Hey guys, I am truly sorry I took so long to update, there has just been a lot going on. Thank you all for the beautiful reviews, and heartfelt condolences. They meant the world to me. You all helped me in a tremendous way, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Here you have it darlings, lets go to Russia!

DPOV

Rose was late, again. That should not surprise me in the least. Here I was, standing on the air strip, waiting for a late Rose, for the second time in a week! What am I going to do with that girl? I told her I would be waiting for her, that didn't mean I would wait here all day! At least her mother was not skewering me with her eyes this time.

I look around, everyone else was already there and ready to go, even Adrian. That Adrian Ivashkov could roll himself out of bed and be here before Rose was just a shame. I looked towards the dorms again and shuffle from one foot to the other. If I was being honest with myself, I knew I was just nervous. Nervous about Roza meeting my family, about her and how she gets on planes, about lying to her about Abe Mazur. I know my family will love her, no doubt about it, I was more nervous about what she would think of them. I know what people say about Dhampir communes. I know Roza doesn't think of my family that way, but it makes me nervous none the less.

"Finally" Christian mutters, and I look up in time to see Rose sprinting towards where we are all gathered, bag slung over her shoulder. I can't help but smile at her disheveled look.

"You're late Roza" I tell her when she makes her way to us. She looks up at me and bats her eyelashes and chooses not to answer me. I sigh, she knows I could never be truly upset with her.

"So, everyone's here, are we ready to go?" Asks Alberta, who is looking at Rose with a look of amused exasperation.

"Sure are!" Rose says brightly, but I can here the traces of nervousness in her tone. I pull her into me for a quick hug.

"What's wrong Roza?" I ask her in a whisper. She was Rose Hathaway, she didn't let people see her unease, hopefully she would let me in. She pulls away to look at me for a moment before nuzzling back into my chest.

"What if they don't like me?" She asks quietly. I know she is asking about my family. I sigh and hold her closer.

"What's not to like?" I ask her. She looks up at me, still nervous but a little more relaxed. I smile at her and lean in to kiss her gently on her beautiful mouth. I pull away and stare at her before pulling her with me to the plane. We decide to sit opposite Lissa and Christian, who were cuddled up together looking mighty comfortable. For a moment I envy the ease of their relationship. What it would be like to walk with Roza, holding her hand, through campus, or Court. Then I look down at the beautiful woman sitting next to me, knowing she makes it all worth while. Soon I will be able to be with her without restraints. I sigh making her look up at me with a questioning look. I just shake my head at her and buckle up for takeoff. This was going to be an interesting trip....

RPOV

We were ready for take off. Alright I can do this. I can do it. I build up my mental blocks and focus on not being overcome by the pain. The moment we cross the wards I can feel the assault on my head. I hold back the whimpering and build up stronger walls. I had to learn to do this, I would need to be able to function in the normal world and be able to protect Lissa. After some concentration I get the pain to a bearable level. I smile and relax back into my seat.

"Are you okay?" Dimitri whispers in my ear. I shiver at his lips being so close to me, and turn my head to smile at him.

"I'm wonderful, how are you?" I ask him. He chuckles and pulls me to his side.

"I am ecstatic Roza. I have a beautiful finance, who I love dearly, and I am taking her to meet my family, who I know will adore her. Yeah it could be worse." He gives me a heart stopping smile that I can't help but return. I snuggle into him and lay my head on his shoulder. I was extremely excited to be going to Russia with him. I was nervous his family wouldn't like me, or think I was good enough for him, but I was determined to make this work. As long as my mother didn't punch anyone else I was hoping everything would go well enough. Only think that was weighing at my mind was the fact that this Abe guy would go to such lengths to help with this trip. Who was this guy?

"Dimitri?" I ask quietly, not knowing if he had fallen asleep.

"Yes, my sweet?" He asked me in a hushed voice, making me blush. I love his terms of endearment, but Roza was still my favorite.

"Do you know who this Abe Mazur guy is?" I ask his quietly. Dimitri tensed up next to me, it must be bad.

"I have never met him personally, but he spends a lot of time in Baia. He has a bad reputation" He looks down at me, something like pain and regret in his eyes. "But then again reputations aren't always reliable. Abe Mazur might really be a nice man for all I know." He smile at me, but it seems a bit forced.

"But from what I have heard he doesn't seem like a very nice guy, not someone I would think my mother would know. Do you think staying at his house is really a good idea?" I couldn't help but voice my concerns to him.

"Reputations, rumors and gossip aren't always a reliable source of information, if anyone knows that, it's you. I am sure it is safe, we would not be going if it were not. Trust your instinct Roza, you have a strong sense of right and wrong, judge for yourself, and don't let what other people say effect your opinion of him." He seemed awfully determined that I should not judge this man. He was right though, I do know that rumors and gossip were not always the truth. I sigh and snuggle back into the warmth of Dimitri's arms. I decided I would not worry about it right now. Right now, I was on a trip to Russia, with the love of my life, and all the people I loved the most. I could definitely get used to this....

I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up we were somewhere over the ocean. Dimitri was asleep next to me, looking all adorable and yet still bad-ass. I didn't want to wake him so I stood to stretch my legs. I walked up and down the isle looking at the sleeping form of all my friends and loved ones. My mom sat alone, in the back row. She was awake reading some kind of letter. She looked up at my approach. I sat down beside her slowly.

