"Alright. May I ask what you are up to?"
"Well, according to her letters, she still wants to work her way in with us. So, I thought, that giving her one of the teams for Great Britain, more specifically Scotland, to lead. Will test her, and see if she really does, want to be a part of what we are building here."
"That is a wonderful idea Rose. Every day, you make me so proud, to be your father."
"Thanks baba. Please, let me know when you have Janien here."
"I will little girl." With those words, he walked away.
Three days later, baba called me and Dimitri, to one of the guardian apartments.
When we walked in, I saw Janien sitting on the couch. When she saw me, she jumped up.
"Your father said you wanted to see me Rosemarie."
"Yes, Dimitri and I, have a proposal for you." She nodded, showing keen interest, in what I was about to say.
"Let's all sit down." Once everyone was seated, I told her why I had called her here. "We are forming strike teams, to go out and deal with the strigoi. Each team will consist of, fifteen guardians plus a team leader. There will also be five moroi on each team, one from each specialty. The moroi will be trained, until they pass the test set for them. Once they past the tests, they will be assigned to a team. The teams will then be assigned to different parts of the world. One of the things I want from you, is to help train the moroi. Another, is to lead one of the teams assigned to Great Britain. Now, what do you say? Do you think you can do this?"
"Are you sure about sending the moroi to fight?"
"As I said, they will be trained, and they have all volunteered. If someone is turned, no matter who that person is. Damphir or moroi, it doesn't matter, they are to be brought to the spirit user of the team, so that they can be restored. As the team leader, you are responsible for, keeping up with each member's separate number of kills. At least as much as possible. As well as the spirit users restored. Now, can you do this?"
"Yes, I can help train them. It will take some getting used to, taking moroi into a fight. But I will do that as well."
"When you do this, protecting the moroi, is not your goal. Your goal, is ridding the world of strigoi. However, that must happen. Your other goal, is to protect everyone on your team the same. The moroi, no longer come first, everyone is equal now. Again, I ask, can you do this?"
"Yes, it will just take some getting used to. But I can, and will do it."
"Good, thank you Janien." Turning to my father I asked. "Have you already gotten her an apartment assigned baba?"
"Yes, kiz. This is her assigned apartment."
"Good. Janien, do you need to leave to gather your things?"
"No, everything I own, is in my duffle bag."
"Hopefully, that will change soon. Doing this, will hopefully show me, whether or not, you truly are sincere about being a part of our family. Are you sure you are alright with this?"
"It is fine Rosemarie. I told you I would do whatever is necessary, to show you that I am sincere, in wanting to be a part of your life. And I meant it."
"Good, get some rest. Training starts in a few days."
The first round of training, ended a few months later. After that first round, we had twelve teams. Each, with the hoped for, five moroi. Three teams were sent to Great Britain. Two to Romania, One to Turkey, three throughout Russia, one to New Zealand, one to France, and one to Italy. The teams would have to stay in those countries, until they ended the strigoi threat there.
A week after we had got to Freedom, Dimitri and I, had introduce Chris and Vika. And they were head over heels in love, and already talking about getting married and having a family. Chris had not proposed yet, but I had a feeling it wouldn't be long.
Dimitri and I had started discussing our own wedding. We had all the decisions made, and everything picked out. The only thing that was holding us up, was the fact that I wanted to get my body back, before we got married. Granted, I hadn't gained much weight with our son, so far. But I still wanted to wait at least three months after I gave birth, to get married.
"Roza, you are getting to close to your due date. You need to stop lifting and carrying Dimi around. It could cause you to go into premature labor."
"I know your right Comrade, but I missed the first nine months of her life. And I don't want to miss anymore."
Dimitri reached out and took Dimi out of my arms. "Babe, just because you can't pick her up, doesn't mean you are going to miss out on any more of her life."
"I know."
"Now, tell me what else is bothering you?"
It would never cease to amaze me, that he always knows when something is going on with me. Dimitri sat Dimi down in the floor to play.
I took his hand, and walked over to the couch, while we watched Dimi, play in the floor.
"Dimitri, I don't remember anything, about Dimi's birth. What if I am not strong enough to go through childbirth? What if, something is wrong with Masie, because of the way I am? What if…" Dimitri shut me up with a kiss.
