Chapter 25: Our House

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy

Without further delay… the chapter we've all been waiting for… Enjoy=)

DPOV

Just as I thought, the party brought me nothing but memories of her last year. As I looked around at all my friends talking and laughing with their husbands and wives and various significant others, my heart ached. Even Tasha had met someone. Ivan had as well which was why I hadn't seen much of him since I returned from Novosibirsk. Her name was Avery and they were the perfect match. Christian had Lissa, Vika had Nikolai and Mason had Jill. I was once again left standing on the outside looking in.

A little after ten, I decided I'd had played enough happy family for tonight and thought it would be as good a time as any to head over and get my tools from the garage. Surely the new owner hadn't had time to move in between this morning and now. Even so, I couldn't stay here, it was too painful. I missed Rose in the worst way and deeply regretted not taking her back the moment she confessed her love for me last year. Really I had been an idiot thinking I needed to prove something to her. I wanted to go back in time and run to her like I should have. I'd let my pride get in the way and all it did was put me right back to where I was before she came back into my life, which was miserable.

I reached the house and began placing the rest of my tools into my truck bed. When I was finished, I realized I couldn't leave behind the photo in the bedroom. The house was dark and there were no signs that a car had been here today so I took my chances and let myself in the back door. I headed straight for the bedroom, but stopped short when I realized that a fire was burning in the fireplace and that I wasn't alone. Someone was asleep on the couch wrapped up in the covers from my bed. I guess the new owner really was eager to move in.

I crept stealthily to the bedroom intending to retrieve the photo, but was disgruntled to find that it was missing. The owner must have taken it. Why toss a photo, but curl up in my bed sheets? That was an odd combination. As I turned to leave the bedroom, I fumbled in the blackness and tripped over the uneven floor. I sucked in a breath of air praying that they hadn't heard me. All I needed was for them to have a shot gun under their pillow and I was done for.

"Who's there?" a voice called from the living room. The voice was distinctly female. I decided it was better to show myself and be honest about why I was prowling in her house than to try and escape and have her call the police or worse, have her husband come home and shoot me.

"I'm sorry. My name is Dimitri Belikov. Up until today, this was my house and I was just retrieving one last personal item. I was unaware that anyone had moved in," I said coming out into view with my hands up in surrender.

"I didn't mean to scare you," I said after receiving no response. She was sitting up facing the fire so I couldn't see her face.

"It's okay. Did you find what you were looking for?" she asked still not turning around.

I shook my head. "No, what I'm looking for is gone." It has been for a long time, I added silently.

I was about to leave, but something about her silhouette against the glow of the fire intrigued me.

"Are you new in town?" I asked coming closer. I knew I was taking my chances, but at this point what did I have to lose? She shook her head in negation.

"Well I am sorry for intruding. You didn't happen to come across a photograph in the bedroom did you?" I asked.

She was silent again and I wondered if there was something wrong with her.

"I haven't seen this one before. I remember the day it was taken and how safe I felt when you took my hand," she said. I noticed she was holding the photo in her hands.

"Yes, that was a good day," I said remembering how my heart jumped the first time I looked into her eyes. Wait what?

"Roza?" Her name escaped my lips, but my feet were paralyzed keeping me frozen where I stood. She turned to face me and for the first time, her features became clear. She smiled sadly at me as she rose to her feet. "Sorry Comrade, you can have it back," she said holding out the photo.

"What are you doing here? I sold the house," I asked wondering why I cared. She was here and that was all that mattered. I gaped at her openly, afraid that if I blinked she would disappear having been a figment of my imagination.

"I know, I saw the for sale sign last week," she said.

"You've been here a week?" I asked. Why the hell didn't I know this? It was a small town and everyone knew everyone else's business, yet I had missed her being her for a week?

"More like two," she corrected me. She flipped on the lamp and I got a good look at her for the first time in over a year and my God, she was breathtaking. Her cheeks had filled out and had color again, her hair was wild and curly, the way I liked it and she looked to have put on some of the weight she'd lost bringing back the curves to her figure. She held out the photo for me again and this time, I forced my legs to move.

"How have you been?" I asked, kicking myself for not thinking of something better to say.

She shrugged. "I'm doing alright."

"Well you look good," I said restraining from reaching out and touching her the way my body was aching to.

"So do you," she said. We stood there for a few minutes in awkward silence. It was odd because we had never had trouble finding things to say to each other before. Granted a lot of what we said was bickering, but still, this lack of words was disheartening.

"So, uh I guess we should go. New owners and all," I said. "Do you want to grab a cup of coffee?"

"I could make some," she said gesturing towards the kitchen.

