Hello :) I hope you're all staying safe!

Here is the next chapter. It's so sad we're reaching the end!

Enjoy xx

One Month Later

RPOV

"You're going, like, two thousand miles under the speed limit," I complained, glaring at my husband.

"Kilometres," Dimitri corrected with a little smirk. "And only fifteen under."

"Whatever," I grumbled. "We're still not going to get there for another ten hours at this rate."

Dimitri rolled his eyes. "Stop being so dramatic, we're only another hour or so away."

I shook my head in annoyance but didn't bother arguing any further. We definitely could have been there already if Dimitri hadn't taken it upon himself to break the new world's slowest driver record, but I'd been arguing with him about it for hours and he refused to budge. There was no point in arguing anymore. He'd done exactly the same thing on the way to the airport in the States, and although he refused to admit it, I knew it was because of my 'delicate state'.

I stared down at the small but distinct little bump that poked out from beneath my sweater and my hand instinctively fell over it. I had started to show much earlier than anticipated, probably because we were expecting twins. Shortly after my ultrasound, the bump had appeared. I'd managed to hide it with bigger t-shirts for a while, but there was no hiding it now. So we'd made the arrangements with Lissa and headed for Russia early. We hated leaving our students so close to trials, but there wasn't anything that could be done. I truly looked pregnant now, which was so weird. I spent most nights standing in front of the mirror, studying my naked body in amazement. Growing up, I had never expected to have children; I thought I would be Lissa's guardian for life, helping to raise her children in a strictly 'cool aunt' capacity.

If I was fascinated by my bump, then Dimitri was obsessed with it. He spent his nights tucked against my belly, cooing to it in Russian. I smiled at the memory and tried to remind myself that, yes, he was driving slower than a ninety-year-old woman, but it was only because he was excited and he didn't want anything to go wrong.

I reached out and squeezed his leg, smiling at him sweetly.

"I love you," I reminded him.

He chuckled, "Feeling guilty for your hours of tantrum-throwing over the speed I'm driving?"

I rolled my eyes but leaned over to kiss his cheek. I had been a bit crabby lately, but it's not like I didn't have a good excuse! I was hormonal. And hungry.

He smiled, keeping his eyes firmly planted on the road as I smiled up at him, watching his handsome face in the afternoon light. So much love flowed through me at that moment as I watched him drive through the countryside on the way to his hometown. And I was so excited to see the Belikovs again!

My little bubble of happiness burst when we were overtaken for the five hundredth time, the car blaring its horn at us as it passed.

"Oh, for Vlad's sake, Comrade! Just go the damn speed limit!"

We pulled up to the house and I sighed in relief.

"They're going to think we died on the roads," I grumbled, checking my watch. "We're hours late."

"Better to arrive late than never," Dimitri replied cheerfully, exiting the car to grab our luggage. I took mine from him, just to make a point, as we headed up towards the house.

I knocked, turning to grin at Dimitri at the sounds of excited squeals inside the house.

The door opened to show every Belikov squished as close as they could get to the doorframe, each pair of eyes straining eagerly towards my stomach.

"You're here!" Olena cried, ushering us inside and then pulling me into a tight embrace. "Let me look at you," she exclaimed, pulling back to stare at my bump. Her hands fell to my swollen stomach and tears welled up in her eyes. "Udivitel'nyy," she whispered, her gaze meeting mine in astonishment. "I know you two weren't lying to me," she added with a chuckle. "But it really is something seeing it for yourself."

I nodded, tears in my own eyes as my mother in law stroked my stomach tenderly.

"Mama, are you going to say hello to your son?" Dimitri asked cheekily, watching his mother stroking my belly with a loving smile on his face.

"Yes, the rest of us would like to greet Roza," Vika replied impatiently, gently nudging her mother out of the way.

"Sorry," Olena said with a laugh, rushing towards Dimitri.

"Roza!" Vika cried when I was free, pulling me into a hug, "It's so good to see you!"

"You too," I said with a smile.

Sonya and Karo were next, pulling me into hugs and rubbing my belly in amazement.

"You're so much bigger than I expected you to be," Karo commented. "You're eleven weeks, right?"

"Yeah," I replied with a shrug, "I think it's because I'm having twins."

Yeva appeared behind her, smirking at me as she commented, "She's going to be the size of this house."

I glared at her.

Sonjya scolded her grandmother lightly in Russian, telling her to be nice before she turned to smile at me apologetically. I rolled my eyes and waved my hand.

"Nice to see you too, Yeva."

She nodded, still smirking at me before she turned and waddled off into the kitchen.

"We were expecting you ages ago," Vika complained. "Did your flight get delayed?"

"No," I replied, rolling my eyes and glancing towards her brother. "He wouldn't drive faster than a snail's pace the whole way."

Karo and Sonjia both laughed, shaking their heads.

"I'm not surprised," Karo said in amusement.

Vika chuckled, watching as her brother bent to pick up his nieces. "He always could be a little... protective. You saw how scared I was to introduce him to Artyom."

I nodded, fighting back a laugh at the memory for Vika's sake. Poor Artyom.

