Rose POV

If I don't leave now Lissa will kill me. I'm already a half hour late and I'm starving. Before I leave I take a glance at myself in the mirror.

A stranger stares back at me.

Is that… me?

I've given up on spending time on my appearance over the last decade or so. I didn't really see the point anymore. The only people I ever saw were my charges, my son and sometimes Alberta. She'd come over on holidays and special occasions. We became a family, the three of us.

I remember it like it was yesterday, but it was so many years ago. Dimitri had left a few weeks before and I… I was a mess. I could function during the day perfectly, but when I was left alone… but it was getting better. Not by much, but it was something.

And then I was late.

I knew I was pregnant. I don't know how I knew, I just did. I needed to take a test but I couldn't go to the clinic. They'd ask too many questions and I'd only get Dimitri into trouble, wherever he was. Plus if the test came back positive, they'd never believe me. Not when the impossible happened. Lissa would have been the perfect choice to go to if we'd been a little older. Telling her wouldn't get me a test, not when we were both stuck inside the academy. The only thing it would have solved was her getting mad at me for not telling her about my nonexistent virginity sooner and maybe a plan to leave the academy before graduation. The Moroi people needed someone like Lissa. I couldn't just let her through that all away for me. No way in hell.

I had to go to an adult. The question was which one? I couldn't go to a Moroi; they wouldn't understand how dangerous a situation it was. I had to talk to a Guardian. Who was I supposed to seek help from? Stan? Ha! Any of those guys, Stan included, would have just laughed at me in a judgmental way and send me to the clinic. I only had one choice.

Alberta.

She listened to my story and she held me while I sobbed the whole thing. She could have done so many different things: send me to the clinic or send me away to live in a Dhampir community. But she didn't. Instead she hugged me. She went out that night and got me a test. She was there for me when I waited for the results.

She was always there.

Alberta became a mother figure to me. For the first few months she took me to doctor's appointments and helped me grow up. After graduation I went to Nevada but we talked every day. She'd send me stuff for the baby. She was even my replacement when I couldn't do my duties anymore. Alberta was there when I gave birth. She was the one who was there for me when my baby was dying.

Alberta is one hell of a woman.

I hope I could be half as proud and dedicated and wonderful as she is one day.

I start to smile softly at the memory. I look at myself in the mirror with make up on and my hair done and I can't help but smile brighter. This is good for me. I need this.

Someone knocks on the bathroom door. Not one time, or two times, or even three times. It's four. Four times. I swear that kid is going to give me a heart attack. I open the door and say, "Hello, Sweetie," while trying to keep a straight face. I don't and I just end up laughing.

He just stands in the doorway staring at me. "You look really nice, Mom." My smile grows. "What are you doing in here? You were just screaming about being late like fifteen minutes ago."

"I was thinking."

"About?"

"Things. You know, that's the curse of the Time Lords." Vlad chuckles at my joke. He's so easily amused. "I was thinking about Alberta."

"Alberta?" His eyes are full of excitement. "Is she here?"

"No. She's not." The excitement is gone, sadness taking its place. "We're going to her."

"Really?" he asks, his voice full of hope.

"We're going to the academy, kid. You'll get to socialize with kids your own age and kick some major ass with the Guardians there. You can see Alberta every day and live in your own dorm room and eat the academy's gross food." I laugh at my son's fake gag. "It's not really that bad. You'll like it there." He nods and then sighs. "What is it?"

"It's just…" he pauses, afraid of what I'll think. I coax him to continue. "I just met…" He looks at me in hope I can fill in the blank. Dimitri. This is because of Dimitri. "I waited so long to meet him and that's it. You and I… we just leave?"

I leave the bathroom and Vlad follows. Quickly, I gather my things to leave. "Dimitri's coming, too."

"What?"

"It isn't my choice, believe me." He gives me a displeased look. "I'm just being honest! Him and I are…" What am I doing? I'm not discussing this with our son! "It's the Queen's orders. Dimitri and I are being assigned at the academy. The two of you can bond and whatever. We'll discuss that later. You ready?"

He nods and we're both out the door.

A/N That was short. I am sorry. I am so, so sorry. But good news! I have heard a rumor that the next chapter is going to be from Vlad's point of view and it will be absolutely brilliant.

P.S. There are four.

Thanks for reading everyone! You guys are so awesome!