October 9, 2011

I don't own VA but the odd ways that I twist their stories is.

Chapter Seven: The Child Fate Sent to Me

~*~~*~O~*~~*~

A few weeks after Tori's birth, I got a letter in the mail from Hans. He was asked to forward a letter to me, from Guardian Stan Alto, of all people.

~~*O*~~

Dear Rose

I hope you are doing well. I have been trying to find you for the better part of a month. Princess Vasilisa and Guardian Belikov swear that they don't know where you have been assigned. I am sorry that you are not working with them as you had hoped.

I am very glad thought to hear that The Princess was able to find a way to bring him back. I am sure this pleased you too; I will be honest with you and tell you that I knew you were in love with each other. I hope that you will get reassigned close to each other someday.

Well now to the reason I have searched you out. I have found a girl who is shadow kissed. She is in really bad shape and I think you are the best person to help her. Her bond-mate has overdosed on drugs and is now in a mental hospital. From what I understand of her past she has no parents or other family. She does not share a close connection to her bond-mate like you do with Princess Vasilisa.

Rose I see so much of you in this girl. She is strong and brave and very caring of others. She also has a very strong talent for escaping from every school she has been placed in. I may not have acted like I liked you but in truth I have always admired you and I knew you would one day be a great Guardian. Hans told me that you saved the life of the queen and have been decorated First Class Guardian. I am proud of you.

About the Girl: Her name is Immaculate Conception Harrison. She is 14 and has been bonded for just over a year. I have told her about you and she is eager to meet you. She is willing to transfer to wherever you are assigned. Please I ask you to take her under your wing and mentor her.

Sincerely Yours
Stanley Alto.

~~*O*~~

Wow you have got to be kidding me. Stan actually respected me? He thinks I am the right person to mentor a kid? Thinking of the poor girl I head to Sr. Catherine's Office.

Plans were made for Immaculate to move in with us immediately. Mikhail moved into the living room and we prepared his room for her. The Queen ordered a new home to be built for me with 7 bedrooms on the upper floor and two on the lower. She said that she wanted me to have room for guests and for helpers.

The day Immaculate (Emma as she rather be called) arrived with Stan and Alberta as escort was an emotional day to say the least. I instantly felt a connection to her. She wanted to settle into school right away even though she had just gotten here. Alberta went with her to her classes and watched over her while I spent the day with Tori and Stan. It was strange at first talking to Stan as equals. He asked if he could hold the baby while I did the dishes. I love to show off my beautiful girl so I set her in his waiting arms. He was quiet for a while letting me work but once I was done I prepared a cup of coffee for him and tea for me.

"Rose, can I speak freely?"

"Yes, Stan as long as you don't berate me like you did when I was your student then I will respect your honesty."

"I know of the Marriage of the Heart. I know a guardian who has Dhampir parents. I also know that there is no way this is Adrian Ivashkov's kid. She has Ivashkov's ears but so does Dimitri. Does Dimitri know? Why is he back in the states while you are here with his child? And if you pardon my observation if Belikov was transformed back only half a year ago; how is it that you have a three week old baby." I eyed Stan as I tried to decide what to tell him.

"The night of the mana club initiation, remember I went off on Jessie."

"Yes I remember Alberta told Belikov to clean you up and calm you down. The two of you went missing for 2 hours. We didn't see ether of you till you came to inform us of the buria."

"Ah yeah about that missing time…" My words trailed off and my eyes looked to the sleeping angel in his arms. He looked at her too and chuckled softly.

"I really should report him but seeing as you were married at the time. You know that the bond begins to form before you physically give in?"

"Yes my father explained that to me and my mother. Thank God he did because she was ready to go to court and chop of Dimitri's best physical attribute." I blushed when I realized how bluntly I spoke to Stan. Thankfully he just chuckled softly and shook his head mumbling something about me being the "same old Rose."

"Why is her daddy in the states?"

"It is a long story but I am the one who found out that He could be brought back in the first place. I am the one who came up with the plan to find out exactly how to do it. I found out that she had to stake him in the heart with a spirit infused stake. I wasn't going to let her risk it but she learned how and did it anyway. He refuses to acknowledge that I had anything to do with his transformation. He refuses to talk to me about the night in the cabin or the marriage of the heart. In short he refuses to talk to me. He worships the ground that Lissa walks on and she refuses to let me push him. He doesn't know about our pumpkin at all. I didn't begin to show till just after I left."

"Why did you leave?"

"I am on a journey. Dimitri's grandmother is a Providest; a seer and she sent word to Tatiana that a pregnant woman would save her life. She was to send that woman to Ireland so she could learn how to be this wielder of love and save the world from Strigoi."