"Do you need anything, dear?" Olena asked, entering into the circle of sisters and resting her arm around my shoulder protectively.

"No, thank you, Olena," I replied, smiling at her warmly. "I actually was thinking I might go for a quick run. If you wouldn't mind. I'd like to stretch out my legs a little. It was a very long flight and drive."

"Of course dear," she said with a smile. "Are you hungry? I could have something ready for you when you get back."

"You can assume the answer to that is always yes at the moment, I'm afraid," I replied with a laugh. "My appetite has been out of control."

"The girls were the same," she said with a knowing smile. "You go along, I'll get onto making something."

I looked over towards Dimitri to find him still playing with Zoya and Katya.

I smiled, slipping out of the room while Dimitri was still distracted. I hurried up the stairs to change, throwing on my workout gear and tiptoeing back towards the front door.

"Wait, Roza!" Dimitri called just as I was reached the door. I flinched, so close. "I'll come with you," he offered, smiling at me as he placed Zoya down.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

Yes, Dimitri had taken the doctor's advice into account and stopped spazzing out every time I lifted a finger, but now he'd taken up a new hobby: hovering.

It had started off innocently enough; spotting me at the gym, accompanying me on my runs, but over time it had progressively become more insane. I couldn't even shower without Dimitri's mammoth frame hovering over me, tensed and ready to catch me just in case I slipped.

"No, no," I said with a tight smile. "That's okay, you spend time with your family."

"But you –"

"I won't be long," I interrupted. "I just want to shake my legs off a bit after the flight and drive."

"But it's not safe," he insisted and I huffed in annoyance.

"How in the world is it not safe?" I asked incredulously.

"Well..." he began, clearly clutching at straws. "You don't know the roads too well here to start with... and the paths can be very uneven; you could fall or twist your ankle," I rolled my eyes. Oh, he was on a roll now. "And then how would you get help? You could be stuck out in the woods come nightfall!"

I stared at him for a long moment.

"Dimka," Vika interjected, shaking her head at her brother, "She's pregnant, not an invalid."

"Thank you!" I said, smiling smugly at my sister in law. I turned back to Dimitri as I argued; "I've run around here alone like literally a hundred times and never gotten lost. And when have I ever tripped running? I'm a freaking Dhampir." My gaze fell to the kids lining the room, "Sorry," I added, glancing at them guiltily. "Bad word."

The family was watching, their eyes darting between the two of us like a tennis match. Yeva snickered, grinning at me before she waddled off.

Oh, you little...

"It's still best if I come," Dimitri repeated, ignoring my protests and heading towards the stairs to get changed; which was so annoying.

I groaned, not even making an effort to disguise my annoyance as the remaining women stared at me sympathetically.

"So how are things going?" Olena asked after she heard the sound of the door to our bedroom closing. Her gaze was sympathetic, but I could tell she was trying not to look amused.

I sighed. "I know it's silly, but he's been crowding me. I can't even go to the bathroom without him just... there. I just want twenty minutes to myself, you know?"

She nodded, "Of course, dear. You run along now and I'll go talk to him."

I sighed in relief, "Really?" I asked. "I don't want him to be upset. I just... need a minute."

"Of course," she replied. "It's been a long day for both of you. You run along and I'll talk with him. We'll see you soon."

"Thank you," I sighed in relief, smiling at my mother in law warmly.

I stepped outside and took a deep breath, stretching my legs out for a moment before I set off in the direction of the woods.

Forty-five minutes later, I returned to the Belikov residence feeling very refreshed. I opened the front door to find my husband on the couch, reading a book. He glanced up as I entered, smiling in relief.

"You were gone for a while," he said. "I was worried –" Vika cleared her throat and he corrected himself. "How was your run?"

"Great," I said with a smile, leaning down to kiss him gently. "It was so great to get some fresh air."

"I'm glad," he said with a small smile.

Vika cleared her throat again and he glared at her annoyance before he sighed. "I think I owe you another apology, Roza," he added timidly. "I promise, if you need space in the future, I will respect that."

"Thank you," I said, leaning down to kiss him again. "I love you," I added. I stood back up and stretched my back out with a groan. "Well, I'm going to go shower," I said.

Dimitri moved to stand up and then caught himself, lowering himself back onto the couch and picking up his book again.

"And then I'll be down to sample whatever that heavenly smell is coming out of the kitchen!" I added.

Vika laughed, "Mama's going all out with your favourites," she said. "You know how she likes to spoil you."

I grinned, "Can't wait."

I headed towards the stairs. As I reached the first step I paused, turning back to watch my husband. He was making an effort to go back to reading his book and I smiled, shaking my head.

"You coming, Comrade?" I asked, winking at him as his dark eyes rose to meet mine.

"Gross!" Vika complained and Dimitri smiled, rushing towards the staircase to follow me.

We had a nice long shower, engaging in the kind of hovering that I didn't mind. Not one bit.

Only a couple more chapters left :(

I'm finding it so hard to write the ending! It's very sad to be leaving this story behind and I want it to be perfect.

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