Hello hello! I would like to take a moment to apologize for the delay on this chapter. I had a real lack of motivation on this chapter, mainly due to writer's block and some personal situations relating to a slew of CT scans and doctor's appointments.

This chapter is on the shorter side, but it is going to stir us into the direction we need to go.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter, this chapter is hot off the press. (Literally, I just finished typing it.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Radiant is the only word I have to describe the two women in front of me. One of the two hiding a baby bump and one who is so overjoyed for her best friend that she is glowing herself. I lean back in my chair with a small smile as I watch the two women dance together while hiking the skirts of dresses to avoid tearing them.

"Understand what I meant now, about feeling you're on top of the world?" I ask Christian as I turn to look at him. He nods at me while the shit eating grin remains plastered on his face. The wedding ceremony was beautiful and the two haven't been able to stop smiling since they said their "I Do's"

I reach into my pocket and pull out a small box, handing it to Christian. He raises a brow as he sips his whiskey before taking it from me. "What's this for?" he asks.

"Just a little something I picked up for you," I say with a chuckle. I watch as he lifts the lid from the box and his eyes go wide. He looks from me to the box again before pulling the watch off the cushioning. He carefully flips the watch over to look at the back of it before looking back at me.

"Where did you get this?"

"I got it from the Ozera estate. You had mentioned a few years ago that you always admired your father's watch, but that it was broken. So, I spoke to a couple of people and went to get it. I got it restored. I figured you would want it."

Christian nods at me before looking back down at the watch. "Thank you, Dimitri. This means a lot," he says quietly before slipping it on. I pick up my class and click it against his before sipping on it.

"When are you and Lissa announcing?" I ask quietly, mindful of the guests around us. Christian shrugs his shoulders. "In a week or so, we are hoping that we can do it after Aunt Tasha leaves."

I snort a laugh and drain the last of my glass. Surprisingly, Lissa was insistent on extending a wedding invitation to Tasha, trying to mend the rife between Christian and her. Not that Christian is overly impressed with Tasha as of late. I did confide in him about Tasha contacting Abe, and it seemed to be the final straw for him.

Thankfully, Tasha has steered clear of both Rose and I all day and made herself scarce after the ceremony.

"I'm going to get another. Want one?" Christian says standing, gesturing to my glass. I nod and turn back to watch our wives have another few moments of fun. Rose catches my gaze over Lissa's shoulder and gives me a beautiful smile, one that I quickly return before turning to the person sitting down beside me.

"Abe," I say politely shaking his hand. My father-in-law gives me a curt nod before looking at his daughter. "Are you enjoying your evening?" I ask him but his gaze is rooted on Rose.

"Does the name Igor Yermack mean anything to you?" he asks, ignoring my question.

I shake my head at him and watch a dark look cross his face. "Come with me. This is not a conversation that should be overheard," Abe says as he stands and buttons his jacket. I quickly follow him as we step out of the hall and into the alcove.

"Yermack is in the same business as me. He has been putting feelers out, but not for Rose."

I stiffen slightly at his words and feel my heart drop to my stomach. "They're for me," I state quietly as I rest my head against the wall beside me. Abe gives me a guarded look as he strokes his goatee. I don't think I will ever get used to how blunt and to the point he can be, but I guess that's where gets it from.

"There's an unspoken rule amongst men like me, we generally don't go near any blood kin in immediate families. But you, are not my child, therefore…"

"I'm free game."

"I'm trying to intersect him at every chance, but he's sneaky and smart. It looks like the best thing for you to do it go off the grid," Abe says and I look up to him, shocked beyond belief.

"Rose and I are supposed to be leaving on private assignment in a few weeks' time. I can't just leave," I say. Abe rolls his eyes at me.

"Not you and Rose. Just you. If Rose goes, he won't hesitate to use her as leverage to get to you."

I rub my hand over my face with a huff. "I can't just leave Rose. She's my wife," I say but Abe shakes his head at me. "No. You can, and you will."

"Abe! I cannot leave Rose now," I hiss even while I know that I can't elaborate why. Not now that we are actively trying for a baby, and could possibly be expecting one already. Abe groans and plays with the rings on his fingers, his eyes pinning me in place.