"Roza, you are an amazing woman, a wonderful fiancé, an astounding queen and a fantastic mother. You know, that you can't live your life, on 'what if's'. Masie will be fine, if he is like you, then we will deal with it. We will teach him as best as we can, to deal with his powers. Remember, Mason said that some, if not all of our children will have powers. So, they will need to be taught to handle them. You are not alone in this my love, I am here for you this time. All of our friends and family are here for you, this time too. Now, as for not being strong enough for childbirth. Roza, that is just absurd, you are the strongest, most amazing and resilient woman in world. There is nothing you can't do. Just remember, I will be right there by your side, holding your hand, and kissing you the whole time. You will be fine, but, if something does go wrong. We will have Liz, in the room, and Sonya, and Oksana nearby, just to be on the safe side. Ok?"
"Alright, I am sorry, I am just really nervous about this. I don't want anything to happen to our little man." I told him, as I rubbed circles on my stomach.
"Nothing will happen to him, he will be fine, and so will you."
"Dimitri, promise me, that if you have to choose…"
"Stop that, right now! There will be no choosing, you will both be fine! Do you understand me?!"
(DPOV)
She sighed, I could see and feel, her fear. And I shouldn't have been so inconsiderate of those fears.
"Milaya, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you. It's just, when you said that, it scared the hell out of me. I love you, and I can never lose you again. If I were to ever lose you, it would destroy me. Without you Roza, I die. That is how much I love you. Ok?"
"I am sorry, I am just worrying. I am scared Dimitri."
"Don't be scared my love. I am right here with you, for as long as we both shall live, Roza. And if I go before you do, I will stick around and wait for you. Just like I promised." I laughed, but I was serious.
"Ok."
Before we realized it, Roza was due any day now. We were in the middle of a council meeting, when I heard Roza scream, and grab her stomach. Then there was a slushing sound, as her water broke.
"Dimitri!"
"Roza, baby, just take deep breaths." I saw my grandmother shake her head, and roll her eyes, at me.
Roza however, looked at me, like I was evil incarnate, and said, "I'll make you think deep breaths! You fucking did this to me!"
My babushka walked over, "be still as you can for a minute Roza."
She lay her hands on Roza's stomach. "You have a long time yet, before you give birth, Roza. Dimka, take her to your room, give her a shower, put her in a night gown, without panties. Then get her bag, and take her to the hospital."
I nodded, and did as I was told. What the hell did I know about giving birth. So, I wasn't going to argue, with someone who had given birth to one child, and delivered several other children.
While I was giving Roza a shower, she said, "Comrade, I am sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you."
"It's alright my love, I know it was the pain talking. I also know, that you are going to want to kill me, before this is all over. But, I need you to know, that I love you Roza. More than anything and anyone, in the world."
"I know you do Dimitri, just as I love you. And if I yell at you again, please don't hold it against me. Because it will only be because of the pain."
"I understand love. I would never hold it against you."
She nodded, just as she grasped my hand, and squeezed the ever-loving shit out of it. While bending over, and screaming bloody fucking murder. I was sooo sure she was going to break my hand, but I said not one word. Because I knew, the pain I was in, in no way compared to the pain she was dealing with.
After I got her dried off, and dressed, we headed to the hospital. Once we got there, the waiting room was already full. All three councils were there, along with every member of my family and Roza's. Turns out, Chris had called Vika, and she told everyone else, that had not been at the council meeting.
Roza was wheeled passed the waiting room, crushing my hand and screaming at me.
"I am going to fucking kill you, Dimitri Belikov."
And that scared Paul, "no aunt Roza, please don't kill uncle Dimka."
Roza forced the orderly to stop, so she could talk to Paul. After the contraction passed, she turned to Paul, and called him to her side.
"Pasha, I would never hurt your uncle Dimka. You know that I love him more than my own life. While I am in there, giving birth to your cousin. I am going say a lot of things to him, that I don't really mean."
"Then why say them?" He was confused, bless his little heart.
I saw Roza's face turning red, so I knew another contraction was about to hit.
"Karo!" She came running over. "Please explain to Paul, why Roza is going to say things she doesn't mean while she's in labor."
Right then the contraction, I saw coming, hit. And the orderly took off pushing Roza down the hallway, briskly.
She looked me dead in the eye, "you are getting fucking snipped! Today!"
She said it so loud that, probably the whole floor heard her. Everyone in the waiting room, except the kids, laughed. But I knew she wasn't serious, Roza wanted lots of children. And if I got a vasectomy we couldn't have them.