"Rose" she says in way of a greeting.

"Mom" I reply. My relationship with my mother was complicated these days. I love her, as a mother and I respect her as a Guardian, I just don't know which to feel more of most the time. I know I resented her when I was younger, but I honestly understand why she did what she did. She was young, not ready for a child. She doesn't know her parents at all, so I guess I am lucky I got to know her as much as I do.

"How are you?" She asks, I know everyone worries about me when we travel. After a few bad episodes, I got my 'problem' under control.

"I'm okay. Been working on my mental walls" I inform her, my heart not really in it. I know Dimitri insists that his family will love me, but I just can't help but be nervous. This was the man that I love more than I ever thought possible, I was going to spend the rest of my life with him, that could get difficult if his family hated me. Dimitri loves his family, they are extremely close knit, I don't want to be the cause of any disagreements.

"It'll be fine Rose. You're a great girl, they would be crazy not to love you" My mom surprises me by saying. I look at her, but she is looking back at her letter.

"Thanks Mom." How she knew I was worried, I'll never know. Sometimes mom's just know. "What are you reading?" I ask her quietly. Anything to get my mind off what will happen when we land.

"a letter from an old acquaintance." She tells me hesitantly. An acquaintance huh?

"The same acquaintance who's house we're staying at?" I ask her. I still had no idea what the deal with that is. Nobody seems to understand why the prestigious Janine Hathaway would have any sort of ties with the mobster extraordinaire.

"Yes. Listen Rose, I know you don't think much of him, but Ibraham is an exceptional man, I know some have their doubts about his work but that is really no one's business but his own. Please just meet him before you judge..." I had never seen my mother so worked up about anything before. Wait Ibraham? Why did that name sound so familiar?

"You sound like Dimitri" I tell her absentmindedly. Seriously where had I heard that name before?

"Dimitri? What does Guardian Belikov have to do with this?" My mother sounded a bit nervous. Seriously what was with her today?

"He keeps telling me to wait until I meet him, and to judge for myself what kind of man he is. Not to take others opinions as my own, blah blah blah. He likes the Zen life lessons." My mother looked strangely relieved. Seriously what the crap?! Maybe she is the crazy one in the family.

"He's a smart man Rose." She tells me. I nearly fell out of my chair. Did Janine Hathaway, My mother, really just compliment Dimitri? She really must be taking a ride on the crazy train! "You should take what he says into consideration. Then again, you were never one to do what others said, but you were also never one to judge by what others say. I trust you will make the right decision."

I'm pretty sure my jaw was on the ground. My mother has become a softy! I never thought I would see the day. "Okay. I will, but how do you know him? I know I shouldn't believe all the rumors, and I am not judging, but he still doesn't seem like the type of person you would know. I mean I didn't even know you had friends" I blurted. I felt bad after it came out. Of course she had friends, other Guardians, but never did I think she knew a Moroi on a personal level so closely. "Well other than the Guardians" I added quickly.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me Rose." If I didn't know better, I would think my mom was teasing me! We were having a genuine conversation right now. Wow. I guess we both got one way tickets to crazyville. I hope I can get a refund....

We sat in a companionable silence for a few minutes. Something was still nagging at the back of my mind, like I should be making some sort of connection that I'm missing. Ibraham, why the hell couldn't I remember. Why the hell did it matter so much? I was repeating the name over and over to myself, so strangely familiar.

"What?" My mother asks, looking back at me muttering to myself.

"I'm just trying to figure out why the name sounds so familiar" I tell her, still lost in my own thoughts.

"What name?" I must not have been muttering very loudly.

"Ibraham" I tell her. The color drains from my mothers face, hmm, why would she react that way.

"Well he is the topic of a lot of gossip, that's probably where you heard it." She sounds as if she is trying to convince herself as much as me.

"Yeah, maybe..." As if I didn't have enough to think about. I hate it when you can't remember something, and it really just makes you want to know more. Ugh.

"Roza..?" I hear Dimitri call from our seat at the front of the plane.

"Be right there" I call back quietly so I don't wake the sleeping Moroi. "Thanks for the talk mom" I hug her before I stand up.

"Your welcome Rose," She looks a bit shocked, "Please think about what I said" She says before turning back to her letter. I make my way quietly back to my seat and the Russian hottie waiting for me there. I smile when he comes into view.

"Roza, where did you go?" He asks, concern lacing his tone.

"I was talking with my mother" I tell him. He smiles at that, he has such a connection with his family he always wanted me to be close with my mother.

"Oh. I guess I just got used to waking up to your beautiful face" He murmurs sweetly, earning a smile from me.

"As have I, my love, as have I" I tell him before snuggling into his chest. His arms wrap around me and I feel completely safe and warm. My earlier worries leave my mind and I focus on just enjoying being with Dimitri. "I love you" I whisper to him.

"As I love you Roza." He murmurs into he hair, kisses my forehead, and lays his cheek against the top of my head. I sigh contentedly and drift off into a nice peaceful sleep, wrapped in the arms of the only man I will ever love.

There you have it. I am half way through the next chapter, and will put it up as soon as i am done, because you are all amazing like that.
Thanks again for all the love you guys send my way!! Until next time...
xoxo Molls.