"Belikov," Abe starts with a dark tone, but I cut him off. "Abe. Listen to me. I really apricate where you are coming from, but at this very moment, I can't leave Rose alone. We've been married for just over a month. I can't just walk away, not now."

Abe glares at me for a few moments and twirls the rings on his hand again before he abruptly stops. He stares at me for a moment before his gaze softens. "You're part of the trial."

"Excuse me?" I ask, momentarily feeling anxious. I hope that my face gives nothing away, but I remember Tatiana explaining the ramifications of telling anyone about the drug trial.

"Oh, don't play dumb with me. Where do you think Tatiana and the Alchemist's got the funds for that project? They surely didn't get it from any Royals, or they would be pushing their own agenda," Abe says as he pulls a cigarette case out of his jacket and lights one. I keep staring at him with a blank face before he exhales a cloud of smoke in irritation.

"Either you tell admit, or I can go to Tatiana and tell her that the terms of your agreement have been breached. It would be your words against mine."

"Like you would take that opportunity from your own child!" I hiss before having the common sense to keep my mouth shut. Fear runs through my veins when I see the smirk creep across his face as he brings the lit paper to his lips again. "Don't worry. I would never take that opportunity away from my family. But you being in the program changes things."

Rose has been bouncing in her seat ever since we came home from guarding Christian and Lissa's honeymoon. While I enjoy working with them, three weeks of them making faces at each other in Paris was getting to be a bit much. Although, Rose and I got to have some moments to ourselves in France, and we took every opportunity to see what we wanted to see.

I give her a sideways glance as her knee bounces while she bites her lip. I reach my hand out and stroke the back of her head, making her jump and snap her head towards me.

"Are you ok?" I ask with a chuckle and she nods her head, but she is doing it so vigorously that she looks like a bobblehead. I chuckle and lean over to kiss her cheek before standing up and going into the kitchen. "Do you want a beer?"

"No."

I knit my eyes together and poke my head out of the kitchen. "No?" I ask, taking in Rose's weird expression. Rose shakes her and goes back to biting her lip again.

"Roza? What is it? You look like Vika when she would do something she wasn't supposed to."

Rose gets up from her place on the couch and smiles at me before coming close and wrapping her arms around my waist. I reciprocate and pull her tightly to my chest, resting my lips on the top of her head. Rose sighs and squeezed me for a moment before looking up at me with a smile.

"I took a test last night."

I look down at her with raised brows while I think about what she could possibly be talking about before it hits me. A pregnancy test.

"Why didn't you tell me last night?" I ask, both disappointed but hopeful.

"Because I couldn't have told you while we were only a few feet from Lissa and Chris. I knew that you would be far too excited to know that we are expecting a little Belikov," Rose exclaims, her smile getting wider the more excited she gets.

Hearing those words tumble from her lips, I feel like I've won the lottery. I scoop her up in my arms and hug her tightly and plant a kiss on her lips. Rose laughs softly against my but wraps her arms around my neck to prolong our affection. I set her down gently and cup her face in my hands, rubbing my thumbs over her soft cheeks.

"We are having a baby."

Rose nods her head again and stretches up to kiss me. I duck my head down to make it easier for her and move my hands down her body to rest on her waist.

"How did you know?" I ask her softly as I pull her to sit back on the couch with me. Rose tucks herself between me and the couch with a content sigh, resting her head against my chest. "My boobs started to hurt. Like, really bad. Plus, I was a little anxious because of the drugs. We've had a lot of sex since we started, and I just had a really good feeling last night."

I smile to myself and lay down, dragging Rose with me. I wrap my arms around her and let my hand wander down to her muscular stomach, imagining a swell even though there won't be one for a few more weeks. I feel Rose chuckle at my movement and curls closer to me.

"Has it sunk in yet?" Rose asks and I shake my head even though she can't see me. "No, not yet. I'm sure it will in the morning."

"You've been reassigned?" Lissa asks quietly as she caresses her small stomach. I look over to Christian who has a small frown working onto his face as he slips his hand into Lissa's. Just two weeks after discovered that we Rose is pregnant, we have to do the one thing we've been dreading. Telling our charges.