"Wielder of love, as in magic?"

"Yup. It's a Dhampir thing like the Marriage of the heart. I am not ready yet; but when I have learned how to do it I will be able to turn Strigoi back but it is different then what Lissa did. I will be using my hands and the energy of love to expel the demon who is occupying the body. I will also be using the channeled energy of Moroi who are sending it to me from the five elements. The other difference is that when I do it the soul of the person will get to choose if they want to live as whatever they were before or die."

"Wow that is intense. I always knew you were special but wow. Remember I said that I knew a Guardian who was born from two Dhampirs. Well actually, there are four of us."

"You?"

"Yes, it isn't very common; Yuri and his siblings are the only other ones I have ever met. Just like a Dhampir knows when they are around a Moroi or a Dhampir. Well he and I can feel it when we are near others like us. I could feel that she is similar to us; that is how I knew that she is NOT Ivashkov's kid, but she is a little different from us too."

"Stan, have you ever had your blood tested to see if you are an even Human/Moroi mix?"

"No but I've never had any reason to; and in all my 30 yrs. no one has ever questioned it."

"Tori, is 75% Moroi and she takes blood." I said in a low voice. Just then she woke up looked around and smiled at me. Her thin little fangs glinted against her pink gums.

"Huh, glad ya told me before she smiled. It's kind of cute. If you want, I can give a blood sample so that they can test it and I can make a call to Yuri and have him ask Dr Olendzki to take a sample and send it to whoever you want to have test it. I have never felt the need or want for blood and none of us have fangs. So I think that this little one must be just as special as her mamma."

"Well enough about me and my craziness. Tell me about Emma."

"She was left at the front gate of an academy in central California when she was just days old. The Guardian who dropped her off at the academy left very little information about her. She had been an acquaintance of her mother's and so she knew both sides of the story. She gave the guardian at the gate a brief explanation which he wrote down and saved. The first time Emma ran away he took the written account and added it to her file. I took the time to research her history; I even asked other guardians at her old academy and the guardians and staff at the other two schools she has gone to since."

"Why were you so interested in this girl; how and when did you meet her?"

"When you were gone to Russia I got a call from my half-brother; His girlfriend was pregnant and going to give birth soon. She had been staying with her family in Italy and he wanted to be with her when she gave birth. His superiors wouldn't let him go unless he found a sub. After all the bloodshed and trauma of the attack, (and well to be quite honest I was upset and worried about you, I knew what you had gone to do) Alberta thought I should get away for a while so she approved for me to go and take over my brother's class.

She was in his class and like I said she reminded me of you. I could tell she was getting ready to run away with her bondmate. I talked to her and begged her not to run again and before I left I gave her my number and told her to call me if she was ever in trouble, I also gave her something to protect herself with. She stayed for a few months but during the summer they ran again. Her bondmate went through some horrible things and Emma experienced them along with her. Emma managed to deal with it and still protect her from Strigoi but she couldn't protect her from herself. I got a call from her mid-December and I went to get them."

"Poor things she is so young even younger than Lissa and I were when we became bonded. Tell me about her history."

"First of all she hates her given name. She was dropped off at the gate of St John the Baptiste Academy, when she was just 2 days old. Emma's Mother's name was Amanda Harrison. Her father's name was Jerry Dashkov. His Dhampir mistress died during childbirth and he brought her baby home hoping his very pregnant wife would be kind enough to raise the baby alongside their own. The wife refused but said she could stay a few days till he found someone willing to take her.

As soon as his back was turned she told her guardian to take the baby and dump her somewhere, anywhere as long as she would never be found by Jerry. The guardian took her to the nearest academy knowing that perhaps Jerry could find her and claim her one day.

The headmistress is the one who named her I guess the lady was a religious nut or something because she named her Immaculate Conception Baptiste as soon as the old bat retired Immaculate's first grade teacher dubbed her Emma.

When Emma was 10 Jerry saw her and he immediately saw the resemblance to Amanda. He asked Headmaster Erikson if he could request a DNA test. Once it was confirmed that she was his, he arranged for her to become the guardian of the daughters he had with his wife, Barbara. She spent time with them during breaks and vacations but she was never allowed to tell anyone that she was Jerry's child.

When the girls were not yet 12; (Emma is a week older), there was a fire in the family home while the girls were home for spring break. Emma managed to get Jasmine and there younger sister Jessica out of the house in time but she passed out from smoke inhalation. Jasmine did CPR and Emma came around. After that they both started to act strange, from what it sounds like they acted like you and Lissa. I figure when Jasmine brought her around they became bonded."

