Good morning! *sigh* As per usual, fanfiction is messing up with perfect timing. After staying up til stupid o'clock, last night I couldn't get into the doc manager, hence why this final chapter is so delayed.
Grrrr.
I apologise, and hope that you enjoy it now, despite the fact that it's over a day late.
A nice long final chapter because it sucked to cut this one up. It's almost as long as the other chapters combined! :O It has a nice heavy dose of fluff and of course, the lemon that you've all waited for so patiently!
Luck is when opportunity knocks and you answer. ~Author Unknown
You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. ~Walt Disney
Chapter Thirty Nine.
(One year later.)
Dimitri's fingers follow the curves of my body, slipping over the silk of my dress before he carefully undoes the pearl buttons on the back, as he hums with contentment. He's only in his boxers, but refuses to allow me to undress him any further.
"You're beautiful. And so sexy in that lingerie."
I giggle and slap his hands away.
"I am not."
My breasts are huge, my hips wider than they were a year ago, my stomach still wobbly and still tender, slightly swollen from the burden of carrying our children.
"Yes, you are, Mrs. Belikov."
I choke down a laugh and go to protest, but with a move that's reminiscent of our first kiss, Dimitri leans up and presses his lips to mine, silencing my arguments.
"You're beautiful, caring, and glowing with motherhood."
His mouth leaves mine to trail a path of hot, wet kisses down the side of my neck before ghosting around to the top of my cleavage. Then he glances up at me.
"You're so beautiful, Roza, and incredibly brave."
He straightens out so that our faces are level before leaning down to rest his forehead against mine.
"I love you, and I'm so proud of you."
Tears well up in my eyes, but I quickly blink them back. "I love you too. And I'm only like this because of you," My fingers tangle into the ends of his hair as I remember all the good memories we've built up over the past fifteen months. "Without you, I would have died that night. Without you, I wouldn't have been strong enough to carry on living if I had been found in time. I probably would have killed myself."
Alarm, but also understanding fill Dimitri's eyes as he kisses my lips softly. "But you didn't. All I did was give you a shoulder to lean on, Roza. You held yourself up. Despite your self-perceptions, you're an amazing lady, and our children are incredibly lucky to have you as their mother."
Right on cue, a gurgle and a wail sound from the baby monitor.
Dimitri chuckles. "It was foolish to hope they'd sleep through the night because it's our wedding night, wasn't it?"
I giggle and push against his chest so that he'll let me sit up fully.
"Which one do you want to take this time?"
He listens to the wails and gurgles for a few more moments before making his decision. "It sounds like Kaden's the one crying, so he's probably hungry. Nadia sounds like she's been woken up by the noise and is bored."
I smile and lean into his chest as we leave our bedroom and walk into the babies room. They usually sleep in our room so we know they're safe, but tonight we wanted a little privacy. "Kaden is always hungry."
Dimitri chuckles and beams proudly. "That's because he's a growing boy. He knows that he's going to need to grow up big and strong so he can take on any strigoi who might be unfortunate enough to cross paths with him."
I try to cock an eyebrow questioningly, but fail. "And Nadia won't?"
"She's moroi, Roza. Despite the fact that she'll be brought up in a household where both moroi and dhampirs are equal, outside of the house, she and Kaden will be poles apart. I'm not going to spoil her, but at the same time, I'm not going to lead them under false pretences. We're going to teach them both how to fight and to protect themselves, but it's highly unlikely that she will ever have to take on a strigoi. Unfortunately, it's the likely path for Kaden."
I stick my tongue out at his back as he leans over the cot and lifts Nadia into the air, before cradling her against his chest.
"Hey, baby girl. Tell your mother it's not polite of her to stick her tongue out at me when I'm not looking."
Nadia blinks up at him with huge emerald eyes, ones that are a carbon copy of her father's, before she gurgles and stretches a chubby hand out to touch the strands of his hair that came loose beforehand.
Kaden stops crying the instant he's safely in my arms, his wide blue eyes like Mason's filled with unshed tears.
"What's wrong, little guy?" Like most parents, I can help the coo that leaves my lips when I talk to them.
Dimitri's murmuring something in Russian to Nadia as he rocks her back to sleep, and I settle into the chair next to the crib as I feed Kaden.
They're both beautiful, happy and healthy six month olds.
And despite the fact that they were conceived in a terrible situation, now that I have them, I wouldn't trade them for anything.
I was incredibly grateful to whoever was looking down upon me for not making me suffer through having Eddie's baby. He doesn't deserve to be a father. None of them did, but I'd rather have children from two of the idiots who were drunk or high, rather than a malicious man who decided gang rape was the best thing to get me to loosen up and realise how 'lucky I was to be with him'.
They both have my dark hair, and that's really all that shows they're related. I sigh as the truth of Dimitri's words hit me.
"Have I ever mentioned that I hate it when you're right?"
He chuckles as he presses a soft kiss to Nadia's plump cheek before placing her sleeping body back into her cot and pulls the covers up to her chest.
"Several times. But you've also mentioned that you secretly love it too."
I shake my head to hide my smile, and then my attention is captured by Kaden who's finished feeding.
His eyes droop as I place him against my chest and rub his back firmly so he doesn't get an upset stomach. Dimitri grimaces, as if remembering that weekend, where Kaden screamed the house down because of his trapped wind.
Neither of us wants to go through that experience again anytime soon.
Kaden lets out a sleepy burp, and I place him into his cot, alongside his sister. They're both so peaceful and innocent, sleeping there unawares of the terrors that life may have in store for them.
As if sensing my distress, Dimitri takes my hand and rubs small circles into my palm. "They'll be fine, Roza. We won't let anything happen to them."