"Just for a little bit. We've been told to go on a private assignment."

Rose shifts beside me and crosses her legs while resting one hand on my knee. I give her a small smile before looking back at our charges. The air feels kind of heavy as we look at each other in silence and I place my hand over Rose's, squeezing gently.

"You're assigned to me though," Lissa says crossly, and I feel Rose flinch beside me. "Lissa, it's not like we get a say in where we get assigned. Dimitri and I have both hand-picked who will be replacing us, and you'll both have the best people here with you."

"That doesn't matter Rose! You tell the council that you will not be going!"

Rose, Christian and I are all a little taken aback by Lissa. We expected her to be upset, but we didn't expect her to snap at us.

"Lissa, I don't think it works that way," Christian tries to pacify her, but she brushes him off and sets her gaze on us.

"I'm the last Dragomir. My say means something, and when I tell you you aren't leaving, then you aren't leaving!" Lissa snarls before standing up and leaving the living room, slamming the bedroom door behind her. Rose takes a shaky breath beside me as her grips tighten on my knee, and I rub my hand over hers, trying to soothe her. Christian looks from the vibrating door to us with a frown. If Lissa had expressed that she was disappointed that we were leaving, I could have taken that with stride. Not this, not when she has essentially said that we were her chess pieces, moving where she says and when.

"When do you leave?" he asks with a dejected tone. I sigh and lean back into the couch. "Three days."

Christian nods his head solemnly as he looks from us to the door. I feel for Lissa, I really do. But her reaction has unsettled me slightly, and by Rose's stiff posture beside me, she is unsettled as well. Rose fidgets in her place before standing up and collecting her jacket.

"I think we should go," Rose whispers to me and I stand up to join her. Christian stands up and hugs Rose before shaking my hand and giving me a one-armed hug.

"I'll try talking to her. Worst case scenario, I'll get her to the landing strip before you fly out," he says as he walks up to the door.

We walk back to our house in silence, clutching each other's hands. Rose barely makes it inside our front door before her tears fall and I can do nothing but just hold her. I sink down with her onto the floor and hold her to my chest as she sobs.

"Breathe. Roza, breathe," I console as she gulps for air between her tears. I rest my chin on the top of her head while I rock her gently, trying to reign in my anger while Rose collects herself.

I set my bag down on the seat just inside the plane before making my way back down the stairs. My heart breaks for Rose as she stands watch the road, hoping for her best friend to show up. But the only thing we can see is open road.

"Roza, we don't have much more time. We have to take off soon." I say softly as I wrap my arms around her waist, my hand falling to her stomach. Rose nods her head as she leans back into me with a sigh.

"Can we just wait a few more minutes?" she asks.

I nod and kiss the side of her head before going to check in with the pilot. The pilot assures me everything is in place as a black SUV pulls up, and I can see Rose walk towards it with more light in her step, only to be disappointed when Christian and Adrian exit the vehicle. No Lissa.

I frown to myself as I make my way down the stairs and join the three figures, catching Adrian's disappointed look.

"We tried, both of us, to get Lissa to come. She outright refused," Christian apologizes when I come to a stop beside Rose.

I shake my head and sigh deeply. "You told her that there is a possibility that we won't be back for a while, even up to a year or more?"

Christian nods regrettably as he scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah, I told her that. She didn't seem to care," he says softly. I can tell that he is in a tough position because not only is he Lissa's husband, but I am his closest friend and he views Rose as a sister, not that he would admit it to anyone else.

Rose nods her head twice before reaching out to hug the two of them before retreating to the plane. The three of us watch as she retreats and all of us know that she is trying to hide how she is feeling about Lissa not showing up.

"Let me know when you two get settled?" Christian asks when the plane starts its engines. I nod and say goodbye to my best friend and cousin before join Rose on the plane. I buckle in beside her and run the back of my fingers over her cheek, pretending for a moment that I don't notice the hot, salty tears that lay there as she looks out the window. Rose sniffles a few times before wiping her face and meeting my gaze.

"Ready?" she asks in a thick voice, clearing her throat a few times. I nod and press a quick kiss to her lips before gesturing to the attendant at the front of the plane.