"She didn't pass out." I interrupted. "She died. That is the way the bond is formed. Jasmine brought her back from the dead." He looked at me with wide eyes and I could see that he realized that I have died once too. "Sorry I interrupted please continue."

"Shortly after the fire Jasmine became, well slutty. She started to flirt with the older guys and one day a group of them tried to get her to do more than make out with them. Emma knew she was in danger and got to her in time. She beat the boys and got in trouble for it. The head master didn't believe the girls when they told him Jasmine had come close to getting raped. Emma knew Jasmine wasn't safe there so she took her." Stan sighed and took a sip of coffee before continuing.

"They lived out in the world for a few months and were caught. The head Guardian at St John's decided that the girls would be safer at another academy so he sent them to St. Luca's where they were teased and picked on for being new, odd and having run away. After two months they were gone again. They were found living near her father's old home. This time they were taken to St. Anna's where my half-brother teaches. As you know that is where I met her."

"She has been through so much, poor thing. Do you know what happened to Jasmine that caused her to overdose?"

"She teased the wrong man at a nightclub that she got them into. The man was wearing contacts to hide what he really was. He offered them a place to stay for the night and once he had them alone he went for Jasmine. Emma tried to fight him but he pushed her into a wall and knocked her out. He then caught Jasmine; He bit her and fed just enough to make her high and weak. He then raped her, she had been a virgin. Emma said she saw and felt everything through the bond but couldn't stop it.

She eventually pulled herself out of Jasmine's head and woke herself up. Emma took the pocket knife I gave her and ran up to the Strigoi who was still busy abusing Jasmine. She stabbed him in the back repeatedly till she was almost ready to pass out. Jasmine refused to go back to Moroi society she couldn't face the fact that she had been raped by a Strigoi. Her mental state kept getting worse.

One night they found some pot and other drugs in a vacation home that they broke into. Emma refused to get high because she was on constant watch after their encounter with the Strigoi, Jasmine on the other hand smoked all the pot and when Emma wasn't looking she took all the pills. Emma found her in the bed convulsing and throwing up. She knew that throwing up would be good to get the drugs out so every time jasmine stopped she stuck her finger down her throat till no more came out.

She called me and told me where they were. I sent the guardians from the nearest school and caught the first flight out to meet her. Jasmine is in a vegetative state in a Moroi hospital in Romania. Emma has been staying with me while I looked for you. Rose just so you know Emma is really fragile right now. While she has been in my care she has been ether with me or Alberta at all times. I am the person she seems to trust most and she has been staying in my dorm with me. Some of the other guardians have tried to accuse me of being inappropriate, but I swear there is nothing funny between me and Emma, I feel like a father or uncle to her. I have slept on the floor while giving her my bed but there have been many nights that I end up falling asleep while quieting her down from a nightmare."

"I am glad that she has had you to care for her. I understand about the nightmare thing. Mikhail and I both suffer from them and there have been times when we go to comfort each other and fall asleep but we have nothing going on between us. I promise you that I will take care of her and help her heal.

Is there any chance to heal Jasmine? And where is Jessica?"

"From what the doctors have said Jasmine is hopeless. As for Jessica she chose to stay at her academy in California, it is the only place she feels is home."

Stan and Alberta stayed a week. The first night Emma refused to let Stan go to the cottage he was sharing with Alberta, so he stayed on the floor in her room. The next night I suggested she sleep in my room which made her feel a little better.

The third day was Saturday and I decided to try to help her with the healing love that I know I am supposed to be able to wield. I prayed for instinct to help me; I took her hands in mine and thought of letting her know how much she was loved. I thought about how I love Tori and how her mother must have loved her. I thought of her father and how it must have hurt him to lose her. I thought of all the teachers and guardians who have worried for her and of her sister who must have loved her enough to save her life. I thought of Stan and how he went out of his way to help her. And last I thought of how in such little time I have begun to feel for her as a mother does. It was then that I decided I would ask to adopt her. By the time I was done she and I were both crying and holding each other.

After that we spent a little time every night working on healing her. I would hold her hands and use my abilities to try to see her memories while she talks about them. I would imagine sending her healing energy and love. By the end of the week she was sleeping alone in her room and beginning to come out of her shell.

Stan, Alberta and I also got to spend a lot of time talking before they left. Stan wanted to go talk to Dimitri but Alberta and I agreed that if he was confronted he would just retreat farther. Alberta who had known Dimitri when he was young; as well as from his time at St. Vlad's, had seen how much he has changed. How he has locked himself away because he has been allowed to hide. He has grown accustomed to being hidden and though I hate to admit it but now in the state he is in, even I won't push him anymore.

