A/N – The moment you've been waiting for! The Sequel will be called 'Justice and Mercy'. Should be up in about a week or two. It'll take place a few weeks after these events.
Epilogue
"Is it done?" I asked Lissa after she stepped into the bistro. I was at Vladimir's, where Dimitri and I had our first date. The bittersweet memories brought tears to my eyes, but I pushed them down, my problems much bigger now-a-days.
I look out the window, seeing the moon shining on the dark calm water. I turn my eyes away from ocean, knowing the secrets floating under the shore. Lissa looked haunted as she took a seat in front of me. The waitress came over to us and asked her what she wants. Lissa orders just some water, probably not feeling able to keep down anything solid.
I had in front of me a large bean burrito. No matter the situation, I'll always be in the mood for food.
Lissa sipped her water carefully and leans in and drops her voice to a low whisper. "Yeah, it's done." She said. Relief goes through me. Right now Camille and Carly's bodies are drifting on the ocean floor somewhere. Lissa took a boat and drove about a few miles out before dropping off their bodies. She wanted to do it alone, and told me to just wait here. I didn't mind, they had an endless amount of burrito's here.
"How are you?" I asked, my motherly concern for Lissa peeking out. Lissa was haunted by the fact that she killed two people, even if they were as vile as Camille and Carly. I didn't let her be alone for the past month, she slept in my bed with Oscar cuddled up to her. She cried in her sleep, crying over the situation we've gotten into, crying over killing Camille and Carly, crying over losing the man she loved. When she was sleep, she let herself go – let the steel walls fall.
I on the other hand, didn't. I kept the tears at bay, and my memories buried down. If I let myself cry, I know I wouldn't have stopped. I would cry a river, and drown in my own sorrows. It's been two months since the murders. Lissa and I created a brand new lie to cover our asses, with our favorite Alchemist helping us. Sydney only gave us a disapproving glare an handed us the fake documents which we gave to Andre so he could tell everyone that Camille and Carly left to do amateur porn in Brazil. It was the best lie I could come up with, plus that was probably their dream anyway.
Lissa told me that she had to kill the two because apparently Natalie kept a diary of me betraying the Royals, and Camille planned on showing Abe the diary at dinner. She buddied up to the two to find out their plans. Lissa also told me that killing them was last option, she didn't want to but it was something that had to be done. Since she did it to help my ass, I helped her with the clean-up.
The bodies were hid in the freezer in one of the abandoned parts of the manor till we decided to do something with the two. Finally, after little thinking, we decided to be classic and throw the bitches in the water. I wouldn't have minded dropping the two in the manor's cemetery, where the enemies lie but someone could find the two. The bodies occasionally drop onto the sublevels and if anyone saw those two…things could look suspicious.
"I'm as good as I'll ever be." She whispered, taking another sip from her drink, we're engulfed in a few moments of silence before I decide to lay the bomb on her. It's something that has been weighing on my mind for a few days. Disbelieve came first, I didn't tell Lissa something that I didn't believe myself. I did all I needed to, it shouldn't have happened.
"Lissa," I said and she looks up to meet my eyes. "I'm pregnant."
It seems as if the world froze, or maybe it was just Lissa. Her body was rigid and her eyes were locked on me. I'm slightly amused and take another bite out of my burrito, causally waiting for her to get out of her trance.
"How?" She asked, regaining her voice moments later.
I slump back in my chair, and think about how to go about this. Lissa and I still hadn't talked about what happened with the boys, everything over shadowed them. "Dimitri and I had sex one night. I wasn't on the pill and Dimitri didn't have any condoms but we decided to do it anyways. The next morning I took the morning after pill." I said. "It's only 99.9 percent effective; I'm the unlucky one against one hundred." I mumble.
Lissa takes in the information before speaking. "I wanna say congratulations but…"
"Don't, it's not really a happy situation." I tell her. "Dimitri has a fiancée; he's getting married in a matter of months! What am I supposed to tell him? That's I'm carrying his kid, and I plan on dumping the baby on him?" I asked her, careful to keep my voice down from the nosey people near-by.
"Wait, what?" Lissa asked. "You're giving him the baby?"
I nod sadly. "You expect me to raise this baby, in the situation I'm in now? I can't bring myself to kill it, or give it to strangers. Hopefully Dimitri and Tasha can raise this child right. That is if Tasha is even gonna consider raising this baby." Lissa gives me a pitiful look.
"I'm telling him tonight." I said. "Then I'm catching the next train out of here."
She gives me a sad smile. "Great minds think alike, that was my plan as well." Surprised, I asked for more information.
"I'm leaving Rose; I need to think this stuff over. I'm still gonna be part of the plan, we can communicate through secret letters, hidden messages in local new papers –"
"Or through this new thing called email." I offer.
