DISCLAIMER : I do not own Vampire Academy and all its characters.

Chapter 21

RPOV

I was walking with Lissa, Vika and Karol around the store. Leo, Paul and Chritian were walking towards another direction. We decided to split as we needed to buy presents for each other. Dimitri didn't join us and Zoya was left to Olena.

"Look, this hair band is cute!" I raised up a red hair band and showed it Lissa. She smiled brightly and raised another one that was pink in colour ," This is better Rose, it make Zoya look like a princess,"

"Both of you had bought many things for Zoya. She will be a spoiled child when she growing up," Karolina said.

"Please Karol, we didn't have a chance to meet her every day. I want her to remember me," I pleaded.

Karolina chuckled before saying ,"Okay but promise me this is the last item that both of you buy for her," I nodded and choose a better hair band for the baby. Karol and Vika went to other side of store to buy a baby milk.

"Liss, please get married and give me a nephew," Lissa laughed as I said that.

"Why don't you ask Dimitri to give you one?" Lissa teased me.

"Dimitri? We haven't had sex yet and you know, we didn't kiss each other more than three days already. I'm going to be crazy," I sighed.

"But why? Do you guys fight or something?" Lissa asked in a concerned way.

"No. We didn't fight. I told him not to kiss me until he found out when is my birthday and he didn't configure it yet. I don't know if he really loves me,"

"Of course he loves you silly, he brings you to meet his family and proudly call you his girl," Lissa wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

"He better do," I let out a heavy sighed.

"Guys! I found a beautiful dress here. Come and check it out," Vika came and ushered us to follow her. Lissa raised her eyebrow and we started to follow Vika. Shopping has gone crazy with Lissa and Vika. They were really into it and almost bought all the clothes in the mall.

I had decided to leave with Karol and Leo because Lissa said she and Vika hadn't get enough things yet. Christian's eyed me jealously when I'm saying good bye to them. Baby Zoya was sleeping upon the time we reached home. Karol went back to her home after promised to come again tonight.

I kissed Paul on the cheek before the family left. Olena said Dimitri had went out and only both of us were left in the house. Maybe it was the perfect time to hear about my boyfriend childhood days, so I offered to help Olena in the kitchen.

"Olena, I want to thank you for accepting my relationship with Dimitri. You know since Dimitri is already 24 while I'm only 17," I started the conversation.

Olena smiled at me before saying, "I'm the want who should be thanked to you. You have brought our Dimka back,"

"What do you mean?"

"After his best friend, Ivan die, he started to isolate himself. He didn't make so much friends and didn't even want to dating anyone. Dimitri experienced an attachment issue," she paused and I could saw sadness in her eyes.

"He didn't want to be close to anyone except our family because he said he afraid that he will make the same mistake,"continued Olena.

"Dimitri is blaming himself for Ivan's death?" I asked.

"Yes. He keeps saying that it was his mistakes because he was the one that driving the car that night. It was not completely his fault because it was stormy and the weather was very bad at that time,"

"Ohh Olena, I'm sorry for asking," I pulled her into a hug. She patted me on my back then pulled out from the hug, smiling.

"No Rose. You deserve to know the story since you are a part of Dimitri's now. After that Dimitri went to college and he met your brother. He seemed to be slightly happy than before and then he met you," I smiled when she ended her sentence.

"You have brought back the brightness in his smile. I've never seen my son being happier than he was now. Only you can have such effect on Dimitri, Rose. Only you,"

"I don't know Olena. Me myself is such a mess but Dimitri had complete me in the way that I can really explain," I replied.

"Well, that is love my dear," she smiled.

DPOV

I was standing in front of Ivan's stone. It had been a year I visited him since the last time I came home was the last Christmas. Ivan was a good friend of mine, to be exact, he was like my other self. It was so hard to accept the fact that he had left me when he was still young.

People kept telling me that it was not my mistake but I always thought that both of us should die that night. It was unfair that I still alive but he was the one that was sacrifice.

"Hey Ivan. I had finished my college and I had opened a restaurant with Christian. Do you remember Christian? He is my roommate in college and my partner now. He is a good friend but still you are the best one that I had," I paused and stared at the grave.

Ivan Zeklos, a good son, brother and friend

I tried to blink away my tears as my memory with him started to come back. He always said that I would be a football player one day and he wanted to be manager. We could travel around the world to found the woman that we wanted to marry.

"Do you know what is funny Iv? I didn't end up as a football player, but I did some job like an accountant. I know you will call me nerd because you always hate math. So did Rose when I help her on her homework," I choked my tears as I said that.

"Speaking of Rose," I smiled at myself before continued "She is Christian's sister and I'm in love with her. She can see my insecurities and fix it with her love. She always know when I'm holding back and I without I'm realize, I falling for her,"

I turned around when I heard a crack sound from a broken stick and I saw Rose was standing behind a tree. From her location, I'm sure that she had heard my conversation with Ivan.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on you," she bit her lower lips nervously.

