told me that you like to spar in the mornings before your jog. He also told me you have a hard time finding a partner." I so was not touching that opening for a snide comeback. And I am going to kill Christian the next time I see him. He better hope he can light me up before I get my hands around his throat and choke the shit out of him.
"Um, yes I do."
A smile spread across her face. "Well then, consider yourself lucky. Cause you have a volunteer right here!" Holy fucking shit! She was serious. I could cause some serious damage here.
A frown came upon my lips. "Don't take this the wrong way or nothing," Or do I don't care, is what I thought, "I mean, I know you teach martial arts, but have you ever done this before?"
She lit up. "Yes, Dimka and I do it all the time. Don't worry, I don't expect you to take it easy on me. I just need to start practicing more. We are going to be starting up training here soon. So I need all the time you can spare."
'Dimka and I do it all the time' Oh she so does not want to go there with me!
A wicked grin crept on my face. "Okay then, get your gloves on. I'll be right back I have to get my equipment out of my locker." The whole way to my locker I had a debate going on in my head. Am I really doing this? Maybe I am just dreaming it. It's not like I haven't fantasized about beating the life out of her before. Would I really hit her? Hell, who am I kidding? Of course I would hit her. The thought of my fist reaching out and connecting with her pretty little face made my day. Now, I was on cloud nine.
I returned to the circle in which Tasha was waiting for me. We agreed on a thirty minute match. Thirty minutes is enough to leave my mark. Oh, and they will be noticeable. Hell five minutes was enough for me.
"Okay, ready?" I asked.
"Ready as I will ever be." Tasha sighed. She got in a crouch position. Me? I stayed upright and relaxed. I found that when I am in that position it helps me stabilize my stance. I don't over think my moves. Helps me concentrate better. And as seeing how Dimitri taught Tasha, therefore I knew all of
her moves by default, cause he taught me all of his moves. I on the other hand have learned a lot of new moves over the last five years. And I hope a lot more self-control. So I don't lose it and bash her pretty little face in or snatch out her black hair. Hmm I wonder how bad it would hurt if I did rip a chunk out? See if she can handle the pain?
I toyed with Tasha a little, letting her strike out first. She struck out with a jab from the right, I dodge that and came back with a kick to her shin. She grunted from the force of the blow. I whirled around and elbowed her in the stomach. She almost keeled over from the force of that blow. I was enjoying this way too much, I thought. Of all the times I had pictured her face on my opponents, it was a little surreal.
I was smirking eternally. I wonder how pissed Christian would be is I broke her arm? Maybe it would be worth it to endure his wrath. I shook the thought out of that image I had pictured out of my head.
I reached out and landed a blow to chest, she was panting heavily, she looked quite stunned that I had hit her that hard. I did even put as much force as had wanted to into it. That's when she made a fatal mistake. She stayed on the defensive. Tasha never once went back on the offense. And I wasn't going to tell her, her mistake. No one told me. I learned it the hard way. By getting a frickin' black eye from my own mother.
She tried to move in a circle too my right. But I let out a blow with my left fist to her ribs. She almost doubled over with that one. She tried to dodge it but she didn't succeed. It stayed like that the whole time. And the more I fought her the more aggressive I got. I didn't unleash like I really wanted to, I didn't want Lissa pissed at me too bad, cause I knew she would figure it out. But Tasha is still going to have a hell'va lot of bruise's by tomorrow. If not by the end of the day. But the blow that did her in, was when my foot stuck out and caught her on her outer thigh. She lost her footing and twisted her ankle. She didn't even make it twenty minutes, let alone thirty.
"Wow, er ..that.. swell …up quick." she panted. She's breathing hard and I'd didn't even break a sweat yet.
"Yeah, maybe you should put some ice on it. I think we have an ice pack in the fridge here. Hang on, I'll check for you." I was really, really trying to be civil. I walked over to the fridge and grabbed one of the ice packs out of it. I gave it to Tasha-who had already taken her shoe off- and laid the ice on it.
"Maybe Lissa can heal it for me." she mused.
"No!" I growled. I didn't really mean to come out like that, but that off handed comment pissed me off.
"I mean no, she don't need to be using her magic till she see's the doctor tomorrow." I didn't tell her why, cause frankly that had to do with Lissa, Christian and myself, it was none of her business.
Her eyes had widened at my tone. But she nodded her head anyway.
"So you need some help back to Lissa's?" I asked "Maybe I can .."
"No, no I'm fine. I'll make it back to my room."
"Your room? I thought you and Dimitri were staying with Lissa and Christian."
She shook her head. "We got our own rooms last night."
Rooms? As in plural? More than one? I was not about to question it.