"I know, I just-"
His fingers cover my mouth softly as he leads me back into our bedroom. "Not tonight. Tomorrow, you can worry to your heart's content." He kisses my fingertips and leads me over to the bed so he can lie down and tug me next to him. "We don't have to do anything, but let's just enjoy being together. It's been so hectic since the twins have been born, we deserve this time."
I smile and then kiss his lips lightly. "I don't want to wait any longer though."
Tonight's the night.
We haven't consummated our relationship before now, because I wasn't ready to take that step, but after today, after pledging my life to the man in front of me, I know with every fibre of my being that it's the right time.
"Are you sure?"
Dimitri's hesitant, rightfully so, and I smile.
"Yes. Tell me what you told me earlier."
Deep, dark eyes find mine once again. "I'm going to make love to you, Roza."
And he does.
Dimitri's fingers carefully remove my dressing gown and then the lingerie from my body, stroking, tempting, and teasing my sensitive skin as he does so.
Murmured Russian whispers slip from between his lips as he caresses me gently, drawing soft pants from my throat as I reach out to try and draw him closer.
But he makes me wait, and in a distant part of my mind, I'm grateful. His slow, loving touches remove the final taint on my body, the one that I've been able to feel ever since I was violated.
"I was raped."
Pride shines in Dimitri's eyes as I finally admit it out loud, and the last of my bonds break away.
"You were, but I promise that I will never let anything like that happen to you again."
I nod and smile up at him peacefully.
"I know. But I'm not scared anymore Dimitri. I'm sure I'll be nervous when Adrian and Jesse are released, and again when the others are too, but they don't have the hold over me that they did before. This is my life, and I'm not going to let them ruin it any more than they already have."
"You're incredible, Roza. The strength you have… I'm so proud to call you my wife."
"I'm even prouder to call you my husband, in every sense of the word." Our lips meet again briefly, but then I break away. "Please, Dimitri. I'm ready."
He gazes into my eyes, seeing nothing but assurance and then nods, a smile pulling at his own lips as I finally remove his boxers.
"Make love to me, Dimitri."
Dimitri is incredibly gentle as he eases me onto my back and kisses away my fears.
His mouth worships my body, caressing me with tender pecks and little nips that make me squirm and moan for more of his touch, while his fingers lightly explore the parts of me that I've always kept hidden from view.
I'm completely bare, we both are, and I don't feel any apprehension.
Just overpowering love.
My arms reach out for him; my whispers letting him know that I'm more than ready to finally become his, in every way.
Dimitri finally trails back up and along my body, planting soft kisses along the way until he reaches my lips, and my fingers twine into his hair, holding him level with me so I can kiss him back.
Our mouths part and meet, slowly at first, but then more quickly as his tongue touches mine. He lets out a deep groan and the mere sound sends my body into overdrive and I moan in response.
It's all the encouragement he needs and a little thrill runs through me as he breaks away from my lips to stare into my eyes.
This is it.
"I love you, Roza."
His voice is soft, matching his eyes as his lips ghost across my cheeks and he nudges my legs a little further apart.
He hesitates, and I answer his unspoken question by lifting my leg to wrap around his waist.
"I'm sure. I love you, Dimitri, and I trust you."
Our lips meet again, just softly once more, and then I feel as his large body move over mine, as he begins to enter me.
It's a beautiful sensation, to become one with the one you love, but my hips buck impatiently as I try to get him to move faster.
My other leg lifts to wrap around his waist, causing a soft groan to leave Dimitri's lips as he drives even further into my body, and his head falls forwards to rest in the crook of my neck as he pulls away and then pushes forwards a little harder than before.
My hands trail down his back before gripping at his hips as he thrusts into me again, the combined buck of my hips causing him to fill me completely as he buries himself to the hilt.
"Roza," Dimitri's voice is a breathless gasp as he pulls back and thrusts into me again, and my hands slide up to grip at the corded muscle of his back as he sets up a slightly faster pace, as he drives all the way forwards each time.
My body shakes and threatens to explode as I clutch at him tightly, not wanting to reach my climax so quickly, but remembering the bliss that'll come hand in hand with my orgasm.
"Roza, God, I'm sorry, but I'm so…" Dimitri's voice trails off as he groans and drives into my body a little harder, and my walls flutter threateningly.
"I am too. Don't st-" My pleas are cut off when Dimitri reaches down between us to tease at my clit with his fingers.
My breathing grows harsh as I try to fight against the feelings that threaten to course through my body, and then stars shatter behind my eyelids as my walls convulse and clamp around him, drawing a soft groan from Dimitri's throat as he trembles and releases in me.
Dimitri's body lowers until it's pressed against mine, and we lie like that for a few moments as our breathing evens out and the aftershocks of our orgasms slowly fade.
Before he becomes too heavy, Dimitri rolls off of me, his arms wrapping around my waist as he does so that I'm curled up at his side.
"I love you and I always will, you know that?"
Dimitri chuckles as his dark eyes stare into mine and he nods. "I do. I love you too, and I hope you never forget that."
"I won't." I smile and press my lips to his, relishing in the tenderness as he kisses me back. I press another kiss to his chin, and then nestle in to his chest, security wrapping around me when he pulls me even closer.
Dimitri's care and love has driven away the memories of being hit and beaten, of having my dignity stripped away with my clothes, and of having my body sullied and dirtied.
I feel beautiful.
I feel worthy.
I feel loved.
And I feel incredibly lucky.
Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have got it you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known. ~Garrison Keillor
He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction. ~Bessie Stanley, 1905, commonly misattributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson.
So there you have it, the final chapter of Ten days and a little… Luck. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read, review, favourite or alert this little fic. I hope you enjoyed it and would love to hear your final thoughts on Rose, Dimitri and their journey.
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Bye for now!
Nicia xx