"Yes, that to. Either way, we're bringing them down. I did not murder those two girls for nothing." She said. "But I can't do it here, anywhere but here. Too many distractions."
"I agree. I'll work my end from where I'm going and you can do it where you are. When the time comes, I'll strike in Turkey. But it'll have to be after I have the baby, I can't put the little bugger in any danger." As if my hand had a mind of its own, my hand goes down to my still flat stomach. I smile thinking about the little baby growing inside me, how Dimitri and I created such a thing. Even if that relationship was built on lies and deceit.
"Where are you headed?" I asked her. She shrugs.
"Uhm, maybe Canada. Where ever I'm going I won't stay there long, I'll move around a lot. To keep them off my trail." She said. "It'll help clear my head, I won't be near…them and I won't be thinking of…him."
"I understand." I said. If only I was so lucky, I have a constant reminder of Dimitri growing in my uterus. But I don't want to forget. I can still remember the way he held me, how comfortable I felt in his strong arms. How he kissed me, and treated me as if I was the most precious thing in the world. How could he fake it?
"I'm guessing you are headed to Montana?" Lissa asked. Then a thought popped into my head.
"Shit Liss, once I'm gone they'll probably break into my room and see all my posters and my memory book." I said, slightly freaking out. I quickly pull out my phone and dialed Mia's number. She picks up on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Yeah, it's me Rose, I need you to do something for me…"
_()_
I smiled down at the digital picture. "Mia's good." I said to Lissa. She briefly took her eyes off the busy road to look at the small image on my phone. The picture was taken outside of the mansion. The windows in my room looked to be as if they were breathing fire. My mission to Mia was to set my room ablaze. I told her to kick down the door, use explosives if she had to open it. Retrieve my memory book from under my bed, and pour gasoline everywhere even on my clothes. Then just light a flame, and toss it.
All in all it took Mia around thirty minutes, no questions asked.
"I knew there was a reason I liked her." I said putting the phone in my pocket. "Now they'll have no evidence." I said smugly.
"What are you gonna tell your father?" Asked Lissa, casting me a brief look.
"Nothing, I'm just gonna disappear and reappear. Like he'll notice anyways." I grumble. I didn't care what my father thought; it isn't like he'll send a search squad after me. Once I ran away when I was 14, I was gone for around six months and when I asked my father why he didn't look for me his words were 'You were gone? Didn't notice.' Doubt it'll be much of a difference now.
"What about you?" I asked her.
She laughs. "I gave a pretty elaborate lie. Told my parents that I'll be one an everlasting shopping spree in a small country in Africa, with no cell service."
"Really, Liss, really?" I asked highly amused by my best friend's lies. She's pretty good at spinning stories, I give her that.
"Really," She said. "Sounds like me though, right?" She said and I only shrugged.
"Sure does." I agree. Once we get closer to Dimitri's our mood goes from playful to somber. I wasn't looking forward to telling Dimitri I was pregnant with his baby, hopefully his fiancée won't be here. Seeing Tasha will just make the whole thing harder.
I spotted Dimitri immediately; it's hard not to instantly notice him. My heart yearned at the sight of him. He looked as handsome as ever, leaning against the wall causally. He wore a white tee shirt that gripped his muscles; some faded jeans and beat up sneakers. I heard Lissa breath catch next to me. Not because Dimitri was breath-taking, which he was, but because he stood next to Christian. Someone I knew Lissa hasn't remotely gotten over, on the bright side she isn't carrying his baby.
He hurt me, he should know that. I won't let it show, not now or ever. "Pull up to them." I told her. She drives slow and causally makes it to the curb, stopping right in front of them, grabbing their attention.
"Hello boys." I said with a wave of my fingers. Christian's eyes get big as saucers when he sees us, not out of fear but more of surprise. His ice blue eyes go to from me, and stick the blond next to me. While her attention is trained on the steering wheel, her pale fingers locked around it in an iron grip.
Dimitri shows no emotion in those eyes. This only fuels my temper. I step out of the car and slam the door. Dimitri's eyes briefly roam my body, a lustful look in them. I made sure to wear my best clothes, tight shorts and a belly shirt with a black jacket. My stomach was still flat, so it wasn't obvious I was pregnant.
I liked how he still saw me as sexy, beautiful. But I would have loved if he showed that he loved me, not just that I was something to fuck.
"Dimitri, I missed you." I said, my voice not portraying anything romantic. I stayed a comfortable distance away, not getting too close even though I yearned to have him wrap his arms around me.
"The feeling is mutual, Roza." Ah, that lovely nickname once again. A smile and blush betrays me. I hate him, but he still can work me like a toy.