After Tori's birth I decided to only call Lissa once a month to beg her to let me talk to him. I wouldn't call him anymore. I also stopped going into Lissa's head every day. I miss her and every one at court but it hurts too much to see them through Lissa.

"Mikhail and Emma got along well and she allowed him to help me mentor her. He took the mornings and I took the evenings. Emma sometimes babysat Tori when I had too much reading to do. All in all we meshed very well.

Emma was thrilled that I wanted to be her Mom she eagerly agreed to be adopted and Tatiana came to do an adoption ceremony for us. She held a dinner with the school staff, Adrian, my parents, Stan and Mikhail and the Belikovas.

The day of the Dinner I sat with Yeva by the fire talking about Dimitri and my children. She told me not to give up on Lissa but that she saw it was going to be a long while yet before Lissa realizes the mistake she has made. It might be longer still before she tries to fix it.

"Yeva, I love Emma and I am already her mother in my heart. I am making it official no matter what you say but I have to ask; will Dimitri be mad if I give her my full last name. Will it bother him that I am accepting her for him too?"

"Granddaughter, Love has made you her mother and though it will be a surprise to him too, love will make him her father just as quickly as it has you. I actually think the bigger shock to him will be that you have taken his last name."

"Was that a mistake, should I go back to just using Hathaway? I really love being Guardian Belikova but if it is going to upset him…?

"Don't you dare, drop your rightful name! Roza he may be pissed and he will be ashamed of himself for not taking you seriously but it will show him how seriously you take the bond you have.

"Yeva, it's hard not to take it seriously when you have a belly full of baby."

"Oh Roza you took the bond so seriously even before you knew she existed. You were serious enough seek him out to save him from the demon. You were serious enough to chase the dream of bringing him back. You did all that before you even know that you were with child."

"Come we should get ready for Dinner with the Queen."

After the dinner Tatiana called Emma and I to come stand before her. She asked if we wanted to be a family and we both said that we did. She then asked Emma if she would like to officially change her name. Emma chose to be named Emma Susan Hathaway Belikova. She proclaimed that we were now a family and gave us papers to sign. Tatiana hugged us both we were then embraced by all the Belikov family. Paul started to call her Cousin Emma. My mom and Dad had tears in their eyes when they gave us both small gifts. Upon opening them we found identical lockets with an intricate Rose on the front with two small buds next to it, one slightly more open than the other. Dad handed me a similar box for Tori.

I can't describe how I felt when I tucked her in later that night.

"Momma" she called softly after I kissed her goodnight. This brought a smile to my face.

"Yes sweetie." I sat at the edge of her bed and put my hand over hers.

"I want you to know that until I met you I never really knew what it felt like to be loved. I know Jerry loved me but he didn't really know how to show it, especially since he could never do so without telling Barbara about me. Jasmine never really liked me because she didn't like Dhampirs much. She knew that her father had a Dhampir child and she always wondered if I was her sister. She often wondered why she did CPR on me after I passed out. It bothered her that I might be the person who was the cause of her family strife but she also didn't want me to die in case I was her sister. But I know she never really felt much love for me because I felt her indifference. I guess I really want tell you thank you for loving me; I love you too."

"Sweetie I think I began to love you the moment I read Stan's letter."

"Yeva said that I was supposed to be yours even though you were too young to have me. Is it strange to you that I am only five years younger than you?"

"I guess it should feel strange but instead it feels right. Did you know that we are really related by blood?" Emma cocked her head silently asking for an explanation. "Janine's great-grandmother's last name was Harrison. She took her Moroi lover's last name and passed it down to her children and grandchildren. Your Mother Amanda was the third cousin of my mother, Janine."

"Wow that's cool. Hey mom, I wanted to tell you why I chose the name Suzan. Sr. Mary Brid helped me choose it. It means Lily or Rose. I wanted my middle name to be a derivative of yours. Tori, has Marie and I thought it fitting if I use the Rose."

"I love it. Now get some sleep." I again kissed her forehead and left her room.

Pop Quiz

Emma Finally makes her way into the story. As some of you who have read my other stories might guess Emma is one of my absolutes; just like the Wielder of life and death (AKA Love Wielder) or Marriage of the heart.

1. How do you think Dimitri will react to having an adopted daughter once he finds out about his bio daughter and his marriage that is?

2. What do you think about Stan and Yuri being children of two Dhampir parents? (I am not sure if that will end up being one of my absolutes.)

3. Rose is learning to use her new abilities. How do you think she will use this with the Strigoi?

4. Why do you think Stan took such an interest in helping Emma? What role do you see him playing in her life in the long run.

5. What do you think of Rose adopting Emma and bringing her into her family without waiting till Dimitri is on-board?

Thank you for sticking with me. Please Reveiw.

Suzanna