"Sure you don't need my help?" I really didn't want to, but I thought I would play nice. For Lissa and Christians sake.
She stood up. "Yeah, see I can put pressure on it. I'm more worried about the bruises I'll be feeling later." She chuckled. I hate the sound of that woman's laugh, hell I hate the sound of her voice period. Chill Rose!
I shrugged, "Um, okay, I need to get started on my run." I told her. I started to turn and make a run for my locker to pick up my equipment before I went to the track outside, when she call to me.
"Rose, do you think that maybe when this," she gestured to her foot, "heals, we can do this again? I mean, I don't want to bother you. Its just I need a lot of training. And from what I've heard around here, you're the best one to get it from. Everyone says you don't go easy on no one. I even heard a rumor yesterday, that you did a roundhouse and broke a guys jaw that was twice your size!" She laughed and shook her head. I guess she thought that was funny somehow.
"That," I narrowed my eyes at her and said in a voice that was ice cold, "is no rumor." By no means did I want to brag, but I was not going to let her sit there and demean my capabilities, I have worked too long and too hard, for someone to belittle me on what I can or cant do.
Her face sobered up quick. "Oh." she whispered. For the first time I have ever seen, she looked like she was at a loss for words.
"Sure, Just let me know when."
I started toward my locker when she called out yet again.
"Rose?"
I stopped and faced her, trying hard to control my breathing, she had really got my blood boiling. "Yeah?" I groaned. Cant this woman just let me go? She was really starting to aggravate the hell out of me.
"Thanks." She gave me a tentative smile.
"Anytime." And I meant it, whenever she wants me to kick her ass, all she has to do is ask. I will be more than glad too. "See you later." I turned and made my way to my locker, thank god is was near the door that led to the track. I was going to have to do a few extra miles to burn off some of the adrenaline that was pumping through my veins.
I made it back to the apartment in just enough time to get a shower and get dressed, before I had to meet up with Christian and Lissa for lunch. They were
already there waiting on me.
"Hey!" Lissa called out.
"Hey Rose, I heard you beat the shit out of my Aunt this morning."
Lissa rolled her eyes at him.
"Hey, I didn't give her anything she didn't ask for!" I crowed. Lissa caught my eye and I knew she picked up on the double meaning in that statement. She just shook her head.
"I am starving!" She exclaimed.
"Sorry, I had to take a quick shower. Ran a few more miles than I had originally planned on." I explained.
"No problem. We just got here too."
The waitress came by and took our orders then hurried off. They had a big crowd in here today.
I turned back to Lissa.
"I was thinking this morning about, you know, the baby. And I think I've come up with the answer. We can run it by the doctor tomorrow." I told them.
"What's your theory? Still refuse to admit that your just going delusional, and hearing nonexistent voice's in your head?" Christian smirked.
"Your just jealous cause the baby wants to talk to her favorite Aunt! And not you." I said smugly. I turned back to Lissa. "I'm serious. Just hear me out."
He suppressed a scowl, well he tried to.
I then launched into my earlier revelation. By the time I was done Christian mouth was gaped open and Lissa's green eyes were wide.
"Well? What do you think?" I asked them.
"As much as I hate to admit it, I think you might be on to something here." Christian admitted.
Lissa shook her head. "I don't think my O.B. is going to be able to help us in that department."
"Well, I have another way to find out. Both times I heard…whatever it was…while I was rubbing your belly and talking to the baby. So now I know, I am going to be expecting it, we can test it to see if it happens again!" I finished, not realizing my voice was getting more excited with each word.
"Cant hurt." Christian admitted.
"Why not, what do we have to lose?" Lissa was game.
I got up and walked around the table and knelt down beside her.
"Okay here goes nothing!" I put my hand on her swollen stomach and started rubbing it. "Hey be-be, how are you?" Nothing.
Lissa was looking at me expectantly. I shook my head. I keep rubbing and then I felt a kick.
"Ow" Lissa groaned. "That was my rib! The baby has been getting a lot more active these last few days."
I spoke again, but I got closer. "Hey be-be, how are you doing in there?"
'I like your voice'
I jerked back my hand. Shocked that it actually worked. Then I thought back. Both times I had been close like I had just done.
Lissa and Christian both got excited.
"What? What did you hear?" Christian demanded.
"The same thing I did the last two times. 'I like your voice'. Wow, that is weird!" I said, shocking myself I sounded so calm.
"No, that is cool!" Lissa exclaimed.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I really tried to capture what Rose would do. I just hope I did a good enough job! Any whoo. Please review and give me your thoughts! ;~}
I would like to thank everyone who has subscribed to this story!
Also one last thing; I know everyone is waiting on Dimitri to show up in here, fret no more, he is in the next chapter and the chapter after that!