"I really don't think that's a good idea. I handed over the keys this morning, I shouldn't even be here," I said.

"Come on Comrade, live dangerously," she teased in true Rose fashion.

I followed her into the kitchen. She was reaching up high for the canister of coffee and I decided it was now or never. I came up behind her and put my hand over hers as she went to open the cabinet. She spun around to face me, a stray strand of hair falling across her eyes.

"Why didn't you write me?" she asked, her voice strangled.

"I was waiting for you," I said. "I needed to know that you regretted your actions."

"I've done nothing this past year, but tell you how remorseful I am," she argued.

"Tell me? Tell me how? I haven't heard a single word from you in almost a year. What did you want me to do Rose? You tell me you love me and then I come home to find finalized divorce papers with your signature on them. What was that supposed to tell me?" I cried.

"Not those, that was a mistake," she said.

"Then what? You knew how to reach me, but you didn't. What was I supposed to think all this time? You didn't even try and fight for us Rose." I said grabbing her wrists.

"I poured my heart and soul out to you. What do you mean, I didn't try? I opened up to you about so many things! Do you know how much it hurt, when I never heard back from you after I pleaded with you to forgive me?" she cried not making a move to disentangle herself from my grip.

"What? When did you try? You could have picked up the phone Rose."

"I was scared, but everything I was feeling, I wrote in those letters," she said. "You could have just told me to stop instead of allowing me to continue to humiliate myself by sending them every week."

"Letters? What letters? I never got any letters," I said wondering what the hell she was talking about.

"That's low even for you," she cried. "I sent you seventy-three letters over the last nine months and you're saying that not one of them reached your mailbox? I find that hard to believe," she snorted.

"No, Rose, I didn't get them. I've been living in Novosibirsk."

"Didn't you have your mail forwarded?" she asked, like I was an idiot or something.

"No, I had Sonya bring it to Mama's," I trailed off. Oh what and idiot I had been. Of course I didn't get her letters and I knew exactly who was behind it.
"Damn it Sonya, "I cried. "I should have known," I said putting my head in my hands.

"You really think she stole your letters?" she asked, her voice softening.

"One way to find out," I said. "Are you game?"

She nodded taking my outstretched hand.

"Wait, one thing before we go," I said stopping us in our tracks.

"What?" she asked.

Instead of answering her, I bent down attaching my lips to hers, kissing her with all the passion and love in my heart. She responded back eagerly opening her mouth allowing me access as she wound her arms around my neck. My hands tangled in her hair pulling her as close to me as humanly possible. There was no way in hell I was ever letting her go again.

"Comrade, I hate to break this up, especially because I've been waiting for this all year, but if we don't go now, I won't be able to stop what happens next," she said, her voice low and sultry.

"Sonya can wait. I need you right now," I breathed against her ear as I lifted her off the ground heading for the bedroom.

"Tell me you love me," she whispered.

"I have always loved you, Milaya. There has never been and will never be anyone I want or love more than you," I said taking care as I unbuttoned her shirt, one button at a time easing it over her shoulders as I caressed the once familiar swell of her breasts and curve of her hips. She bit her lip, throwing her head back in ecstasy and I continued to refamiliarize myself with her body. I had waited so long for this moment and I wasn't going to rush it. I wanted to take my time and enjoy loving her, the way I had the very first time.

I woke as the bright daylight filtered into the room. For a moment, I forgot what I was doing here, but as she stirred beside me, I reveled in the feeling of waking up next to the woman I loved. I pulled her closer to me burying my face in her hair my arms coiled around her waist holding her hostage. I was never ever letting her leave again. After last night, there was no doubt in my mind that she loved me. She had given me everything and the way we connected both physically and emotionally had brought us both to tears. We lay for a long time before falling asleep just gazing into each other's souls. Few words were exchanged, but I had never been more sure of anything than I was of our love in that moment.

She stirred again, this time her eyes fluttering open.

"Good morning,"I said brushing her hair back so I could see her beautiful face.

"Dobre utro," she responded snuggling closer to me resting her head on my chest.

I hated to have to bring up the obvious, but it was nearly ten o'clock and I had no idea when the new owners would be showing up and I did not want our reunion to be spoiled by having them catch us in bed.

"We should really get out of here before the new owner's show up," I said making a move to sit up.

"They won't mind us being here," she said pulling me back down beside her.

"Roza, I think we should get dressed and continue this somewhere more private," I said pulling her into a sitting position with me this time.

"What could be more private than our bedroom?" she asked rubbing her eyes sleepily.

I sighed realizing that selling our house had been another one of my many mistakes.

"It isn't our house anymore Milaya," I said kissing her forehead.

