Epilogue
Even though I knew that I was healed I still gripped my ribs as I lowered myself from the car and Lissa followed after closing both doors and manually locking the car up. We made our way through the clearing to the crowded spot where my parents stood along side a shiny, night black Jet plane. It wasn't long before Christian and Lissa's Jeep pulled up next to Dimitri's CRV and I watched, waiting patiently, as Christian Climbed out with Aliya in his arms. I waited until finally I saw the other door open slowly and out climbed Dimitri with a similar sleeping package wrapped in his own arms. My heart began to beat faster as my mind raced with ideas and images of Tasha coming with us and I waiting in agony for her to climb out but was only met with the flashing of headlights as Christian locked the car. It wasn't long before we were standing in circle face to face looks of confusion circling the group. Anger flashed across Abe's face and he stepped forward pointing his finger in Dimitri's face.
"We said that one, Belikov, not this one. It's dangerous! Don't you get that?" Abe said. Dimitri nodded with a grave expression on his face.
"I am aware. This is the last thing I would ever want to do, please forgive me. She's gone." He said.
"I don't care how gone she is! We aren't taking her because you have a bed time routine! Just because you couldn't bear to wake her up doesn't warrant you putting her in danger like this. Take her back, pry her sleeping fingers off of you shirt, and give her to your fiancée. Now!" Fiancée. Fiancée. Fiancée. It bounced around in my head reverberating in the space. Dimitri stepped forward his face was hard, serious.
"Do not call her that." Was all he said. Christian stepped forward between Dimitri and Abe and began to speak calmly.
"Tasha is gone. Her things were all gone, from the closets and the draws, we checked everywhere and Rosalina was there alone."
"What?" Lissa's head snapped up and she looked to be building, seething anger until finally, "How could she-"
"We don't have time," Abe cut in turning to Dimitri. "Do you have her things?"
"Yes." He muttered softly in response.
"Then let's start loading."
I sat next to the window gazing quietly as the clearing grew smaller and smaller. I didn't know where we were going despite my efforts of interrogation on Abe as he was organizing the loading of luggage.
"Somewhere safe until this is over." he'd said before kissing my forehead and disappearing into the flurry of suitcases. What if we didn't come back? What if this was the last time that I'd ever see this place? I hadn't even gotten to say goodbye, to my house, the court, or the little garden that Ali and I used to play in. What if we never came back? I looked away, the tears starting to well up in my eyes and turned to look around the Cabin. Lissa sat with Ali on her lap and Christian's arm wrapped around her shoulders and behind them I could see the outline of my mother sleeping on my father's shoulder. The soft snores cushioned the cabin cocooning us in their sound as everyone but Dimitri slept. He sat in the seat across from Lissa with his back to me as he rocked Rosalina to sleep. I stared admirably at him and the poor little girl who'd been abandoned to the ways of the world by her own mother. At some point we all had to be and maybe she was better off without her. It was clear that Dimitri loved her as I watched him rock her. As if he'd felt my stares he stood and turned walking back and sitting in the seat next to me.
"Hello my, Roza." He smiled and whispered.
"Rose." I smiled weakly. He frowned and looked down at the baby who opened her eyes and stared back at him. She gurgled and he cooed at her smiling and making faces. I'd never really seen him like this and it was refreshing to see him like this, so calm and out of his element. Perhaps this actually was his element. Maybe he was meant to be a father. I could never have given that to him. I felt his stare on me and looked up into his concerned eyes just as he looked away.
"I don't know where we're going." I muttered. He cradled the baby in his right arm and reached down to lace his fingers through mine.
"I don't care." He whispered. I blushed and pulled my hand free.
"Dimitri… you were made for this, to be a father. Tasha gave you that and I could never, ever, give that to you. We aren-"
"Don't," he warned. "I will not make that mistake again."
"What?"
"We are- We always have been- We always will be, meant for each other." He said intensely. "Roza-"
"Rose."
"You are my Roza-"
"She is your Roza. You can't have two," I whispered urgently. "she needs you. She needs you way more than I need you, she's a baby. If she's anything like me, she's a handful, and you can barely one of me." I chuckled but I could feel the ache in my chest. We sat in silence and I avoided his eyes.
"Do you want to hold her?"
"No, I-I'll break her, I-"
"Break her?" he laughed. "You won't break her, I promise."
"Yeah, okay," I nodded reluctantly. I opened my arms awkwardly and waited for the soft cloth to brush against my skin as he lowered her into my arms. She smiled up at me he eyes bright and innocent, sparkling like stars. It wasn't long before she slept quietly in my arms.
"Leina," he whispered.
"What?"
"Leina. Rosalina. Leina. She will be my Leina." He smiled at me.
"Dimitri, we already t-"
"Rosemarie Hathaway, I love you with all of my heart. You are meant for me, I've never found someone so Perfect to me. Your eyes, your hair, your body, your face, your smile- you are everything to me. I love you with all of my being and I will never love someone as much as I love you. I love this child. She is not my child but she has been abandoned to the world. I lend her some of my love for you but still you are the only one in my heart. Rose- Roza, I will not let you go, especially not that easily. I don't care where we're going, as long as I'm going there with you." He stared at me and I felt as if I would fall away. My arms felt weak and he seemed to notice pulling me from my seat and onto his lip. He wrapped his arms around both of us holding the baby steady together with me. He leaned down and kissed my neck holding me close and glancing lovingly down at the now sleeping baby.
"Forever?" I whispered turning my face sideways so I could see his.
"Forever," he said and leaned down to kiss my lips his arms still wrapped tightly around us. I never wanted him to let go, and he didn't.
The End…
For now ;)
Thank you all for reading! It's been quite a Journey and 5 years of writing, growth, and wrenching plot twists and cliff hangers. We've finally made it to the end and I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for the sequel. Depending on certain things tonight(such as my entry for a writing contest that's due in a bit here and is mandatory for my grade lol) I may post the Prologue and the first chapter but it will most definitely be out soon! I'm getting my blog up and running so here is the link if you guys wanna start checking it out!
Thanks again to one of the people that keeps me writing, ScorpioGirl20! I love you 3 Ya tebya lyublyu ochen!
See you guys soon! Happy Reading!