"It's okay. Come here," I smiled at her. Her presence here showed that she must know about Ivan.

"How long have you being standing there?" I asked when she had come to my side.

"Urmm at the part she can see my insecurities.." she grinned. I grab her waist and pulled her closer to me. I bet mama had told her that I was here. At least I'm feeling better after I saw Rose here but what was Rose thinking after seeing me talking to the stone?

"Comrade, you don't want to introduce me to him?" she asked. I looked at her and then looked at Ivan's grave. I smiled as she nodded her head.

"Hey Ivan, this is my Roza," Rose smiled as I said that. She always loved when I claimed her to be mine.

"Hey Ivan, I'm Rose, the girl that had drive Dimitri crazy," she put her hand on her cheek when she said that as she was whispering to Ivan. I tried to hide my smile.

"I know you had been a good friend to Dimitri, more than any friend that he ever had. I can't promise you to be as good as you did to but I promise you that I will always try my best to keep Dimitri happy," Roza looked at the stone like she was looking in Ivan's eyes.

This girl, not just she can read what was there in my mind but she also know what I wanted and had the best way to comfort me. She knew how much I missed Ivan so she played along with me just like we were having a real conversation with him.

"Oh did I just make a vow there? Now, I have to marry you," she showed me a panicked face. I laughed at her reaction.

"I thought that you always want to marry me?" I raised one of my eyebrows to annoy my Roza.

"Of course I do! But you need to ask me first. A marriage is not a volunteering activity where you offered yourself to get marry," she pouted. I chuckled at her answer.

"Some secret Ivan, your friend here is clueless about relationship," Rose said again.

"Ohh Ivan, you don't know how to put up with Roza," I sighed.

"Hey Comrade, I bet Ivan will like me if he met me," she crossed her arm on her chest and glared at me. I shook my head and wrapped my arm on her shoulder.

"Yes, I know he will do. Ivan will like you," I whispered on her ears. Her face softened and she put her hand on my waist.

"And I bet he must always want you to forgive yourself," she said slowly.

"What do you mean Roza?" I looked at her in the eye.

"It's not your fault that he died. You must stop blaming yourself for that," she rubbed my back in a circle.

"I don't know Roza, I don't know. The incident that happened that night keep haunted me every time I'm thinking of him," my voice started to crack.

"Ohh baby, come here," she pulled me into a hug and I buried my face on her hair. It felt so nice. She had seen my vulnerable part and everything was so easy when I being with her. She tangled her fingers in my hair and stroked it lightly.

"I know it's not easy to let go. But you have to. I know you can and I will help you go through it," she whispered the words in my ears. We remained in the position for a while until I get held of myself. Slowly I pulled out from the hugged and smiled at her.

"We need to go home now," she smiled as I said that.

"Got to go buddy. I will come and talk to you next time. Just remember that you are always being my best friend," the burden that I had carried before started to fall. Roza was right. Ivan must be upset to see me acting like this because he always wanted the best for me.

"Don't worry Ivan. I will take care of big boy here," Roza grinned and both of us made our way to my house. I put my duster on her when she kept pulling her coat closer to her. I rub both of her hand together to produce some heat. Her hand was freezing cold as the snow had fallen more and more.

"Thanks!" she said and pulled herself closer to me.

"You finish your shopping early. Did you get me a present?" I teased her.

"I do but you have to wait for tomorrow to have them although you are my favourite person now," she smiled.

"Oh I am your favourite person. I'm sorry but you are not mine,"

"What? Then who is your favourite person?" she shot me a glare. I laughed at her reaction.

"My favourite person is..babushka, what are you doing outside?" I turned at babushka that was standing in front of my house.

"Dimka! I'm waiting for you," as expected from babushka, she answered that in Russian.

"You can always wait for me inside. Come let go into the house," I replied. I took her hand and the three of us entered the house.

"Babushka, this is my girlfriend, Rose. Rose, this is my grandmother, Yeva," I introduced Rose to babushka as she sat on the chair.

"Glad to meet you babushka," Rose said just to get a glare from her. I had to control my laughter as I saw scared on Rose's face.

"I like this girl. She has a nerve to call me babushka," babushka said in Russian.

"She is bold and strong babushka," I replied also in Russian.

"She look young but she seem nice," babushka nodded her head, still looking at Rose.

"What was she said?" Rose whispered to me.

"She said that you look nice," my answer didn't satisfy her as she was still looking curious at me.

"But that doesn't mean she didn't get to be test," I chuckled as babushka said that.

"Don't worry baby. She said she like you," I told her as she started to get pale. She always said that my Russian accent was sexy but she was afraid when she heard babushka talked fully in Russian.

"But her look didn't suggest that," Roza said.

"We will see how strong you are, Rose," babushka said, again left Roza in clueless.

HAHAHA. I like the scene between Yeva and Rose. What do you think about it? Let me know guys ;)