"Sure it is," she insisted burrowing back under the covers.

"I sold the house Roza. I wish I hadn't, but it isn't ours anymore and we are trespassing."

"I know you sold it. I'm the one who bought it," she said peeking out from under the covers.

"You bought it?" I asked dumbfounded.

She nodded. "I couldn't bear the thought of another family living here. This is our house," she said.

"You bought the house?" I asked still not believing I'd heard her correctly.

"Who else would pay ten grand for your crappy taste in furniture?" she asked. "I can't believe you asked for that much."

"I didn't. It was my realtor. I would have sold it for a dollar," I said.

"That's all our memories meant to you?" she asked pouting.

I shook my head. "No, but when I thought you didn't love me, I had to get rid of everything that reminded me of you," I explained.

"I really wish you would have gotten my letters," she said sadly. "We have a lot to talk about."

"I know we do and we are going to start by interrogating my sister," I said.

"Could we wait just a little longer?" she asked. "I'm starving," she said her stomach rumbling on cue.

I smiled brightly at her as I placed my hand over her belly.

"We didn't protect ourselves last night," I said hoping she wouldn't contradict me.

She shrugged. "Does that scare you?" she asked.

"Not in the least, but I thought you said that you didn't want any more children," I said looking deep into her eyes.

"I'm not that girl anymore. I wasted so much time being afraid and weak, but that isn't who I want to be anymore. I want to live every day of my life to the fullest with you and any future children we might have. If that's okay with you," she added.

"That is more than okay with me in fact, I don't want to live another moment of my life without you by my side."

"I was hoping you'd say that," she said leaning over to kiss me. My arms tightened around her waist and it was another hour before we managed to make it to the kitchen for breakfast.

"So how exactly are we going to get her to confess?" she asked as she stuffed down the French toast I made for her. It was good to see her healthy and eating normal for a change. I was so glad that she had gotten well despite my absence.

"I have a few ideas," I said with a smirk. I was going to need Viktoria's help so I texted her to meet me here in an hour.

"What was in your letters?" I asked as we washed the dishes together.

"Everything," she said not elaborating. "I could try to explain, but it's been one hell of a year."

"It has for me too," I responded.

"So you moved huh?" she asked.

"I couldn't stay here. It's also closer to work." I realized that in our blissfully happy time together last night and this morning that we really did have a lot to work out. We were no longer married. She lived in New York and I lived here. Neither of our families knew we were back together. Would we get remarried right away or would she want to wait? So many questions were swirling around in my head.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked placing her hand over mine.

"Just how different our lives are and how we're going to assimilate."

She smiled. "It will all work out," she said smiling before kissing me senseless. Just as clothing was about to come off again, there was a knock at the door.

"Dimka?" Viktoria called as she let herself in.

"In the kitchen Vika," I called as Rose scampered off to put on some clothes.

"Dimka, what are you doing here? I thought you sold the house," she asked walking into the kitchen.

"I thought I did too, but it turns out I'm sleeping with the new owner," I told her with a wink.

"What? You're involved with someone? How can that be? Roza is here. She still wants you. I was going to let her come to you in her own time, but now I see I'm too late. Oh Dimka, what have you done?" she cried.

"Relax Vika. I think Rose would be okay with it," I said stifling a laugh.

"Really she'd be okay with you sleeping with the woman who bought your house. I find that hard to believe," she snorted.

"Not if that person is me," Rose said coming out of the bedroom wearing nothing, but my shirt and her bare feet.

Vika's eyes bugged out of her head and she squealed. "You guys are back together? OMG I need to call everyone I've ever met!" she cried.

"Wait Vika, no!" we both cried causing her to flinch.

"You're not back together?" she asked her face falling.

"We are, but we need your help," I said explaining about the letters.

"Wow, I know Sonya can be a bitch, but wow, this is just unbelievable," she mused.

"So you'll help us?" I asked.

"Sure, what do you want me to do?"

"Just get her out of the house for a few hours while we search her things."

"No problem, she deserves whatever she gets for this."

"So did it happen last night?" Rose asked looking at my sister with a half smile.

"No, but I think it will be soon," she said smiling back.

"I should go home and shower and change," Rose said looking at the sorry state of her rumpled clothes from last night.

"Don't," I said, afraid that if I let her out of my sight that all of this would have been a dream.

"I'm not going anywhere. I love you and nothing is going to get in the way of us being together, not even your bitchy sister," she said pecking my lips.

"I'll meet you there in an hour," she said as I reluctantly dropped her back at Abe's. This was so going to be the longest hour of my life.

RPOV

"Where were you last night little girl?" Abe asked staring up at me from his newspaper as he sipped his afternoon tea. I blushed profusely having been caught by my father doing the walk of shame still in my clothing from last night.

