Sorry about the wait. After I posted that chapter, I went home, ate dinner, and promptly caught the stomach flu. It had been coming on for a while, but I thought I could push it off until Spring Break started. Then the internet at my house went out. Damn. It didn't happen the way I'd planned. So here's the next chapter, albeit a little late.
"Rose? Can I talk to you?"
She picked up her head from Roman's chest long enough to glare at him through tear filled eyes, "No."
He sighed. He'd expected as much, "I wanted to apologize."
"I don't care."
"I am a jerk."
"Yes, you are."
"I deserve for lightening to strike me down and set me aflame with the fires of hell."
"Yes, you do."
"You must hate me."
"No."
Dimitri's brown eyes widened, "You...don't?"
She still glared, but it was a touch softer, though Roman's was redhot, "I'm still furious and hurt, don't get me wrong, but Roman has explained to me as best as he could why you did what you did. I get it, but that doesn't truly excuse why you led me on. You're a jerk for leading me on, but I can also see, and have seen over the last few years, that you love your family more than anyone else and how passionate and caring you really are."
Dimitri's tall form leaned against the wall, "Why are you being nice to me?"
"I did the same thing to someone else I cared about, if you will care to remember," Rose said, all venom leaving her voice. "I suppose I deserve what you did to me after what I did to Adrian. After all, you did what you did out of true love. I did what I did out of lust and wishes."
He shook his head, "Completely different circumstances, Roza."
She laughed, "You just keep telling yourself that, comrade, and maybe you'll get sick of being guilty."
Roman snorted.
Savina watched from the window as Dimitri, Rose, and Roman fought, talked, and eventually joked with each other. A calm smile turned her azalea colored lips. Sonya came over to her and put her arm around her sister's shoulders, "I don't like her."
Savina laughed, "Of course not. You hardly like anyone."
Sonya looked back at her younger sister sleeping on the sofa, then at her older sister talking in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother. Finally, she glanced at the floor where her niece and nephew were playing, wishing she hadn't lost her own baby, "I like our family."
"Families can include even those who aren't blood related. I would know," Savina shot her a look.
Sonya smiled sheepishly, "I don't like her?"
"You're asking me now?" Savina laughed again.
Dimitri walked in with Rose and Roman, who were noticeably holding hands. Dimitri came over and took Savina's hands in his, "Can we talk? Please?"
She looked over at Sonya, who was nodding, "Alright."
They walked out the back door and to the barn in the moonlight. Savina sat on a small wooden crate, "What do you want?"
He ran a hand through his long, brown hair, "Damn it, Savi. You know what I want."
"Oh, I know. My only question is, are you ready for it? Are you truly ready for a relationship?"
His brown eyes met her black ones, "I know I messed up. I get it and I will regret it for the rest of my days, but I thought if anyone could forgive me, it would be you. What happened to my Savi?"
"She died."
"No," Dimitri said, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. He gripped her face in between his large hands and held her there. "No, I believe she's still in there. I see her, in your eyes. It's small, but it's also clear. She's fighting."
Tears filled her eyes, "No. Savi is gone. Savi is no more. She never will be."
"Why?"
"Because?"
"Why?"
She screamed in rage and shoved his chest, "Because I'm tired of emotions. I'm tired of not being able to control myself because of circumstance."
"That's life."
"I hate it."
"So do I."
She hugged him and buried her face in the chest she'd missed, finally allowing herself to break free. She sobbed into her best friend as he held her. He sat down on the crate she'd been on before, still holding her. Eventually, her cries subsided.
Dimitri leaned down and captured her lips with his before she could protest. Savina pushed all of her automatic protests away and let herself fall completely for the man she knew he was. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck and held on. He stretched his arms around her slim frame and held her as tightly as still comfortably possible.
The doors opened and they heard a small gasp. They pushed against each other and Savina fell onto the floor. Viktoria was standing in the doorway, a small smile on her face with her hand over her mouth.
Dimitri tightened his ponytail, "What can I do for you, Viktoria?"
"Mother wanted me to tell you that she prepared a very late dinner for us all," she said, nearly giggling.
Dimitri helped Savina to her feet, "We'll be in later."
Viktoria nodded, closed the door, and laughed her way to the house. Dimitri and Savina shared a look and began to laugh themselves. Before long, Savina stretched her neck out so she could attempt to kiss Dimitri. He took mercy on her, lowered his head, and kissed her again.
"What now?"
"Now, we live."
Next chapter : Epilogue