"What is she doing here?" A familiar voice said from beside me. I tense up, knowing who it is. I turn around with a fake smile plastered on my face. Tasha stood behind me, a scowl on her…face. With being this close I could see the damage I've done to her, her ear looks split, but it seemed to be healing well. Her cheek was another matter, a long cut ran across her cheek. It marred her beauty, but didn't completely take it. Jealousy welled up in me, but I pushed it away.
"I came to talk to my boyfriend." It was childish; I shouldn't be pushing the buttons on this girl. I was expecting her to raise my child. I turned back to Dimitri. "And officially end it."
Tasha gave a humorless laugh. "You'd expect when they throw you in jail it'll be over, guess some girls can't take a hint."
I froze, re-telling her words in my head. "You betrayed me?" I asked Dimitri, my voice wavered and I could feel the tears coming over. I promised myself I'd stay strong and god dammit I'm going to. I blink away the tears and look over to Dimitri once more.
"I didn't, I wouldn't. I didn't have any proof of anything." He told me, and as if it was just me and him standing there he pulled me close and circled his arms around me and leaned down to my ear.
"I'm sorry." Was his words, they seemed to speak countless stories, but only using two words. He didn't need to elaborate and I didn't need to hide my emotions, he could see right through me. I grab onto him, taking in everything, his scent, his touch, everything…
I reluctantly break away and wipe the traitorous tears leaking out of my eyes. "I didn't kill her." I tell him.
"Someone had to." Tasha said stepping in. I noticed that Christian wasn't around us anymore, I look back to see him talking to Lissa in the car. I then turn my attention to Tasha.
"You weren't there," I said harshly. "I was, and I didn't kill her." She crosses her arms and returns my glare. She had no proof, and the case was over. It would be an 'unsolvable' but to me it's solved. Natalie's death was an accident, she tripped and died. If anyone killed her, it'd be her.
Tasha was about to argue again but Dimitri stepped in. "We have no choice but to believe her, it's not like we have any evidence." Tasha scowled but said nothing more. I hear the car door slam and see Lissa getting out of it. Lissa seems to be arguing with Christian but they weren't loud enough for any of us to hear. Lissa throws her arms up and stomp away from Christian and come up to us.
"Rose, did you tell him yet?" She asked.
"I'm going to, what's happening between you and Christian?" I get weird looks from Dimitri and Tasha but I ignore them.
She pulls me aside for my privacy. "I told Christian I'm leaving; he wants to come with me." She said and looks down at her shoes, she's obviously feeling ashamed. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to bring him in this…but he loves me and Rose, I love him so much!" She said. I can tell she already knew what she wanted, she just wanted my approval. We depend on each other so much and I know my opinion will mean so much to her.
"We both know we need a little happiness," I said. "He's yours; you take him and don't let him go." I then lightly push her into Christian's waiting arms.
Christian smiles down at Lissa and their lips meets seconds afterwards. It was one of those romantic movie moments; even through it all those two have their some-what happy ending. Of course the two will be on the run from her crazy father but I'm sure they can overlook that part.
I look back at Dimitri; he has a small smile on his face as he looks at the couple. Tasha on the other hand looks furious. Now this makes me smile. I look down at my wrist watch. The train I booked for Montana will be leaving in around thirty minutes; I need to be on it. Time to rip off the bandage.
"Even though I love this visit, I actually did come to tell you something pretty important." I said walking up to Dimitri, Tasha adverts her attention away from Christian and Lissa.
"I'm pregnant," I tell him after taking several deep breaths. "It's yours." I don't wait for his reaction, I run to the car after yelling at Lissa and Christian to get in. Once in I quickly lock the door and tell them to do the same. It takes only seconds for Dimitri to come out of his haze.
"Rose, Rose!" He said banging on the window. "We need to talk about this!"
"Expect a baby on your door step in the next few months." I yell out to him as the car zooms to life and drives off. Looking the side mirror I see his figure standing on the sidewalk, where I left him. I look away, not being able to see anymore.
"I'm such a wimp." I muttered. "Think we should have talked it out?" I asked Lissa.
She shrugs. "Maybe, probably actually."
"Are you really pregnant?" Asked Christian from the backseat. I glare back at him which shuts him up.
"Yes, because your friend can't keep it in his pants." I said. Christian didn't say anything else, so I continued speaking. "Do you know what you're getting into Christian?" I asked him. He nods, I scoff.
"Doubt it." I mutter turning back in my seat. I've been in his world for years, and I have no idea.
"It doesn't matter." Lissa said speaking up. "Christian and I can get through anything, because we love each other. Nothing's stronger than that, right?"
Even through the dark world, Lissa kept a happy-go-lucky attitude. I had no doubt that Lissa and Christian would be fine, because Lissa plays it safe. She'll be off grid and have guns in hand-reach at all times. Plus they'll have each other.
Nothing may be stronger than love, yet what happens when you don't have it?
To be continued…