"Just out," I said not wanting to explain just yet.

"I wondered where Belikov snuck off too last night," he said winking at me.

"Baba," I groaned shaking my head.

"I'm glad to see things are finally as they should be," he replied. I should have known he would know. He was very intuitive that father of mine.

After taking a nice hot shower flashing back to every last sensual touch and kiss from last night and this morning, I needed to turn the water to cold so I could make it through the next few hours of searching Sonya's stuff without jumping his bones. I was angry with her, but I was angrier with myself. If I hadn't been such a coward, I might have picked up the phone and saved us both a year of heartache and pain.

"Sorry I'm late," I said as I climbed into his waiting truck. Of course he hadn't let me walk over there and had been waiting for me outside probably for the last half hour. That was Dimitri for you and I loved every impatient part of him.

"It's okay, I missed you though," he said pulling in for a long slow kiss.

"Ugh Comrade, stop it or I'm going to need another cold shower," I groaned.

"I'm glad to see I still have that effect on you," he grinned, putting the truck in drive.

"Where is everyone?" I asked wondering how he'd cleared out the rest of the family.

"Mama and Karo took the kids to the movies and you know Babushka is lurking."

"So where do we start?" I asked.

"They have to be in her room, assuming she didn't burn them."

My shoulders slumped. "If she burned them, then there's no proof."

"Proof of what?" he asked.

"That I wrote them."

"Roza, there is no doubt in my mind that you wrote them. I trust you. I want to read them because they are important to you and I need to find them so that I can force my sister to confess. I don't need proof that you wrote them. I'm so stupid to have not figured that my sister was somehow involved in my not hearing from you for all those months."

"She did let you get the divorce papers," I muttered.

"That was the worst day of my life. I really thought it was over," he sighed.

"You and I will never be over Comrade. Our story may have been on hiatus, but it's just beginning."

"I am so happy to hear you say that," he said kissing me softly.

"I don't know where they could be. We've looked everywhere," I cried in exasperation.

"She must have burned them or threw them out."

"I guess," he said sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Wait, did you hear that?" I asked.

"What?"

"That crinkling sound. Move," I commanded, lifting up her mattress. There underneath were five bundles of unopened letters all addressed to Dimitri in my handwriting.

He shook his head. "I was really hoping there was another explanation," he said removing the bundled letters from the springs in the mattress.

"I know you were," I said.

We texted Vika to bring Sonya back and it was just dumb luck that Olena decided to return with Karo and the kids at the same time.

"What is she doing here?" Sonya asked rudely upon spotting us together.

"I don't know Sonya, what is she doing here? I haven't heard from her in nearly a year and then she just shows up. Isn't that odd?" Dimitri asked.

Olena's eyes flipped between Dimitri and Sonya and then Dimitri and I. She smiled brightly at the sight of our interwined hands.

"Dimka, what aren't you telling us?" she asked.

"I don't know. Why don't you ask Sonya?"

"Why would I know anything? I'm not your keeper."

"Gee, I don't know, maybe you'd know why we found all of the letters I wrote Dimitri stuffed under your mattress?" I said holding them up for her to see.

"Is that true Sonya? Did you take his letters?" Olena asked in disbelief.

She shrugged indignantly. "So what? I stole his mail. He was better off with her gone anyway," she said.

"That was not your decision to make. You cost me an entire year with her Sonya," he growled.

"What is wrong with you?" Karolina interjected. "Why would you do something so hurtful? You know he moved to Novosibirsk because he couldn't stand to be here."

"You took him away from our family out of spite. That is terrible Sonya," Olena said disapprovingly.

"Why is it always me that gets dumped on? She's the bitch who cheated on him, treated him like dirt and abandoned all of us. Why can't you see that?" she cried.

"Sonya, I'm sorry for those things. I had my reasons and they were not the best. I've spend the last year paying for my mistakes and trying to atone for them. I love Dimitri and it took us a long time to be able to get to the place we're in now so we can be together. You have to accept that. It isn't fair to keep punishing me."

"I just don't like seeing my brother so unhappy," she argued.

"Do I look unhappy now?" he asked pulling me closer to him.

"No, but it's only a matter of time before she does something else to hurt you," she muttered.

"That isn't true and even if it is, it still isn't your decision to make. Roza and I belong together and nothing is going to keep us apart," Dimitri said looking deep into my eyes as he said it.

"You mean that Comrade?" I asked.

"With everything in my heart," he said sweeping me into a passionate embrace.

Aww, what a happy ending=) Don't worry, there will be an Epilogue coming soon. Leave me some love=)